And Bands: It Beats Me Every Time

Peter Bjorn & John: "It Beats Me Every Time"

One of the major pitfalls of buying digital albums is that you don't get all the real, touchable things that come with a physical purchase. The case (is it a jewel case or just a simple cardboard sleeve?), the CD itself (will the disc art match the album art, like Black Rebel Motorcycle Club's Take Them On, On Your Own, or will they be separate entities, alien to each other in their own world), and — most important to me — the liner notes. The liner notes usually contain the lyrics. The lyrics that the band wrote. What exists on lyric websites are almost always approximations based on what the transcriber thinks they're hearing, and that is usually far from accurate. (Tangentially, this is another reason why I love extreme metal; nobody is out there saying I think he's growling "blah blah blah" and then writing that nonsense on a lyrics site. Death metal lyrics get transcribed from the liner notes directly to the websites.)

Take Them On, On Your Own inside of case...

...and disc.

What I'm getting at is this: I bought the digital version of this album (Falling Out: Planekonomi, 2004), so I have to rely on the websites for the lyrics, but they're not always accurate, so there are some discrepancies in what you'll find on various lyric sites for this album. The refrain, however, comes through crystal clear, and the message (whatever some of those slurred words in the verses are) is unmistakable: "We need to talk."

To start, according to Peter Bjorn & John, this album primarily deals with, as the title suggests, people falling out of love from the things and people they fall in love with:

"In everyday life we tend to compromise. This is neither good nor bad. Well, in art it's merely negative, when in life it's just necessary. We give up things we believe in to avoid being left behind, or locked out. In this compromising life we also tend to fall in love. Not just with people, but with places, philosophies, societies and our picture of what life should be. We stare sheeplike in the direction of this ideal picture. But we'll never get there. That way we're bound to be let down. We get confused. And we hurt each other. 

But these clashes, bullfights and mannered conflicts are there for a reason. We need them there in order to grow and to move on. We need to be confused. Sometimes we fall out with ourselves, and our expectations of ourselves. These are the hardest ones. But also the most important ones. Here are our songs about falling out. Some about falling in as well, but mostly out. Have a listen."

This song seems to be directly about a person. The narrator is in a relationship and is about to leave, perhaps for a tour (I gather that the main character of this song is none other than the actual band member who wrote it, bassist Björn Yttling). But while he's (presumably) been enjoying the relationship, he's conflicted. Being away from home for a long time calls relationships into question that way, and not knowing whether you want to keep things together or not can sometimes be reason enough not to. Just before he leaves, he finds out he'll be gone for several weeks, so what to do now? There's an appeal here for him, to be sure. Enough to keep him on the tipping point every time he thinks about it: "I just can't figure out what you're up to. It beats me every time." But reevaluating everything brings up a key point in his decision: "But I know what you've done for me ... it's nothing." 

What sort of relationship status will our character be posting by the end of the song? It's left undeclared, but perhaps there's a bit of revelation in the second stanza: "Taking out the trash and by mistake I throw away the keys."

Compared to other PB&J songs, this one doesn't stand out as a particularly ripe choice for lyrical criticism. To be honest, it gets a lot of repeats through my speakers because of that dead-on drop in tone at the end of each refrain. That's the sort of sonic turn I love!

And Bands: Eric Clapton Edition

John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers: Steppin’ Out

[purchase]

Delaney and Bonnie with Eric Clapton: Poor Elijah

[purchase]

Derek and the Dominos: It’s Too Late

[purchase]

There are some pretty obscure pieces of trivia in the Guinness Book of World Records, but “Artist associated with the most And Bands” is probably not one of them. My guess would be that the record is held by Eric Clapton.

Eric Clapton’s first recorded work was with the Yardbirds, but the style that he became famous for first began to take shape during his brief tenure with John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers. Clapton only made one album with them, in 1966, but that was enough to start his legend as a blues-rock guitar god. The album was simply called John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers With Eric Clapton. Mayall had a deep love of the blues, a great talent for finding sidemen who would go on to greater glory, and a horrible singing voice. He was also generous to his bandmates. Steppin’ Out is one of several instrumentals from the album that prominently featured Clapton’s guitar, and the album also included Clapton’s first recorded vocal, on Ramblin’ on My Mind.

Of course, Clapton cemented his early fame in Cream, starting later in 1966, but I have excluded them from this post for obvious reasons. Cream was followed by Blind Faith, another band that does not fit our theme. But the opening act for Blind Faith was Delaney and Bonnie and Friends. Clapton quickly became one of those friends, and his association with Delaney and Bonnie Bramlett would last longer than Blind Faith did. The Bramletts made important contributions to Clapton’s first solo album. Bonnie even co-wrote one of Clapton’s early solo hits, Let it Rain.

Finally, this post would not be complete without Derek and the Dominos. The band consisted of Clapton, plus Delaney and Bonnie’s rhythm section, joined on their best known album by Duane Allman. They are seen here on Johnny Cash’s old TV show. Cash knew well the connections between country music and the blues, and it’s great to see that the in studio audience appreciated this as well. I’m not that the audiences for what passes for country music these days would respond this way, although I would like to think so.

AND BANDS : FRANK ZAPPA AND THE MOTHERS OF INVENTION

Ruben and the Jets: Cheap Thrills

Purchase Link

OK, guys, I'm playing with you today, but you probably knew that. I felt the opportunity for a double "and band" too tempting to pass, hence the apparent contradiction between the title and the subsequent link. For those who don't know, "Cruisin' with Ruben and the Jets" was the 4th LP by Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention, or, strictly speaking, the Mothers of Invention, but, hey, it's my column, and it's what we all called 'em. This record, a pastiche of and paean to Zappas love of doo-wop, deliberately played the Mothers entirely in role, as a  mythical band, Ruben and the Jets, with  Zappa being their leader, Ruben Sano. Arriving on top of his earlier and decidedly uncommercial product, perhaps as the original singles made no mention of Zappa or the Mothers name, the songs received considerably more airplay and exposure, ironically, than when it became re-released with the "real" name of the band. Indeed, jocks felt they had unearthed some old original songs from the 50s. This is an old trick, not forgotten by many a band and canny producer to this day.
My exposure to this, over the other side of the atlantic, and barely into double figures of age in 1968, its year of release, was somewhat arduous. Indeed, it was, I am shamed to admit, only as I researched this piece that I ever got round to listening to any of the tracks.(Please don't tell anyone I know.) Because Zappa was always to me a far better idea than a reality. I'll explain. During my early teens many, many afternoons were spent in one particular record shop, which had a very liberal approach to letting local schoolboys while away their days, headphones on, going thru' the racks. As well as filling my ears with what I wanted to listen to, generally standard UK rock, I could fill my eyes with all the weird and wonderful names and album covers of innumerable west coast bands, as they were then called. So, as Deep Purple choogled in my ear, I was leafing through Stoneground, It's a Beautiful Day, Captain Beefheart, Moby Grape etc etc. And Frank Zappa, with and without the Mothers of Invention, clearly the ugliest group of reprobates ever. Which was high praise. My guess now is that the owner of the shop was a fan, but, given their duration of stay in the racks, I sometimes wonder how many ever got sold. Believe me, there is somewhat of a difference between L.A. and Eastbourne, Sussex. I did eventually buy "Hot Rats", loving it to this day, but other and earlier Zappa was, shall we say, rather too difficult an appreciation to aquire, so I had to remain with just liking the image and dropping the name.
So, fast forward forty plus years and what do I think? Hmmm, Ok, I suppose. I guess you had to be there....... But I defend my right to upholding this self-deception for much of my life. I dare say I am not alone, especially when I note Beefheart is also in the list mentioned above.
When and if, having been blown away by my enthusiasm, you get to listen to the link, you will discover this a bit different from the one currently available for purchase, the originals having fallen victim to a later re-mix, by Zappa, with some change of musicians, causing uproar within hardcore afficianados. The youtube link is a vinyl rip from the original version.
Should you be looking for any other product by the "Ruben" band, you will probably find another LP, confusingly also by Ruben and the Jets. Just to be awkward, this is a conceptual tribute band, formed to emulate and take forward the success of the brand. Their producer, awkward as ever? Frank Zappa!

And Bands: Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band

Photo courtesy of Katherine L. Ehle

Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band: Danny Callahan
[purchase the studio version]

It struck me that I’ve been writing for this blog for about a year and a half without posting about one of my favorite bands, Wilco. Not on this blog, at least. I’ve seen Wilco perform a few times, and their shows are almost always memorable. My favorite one, however, was an outdoor show in 2009 at the minor league baseball stadium in Wappinger’s Falls, New York (home of the Hudson Valley Renegades). It was a beautiful summer night, I was there with my son, we stood close enough to the stage to hear well without being too close, and the band was incredible. Because it was at a baseball stadium, they shot Wilco t-shirts into the crowd between sets. And we got one.

I turned my son on to Wilco, and he became a big fan. In turn, my kids have introduced me to a number of musicians that I now enjoy, and Wilco’s opening act that night was an artist that my son loved, Conor Oberst. It took me a while to appreciate him, and I will argue that his music has improved over the years, as he has matured, become somewhat less affected and simplified his writing. I loved his later Bright Eyes album Cassadaga and his self-titled “solo” album. But on the tour in question, he was performing as “Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band,” making them theme-appropriate.

Some artists need to be reined in to prevent their excesses from overwhelming their brilliance, and I think the fact that even though Oberst was the clear leader, it was more of a band than a solo project, made their output extremely appealing. In fact, as much as I was looking forward to seeing Wilco, I was hoping for a good set from the opener.

And Conor and the Mystic Valley Band kicked ass. Their set consisted of mostly songs from their then-current album and the “solo” disc, and I even recognized most of them. The band put on a great show, and I think that they impressed and even converted most (if clearly not all) of the audience, some of whom sadly had no interest in appreciating the quality of the performance and just wanted to get on to the headliner. They set a high bar that night, and Wilco actually surpassed them, which is no shame.

“Danny Callahan,” from Oberst’s self-titled album, is one of my son’s favorites, and for good reason. A great, almost bouncy, melody is coupled with literate and uplifting lyrics, but about a very serious subject, the death of a young cancer patient, failed by “Western medicine”.

That night, my son and I stood in front of a large taping rig, and we later found out that the show was recorded and posted at the incredible nyctaper.com site, which offers a huge archive of interesting and usually amazingly well recorded live shows from the New York area. This recording is from that great evening, when my son and I saw two transcendent sets, standing in centerfield under the clear Hudson Valley sky.

And Bands: Bill Janovitz and Friends

Bill Janovitz: Tumblin Dice
[Janovitz's website]

And so … for the next two weeks it’s “Bands with <and> in the name”. You could make a game out of this: how many such bands can you think of without Internet help? But the real/money question is: how many can SMM highlight and which would you have had us mention? (You can do so in the comments)

For the most part, bands in this category include the famous leader in the name (ex: Eric Burdon and the Animals), but there are almost equally many others where the “lead” is a figment (Derek and the Dominoes).

Bill Janovitz is prolific. He founded Buffalo Tom back in 86 and they are still playing together out of the Boston area. If you do a YouTube search for him, you’ll find clips of Bill Janvitz and Crown Victoria, Tanya Donelly and Bill Janovitz and more collaborations/ands. One of his projects has been a coversong blog started back in 2007 where you can read his thoughts about and download close to 100 songs. In his blog, he says:

I would love to share what I have been listening to more often, and as an artist, I encourage such use of music as another outlet for exposure. I don't want anyone posting files for downloads of whole records as thievery, but a sample tune or two would be fine.

Several years back, I had the fortune to pick up a couple of songs by Bill Janovitz and Crown Victoria, from music.download.com in what was then a legal process. Despite Bill Janovitz’s sentiments about sharing, the song I wanted to post has been flagged as copyrighted by my file hosting service, so I can’t share it here.

Numbers: One

Nilsson: One 
[purchase]

When it comes to the subject of numbers, it sort of all starts with the number 1, doesn't it? In some ways, it also ends there as well, when you think of “1” as the completion of the whole: 100%, a full circle, the high end of a probability ratio. Zero is nothing, and one is everything: everything in between is just partial. 

But then there's 2. Which in relationships, is the perfect, ideal number, and can make 1 seem like so much less than the whole. And that's where Harry Nilsson was coming from when he wrote “One” for his second album, 1968's Aerial Ballet. And whereas the better known version of the song is the cover recorded by Three Dog Night and released actually a month prior to Nilsson's, theirs lacks the intimate despair of Nilsson's version. They belt out their anguish, wanting the world to know their pain; Harry sits quietly in his room and thinks the same thoughts but all to himself, maybe as he writes a letter to his ex that he'll never actually send. And that makes the song seem so much more sad and, yes, lonely -- not exactly the stage tragedy of the Three Dog Night version.

Possibly the song's most potent line: “One is a number divided by two.” Which, actually, is a half, and that's what Nilsson is feeling like: half a person, without his other. The end of the relationship is tearing him apart. And the result is, to paraphrase the song, one of the greatest pop songs of heartbreak that you'll ever do.

-- Dave Gershman, Reselect.com

Numbers: Rocket 88

Jackie Brenston and His Delta Cats: Rocket 88
[purchase]

Last year, at about this time, I posted the song “Tiger Rag” and discussed my 30th college reunion, which turned out to be a great deal of fun. Last weekend, I returned for my 31st—but just for the day, the highlight of which was the long alumni parade, called the P-Rade, which is traditionally led by the 25th reunion class, this year, the Class of 1988. Thus the picture above, of a float that the class sponsored, in keeping with their “World Tour” theme. Princeton was probably not the first college to have formal reunions, but it may be the only one where all alumni are invited back every year and where everybody wears (usually garish) costumes all weekend (I’ve seen Senators, Cabinet members and famous actors and actresses wearing weird outfits and zany hats). I regret, however, that in 1892, the college ended a practice that any alumnus who returned to campus for Commencement three years after graduation received a master’s degree.

Figuring out “firsts” can be hard, especially when you are talking about things that go back a long way. Or, as in trying to decide what was the first “rock ‘n’ roll” song, where there is really no clear demarcation between rock ‘n’ roll and the many other musical streams that led up to it. In fact, it is kind of a silly debate, but it gives me something to discuss in connection with “Rocket 88,” which its producer, the future legend Sam Phillips (who, it has been said, was the only man that Jerry Lee Lewis would call “sir,”), and others, have touted as the first. Some other contenders are discussed here.

Even if it isn’t the first rock ‘n’ roll song, it is a great one, and its subject, cars, booze and women, certainly helped set the template for the style. Recorded in 1951, “Rocket 88” was credited to “Jackie Brenston and His Delta Cats,” a band that did not exist. In fact, the band was Ike Turner’s Kings of Rhythm, featuring Brenston on vocals. That Ike Turner. And it does rock, with high energy vocals from Brenston, Turner’s boogieing piano, and one of the first (!) uses of distorted guitar.

The song was a big hit, and as was common in those days, it was covered by a white group, Bill Haley and the Saddlemen, and it was a hit for them, too. In fact some critics somehow consider Haley’s version the first rock song (while others think that Haley and the re-named Comets’ “Rock Around the Clock” deserves the title of “first”).

So, if you think that Tina Turner was the more influential member of the couple, you may want to reconsider.

Numbers: 4 + 20

RadioBuscio: 4+20 (CSNY cover)
[Purchase CSNY version]

As some of you know, I write out of Istanbul, Turkey, and while the SMM purvey here is not political, obviously, my thoughts have been focused locally these past few days. Focused, in that I have been asking myself which song could best combine current regional events with our current theme of numbers.

As you may have read or heard, the long-cowed local press was slow to provide facts (Turkish journalism is generally poor on this count: generally omitting the who, what, where and when  - I taught Journalism here several years back so I consider myself somewhat informed) But in this case, because the government has long since subsumed most news outlets through financial and legal threats, they were once again slow to provide the facts/ the numbers. And that is a major issue behind the brouhaha at Taksim Gezi Park.

Having participated in the marches on Washington in the early 70s (and a few I myself organized), I find it easy to draw parallels: government information in the US in the 70s wasn’t always above board. And it was – more often than not – the musical community that stood up and pointed this out.

In this respect, I  think first of CSNY. Even before they were outright vocal about their anti-war opinions, their music was provocative: “Almost Cut My Hair” and “Woodstock”, for example. Although they weren’t alone by any means, there are several CSN(Y) titles that were anthems of a kind for the Vietnam protest era: “Ohio” (about Kent State), “Find the Cost of Freedom”, “Chicago” (about the 1968 Democratic Convention)

However, all this needs to revert to our current theme of numbers, and it is the CSN song 4+20 that I present in this light. The lyrics of the song say: “a different kind of poverty now upsets me so”, and ..if I may extend the thought, that seems to be a major part of the current unrest in Turkey: a different kind of poverty – a poverty of freedoms.

This version of the song, by RadioBucio (aka Jonathan from Chicago [again!]) is a free download from SoundCloud

NUMBERS: Pacific 202

808 State : Pacific 202

Purchase


Time to try something out... I get the feel that this site is, shall we say, sometimes a bit, um, dated, relishing and rejoicing in the golden years of our middle youth and earlier. OK, the tradition of scrupulously avoiding anything from the decade immediately ahead of the day of posting perhaps governs (some) aspects thereof, but I suspect most of us are stuck in comfort zones of yesteryear, and the genres therein. Well, stuff that, I love "electronica/dance" or whatever the fish it's called. As one way to old to be able to curry kudos from the correct lingo, to paraphrase Billy Joel, it's all techno to me, from the Prodigy to Swedish House Mafia. And it's great. (When it's good, that is, like all other genres, when it's bad, it's horrid, with the "charts" usually being the demonstrator of the dross.)
So, you ask, am I a fully paid up raver? Have I been to a club, loved out on Es, Ibiza eternally on my mind and Goa in my heart? No, clearly not. I listen to it in the car on the way to and back fom work. That's where I dance and where, beneath my skin, I'm screaming. (£5 book token to anyone who can source the lyric reference there, groovers!). Yup, when it's good, it's great and I love it loads.
So what about 808 State? Probably  groundbreakers in their way, they formed in 1987, the name stemming fom the drum machine de rigeur at that time. No new material since 2003, allowing this infomercial, but, as they say, still performing DJ sets etc etc. Whatever that means.
I can hear the cynics and traditionalists groaning. Where's our guitars? Where's our sensitive singer-songwriters? Don't panic, still here/there is the answer, and I'll probably post the Stray Cats or Charles Mingus next time. (Guitars? Sensitive singer songwriters? Jeez.....) Unless anyone wants different.

Numbers : 39-21-46

[Purchase]

The Norfollk Virginia based Showmen followed up their 1961 #61 hit "It Will Stand" with this Carolina Beach classic which was originally titled "39-21-40 Standard". Due to a label misprint, the song became known as 39-21-46, adding a hefty 6 inches to the bottom measurement and forever suggesting the group were "Ass Men".

 Lead singer General Johnson left the Showmen and formed Chairman of the Board. Their debut single, "Give Me Just a Little More Time", peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1970.

Numbers: When I’m Sixty Four

The Beatles : When I’m Sixty Four

[purchase]

I feel it’s important for musicians to get around to local nursing homes and retirement facilities to bring a little joy and a few smiles to the elderly and infirmed. Folks tell me that they really look forward to our monthly visits. So I commit to regularly singing and playing with the Accordion Club of Roseburg. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever imagine myself plunking on a banjo or strumming my guitar with as many as six accordionists! For some, it might conjure up images of purgatory.

Actually, it’s a lot of fun, quite entertaining, and I’ve learned many new tunes in the process. That’s because our club presents a different theme each month for our hour-long program. As Mother’s Day occurs in May, this month features all songs with a woman’s name in the title. Next month will be songs with a man’s name in the title.

A few months ago, I encouraged our club president to develop a “Numbers Program.” Thus, we start that show with “One Dozen Roses” and “A Bicycle Built for Two,” followed by “Three Coins in the Fountain.” We only play through each song about twice, and we encourage everyone to try to remember the title, lyrics, sing along, and guess what year the song was written. I’ve a special affinity for those songs dating back to the 1920s which are rarely heard today, but they’ve managed to survive over the decades. Before the hour is over (and exactly 21 songs later), we’ve reached “Seventy-Six Trombones” before we close with “I Found a Million Dollar Baby.”

During the course of that program, we also present a few of my favorite Beatles songs … “Eight Days a Week” and “When I’m Sixty Four.” Both of these songs are very special for folks coop’ed up in the retirement facilities. The former has an important message that we should all attempt to adhere to – “Eight days a week is not enough to show I care.” And the latter reinforces that same message – “When I get older, losing my hair, many years from now. Will you still be sending me a Valentine, birthday greeting, bottle of wine?”

Life in retirement homes doesn’t have to be dismal, depressing and institutional. Music can help alleviate that. Try to think of some ways that you can bring a little cheer to residents in the same way the Beatles have to so many of us, as we don’t want to become “yours sincerely wasting away.”

Numbers: Nineteen

Old 97’s: Nineteen
[purchase Fight Songs, because Amazon doesn’t appear to have the version of Satellite Rides with the bonus track]

With a theme like this, with literally an infinite number of options, I decided to simply go with the first appropriate song that popped into my head. And this one is doubly appropriate, with a number in the title and the name of the band, proving that sometimes it is better to not overthink things.

Back in 1999, we had great neighbors across the street, Wayne and Denise. They were interesting, smart, their oldest child and our daughter were friends, and, maybe best of all, their musical taste was similar to ours. (Fact—like fingerprints, no two people have the same musical taste.) One day, Denise gave us a copy of the Old 97’s new CD, Fight Songs, as a thank you for something that we had done. I have no recollection of what it was, but I do know that the CD, and the band, became huge family favorites (and not just because, as my wife says, Rhett Miller, the lead singer, is “dreamy”). And my family’s love of the Old 97’s has continued to this date—we have seen them a few times (and Miller as a solo act), most recently a few months ago when I went with my two kids (my wife doesn’t like standing at concerts) to see them open for the Drive-By Truckers. Sadly, our neighbors moved a few miles away, and although we do see them occasionally, I suspect we would get to spend more time with them if they had stayed across the street.

The music of the Old 97’s is a fusion of country and pop, fitting them squarely in the “Americana” or “Alt-Country” world. Critics seem to like their more country sounding songs, while their more pop oriented efforts tend to be more popular. But whichever you like better, you have to appreciate the quality of the songwriting and the literate, interesting lyrics, usually from Miller, who briefly attended Sarah Lawrence College on a creative writing scholarship before dropping out to pursue his musical muse.

“Nineteen” is a song that is more rock than country, like most of Fight Songs, and like so many great songs in any genre, it is about lost love. What makes it so poignant is that the narrator realizes that he made a huge mistake in letting his love go. He acknowledges that he was an idiot, that she was great, and that he misses just lying in bed with her. And his excuse? He was only nineteen, which is “not the age of reason,” a fact borne out by many actual scientific studies. The narrator doesn’t plead for a second chance; he simply appears to accept the fact that the train has left the station without him.

The Old 97’s are a great live band. Their energy on stage is incredible, and they are tight, as they should be, considering how much they have played together in their two decades as a band. Therefore, I have posted a live version of the song, released as a bonus track on the band’s next album, Satellite Rides. They didn’t play the song when I saw them earlier this year—I read somewhere that the band won’t play it anymore, but Miller will sometimes perform it solo.