It seems this year and now this week in particular have been rough for the music industry. In the last week, we have lost Leon Russell, Leonard Cohen and Holly Dunn. In 2016 we've said goodbye to Merle Haggard, Prince, David Bowie, Glenn Frey, Lemmy, Ralph Stanley, Joey Feek, and many more. I'll be honest that I don't know much of Leon Russell's work. But after researching him, I've come to really appreciate all that he contributed to music. Take a listen to Tight Rope from the 1972 album Carney:
I do however know a little more about the work of Leonard Cohen. I remember the first time I saw Pump Up the Volume. I was entranced by this deep voice singing over a funky almost ghostly track. It was Everybody Knows, and I wanted more. I've never become a super fan of Cohen's, but he's always been someone that I knew was worth respecting. I know his more famous works, but have little knowledge of his back catalog. I can say that this is my favorite Cohen song:
In honor of these legends, I think I'm going to do a little more audio research and get a little more familiar with these cats.
I remember listening to Daddy's Hands in the back seat of my parents station wagon on the way to visit my Grandma in the mountains of Ashe County North Carolina. When I heard it back then, I thought of my Grandfather that I had never met and how I figured this was how people felt about him. Holly Dunn died from a brief encounter with cancer. Here is the song she will probably be remembered for most.
Don't worry. This list doesn't feature Little Pink Houses. Small towns make sense to me. I guess growing up in a town of around 2500 people was good for me. Don't get me wrong. I love to visit bigger cities like Charlotte or or the booming metropolis of Bristol, but my heart is here. I work at the same hospital I was born in. I drive the same roads every day. I got a good handful of friends that I wouldn't trade for anything. This is where my family, my wife, and all things that are me, reside. So that brings me to songs about small towns. There are a million at least. Every genre boasts tons of songs about small town pride, or why small towns suck. I didn't want to go to obvious with the choices here, although I'm sure some will be familiar. 5) Small Town Hero - Sawyer Brown From the album This Thing Called Wantin' And Havin' It All Written by Mark Miller and Gregg "Hobie" Hubbard Buy it on Amazon
It's a real shame this wasn't a hit, or hasn't been covered by somebody yet. Three verses each tell a story about being the titular hero. The first is a story of someone almost making it in the music business, but ultimately failing. The second tells a tragic story of a Vietnam vet who comes home a hero, but still deals with the demons of war internally. The last is a tale of a farmer who's going to lose his family farm, but before the bankers can take it away, he burns it all to the ground. It's bittersweet in that, yes, they were all heroes. But as Kristofferson said "The going up was worth the coming down." 4) Turning Home - David Nail From the album I'm About to Come Alive Written by Kenny Chesney and Scooter Carusoe Buy it on Amazon
This one was a pretty solid hit for Nail in 2010. It went up to number 20 on the US Hot Country Songs. Still though, to me anyway, didn't seem exactly like a mainstream country song. It seemed more like a cover of an older song; maybe something from the 70s. The story circles around some cliches, but Nail's vocal and the chorus really drive the song home. Pun intended? After all the elements come together, it plays a sepia slide show in your mind. It really take you to this town he can't ever seem to leave behind for too long. 3)This Town - Kacey Musgraves From the album Pageant Material Written by Luke Laird, Kacey Musgraves and Brandy Clark Buy it on Amazon
"Big enough for a ZIP code, a VFW
A good Mexican restaurant, a beauty shop or two
Got a Methodist, a Baptist, and a Church of the Nazarene
Aw, but don't you forget it, as big as we're getting
This town's too small to be mean
Yeah, it's too dang small to be mean"
This 2:57 second song is an ode to the small town. Although it was written about one town in particular, it could be the anthem of hundreds of small towns around the country. The little map dot is growing, but the attitudes stay the same. It's a picture of Anywhere USA, driven by clever lyrics and the sublime styling Ms. Musgraves.
2) My Hometown - Charlie Robinson From the album Life of the Party Written by Charlie Robinson Buy it on Amazon
Truly one of my favorite songs ever. This is the kind of tune you sing along with your buddies around a campfire in early summer. Charlie Robinson takes you on a ride through his memories of growing up and growing out of the his small town. He makes big plans to leave several times, but always ends up home. His friends are now in bigger cities, but if they ever find themselves back there again, he's sure he'll see them around his hometown. 1) Big Day In A Small Town - Brandy Clark
From the album Big Day In A Small Town Written by Brandy Clark, Shane McAnally and Mark D. Sanders Buy it on Amazon
These three songwriters have crafted one of the best tunes I've heard this year. This might be the ultimate small town song. Referencing Waffle Houses, Walmart, dead deer and teenage pregnancy, Brandy Clark illustrates this place with love and simultaneous disbelief. It speaks to those of us who live far away from the urban jungle and pokes fun at the things we get wrapped up in. Give it a listen. Also be sure to check this whole album. It's kind of a big deal.
Last week I wrote about some of the saddest country songs of all time. This week I thought I'd change things up and write about some tunes that help me when the skies are darkest. I openly suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder or S.A.D (Thanks for that acronym, buttwads.) This time of year is when it starts to kick in. Summer is long in the rear view and Halloween has come and gone one more time. Now the TV blasts Christmas commercials incessantly and soon the radio will pump out 24 hour streams of holiday classics. After that its the long winter when springtime seems an intangible eternity away.
But that's why we have music.
Whether we want to alleviate our pain or enhance a good feeling, a fun song that strikes the right chord can make all the difference. Here's a list of 10 of my favorite songs to make you feel a little bit better.
Have you ever been a down swing? Maybe lots of bad luck? Been away from home and loved ones too long? When that good feeling finally arrives, you can take a deep breath and realize you're back in a good place. That's this song right here.
Originally released by Alvin Robinson in 1964, this sweaty, funky jam was later recorded by the Rolling Stones on No. 2. For me though, Old Crow crafted the perfect version of this tune. This one always get my toes tapping. You can't help but sing along.
Heard my cousin cookin out I gotta get me a plate"
I don't listen to rap as much as I once did, but Nappy Roots will always been one of my favorites. With Watermelon, Chicken and Gritz, the group painted a picture of life in Kentucky, both good and bad. Clever lyrics, insane hooks and talent all around. This song from the Humdinger is later on the discography, but it still makes me smile every time I hear it.
From the opening riff of this song, I just have to belt this one out as loud and obnoxious as I can. I fell in love with this song when I heard Garth Brooks sing it as his Central Park with Billy Joel. It seemed so unhinged for a pop song. It's kind of a punk record, written and recorded by the least punk guy of all time. It's cheesy, it's loud and I love it.
6) Alright Guy - Todd Snider Written by Todd Snider From the album Songs For The Daily Planet Buy it on Amazon
"Well I get wild and I know I get drunk
It's not like I got a bunch of bodies in my trunk
My old man used to call me a no-good punk
And I still dont know why "
Todd Snider is the man. He does what he wants and records what he wants. He opened for John Prine and sought out to create songs that were both happy and sad at the same time. This though, to me at least, is an all out blast. Just a fun, well written tune.
5) In Spite Of Ourselves - John Prine & Iris Dement
If I could encourage people who has never listened, to check out John Prine, then my work would be done. He's one of the two of three finest songwriters of all time. My opinion anyway. With Iris Dement's perfect voice and some of his craftiest lyrics, this is mood changer.
"We could both wear cowboy hats And pretend that we could speak Italian I could eat some gum and make my breath So minty fresh to kiss you Your breath will smell like wine, I like that a lot Especially when I kiss you And I could hit my funny bone real hard And you could call me "sweetheart"
I love the Refreshments. Something about pop rock with a Mexican influence just hits the spot for me. This album is one of the most underrated of the 1990s. It plays like a greatest hits for a band you've never heard. This song is pretty much nonsense, but in the best way possible. It basically comes down to this: It doesn't matter what we do, as long as I'm with you. Love it!
3)Streets Of Bakersfield - Dwight Yoakam Written by Homer Joy From the album Buenas Noches from a Lonely Room Buy it on Amazon
"Spent sometime in San Francisco
I spent a night there in the can
They threw this drunk man in my jail cell
I took fifteen dollars from that man
Left him my watch and my old house key
Don't want folks thinkin' that I'd steal
Then I thanked him as I was leaving
And I headed out for Bakersfield"
I remember this being one of the first songs I loved. In those days we had no fancy streaming music, so you had to listen to the radio and hope they played it. Homey Joy wrote the song in 1973 and it was recorded by Buck Owens. Then in 1988 Yoakam recorded it with the help of Owens and it became a smash. It's such a great story song and always connects with the line, "You don't know me but you don't like me."
2)Long Hot Summer Days - Turnpike Troubadours Written by John Hartford From the album Diamonds and Gasoline Buy it on Amazon
"Well I got me a gal in Pecan.
She's a good ole' gal okay.
Oh she's sitting there waitin’ by a window fan.
On a long hot summer day."
If you can find a catchier song, then I tip my nonexistent hat to you. Written by the immensely talented John Hartford for his Mark Twang album, the song is ode to working on the river during the hottest heat of the summer. The Troubadours take the song and make it their own and it never fails to cause a sing along.
1)I'm Coming Home - Robert Earl Keen Written by Robert Earl Keen From the album Gringo Honeymoon Buy it on Amazon
"I'm feelin' better since I got your card
I read it over and over when the road gets hard
Ain't nothin' better than your own backyard
I'm comin' home to you"
If you read my blog, and I keep it with it, you're going to realize my favorite guy right now is Robert Earl Keen. In the last year I've soaked up every thing Keen I could find. This track, along with the aforementioned "Feelin' Good Again," is an ode to getting back to the things in life that matter. In these uncertain days, we need those pieces of comfort. We need to feel at home and enjoy all the little moments that we take for granted. This song speaks to that.
Happy Halloween to all ya'll. Not only is Halloween the creepiest and scariest day of the year; this year it fell on Monday. Cold chills. So here are some good tunes to get you through this witchy day
Country music is an amazing art form. Country music is the true poetry of the working class. Whether it be boot stomping drinkin' songs, or teary eyed weepers, the medium is vast and almost never ending. Its such a massive genre, it has dozens and dozens of subdivisions and classifications. But down in the marrow of almost all country genres, is the sad song. We enjoy sad songs for the same reason we enjoy the happier ones. We can relate. We've all been hurt. We've all lost someone or something precious to us. We've all felt that guttural sensation deep inside that can only come from personal tragedy and loss. These ballads strike a nerve in us and for those three or four minutes, we're in a different time and place. And if the artists does his or her job, we're left feeling devastated, but comforted in knowing we're not alone.
Top 5 Saddest Country Songs. This is by no means an end all be all list. The beauty of music is, there are always things you've never heard.
5) How Can I Help You - Patty Loveless
Written by Karen Taylor-Good and Burton Banks Collins From the album Only What I Feel - 1993 Buy It On Amazon As proof that this country loves us a sad ol' song, this track went up to number 3 on the country charts in 1994. Through the song, Ms. Loveless speaks of three separate occasions where her mother is a voice of hope and solace through her hardest times in life. First, she deals with the loss of moving away from her best friend as a child. In the second verse, she talks of the break up of a marriage. In this verse, the divorce or separation is spoke of in an approach that country songs don't always take. "His hands were trembling, we both were crying He kissed me gently and then he quickly walked away" Sometimes divorce isn't good versus bad. Sometimes it just doesn't work out. And sometimes the latter is harder then the prior. The final verse comes in the hardest as she tackles the loss of her rock; her mother. The tears may come when its revealed that her mother uses her last words to reclaim as she has so many times before: "How can I help you to say goodbye It's OK to hurt, and it's OK to cry Come, let me hold you and I will try How can I help you to say goodbye" I'll give you a minute.
4) Travelin' Soldier - Dixie Chicks Written by Bruce Robinson From the album Home - 2002 Buy it on Amazon
Written by the great Bruce Robinson, this song has to be a contender for one of the greatest story songs of all time. In it, we hear the tale of a young girl who meets a lonely soldier headed off to Vietnam. He's terrified of what's the come and has no one to write back home to. With the imagery of the song, you are taken to that cafe. You can feel the ocean breeze as they chat on the pier. Later in the song, his letters become less frequent and then seem to stop. The over arching theme of the song states: "Never more to be alone when the letter says A soldier's coming home" In each letter, he's telling her that he will come home to her and they can start their life proper. She receives one more letter and yes her solider is coming home, but not as she had hoped. The next time you listen to this, listen to it like its the first time you've heard it. Its simply heartbreaking
This one has been talked about excessively since it's release, and for good reason. It's probably the saddest country song of the modern era. It's harrowing story tells of a man who can't handle to love of his life leaving him. He becomes dependent on the bottle to numb the pain and keep her memory at bay. But the hurt is too strong, so ends up drinking himself to death. Feeling that she is the blame for all this, she too embarks on a similar journey. She can't handle the guilt and after years of drinking and trying, she meets the same fate.
"Life is short but this time it was bigger
Than the strength she had to get up off her knees
We found her with her face down in the pillow
Clinging to his picture for dear life
We laid her next to him beneath the willow
While the Angels sang a whiskey lullaby"
The last chorus wraps the story up in a bittersweet fashion. They couldn't live without each other in life, but now in death, are forever together.
"Nobody'll buy that morbid son of a bitch" - George Jones
What can be said about what is considered by many to be the greatest country song of all time? It's very possible that THIS is the saddest country song of all time. It may have a claim to saddest song ever as well. The story says that George Jones had to be convinced to record the track, stating it was too long and depressing. It may have surprised him when the song became a huge hit and jump started his then stagnant career. The lyrics are simple and straight forward. Its those qualities that seem to make the words hit as hard and real as possible. For instance:
"I went to see him just today Oh, but I didn't see no tears All dressed up to go away First time I'd seen him smile in years"
His smile, while laying the casket seems out of place according to the singer. His friend had been completely miserable ever since she walked out of his life. And the subject of the song wore his heart on his sleeve. Its only in death that he might find some relief of his misery.
1) I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry - Hank Williams Written by Hank Williams Released as a single - 1949 Buy it now on Amazon
Father to Hank Jr. Grandfather to Hank III and Holly Williams. King of country music.
If Jimmie Rodgers was the "creator" of country music, then certainly Hank Williams was the one to unleash it on the world. His craft was something supernatural, and this song is a testament to that talent. Recorded in 1949, it still sounds as fresh and haunting in 2016. It's not the story of a sad man. It's the story of an absolutely broken man who has lost all will to live.
"Did you ever see a robin weep
When leaves begin to die? Like me, he's lost the will to live I'm so lonesome I could cry"
Originally intended as a spoken word piece, the song is pure poetry. Its houses the feeling of hopelessness. On this night he can't sleep because he is entranced with the thought of where his love has gone.
"The silence of a falling star Lights up a purple sky And as I wonder where you are I'm so lonesome I could cry"
You can hear the stillness of the night. You can see the star fall. It's stark. It's sad. And it's one of the best songs ever written.
I ask that question in a matter of what speaks to you. We hear music every where. We hear it in commercials and movie trailers. We hear it blasting from the windows of passing cars. We hear it in our heads and we hear it in our heart. So how does one decide that a particular song or artists speaks to them? When does your taste change? What is it about a certain lyric that gives you goosebumps? What makes a tear roll down your cheek when you really think about what's being sang.
Well that's what I'd like to figure out. That's why I'm starting this blog. In the last few years, my obsession with music has grown exponentially. Maybe it was hanging out with musicians and being encouraged to write my own songs; or maybe it's the age that I've reached. Either way, I've been looking for those songs that speak to me. I don't take those tunes lightly. When you use someone else's words as a substitute for your lack of the, you better show some respect.
I think a lot about my favorite song writers. Folks like Robert Earl Keen, Bruce Springsteen, Kris Kristofferson, John Moreland, Jason Isbell, Hayes Carll and so many more. And I wonder what it is about their words that ring so true to me. Once upon a time, I was something of a metal head. It might have been teen angst, but at the time, those fellas spoke to me. Later I found myself listening to a lot of breezy surf music. Again, something about Jack Johnson and Donavon Frankenreiter seemed right at the time. But as I near 35 this year, I find solace and comfort in these titans of Red Dirt and Americana.
I named this blog Music Ramble for two reasons. One, after the great Levon Helm's Midnight Ramble. And two, because I tend to ramble and prattle on when it comes to music talk.
If you're like me and want to join me on such a quest, bookmark this page and check back with me from time to time. There is a lot that I want to say, but much more I want to share.
