The Somewhat Delayed Song Thread

[johncorrigan]

I think lyrics and a story are very important in songs. Billy Joel was very good at giving a mental picture of people - Piano Man, I think is excellent. .

This is my favourite Billy Joel, cloughie...well one of two at least - great story I always think.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgD_-dRZPgs

[Lat-Literal]

Teamsaint, ferney and JC - great links for which many thanks. I have had my moments with Andrew McGregor, glowing and critical, but in fairness to him last night's World on 3 - "free thinking" in The Sage at Gateshead - was one of the best I've ever heard. It included Peggy Seeger with a live performance of "Everything Changes" and several other songs. Here is the version from Shepley Spring Festival in 2008 and it is followed by Randy Newman who has been mentioned in a couple of posts. The complimentary 'Dayton Ohio 1903':

Peggy Seeger - Everything Changes - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukNS97TMcKs
Randy Newman - Dayton Ohio 1903 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrTdiNkhnOc

In my humble opinion:

Peggy is the most substantial female singer-songwriter and interpreter of songs in what I suppose must be described as popular recording music history who is alive today.

(Joni Mitchell a very close second........and Judy Collins three : had Nina Simone still been alive, she would have been Number One)

[Lat-Literal]

In dust tree:

Seeger & MacColl - Dirty Old Town - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kq5xiImjzko
Randy Newman - Burn On (River) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SKGIwsXuA0

And one for Ewan's second wife Jean - the one between Joan Littlewood and Peggy Seeger.

Jean is someone I'm proud to say I had the opportunity of meeting as in real conversation:

Kirsty MacColl - We'll Never Pass This Way Again -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puRH07vLjwQ

(Ewan - huge, huge, talent - how any of them managed to put up with him, heaven knows!)

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Ewan - huge, huge, talent

(And a splendid selection, Lats - many thanks!)

[Lat-Literal]

(And a splendid selection, Lats - many thanks!)

Thanks ever so much ferney - and bless you, not that is a phrase I select often. It is no doubt on record that I went out of my way to attend Kirsty's memorial service at St Martin-in-the Fields. Bono and ilk were there. I sort of gate crashed it. Officially yet very quietly it was a "subtle" public event. Most there were insiders but no one stopped me entering.

We had live performances by Billy Bragg and Holly Johnson - they and the multi-millionaire from U2 were in adjoining aisles and almost within touching distance - but among the most moving parts was "Us Amazonians" on CD at unapologetic full blast. Jean - a lovely woman - was only interested in meeting "the people", taking considerable time to thank each of us in turn. Peggy is remarkable. So much could be said but I think if people really look closely at that performance of "Everything Changes" she is an older woman acting like an older woman, the difference between the two being that she has absolute clarity in her thinking. She conveys someone who because of age is cutting in and out. Hence it is brilliant. Seven years on she did the same last night on R3. There is a mild rippling and undertow to what I have picked out but I am happy to leave that one as oblique for now. Anyhow - here is that blast in the church. The church of all churches for artists. Recorded just one year before Jean and Ewan's daughter was to be a permanent World Music artist:

Kirsty MacColl - Us Amazonians - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZh9ayEmKHY

To clarify, Kirsty "from me borough" had become disillusioned with western music per se. She was newly keen on Cuban music and all things Latin American/African musically, hence in some ways that was why she was in Mexico when the tragedy occurred. She wasn't easy-easy as a personality, Ewan wasn't, but both brought huge amounts of joy. There were understandable personal legacy issues between her and her father but her final recording, "Tropical Brainstorm", is a totallly underrated "Graceland" style classic and it was an artistic meeting with him, whatever her feelings. She knew "the roots thing" was inevitable. She was slow and meticulous in all that she produced. It is a pity there wasn't more from her but family often came first rightly. There was pressure on her - and not a little bravado in reference to him - to meet a standard. He was prolific as it came naturally.

Also from TB - Nao Esperando - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlIVMPgLNAk&index=8

Uncompromising, feisty, erm, sultry, from that CD, even to the S London accent and attire, lyrically imaginative - we can do the "one woman Beach Boys thing" at another time:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISzoUdtMSH4

(I love the MacColls)

[Daniel]

Randy Newman

Good to see his name on this thread, such a natural songwriter/performer. Always seems somewhat elusive.

This is a brief tale told with great commitment (... erm, very much NOT Randy Newman in case that seems like a segue).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-BzWuc16GE

[johncorrigan]

This is a brief tale told with great commitment

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-BzWuc16GE

Wow, Daniel! Commitment indeed. Caught me on the hop! Glad of the sub-titles mind you!

[Beef Oven!]

I like the idea of " factual opinion".

Lots of songs by The Boss that I really like, but if I have to pick one, this one would choose itself.

I tend to enjoy his songs at least as much when performed by others, and especially " From Small things ( big things one day come). wonderful song.

My sister bought that album when it came out (sisters have some use, sometimes) and I listened to it a lot. Agreed, title track is excellent.I still have a preference for Nebraska,though.

[cloughie]

Thanks ever so much ferney - and bless you, not that is a phrase I select often. It is no doubt on record that I went out of my way to attend Kirsty's memorial service at St Martin-in-the Fields. Bono and ilk were there. I sort of gate crashed it. Officially yet very quietly it was a "subtle" public event. Most there were insiders but no one stopped me entering.

We had live performances by Billy Bragg and Holly Johnson - they and the multi-millionaire from U2 were in adjoining aisles and almost within touching distance - but among the most moving parts was "Us Amazonians" on CD at unapologetic full blast. Jean - a lovely woman - was only interested in meeting "the people", taking considerable time to thank each of us in turn. Peggy is remarkable. So much could be said but I think if people really look closely at that performance of "Everything Changes" she is an older woman acting like an older woman, the difference between the two being that she has absolute clarity in her thinking. She conveys someone who because of age is cutting in and out. Hence it is brilliant. Seven years on she did the same last night on R3. There is a mild rippling and undertow to what I have picked out but I am happy to leave that one as oblique for now. Anyhow - here is that blast in the church. The church of all churches for artists. Recorded just one year before Jean and Ewan's daughter was to be a permanent World Music artist:

Kirsty MacColl - Us Amazonians - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZh9ayEmKHY

To clarify, Kirsty "from me borough" had become disillusioned with western music per se. She was newly keen on Cuban music and all things Latin American/African musically, hence in some ways that was why she was in Mexico when the tragedy occurred. She wasn't easy-easy as a personality, Ewan wasn't, but both brought huge amounts of joy. There were understandable personal legacy issues between her and her father but her final recording, "Tropical Brainstorm", is a totallly underrated "Graceland" style classic and it was an artistic meeting with him, whatever her feelings. She knew "the roots thing" was inevitable. She was slow and meticulous in all that she produced. It is a pity there wasn't more from her but family often came first rightly. There was pressure on her - and not a little bravado in reference to him - to meet a standard. He was prolific as it came naturally.

Also from TB - Nao Esperando - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlIVMPgLNAk&index=8

Uncompromising, feisty, erm, sultry, from that CD, even to the S London accent and attire, lyrically imaginative - we can do the "one woman Beach Boys thing" at another time:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISzoUdtMSH4

(I love the MacColls)

Kirsty's life was tragically cut short. I agree with you that Tropical Brainstorm was a superb album. Now, when I hear 'Days' either in Kirsty's version or indeed the Kinks original I have a feeling of sadness for Kirsty.

[Lat-Literal]

Good to see his name on this thread, such a natural songwriter/performer. Always seems somewhat elusive.

This is a brief tale told with great commitment (... erm, very much NOT Randy Newman in case that seems like a segue).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-BzWuc16GE

Hey, incredibly you have found a link to what was going to be my next contribution to Pronunciation Watch.

Surely all the people who pronounce "sixth" as "sikth" should really be saying "sixsth"?

This one has that atrocious verb "to party" but everything Newman has written has been done knowingly!!!

Randy Newman - New Orleans Wins The War - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5M_LaHkTOQ

Kirsty's life was tragically cut short. I agree with you that Tropical Brainstorm was a superb album. Now, when I hear 'Days' either in Kirsty's version or indeed the Kinks original I have a feeling of sadness for Kirsty.

Thanks for those comments cloughie.

Husband, Lillywhite: "She adored Brian Wilson and used to layer her own voice to create distinctive velvet harmonies like the Beach Boys had done, which became a trademark. She would sing like a keyboard. She sang without vibrato and when you don't have vibrato you have this wonderful glassy sound, which is how you can get that Beach Boys thing.":

Kirsty MacColl - Days - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNJcd1pTaL0

And a Beach Boys cover for Christmas!

You Still Believe In Me - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVzZTCSBj94

[Lat-Literal]

Am trying to focus in this thread on artists who could easily crop up on one of the genre boards but would more naturally fit elsewhere, ie here. Think we are achieving that very well together. I hope so. At this end of this day, it seemed appropriate to find something pleasant and neutral. What I thought I would do is pick two or three of the names other people have mentioned but it quickly became clear to me that all are sufficiently sophisticated to have an angle on something. That is in part why we like them. So my mind went to war again and - not without a slight wince - Deacon Blue. This is a name which for many immediately encourages statements like "Sub U2" and one looks for some defence.

The "Raintown" album in the late 1980s was, of course, very commercial but it was also atmospheric. I happen to like it a fair amount. Ricky Ross has built on his role in the band by becoming a well-respected broadcaster of the country music radio programme on BBC Scotland and is sufficiently good that he would be my first choice for replacing Bob Harris on R2 should the latter ever decide to step down, not that we would want to rush him. That is in respect of both the specialist country programme and the one that is broadly Americana. There are some little known tracks by Deacon Blue that were released almost without comment on an album that included B sides, oddities and bits they did as TV soundtracks. This is a reasonably strong song that is very much them and yet not them as recognised. It may be the best thing they ever did and it connects in a roundabout way:

Deacon Blue - Let Your Hearts Be Troubled - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOMEr-a_nl8

I like the way on the cover - which must have been chosen because of this song - the expectation is that it's poppies but actually it's red tulips - the Ooh Las Vegas is, I believe, ironic. There is an obliqueness although some of it is in my interpretation which chooses to pretend not to know what it really concerns. There is Scottish historical reference while it is also universal. It is also interesting that he seems to dodge clarity in go and grow - "Let Go Your Anger"? "Let Grow Your Anger?" Possibly both those things as appropriate.

[Lat-Literal]

OK, so that's the bit that wasn't quite John 14:1 and now we return to other people's suggestions.

The only song I ever sang on stage to a virtually empty tent in a Somerset field at 5am was "Fire and Rain". One commentator was concerned that my face was bleeding. So was I when he said it. Fortunately it was only ketchup from a bacon burger. When I come to think of it there are very few other songs I could have sung knowing every word. Ah, 'sweet' James Taylor. Then we had the recommendation of Carly Simon so, yes, her famous musing on Warren Beatty, especially as in a titular way it rhymes with the first. Third, as a "meander" Joan's view of Bob which walks on a parallel hill. She was also a more impressive event in a bigger tent close to the first tent, mainly as there was no yacht in sight!:

James Taylor - Fire and Rain - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ALnh3w32VE
Carly Simon - You're So Vain - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icIVqCUVF_A
Joan Baez - Diamonds/Rust - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MSwBM_CbyY

Hey! Three links and not four. Yeah.........but it's really five!

Incidentally, not a huge film fan but love this one - very underrated in my opinion - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5Ztq4icMGU

[Daniel]

Wow, Daniel! Commitment indeed. Caught me on the hop! Glad of the sub-titles mind you!

Ha yes, I've certainly heard more restrained deliveries. I find a certain pleasure in matching what's heard to the subtitles.

Surely all the people who pronounce "sixth" as "sikth" should really be saying "sixsth"? :smiley

Probably, but I think it's a question of what people can manage. <empathy emoticon>

[teamsaint]

thought it was time for a Nick Lowe song.
A master craftsman.
this is from " Pinker and prouder than Previous", which Rolling Stone apparently had in a list of worst albums ever. Clots.
In fact it is a real gem of an album, full of good songs, and very well worth seeking out.

[cloughie]

thought it was time for a Nick Lowe song.
A master craftsman.
this is from " Pinker and prouder than Previous", which Rolling Stone apparently had in a list of worst albums ever. Clots.
In fact it is a real gem of an album, full of good songs, and very well worth seeking out.

I wouldn't concerned whenever we're they arbiters of Good taste. I've probably got the rest of the albums on their list - actually probably not as many of them are probably from the last 30 years.

A song worth a mention on the list is 'Grey Funnel Line' a folk classic written by Cyril Tawney. There are a number of recordings but I really like the June Tabor version from the Ashore album.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8owouBo7CQ

or live

https://mainlynorfolk.info/cyril.tawney/songs/thegreyfunnelline.html