For a while today, I was looking for the Ghost of Tom Joad.
I decided to look at the weather app on my phone to see just how hot it was. Now I believe I have three different weather apps on my iPhone, but since I only interested in the temperature, I went to the regular iPhone weather app.
My town comes up with the temperature of 90. But the present weather condition was... Dust. Now I live a dozen miles out of New York City, so I check their weather and it's also 90 and Mostly Sunny. Maybe I don't live in Jersey, maybe I'm in the freakin' dust bowl. So I go outside and... no dust, no tumblin' tumbleweeds, not a cloud in the sky. It was... mostly sunny.
This Dust condition bothered me, so I kept checking the phone. Apparently the Dust-Up last for hours. though the only dust I saw was indoors not outdoors. Perhaps it was Siri suggesting I do a little cleaning. I really do hate that bitch. But I digress.
Somewhere around the end of the workday, I finally got an all clear message on my phone that it was now Mostly Sunny.
No more flashbacks to The Grapes of Wrath, just a late afternoon sun in Jersey. Dust-free.
Though the thunderous applause quieted as he took the stage, the buzz continued as each member of the audience listened for the hint of what the first song would be. Roy Bittan started it off on the piano, then Bruce Springsteen stepped up to the mic and played the harmonica.
“I got a sixty-nine Chevy with a 396…” By the second line, the crowd was singing along to “Racing In The Street.” Slowly, piece by piece, the band came in, adding layer upon layer, until the full depth of it seemed to explode.
In what has become a recurring theme in my life, I am behind on everything I need to do, but have allowed myself to be distracted once again. It is what it is.
I've neglected all my online friends prompts of fun and games for the past few weeks, and I was expecting to do so for the foreseeable future. Then Jen reminded me of the theme for this week's Twisted MixTape and here I am. How can I not join in when the theme is: These Lyrics Are Genius. Seriously, how many posts have I devoted to great lyrics, how many times have I said the lyrics are what I first focus on in a song, how many times have I cried over lyrics. Yeah, too damn many. So here I am. Now I've already used a lot of my favorite songs in other posts, so I'll try to use other genius lyrics by some of my favorite composers.
While Simon & Garfunkel, were probably my true and first lyrical influence, I can remember clear as day, hearing the opening verse to this song and thinking 'how does someone write something so beautiful and with so much imagery in so few words.'
Sung by The Eagles but written by a friend of Glenn Frey by the name of Jack Tempchin. Click on his name to learn a little more about him.
"I like the way your sparkling earrings lay,
Against your skin so brown.
And I want to sleep with you in the desert tonight
With a billion stars all around"
We all know that Bruce had to be in the mix, but I've already discussed the lyrics of "Tunnel Of Love," "The River," and I think "Brilliant Disguise." All deserving to be included in this list. So are "Thunder Road," "Drive All Night," "If I Should Fall Behind," and oh I could go on. Hard as it is for me to choose one verse to highlight, let's go with this.
"So you've been broken and you've been hurt
Show me somebody who ain't
Yeah, I know I ain't nobody's bargain
But, hey, a little touch up and a little paint.
You might need something to hold on to
When all the answers, they don't amount to much
Somebody that you could just to talk to
And a little of that human touch"
Simon & Garfunkel. To choose one song? I've already written about "The Boxer," "America," and a few more. Paul Simon is a genius, so anything he writes carries weight in my world. One song, or actually two, but they run together on the album and I've always looked at them as a whole, makes me cry... every time. I cannot pull out one verse, it is in the whole where you feel the message, so here are the entire lyrics.
"Old Friends"
"Old friends, Old friends
Sat on their park bench like bookends
A newspaper blown through the grass
Falls on the round toes
On the high shoes
Of the old friends
Old friends
Winter companions
The old men
Lost in their overcoats
Waiting for the sunset
The sounds of the city
Sifting through trees
Settle like dust
On the shoulders
Of the old friends
Can you imagine us
Years from today
Sharing a park bench quietly?
How terribly strange
To be seventy
Old friends
Memory brushes the same years
Silently sharing the same fear"
Chillingly descriptive, especially paired with "Bookends"
"Time it was,
And what a time it was
It was . . .
A time of innocence
A time of confidences
Long ago . . . it must be . . .
I have a photograph
Preserve your memories
They’re all that’s left you"
So how do you not include Dylan in this list, and again, which song? One of the first songs I remember as Dylan having written, but with another band having the hit was "My Back Pages." It took a while to figure out the lyrics (there was no internet with lyrics sites in those days) and even longer to try and figure out what he was trying to say. Even if the interpretation I had was not quite his vision, it is still powerful today.
"In a soldier's stance, I aimed my hand
At the mongrel dogs who teach
Fearing not that I'd become my enemy
In the instant that I preach
My existence led by confusion boats
Mutiny from stern to bow
Ah, but I was so much older then
I'm younger than that now"
How do you describe your country in a way that encompasses its beauty and its assets, while still acknowledging her faults. If you're Pete Seeger, you did it as a matter of course.
"As I went walking I saw a sign there
And on the sign it said "No Trespassing."
But on the other side it didn't say nothing,
That side was made for you and me"
It seems I have no Beatles song in the list. Unacceptable. And while not a group song, will anyone complain about this being included. I know I've used it before in the MixTape, many of us have. Not only are the lyrics brilliant, but so is the thought of it. John.
"You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one"
It seems so sad to stop here... I could go on all day, but you know I never stray too far from the words. As always all rights of these songs belong to the artists mentioned. So don't go suing my ass for telling the world how beautiful they are.
Mistakes. As Frank sang "I've made a few." Some are inconsequential, while some are life changing. Some come with regrets, some are just learning experiences. Mistakes, that is the theme of this week's Tuesday Twisted MixTape. Jen from MySkewedView is bringing in the New Year with some soul searching. So let's get started.
I think one of the earliest songs I remember of someone regretting something was from the Bee Gees. Before their disco days, they wrote a lot of songs which had strangely odd lyrics. Like the "New York Mining Disaster." Another song was one about a death row prisoner, a great song, but a little out there as far as subject matter.
"I've Gotta Get A Message To You"
"Got a wife and kids in Baltimore Jack, I went out for a ride and I never went back." Yeah, that might be a mistake. Bruce.
"Hungry Heart"
Then there's the mistake of having some illegal party favors in your hotel room. Oops. The Dead.
"Truckin"
Sometimes it's hard to tell if the mistake is in staying... or going. A beautiful song by Tim Buckley.
"I Must Have Been Blind"
And then there's the realization that you know you've made a mistake. Originally recorded by Tyrone Davis, I love the smooth essence that Boz Scaggs brings to it.
"Baby, Can I Change My Mind"
Though they might be about mistakes, there's not one on this list. Turn up the tunes and stay warm.
It's been a busy week for all of us I would think. Getting ready for the Thanksgiving holiday, cooking, cleaning, writing. It's too much before stuff and too little during stuff. It's over before you know it, and then it's cleaning and cooking and getting ready for the rest of the holidays.
So before we all head into the turkey coma zone, one last party over at Jen's. The theme for this week's Tuesday Twisted MixTape is songs that can send you to jail. How damn tasty is that?
Time to start the party. How about lighting up?
Brewer and Shipley had a hit song about, well inhaling deeply. Funny story about this song, in fact I wrote a blog about it a while back. You can read it here "Toking with Lawerence Welk." So, inhale deeply and enjoy this and the rest of the tunes.
"One Toke Over The Line"
Let's segue from slowing things down to speeding things up with Foreigner. Who hasn't done it? At a red light, you look over at the car next to you, eyeball the other driver and go.
"Rev On The Red Line"
Bob Marley may have been guilty of being one toke over the line, and he may have shot the sheriff, but he swore he did not kill the deputy. How that defense stands up in a court of law is anybody's guess.
"I Shot The Sheriff"
Now you could easily pick a dozen Springsteen songs to fit this week's theme... we're talking Jersey here, but the one I chose is ominous and beautiful at the same time. I used the studio track because I couldn't find a live one where the lyrics are as clear.
"Meeting Across The River"
And to end it off, let's go to the most silly of reasons to be thrown in jail... littering. Yes friends, I'm on a roll with Arlo this week. Had the pleasure of seeing him live last week, you can read the review here "Arlo Guthrie: A Night of Songs and Stories." He was fabulous and what he did in his show was important. AND, it's Thanksgiving week and well, you know... Alice.
"Alice's Restaurant"
Noon on Thursday, tradition says you need to listen to Alice's Restaurant, but there's no rule that says you can't listen to it a little early. Wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving.
Well this was a most interesting day. I was privileged to interview one of Rolling Stone's 100 Top Guitarists, and Jen gave a yell for us to join in tonight's Tuesday Twisted MixTape Party. This week's theme is interesting: Epic Songs.
Songs that tell a story, have a beginning middle and end, are epic tales.
Now the first one that comes to mind, will probably come to a lot of people's mind: "The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald." Next one that comes to mind is Billy Joel's story of Brenda and Eddie, "Scenes From An Italian Restaurant." Did I ever tell you when that song came out I knew a couple named Brenda and Eddie? Yeah, story for another day.
Another song that pops into my head is one that is truly a great one, so I'll start out with it. For lyrics, it doesn't get much more visual, and great melody and sing-along chorus. Just good songwriting. And, it tells the story of...
"The Boxer"
This is a wonderful live clip, though it ends a little short. But a great vocal and some real pretty guitar work. AND, it has a story... sad though it is. Mr. Robert Cray.
"Right Next Door"
One of Eric Burdon's musical influences was Bo Diddley. They never did meet face to face while Bo was alive, but Burdon attended his funeral. This is that story.
"Bo DiddleySpecial"
Bruce Springsteen has told many stories. One of his best needs no introduction, The title song from his fifth studio album, a song of the promise of a future and the loss of a dream.
"The River"
Final Selection for this week is another song loaded with imagery. And a great vocal. Melissa Etheridge.
"You Used To Love To Dance"
Go figure. The happiest song of the bunch is the one about a funeral. Welcome to my world.
Over at Jen's Twisted MixTape, we've gone through the decades and found songs which we feel define decades, or our lives in those decades. But what songs define you or your life? That is the question we need to answer this week. Whose idea is this anyway? Well, that would be Troy from As Long As I'm Singing, one fine writer and man of complex musical tastes. So that's how we got here. Now to look in the mirror and try to identify what, and who I am.
While it's not the first song I remember giving me the feeling of "Hell Yeah," I always recall thinking of this song when I needed a little boost of self-confidence.
"When I'm out in the street
I walk the way I wanna walk
When I'm out in the street
I talk the way I wanna talk"
That's Jersey attitude all the way and no surprise, it's the Boss.
"Out In The Street"
Pretty much for me, it's always been about the lyrics. One of the first songs I can remember actually trying to analyze what the words meant and the message the poet was trying to make was by Paul Simon. His songs would always speak to me. The man is brilliant. I think we knew that as soon as we first heard this.
"The Sounds of Silence"
When I was a young woman, things that are now taken for granted, were the changes we tried to achieve. We were making our own rules and learning about ourselves in the process. Hearing this song made me think of what was, and what could be. It was a coming of age anthem for me. Judy Collins had the hit, but I'll take the writers version for its purity. Joni Mitchell.
"Both Sides Now"
I grew up during a time of conflicts: Vietnam, Civil Rights, Women's Rights, it was a big pile of shit. Protest songs were everywhere and some damn fine ones at that. But the first song that made me think "well what the hell is really going on?" was this one by Buffalo Springfield.
"For What It's Worth"
I'm not a religious person, don't send emails. I know who I am, I believe in the greater good of people and in turn myself. That being said, I'm not a prayer. So I find it somewhat amusing that one of the songs that made a difference in my life is a psalm. Written by Pete Seeger, and taken from the Book of Ecclesiastes, the version by The Byrds was a huge hit. The song speaks of the balance of life... for everything there is a season.
"Turn, Turn, Turn"
Now I've used this song, ok, several times over the life of this blog. It all started with this song and to not include it here would be wrong. It is me. And Dobie Gray.
"And when my mind is free
You know a melody can move me
And when I'm feelin' blue
The guitar's comin' through to soothe me
Thanks for the joy that you've given me
I want you to know I believe in your song
And rhythm and rhyme and harmony
You've helped me along
Makin' me strong
Oh, give me the beat boys and free my soul
I wanna get lost in your rock and roll and drift away"
So that's what brought me here. Yeah, there were a few other twists and turns, but they only rounded out the edges. Or maybe not.
"Yeah, from small things, mama, big things one day come"
Indeed they do.
On this day in 1973, the first studio album from a Jersey boy was released to not much initial commercial success. Today is the 40th anniversary of the release of Greetings From Asbury Park, NJ from Bruce Springsteen.
In its first year of release, 25,000 copies were sold. Slowly however, the word started to spread from critics and fans about this kid who wrote with passion, and played live like a whirling dervish. The Springsteen saga was beginning and still has not stopped.
Greetings offered a few songs which would become Springsteen standards, including "Blinded by the Light." which was a huge hit for Manfred Mann, along with "For You," "Growin Up," and the always wonderful "Spirit in the Night."
Those were the fan favorites. The more hard core you were, the more you got into the obscure tracks including "It's Hard to be a Saint in the City," "Lost in the Flood," and "Does this Bus Stop at 82nd Street."
The promise of what was shown on this first album was realized in the next few years with the release of The Wild, the Innocent and the E Street Shuffle, Born to Run, Darkness on the Edge of Town and The River. All before the blockbuster Born in the USA. Never afraid to change his sound, Bruce later released the somber Nebraska, paid homage to the thousands lost on 9/11 with The Rising, and had a blast recording The Seeger Sessions, a tribute to Pete Seeger.
Last week in Tweetville, I was having a discussion with musician Andrew Boyd about song lyrics. Specifically, to come up with some lyrics I thought were really good. Those tweets bring us to the taste of the day.
Now as someone who started trying to interpret lyrics the first time I heard Simon & Garfunkel sing "The Sounds of Silence," words in music are a subject in which I take great enjoyment.
"Fat man sitting on a little stool, takes the money from my hand while his eyes take a walk all over you."
So begins the visual artistry of "Tunnel of Love" by Bruce Springsteen. For my money, an opening line doesn't get much more picturesque than that.
"Then the lights go out and it's just the three of us you and me and all that stuff we're so scared of Gotta ride down baby, into this tunnel of love."
So now, we know we're not talking carnival ride.
"There's a room with shadows that gets so dark brother, It's easy for two people to lose each other in this tunnel of love."
Now if you have followed Bruce over the years, you'll remember this CD came out about the time his first marriage fell apart. The entire album references issues of loss of trust, loss of communication and loss of commitment. Personally, I think this is one of his best written songs and one of his best written records.
"Ought to be easy, ought to be simple enough Man meets woman and they fall in love. But this house is haunted and the ride gets rough. You've got to learn to live with what you can't rise above If you want to ride on down, Down in through this tunnel of love."
Funny, how this is the song I pick for the day after Valentine's.
Just don't go trying to interpret that.
Please feel free to leave your thoughts on great lyrics in the comment area. This could be fun.
You can take the girl out of Jersey, but you can't take Jersey out of the girl. Bruce 2012, first leg of the tour...and he's coming home. That's what I'm talkin' about.
Now, as I've gotten older, I've been told perhaps I'm getting a little long in the tooth for all this rock & roll stuff. Sorry, just got a new pair of dancin' boots and the foot is still tapping...I ain't dead baby.
So today, in anticipation of Bruce, I give you my own personal national anthem, "I'm A Rocker." from Madison Square Garden 2009.
"I'm a rocker, baby, I'm a rocker - every day I'm a rocker, baby, I'm a
rocker"
