I Miss Joe Strummer II
I had to offer up a Clash classic to complement Joe’s later work with the Mescaleros which I posted yesterday. The song is “Safe European Home”, which is about a trip to Jamaica taken by Joe and Mick Jones. Apparently, their experience that inspired this song was less than pleasant and hospitable. Check out the lyrics link below.
For you younger folks out there who may not be familiar with the Clash’s work, and you enjoy the Green Days of today’s music world, please do yourself a favor and explore the Clash. Find out where it all came from. Mick Jones – Guitar. Joe Strummer – Guitar. Paul Simonon – Bass. Topper Headon – drums.
The Clash: Safe European Home
- Buy Give ‘Em Enough Rope
- Clash Bio on All Music
I Miss Joe Strummer
Right. So over 3 years after his untimely passing at the age of 50, I still get bummed out that the world is without Joe Strummer. Luckily for all of us, he left behind a wealth of music from his time with the Clash, and with the Mescaleros in later years. The last Mescaleros album came out the year after his death (2003), and, as the reviewer on all music puts it,
Like Muddy Waters, whose final albums were among the best in his catalog, Streetcore by Joe Strummer & the Mescaleros (Martin Slattery, Tymon Dogg, Simon Stanford, and Scott Shields) sends Strummer into rock & roll heaven a roaring, laughing, snarling lion.
Listen to this opener of the album. I remember inserting this into my CD player in the parking lot of Zia Records, and I sat there there transfixed for the entire song. From Joe’s powerful pipes, to the reggae, rock, and punk stylings going on in this tune, I was (and am) blown away.
Joe Strummer & the Mescaleros: Coma Girl
Do yourself a favor, buy Streetcore (and the entire Clash and Mescaleros catalog while you’re at it!).
A Song about War – Marah’s Round Eye Blues
OK, so I keep coming back to Marah. Yeah, well, I love ’em… their second album, ‘Kids in Philly’, includes a poignant, powerful, and very well-written tune from the perspective of a Vietnam veteran. The song is “Round Eye Blues”, and it’s full of intense imagery and musical references of the day:
The chorus:
“Take the hits boys take the hits
don’t smoke your bible and lose your wits
’cause the sky is filled with shrapnel,
& your eyes are filled with tears.
Hold your breath boys hold your breath,
finger your trigger and welcome death
’cause the choppers’ filled with your gutshot friends
& your hearts are filled with fear.”From the opening cadence of the drums to the outro to the tune of the Ronette’s “Be My Baby”, this song’ll grab you by the shirt collar and take you on a journey…
Marah – Round Eye Blues
Photo of Marah @ Long Wongs, Tempe, AZ – August 2000, 280 degrees F
Click Me, He’s Irish – Rory Gallagher
Today’s selection comes courtesy of my friend Todd. The guy is bonkers about the late Rory Gallagher‘s music. I must admit that I never knowingly had any exposure to Rory’s music through all my years, until I met Todd. But in Rory’s home country of Ireland, he is considered one of the best of all time.
“Here was a man who managed to combine the gift of being an authentic creative genius with the even rarer gift of being a genuinely decent, honourable human being.” So began the series of tributes paid to Rory Gallagher – the outstanding pioneer of Irish rock – published by the Irish music newspaper HOTPRESS in July 1995. Rory Gallagher was an Irish blues and rock guitarist, singer and songwriter. Born in Ballyshannon, Co. Donegal, on 2 March, 1948, he grew up in the city of Cork. Based in London during most of his 30 year career, he toured extensively, sold 30 million records, and had a worldwide following of loyal fans. He died in London at the early age of 47, on 14 June 1995, from complications following a liver transplant. Although he had suffered health problems for some time, he toured until falling seriously ill late in 1994. – from Rory Gallagher’s Home Page
I asked Todd for a good intro to Mr. Gallagher. He recommended “Million Miles Away”, a live track from ‘Irish Tour’, Rory’s 1974 concert album, digitally remastered in 1999. The songs is a great showcase of Rory’s talents on the Fender Stratocaster.
Who else out there is a Rory G. fan?
Buy ‘Irish Tour’ on Amazon.
Photo credit: “Rory Gallagher” by jlacpo is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.
Hot off the Presses – Springsteen’s Devils & Dust
Bruce’s new album, Devils & Dust, due out April 26th! {Yahoo News}
Here’s the track list:- Devils & Dust
- All The Way Home
- Reno
- Long Time Comin’
- Black Cowboys
- Maria’s Bed
- Silver Palomino
- Jesus Was an Only Son
- Leah
- The Hitter
- All I’m Thinkin’ About
- Matamoras Banks
I’ll have a tune for you all soon. Just wanted to share what I consider to be fantastic news….
Drinkin’ Em Down with Country Dick
Well, Tuesday has come and gone, and for those of us who need a chuckle to get us through a long week, even at the expense of Ol’ J.C., I offer up the Beat Farmers‘ quite humorous tune: “Are You Drinkin’ With Me Jesus?”. The Beat Farmers formed in San Diego, California in 1983. They were a cult favorite until their untimely demise in 1995, when their charismatic lead singer and band leader Country Dick Montana had a massive heart attack and up & died at a bar in Whistler, British Columbia.
But they left behind some gems, including this song, which starts:
Do you nestle by my barstool
Makin’ me so calm within
Have you touched me with your warmness
Or have I wet myself again?Good stuff. Sacrilege? Blasphemy? Hogwash! This song reaches out to J.C . in a way that would make Mel Gibson proud.
The Beat Farmers – Are You Drinkin’ With Me Jesus? – from Viking Lullabys, 1994, Sector 2
Purchase Beat Farmers music on Amazon.
Read about the Beat Farmers on All Music.
BF Press Release for Viking LullabysKihn You Dig It – Greg Kihn’s Breakup Song
One of my old favorites, “The Breakup Song (They Don’t Write ‘Em). Greg Kihn grew up in Baltimore, MD, but moved to San Francisco in the mid-70’s. His first hit was this tune, released on 1981’s “Rockihnroll”. You’re probably familiar with “Jeopardy” too, from 1983’s “Kihnspiracy”. You’re at least familiar with Weird Al Yankovic’s “I Lost on Jeopardy”, right? Well, Greg’s been a staple of the Bay Area music scene all this time. “The Breakup Song” is just under 3 minutes of well crafted pop-rock. Brings back memories, this one…
From ‘Rockihnroll“, 1981, Berserkley – {Amazon}
Greg Kihn’s Official SiteChop Suey with Joey and the Girls
There’s an eighties movie called ‘Get Crazy’. It starred Malcolm McDowell, who freaked everybody out as Alex in ‘A Clockwork Orange’. I haven’t seen ‘Get Crazy’. But on the soundtrack is a Ramones contribution called “Chop Suey”. It was an outtake from my favorite Ramones album, ‘Pleasant Dreams’. It’s a more pop-oriented album than their earlier releases, but as a little kid, I loved singing along to “She’s a Sensation’, ‘Don’t Go’, and ‘The KKK Took My Baby Away’ (still do, actually).
An alternate version to “Chop Suey” can be found on the remastered release of ‘Pleasant Dreams’. It’s a pretty infectious tune, a little new wavy, a synth solo, and backing vocals by Deborah Harry, and Kate Pierson and Cindy Wilson of the B-52’s. ]
What do you get when you cross Elvis and Bob Marley?
No, it’s not fried peanut butter & ganja sandwiches, it’s this ‘mash-up’ of Elvis’ “Crying in the Chapel” over the rrrrasta beat of Bob’s “Satisfy My Soul.”The great music blog The Suburbs Are Killing Us writes:
“Fuckin’ love song here, son.”
That’s what the King says at the end of what must be a modern mashup of ol’ Elvis croonin’ the Orioles’ 1953 hit “Crying in the Chapel” over the Wailers’ “Satisfy My Soul.” If there’s one thing that Elvis knows more than love, son, it’s Rasta biznezz. And snacks.The tune came out on a limited edition 7-inch last year, with Presley’s “In the Ghetto” vox laid over “Taurus Song” by Sound Dimension on the flip.
Van the Man – See Me Through
Last Sunday morning my wife asked to hear some Van Morrison, so, I kindly obliged by queuing up the best of Van’s more spiritual offerings, “Hymns to the Silence.” Now, for the uninitiated, this is not the young, stoned, romantic Van of hit-making days and his still fresh sounding “Moondance” era. This is Van the Preacher Man in all of his enlightened glory. He is older, wiser, and has a more seasoned approach to life, but still not quite mainstream and always ready to lash out at the hand that feeds him.
Anyway, this song, “See Me Through, Part 2 (Just a Closer Walk With Thee)” is an incredible surprise to anyone who has not heard it. It starts out gentle enough with the standard organ giving it that proper church feel befitting of an old gospel classic, but wait…. on the second bridge, Van begins speaking…. about the past and what has sustained him through the years (hence the See Me Through title)… and he builds to a feverish pitch that never fails to send goosebumps to run all up and down my spine. It is thrilling and very inspirational to hear… you won’t believe it…. it is the most impassioned recitation in a recorded piece of music I have ever heard. And there is a message to it, it gets in your head and bounces around until you’re ready to stand and shout, “Preach it Van, I hear ya, preach it brother.” Sit back and take a listen and prepare to be moved….
F
