Hello! As you may have guessed from the name of this blog, my name is Liz and I am fascinated by song lyrics. I hope you enjoy my waxing lyrical about lyrics and about music generally. I also review albums and gigs and have interviewed several wonderful musicians. Enjoy!
In my last post I recounted the wonderful night I spent in Southport watching The Kennedys, during which I picked up a copy of Maura Kennedy's new solo album.
Having listened to and greatly enjoyed Villanelle: The Songs of Maura Kennedy and B.D. Love, I wrote a piece for Cuckoo Review detailing how the album came into existence - because it has quite unconventional roots - and giving an overview of the different musical styles it incorporates.
As you may remember, I saw Pete and Maura Kennedy live in Southport in June performing a show of the songs of Nanci Griffith. I had previously seen this show in 2013. Both evenings were very enjoyable.
In June I came away with the Kennedys' live album of Nanci songs, Dance a Little Closer, and it is my great pleasure to review it for you.
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The album opens with a lively rendition of Nanci's upbeat I Wish It Would Rain. It is followed by Trouble in the Fields, which the Kennedys manage to adapt slightly, yet keep completely true to the sentiment of the original: sad but hopeful.
Next comes Across the Great Divide. I always find it so poignant and moving hearing the Kennedys perform this song, as they sang it with Nanci twenty years ago when they were her guitarist and backing singer, and it is great to see it come full circle.
It is also interesting for being the cover of a cover - the Kennedys' version of Nanci Griffith's version of a Kate Wolf song. Through its reincarnations it has managed to stay anchored firmly to the the roots of the song: a sense of loneliness, of a haunting, of coming to terms with a loss with bravery and acceptance.
Maura Kennedy's voice is always very beautiful but in this song especially, and in several others on this album, I noticed something extra in it - a deep kind of wisdom, of knowledge and sincerity, of someone who's seen many corners of the world. And so she has. It is very special to hear.
The next track is Late Night Grand Hotel, which the Kennedys previously recorded for their album Songs of the Open road. That version was nice, but this song suits being live. Maura has mentioned how important this song is to her as it reminds her of when she first started touring with Nanci. It is also a favourite of mine.
The original Late Night Grand Hotel is one of the more heavily produced Nanci tracks, so contrasts the most of any song on this album with the Kennedys' raw, emotional, acoustic trademark style.
For me, the best part of the original was the way Nanci sang the line,
"No-one ever knows the heart of anyone else,"
with such open sadness. I listened out to hear how Maura would do it, and was pleased to hear something similar in her voice.
I like how the "no"s in the chorus were held back until the end. Something I think might have been nice is for no-one to sing them on the first chorus, then Maura on her own, then Pete on his own, then both of them, rather than nobody and then both. But the way they did it still works and I prefer it to Nanci's having them all the way through.
The Kennedys also add a nice little bridge between the first chorus and second verse and an instrumental at the end, with lovely-as-ever guitar work from Pete. Overall, they did a great job on one of my favourite Nanci songs.
Their version of Lone Star State of Mind - another cover-of-a-cover - is pleasant, although I'm not too keen on the jazzy feel they have introduced. Still, it is good that they made it their own. At the very end it reverts back to folksy with some more great guitar work.
There's a Light Beyond These Woods is another song that is important to Maura as she witnessed a very emotional performance of it by Nanci which deeply moved her. She sings it beautifully; I especially like the way she sings,
"All the dreams we sang..."
I'm Not Drivin' These Wheels is a song which I liked when I was younger, which I lost, and which I spent ages trying to find again by listening to snippets of songs on Amazon.
I'm glad the Kennedys like it and identify with it as well - enough to include it not only on this album but also as their contribution on the Nanci tribute album by various artists, Trouble in the Fields, which they produced.
Their version is perfect - it keeps everything good about the original and adds some very Kennedys guitar licks. A lovely piece of musicianship.
I have sung the praises at least twice in the past of the Kennedys' version of Gulf Coast Highway, which I prefer to the original - theirs is softer, more gentle, while the original is sharper and more dramatic. The last verse, where Maura sings on her own and is then joined by Pete, is very lovely.
They then go back up-tempo with Love Wore a Halo (Back Before the War). I feel this is often neglected as a Nanci song, and it's a good one. I'm glad the Kennedys are fans. Their version live is uproarious and great to sing along to, and the recording manages to capture that fun and spirit.
We then have From a Distance. I don't really like Nanci's version of this, and I found the Kennedys' one very similar - it is probably the truest to the original of any song on the album. Still, Maura's voice is especially nice on the chorus.
Ford Econoline moves in the vein of Love Wore a Halo: wild and joyful. I get the impression from the amount of applause that it may have been the final song in the concert and I agree that it is a great note to finish a night on - so happy and fun.
The penultimate track is Love at the Five and Dime. I would really have liked this to be the ultimate track as I think it sums up all this album is about, plus it contains the line that forms the title of the album:
"Dance a little closer to me."
It's slower than Nanci's version and I like it that way - they seem to put more focus on the story and the emotion than on the melody, although the melody is there and is strong.
The final track is Hell No (I'm Not Alright). I don't want to comment on the song because I don't understand the politics behind it; even after watching the video I'm not sure what message Nanci is actually trying to give out. So I'll comment only on the musical side: the Kennedys play it well and with great enthusiasm.
This album was very enjoyable to listen to - if there are a couple of songs I wouldn't listen to regularly, it's because I dislike the original, not because the Kennedys have done anything wrong. Maura's voice is gorgeous as ever; Pete's guitar playing is sublime; the two make an amazing duo. I've said these things many times before but they never stop being true.
Overall, a lovely piece of work that is true to the person it is celebrating while incorporating the artists' own personalities, which is the best way to do a tribute.
Rating: 8/10
Song: Across the Great Divide - Nanci Griffith - 1993
I'm still on my Easter holidays and am enjoying having some rest and relaxation. Last weekend I went with my family to Northumberland for a few days, and I wanted to tell you about the trip, through, as always, music.
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Firstly, the way there was as much an adventure as the stay itself: the scenery was beautiful and an unexpected road diversion meant we had to go a very long-winded route that brought us even more moody views of mountains, lakes and heathland. It was very atmospheric.
We listened to two different compilations of 00s music. Here are some of the highlights:
This song always reminds me of a friend's birthday party I went to when I was young. Very nostalgic!
I remember Pop Idol being the first talent show I ever experienced, when I watched the last few shows and the final. I wanted Will to win and was so glad when he did.
I also did a post about Westlife's song Flying Without Wings.
This has inspired me to do a whole post about Dido, so watch this space!
Ah, the memories!
We also listened to the radio and this song played.
It is so typically Coldplay. If asked to identify the band you wouldn't hesitate a minute. While I'm not completely bewitched by it (see what I did there) I do find it quite pretty, and it will now always remind me of our journey to Northumberland.
I also found out through research for this blog that it was released on my 20th birthday!
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When we got there, we explored Kielder Water and the surrounding woodland - it's very scenic and peaceful. We also did some stargazing as the skies were dark and clear, and the moon was incredibly beautiful.
The first line from Annie's Song sprung to mind on more than one occasion.
"You fill up my senses, like a night in the forest."
For a while this was the only line I knew in the song, and I was almost disappointed when I heard that the song consists of similar analogies. For me, that one analogy was enough. "A night in the forest" on its own is such a powerful, evocative, lustrous image that I don't see the need for any others, although I do find the rest of the song very lovely.
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We also visited a bird of prey centre, where we saw some amazing owls and falcons. Let me share one of my favourite songs about flying. I hope to do a whole blog post about flying songs soon.
A talented singer performed this song at my school talent show; that was the first time I heard it and I immediately liked it. It remains one of my favourite songs.
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We saw lots of birds in the wild - chaffinches, a siskin, ducks and crows - as well as a red squirrel, rabbits - lots of rabbits -, deer and wallabies. Yes, wallabies.
We visited a castle, got lost in a maze and sat in a giant artwork.
The artwork
Our trip finally ended, and we drove home, going through Scotland this time. This song came on the radio. At the time, I thought I'd never heard it before, but now I think I may have done; I have a bit of déjà vu.
I really like it; it's very simple but I love simple love songs. It goes without saying that Heather Small's voice is amazing.
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Our weekend was brilliant and really refreshing, and one I'll always remember. I hope we can return to Northumberland in the future.
Since I last posted on here, in January, spring seems to have come to Manchester! There is blossom on the ground, the birds are singing... And I just can't help feeling happy.
A few other things have happened since I last posted: I have turned 20, I have had several important University exams, and I have made big steps in trying to become a published novelist. Re. the novel, watch this space: I really hope to have good new for you one day!
2014 is going scarily fast - I really hope it slows down a bit so I can enjoy it while it's here, and make it a year to remember.
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What music have I been listening to? Well, I've been listening to On ira, a French song by Jean-Jacques Goldman.
I first discovered most of Mr Goldman's music when I was at sixth-form college, and listening to his songs always brings me back there. Sitting in the infamous "Islands" computer area, with my earphones in, waiting for my bus and supposedly doing some work while actually just listening to the song. Happy days.
If you speak French and are interested, I wrote a piece in French about Jean-Jacques - click on the link to read it, or click his name above the video to read another piece I did about him in English. (Yes, I'm a huge fan!)
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There's also All Out of Love by Air Supply.
I heard this for the first time in a long time on the radio last year, and assumed it was a woman singing the choruses - I was in for a surprise!
The radio DJ described this as "one of the best love songs ever written," making it sound, as DJ's have a tendency to, like this sentiment were universal. When it played, I thought, it isn't that amazing.
However, I did like it and I started listening to it on YouTube, and one day I heard the beautiful simplicity and sadness of the opening bars and realised it is an incredible song. One of the best love songs ever written? Quite possibly. I'm really glad I heard it on the radio that day.
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After I listened to All Out of Love on YouTube just now, Right Here Waiting came up in the suggested videos, and I decided to share it here as it fits my developing theme of simple but beautiful love songs.
This was one of the first songs I ever knew. It was on a compilation album called "Bitter Suites" that my parents used to listen to when I was very young. It was probably the first song on the album that I learned to recognise and to like.
The words meant little to me and I couldn't understand his accent a lot of the time, so the song was less a story, something with meaning, than a beautiful series of sounds and - in my head - colours and patterns.
Soon I knew most of the songs on the album, and I think I might do a blog post about it (so again, watch this space!) but Right Here Waiting was always, and will always be, special to me.
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Another song that follows in a similar vein is In Too Deep by Genesis.
For a while, In Too Deep was nice but not mindblowing. Then something changed. I realised it was playing in my head at random times. I dreamed of singing it at karaoke. While it will never replace Follow You, Follow Me in my affections, it has become another song whose simplicity, for me, makes it a classic.
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I'll end this list of simple but effective love songs with one of my favourite such songs: I Want You, by The Silencers.
My parents used to play this at home, and I quite liked it. Then when I was at sixth-form I played it to myself and I realised I really liked it. It has become one of my favourite songs. So simple, so beautiful. It's near the top of my list of "songs I will learn to play first if I ever master the guitar." It would be just wonderful to be able to play it and sing it with joy and pride and so much love.
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I've just realised that I have managed to collate a song each from France, Australia, the US, England and Scotland. This wasn't intentional and just shows that all over the world people are writing simple, beautiful love songs - it is a genre that spans continents and cultures and that we all can enjoy and respond to.
Well, night's coming in and it's nice and cool, and people are milling about outside, probably unable to believe their luck that spring seems to have come overnight. I certainly appreciate this change in the weather - good weather really can lift your mood. Time for spring, for blossom, for lighter nights and birdsong and feeling great ♥
I listened again to the songs I liked so much a year ago, to decide how I feel about them now - and I found that I still really like them all, and that in some cases a song has taken on a new significance for me since I wrote that list back in March 2011.
After listing specific songs by a range of bands and artists, I ended the list with, "Pretty much anything written by Nanci Griffith, or by Ricky Ross of Deacon Blue (two very different people but both extremely gifted songwriters in my opinion. You'll be hearing a lot about them in this blog!)"
And the sad thing is, although I adore both of these songwriters, and have listened to their music so much before and since starting this blog, I have not blogged about them nearly as much as I had expected I would.
However, what I haven't done yet is a full post completely focussed on Nanci and just what her music has meant to me over the years, and I really want to do that. I also want to do a post all about Ricky Ross and Deacon Blue.
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I listened to music from both Nanci and Deacon Blue throughout my childhood, introduced to their music by my parents. Among my favourite Nanci songs were Gulf Coast Highway, Goin' Gone and Tumble and Fall.
My favourite songs by Deacon Blue were Queen of the New Year, Your Swaying Arms - at one point one of my favourite songs by any artist or band - and When Will You (Make My Telephone Ring).
As I got older, I discovered more and more amazing songs by both Nanci Griffith and Deacon Blue. A few months ago I had Nanci's 1988 album Storms bought for me, and have come to love the songs Storms(written by Eric Taylor), Radio Fragile and Brave Companion of the Road.
The latter I had heard before on what I'm guessing must have been a compilation tape that my family used to listen to in the car. I'd been searching a long time for that song when I found it on Storms and was very happy.
The reason I had had such trouble finding it was because I had thought the title was something to do with roses, probably because of the first line of the beautiful second verse:
"Some days come up roses,
Some days just come and go.
Some nights are so ruthless that you can't recall the day before.
This love has seen better days,
Come home for these holidays,
Cause this love has miles for sense of place,
Oh, my brave companion of the road."
Normally I wouldn't quote an entire verse, but Nanci Griffith is a genius. Her lyrics are among the most moving and memorable I know. I love the whole song; it is easy to overlook a track like this on an album like Storms which has louder, catchier songs, but I feel that Brave Companion of the Road is quietly beautiful, and is quite possibly my favourite song on the album.
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As for Deacon Blue, I got a new mp3 player recently, and onto it I put Our Town, their Greatest Hits CD. This meant I could listen to Deacon Blue on the bus on the way to and from college, and this way I came to really love some of their songs.
Love and Regret will now always remind me of college bus journeys and, to a degree, so will Dignity.
However, Dignity also brings back memories of writing for my college's magazine - I did a lyrics quiz for them, and one of the lyrics they had to guess was;
"And I'm telling this story in a faraway scene,
Sipping down raki, and reading Maynard Keynes."
Certainly unique lyrics! I love Dignity. I never used to because I found it too slow - I think the version I had heard was acoustic - yet recently I've begun to appreciate the beauty of the melody and the lyrics. Isn't that what everybody wants; dignity? To be respected?
I think that it is a very wise song. I'm glad that I learnt to like it and grew to love it.
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I must write proper blog posts about both Nanci Griffith and about Ricky Ross and Deacon Blue as soon as I can. Both Nanci and Ricky are wonderfully gifted songwriters, and I want them to know how much I admire them and how much I love their music and always have done. Hopefully one day they may read this blog and know.
I hope you enjoyed this post,
Thanks for reading,
Liz x
Songs: Brave Companion of the Road - Nanci Griffith - 1988
