There are now 12 days leading up to what could be the most important election in the history of the United States. To get us all pumped up for election day, this blog will feature one of the best protest songs ever recorded each day. Next up…..the Eve of Destruction. I welcome your thoughts about the upcoming election……
There are now 13 days leading up to what could be the most important election in the history of the United States. To get us all pumped up for election day, this blog will feature one of the best protest songs ever recorded each day. Next up…..Fish. I welcome your thoughts about the upcoming election……
There are now 14 days leading up to what could be the most important election in the history of the United States. To get us all pumped up for election day, this blog will feature one of the best protest songs ever recorded each day. First up…..the mighty Who. I welcome your thoughts about the upcoming election……
Back in December of 2013 I entered a post named “I’ve Been Dreaming About Rivers” that was based on Pete Townshend’s amazing song, The Sea Refuses No River. Please check it out if you haven’t already.
For today, I have a more recent river song to share with you: The River, from An Ending, the final Lonely Robot album.
To my ears, this song uses the shifting river as a metaphor for the changing nature of relationships, memories, and loss. It fits the thoughts that I have about rivers and I really like it.
Have a listen…… Does this song bring a person, a memory, or a change in your own life to mind? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
It’s been a long time since I’ve posted here. A lot has changed, but one thing hasn’t……music can still move me to tears.
In May of 2024, I took my son to see Neil Young and Crazy Horse at Orion Amphitheater. My son is now in his forties, and part of the joy that night was getting to experience it all through his eyes. Sharing music I’ve loved my whole life with him meant more to me than I can easily explain.
Then they played Cortez the Killer.
If you’ve spent much time with this blog, you’ll know I have my favorites. With Cortez, “favorite” probably doesn’t go far enough. Over the years I’ve collected at least twenty bootleg performances of that song. I love them all. But none of them comes close to being there, watching Neil and Crazy Horse absolutely rock out on it in person.
When it was over, I had to discreetly wipe away a few tears.
Now Neil’s new album, Second Song, has reached me in a different way. The title song speaks about needing someone to talk to, someone who remembers, and finding a way to keep living and sharing discoveries as time passes.
Those simple words EXACTLY match what I’m feeling these days!
And perhaps that helps explain why I’m back here. I still have music I want to share. I still want to hear what other people find in it. After all these years, there’s more for us to listen to and talk about……
It’s been a minute…..what were we talking about?
I posted about Tom Rush’s Circle Game album back in August of 2012. As I noted back then, Tom is a great interpreter of songs written by other great singer/songwriters. Today we feature Tom performing Child’s Song (written by Canadian Singer/Writer Murray McLauchlan) in 1970 and in 2013. I think you will agree that Tom has lost none of his magic as a performer during the last forty some years…….
Child’s Song – Tom Rush 1970
This performance is from Festival Express, a 2003 documentary film about a 1970 train tour across Canada with a variety of musical acts performing along the way. Be watching for a post soon featuring the complete Festival Train movie!
Child’s Song – Tom Rush 2013
Here are the lyric from this beautiful song about leaving home….something that we all have to do!
Goodbye momma goodbye to you too pa
Little sister you’ll have to wait a while to come along
Goodbye to this house and all it’s memoriesWe just got too old to say we’re wrong
Got to make one last trip to my bedroom
Guess I’ll have to leave some stuff behindIt’s funny how the same old crooked pictures
Just don’t seem the same to me tonight
There ain’t no use in sheding lonely tears mammaThere ain’t no use in shouting at me pa
I can’t live no longer with your fears mamma
I love you but that hasn’t helped at allEach of us must do the things that matter
All of us must see what we can see
It was long ago you must rememberYou were once as young and scared as me
I don’t know how hard it is yet mamma
When you relaize you’re growning oldI know how hard is not to be younger
I know you’ve tried to keep me from the cold
Thanks for all you done it may sound hollowThank you for the good times that we’ve known
But I must find my own road now to follow
You will all be welcome in my homeGot my suitacse I must go now
I don’t mind about the things you said
I’m sorry Mom I don’t know where I’m goingRemember little sister look ahead
Tomorrow I’ll be in some other sunrise
Maybe I’ll have someone at my sideMamma give your love back to your husband
Father you’ve have taught we well goodbye
Goodbye Mamma goodbye to you too pa
Goodbye momma goodbye to you too paLittle sister you’ll have to wait a while to come along
Goodbye to this house and all it’s memories
We just got too old to say we’re wrongGot to make one last trip to my bedroom
Guess I’ll have to leave some stuff behind
It’s funny how the same old crooked picturesJust don’t seem the same to me tonight
There ain’t no use in sheding lonely tears mamma
There ain’t no use in shouting at me paI can’t live no longer with your fears mamma
I love you but that hasn’t helped at all
Each of us must do the things that matterAll of us must see what we can see
It was long ago you must remember
You were once as young and scared as meI don’t know how hard it is yet mamma
When you relaize you’re growning old
I know how hard is not to be youngerI know you’ve tried to keep me from the cold
Thanks for all you done it may sound hollow
Thank you for the good times that we’ve knownBut I must find my own road now to follow
You will all be welcome in my home
Got my suitacse I must go nowI don’t mind about the things you said
I’m sorry Mom I don’t know where I’m going
Remember little sister look aheadTomorrow I’ll be in some other sunrise
Maybe I’ll have someone at my side
Mamma give your love back to your husband
Father you’ve have taught we well goodbye
Goodbye Mamma goodbye to you too pa
If you are a long time reader of this blog you know that I’m a huge fan of everything Canadian. I’ve spent a lot of time in Canada, I love the Canadian people, I love the natural beauty of the country, and most importantly….I love Canadian music. To celebrate that love I have a an amazing Special Performance for you today……Randy Bachman and Neil Young performing two different versions of Prairie Town, one electric and one acoustic and both absolutely great. As a bonus I’ve included a short video from 1987 of a celebration of the music of Winnipeg, Canada that features both Randy, Neil, and Burton Cummings. Enjoy……
Prairie Town (Electric)
Prairie Town (Acoustic)
1987 Winnipeg Rock Reunion
Here’s a great Bad Company Behind the Music feature from VH1 to continue our Bad Company focus from the last couple of days. Lots of interesting history with regards to Bad Company and Free. Enjoy……
I couldn’t agree more with John Mellencamp’s comments about Paul’s voice…..absolutely perfect!
Here are some great Bad Company live tracks from circa 1974. There is some really good stuff here but given it’s age the video quality is not what we used to today. Regardless….I think you will enjoy this.
Can’t Get Enough
Bad Company from Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert (a US music show from the 70s)
Rock Steady (better video source for Rock Steady from the above concert)
