So we finish August off with a short introduction (more like a sneak preview) to a man whom I regard as having the largest testicular fortitude amongst ALL protest/topical singers.
Keep your eyes peeled for the first post of September featuring.... Phil Ochs!
For now...
Power and Glory
****************************
Come and take a walk with me thru this green and growing land
Walk thru the meadows and the mountains and the sand
Walk thru the valleys and the rivers and the plains
Walk thru the sun and walk thru the rain
Here is a land full of power and glory
Beauty that words cannot recall
Oh her power shall rest on the strength of her freedom
Her glory shall rest on us all (on us all)
From Colorado, Kansas, and the Carolinas too
Virginia and Alaska, from the old to the new
Texas and Ohio and the California shore
Tell me, who could ask for more?
Yet she's only as rich as the poorest of her poor
Only as free as the padlocked prison door
Only as strong as our love for this land
Only as tall as we stand
***********************
"Power and Glory" became popular in 1963 when it's composer and performer, Phil Ochs, was starting to get known in the folk music community.
Like many other folk songs, the lyrics of this song was relevant 40 years ago and remains so today. Though it contains one verse that speaks specifically of America's beauty, I chose it as a sneak preview of next week's post on Phil Ochs for a very simple reason -
Ochs wrote "Power and Glory" at a time when his country was becoming increasingly wealthy, materialistic and apathetic towards the growing disregard for basic human rights and values...
...is it not time to think of what our nation is (or should be) like?
Friday, August 29, 2008
Thursday, August 21, 2008
02 The Man Who Lived Through The Times - Bob Dylan
In May 1941, a little boy was born to the Zimmerman family in a cold and dreary town called Hibby in Minessota. His parents looked at his face and named him Robert and, like all parents, hoped that he would grow into a man who could make the best out of his life. But little did they know...
...that little Robert Zimmerman would change his name at 21 years old and from then on, the entire world would look up to new man that he became - Bob Dylan - as an inspiration in almost all areas of their lives.
Indeed, and I say this with no exaggeration, the breadth of Bob Dylan's music and lyrics cannot and will not be covered by this post. In fact, I dare not even try. The man's music spans half a decade - a feat which many artistes are incapable of because of the kind of lifestyle that comes along with a life in music. But Bob Dylan has survived all these years and when he's not on his "Never Ending Tour", he's probably up in his Malibu house working on paintings. The multi-faceted talents of this man just shows how much is inside him waiting to be expressed.
In this post, I will attempt to introduce you to Dylan, through the times.
House Of The Rising Sun
This is one of the older recordings of Bob Dylan that can be found on youtube and I think it's important to know that Dylan was a big fan of Woody Guthrie (in those days they weren't called fans.. but Guthrie was definitely Dylan's hero). Guthrie, who mentored and encouraged Dylan even when he was on his deathbed, also had a version of "House Of The Rising Sun" (which is a traditional American folksong, NOT an original by The Animals) and a quick listen to that version on youtube will let you know where Dylan's roots really came from.
Dylan's version, which differs quite a bit from Guthrie's, probably served as a base for the hit single which shot British band "The Animals" to fame. Call me puritan or minimalist but I think Dylan's 1962 version conveyed much more emotion and feeling.
Blowing In The Wind
I first heard this song being sung by a group called "The Hollies" and I found it to be very nice and sweet. But when I heard the original Dylan version, I was blown away by how a song can be so simple and yet have so much to offer. The melody gave way to the colour of the lyrics of the song to become a message - a message that called for peace.
What really hit me in this song, though, was the punch in the face that Dylan delivered to me in the words "How many times can a man turn his head/ And pretend that he just doesn't see" because I realized that unfortunately for a lot of us mortal beings, even though the answer to that is "blowing in the wind", many of us will never grow out of pretending not to see injustice just to make ourselves feel better.
Knocking On Heaven's Door
Knocking On Heaven's Door is what I regard as every songwriter's song to fall back on. Whenever there are problems in a song that I'm working on, I put everything else down and just play the four chords that make up this song and sing the sad words that Dylan wrote.
The most popular cover of this song would definitely be the Guns & Roses version - the one which most of us would have grew up on (even though it was written years before) and they bring a different side of the song out; a little less dark, a little more rebellious, a little more excruciatingly painful as compared to Dylan's sombre 'hurting inside' kind of painful.
But if there's anything that the two versions have in common - squeaky vocals.
Like A Rolling Stone
This song, though recorded in 1965, marked the switch in Dylan's style from folk into.... "1970s Dylan". While the rock influence is obvious, one can still hear folk elements in the lyrics of this period. However, the most important (albeit shocking and disappointing to some) change was Dylan's instrument - from acoustic to electric.
Dylan had always performed in true folk fashion - alone with an acoustic guitar and harmonica. However, on 25 July 1965 appeared on stage with a full band and (gasp) and electric guitar. The audience reaction was mixed - an array of cheers and boos were heard and some even said things were thrown at him by outraged folk fans. Pissed, Dylan walked off stage only to return with an acoustic guitar to finish off the set.
So what exactly was the 1970s like for Dylan?
This video sees Dylan performing in 1975 with The Rolling Thunder Revue. He is visibly angsty with a garish, errie white mask (face paint) on his face, the result of a painful breakup with his wife. The 70s were full of music like Isis - a song which some say was autobiographical. Personally, this period of his music is a little disturbing to watch.
Hurricane
This performance, also in 1976, was about a black boxer who was convicted of a a triple murder. While Dylan's purpose of writing the song was probably to tackle injustice and racism, he was slammed for being biased towards the protagonist of the song. A simple example would be a trait of the boxer - a very bad temper. After the protagonist was convicted (in real life) at a re-trial, Dylan stopped performing this song 'live'.
Every Grain Of Sand
In the 80s, after his conversion to Christianity, Dylan began to write songs about his religion and what he went through (he had a motorcycle accident). That also meant that he stopped writing secular songs for a good year and a half and when the 'secular Dylan' resurfaced, his style had modernized and he began singing his old songs very differently (which disgruntles his fans even up till today).
Every Grain Of Sand is an extremely poetic song that marked the beginning of Dylan's style in his older years and seems to trace the footsteps of his life. To me, the most beautiful lyrics Dylan has ever written are contained in the lst four lines of this song:
I hear the ancient footsteps like the motion of the sea
Sometimes I turn, there's someone there, other times it's only me.
I am hanging in the balance of the reality of man
Like every sparrow falling, like every grain of sand.
Only a man who has been through unbelievable trials and tribulations in life can write lyrics as haunting as that and it is quite evident that a man as great as Dylan will not stop writing until the day he dies. While I look forward to whatever new songs he has, I am more excited about uncovering the songs he has written in the past; for within them i know I will find timeless tunes and lyrics that tackle issues that will never go out of date.
Though this post has barely covered a fraction of Dylan's music, I hope that it is useful as an introduction to the man.. through the times.
And with that, I leave you with a video that captures the great Bob Dylan in his young, scruffy signature image complete with acoustic guitar and harmonica.
Mr Tambourine Man
...that little Robert Zimmerman would change his name at 21 years old and from then on, the entire world would look up to new man that he became - Bob Dylan - as an inspiration in almost all areas of their lives.
Indeed, and I say this with no exaggeration, the breadth of Bob Dylan's music and lyrics cannot and will not be covered by this post. In fact, I dare not even try. The man's music spans half a decade - a feat which many artistes are incapable of because of the kind of lifestyle that comes along with a life in music. But Bob Dylan has survived all these years and when he's not on his "Never Ending Tour", he's probably up in his Malibu house working on paintings. The multi-faceted talents of this man just shows how much is inside him waiting to be expressed.
In this post, I will attempt to introduce you to Dylan, through the times.
House Of The Rising Sun
This is one of the older recordings of Bob Dylan that can be found on youtube and I think it's important to know that Dylan was a big fan of Woody Guthrie (in those days they weren't called fans.. but Guthrie was definitely Dylan's hero). Guthrie, who mentored and encouraged Dylan even when he was on his deathbed, also had a version of "House Of The Rising Sun" (which is a traditional American folksong, NOT an original by The Animals) and a quick listen to that version on youtube will let you know where Dylan's roots really came from.
Dylan's version, which differs quite a bit from Guthrie's, probably served as a base for the hit single which shot British band "The Animals" to fame. Call me puritan or minimalist but I think Dylan's 1962 version conveyed much more emotion and feeling.
Blowing In The Wind
I first heard this song being sung by a group called "The Hollies" and I found it to be very nice and sweet. But when I heard the original Dylan version, I was blown away by how a song can be so simple and yet have so much to offer. The melody gave way to the colour of the lyrics of the song to become a message - a message that called for peace.
What really hit me in this song, though, was the punch in the face that Dylan delivered to me in the words "How many times can a man turn his head/ And pretend that he just doesn't see" because I realized that unfortunately for a lot of us mortal beings, even though the answer to that is "blowing in the wind", many of us will never grow out of pretending not to see injustice just to make ourselves feel better.
Knocking On Heaven's Door
Knocking On Heaven's Door is what I regard as every songwriter's song to fall back on. Whenever there are problems in a song that I'm working on, I put everything else down and just play the four chords that make up this song and sing the sad words that Dylan wrote.
The most popular cover of this song would definitely be the Guns & Roses version - the one which most of us would have grew up on (even though it was written years before) and they bring a different side of the song out; a little less dark, a little more rebellious, a little more excruciatingly painful as compared to Dylan's sombre 'hurting inside' kind of painful.
But if there's anything that the two versions have in common - squeaky vocals.
Like A Rolling Stone
This song, though recorded in 1965, marked the switch in Dylan's style from folk into.... "1970s Dylan". While the rock influence is obvious, one can still hear folk elements in the lyrics of this period. However, the most important (albeit shocking and disappointing to some) change was Dylan's instrument - from acoustic to electric.
Dylan had always performed in true folk fashion - alone with an acoustic guitar and harmonica. However, on 25 July 1965 appeared on stage with a full band and (gasp) and electric guitar. The audience reaction was mixed - an array of cheers and boos were heard and some even said things were thrown at him by outraged folk fans. Pissed, Dylan walked off stage only to return with an acoustic guitar to finish off the set.
So what exactly was the 1970s like for Dylan?
This video sees Dylan performing in 1975 with The Rolling Thunder Revue. He is visibly angsty with a garish, errie white mask (face paint) on his face, the result of a painful breakup with his wife. The 70s were full of music like Isis - a song which some say was autobiographical. Personally, this period of his music is a little disturbing to watch.
Hurricane
This performance, also in 1976, was about a black boxer who was convicted of a a triple murder. While Dylan's purpose of writing the song was probably to tackle injustice and racism, he was slammed for being biased towards the protagonist of the song. A simple example would be a trait of the boxer - a very bad temper. After the protagonist was convicted (in real life) at a re-trial, Dylan stopped performing this song 'live'.
Every Grain Of Sand
In the 80s, after his conversion to Christianity, Dylan began to write songs about his religion and what he went through (he had a motorcycle accident). That also meant that he stopped writing secular songs for a good year and a half and when the 'secular Dylan' resurfaced, his style had modernized and he began singing his old songs very differently (which disgruntles his fans even up till today).
Every Grain Of Sand is an extremely poetic song that marked the beginning of Dylan's style in his older years and seems to trace the footsteps of his life. To me, the most beautiful lyrics Dylan has ever written are contained in the lst four lines of this song:
I hear the ancient footsteps like the motion of the sea
Sometimes I turn, there's someone there, other times it's only me.
I am hanging in the balance of the reality of man
Like every sparrow falling, like every grain of sand.
Only a man who has been through unbelievable trials and tribulations in life can write lyrics as haunting as that and it is quite evident that a man as great as Dylan will not stop writing until the day he dies. While I look forward to whatever new songs he has, I am more excited about uncovering the songs he has written in the past; for within them i know I will find timeless tunes and lyrics that tackle issues that will never go out of date.
Though this post has barely covered a fraction of Dylan's music, I hope that it is useful as an introduction to the man.. through the times.
And with that, I leave you with a video that captures the great Bob Dylan in his young, scruffy signature image complete with acoustic guitar and harmonica.
Mr Tambourine Man
Thursday, August 7, 2008
01 Peter Paul & Mary (Only The Greatest Folk Group Of All Time)
In Singapore, we have Orchard Road for the hip and happening and Bugis Junction for the local ah bengs'; we have clubs Clarke Quay for the middle to upper class people out for a night of revelry along with good music and KTV pubs at Boat Quay for ah bengs and ah peks whose idea of good music revolves around people who sing karaoke badly and know it and those who don't know it.
Well in New York between the Hudson River and Broadway, there is a place called Greenwich Village. More popularly referred to as simply "The Village", Greenwich Village was the place to be if you were a musician - especially if you were into folk music. In fact, it was the place where almost every successful folk musician had his/her break and not surprisingly, many of them continue to sing freedom and peace songs till this day despite being in their 60s, 70s and 80s.
So it is really not surprising that out of a place seething with so much musical energy was born what I personally regard (and dare say that not many people would disagree with) as the greatest folk group of all time - Peter Yarrow, Noel Paul Stookey & Mary Travers - Peter Paul & Mary.
Peter Paul & Mary was created by Albert Grossman who somehow got the idea of putting a tall blonde with a funny guy and handsome man to form a folk group. It turned out to be a good idea (or a really good trio) because when PPM released their self-titled first album in 1961, they were nothing short of fantastic. Words cannot describe what was so good about them so I will leave you with a few videos and you can see for yourself.
Leaving On A Jetplane (written by John Denver)
If I Had A Hammer (written by Pete Seeger)
As you might have noticed, PPM was more famous for songs written by other singers/songwriters - Leaving On A Jetplane, If I Had A Hammer, Blowin' in The Wind etc.
While it may be tempting to say something like "eew.. that's a cover band", but PPM are the perfect example of what the folk movement in Greenwich Village was about - taking someone else's work (if you appreciated it) giving it your own interpretation and spreading the message to more people. Few songs of those times were ONLY about love and romance; they were about peace, equality and above all, meaningful human existence that challanged the rising capitalism and materialism by which we have all been consumed today to some extent.
Many of the songs PPM chose to 're-interpret' are timeless pieces that, despite time-specific references, are still very relevant in today's world. Here are two of those:
The Times They Are A Changing (written by Bob Dylan)
Where Have All The Flowers Gone (written by Pete Seeger & Joe Hickerson)
It was this video of Mary Travers with the Kingston Trio that made me fall in love with a beautiful lady who is now 72 years old and still singing.
But while they certainly were more well known for their 're-interpretations', PPM did have their own stuff... and here's my favourite one. Once banned in Singapore during the hippie era for containing drug references, PPM maintains that it's a children's story about a boy and his dragon (now doesn't that sound wrong already? =p).
Puff! The Magic Dragon
But one of the things that I hold Peter Paul & Mary in high regard for is the tremendous amount of chemistry three amazing performers can have. Artistes are known for their individualism and generally speaking, great performers don't perform well with each other. Of course there are many exceptions but credit still has to be given to these three 'great folks' who have given their life to music. In fact the next video will show you just how much they love music.. so much that they will probably never give it up.
With that, the question of the century..
Where Have All The Flowers Gone?
(yes, it's the song you heard earlier, but its many years later!)
(with Pete Seeger)
The last video never fails to move me to tears at the conviction of Peter Paul & Mary as well as Pete Seeger. Despite being grandparents many times over, they still arouse audiences all around the US, spreading messages of peace, love and humanity.
So then, when will we ever learn?
Well in New York between the Hudson River and Broadway, there is a place called Greenwich Village. More popularly referred to as simply "The Village", Greenwich Village was the place to be if you were a musician - especially if you were into folk music. In fact, it was the place where almost every successful folk musician had his/her break and not surprisingly, many of them continue to sing freedom and peace songs till this day despite being in their 60s, 70s and 80s.
So it is really not surprising that out of a place seething with so much musical energy was born what I personally regard (and dare say that not many people would disagree with) as the greatest folk group of all time - Peter Yarrow, Noel Paul Stookey & Mary Travers - Peter Paul & Mary.
Peter Paul & Mary was created by Albert Grossman who somehow got the idea of putting a tall blonde with a funny guy and handsome man to form a folk group. It turned out to be a good idea (or a really good trio) because when PPM released their self-titled first album in 1961, they were nothing short of fantastic. Words cannot describe what was so good about them so I will leave you with a few videos and you can see for yourself.
Leaving On A Jetplane (written by John Denver)
If I Had A Hammer (written by Pete Seeger)
As you might have noticed, PPM was more famous for songs written by other singers/songwriters - Leaving On A Jetplane, If I Had A Hammer, Blowin' in The Wind etc.
While it may be tempting to say something like "eew.. that's a cover band", but PPM are the perfect example of what the folk movement in Greenwich Village was about - taking someone else's work (if you appreciated it) giving it your own interpretation and spreading the message to more people. Few songs of those times were ONLY about love and romance; they were about peace, equality and above all, meaningful human existence that challanged the rising capitalism and materialism by which we have all been consumed today to some extent.
Many of the songs PPM chose to 're-interpret' are timeless pieces that, despite time-specific references, are still very relevant in today's world. Here are two of those:
The Times They Are A Changing (written by Bob Dylan)
Where Have All The Flowers Gone (written by Pete Seeger & Joe Hickerson)
It was this video of Mary Travers with the Kingston Trio that made me fall in love with a beautiful lady who is now 72 years old and still singing.
But while they certainly were more well known for their 're-interpretations', PPM did have their own stuff... and here's my favourite one. Once banned in Singapore during the hippie era for containing drug references, PPM maintains that it's a children's story about a boy and his dragon (now doesn't that sound wrong already? =p).
Puff! The Magic Dragon
But one of the things that I hold Peter Paul & Mary in high regard for is the tremendous amount of chemistry three amazing performers can have. Artistes are known for their individualism and generally speaking, great performers don't perform well with each other. Of course there are many exceptions but credit still has to be given to these three 'great folks' who have given their life to music. In fact the next video will show you just how much they love music.. so much that they will probably never give it up.
With that, the question of the century..
Where Have All The Flowers Gone?
(yes, it's the song you heard earlier, but its many years later!)
(with Pete Seeger)
The last video never fails to move me to tears at the conviction of Peter Paul & Mary as well as Pete Seeger. Despite being grandparents many times over, they still arouse audiences all around the US, spreading messages of peace, love and humanity.
So then, when will we ever learn?
Sunday, August 3, 2008
(i) Thirsty Boots
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ You've long been on the open road and sleeping in the rain From dirty words and muddy cells your clothes are soiled and stained But the dirty words and muddy cells will soon be judged insane So only stop and rest yourself and you'll be off again
Oh, take off your thirsty boots and stay for awhile Your feet are hot and weary from the dusty miles And maybe I can make you laugh and maybe I can try I'm just looking for the evening and the morning in your eyes
Then tell me of the ones you saw as far as you could see Across the plains from field to town, marching to be free. And of the rusted prison gates that tumble by debris Like laughing children, one by one, they look like you and me
I know you are no stranger, now, to crooked rainbow trails From dancing cliffheads to shattered sills to slander shackled jails Where the voices drift up from below, his walls are being scaled Yes all of this, and more my friend, your song shall not be failed ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
So I've been racking my brains the past few days over which prolific and most mainstream folk singer or group to introduce to you but I decided to act on impulse and introduce a song by a not-so-known singer instead.
"Thirsty Boots" was written by a man called Eric Andersen and subsequently covered and recorded by other people like Judy Collins and John Denver. Great are the graphic and sometimes over-dramatic pictures that Andersen paints of a slightly abnormal life. But what is really incredible is that you will find it very hard to laugh the song off as being melodramatic or 'cheesy'.
In many ways, each and every one of us, regardless of social or financial status can relate to the lyrics of this song. None of us live completely normal and mundane lives because we all travel down an open road and sleep in the rain at some point. Metaphors like 'prison' describe the trouble we get into along the way; 'laughing children.. look like you and me' describe the insecurities we all face because of our innocence' etc.
But personally, the most powerful emotion that this song is capable of evoking is that of being wronged. With "From dirty words and muddy cells your clothes are smeared and stained," Andersen draws you in and keeps you waiting for the final resolution when justice is done and though you don't know for sure that it is done, "Yes, all of this and more my friend, your song shall not be failed," certainly sets your heart at ease for at least you know that someone believes in you.
As a final note (and a small one as well because it potentially affects the outlook of this song), Andersen was good friends with proetst singer Phil Ochs who, after years of fighting not only injustice and writer's block but also bipolar disorder, hanged himself in his sister's house. If not for Ochs, for whom Andersen sang a part of "Thirsty Boots" for in the subway on the way to the Village (I'll talk about that in another post), Andersen may never have finished what is an amazing song that will probably never be forgetten. After Ochs' unfortunate death, Andersen often did "Thirsty Boots" as a tribute to Ochs.
*One such tribute can be found on youtube without much effort.*
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