Pophistory: music, movies, history, and life.
For the first time in years, Phil Collins recently took to the stage to sing a couple of his classic songs, “In the Air Tonight” and “Land of Confusion.” His backing band was a group of students from the Miami Country Day School in Florida, and they do a pretty good job.
Rolling Stone notes that Collins’s last major public performance was in 2010 and his last album of original material was 2002’s Testify
What is your favorite song with Phil Collins? Leave your two cents in the comments.
Memorial Day, a holiday to remember men and women who died while serving in the military, originated not long after the Civil War where so many had died. The day became an official holiday in 1971, originally called Decoration Day (and like me you may know some folks who still use that name).
One of the best songs in recent decades about a soldier dying in war is “Travelin’ Soldier,” which was made popular by the Dixie Chicks when it appeared on their 2002 album Home.
“Travelin’ Soldier” tells the story of a shy man going off to Vietnam who meets a woman not long before he leaves. He asks her if he can write to her, and he does. At the end, the woman is at a football game when they make an announcement about soldiers who had died and, well, give it a listen if you have not heard the song. Below is a 2005 version by Natalie Maines, backed up by the songwriter Bruce Robison and his wife Kelly Willis.
We wish everyone everywhere a safe Memorial Day weekend.
Photo by Chimesfreedom. Leave your two cents in the comments.
(Some related Chimesfreedom posts.)
The members of The Drifters were in mourning when they went into the studio to record “Under the Boardwalk.”
On the evening of May 21, 1964, The Drifters went into the studio for a scheduled recording session. But the session did not go as the group had originally planned, because the group’s members found out that day that singer Rudy Lewis had died a day earlier.
That Thursday night at the studio, the members of the group were in tears but decided to go through with the recording session. During the session, the band recorded “Under the Boardwalk,” with singer Johnny Moore taking the lead on the track that was intended for Lewis.
The song evokes the “happy sounds of the carousel” and lovers hanging out by the beach. But there is a bittersweet tone to the song, so if you listen close enough, you may feel you can hear a little of the sadness that the men were feeling when they recorded the song.
Different websites report different causes of death for Lewis, saying there is some confusion about whether he died from either a drug overdose or from asphyxiation in his sleep from overeating. But one site says the cause of death was a heart attack. Lewis — whose voice is featured on such Drifters’ classics as “Some Kind of Wonderful,” “On Broadway,” and “Up on the Roof” — was only 27 years old.
And that is the story behind the song “Under the Boardwalk,” written by Kenny Young and Arthur Resnick. Rolling Stone magazine lists the song as the eighteenth greatest summer song of all time.
What is your favorite song by The Drifers? Leave your two cents in the comments.
(Some related Chimesfreedom posts.)
A new Bruce Springsteen tribute CD takes a folk-punk approach to many of the singer-songwriter’s songs, including “Thunder Road,” “Lucky Town,” “Radio Nowhere,” and “Born in the U.S.A.” The album, entitled Thunder Road: A Folk-Rock Tribute to Bruce Springsteen, features performers such as Cactus Vella, The Matchup, Jon Creeden, and Jesse LeBourdais.
My favorite tracks include Swissknife’s “The Wrestler,” Jon Creeden’s “Atlantic City,” and The Matchup’s version of “Radio Nowhere.” An unusual and delightful sing-along version of “I’m On Fire” by Choir!Choir!Choir is worth checking out.
If you like what you hear, Anxiety Attack Records has made the music available for free download. You may listen to the music and download if you choose by going to the Anxiety Attack Records website.
What do you think of the folk-punk tribute to Springsteen? Leave your two cents in the comments.
(Some related Chimesfreedom posts.)
Willie Nelson will release his first album since his duets CD To All The Girls. . .
The video for one of the new songs, “The Wall,” has been released. The song recounts a number of recognizable events from Nelson’s life.
The new album will also include a duet with Jamey Johnson on Billy Joe Shaver’s “The Git Go.” Band of Brothers
Leave your two cents in the comments.
(Some related Chimesfreedom posts.)