Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)

Kenny Rogers passed away last night in Georgia at the age of 81. Rogers song like “Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In).” Most tributes will begin with references to songs that we heard many times on pop-country radio through the years like “The Gambler,” “Lucille,” “Don’t Fall in Love With a Dreamer” and “Islands in the Stream.” Yet, I often forget that early in his career he recorded “Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In” with The First Edition when he was more of a hippy than a silver-bearded pop singer.

You may recall the Kenny Rogers song from a dream sequence in the movie The Big Lebowski in 1998, but it first became a hit in 1967. “Just Dropped In” was written by one of Kenny Rogers’s former high school friends — Mickey Newbury, who also composed “An American Trilogy,” discussed in a previous post.

“Just Dropped In” sounds unlike “Coward of the County” and the other pop songs Rogers recorded later in his career. Even his voice sounds different. And the lyrics deviate from the literalness of most of his hits:

I pushed my soul in a deep dark hole and then I followed it in;

I watched myself crawlin’ out as I was a-crawlin’ in;

I got up so tight I couldn’t unwind;

I saw so much I broke my mind;

I just dropped in to see what condition my condition was in.

According to some sources, “Just Dropped In” was written as a warning about using LSD. But such drug rumors surround many songs from the era.

A 2000 Billboard article “The Story So Far,” however, quotes Rogers explaining that Newbury did not intend the song to be taken completely seriously. “Mickey wrote a quasi-psychedelic song with elements of humor,” he explained. “It’s a tradition in country music to have your tongue in cheek, and that’s the case here.” (“The Story So Far,” at K-2)

One additional piece of trivia: the late great Glen Campbell played the guitar on the original recording.

Check out this psycedelic video from The Smother Brothers Hour. Kenny Rogers was always cool. RIP.

What is your favorite Kenny Rogers song? Leave your two cents in the comments.

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    The World Needs a Little Louis Armstrong Right About Now

    As the U.S. and the world face a load of uncertainty surrounding the spread of the coronavirus, we are told to limit our contacts with others. But at least we still have some things to comfort us, like the warm sound of Louis Armstrong.

    grocery panic buying
    The pasta section of a local grocery store

    Last week, we had someone try to break into our apartment around 3 a.m. I was already up feeding our baby when I heard a pounding noise in the hallway that kept continuing. So I went to the door and listened, until the person started kicking at our door.

    I yelled at the guy through the door, where I soon realized he was drunk and did not live in our building. But he continued to kick our door and others until the police arrived.

    Anyway, it turned out that the guy had gone out and gotten extremely drunk in response to some of the news about the coronavirus (reacting to being worried because of what turned out to be inaccurate statements by our president). And he ended up in our neighborhood, where he kicked in two doors of our apartment building.

    The point being that while businesses and local leaders are trying to tackle the physical health aspects of the coronavirus and to some extent worrying about the economic impact, this thing is also taking its toll on our mental health. So it is important that each of us take care of each other and ourselves the best we can.

    There are ways we can help our neighbors, like making sure elderly neighbors have precious toilet paper until the run on toilet paper and panic buying subsides. We can also give to local food banks that will be needed to help people financially impacted by the closings. One source to find your local food bank is the Feeding America website.

    Another way to help ourselves is to take a break from the news, as reporters constantly barrage us with the inevitable growing number of cases. Remember that all of the closures and actions are not designed to stop the spread, which largely be done once we have a vaccine, which will come. But these closures are meant to slow things down so our system can handle the coronavirus until health care officials have a better handle on it.

    When you step away from the news, put on an old comforting movie. Or play some music you like. In times like these, we need music that can comfort us.

    Louis Armstrong saw a lot of changes and lived through some troubled times in America. But his trumpet and voice broke through the pain and helped us find that joy still exists.

    Nowhere is that joy found more clearly than in his performances of “Rockin’ Chair.” Below, Armstrong and Jack Teagarden (vocal and trombone) perform “Rockin’ Chair” in 1957 in New York City with Peanuts Hucko (clarinet), Marty Napoleon (piano), Arvell Shaw (bass), and Cozy Cole (drums). Give it a listen and let your worries subside for a few minutes.

    Hoagy Carmichael wrote “Rockin’ Chair” and it was first recorded in February, 1929. Armstrong and Carmichael recorded it in December of that year. Of course, between those dates, the stock market had crashed, and the song gave joy to many as they faced the Great Depression.

    My dear old aunt Harriet, in Heaven she be,
    Send me sweet chariot, for the end of the trouble I see;
    Old rocking chair gets it, judgement day is here;
    Chained to my rocking chair.

    A year after the above performance, Teagarden and Armstrong performed “Rockin’ Chair” again at The Newport Jazz Festival in 1958. Check it out.

    Wash your hands, and take care of yourself.

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    Lazer Lloyd is Looking for “The Simple Life” (Song of the Day)

    Lazer Lloyd is releasing a new single “The Simple Life.” The laid-back acoustic song is a breath of fresh air in our complicated world.

    In the song, Lloyd sings about trying “to embrace the miracles of creation” over the distractions of mass commercialism (“keep me away from all the screens and telephones”). Like the title, the lyrics present a simple message, but a worthwhile message in these crazy days.

    On singer-songwriter Lazer Lloyd’s website, he writes that he wants us to “ask ourselves what are really the important things in life. Because we are going to be inundated with so many things the world is going to convince us we need.” And he explains that the song asks us to “go back to keeping it simple which is family and friends, building our spirituality, physical health, our mental health and being balanced. Enjoying life, being in the moment and not getting carried away with the material world.”

    We occasionally hear a similar message in other great songs. For example, the Shakers (and American composer Aaron Copeland) used “Simple Gifts” about the gift to be simple. In the 1970s, Dion beautifully sang about finding a “Sanctuary” in difficult times. More recently, Passenger warned us we needed to get away from our computers to “Scare Away the Dark.”

    What the songs have in common is that the truth of the message is wrapped in memorable music too. And here, in addition to the important message, what makes “The Simple Life” work is Lloyd’s deep voice and the acoustic arrangement of a catchy tune.

    All together Lloyd’s song is a “simple” but delightful contribution (and reminder) as we wonder through these modern times. Take a deep breath and let the song and Lloyd’s refrain wash over your troubles.

    Lazer Lloyd, who has been described as “Israel’s hassidic blues rocker [who] reaches for the American heartland,” is releasing the single and official video for “The Simple Life” on March 6, 2020. The song will appear on Lloyd’s upcoming album, Tomorrow Never Comes. We will post the official video after it is released, but for a preview of the song, here is Lloyd performing the song.

    Leave your two cents in the comments.

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    New Documentary About Guy Clark

    A new documentary about the life of Guy Clark is being released. Without Getting Killed or Caught recounts the music and life of the legendary Texas singer-songwriter.

    Guy Clark is one of my favorite artists, so it is great to see his work getting more attention. One of my favorite all-time songs, Clark’s “L.A. Freeway,” provides the line that is the title of the upcoming film.

    The documentary started out and was partially funded as a Kickstarter project. The film features commentary from many of those influenced by Clark, like Steve Earle and Rodney Crowell.

    The movie is adapted from Clark’s wife’s writings in The Diaries of Susanna Clark, including the complicated relationship shared by her, Clark, and Townes Van Zandt. In the documentary, actress Sissy Spacek voices Susanna’s narration.

    Additionally, the movie is based on the book Without Getting Killed or Caught: The Life and Music of Guy Clark by Tamara Saviano. Below is the trailer.

    Without Getting Killed or Caught is being released March 13, 2020.

    Leave your two cents in the comments.

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    “Boomtown”: The Debut Album from Maceo

    Maceo

    Many years ago, we noted that country singer Marty Brown had apparently shared his wonderful musical talents with his children. So we are delighted to hear that his son Marty Brown Jr. is finally releasing his first album with his band Maceo, entitled Boomtown. And it was worth the wait.

    Old Legends

    The younger Brown has been performing music, honing his musical chops, and writing songs with his father for years. And the band Maceo, with an outstanding group of musicians, finds some of its influences in Southern Rock and Outlaw Country. Some of the tracks on the album may remind one of Shooter Jennings, another son of a country legend.

    The album rocks but it also features intelligent lyrics steeped in county traditions. In a nod to the past, on the song “Old Legends,” Brown proclaims, “Old legends never die, they just keep on living on.”

    Boomtown

    Yet, even with the album’s connections to the past, Maceo brings a young person’s perspective, guitars, and wisdom that makes everything new again. It’s honest young country that should find a place in today’s country music world. In the title track from the album, “Boomtown,” Brown takes a look at his “one-horse town” that “ain’t no Boomtown.” But he still finds a lot to love there.

    For those of us who grew up in a small town, we hear a realistic reflection of a non-idealized life that is still loved. So the singer’s repeated assertion that “this ain’t no Boomtown,” backed by a tight electric band with a solid beat, ends up as more of a boast than a lament.

    Another highlight of the album is “Lessons in Lonely,” a catchy country weeper that sounds like an instant classic. Not surprisingly, the beautiful song was co-written by Marty Brown Jr.’s father Marty Brown, along with Charles Victor.

    The band Maceo is named after Brown’s hometown of Maceo, Kentucky. And the group features Marty Brown Jr. (Lead Vocals, Lead Guitar), Collin Sagely (Percussion), Brian Haunhorst (Rythym Guitar, Backing Vocals), and Chris Dillard (Bass).

    Boomtown is an uplifting album, perfect for blasting on your car stereo while driving country roads. Or just sitting in a lonely room with headphones and letting Brown and his bandmates take you on a fun ride. It’s all good.

    Leave your two cents in the comments.

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