Whether you love or loathe Bruce only a fool would deny that this whole performance bristles with emotion.
Notably:
1.46: Nil Lofgren's unearthly falsetto
2.12: Patti Scialfa's sublime falsetto
2.40: The late great Clarence Clemon's saxophone; as ever just a little sharp...
3.30: The Big Man crouches to sing and... that voice comes out.
4.05: When Bruce sings 'in the shadow of the evening trees, I'll wait for you..."
5.30: Ensemble
A band of brothers for sure; they've seen better days but are still emotionally engaged with their music.
"It's rather a sad song. I like writing sad songs, it's a good bag to get into because you can actually acknowledge some deeper feelings of your own and put them in it. It's a good vehicle, it saves having to go to a psychiatrist." The Long and Winding Roadwas inspired by the B842, a Scottish road that led Paul McCartney to the door of his Scottish pile in Kyntyre and, of course, back into Linda's arms. It is often dismissed as one of the the Beatles songs that Phil Spector ruined post production with over elaborate arrangements. There's also the accusation leveled at John Lennon that he tried to sabotage the recording with his deliberately ham fisted bass playing. I kind of like it when he goes walkabout; it's a nice counter to the song's heavenly ham... Whatever, it's recognized that Macca hated the Spector version, demanding that the harp be removed and the excesses toned down; he was furious, insulted at the intrusion. 'Don't ever do it again' he snapped. He was becoming increasingly isolated; the other Beatles were already being represented by Allen Klein and Paul's requests became ultimatums, which were ultimately ignored... "The album was finished a year ago, but a few months ago American record producer Phil Spector was called in by Lennon to tidy up some of the tracks. But a few weeks ago, I was sent a re-mixed version of my song 'The Long and Winding Road' with harps, horns, an orchestra, and a women's choir added. No one had asked me what I thought. I couldn't believe it." His mistreatment effectively led to the the break up of The Beatles.
I'm so used to the strings and choir that the 'Naked' version came as quite a shock. There's a sadness in McCartney's voice that I find effecting, particularly as he hits the bridge.
Here's both versions; the recently remastered Spector take followed by the raw version, which is spoilt a little by what seems to be auto tuning on McCartney's voice in the intro...
Chicken Skin: 1.25
Paul also had a great rawness to his voice when he wanted to.
Here's 'Golden Slumbers'.
Hear the glorious rasp as he bawls "smilesawake you when you rise."
Chicken Skin: 44 seconds
This is getting ridiculous; I'm being mind stalked by the musical thought police. Seamus zoned in on me as I penned my paean to 'Kentucky Avenue' and then came Toronto Tim's intrusion as I scribbled about this song:
"The entire song/performance gives me goose bumps & leaves me in a puddle. It was only last night that I realized that those "yeahs, yeah's" might be the most emotionally affecting words/vocals I've ever experienced in a song. Swelling strings... then PB rips your heart out with a series of simple but absolutely staggering "yeah, yeahs"..."
He's right of course, Buchanan taps right into an uncomfortable moment in memory that I'm sure all of us have; no childhood was that happy, we edit and review the tough stuff, ironing out the wrinkles. PB focusses on what might be a reflection on domestic violence or just a moment of wishing that things were better, quieter, as the inevitable disappointments of Christmas are about to unleash themselves.
Christmas could be a difficult time in my house when I was a kid; my mum didn't cope that well with the season's challenges, she argued a lot with my Dad. We kids braced ourselves rather than anticipated joyfully. 'No more shout, no more fight' resonates profoundly...
In 'Family Life' the unhappiness unravels, reveals itself in breathless fragments; 'Jesus, Jesus, you…" it's that 'you', the resignation and precise lack of control is what is breathtaking, those silvery slivers of strings, then 'wipe the tears from her face'. And then you have the 'yeah, yeah, yeahs' from 4 minutes onwards...before that final payoff, and you realize that, yes, he is alone, "Jesus I go to sleep and pray for my kids for my wife, family life".
You'll find a fantastic deconstruction of the song on The Blue in the Air which renders these mutterings as ramblings.
Here is the album version followed by the best live rendition I could find. Chicken Skin: particularly from 2.48 onwards...
Starlight do you know me? Please, don't look at me now I'm falling apart Silver on the window Like the bike I once had At home in the yard Jesus love let me down and I know where you are It might lead somewhere Gather me in snowfall And the cars going by the north and the south Flowers on the table And the coffee gets cold Like the milk in my mouth Sailing on no honeymoon Just separate chairs in separate rooms Jesus, please Make us happy sometimes No more shout No more fight Family life Tomorrow will be Christmas We'll be singing old songs And light up the tree God and all the mercy And say all your prayers For little old me Jesus, you Wipe the tears from her face And the sound of his voice Family life Yeah, yeah Mystery Jesus, I go to sleep and I pray For my kids For my wife Family life Yeah
Note: There is a great classical twist on my, not very original, idea compiled by New York Times art critic Anthony Tommasini over on the ArtsBeat blog here.
There was a bit of weird serendipity in the air with this one.
Seamus over at Vapour Trails had kick started my idea for 'Chicken Skins', pinpointing magic moments from songs, and then responded to my first post in the series (Sinatra) suggesting this song.
He did that as I was preparing my next 'Chicken Skin' which was the self same song.
What are the chances of that? Spooky.
Anyway, Waits always had a talent for emotive balladry and has never been more potent than with this heart wrenching tale of vagabond childhood from 'Blue Valentines'.
According to Barney Hoskin's excellent biography, it's a true story, although you can never really trust Waits when it comes to his elusive past; the truth for Tom is apparently over rated; he still swears that he was born in the back of a New York cab, even though his mother was no where near the city at the time... 'Kentucky Avenue' nails me, always reduces me to a blubberer, particularly when Waits gets to the 'I'll take the spokes from your wheelchair and amagpie's wings' and the strings swell at around 3.20.
Please listen to the whole thing though, especially if you're new to the song.
I've followed the album track with a sublime, ramshackle solo performance from way back.
Who needs those beautiful swelling strings?
Devastating stuff...
Well Eddie Grace's Buick got four bullet holes in the side And Charlie DeLisle is sittin at the top of an avocado tree Mrs. Storm will stab you with a steak knife if you step on her lawn I got a half a pack of Lucky Strikes man so come along with me And let's fill our pockets with macadamia nuts And go over to Bobby Goodmanson's and jump off the roof
Well Hilda plays strip poker when her mamas cross the street Joey Navinski says she put her tongue in his mouth And Dicky Faulkner's got a switchblade and some gooseneck risers That eucalyptus is a hunchback there's a wind down from the south So let me tie you up with kite string and I'll show you the scabs on my knee Watch out for the broken glass put your shoes and socks on And come along with me
Let's follow that fire truck I think your house is burnin down Then go down to the hobo jungle and kill some rattlesnakes with a trowel And we'll break all the windows in the old Anderson place We'll steal a bunch of boysenberries and I'll smear em on your face I'll get a dollar from my mama's purse, buy that skull and crossbones ring You can wear it round your neck on an old piece of string
Then we'll spit on Ronnie Arnold and flip him the bird Slash the tires on the school bus now don't say a word I'll take a rusty nail and scratch your initials in my arm I'll show you how to sneak up on the roof of the drugstore I'll take the spokes from your wheelchair and a magpie's wings And I'll tie em to your shoulders and your feet I'll steal a hacksaw from my dad, cut the braces off your legs We'll bury them tonight out in the cornfield Just put a church key in your pocket, we'll hop that freight train in the hall We'll slide all the way down the drain to New Orleans in the fall
I had a brief chat with Seamus over on Vapour Trails recently.
He'd chosen Frank Sinatra's 'Songs for Swinging Lovers' on his 'Best 102 Albums' and talked about his love of 'I've Got You Under My Skin'.
I love the song too; it brings back so many memories:
- My young Dad mugging the trombone and drums in the solo section, me and my siblings playing along.
- Our beloved Corsican (first) friend Antoine doing the self same thing on our roof terrace in Corsica.
- Ditto our neighbor Des at our first BBQ at Denny's when we first moved into Lisa Cottage out here in the sticks.
It's a magical musical moment that seems to liberate even the most self conscious; they should precede every therapy session with the playing of it...
Whenever I hear the song I brace myself in anticipation for that highlight; it never fails to deliver. Indeed the line that Sinatra sings after the break 'Don't you knoooow little fool...' is cited by Elvis Costello as the single most exciting sung moment in popular music...
With that in mind I've decided to waste even more of my life by starting a new series: 'Chicken Skin'.
These will be magic moments that elevate me or bring me to tears; inspired flashes of brilliance that induce the tingling feeling that the French call “chaire de pole” (hen's flesh)
Why not play along with your comments and suggestions.
But first; why not just play along... trombone anyone?
Here it is, it HAS to be the brilliant Nelson Riddle arrangement from 'Songs for Swinging Lovers', not the later, more polite version that turns up on the many 'Best Of' albums...
The chicken skin fun starts at around 2.10.
