without a little barleycorn...
Was talking with a fellow hammer-swinger at work today about music. He leant me a great documentary about Townes Van Zandt. So here is the question: Where are the great songwriters today? There are some great musicians out there, and some good tunes. But when I listen to Townes or to Dylan, they have a way of weaving a story in song. There is just something satisfying in a good solid narrative that draws you in, takes you places, if only for a few minutes. Thirsty for some solid American mythology writ sweet in gritty song.
One question that entered in... what is left to sing about? The folk folks of decades past had the coalminers the moonshiners the hobos the outlaws... those society left behind and those who left society behind. But it seems like these days the edge has lost its sexy. I mean, it seems like most of the downtrodden have trod themselves. You can't write the great American song about the meth-head-who-smells-like-piss the union-member-that-prices-himself-out-of-the-industry the high-tech-hacker-who-robs-banks-via-the-internet. And even the staples of the balladeers of yore, like peace and civil rights have become mindlessly mainstream. Every time we send troops somewhere to clean up some international mess you see the huge corporate-sponsored post-peacenik rally full of college kids cracked out on Red Bull and wheat grass breaking out 'Masters of War' as if they'd wrote it. I might be able to take them seriously if I heard just one student make the case in a way that gives the slightest impression that they could at least point out the country in question on a map, or knew something about the geopolitical costs and benefits. I don't know... It makes me want to write a song about standing over the graves of the 'Masters of Peace'. At least that would have a slight hint of damn-the-man.
I know of some great artists that write good songs that take you into a moment, but I need some legends, some stories, some myths... So there is the question... is there anyone making music to slake my thirst? Are there folk telling tales today?
In the meantime, some of the other carpenters and I may start a band: Staiyn Graiyd.
Already working on The Ballad of John Freeman Whipp.
One question that entered in... what is left to sing about? The folk folks of decades past had the coalminers the moonshiners the hobos the outlaws... those society left behind and those who left society behind. But it seems like these days the edge has lost its sexy. I mean, it seems like most of the downtrodden have trod themselves. You can't write the great American song about the meth-head-who-smells-like-piss the union-member-that-prices-himself-out-of-the-industry the high-tech-hacker-who-robs-banks-via-the-internet. And even the staples of the balladeers of yore, like peace and civil rights have become mindlessly mainstream. Every time we send troops somewhere to clean up some international mess you see the huge corporate-sponsored post-peacenik rally full of college kids cracked out on Red Bull and wheat grass breaking out 'Masters of War' as if they'd wrote it. I might be able to take them seriously if I heard just one student make the case in a way that gives the slightest impression that they could at least point out the country in question on a map, or knew something about the geopolitical costs and benefits. I don't know... It makes me want to write a song about standing over the graves of the 'Masters of Peace'. At least that would have a slight hint of damn-the-man.
I know of some great artists that write good songs that take you into a moment, but I need some legends, some stories, some myths... So there is the question... is there anyone making music to slake my thirst? Are there folk telling tales today?
In the meantime, some of the other carpenters and I may start a band: Staiyn Graiyd.
Already working on The Ballad of John Freeman Whipp.
posted by yonderincarp at 18:50
9 Comments:
do you think someone should write a song about bloggers, or is that not 'sexy' enough?
Son Volt does a pretty good cover of
Townes Van Zandts' "Rex's Blues" - it shows up on their Retrospective album.
Also, try Kelly Joe Phelps. He's a pretty phenomenal folk/acoustic blues songwriter. Look for "Tap the Red Cane Whirlwind"
perhaps Ryan Adams?
perhaps.
tim - yeah, man. i mean, i am a blogger. story of the outlaw blogger rolling through the desert with his mac keeping one step ahead of the law.
kj - thanks for the heads up. liking the son volt, but haven't run into that song, yet. and will check out kjp asap. thou art the man. i still roll back through mogwai and godspeed every now and again. looking for 'a silver mt zion'.
young david - yeah, the man is a manic talent, huh? a friend sent me this link just the other day:
http://youtube.com/results?search_query=ryan+adams+documentary&search=Search
they commit suicide. Nick Drake, Joe Meek, Jeff Buckley...
Where are the great songwriters today?
Both of them are in Finland, and are cousins - Tuomas of Nightwish and Ville Valo of H.I.M.
One question that entered in... what is left to sing about?
Love, baby!
So there is the question... is there anyone making music to slake my thirst? Are there folk telling tales today?
Sure. Scandinavia and Finland are bringing back the old folk tales. Great music to be had still in the Heavy Metal genre. That's where it's at.
And I agree with your buddy Jared. Buckley's death sucked. That guy could write, and this is coming from someone who loves Metal.
sun kil moon, jason collett, okkervil river, patty griffin, paul westerberg, radiohead (although not in a linear sense), decemberists--the tales are more suburban, or urban in many cases, but it's still telling and song.
In case anyone wanders back here... The Felice Brothers. And Ian Noe.
Post a Comment
<< Home