Saturday night I went to see Black Valley Gospel, David Chenery's most recent music project. It was their cd release show and their shit is the good shit, so check it out http://blackvalleygospel.bandcamp.com/album/black-valley-gospel
At the show Scott Dunlop asked me what song I was going to do for my blog this week and well to be honest, I had no idea, and told him so. "When are you gonna cover a Dylan song?" he said and seeing as I had spontaneously played I Threw It All Away earlier that day I told him that I might just take him up on it. Well I tried. A few times, a few songs. Wasn't happening, hungover (damn you Chenery and your devil music), wasn't feeling it. Dylan's like that. Sometimes you play it and it gets inside you and you're inside it and away you go - other times you feel like some lamely inadequate douchebag at a coffee shop open mike.
So what's the next best thing? How about a song I wrote last year during a heavy Basement Tapes listening phase.....New Blues #2. Influenced by, derivative of....somewhere in there. It's a basic blues form with a yodel turnaround. Ran the accordion and my vox through a big-ass guitar amp.
Here it is
New Blues #2
I was waitin' for the rapture watchin' the big game
but Jesus went to Luxton so the rapture never came
Rapture dude said "did I say May, I meant October"
now the whole town is suffering from revelation phobia
The wise man built his house upon a rock
the foolish man built his house inside a clock
The hideous man gazes upon his reflection
I can smell his filthy haunches I can smell his dejection
he's been carvin' up the TV eatin' it for dinner
he should be gettin' fatter but his head is getting thinner
He got a time machine keeps track of the latest trends
he's got a rocket ship to visit his so called friends
I can't get no sleep, it's rainin in my bed
I need an umbrella to keep the dreams off my head
Thing I like about night is it ain't light
thing I like about day is it ain't night
Best things about trees is they don't walk
thing I like about stones is they don't talk
Structurally this song is also very similar (okay, virtually identical) to another song I wrote and recorded many years ago, Grey Yodel #3, found on the Hurtin' Dance Party cd. This song also felt Dylan-ey to me and the Highway 61 aesthetic was on our minds when we recorded it. You can listen to that song (and the rest of Hurtin Dance Party) here.
The musicians who play on it were taught the song that night, I think we did three takes. They did a stellar job, and I believe the spontaneous nature of the session brought a great energy to the recording. Tolan McNeil's guitar line is pure genius and Clay George lays down a rockin harp solo through an overdriven amp. Also featured are Calvin Dick on drums and Clark Brendan on bass. Scott Henderson was the recording engineer.
*****Star Date January 12, 2016
Somewhere along the way in a couple of years of rehearsing and recording the composition order of this New Blues series - there's eight of these nasty fuckers - got tangled. This one, Yodel Blues, changed from #2 to #3. So it goes. I also recorded a version of it incorporating all the lyrics from the song Grey Yodel #3. I'll post that soon....stay tuned!
*****Star Date January 12, 2016
Somewhere along the way in a couple of years of rehearsing and recording the composition order of this New Blues series - there's eight of these nasty fuckers - got tangled. This one, Yodel Blues, changed from #2 to #3. So it goes. I also recorded a version of it incorporating all the lyrics from the song Grey Yodel #3. I'll post that soon....stay tuned!
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