#49 Musings Beyond the Bunker (Saturday June 5)
MORE STORY SONGS (PART 4)
ANTI-WAR (THOUGH OF QUESTIONABLE MUSICAL QUALITY)
One Tin Soldier, Coven (an anti-war song; featured in the movie Billy Jack):
AN ENTERTAINER WITH MANY STORY SONGS—HARRY CHAPIN
My cousin, Chris Cook, Sharon Spira-Cushnir, Dave Cohn, Mark DiMaria and others remind us that most every song by Harry Chapin tells a story. Dave Cohn says: “When I think of the story songs genre, I go straight to Harry Chapin - incredibly vivid/real imagery in his lyrics. And so much depth beyond the "Cat's in the Cradle" - not knocking it, but it has almost become a parody of itself.
Some favorites:
“I Wanna Learn A Love Song.” – “I wanna learn a love song full of happy things.”
“Taxi” – “And she walked away in silence; It’s strange how you never know; But we’d both gotten what we’d asked for: Such a long, long time ago…”
“W-O-L-D.” – “I am the morning DJ on WOLD…”
OTHER SONGS WITH STORIES
“Starry Starry Night,” by Don McLean. Thanks, Sandy Pressman.
“Me and Bobby McGee,” by Janis Joplin. Adam Torson says not including this song yet is an unforgiveable oversight. He’s right, of course.
“The River,” by Bruce Springsteen. Thanks, Rodney. No one is surprised you recommend the Boss!
“The Mariner’s Revenge Song” The Decemberists:
NOT REALLY A STORY BUT BASED UPON A TRUE TRAGEDY
“Tears in Heaven,” by Eric Clapton, suggested by Randy Boggan. A touching tribute to Clapton’s son, who tragically fell from a hotel balcony.
SOME POETRY IN LYRICS
She said, "I want to learn a love song full of happy things."
She said, "I want to learn a love song; won't you let me hear you sing?"
She said, "I want to learn a love song, I want to hear you play."
She said, "I want to learn a love song before you go away."
I guess you know I stayed
From the Kentucky coal mines to the California sun
Yeah, Bobby shared the secrets of my soul
Through all kinds of weather, through everything we done
Yeah, Bobby baby kept me from the cold
One day up near Salinas, Lord, I let him slip away
He's lookin' for that home, and I hope he finds it
But I'd trade all of my tomorrows for one single yesterday
To be holdin' Bobby's body next to mine
AND FINALLY, BAD BAD LEROY BROWN
This is a family favorite and worthy of a story in and of itself. When Jake was in Kindergarten, Andrea and Sue Fine Kroll were driving with Mason and Jake in the back seat. Sue asked Mason his favorite song: His reply was something like “The Wheels on the Bus.”
“What about you, Jake?” Jake replied, “Do you know Bad Bad Leroy Brown?”
Have a great weekend,
Glenn