This album though recorded in Nashville is more singer-songwriter than his other albums I have heard. Though, of course, this singer-songwriter "lives" in the "country", not in the city, so that country sound is always going to come through.
I also said back in comment #78: "It is Newbury's subtlety and thought that put him at the forefront of "progressive country". "Progressive Country's" roots lie in traditional country, roots music, folk, Americana, regional rock n roll and was largely comprised of younger country songwriters writing country music with naked honesty, which is no mean feet as country music generally is "nakedly honest" ( think Hank Williams, Patsy Cline). What they did do was write incredibly personal songs much like their "singer-songwriter"relatives in the pop field with an ear to the past".
And that still applies … the songs are very reflective and can be listened to as mood pieces or as little ruminations. I'm not sure what you have to tap into to put your thoughts in a song but certainly some insight is required. It is easy to assume that if a song is reflective there is insight but that is wrong. Most of us do not have insight all the time and a lot of us do not have insight at all. Newbury manages to get his feelings on paper in a way that shows insight, despite what you may think of the music. For me the music is a perfect compliment … and that's just what it is – a compliment. Add a melody and voila there is a song. Newbury goes one step further because his knowledge of old music is added to his songs as evidenced by brief snatches of public domain songs and old timey instruments thrown in. Through this all his voice suits the music perfectly – it's almost a ghostly tenor at times.
Newbury was sharp as he takes from all American musical traditions of all era's and creates an album of individual songs though with one mood.
The great Dennis Linde produced this album and the playing is good … it's a who's who of Nashville legend sessionmen including Wayne Moss (guitar) Chet Atkins (guitar), Vassar Clements (violin), David Briggs (keyboards), Buddy Spicher (drums). There are some sound effects and backing voices in the form of a choir but they work ( and that is hard to do).
Newbury has also "covered" four songs he had released before – three songs from his very first album, "Harlequin Melodies" (1968): "Sunshine" "Sweet Memories," and "Good Morning Dear" which are not so much re-recorded as reinvented. They may as well be different songs. Similarly "San Francisco Mabel Joy" from his immediately preceding album has been given the same treatment. I'm not sure why this is but I assume he was on a roll and every song he wrote at the time was part of a song cycle … maybe every song he ever wrote was part of that cycle?
This is amazing … it works on many levels … and entertains at the same time. I actually feel smarter after listening to it.
- Heaven Help the Child – a amazing multi generational song about an American odyssey. It's not so much a narrative as a mood piece with fragments of stories … and a couple of lines of Auld Lang Syne is thrown in at the end.
I took a walk up to Park Avenue
To sip some brew with my good friend
Maggie the Bohemian
She was quite a woman of the world
I was the envy of the men
Heaven help the child heaven help the child
It can offer plenty to a young man
With a vision so they say
With a friend named Fitzgerald
I was headed for the old world
On a merchant steamer
Bound for Biscay Bay
Take him back to where he has never been
Get you to the city
Pick another sad song for me Jim
I hate to leave the old man
All alone to work the cotton
but the country never
Seemed to bother him
- Good Morning Dear – a relationship song in the mould of Rod McKuen … this isn't "I Wanna Hold Your Hand". Stephen Sondheim would be proud.
The morning's any cooler
When she was here
Was her mind grown accustomed
To hearin', "Good Morning, Dear"'
Remembering brings to mind
In my thought's of her
When Lord, we both know thing's
Could never be
The way they were
- Sunshine – another lost love song with a bouncy backbeat which beautifully juxtaposes the lyrics. It has the feel of "Gentle on My Mind" by John Hartford which comes across as a non self pitying sadness.
So you found my window
But you won't find me
Cause Sunshine
I've got my friend the darkness
Here to hide me
As far as I'm concerned
I'm where I want to be
Sunshine
As far as you're concerned
Don't be concerned for me
She don't love me anymore
No she doesn't want me
She doesn't want me anymore
- Sweet Memories – another excellent song – and it sounds like something I cant put my finger on … though given it has been covered over 70 times maybe I'm thinking of a cover … perhaps the Andy Williams version or was it The Everly Brothers version …
- Why You Been Gone So Long – a change of pace with this country stomper … though it's the familiar "lost love" song. Newbury has a lot of them – then again if you have a country background then …
- Cortelia Clark – old men and trains … central to any country folk song … this is beautiful … and a touch of Kristofferson's "To Beat the Devil" in there.
They all said
But Lord I'll wager
He won't be beggin' on Your streets
He'll be stepping from the dark
Would You save a street in Glory Lord
For Cortelia Clark
- Song for Susan – a incredibly romantic song – without being maudlin.
Silently lights up the sky
Sails through the window
To dance with the tears in her eyes
- San Francisco Mabel Joy – a beautiful long narrative in the country folk tradition – the lyric is extremely evocative and plays out as a movie in your head.
And …
Every track is a winner of some kind … this is country experimentalism at its best. Screw today's singer-songwriters. I'm keeping this.
Chart Action
The album went to #173 on the pop charts.
"Sunshine" went to #53 Country Singles and #87 in the Billboard Hot 100 in 1973.
Sunshine
Sweet Memories
Cortelia Clark
Review
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:jifrxqygldte
http://therisingstorm.net/mickey-newbury-heaven-help-the-child/
Other Comments
what is Frank Listening to #79
what is Frank Listening to #122
Trivia
my LP sleeve is Australian and has the same design as the US sleeve above but the picture seems to be intentionally blurred.
(originally posted: 28/02/2010)
