Very early in my blogging I commented on another Jesse Colin Young album. You can search that it you wish though here I will flesh out a few of the points I raised there.
Wikipedia: “Jesse Colin Young is an American singer / songwriter / folksinger and a founding member of the group The Youngbloods….Young was born and raised in Queens, New York City. His mother was a violinist and his father was an accountant with a strong interest in classical music. At the age of 15 years old, Young received a scholarship to the Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts, and was later expelled….During the 1960s, while living in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan, Young released two solo albums, The Soul of a City Boy and Young Blood. He then formed the group called The Youngbloods which included guitarist Jerry Corbitt, keyboardist/guitarist Lowell "Banana" Levinger, and drummer Joe Bauer. Their first album contained the song "Get Together", written by Chet Powers, which was re-released as a single in 1969 and used as an advertising theme for television. Young and his band, the Youngbloods, founded a record label called Raccoon Records, and released four additional albums … Young left the group in 1972”
“Love on the Wing” is Jesse Colin Young’s (“JCY”) sixth album after leaving The Youngbloods.
I don’t know about you but I think Jesse looks pretty cool on the album sleeve.
That’s about it.
The motorbike, the chick, the wide open spaces may imply freedom. But, the trouble with a lot of electric folkies or “hippie rockers” from the 60s is, that by the mid to late 70s, their music had nowhere to go.
The song sentiments may have been admirable but they couldn’t really confront the issues of the day. Which is exactly what they had done in the 60s?
I think a lot of them realised that they were no longer on the cutting edge and retreated into music of America past or put out MOR love songs.
This is a pity because they had something to say and they could have said it with the knowledge of what they had learned in the 60s.
JCY music was never confrontational so his music does not date, lyrically, as much. The instrumentation though, like a lot of his ilk, does become slicker and more MOR.
JCY does retreat into some old timey sounds but seems content to just put out a gentle, relaxing vibe.
I love this music in small doses – it doesn’t make me want to dance, sing, go out, root or anything but what it does make me do is relax. OK not as much as a Martin Denny album but the laid back vibe is infectious.
Unlike punk which was confrontational this music is all about saying "peace" and retreating away from society to your hideaway, island or peninsula. Once upon a time I would have scoffed at the same but now the idea is more inviting.
We all retreat don’t we? Clearly I do on this blog …otherwise I would be writing about emerging music sounds.
This album didn’t sell and within a couple of years Jesse had relocated to Hawaii and organic coffee growing with occasional albums praising the virtues of domesticity, family and home.
Which is something he was always dwelling on…even when he was a younger man in a different time.
No man is an island to be sure but that doesn’t mean you can’t build a moat around your domain.
Produced by Felix Pappalardi and Jesse Colin Young.
Photography by Joe Bauer (drummer for The Youngbloods)
Tracks (best in italics)
- Higher and Higher – (Jesse Colin Young) – the song id dedicated to the Monterey peninsula. Of course it is. A jaunty, sunny, happy song. Not dissimilar to one of Jimmy Buffet’s Caribbean country bounces…..It’s slight but it’s pleasant enough when it’s on.
- Love on the Wing – (Blue Hazlehurst) – a country rock ballad. Quite beautiful but perhaps four or five years too late.
- Workin’- (Jesse Colin Young) – too much sexy sax in an otherwise good little song. A pity about the sax but it is 1977.
- Hey, Good Lookin’- (Hank Williams) – Hank with horns. I’m not sure if this works but it isn’t offensive. And, importantly, it isn’t reverential. Hank would have appreciated that.
- Fool-(Jesse Colin Young)- a touch of Tony Joe White in the whispered lyrics with funky (funkyish) back up.
- Drift Away-(Jesse Colin Young)- a nice singer songwriter rumination about love.
- Do It Slow-(Jesse Colin Young)- as was popular at the time a throw back to the 30s and 40s. The female vocalist is Suzi Young
- California Cowboy- (Jesse Colin Young)- a humorous little ditty
- Louisiana Highway-(Jesse Colin Young)-a medium tempo rustic variation on Chuck Berry’s "Promised Land".
- Your Lovin’ Hobo- (Elvin Woods) – a gentle song about a free spirit hobo
And …
Slight, very slight and a little too slick….but I love the Youngbloods and have a couple of other Jesse albums so I’m keeping it.
Chart Action
US
Singles
—
Album
1977 The Billboard 200 #64
England
Singles
Album
Sounds
Love on the Wing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbADyNskwTs
Louisiana Highway
attached MP3
Jesse Colin Young – Louisiana Highway
Others
live No Nukes 1979:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Odf1WWhAF6I
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgk9m4QvtEQ
Review
http://www.allmusic.com/album/love-on-the-wing-mw0000185186
Bio
http://www.allmusic.com/artist/jesse-colin-youngs-mn0000331846
Website
http://www.jessecolinyoung.com/
Trivia
• He now grows coffee in the Kona Coast area of Hawaii.
