For LP Fans Only: Texas Rock For Country Rollers

"I'm a part of Willie Nelson's world and I love it, but at the same time, I'm part of the Grateful Dead's world. One night I might be playing twin fiddles at the Broken Spoke and the next night I'll be down at Antone's playing blues. In that way Texas is a paradise, because all that music is here."
--Doug Sahm, 1975

Today's post is a follow-up to my post of May 2, where I took a walk down memory lane with Doug Sahm's classic tune, "Give Back The Key To My Heart." In the course of doing research, I realized that the album from which "Key" comes ... Texas Rock For Country Rollers ... has long been out-of-print and can rarely be found for less than $30 used. For historical preservation purposes, it didn't help that Doug released this LP on ABC-Paramount, a label that spent much of its energy in the mid-'70s quite literally destroying its back catalog and leading itself down the path of financial ruin. Hell, I couldn't even begin to tell you who owns the rights to this album, let alone whether the master tapes even exist.

This sad state of affairs has left me with no choice. In an effort to keep these great songs in the public domain, I'm doing a track-by-track review of Texas Rock, with each song ... and a few related bonus cuts ... available to listen to and download for as long as the bandwidth holds up. Don't let anyone accuse The Adios Lounge of forsaking your Doug Sahm needs. No sir.

When it was released in 1976, it would've been misleading to suggest that Texas Rock For Country Rollers was the first Doug Sahm album to openly embrace his country music roots. I'd say it more or less picked up where Doug Sahm And Band left off in '73. In fact, aside from Honkey Blues in '68, there really wasn't a Sahm or Sir Douglas Quintet LP devoid of country groove. However, what makes Texas Rock unique is that of the 10 songs on the album, 7 are either outright country numbers or some sort of country-rock/country-pop hybrid. While Doug was never afraid to Texas Rock, he'd never Country Rolled so decisively.

Band-wise, the album was attributed to the Texas Tornados, but they shouldn't be confused with Sahm's Tex-Mex supergroup of the 1990s. This was merely the name given to Doug's new backing band, most of whom were longtime Texas compadres. Augie Meyers, of course, rides shotgun with his familiar collection of keys, the steady yin to Doug's cosmic yang. Atwood Allen plays acoustic guitar and provides the best harmony singing Sahm ever had. More acoustic guitar is added by Uncle Mickey Moody, who went back to the early days of the SDQ and producer Huey Meaux's Crazy Cajun Recordings. Harry Hess was the one recent addition to Doug's band and here he adds tasty steel and slide guitar. Finally, the rhythm section is anchored by Jack Barber on bass and George Rains on drums, the guys who Shawn Sahm ... Doug's son ... once called "his secret weapon."

L-R: Doug Sahm, Harry Hess (steel), Jack Barber (bass), Atwood Allen (harmonies, guitar), George Rains (drums)

I will admit that my one complaint about Texas Rock is that the mix sucks. Meyers, Barber, and Rains are buried too low, the vocals are too high, and everything else is kind of a wishy-washy mid-range. If ever an album was in dire need of a remix and remaster, this bad mamma jamma is it. Regardless, the quality of the material holds everything together, Sahm's voice has rarely sounded better, and despite the audio flaws it remains my favorite Doug Sahm album. So, without further ado, here's Sir Doug & The Texas Tornados, track-by-track, warts and all.

WHO ... WHAT ... WHERE

Band:
Doug Sahm: guitar, piano, fiddle, vocals
Augie Meyers: piano, vox organ, hammond organ
Jack Barber: bass
George Rains: drums
Atwood Allen: rhythm guitar, harmony vocals
Harry Hess: steel guitar, slide guitar, harp
Uncle Mickey Moody: acoustic guitar

Directing The Band:
Producer: Huey P. Meaux
Arranger: Doug Sahm
Engineer/A&R Director: Uncle Mickey Moody
Recorded at: SugarHill Studios, Houston, TX (formerly Gold Star Studios)

TRACK-BY-TRACK REVIEW
Download album as zip file (56 MB)

1. I Love The Way You Love (The Way I Love You)

A pleasant, almost CCR-ish country-rock tune written by bandmate and longtime runnin' buddy, Atwood Allen (the mustachioed dude next to Doug and Ernie Durawa), this is mostly carried by Hess' steel and Sahm's phased-out guitar, which sounds like it's being run through a Leslie speaker, an effect featured throughout the album. Of course, it's always a treat hearing the close harmony singing of Doug and Atwood, who share the vocal simpatico normally reserved for brother acts like the Everlys and Louvins. Doug invariably sings it straight, holding down the mid-range, while Atwood glides on top with his wonderful high tenor. Even when Doug sings tenor with himself, as he does on "I Love," Atwood manages to climb even higher. Jerry Wexler once compared them to the 1950s country duo, Johnnie & Jack, which is apt since one of the purest examples of the Sahm/Allen vocal blend is their cover of Johnnie & Jack's 1951 smash, "Poison Love," which appears on the Doug Sahm And Band album for which Wex served as producer.

Bonus track: Doug Sahm & Band - Poison Love

2. Cowboy Peyton Place

"Well, I just came in this bar for a beer
Didn't know that country band was playin' here
Cause I'm in love with the steel player's wife
And I know its not right and I want her tonight
And that's how it is in Cowboy Peyton Place."

A stone-cold country shuffle, with lyrics about infidelity that would make Fred Rose proud. In a perfect world, this would be a honky tonk standard. Once again, we're treated to more of Hess' sweet steel guitar ... though, given the lyrics, you wouldn't blame him if he spent most of the song glaring at Doug. Another highlight is the twin fiddle sound Doug co-opted from Bob Wills which I think Sahm first showcased on record via "Faded Love" from Doug Sahm And Band. I could be wrong about that, though.

A couple of references are worth mentioning. The first is Peyton Place itself. Does anyone younger than 40 remember either the book, movie, or primetime soap opera? If not, the wikipedia link above will tend to your pop culture needs. Let's just say that, like most soaps, infidelity was a recurring theme.

The second reference that might puzzle outsiders is the first line of the second verse: "I met her in Soap Creek just by chance." Soap Creek Saloon was an out-of-the way honky-tonk Doug and many other Austin groovers called home for much of the 1970s. In 2001, Margaret Moser wrote a great piece on Soap Creek for the Austin Chronicle and it's pretty much required reading for all Dougheads. Just get to it after you're done here. You know the rules.

3. Give Back The Key To My Heart

Funny, even though this was the song that started this whole mess, I really didn't spend a lot breaking down the whatfors last time around. Too bad, because it's one of the masterpieces in the Doug Sahm catalog. A mix of Dylan moxie and Sam Cooke swing, "Key" features more superior harmonies from Doug and Atwood and has to be one of the only songs from the era to highlight the perils of cocaine addiction. Remember, this was 1976, the same year that The Last Waltz crew supplied its all-star cast of musicians with enough backstage blow to support the Peruvian GDP for 4 years. Hell, the rock in Neil Young's nose became so famous it got its own sitcom. So, in that context, Sahm's dire warning about coke is, dare I say, shockingly responsible?!?!

"Well, you got a friend named cocaine
And to me he is to blame
He has drained life from your face
He has taken my place."

If you've got coke-face and you're stealing TVs to support your habit, you might need to rethink your priorities. Just sayin'.

4. Wolverton Mountain

Wolverton Mountain was a massive crossover hit for Claude King in 1962, one of Doug's two homages to early '60s AM radio on Texas Rock (the Gene Thomas Medley is the other). Actually, Wolverton is a throwback in another sense, as well, being the one song on the album that harkens back to the classic SDQ sound of the mid-'60s. While Augie's Vox organ is mostly buried in the mix, it jumps out in all its familiar, swirling, roller-rink glory during the instrumental break. In the end, though, Doug owns this song with one of the album's most searing vocals. When he goes into the red in the first verse with, "Whoaaaa baby for a fight!" that's soul right there, baby.

5. Texas Ranger Man

I realize in the CD/iPod era, "album sides" mean very little, but "Texas Ranger Man" ends Side One as the country-rock bookend to "I Love The Way You Love." This one has kind of a late Byrds feel to it, with Sahm again running his guitar through a Leslie speaker for the song's killer main riff. I've always felt that Doug was an underrated guitarist. He was no virtuoso, but he had a great rhythmic feel and knew his way around the fretboard.

"Texas Ranger Man" actually seems like a companion piece to the SDQ tune, "Dallas Alice," which appeared on their outstanding Together After Five album. Like that song ... and "Wolverton Mountain," for that matter ... the protagonist in both narratives has to face down a father's disapproval and possibly his firearms. Where Alice's "father didn't approve of his long hair and far-out groove," the Texas Ranger Man heard that Doug "had a reputation in the town of lovin' all the girls from miles around." It's like a country-rock Shakespearean tragedy. What's not to like?

Bonus track: Sir Douglas Quintet - Dallas Alice

6. Float Away

Side Two begins with the one song on the album meant to crank up to 11 and cannonball naked into the swimming pool. This is a straight-up classic rock summer jam, somewhat akin to The James Gang's "Walk Away". Hmmm ... "Walk Away," "Float Away" ... coincidence??? Anyway, I could talk more about the huge guitar sound or Sahm's great double-tracked vocals, but I've got something to do first ... CANNONBALLLLLL!!!!!

7. I'm Missing You

A wistful country-pop tune that's a nice contrast to "Float Away," Atwood's high lonesome tenor again stands out. However, I think the star of this show is drummer George Rains. While he's buried in the mix and he's not going all Gene Krupa on the kit, he holds down a solid pocket while adding a number of economic accents and fills to the give the simple pop song a rhythmic tension it wouldn't have in lesser hands.

On an unrelated note, Elvis Costello has gone on record as being a huge Doug Sahm fan and I've always thought this was the kind of song that he could write in his sleep ... and possibly inspired some of his work on, say, King Of America. Can someone call him up and get a yay or nay? Thanks.

8. Gene Thomas Medley: Sometimes/Cryin' Inside

Here's what I wrote about this tune for Star Maker Machine a few weeks ago and I see no reason to change now. FYI: The theme being referenced was songs that are 2:42, as a result of Joshua Allen's hilarious essay.

"Doug Sahm ... as Sir Doug & The Texas Tornados ... released this tune as a single in 1976, the same year that Boston released the song that inspired the post that inspired this theme. Doug's single is actually a medley of two Gene Thomas songs from the early '60s and features a spoken bridge rife with nostalgia: "Yeah, I remember those times. Back in the old nightclubs in 1961 in San Antone." In other words, Doug's medley not only flies in the face of the cocaine-fueled self-indulgence of its own time (1976), it's an intentional throwback to that pre-FM time when singles and AM radio ruled the earth (1961). Furthermore, Doug cherry-picks the best parts of two separate songs to maximize the concision of his 2:42. All meat, no potatoes, and absolutely gorgeous harmonies from Sahm and his longtime compadre, Atwood Allen. God bless Sir Doug."

9. Country Groove

"I was raised on country music
Blues and rock 'n' roll
Country groove, country groove
Gets right to your soul."

The album's other honky tonk gem, this is Doug's homage to his Texas music heroes. In the roll call are such heavy-hitters as George Jones, Lefty Frizzell, Bob Wills' fiddles, Waylon Jennings, and Willie Nelson. However, as with the Soap Creek reference in "Cowboy Peyton Place," this one has a few references that might slip by the uninitiated.

Link Davis and J.R. Chatwell ("... the kind Link and J.R. used to play") were both highly gifted western swing fiddlers (and singers) who were forefathers to the open-minded, genre-skipping, musical gumbo favored by Doug Sahm. In the early '70s, Doug even put J.R. on the band payroll so he join them on their tour of New York City. It was largely a gesture of goodwill, though, as J.R.'s musical skills had eroded due to a stroke. But, that gives you an idea of the esteem in which he was held by Sir Doug.

KOKE-FM ("I don't know what happens when I turn on KOKE-FM") was an Austin radio station that pioneered the progressive country radio format in the mid-'70s to differentiate its classic country playlists from those stations heavy into the Nashville Sound. Speaking of classic, with the earlier mention of Bob Wills and "Country Groove's" namecheck, I think it's time for the final bonus track.

Bonus track: Doug Sahm & Band - Faded Love

10. You Can't Hide a Redneck (Under That Hippy Hair)

Texas Rock's "sore thumb" is a blues jam, which means it's a bit out of place on an album full of country songs. But, this is Doug Sahm we're talking about. This is what he does. Actually, "Redneck" bookends Side Two nicely with "Float Away" and gives the LP a legit claim for having "rock" in the title. While not a great song, I do like how Doug's T-Bone Walker guitar wail complements Hess' slide parts. In fact, I love when Doug calls out, "Blow your horn, Harry," and Hess launches into a slide solo. Funny stuff. Speaking of which, this song has to have one of the funniest couplets in the Book of Sahm:

"Don't care how many joints you roll,
Oh man, you got a white man's soul."

And that, my friends, is Texas Rock For Country Rollers in an intense, flavorful, slow-cooked nutshell. Now I think I need 20 consecutive hours of sleep. But, please enjoy the tunes and spread the gospel of Sahm as much as you can. Long live Sir Doug!

The Last Full Measure Of Devotion

"It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced."
--President Abraham Lincoln from his "Gettysburg Address"

Memorial Day was established to honor American men and women who have perished while in military service to their country*. With that being said, please indulge me while I post three songs about soldiers who survived combat, only to come back to the States and find themselves still fighting. In the spirit of recognizing those who have served and continue to serve our country, I'd like to think that it's not who we remember, it's that we remember.

Townes Van Zandt - Ballad Of Ira Hayes [purchase]

Tom T. Hall - Mama Bake A Pie [purchase]

Bill Withers - I Can't Write Left-Handed [purchase]

* Technically, Memorial Day began as Decoration Day and was established specifically to honor fallen Union soldiers of the U.S. Civil War. It evolved into what we now consider the "traditional" Memorial Day ... honoring casualties of all wars, three-day weekends, etc. ... by 1971.

Six Degrees: The Alex Chilton to Chris Bell Edition

(L-R: Michael Crow, Channing Lewis, and Alex Livingstone from Grand Champeen)

In the spirit of the six degrees of Kevin Bacon, regular bacon, and Sir Francis Bacon, here are six songs connected in different ways. The bond may be tenuous, but it exists, and it illustrates the interconnectedness of music from so many different eras.

Download 6-song playlist as zip file (44 MB)
Total Time = 24:11

Kinks - Acute Schizophrenia Paranoid Blues (1971)
[CD] [Vinyl] [eMusic]

On the surface, it's ironic that Ray Davies pay homage to the trad jazz sound he and his invading ilk ushered out the pub door. However, in early 1963, a young Ray cut his guitar chops in Dave Hunt's Rhythm & Blues Band, who he later said played "a lot of mainstream jazz numbers and a lot of traditional jazz, and a few blues numbers." By the way, when people say "trad jazz," they're referring to a specific, New Orleans ragtime sound featuring acoustic stringed instruments, woodwinds, and brass. Even back then these guys were retro. In modern terms, think Squirrel Nut Zippers.

"Acute Schizo" is a kneeling drunkard's plea for sanity that is either paranoid conspiracy or journalism. I vote the latter. I love the expert use of Salvation Army brass band. One of my favorite tracks from Muswell Hillbillies, I also like the live version from Everybody's In Show-Biz, Muswell's slightly underrated follow-up released the following year.

Van Halen - Could This Be Magic? (1980)
[CD] [Vinyl] [MP3]

Van Halen's first single was their cover of "You Really Got Me." But, with their next single, "Runnin' With The Devil," the legend began in earnest. In fact, they're generally known for 3 things: Eddie's erupting fretboard tappage, David Lee's heroic stage banter (Henry Rollins calls him "the peroxided Mark Twain"), and rock anthems that, if converted into fuel, would power a fleet of 1967 Camaros. "Magic" was one of the band's atypical forays into country-blues and showed they could rock the heavy metal parking lot with acoustic guitars as they could with Marshall stacks and a Jim Beam bass. Better save the women and children first.

Mike Nicolai - Mammoth (2003)
[MP3]

Mike Nicolai (pictured right with Grand Champeen guitarist, Michael Crow) is one of my favorite singers and songwriters because his songs play so hard to get. The hooks aren't where you expect them to be, the lyrics take awhile to reveal themselves, and his vocal phrasing is weird. Totally memorable, but weird. He can be a tough get, especially if you're impatient, but once you get him, Nicolai rewards you twentyfold.

I celebrate Mike's entire catalog, which combines elements of Paul Simon and Roger Miller with wounded narratives and clever wordplay ("I just washed the TV off my face, neuropath wasn't busy"; "And bimonthly he'd betray her with Jennifer St. John"). "Mammoth" is Nicolai's hilariously spot-on overview of the Halen legacy ... Mammoth being VH's original name ... and is notable for introducing "less than rockin' results" into the critical lexicon. Well, my lexicon, at least.

Grand Champeen - One And Only (2003)
[CD] [MP3] [eMusic]

I'll die and go to heaven,
But you're alive and well,
You'll be the Alex Chilton to my Chris Bell.

Grand Champeen has occasionally served as Nicolai's backing band, allowing Mike to tap into his inner David Lee. On their own, Champeen remains one of the country's best rock bands, despite slowing down considerably in output. With regard to Van Halen, I've seen them cover "Little Guitars" and have it on good authority that the members once dressed as VH for Halloween. That said, for those of you who cut your teeth on classic Soul Asylum, Replacements, and Superchunk, and Prescott Curlywolf, Champeen is either already one of your favorite bands, or waiting to be.

"One And Only" brilliantly uses the Big Star principals as a relationship metaphor, though whether that relationship is romantic or band-like in nature is deliberately vague. Drummer Ned Stewart (with popsicle above) owns this song with four-wheel drive and acres of fills, which is probably why his low-fi tom-foolery is tacked onto the outro -- though part of me suspects its a clever homage to the end of Superchunk's "Hyper Enough" video. Or maybe I just wanted an excuse to link to that video, who can say?

Big Star - O My Soul (1974)
[CD] [MP3] [eMusic]

Speaking of drummers owning songs, how about this gem from Big Star's 1974 masterpiece, Radio City. Jody Stephens shows off monster chops, but in fairness, the whole band brings their A game. Bassist Andy Hummel dances around the pocket with Stephens, while Alex Chilton's guitar work, especially from about 3:30-4:15, is stunning. A little known fact is that former guitarist and songwriter, Chris Bell, co-wrote this tune with Chilton, but sadly, went uncredited. One of the great tunes in the Big Star catalog. Incidentally, when Big Star is invoked by power-pop acolytes, an inordinate amount of discussion is focused on the pop part of that equation. "O My Soul" demonstrates that the Chilton-Hummel-Stephens power trio ... like the Chilton-Bell-Hummel-Stephens lineup occasionally before it ... was a wonderful luxury for Alex Chilton the songwriter.

Glossary - Don't Lie To Me (2007)
[CD]

We switch Tennessee coasts to revisit the Glossary compound. "Don't Lie" was recorded at The Grand Palace in their hometown of Murfreesboro and is an incendiary, guitar-lover's wet dream. This and 12 other covers are on a Big Star tribute disc released by Almost There Records, a label started by Ty Chandler of Gleeson fame. The rest of the album are studio cuts and include contributions from Grand Champeen ("Daisy Glaze"), Mike Nicolai ("Nightime"), Archibalds ("O Dana"), and Gleeson themselves ("Blue Moon"). Worth tracking down, for sure.

Introducing ... Plain Meanness

The Lounge was closed for the past few days, so I could get some R&R out at the Star Maker Machine Ranch. Shot some hoops, pondered the nature of MLB interleague play, and wrote about Ronnie Lane, The Minutemen, and Scott Miller. Check 'em out when you get a chance.

While R&Ring, I also spent some time with an actual 2008 release. Which got me to thinking. In an effort to bring The Adios Lounge even further into the 21st Century ... with its ipods, Guitar Hero shenanigans, and dreaded Brooklyn hipster oligarchy ... I will periodically introduce my loyal visitors to new acts operating at the fringes of the Pitchforkian Empire. "New," of course, is a relative term, but suffice to say, I'm either talking about a new band or a new release by a veteran act whose career has been spent in near obscurity. So, with that, allow me to introduce y'all to a quartet from Jonesboro, Arkansas ... about an hour west of Memphis ... operating in the fine tradition of twangy, reverby primitivo a la The Sadies, Flat Duo Jets, and even The Cramps.

Ladies and gents, introducing ... Plain Meanness.

The new album that started this mess is their recent release, The Sower And The Reaper. This bad boy is actually a concept album, a concept, I dare say, that's almost Tarantino-esque. In fact, the theme bears marked similarities to the Kill Bill saga, albeit from a guy's POV. You know the story ... boy meets girl, boy falls in love with girl, girl betrays boy with poisoned gin, unconscious boy is buried alive by girl and her evil new beau, girl feels guilty about said burying, boy miraculously escapes grave, chases down couple, and gets medieval on their asses. C'mon, who doesn't love an old fashioned revenge fantasy?

Musically speaking, Plain Meanness could easily be confused with a rockabilly band. After all, the combination of Patrick Dailey's reverby Gretsch hollow-body, Derek Doyle's thumpin' upright bass, and drummer Greg Arnold's love for the train beat is a proud Memphis tradition that goes back to Sam Phillips and his remarkable stable of talent in the 1950s. In fact, former Sun recording artist, Sonny Burgess, sings and testifies on "Shoveling Dirt On My Grave." Kudos to whoever made that happen.

However, there was a reason I mentioned twang 'n' roll punk bands like The Sadies, Flat Duo Jets, and Cramps. Plain Meanness isn't a pomade-and-tat retro act. Like those bands, to greater and lesser degree, they use rockabilly ... or rockabilly's twangy cousin, surf music ... as a reference point to create a unique sound. In my opinion, the secret weapon to PM's unique sound is horn player, Grant Harbison. His use of trumpets, trombones, and saxomophones is sometimes reminiscent of Calexico, who also use brass to add space to their tunes and, in PM's case, to help flesh out songs that might otherwise suffer from over-familiarity. Actually, I think that's what I love about The Sower And The Reaper. It's a breath of fresh, yet familiar air, which if ain't the MO of The Adios Lounge, should be.

Here's a couple of samples from the Plain Meanness menu, which I chose for different reasons.

Plain Meanness - She's Cremating Herself

This track combines all that I like about PM and Sower in one convenient package. You get the surfy, reverby guitar, the driving train beat, the trumpet doubling the howling vocal part, a cool trumpet solo, and it all builds nicely toward a frenzied, borderline chaotic finish.

Plain Meanness - I've Got My Suitcase Packed Tonight

"Suitcase" is unique in the Sower repertoire in that it's the album's only proper country tune. Max Johnston of The Gourds sits in on fiddle, and taken together with Ira Pierce's pedal steel, ends the album in lovely, thoughtful repose.

To hear more from these delightful Jonesborians, visit the Plain Meanness MySpace page and the Plain Meanness website. I also encourage all fans to support this grassroots operation by purchasing The Sower And The Reaper in one of two ways. You can download the album through Digstation or you can buy the CD ... with its fancypants fold-out artwork ... via CD Baby, where you can listen to samples of every song on the album. I defy you to find better customer service!

I'm An Uncle!

While the Lily white shall in love delight,
Nor a thorn nor a threat stain her beauty bright.
--William Blake

Last night, shortly after 10pm CST, my niece, Lilly Gault, entered this world with 10 fingers, 10 toes, and no doubt a bunch of questions. Woo-Hoo!!! She weighs in at a tidy 7 lbs, 6.5 oz ... my daughter was 7 and 7, so it's good to see some familial consistency ... and Mama Julie and Daddy Graham (my wife's brother) couldn't be happier. You can be sure that we are quite proud of them. So, in their honor, a pair of songs.

The first is appropriately baroque and over the top for the arrival of my neice. In fact, I can see this song being used during the birthing montage sequence ... in the movie ... that's playing in my head. OK, so I have an overactive imagination. Good song, though, and a shortie. After all, the kid is less than a day old and the parents don't have time for extended dance remixes. We'll get to the 10-minute operettas in due time. From their 1974 album, Sheer Heart Attack, here's the Fighting Freddie Mercurys with a can of falsetto whup-ass. Incidentally, if there's a more appropriate first line, I'd like to hear it!

Queen - Lily Of The Valley [purchase]

For mama and daddy, a quieter, more pensive tune. After all, those moments are now precious. Trust me, as the daddy of a toddling spawn of Satan, my wife and I long nostalgically for the newborn era. So, here's Iris Dement, covering Lefty Frizzell on her powerful 1994 album, My Life.

Iris Dement - Mom And Dad's Waltz [purchase]

By the way, it's pure coincidence that my post about "I Wish I Was Your Mother" is being followed by a post about becoming an uncle. The gods may be crazy, but no one said they're not paying attention.

I Wish I Was Your Mother

Ian Hunter wrote some of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard. Not only did they talk about the messiness of being young, they also spoke of the messiness of being an adult, and that was beautiful to me."
--Alejandro Escovedo (pictured left)

Today's spotlight falls on one of Ian Hunter's most enduring compositions with Mott The Hoople, "I Wish I Was Your Mother." I thought about posting it yesterday for superficially obvious reasons. Unfortunately, the actual demands of Mother's Day prevented much computer time. This is a clever way of saying that my wife would've been the Kathy Bates to my James Caan had I sat down for lengthy blog time. So, there was that.

Also, despite its title, the song isn't really about mom or motherhood. It is, however, a touching elegy to the grounding influence of family, but framed in a deceptively clever, inside-out fashion. Over a bed of tasteful, Ronnie Lane-esque country-pop, we learn that the narrator is actually, by his own admission, something of a bastard. He's prone to screaming, cursing, and hating. Yet, his woman ... for the sake of argument, let's assume this is a guy singing to a girl ... is caring, wears pretty clothes, shares, sparkles, and glows. So, what's his problem? If she's "so good," as he concedes, why on earth would he sing, "Is there a happy ending? I don't think so?" The rub comes in the chorus:

"I wish I was your mother
I wish I'd been your father
And then I would have seen you
Would have been you as a child
Played houses with your sisters
And wrestled all your brothers
And then who knows
I might have felt a family for awhile."

You don't need a graduate degree in psychoanalysis to know that miserable, lonely fuckups hate being around the happy, grounded, and familial because it's a painful reminder of what they don't have. It's probably fair to say the narrator doesn't actually wish he was the girl's mother, he simply wants to feel like he's part of a family. Brilliant lyrical content aside, I think Hunter's masterstroke was using a mandolin as his melodic focalpoint. After all, the mandolin has long been associated with country music, a genre formally grounded in family values since Jimmie Rodgers and The Carter Family hooked up with Ralph Peer.

Here's Mott The Hoople's original version of "Mother," from their fantastic 1973 album, Mott (pictured above). If you don't already own this, hie thee to Amazon post-haste. Seriously, you have no excuses.

Mott The Hoople - I Wish I Was Your Mother [purchase]

Maria McKee covered "Mother" during sessions for her 1993 album, You Gotta Sin To Get Saved. Alas, the song didn't make the cut, which is too bad. This is a sublime cover and a nice change of pace hearing it sung from a woman's perspective. If pushed, I'd probably say this is my favorite version, but that may be due to my longtime crush on Maria, especially during her mid-'90s peak of hotness. In fact, stop looking at the picture, she's mine.

Maria McKee - I Wish I Was Your Mother

Alejandro Escovedo been covering "Mother" for years ... you can find versions on his Gravity and Thirteen Years reissues ... but unlike Maria, who stays faithful to Hunter's wistful pop, his is almost a funereal dirge. Maybe his recent Hep C scare puts the song in a new light, but whatever the case, this is haunting stuff, like a chamber ensemble interpreting folk music. It's from an August 16, 2007, show at The Mint in Los Angeles and you can actually download the entire show from the blog, Small Things Stupid Packages. Definitely worth checking out.

Alejandro Escovedo - I Wish I Was Your Mother

As always, enjoy.

Ray Charles Redux (aka "Music Is Music")

After yesterday's post about black singers in country music, I decided to get away from the computer and chill with some more Ray Charles. I went to the stack o' vinyl, took out the LP, What'd I Say (pictured left), and hunkered down with the back cover liner notes. I was only to the third paragraph when I reached this fantastic quote from Ray:

"Before anybody criticizes any kind of music, they ought to listen to it more. For example, I think a lot of the hillbilly music is wonderful. When I was a kid in Greenville, Florida, I used to play piano in a hillbilly band. I liked it. I think I could do a good job with the right hillbilly song today. If you really have the ability, that's what counts."

I won't deny that my first thought was, "Where was this quote 48 hours ago?" But, it perfectly illustrates the breadth of Ray Charles' vision, as well as the universal appeal of country music, independent of whatever artificial boundaries we choose to erect. It also got me thinking about "I'm Movin' On." As I wrote yesterday, he recorded it in 1959, but it wasn't released until '61. Did he actually intend for it to appear on What'd I Say, but it was pulled before the liner notes could be revised? That would explain his references to open-mindedness and hillbilly music. If anyone knows, don't be afraid to chime in.

In a curious bit of synchronicity, my recent immersion into Ray Charles came amidst the reports that Country Music Hall of Famer, and known cattle caller, Eddy Arnold, passed away on Thursday, a few days shy of his 90th birthday. This, in turn, got me thinking about one of the deleted scenes from the movie, Ray. Sure, I could write about it, but it'd be much easier to just show it. Given everything I wrote about yesterday ... blacks singing country music, the complications of racial identity, and the revolutionary act of Ray Charles diving head first into the music of the honky tonk ... this clip pretty much sums it all up in a tidy 1:37. Here's Jamie Foxx as Ray Charles, helping a few Marines sing Eddy Arnold's 1948 hit, "Anytime."

Black Voices and Honky Tonks

ART: John Lewis Krimmel, Dance in a Country Tavern, 1820

Charlie Parker used to hang out in Charlie's Tavern, a musician's bar in midtown New York. To the dismay of his acolytes, he liked to play country records on the jukebox. There was reluctance to question the taste of mighty Bird, but finally a brave jazzman asked him. "How can you stand that stuff?" Bird looked at him and said, "The stories, man. Listen to the stories!"

--Nat Hentoff, Listen To The Stories, 1995 [purchase]

In reviewing The Adios Lounge's posts, two things struck me: 1) Plenty of roots music, which is always a good thing, and 2) A dearth of black musicians, which is usually a bad thing. Sure, Blind Lemon Jefferson got some playing time, but Lem aside, the brother/sister quotient has been decidedly lacking. Which is when I got hit upside the head with the obvious. I love country music and I love soul music, so why not combine forces? After all, black artists have been singing country music from the beginning. Very recently, in fact, For The Sake Of The Song posted about the Mississippi Sheiks, a visionary black stringband who mixed country and blues way back in the 1920s.

Trust me when I say that the Mississippi Sheiks were not alone. Sure, they may have been anomalies to a degree, but in their day ... and in every decade since ... you'll always find a handful of black artists embracing country music. As for why there's only a handful, well, that's a complicated story of racial identity and the ugly cross-section of American politics and economics. Let's go with, "It's complicated." Meanwhile, The Adios Lounge will serve as a musical DMZ, welcoming all comers, black, white, or otherwise.

Now, my list of songs today is in no way exhaustive, and in the interests of concision I'm beginning in the 1950s, but before I get started, two items are worth mentioning. If you'd like to pursue this topic in greater detail, you should track down From Where I Stand: The Black Experience In Country Music, a three-disc compilation released in 1998. While flawed, it's still worthwhile, and a few of the cuts I'm featuring today can be found here. Unfortunately, it's going for $300 on Amazon (!), so I'd recommend checking your local library.

"I am not a blues singer, I am not a jazz singer, I am not a country and western singer. But, I am a singer that sings rhythm and blues, I am a singer that can sing country music, I am a singer that can sing jazz. There's a big difference."
--Ray Charles, in a 60 Minutes interview with Ed Bradley

The other item worthy of investment is actually the source for my first song, Ray Charles: The Complete Country & Western Recordings: 1959-1986. As I'm sure you well know, Brother Ray and country music go together like honky and tonk. His 1962 album, Modern Sounds In Country And Western Music gets the lion's share of credit for introducing a prominent black voice to the lily-white world of country music, and deservedly so. But, Ray actually tipped his hand the year prior, when his cover of the Hank Snow hit, "I'm Movin' On," graced his final Atlantic release, 1961's The Genius Sings The Blues. (For the record, Ray actually recorded the tune in 1959, but it wasn't released until two years later. Put that in your archive and smoke it.)

Ray Charles - I'm Movin' On [purchase]

As an added bonus, here's my favorite Ray Charles country cover. It's the Buck Owens/Don Rich classic, "Don't Let Her Know," which appeared on Ray's 1965 LP, Together Again, an album featuring 4 Buck covers, including the titular release. Dig the harmonies. THAT'S country music.

Ray Charles - Don't Let Her Know [purchase]

Solomon Burke was one of soul music's early pioneers and has one of the most commanding (and rangy) voices in the history of the genre. However, his first charting single, in 1961, was a country cover that sounded like Chet Atkins could've been manning the control board. In fact, "Just Out Of Reach" had been a hit for countrypolitan poster boy, Jim Reeves, and was later recorded by Faron Young and Patsy Cline. Burke then took it to the R&B charts, and later the pop charts, becoming the first black singer to hit with a country and western tune. In retrospect, it's obvious that Modern Sounds didn't come out of nowhere. The seeds were being planted by the likes of King Solomon and Brother Ray himself.

Solomon Burke - Just Out Of Reach [purchase]

Burke brought his career full-circle in 2006 by releasing his first proper country album, Nashville. Produced by No Depression's Artist of the Decade, Buddy Miller, the album is a bit better in theory than in practice, but it's still worth checking out. After all, how can you go wrong with a Solomon Burke take on Tom T. Hall?

Solomon Burke - That's How I Got To Memphis [purchase]

In 1973, Al Green released the defining album of his career, the sinewy R&B masterpiece, Call Me. The album featured Al's sexy voice riding on top of lush strings, smooth horns, and a rhythm section best described as a musical featherbed. For that, you can thank producer, Willie Mitchell. Call Me also conspicuously featured two songs straight outta the country canon, Hank Williams' "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" and Willie Nelson's "Funny How Time Slips Away." While both songs were unmistakably transformed into black soul music, the arrangements also served to highlight the fundamental strength of the source material. Bottom line ... great songwriting is great songwriting, no matter the genre. In this case, Al took timeless country music and turned it into equally timeless R&B. Everyone wins.

Al Green - I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry [purchase]
Al Green - Funny How Time Slips Away [purchase]

Where Al Green's take on country music owed far more to the Stax Sound than the Nashville Sound, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown deftly (and somewhat equally) mixed the vernacular music of black and white cultures. What made Gate unique was that his sound was self-consciously pre-rock, pre-soul, and even pre-Nashville Sound. If anything, he was a throwback to that underrated post-WWII era when jump blues, swing jazz, and western swing were all variations of the same swangin', twangin' gumbo. In 1977, Brown teamed with Hee Haw's resident guitar badass, Roy Clark, for a way-under-the-radar Americana showcase, Makin' Music. Here's their take on a Harlan Howard classic made famous by Johnny Cash and Ray Charles.

Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown & Roy Clark - Busted [purchase]

Ted Hawkins was a troubled singer who spent much of his "professional" life busking for change along Venice Beach and who died on January 1, 1995, of a stroke just as his admittedly mercurial career was gaining a bit of momentum. Inspired by Sam Cooke, Hawkins developed a solo style that was an amalgam of folk, country, gospel, and a hint of the blues. Here's his interpretation of an old Webb Pierce standard.

Ted Hawkins - There Stands The Glass [purchase]

When I started this post, I wasn't sure if I'd make this a series or not, but now I think that's a pretty good idea. Gimme a few weeks to gather up and dust off some similar jewels ... including notable contributions from black women ... and we can revisit this theme. Incidentally, if you've been wondering why you haven't read the name Charley Pride to this point, it's because I was saving his contribution for the sign-off. I recently discovered this clip from The Johnny Cash Show and I think it showcases Charley's brilliantly intuitive vocal phrasing better than most of his recordings. So, here's JC and the one-time Yankees farmhand duetting on a medley of Hank Williams tunes. Enjoy!

The Fifth Day Of May

Here at The Adios Lounge, we understand that May 5th is the time when America celebrates its inner Mexican by gorging on nachos and getting drunk on Dos Equis. But for me, romantic that I am, May 5th is also the date of a very special wedding anniversary. In fact, even thinking about it gets me all choked up. But hey, why should I stumble and sob my way through the story when Senor Dylan can tell you all about it. For it was he who married Isis on the fifth day of May. As an added bonus, we get to watch the lovely and talented Scarlet Rivera saw away on her violin. And no, unfortunately, that's not a euphemism.

Give Back The Key To My Heart

Texas Rock For Country Rollers was the first Doug Sahm album I ever bought. 1992 at Melody Records in Chico, CA. Found an old vinyl cut-out that looked like it might've been used to chamois a '74 Pinto. That was the bad news. The good news is that the record itself was in fine condition. Unfortunately, I think I played it twice and then filed it away.

Fast-forward one year ... my buddy, Greg, and I move to Seattle at the absolute apex of grungemania. Labels were signing any band with long hair, drop D chords, and total humorlessness like crackwhores spread-eagling for a hit off the pipe. Sure, we loved the Nirvanas, and to a lesser extent, Soundgarden, as much as the next brooding teen, but we also loved The Muffs, Silkworm, and this country-rock band who'd just released a new album called Anodyne.

Of course, that band was Uncle Tupelo. As I recall, it took a little time for Anodyne to stick its hooks in us, but the one song that jumped out ... at me, for sure ... was their cover of "Give Back The Key To My Heart." Hearing Doug Sahm's voice kick in on the third verse reminded me, "Hey, I think I got this song!" I went to my vinyl, searched under 'S,' and sho nuff, there was the barely-played Texas Rock For Country Rollers, glaring out at me with an "I told you so" countenance. Fair enough.

From that day forward, my love for both Tupelo and Sahm only intensified. In fact, I moved to Austin in part because Sir Doug had called it a "groover's paradise" on his 1974 LP of the same name. Yes, most normal people ask other normal people for geographic recommendations. Not me. I seek out obscure allusions from the '70s. Now you know why I make the medium bucks.

Fast-forward fifteen years ... last weekend I was listening to an Alvin Crow/Doug Sahm set from 1997. They were playing Sons Of Hermann Hall in Dallas, opening for the great Ray Price. While their set mostly featured Alvin's vocals, Sir Doug took the mic for a few songs, including "Give Back The Key To My Heart." The intro was priceless. Remember now, this was '97, so Jeff Tweedy and Jay Farrar were only 2 albums into their post-Tupelo careers and still pretty much cult figures. Plus, this was a Ray Price gig, so you have to think that the average age of the audience was ... well, let's just say, "Social Security-eligible." So, when Doug namedrops Uncle Tupelo, Tweedy, and "Mr. Jay Farrar" in his intro, the applause from the 30 people in the room recognizing these names has the feel of unexpected, but intense insiderishness. Pretty cool.

Anyway, I love this song like an old pair of jeans and figure anyone with a love for country and roots-rock would as well. Funny how songs travel over time. Some age with all the subtlety of botulism, others age like fine wine. This tune is most definitely in the latter camp. Enjoy.

Sir Doug & The Texas Tornados - Give Back The Key To My Heart (1976)

Uncle Tupelo (w/Doug Sahm) - Give Back The Key To My Heart (1993)

Alvin Crow, Doug Sahm & The Pleasant Valley Boys - Give Back The Key To My Heart (January 4, 1997)

See also: Track-by-track review of Doug Sahm's Texas Rock For Country Rollers LP