One of the highlights of the Penn's Peak show for me was TBC playing Bring On, Bring On. Bring On, Bring On is off Three Snakes and One Charm and although not officially, I always consider it to be the companion song of How Much For Your Wings?. According to Crowebase, Bring On, Bring On has been played 93 times live, which isn't a whole lot considering its age. It would be absolutely amazing to hear those two songs together at a show!
But, as for Bring On, Bring On, it is definitely one of those songs I listen to when I'm in the right mood: almost a melancholy mood. Don't get me wrong, I love Bring On, Bring On but it's definitely a bit sad. However, the lyrics are juxtaposed with the chorus which is almost uplifting -- the tone of the song changes to the up beat when CR sings "Bring on this flowering /Bring on, Bring on." Because of this, the chorus is definitely one of my favourite parts of the song. My favourite lyrics, however, are: "It's hard waiting for heaven / May your song keep you alive." It's just like TBC and yet another aphorism for life. Expect more new songs soon!
What could I do different? It makes one sober to think In an age of illusion It's hard to know when to stop How could I live indifferent Believing in time and fate As long as I have a witness My name is not at stake
Bring on this flowering Bring on, Bring on Bring on this flowering Bring on thou words cannot describe
Would you stop to listen The words cannot describe It's hard waiting for heaven May your song keep you alive
And on the day I said goodbye My drowning tear catches a light Like the gift of sight The baby's eye, darkness into light I can rest my soul and walk in the light I'm positively spring time The gift of sight The baby's eye Darkness into light
My instant favourite off Before the Frost . . . is Houston Don't Dream About Me. It just touches my soul and it has from the moment I heard it the first time I listened to BTF. Hearing it live at Penn's Peak was incredible!! I love "harder" rock songs by TBC as much as the next fan, but something about the storytelling, slower songs always gets to me. As Crowesbase details, Houston Don't Dream About Me was "[r]ecorded at Levon Helm's home studio, "The Barn" in Woodstock, NY in front of a small audience." It's been played nine times live so far but I'll be interested in seeing how often it's actually played on this long tour.
I feel like this quote is perfect for Houston Don't Dream About Me:
My favourite lyric from Houston Don't Dream About Me is "I ain't never going back / Yes sir that's a fact / As you waved your cowboy hat / And sang 'The Yellow Rose Of Texas'." Again, I just love the imagery and you can picture the story perfectly when you hear the song . . . leaving town in pickup truck with nothing but the open road and the one you love. It's a recurring theme in TBC songs but, to me, Houston Don't Dream About Me is about leaving home and how good that is but how you can never really leave. Sometimes you just have to jump feet first to follow your dreams and you can keep home in your heart, no matter how far you go.
Another week in the drivers seat With your feet up on the dashboard Rain it kept a steady beat As I watched you dream of Houston
I ain't never going back Yes sir that's a fact As you waved your cowboy hat And sang 'The Yellow Rose Of Texas'
Just trying to make high ground Has kept us on the run There's no crime in toeing the line Cause fortune is smiling on us baby And we're gonna walk in the sun
I might dream about Houston But Houston don't dream about me If I could keep this between the lines Who knows what will be
Loose change days and motel nights Day old coffee dollar postcards State trooper's flashing lights As we listen to the thunder
As we talk about our past So we see our coming future You tell me you know love can last While staring out the window
Just looking for a place to hide A place to ease our minds A place away from yesterday Close to tomorrow away from the sorrows Of living other people's time
I might dream about Houston But Houston don't dream about me If I could keep this between the lines Who knows what will be
How long how long Till we feel the change How long how long Will the skies be gray How long how long Will it be this way How long how long Will she stay
I might dream about Houston But Houston don't dream about me If I could keep it between the lines Who knows what will be
I might dream about Houston But Houston don't dream about me If I could keep it between the lines Who knows what Who knows what Who knows what will be
Shine Along was "[r]ecorded at Levon Helm's home studio, "The Barn" in Woodstock, NY in front of a small audience," and released on . . . Until the Freeze. I was lucky enough to hear Shine Along live at the Penn's Peak show and it was incredible. I know a lot of people have criticized . . . Until the Freeze, but I love it and so far, Shine Along is definitely my favourite song off it! It's already been play 11 times live and I think TBC is enjoying playing it on the road during this tour so I expect that number to increase.
I want to point out this amazing interview/article Jambase posted about BTF . . . UTF because I'll be quoting it as I talk about songs from both albums. I think this part of it makes a really good point, in general, about the current tour.
"There's always some people on a nostalgia trip, but for the most part people coming to shows are up to date. We wouldn't be having this conversation if we weren't making original music and were just a greatest hits package," scoffs Robinson, who shares this writer's feeling that Dickinson and MacDougall really shine on the new stuff. "I think they did on the last one, too, but as time moves on they've definitely found their place. But that will change, too. It's dynamic material and there's architecture for them to inhabit. Luther is dynamic and soulful and masterful on anything. One of the things I really like about the new record is how strong Adam is on it, how expressive and strong his playing is."
I really love the entire feeling of both BTF . . . UTF and Shine Along is definitely part of that feeling. It makes me think of sun on my face, riding in a car at twilight with perfect weather and the windows down, and to me, it really feels like fall. So I suppose it's apropos that I talk about Shine Along during this first week of fall. My favourite lyrics from Shine Along are, without question, "If you see my old rider / If you see her out on some Friday night / Tell her I don't miss her / Won't you tell her time has been treating me right." I so know this feeling and I love it in this song -- it's this waiting, and you don't want to think about the past but sometimes, you can't help it. Although, there's also this hope . . . waiting for something to change and again, isn't that what fall is all about?
Well my rider done left me Mama wouldn't even close the door Now I'm drunk and I'm ornery Sitting here on my dirty floor
Shine along shine along Someday love's gonna take me home Shine along shine along Someday love's gonna take me home
Now I'm broke and I'm hungry I've been out on the rails too long Got a mind that is worried That the end is coming up on me strong
Shine along shine along Someday love's gonna take me home Shine along shine along Someday love's gonna take me home
Shine along shine along Someday love's gonna take me home Shine along shine along Someday love's gonna take me home
If you see my old rider If you see her out on some Friday night Tell her I don't miss her Won't you tell her time has been treating me right
Shine along shine along Someday love is gonna take me home Shine along shine along Someday love is gonna take me home Shine along shine along Someday love is gonna take me home
Wow, what a show! If you keep up on the boards, by now you've probably heard about the fight, and subsequent amazingness of Chris and TBC in protecting their fans. I'm not really going to talk about the fight because the rest of the show and the set list were incredible and they are worthy of more review. First of all, I apologise for the delay in updating the blog and in writing this review. However, with the release of Before the Frost . . . Until the Freeze, my commitment to this blog is renewed. I promise to do better and obviously, there is so much new material now to review! Now, on to the show . . .
I have to say that after listening to BTF/UTF non-stop on two twelve hour flights and while roaming the streets of London, I was pumped for this show. The venue was actually really cool: in the middle of the country (it seemed) and Truth & Salvage Co. was really really good opening for TBC (you should really get their EP, which Chris produced). And then they took the stage.
Here's the set-list:
Good Morning Captain Kept My Soul Movin' On Down The Line Jam -> Bring On, Bring On Appaloosa Roll Old Jeremiah -> Jam Garden Gate - fight - Wee Who See The Deep -> Jam -> Cosmic Friend I Ain't Hiding You Can All Join In (1st time played) Houston Don't Dream About Me Shine Along Sting Me Remedy Been A Long Time (Waiting On Love) - encore - She Oh! Sweet Nuthin'
Initial thoughts? I love the new stuff and it was great to hear! The jams were incredible! They also played my favourite song (so far) off BTF, Houston Don't Dream About Me and I was so happy. My favourite song off UTF was absolutely amazing live, too: Shine Along. (Expect song profiles for both of these soon!) Otherwise, I'm so glad I finally got to hear Bring on, Bring on live.
Here's a video my friend took during a jam:
It was also incredibly exciting to hear the Traffic cover, You Can All Join In-- played for the first time with Rich on vocals!
Overall, it was a show for the record-books definitely. I absolutely cannot believe I'm so lucky that I am going to see them play three more shows this year! I'll end with a video I took during the encore of TBC covering Gram Parsons' She . . . it almost broke my heart it was so beautiful!
I'm so sorry for the long absence during which I moved, went to London and Pennsylvania, and now I'm about to start a new job. However, a few very important things happened during this absence! Primarily, TBC released two new albums: Before the Frost . . . and . . . Until the Freeze. And, also, I saw the band in Jim Thorpe, PA! The new albums and a review of this epic show will both come--hopefully-- this weekend! I also have some great videos and photos of the show and I can't wait to update all of you. So, stay tuned, and I leave you with a quote from Chris from the other night:
