it must be over

It Must Be Over is one of the few songs I've found by TBC that has never been played live. Crowesbase details that It Must Be Over is a "b-side of By Your Side. An earlier, unreleased version of this song was recorded in November-December, 1997 by Chris, Rich, Steve, Ed and Sven. The early version is identical in arrangement, but played at a mellower tempo." As always, this is a sort of break-up song and you know I love TBC break-up songs.

From It Must Be Over, I really like the lyrics: "No matter what road I take / No matter what laws I break, I still / I keep singing these songs." I think this is a sort of motto for TBC, generally -- just like Chris and Rich have always talked about: it's the music that brings them back. That is, the constant touring, recording and being on the road is not an easy life, and one has to have the passion to do it. Obviously, they do. The problem is that sometimes the art gets in the way of other things.

No matter what road I take
No matter what laws I break, I still
I keep singing these songs
No matter what my mistakes
No matter how high the stakes, I won't
I won't ever fold

And with time you'll see
You will forget about me
And I've already disowned you
From my memory
Can't you see

I know it must be over
This love can last no longer
We both know that it must be over
Now I see

No matter what words I write
No matter no wrong nor right, you still
You listen anyway
No matter where I sleep tonight
No matter if the stars shine bright, I know
That I'm on my way

And with time you'll see
You will forget about me
And I've already disowned you
From my memory
Can't you see

No video for this one since it's never been played live!

Ozone Mama

As promised, I'm profiling this song after falling in love with it from hearing it live at Forecastle on Saturday. In my show review, I said I was very surprised to hear Ozone Mama and that's because it's only been played eight times live, five of which have been this year. So obviously, something triggered Chris to want to start singing this song live again!

Ozone Mama is off my least favourite TBC album, Lions but more and more songs from Lions are growing on me. One of the things I wish I could figure out is how TBC decides a set list. I mean, to me, Ozone Mama would seem to be an anomaly-- and yet, at Forecastle, they played it before I Ain't Hiding (one of their new songs) and the two songs worked perfectly together! They are just both good live songs perfect for jamming and dancing. Ozone Mama just one of those songs that doesn't call out to me for the lyrics but more for the feeling and sound of it . . . it's a perfect chill song-- kind of funky and that's how I Ain't Hiding is, too. I know I keep saying it, but I'm so excited for Before the Frost . . .

Well Listen
Said it's a trip ya'll
Get hip to this ya'll
It will gitt ya'll
Make ya flip ya'll
Gonna hit ya'll
Never quit ya'll
Right in the middle of our minds
The bug that bit ya'll
Make ya itch ya'll
Inch by inch ya'll
Till your tall ya'll
See it all ya'll
Near and far ya'll
We won't ever let it drag
This funny feeling got me reeling
Like I'm walking on the ceiling
Do it to me now

Chorus:
Ozome mama lay your daddy down
Under the stars right down on the ground
Mother nature got me thinking
About the love that you've been bringing
Do it to me now

C'mon the ride ya'll
We'll provide ya'll
It's like this ya'll
Never miss ya'll
Git up and go ya'll
Ya never know ya'll
We be the bottom of your bag
Give a call ya'll
Anytime ya'll
Don't be slow ya'll
Ya gotta know ya'll
On with the show ya'll
Bring it on ya'll
We don't ever have to brag
You got this poor boy thinking
From the cup I been drinking
Ooh do it now

Chorus

show review, forecastle, july 11, 2009

So I'm diverging from the typical song post to give you a review of TBC's show on Saturday at the Forecastle Festival in Louisville, Kentucky, which I attended. To start, just one word: AMAZING!

I tried to go in with little to no expectations as for songs because with TBC, you just never know. I'm glad I didn't look at the set list from the night before in Minneapolis because they played a lot of my favourite songs and TBC doesn't usually play the same songs two nights in a row. What ended up happening was a melange of songs that really surprised me but it was still really, really great.

Here's the setlist:

(Only) Halfway to Everywhere
Evergreen
High Head Blues
Ozone Mama
I Ain’t Hiding
We Who See the Deep —>
Thorn in My Pride
Poor Elijah
Jealous Again
Movin’ on Down the Line

I have to say my biggest surprise was Ozone Mama. As you know, I'm not a huge fan of Lions but this was amazing. Expect a song profile of Ozone Mama later this week! I also have to say that I Ain't Hiding was amazing live! I'm so excited for this upcoming album, Before the Frost . . . Chris played an amazing harmonica riff on the jam during Thorn in My Pride. Overall, the show was just so good, they were having a great time and Chris was in top form. I'm going to have to wait until November to see them again and it will be a long wait!



I'll try to post some more photos and videos later this week, too!

ETA:

I Ain't Hiding

Nothing is better than new music from TBC so you can imagine my delight upon going to check out the newly released tour dates on the official website and finding I Ain't Hiding for download. Crowesbase details that I Ain't Hiding was "recorded at the barn at Levon Helm's Farm for the forthcoming album "Before The Frost..."" Needless to say, based on this song, I am soooo incredibly excited about this album. I Ain't Hiding has already been played five times live and I hope I get to hear it when I See TBC this week at Frontcastle!

Most of the immediate blogs and boards I've read about I Ain't Hiding have compared it to The Rolling Stone's Miss You as a complete departure from TBC's normal stuff. I have to disagree. Chris and Rich have repeatedly maintained that they are influenced by Sly Stone and many other funk groups. For me, the funk beats are amazing and I've already listened to this song a lot. Download it and soon we'll be hearing all of Before the Frost...! :)

Rust on my pickups
And blood on the stage
Seeds in the ashtray
And coke on a blade
NYC delivers that's a guarantee
The only thing that keep the day from me

Line at the bathroom
Line at the bar
Take it outside
Do the rest in the car
Hot candy baby's in a bright light fright
Rock and roll rat race everybody's uptight, that's right

Ain't your saint ain't your enemy
I'm a long shadow on the highway
I know this ain't how it's supposed to be
Baby I ain't hiding

Stayed on the dance floor cause you can't find the door
Can't run out cause there's always more
Keep on rocking cause it's not even four
Turn up the bass until your ears get sore

Ain't your saint ain't your enemy
I'm a long shadow on the highway
I know this ain't how it's supposed to be
Baby I ain't hiding

Ain't your saint ain't your enemy
I'm a long shadow on the highway
I know this ain't how it's supposed to be
Baby I ain't hiding

Hotel Illness

Hotel Illness is off my favourite TBC album, The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion. It's been played 328 times live, which is pretty high for TBC: higher than average, at least. I think Hotel Illness is the epitome of this album, too. Sure it's not my top song (Bad Luck Blue Eyes Goodbye) on the album and it's not as popular as Remedy, but it's just amazing. I think the reason why I love TSHMC so much is because all the songs on it tell a story; all the songs are truly their own little novella. As Chris said in the iTunes exclusive, "All of Southern Harmony was, to me, was a real departure from where we started . . .," meaning from Shake Your Money Maker. And Hotel Illness is a prime example of that departure -- it's a story with the music (+ a lot of harmonica) rather than what defined SYMM (for me, rock syncopation and ballads).

My favourite line in Hotel Illness is hard choose because it's another one in which I love all the lyrics. I love the idea of leaving the medicine "outside with my etiquette," but I think my real favourite line is another one of those lines that is an aphorism: "No baby, love is not a punishment." It's so true.

Oh good heavens, baby where's my medicine?
I must have left it outside with my etiquette
The undertaker's rule of thumb
It's hard to talk with a novocaine tongue

This room smells like hotel illness
The scars I hide are now your business
I can't seem to make hair nor hide of this
No baby love is not a punishment.

Hypnotized by your rotten behavior
This week's fashion is last year's flavor
I got a head full of sermons and a mouth full of spiders
The politics of the world's greatest liar

So tell me baby is it true all those things that they say about you...

Darling of the Underground Press

Crowesbase details that Darling of the Underground Press was "the b-side of the Remedy single, recorded during The Southern Harmony & Musical Companion sessions." Apparently, Darling of the Underground Press was "first recorded in 1991 during the same session that produced Words You Throw Away, Miserable and the first version of Thorn In My Pride." It's been play 61 times live, which is a lot for a b-side. The lyrics to Darling of the Underground Press are particularly great . . . and as you may have noticed, the address of this blog. So which lyrics do I find particularly apropos? Mainly this one line . . . "And those books that you've read have gone straight to your head." As usual, I have a hard time describing why I love this song but I think the best part is the beginning. This may be my favourite start to any TBC song, actually. When Chris sings "So the story goes / that you / sold your soul / for delusions of beauty and courage" . . . the versing is just perfect. His inflection is startling because it's a rare that a TBC song starts as more of spoken word than a melody.

So the story goes that you
Sold your soul for delusions of beauty and courage
While young at heart is a nice place to start
Can the truth hold all this baggage

So tell all your foes
Because my friends know
That your white flag ain't no sign for surrender
And those books that you've read have gone straight to your head
And made you the great pretender

I've heard that it's good to think before you speak
Though I've heard that it's good to bathe once a week

So tell me how it feels it if even seems real to be the darling of the underground press
Baby please can I see some ID
I don't believe you come from a royal family

I've heard that it's good to think before you speak
Though I've heard that it's good to bathe yourself once a week
Oh I've heard that it's good to look before you cross
No one, no one will ever find you if you don't get yourself lost.

there's gold in them hills

There's Gold In Them Hills was recorded in July, 2007 at Allaire Studios, Shokan, NY and is on Warpaint. It's been played 23 times live. I love There's Gold In Them Hills most for its storytelling quality-- and I think I associate that inherent nature of TBC as being reborn with Warpaint.

Crowesbase writes that, about There's Gold In Them Hills, Chris said: “It takes an old gold rush character and makes it into California and the music business. Or anybody who's left their home to follow their muse and seek out what their life might be amongst the trials and tribulations. I don't think I could write this song at 25. I just have a different perspective on where we've been and where we're going.”

Could I love him more? That explanation completes the song even though it was already perfect. This song is a lot like growing up--and I just love the allusion Chris and Rich used along with the melody.

On the first day of winter
I was set to leave
With the lost art of true love in my eye
Through wild frontier
With outlaws and thieves
To find me a mountain in the sky

There's gold in them hills
I heard the man cry
There's gold in them hills
For the takin'
It's a one-way ticket
Down a river of lies
There's gold in them hills
If you make it

On the last day of spring
I first saw the sea
A poor boy with good luck on my side
Ready for riches
I rolled up my sleeve
And took my first step
Down in he mine

There's gold in them hills
I heard the man cry
There's gold in them hills
For the takin'
It's a one-way ticket
Down a river of lies
There's gold in them hills
If you make it

Hid my wallet
Same old pocket
Sixteen dollars
Brand new shoes
Empty bottle
Satin garters
What's a country boy to do?

Tell dear mother that I miss her
But things are different now
There's nothing I can do
Your dark-haired son is now long gone
Remember me
When you stare at the moon

Broken my heart
For diamonds and gold
Through scandal, through madness
Through cold
All I have left is this grey in my beard
This mountain and the stories that I've told

There's gold in them hills
I heard the man cry
There's gold in them hills
For the takin'
It's a one-way ticket
Down a river of lies
There's gold in them hills
If you make it