National Ransom themes and origins part II: Difference between revisions
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We have both had to forget things about the recording process that are of no value. <br> | We have both had to forget things about the recording process that are of no value. <br> | ||
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''OWH: The records you’ve made with T Bone seem to have the largest casts of players. | ''OWH: The records you’ve made with T Bone seem to have the largest casts of players.'' <br> | ||
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EC: But they are the right players for the right songs.<br> | EC: But they are the right players for the right songs.<br> | ||
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''OWH: The sleeve notes for “National Ransom” refer to “Visiting Dignitaries”. What is the significance of that list?''<br> | ''OWH: The sleeve notes for “National Ransom” refer to “Visiting Dignitaries”. What is the significance of that list?''<br> | ||
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EC: You never know who you’re going to meet in T Bone’s company. I mean, he once introduced me to | EC: You never know who you’re going to meet in T Bone’s company. I mean, he once introduced me to Jerry Lee Lewis but we’d need a couple of martinis to tell that story properly. <br> | ||
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One day while we were working on “''Spike''”, T Bone appeared in the doorway to the studio lounge with Willie Dixon. They were | One day while we were working on “''Spike''”, T Bone appeared in the doorway to the studio lounge with Willie Dixon. They were getting ready to make the album, “''Hidden Charms''”. A couple of days later, he walked in with Kris Kristofferson.<br> | ||
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''OWH: Didn’t you end up writing a song with him?''<br> | ''OWH: Didn’t you end up writing a song with him?''<br> | ||
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A similar thing happened a couple of night’s later after Donnie Fritts came down to visit T Bone, one afternoon. <br> | A similar thing happened a couple of night’s later after Donnie Fritts came down to visit T Bone, one afternoon. <br> | ||
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Donnie had thanked me for [[Dusty In Memphis (2002) liner notes|some words]] I’d written about his song, “Breakfast In Bed” on a “''Dusty In Memphis''” reissue and then we started talking about an album called “''Country Soul''”, on which both he and Dan Penn had appeared. I told him that I had | Donnie had thanked me for [[Dusty In Memphis (2002) liner notes|some words]] I’d written about his song, “Breakfast In Bed” on a “''Dusty In Memphis''” reissue and then we started talking about an album called “''Country Soul''”, on which both he and Dan Penn had appeared. I told him that I had never met Dan, despite having admired him for years. <br> | ||
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He said, “I can fix that” and a couple of hours later he returned with Dan, right in the middle of another take. <br> | He said, “I can fix that” and a couple of hours later he returned with Dan, right in the middle of another take. <br> | ||
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In the end, it’s about feeling something as a human being. Maps don’t matter. Peter Green could play and sing startling, chilling blues and he was born in Bethnal Green. <br> | In the end, it’s about feeling something as a human being. Maps don’t matter. Peter Green could play and sing startling, chilling blues and he was born in Bethnal Green. <br> | ||
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Then again, Dan Penn wrote a song on two of my favourite albums, that were recorded miles apart, in different worlds; | Then again, Dan Penn wrote a song on two of my favourite albums, that were recorded miles apart, in different worlds; “''The Gilded Palace of Sin''” by The Flying Burrito Brothers and “''I Never Loved A Man The Way I Love You''” by Aretha Franklin. The funny thing is that it’s the same song, “Do Right Woman”. <br> | ||
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''OWH: The guitar on “Bullets For The New-Born King” and “A Slow Drag With Josephine" is a little surprising. Have the little hands of concrete softened?''<br> | ''OWH: The guitar on “Bullets For The New-Born King” and “A Slow Drag With Josephine" is a little surprising. Have the little hands of concrete softened?''<br> | ||
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''OWH: Having said that, “One Bell Ringing” is located in “The London Underground” on “22nd July 2005”. That would seem to be a specific reference to the killing of Jean Charles de Menezes, would it not?''<br> | ''OWH: Having said that, “One Bell Ringing” is located in “The London Underground” on “22nd July 2005”. That would seem to be a specific reference to the killing of Jean Charles de Menezes, would it not?''<br> | ||
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EC: What happened to that man were a tragedy and a disgrace. It would be a huge presumption on the | EC: What happened to that man were a tragedy and a disgrace. It would be a huge presumption on the part of any songwriter to try to rationally explain those events.<br> | ||
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The song simply tries to summons up an atmosphere of dread in which a terrible misjudgment might occur. There are beautiful, soothing images right alongside those of a fate that might befall any innocent man or woman: torture; hearing your own voice deny your very name and finally, lamentation. <br> | The song simply tries to summons up an atmosphere of dread in which a terrible misjudgment might occur. There are beautiful, soothing images right alongside those of a fate that might befall any innocent man or woman: torture; hearing your own voice deny your very name and finally, lamentation. <br> | ||
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When these parts were in place, I asked Tom Peterson to improvise some responses to the vocal lines on the bass clarinet during the second verse of “One Bell Ringing”. <br> | When these parts were in place, I asked Tom Peterson to improvise some responses to the vocal lines on the bass clarinet during the second verse of “One Bell Ringing”. <br> | ||
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They turn from seductive to horrifying in two lines. Tom played exactly as I imagined it to be but | They turn from seductive to horrifying in two lines. Tom played exactly as I imagined it to be but could have never written down. <br> | ||
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''OWH: “One Bell Ringing” has the sort of novelistic description that we always associate with Joni Mitchell. You’ve talked about her influence on your lyric writing, but in this case the arrangement also echoes Joni around the time of | ''OWH: “One Bell Ringing” has the sort of novelistic description that we always associate with Joni Mitchell. You’ve talked about her influence on your lyric writing, but in this case the arrangement also echoes Joni around the time of “''The Hissing Of Summer Lawns''” or “''Hejira''”. Homage? Coincidence? Rip-off?''<br> | ||
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EC: Well, I can think of one person who may think it is the latter. <br> | EC: Well, I can think of one person who may think it is the latter. <br> | ||
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There was a time when the reduction of those early songs to a few ticks and gestures seemed confining but I haven’t felt that way for over twenty-five years. That’s longer than most careers. <br> | There was a time when the reduction of those early songs to a few ticks and gestures seemed confining but I haven’t felt that way for over twenty-five years. That’s longer than most careers. <br> | ||
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When you are singing of the most singular experiences of a fictional character, you are almost certainly displacing or relocating events and emotions from your own life. It is a less selfish act. | When you are singing of the most singular experiences of a fictional character, you are almost certainly displacing or relocating events and emotions from your own life. It is a less selfish act. <br> | ||
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''OWH: In fact several of the new songs seem quite cinematic. Who would star in or direct the film version of “Jimmie Standing In The Rain” or “Church Underground”?''<br> | ''OWH: In fact several of the new songs seem quite cinematic. Who would star in or direct the film version of “Jimmie Standing In The Rain” or “Church Underground”?''<br> | ||
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“Church Underground” is easier. Ideally, that would be Gene Tierney directed by Ida Lupino. <br> | “Church Underground” is easier. Ideally, that would be Gene Tierney directed by Ida Lupino. <br> | ||
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Odile W. Husband (neé O’Súlleabháin) is the popular music correspondent of “The Inquisitor” - an | Odile W. Husband (neé O’Súlleabháin) is the popular music correspondent of “The Inquisitor” - an independent catholic journal on all matters cultural, satirical and spiritual.<br> | ||
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Coming Soon: [[National Ransom themes and origins part III|Part Three of “Elvis Costello in conversation with Odile W. Husband]]” in which they share “Five Small Words” on Leon Russell, Hoagy Carmichael, Tony Millionaire, Harry Lauder and solve | Coming Soon: [[National Ransom themes and origins part III|Part Three of “Elvis Costello in conversation with Odile W. Husband]]” in which they share “Five Small Words” on Leon Russell, Hoagy Carmichael, Tony Millionaire, Harry Lauder and solve the mystery of the “Radio Hat” <br> | ||
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{{tags}} | {{tags}} [[All These Strangers]] {{-}} [[Nashville]] {{-}} [[T Bone Burnett]] {{-}} [[Mike Piersante]] {{-}} [[King Of America]] {{-}} [[James Burton]] {{-}} [[Jim Keltner]] {{-}} [[Earl Palmer]] {{-}} [[Ray Brown]] {{-}} [[Poisoned Rose]] {{-}} [[The Attractions]] {{-}} [[Stations Of The Cross]] {{-}} [[Steve Nieve]] {{-}} [[Pete Thomas]] {{-}} [[National Ransom]] {{-}} [[Dennis Crouch]] {{-}} [[Stuart Duncan]] {{-}} [[Jerry Douglas]] {{-}} [[Jerry Scheff]] {{-}} [[David Hidalgo]] {{-}} [[MerleFest]] {{-}} [[Jim Lauderdale]] {{-}} [[Sam Bush]] {{-}} [[Larry Campbell]] {{-}} [[Jerry Lee Lewis]] {{-}} [[Spike]] {{-}} [[Willie Dixon]] {{-}} [[Kris Kristofferson]] {{-}} [[Rosanne Cash]] {{-}} [[Jimmie Standing In The Rain]] {{-}} [[Dusty In Memphis]] {{-}} [[Dan Penn]] {{-}} [[A Slow Drag With Josephine]] {{-}} [[The Sugarcanes]] {{-}} [[Hank Cochran]] {{-}} [[He's Got You]] {{-}} [[Billy Sherrill]] {{-}} [[Almost Blue]] {{-}} [[Merle Haggard]] {{-}} [[Peter Green]] {{-}} [[The Flying Burrito Brothers]] {{-}} [[Aretha Franklin]] {{-}} [[Bullets For The New-Born King]] {{-}} [[One Bell Ringing]] {{-}} [[Bedlam]] {{-}} [[(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love And Understanding?]] {{-}} [[You Hung The Moon]] {{-}} [[Church Underground]] {{-}} [[Darrell Leonard]] {{-}} [[Tom Peterson]] {{-}} [[Joni Mitchell]] | ||
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Revision as of 21:10, 25 August 2022
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Internal links
- National Ransom
- National Ransom themes and origins part I
- National Ransom themes and origins part III
- National Ransom themes and origins epilogue