Category: Music

Hurricane Sandy Concert Ends With Springsteen’s Hope

Springsteen Sandy Telethon When I heard that several stars like Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, Christina Aguilera and Sting were going to appear last Friday on a one-hour “Coming Together” TV concert on NBC, I could not help thinking of the similar benefit that had aired on the four major broadcast networks September 21, 2001 after the 9/11 attacks. There were similarities to that benefit because both marked sad times with performances by many of the same artists in a darkened studio. There were some differences this time, though, such as the fact that the Fox network tried to stir up some controversy about NBC’s Sandy fundraiser.

Also, on Friday’s show, some of the performers were able to touch on some hopeful notes while still acknowledging the devastation caused by Hurricane Sandy. For example, Jimmy Fallon and Stephen Tyler remembered better times and looked to the rebuilding when they sang “Under the Boardwalk,” accompanied by some of the other artists.

As the show went on, I tried to anticipate what Bruce Springsteen might sing. After reasoning that “4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)” probably would not fit with the night’s theme, I had suspected that Bruce Springsteen might perform the somber “My City of Ruins,” which he wrote about Asbury Park and which he performed after 9/11 and had performed at another show in the wake of Hurricane Sandy.

Instead, though, when Springsteen and the E Street Band took the stage for the final song, they reached into their catalog for one of Springsteen’s more hopeful songs, “Land of Hope and Dreams.”

For an explanation of the legacy, history and optimism of “Land of Hope and Dreams,” check out our previous Chimesfreedom post on the song, including how the song connects to Springsteen’s ending reference here to “People Get Ready.”

Finally, remember that organizations still need your help even after Hurricane Sandy is no longer on the front pages. Visit Red Cross’s website or some of the other organizations offering help to volunteer or donate. Or text REDCROSS to 90999 to donate $10.00 to help those hit by the hurricane.

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    Take the 1966 Music Quiz

    pet sounds beach boys
    The year 1966 was a great year for music, with classic releases by many artists. Some claim that artists like the Beatles, Bob Dylan, and the Beach Boys peaked that year. Billboard’s charts featured numerous songs that went on to be staples of classic radio stations today, such as “Good Lovin'” by Young Rascals, “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg” by The Temptations, and “19th Nervous Breakdown” by the Rolling Stones. And there were songs that went on to be AM radio staples too, like Neil Diamond’s “Cherry Cherry.” How well do you know the classic hits of 1966? Do your best with the following fourteen questions. The answers appear at the end with videos of the correct answers.

    1. One of the first classic albums released in 1966 was Simon & Garfunkel's Sounds of Silence, released January 17, 1966. Which guitarist on the album -- who also played on the Beach Boys' 1966 Pet Sounds album -- went on to have a successful career as a country singer?




    2. One of Bob Dylan's 1966 songs that ended up on Billboard's Top 100 for the year included the refrain, "Everybody must get stoned." The song's title is "Rainy Day Women #__ & __" What are the two missing numbers?





    3. In 1966, Bob Dylan released a double album in June that included the previous song about getting stoned. What was the name of the album?





    4. In August 1966, what album did the Beatles release that included the songs "Yellow Submarine," "Eleanor Rigby" and "Here, There and Everywhere"?





    5. Which of the following songs did NOT appear on the 1966 release from the Beach Boys, Pet Sounds?





    6. "When a Man Loves a Woman" was one of the top 20 songs of 1966. Although the writers for the song are listed as Calvin Lewis and Andrew Wright, the person who recorded the song actually made up the lyrics when he began recording the song in the studio. Who made up the lyrics and had a hit record with "When a Man Loves a Woman"?





    7. Which of the following songs from 1966 was the number one song of the year according to Billboard?





    8. Which of the following 1966 songs was the number 2 song according to Billboard?





    9. "California Dreamin'" was ranked number 10 on Bilboard's year-end chart for 1966. Who wrote "California Dreamin'"?




    10. 1966 ended with a father and daughter each with a song in the top 15 for the year. The daughter's hit song was called, "These Boots Were Made for Walkin'." What was her father's 1966 hit song?





    11. In 1966, the Righteous Brothers had their first number one hit after parting with producer Phil Spector. It would also be their last big hit until they cracked the top 10 again eight years later with "Rock and Roll Heaven." What was the last 1960s hit from the Righteous Brothers?




    12. During the summer of 1966, a cover song by the English band the Troggs went to number one. More than three decades later, the song was played in the film Major League when a pitcher played by actor Charlie Sheen came to the mound. Which of the following 1966 hit songs was performed by the Troggs?





    13. One of the top five songs of 1966 was "96 Tears" by __ and the Mysterians. Fill in the blank.





    14. In 1966, Wilson Pickett recorded and released "Land of 1000 Dances," which went on to become his biggest pop hit. The song never uses the phrase "1000 Dances," but it mentions a number of dances. Which of the following dance is NOT mentioned in Pickett's recording?







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    Tell Me, What Were Their Names?

    reuben james woody guthrie
    On October 31, 1941, the USS Reuben James was torpedoed by a German U-552 submarine near Iceland. At the time, the Reuben James was part of the Neutrality Patrol that guarded ships making passage between the Americas and the U.K. Within around five minutes, the entire ship went down. Different sources vary, but approximately 115 of the 160 men aboard died.

    The Almanac Singers

    Around this time, Woody Guthrie was playing with a group called The Almanac Singers, which also included Pete Seeger, Millard Lampell, and Lee Hays. The group had recorded songs about civil rights and unions, and they had previously recorded a song critical of Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt’s peacetime draft.

    But in reaction to the sinking of the Reuben James and the attack on Pearl Harbor less than two months later, the Almanac singers released an album in 1942 supporting the U.S. war effort.  One of the songs was about the Reuben James.

    Woody Guthrie’s Drafts of “The Sinking of the Reuben James”

    When Guthrie began writing “The Sinking of the Reuben James,” his initial plan was to humanize the tragedy by listing all of the victims of the tragedy. His original version included lists of names as well as some details about some of the men: “There’s Harold Hammer Beasley, a first rate man at sea/ From Hinton, West Virginia, he had his first degree.” (Joe Klein, Woody Guthrie: A Life, at 216.)

    Guthrie took a draft of his song to a meeting with The Almanac Singers. They agreed he had a great idea for a song, but they wondered if listing all of the names made the song a little boring. Seeger suggested that Guthrie try describing the event in detail while adding a rousing chorus that would get across the same message.

    Guthrie went back and reworked the verses, while Seeger and Lampell worked on the chorus, personalizing the song without listing the names by asking the listener: “Tell me, what were their names?/ Did you have a friend on the good Reuben James.” Below is Guthrie’s solo version of the song they wrote.

    Note that in the above version he asks “what was their names” instead of using “were” as in other versions as well as in the official Guthrie lyrics.

    The Music for “The Sinking of the Reuben James”

    Regarding the music for the song, Guthrie set the verses to the tune from “Wildwood Flower” by The Carter Family.

    Popularity

    “The Sinking of the Reuben James” became one of the Almanac Singers’ best-known songs. But despite the patriotic tone of this song and other ones they released at the time, the Almanac Singers continued to be harassed for their earlier anti-war stance and they disbanded within about a year.

    “The Sinking of the Reuben James” was officially listed as being written by “The Almanac Singers.” But in later years Seeger graciously gave credit to Guthrie for both the verses and the chorus.

    {Woody at 100 is our continuing series celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the birth of American singer-songwriter Woody Guthrie on July 14, 1912. Check out our other posts on Guthrie and the Woody Guthrie Centennial too. }

    (Public domain photo via.)

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    Shelter from the Storm

    Tree after Hurricane Sandy In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, there is going to be a lot of cleaning up in the following days. There are some trees down in Queens NY, like the one above, but other areas were hit much worse. The damage has spread all the way from the New Jersey coast to Ohio and beyond, causing problems and leaving people without power in a number of states. In the words of Bob Dylan, as performed by Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell, we hope you found shelter from the storm.

    For more images of the storm, check out Slate’s collection of Sandy videos.

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    It Was Rainin’ Hard in ‘Frisco

    toy taxi One of the best songs set in San Francisco is Harry Chapin‘s “Taxi.”  The song is one of those great story songs.

    In “Taxi,” Harry Chapin was able to take a long compelling tale and wrap it into a song you can listen to again and again.

    “Taxi” and Initial Reactions

    “Taxi” is about lost chances and lost loves. When you hear that first line setting the song in San Francisco you know you are in for a great ride from a master storyteller as shown in this Soundstage performance.

    The song originally appeared on Chapin’s 1972 album Heads and Tales, but I first got to know the song from hearing my sister play the album Greatest Stories Live (1976) over and and over and over again (especially the song about bananas). I have another friend in Cleveland who loves the song too.

    But not everyone loved the song when it was released. Ben Gerson noted in a Rolling Stone magazine review, “The opening melody is merely banal, but more seriously, Harry doesn’t know how to construct a story.” But the song survived the review to become beloved by many Harry Chapin fans.

    Inspiration for the Song

    “Taxi” begins with rain falling on the streets of San Francisco.  Yet, the story about Harry and Sue was inspired by a real event in New York.  Chapin, who briefly attended the United States Air Force Academy and did have an interest in flying, revealed that there was some truth to the story in “Taxi,” although it is not all true.

    Chapin never drove a taxi, but the song was inspired by an encounter with old lover when he went to get a taxi license. As Chapin later explained on a 1980 concert program, “I set into New York City to sign up for a hack license. On the way I meet an old girlfriend who has married money instead of becoming an actress, and I contemplate the irony of ‘flying in my taxi.'”

    Skying?

    I have often wondered about some of the words in the falsetto segment, sung on the recording by John Wallace. Wikipedia reports the verse as the following, noting that “skying” is an obscure slang word for going around naked along the lines of what later became called “streaking.”

    Baby’s so high, that she’s skying
    Yes she’s flying, afraid to fall
    I’ll tell you why baby’s crying
    Cause she’s dying, aren’t we all…

    “Sequel”

    The tale in “Taxi” is perfect as it is, but Chapin later returned to the characters in “Sequel,” bringing them together for a reunion of sorts. Again, the song begins in San Francisco where “Taxi” left us and takes us on a journey with a somewhat more happy ending.

    “Sequel” features Harry’s return to San Francisco where he goes looking for Sue. Check out “Sequel”:

    “Sequel” ends with the line, “I guess only time will tell,” making us wonder what happened to Harry and Sue. Unfortunately, we will never get a third song about them. In 1981, Harry Chapin died near exit 40 on the Long Island Expressway when he crashed with a tractor-trailer truck, perhaps after he had a heart attack while driving.

    In 1987, Chapin was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for his work on social issues, including his work raising awareness about hunger around the world. Today, the Harry Chapin Foundation continues his good work.

    And that is the story behind the song.

    What do you think of “Taxi” and “Sequel”? Leave your two cents in the comments.

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