Van Morrison is taking some of his lesser known songs and reworking them with new singing partners on the upcoming album, Duets: Re-Working the Catalogue (2015). On the album, Van Morrison teams with artists such as Michael Bublé, George Benson, Steve Winwood, Taj Mahal, Mavis Staples, Bobby Womack, and Natalie Cole.
One of the tracks on the upcoming album is “Irish Heartbeat,” which first appeared on the album Inarticulate Speech of the Heart (1983). In the new version, Mark Knopfler joins Van Morrison on the song. Give it a listen below.
On June 19, 1953, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were executed in the electric chair for conspiracy to commit espionage, for allegedly passing information about the atomic bomb to the Soviet Union. Many argued that the two were innocent and not given a fair trial in the face of anti-Soviet paranoia at the time.
The Bob Dylan song “Julius & Ethel” is an outtake that was recorded during Dylan’s Infidels (1983) sessions with Dire Straits’s Mark Knopfler. The song recounts the story of the Rosenbergs, capturing the persecution atmosphere of the times. For example, the line “Senator Joe was king” refers to Sen. Joe McCarthy, who led a witch hunt for communists.
Dylan, not surprisingly, takes the position that a societal injustice occurred, putting the case in the context of its time period: “Someone says the fifties was the age of great romance / I say that’s just a lie, it was when fear had you in a trance.” Thus, he concludes that the Rosenbergs were not given a fair trial.
Now that they are gone, you know, the truth it can be told; They were sacrificial lambs in the market place sold — Julius and Ethel, Julius and Ethel
Today, most conclude that Julius had some involvement in the passing of information to the Soviets, although many also debate whether the information was significant. Still, a large number of people continue to maintain that Ethel was innocent. Either way, the prejudices of the times affected the fairness of the trial. And the arguments about the use of the death penalty against innocent defendants continues in the U.S. to this day.
As for Dylan’s song, around the Internet many fans of the song argue that Dylan should have included it on the album. What do you think?
January 17, is the birthday of Muhammad Ali, who was born in 1942 in Louisville, Kentucky. Ali’s life has had highlights inside and outside the boxing ring, and some of the highlights inside the ring were his fights with Sonny Liston. Ali and Liston have inspired other boxers and boxing fans, but they have also inspired songwriters, including Greg Trooper, Chuck Prophet, and Mark Knopfler. Below are some of the songs as well as video of one of the matches between the two boxers.
Greg Trooper: “Muhammad Ali (The Meaning of Christmas)”
I really love Greg Trooper’s song “Muhammad Ali (The Meaning of Christmas)” from his Floating (2003) album, as the song captures something special about Ali. It is a shame that the video performance of this beautiful song only has 349 views, because everyone should hear this song.
“I am the greatest,” he said with a grin; But he was talking about you, Not about him; And was teaching me The meaning of Christmas.
I remember they called him a clown; Then Sonny went down, In no more than six rounds; And he was teaching us all A new day was coming.
Johnny Wakelin: “Black Superman (Muhammad Ali)”
I remember Johnny Wakelin’s song when it was released in 1975, and I even had it on a 45 record when I was a kid. It is a catchy tune, using quotes from Ali in the lyrics (“He floats like a butterfly and stings like a bee”).
Wakelin, who was from the UK, had his biggest success in his songwriting career with “Black Superman,” which was a number one song in the UK. He recorded another tribute to Ali called “In Zaire.” Wakelin is still around and has his own website.
Freakwater’s song “Louisville Lip” focuses on one alleged incident from Muhammad Ali’s life. In 1960, Ali returned home to Louisville, Kentucky from winning the light heavyweight gold medal in the Summer Olympics in Rome. Yet, the 18-year-old faced discrimination in his hometown. Reportedly, after being refused service at a restaurant, Ali threw his gold medal into the Ohio River.
Ali later received a replacement medal, and according to some reports, he had merely lost the first one. But Freakwater knows a good story and builds a song around the incident in “Louisville Lip.”
The song appears on Freakwater’s 1998 album Springtime. (Thanks to @revRecluse for pointing me to “Louisville Lip.”)
Whip the world whip this town; Whip it into the river and watch ’em all drown; When the king threw off his golden crown, Floating down like butterfly wings, It sank without a sound.
While Ali has become an American icon, few remember much about Sonny Liston except for his connection to Ali. Chuck Prophet reminds us that we should not forget about Liston. Prophet reveals that Liston’s life also has meaning for us with his song “Sonny Liston’s Blues,” the lead-off track on his Let Freedom Ring (2009) album.
In an interview with the Press Democrat, Prophet explained why he chose Liston for a song choice: “To me, he’s the perfect analogy for the American dream. He’s part reality and part myth — always just out of reach. He had to open the record. There was a myth people had that they were going to be able to comfortably retire and they woke up one morning and realized that reality was not quite what was sold to them.”
Mark Knopfer also performs a song about Sonny Liston, portraying him as a tragic figure and again reminding us that we cannot forget those who fought and lost. “Song for Sonny Liston” is from Shangri-La (2004).
Joe Louis was his hero; He tried to be the same, But a criminal child Wears a ball and chain; So the civil rights people, Didn’t want him on the throne, And the hacks and the cops Wouldn’t leave him alone.
In Trooper’s “Muhammad Ali (The Meaning of Christmas)” his reference to “no more than six rounds” indicates he is referring to the first of two fights between Liston and Ali held on February 24, 1964. In that fight, Ali (then Cassius Clay) upset Liston to win the heavyweight title. After the sixth round, Liston did not come out of his corner for the seventh round, claiming his left shoulder was injured.
Most had expected Liston to beat the 22-year-old Clay. Some later claimed that Liston did not adequately train for the fight.
The next year there was a rematch that Ali again won and was captured in a famous photo of Ali standing over Liston. Because many did not see Ali hit Liston when Liston went down, some claimed the fight ended with a “Phantom Punch” and that Liston took a dive.
Below is video of the May 25, 1965 fight Between Sonny Liston and Muhammad Ali. Although this rematch, where Liston went down in the first round, is one of the most famous heavyweight fights in history, attendance was low due to the remote location of the fight in Maine.
After the fight, Ali was a star. Liston took a year off from boxing but then started working his way back with some important wins in the ring during the next few years.
Not long after winning a fight in June 1970, Liston was found dead in his home in January 1971. The cause of his death is still a mystery. Some believe that he died from a heroin overdose and others believe he was murdered by some of his underworld contacts.
On Liston’s headstone, the epitaph under his name says simply, “A Man.”
Yes, Liston and Ali are just men. But no matter what you think of boxing as a sport, we can learn a lot from their lives. Their legends will live a long time.
What do you think of these songs and the Ali-Liston fights? Leave your two cents in the comments.
On August 31, 2011, the B.B. King Blues Club in New York is hosting “Spirit of Mink DeVille”: The 2nd Annual Willy DeVille Memorial Concert. Willy DeVille — who passed away two years ago this month and was born in 1950 this Thursday, August 25 — had a long career as a musician, singer, and songwriter. He formed the band Mink DeVille in 1974, and it lasted until 1986. He recorded in a number of styles, ranging from punk rock to New Orleans R&B to an Academy-Award-nominated ballad. Later in his career, he became interested in Spanish-American music and began exploring his Native American background. At various times he was more popular in Europe than in his home country of the U.S., but he continued to create music throughout his life.
DeVille struggled for success throughout his career, and he battled a heroin addiction. After getting off heroin in 2000, his second wife, Lisa Leggett, committed suicide in 2001. Then, in 2009, he was diagnosed with Hepatitis C, and during treatment, doctors discovered pancreatic cancer. He died three months later in August 2009.
For those who have never heard of Willy DeVille, you most likely know one of his songs, “Storybook Love.” The song is from The Princess Bride and was nominated for an Academy Award. DeVille wrote the song with Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits fame. It is DeVille’s voice you hear at the end of the movie, and it is a perfect song for a perfect movie. Check out this 2002 live performance of the song (available on his Live in Berlin CD).
To get a sense of DeVille’s range over the course of his career, compare “Storybook Love” to this Mink DeVille recording of “Spanish Stroll.”
Overall, it is a pretty impressive career for someone whose name is unfamiliar to many people. Thanks to Mike for introducing me to these compelling performances by DeVille.
What is your favorite Willy DeVille song? Leave a comment.
and was nominated for an Academy Award. DeVille wrote the song with Mark Knopfler of 
CD).