we shall overcome

the boss put this album out earlier this year (i think)
i read quite a few glowing reviews at the time that had me tempted
springsteen covering traditional american tunes previously written/performed by pete seeger
i have more than a passing interest in alt.country, americana whatever it is labelled
and certainly an interest in roots/world music even that out of the u s of a
my main deference to this album was the boss himself - not a huge fan
but bob dylan taught me earlier in this year to put aside prejudices with his modern times album
so in the end when i saw this cd at a bargain price in a store the commitment was made
old dan tucker
the boss counts in the band, banjo leads and then all are at it
a full complement of musicians and instruments jiving away
it's hick music no doubt conjuring up the appropriate images
chooks in the yard, straw-chewing, tea-chest bass, end-of-the-day singalong
the lyrics tell us of a hardened old chap - get out the way of old man tucker
jesse james
get the impression the boss is enjoying the excuse to lay on the american drawl
an up-tempo jig of a song again with everyone it seems contributing
the accordian adds a nice texture and lead break to the tune
the song tells the story of the outlaw and like the recent film seems to make him a hero
that dirty little coward that shot mr howard he laid poor jesse in his grave
mrs mcgrath
fishermans blues by the waterboys and we shall overcome by bruce springsteen
decades apart but very closely related - the real reason i went for this album
this tune is so irish it makes springsteen sound authentically irish himself
features that irish jig riff that is heard so often and done with style
some nice key changes in the string section add to the appeal of this tune
o mary don't you weep
solo and deliberately off-key violin leads in the brass section
now sounding like a dixie jazz band working up for a big number
the boss then leads an up-tempo very singalong kind of tune
accordian does a lead break followed by violin and everyone else having a turn
it's all very recognisable, catchy, and quite acceptably repetitive
john henry
the boss working the vocal chords quite hard - shouting/screaming the lyrics
there's a very distinctice pattern emerging in the music
the stand-up bass lays down a quite simple repetitive pattern
and everyone else works around that coming in and out
relying on the main man as vocalist to deliver the uniqueness to the tune
erie canal
now sounding like a tune sung by workers slaving away at their work
in this case 15 miles on the erie canal and at some place near buffalo
google to the rescue to find out the erie canal is a 363-mile man-made canal
built in the early 19th century to allow full-scale settlement of the western part of new york state
this appealing tune tells the story of a mule and his owner hauling barges along the canal
jacob's ladder
we are climbing jacob's ladder, we are climbing jacob's ladder...repeat, repeat
we are brothers, sisters, all - every new wrong just makes us stronger...repeat, repeat
the band all working away as one on this big singalong feel-good tune
philistine me knows nothing about the history of this one but it is very recognisable
no doubt a big part of american folklore - maybe a pete seeger standard?
my oklahoma home
a slower more gentle number with bass, banjo, snare drummer doing the backup deed
tells the story of a young man setting up home and farm in a very windy, dry place
blown away, blown away, all the crops that i planted blown away
well you can't grow any green if you ain't got any rain
everything except my mortgage blown away
eyes on the prize
the boss leans up to the microphone and whispers/talks the lyrics
banjo is plucked in background, voices harmonising, bass gently comes in
things start building as he continues to tell us to keep our eyes on the prize - hold on
then sure enough the brass section kicks in with an almost dixie type sound
and the song winds out with a big all-in singalong rousing chorus
shenandoah
fisherman's blues territory again - lovely gentle accordian and violin sounds
this is used throughout the tune so it makes for a nice break from the other rousing tunes
the song seems to refer to shenandoah as an indian elder who has a beautiful daughter
living on the banks of the missouri river he gives up when bribed with fire-water
shenandoah i love your daughter - i'll take her across the rolling river
pay me my money down
a very familiar tune thanks to a rendition done by mr edmund kuepper
it implies the chap insisting on being paid like now is the captain of the ship
some freeloader has been busted and is being told to pay up or go to jail
an interesting springsteen-ism i wish i was mr gates with all my money in those crates
lots of key changes being shouted out by the boss also so maybe quite spontaneous
we shall overcome
what can be said about this classic tune covered here by the boss himself
though with what goes on in the u s today and his known stand on the current leadership
it would be more than a desire to cover an american classic tune that drives him on this one
quite a laid-back style with minimal instruments and gentle female backing
almost uttering in prayer-like fashion that here in my heart that i do believe we shall overcome one day
froggie went a courtin'
interesting to add this one at the end of the album when the previous song is the obvious closer
but maybe in an attempt to close things out on a high note
we return to american-irish mode and a version of another american classic
not sure if there is some deep and meaningful content to the lyrics
but it seems to be intended as a simple, fun, singalong tune done quite pleasantly

well he seems to have made a successful visit to his roots
for me as an outsider i wouldn't need to go any further afield than this album
if i wanted to get a great representation of american roots music
not sure that i will have it on high rotation but a fine album anyway