Rod Freeman and The Blue Men - "I Hear A New World"
Did you guys have any Smurfs albums growing up? Smurfing Sing Song, perhaps? Well, I didn't. I was raised on muesli and Strunk and White. So you can imagine how excited I was when I found this Rod Freeman recording with the Smurfs singing back-up. It's like the time I submerged myself in the Ikea ball room (an act which had been strictly forbidden by my parents, who insisted that I play only with cubes and never with spheres ("six is better than one")) while on break from my job working at the store's caf.
You're at a Hawai'i beach dance party and the sun is setting in colours you've never seen before.
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Neko Case - "Wayfaring Stranger"
I posted the Papa M version of this song about six months ago. This one is better. Not only is Neko Case a better singer than David Pajo, but the banjo-guitar interplay is a playful and rich dialogue and in addition, the banjo solo at 1:04 is an indication that my general aversion to solos is a most unnatural aberration that must be remade in the image of a love for solos, and must be, in fact, what it appears to be.
Posted by Jordan at September 2, 2005 12:09 PMhuh. i have never read that song or the album it's from as accredited to Rod Freedman & the Blue Men. does it say that on the Rough Trade compilation? because it's the production genius of Joe Meek that deserves all the credit.
Posted by lars at September 2, 2005 12:24 PMoh, jordan, embrace the solos. don't turn a shoulder to their love. the solos want you to love them. let john darnielle convince you if i can't.
http://lastplanetojakarta.com/archives/2005/08/vocal_mix.php
I venture that it's not really the solo that's getting you here, but the damn fine banjo work. Plus, Neko Case probably had you 90% of the way there, anyway, right? This is a fine song, Jordan - fits in perfectly with my Friday.
Posted by Lindsay at September 2, 2005 12:58 PMtry the live disc by Tim Buckley "Dream Letter" for another moving early pomo version of this classic
Posted by J at September 2, 2005 10:49 PMJust a suggestion--it would be cool if you'd keep posts with active mp3 links on the front page as long as the links remain active, like a lot of other blogs do. I had to go into the archives for Will Sheff's post. I mean, it didn't ruin my day or anything. But it would make Said the Gramophone a bit cooler.
PS. I second your reading John Darnielle's thoughts on guitar solos.
Posted by Grace at September 3, 2005 7:25 PMEmmylou Harris does a superb version of Wayfaring Stranger on her Roses in the Snow album.
Posted by Theo at September 6, 2005 12:33 AMSTG WHY HAST THOU FORSAKEN ME?
Posted by Anonymous at September 6, 2005 10:55 PMSorry, everybody. We're all wearing white, too. But there's an entry up now, and provided Sean's still alive, we should be back to normal.
Posted by dan at September 7, 2005 1:43 AMHorray for Strunk and White.
Posted by Shawn at September 10, 2005 11:21 PMi had both smurfing sing song and smurf all stars. you're a pink toothbrush, i'm a blue toothbrush is a lyrical marvel.
the song rocks, the smurfs rock, you rock
and it will begin playing. All songs are also available to download: just right-click the link and choose 'Save as...'
