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Showing posts with label Keith Richards. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Keith Richards. Show all posts
Thursday, November 11, 2021
Wednesday, June 5, 2019
Friday Night Jukebox, Vol. CCXXXI--The Verve: Bittersweet Symphony
Every now and again when I revisit a tune picked for Friday Night Jukebox, I'm surprised to find out a song I thought was great was even better than I originally thought (if that makes any sense). Such was the case with this week's song as the U.K. is again this week the home of the band that produced it.
The Verve formed in 1990 in Wigan, England and were originally just known as Verve, but eventually they felt it was much cooler to all themselves The Verve, as the word "the" makes all the difference (not serious--it was actually for legal reasons as there is a jazz label called Verve that made a stink about the band having the same name as their music company). To say that The Verve had a volatile relationship would be an understatement--the band split up three times (1996 for a year, 1999 for eight years, and 2008 without yet recommitting to a reunion) in its relatively brief run. Over the course of their career, The Verve released four LPs, three EPs, and amazingly after the Eagles and The Clash, only two compilation albums. They've had two number one albums in the U.K., two #23 albums here in the States, four top ten singles on the U.K. charts (including one #1), and one top fifteen single in America. Courtesy of this week's tune (and its album), the band also shows up on numerous best alternative'Britpop/90's all-time lists, and are considered one of the better bands to come out of the Britpop movement. They also won 2 Brit Awards and were nominated for a Grammy Award. Lead singer Richard Ashcroft has had some solo success in the years when the Verve wasn't a band, and the rest of the band has continued playing music in various incarnations through the years.
(Not So) Fun Fact: Due to legal complications (which really aren't interesting enough to discuss), the band was forced to give credit for the song to Mick Jagger and Keith Richards as it sampled an orchestral string version of their song "The Last Time." This likely cost The Verve a hefty sum of money, though Jagger and Richards did sign over the rights back to the band earlier this year.
"Bittersweet Symphony" was the first song and first single released (1997) from their seminal album Urban Hymns. The song would go on to reach #2 on the British charts and #12 (with a bullet!) on the Billboard Hot 100. The album was on of their two #1's in England and one of the two that reached #23 in the United States.
(Actual) Fun Fact #2: The photographer of the album cover said that it's simplicity was the result of Ashcroft wanting fans to just "listen to the fucking record."
Amazingly enough, "Bittersweet Symphony" is exactly as its title suggests: a bittersweet symphony. The melody is 99% driven by orchestral strings--I heard a touch of other instruments, but not enough to really make note of. The lyrics are 99% driven by Ashcroft's vocals, which are an amalgamation of regret, sorrow, and anger. The song is a look into the hope borne out of desperation--there's a lot of nuance in "Bittersweet Symphony" as it takes a look inside the human soul, the bitter and the sweet, the hope and the sorrow. In the end, The Verve took a shot at greatness and didn't miss. The song isn't merely one of the best of the 90's--it's quite conceivably one of the best of all-time. A true masterwork.
Lyric Sheet: "'Cause it's a bittersweet symphony, that's life/Tryna make ends meet/You're a slave to money then you die..."
Enjoy (Note the Official Video is one of the few "Official Videos" worth watching...):
Fuck Donald Trump,
emaycee
The Verve formed in 1990 in Wigan, England and were originally just known as Verve, but eventually they felt it was much cooler to all themselves The Verve, as the word "the" makes all the difference (not serious--it was actually for legal reasons as there is a jazz label called Verve that made a stink about the band having the same name as their music company). To say that The Verve had a volatile relationship would be an understatement--the band split up three times (1996 for a year, 1999 for eight years, and 2008 without yet recommitting to a reunion) in its relatively brief run. Over the course of their career, The Verve released four LPs, three EPs, and amazingly after the Eagles and The Clash, only two compilation albums. They've had two number one albums in the U.K., two #23 albums here in the States, four top ten singles on the U.K. charts (including one #1), and one top fifteen single in America. Courtesy of this week's tune (and its album), the band also shows up on numerous best alternative'Britpop/90's all-time lists, and are considered one of the better bands to come out of the Britpop movement. They also won 2 Brit Awards and were nominated for a Grammy Award. Lead singer Richard Ashcroft has had some solo success in the years when the Verve wasn't a band, and the rest of the band has continued playing music in various incarnations through the years.
(Not So) Fun Fact: Due to legal complications (which really aren't interesting enough to discuss), the band was forced to give credit for the song to Mick Jagger and Keith Richards as it sampled an orchestral string version of their song "The Last Time." This likely cost The Verve a hefty sum of money, though Jagger and Richards did sign over the rights back to the band earlier this year.
"Bittersweet Symphony" was the first song and first single released (1997) from their seminal album Urban Hymns. The song would go on to reach #2 on the British charts and #12 (with a bullet!) on the Billboard Hot 100. The album was on of their two #1's in England and one of the two that reached #23 in the United States.
(Actual) Fun Fact #2: The photographer of the album cover said that it's simplicity was the result of Ashcroft wanting fans to just "listen to the fucking record."
Amazingly enough, "Bittersweet Symphony" is exactly as its title suggests: a bittersweet symphony. The melody is 99% driven by orchestral strings--I heard a touch of other instruments, but not enough to really make note of. The lyrics are 99% driven by Ashcroft's vocals, which are an amalgamation of regret, sorrow, and anger. The song is a look into the hope borne out of desperation--there's a lot of nuance in "Bittersweet Symphony" as it takes a look inside the human soul, the bitter and the sweet, the hope and the sorrow. In the end, The Verve took a shot at greatness and didn't miss. The song isn't merely one of the best of the 90's--it's quite conceivably one of the best of all-time. A true masterwork.
Lyric Sheet: "'Cause it's a bittersweet symphony, that's life/Tryna make ends meet/You're a slave to money then you die..."
Enjoy (Note the Official Video is one of the few "Official Videos" worth watching...):
Fuck Donald Trump,
emaycee
Monday, September 17, 2018
Friday Night Jukebox, Vol. CXCIV--The Rolling Stones: Before They Make Me Run
No, it's not becoming Everyday Jukebox--I've just fallen three weeks behind and I'm trying to get caught up...and wish me luck with that.
Unfortunately, I've never had a job I liked (there are much worse fates), but I can guarantee you that if I ever win the lottery and get to tell a boss they can blow this job out their ass, this week's tune is going to be the one I'm playing in my car on the way home. Defiantly.
I've done a Jukebox about the Rolling Stones before ("Gimme Shelter"), and what I said then about the weekly brief band bio pretty much holds true still--there are many people who have written about the Rolling Stones who can do a much better job of it than I, and their history is a bit long for a paragraph. Most students of pop music would place the Stones right behind Elvis, Dylan, and the Beatles, and while I'd probably put the Who ahead of them, that's just a personal preference. I always thought the Stones were the greatest singles band ever--I've only heard a couple of their albums that (for me) held together well, but outside of the Beatles you'd be hard pressed to name another band that could fill a greatest hits album with more, well, greatest hits. Needless to say, they've been accorded just about every musical accolade you can think of (Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Songwriter's Hall of Fame, Grammy Award, etc.), sold over 250 million albums, and just to put the icing on the cake, they've also had three of the top five grossing concert tours ever.
Released in 1978 on what many considered a comeback album (after releasing their seminal Exile on Main St. in 1972 the Stones had several what could kindly be considered uneven efforts), Some Girls, "Before They Make Me Run" was not released as a single, though it definitely should have been, especially if it would have meant they wouldn't have released "Miss You" as a single, which is quite possibly the worst song the Stones have ever done. In fairness, it seems to have taken the Stones a while to appreciate "Before They Make Me Run"--they never played it live until 1989, but since then it has become a staple of their live shows.
There seems to be some debate as to the theme of the song--some believe it's Keith Richards' defense of his heroin use, others believe it's a paean to giving up his addiction (I hold with the former, for what it's worth), but either way, I've always found the song to be a big picture song, and to be a song about defiance of those who would keep us down. The song is pretty much a Keith Richards production--though the credits go to The Glimmer Twins, Mick Jagger is said to have only added backing vocals. Obviously one of the things that stands out about the song is that it's one of the few Stones' songs that Richards provides lead vocals for, and while he might not have Jagger's swagger, he does an incredible job of singing about his life. He also keeps it simple--it's just guitars, bass, and drums. Richards and Ron Wood compliment each other smashingly on guitar (just listen to the intro), while Bill Wyman's bass and (especially) Charlie Watt's drumming keep the pace fast and furious (to quote a phrase). In the end, it's a quintessential Stones song--while they very well may be sons of the devil, who knew Satan's offspring could write such a heavenly tune?
Lyric Sheet: "Gonna find my way to heaven, 'cause I did my time in hell/I wasn't looking too good but I was feeling real well..."
Enjoy:
Fuck Donald Trump,
emaycee
Unfortunately, I've never had a job I liked (there are much worse fates), but I can guarantee you that if I ever win the lottery and get to tell a boss they can blow this job out their ass, this week's tune is going to be the one I'm playing in my car on the way home. Defiantly.
I've done a Jukebox about the Rolling Stones before ("Gimme Shelter"), and what I said then about the weekly brief band bio pretty much holds true still--there are many people who have written about the Rolling Stones who can do a much better job of it than I, and their history is a bit long for a paragraph. Most students of pop music would place the Stones right behind Elvis, Dylan, and the Beatles, and while I'd probably put the Who ahead of them, that's just a personal preference. I always thought the Stones were the greatest singles band ever--I've only heard a couple of their albums that (for me) held together well, but outside of the Beatles you'd be hard pressed to name another band that could fill a greatest hits album with more, well, greatest hits. Needless to say, they've been accorded just about every musical accolade you can think of (Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Songwriter's Hall of Fame, Grammy Award, etc.), sold over 250 million albums, and just to put the icing on the cake, they've also had three of the top five grossing concert tours ever.
Released in 1978 on what many considered a comeback album (after releasing their seminal Exile on Main St. in 1972 the Stones had several what could kindly be considered uneven efforts), Some Girls, "Before They Make Me Run" was not released as a single, though it definitely should have been, especially if it would have meant they wouldn't have released "Miss You" as a single, which is quite possibly the worst song the Stones have ever done. In fairness, it seems to have taken the Stones a while to appreciate "Before They Make Me Run"--they never played it live until 1989, but since then it has become a staple of their live shows.
There seems to be some debate as to the theme of the song--some believe it's Keith Richards' defense of his heroin use, others believe it's a paean to giving up his addiction (I hold with the former, for what it's worth), but either way, I've always found the song to be a big picture song, and to be a song about defiance of those who would keep us down. The song is pretty much a Keith Richards production--though the credits go to The Glimmer Twins, Mick Jagger is said to have only added backing vocals. Obviously one of the things that stands out about the song is that it's one of the few Stones' songs that Richards provides lead vocals for, and while he might not have Jagger's swagger, he does an incredible job of singing about his life. He also keeps it simple--it's just guitars, bass, and drums. Richards and Ron Wood compliment each other smashingly on guitar (just listen to the intro), while Bill Wyman's bass and (especially) Charlie Watt's drumming keep the pace fast and furious (to quote a phrase). In the end, it's a quintessential Stones song--while they very well may be sons of the devil, who knew Satan's offspring could write such a heavenly tune?
Lyric Sheet: "Gonna find my way to heaven, 'cause I did my time in hell/I wasn't looking too good but I was feeling real well..."
Enjoy:
Fuck Donald Trump,
emaycee
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