The Music Court

The Crash Sight

A large post for #50. Enjoy!

Just after 1:00 a.m on February 3rd, 1959, a beechcraft bonanza B35 holding enough talent to fill up numerous stadiums, crashed due to pilot error and poor weather conditions near Clear Lake (miserable irony), Iowa, killing all four flyers, including the pilot.  The three musicians who were killed, none older than 30, were Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens (he was 18), and J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson. The story before the crash is riddled with upsetting coincidences and haunting decisions. After a show at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa (which was not an intended spot on the tour), Buddy Holly became frustrated with the tour bus (which had already given drummer Carl Bunch frostbitten feat because the heating system on the bus had broken down) and told his bandmates his plan to hire a small plane to take them to the next stop. The plane could hold three flyers for 36 bucks a pop. The Big Bopper had developed a case of the flu (possibly because of the cold bus) and asked Buddy Holly’s band member Waylon Jennings for his seat. Jennings gave it to The Bopper and after Holly heard about the trade he proclaimed jokingly to Jennings, “I hope your ol’ bus freezes up. Jennings responded, “Well, I hope your ol’ plane crashes.” He has never been able to live down those words. Ritchie Valens won his first trip on an a small aircraft by route of a coin flip. Kind of reminds you of when Jack wins his ill-fated trip on the Titanic by winning a card game. Okay, probably should have kept that analogy to myself.

It is funny how people can look at events that happened prior to a miserable accident and blame themselves for the otherwise regular day-to-day things that had occured. If the plane did not go down maybe rockabilly music would have lived on into the 60’s competing with the British Invasion of Rock and Roll. But, who knows. Music did live on and the 60’s brought possibly the most impressive cultural explosion of Rock music, but, on February 3rd, 1959, momentarily on that cold night rock’s future looked noticeably bleak and 12 years later a man decided that he still could not get over the events of that dark morning. So, in October of 1971, the first track of Don McLean’s second album wrote of an abstract story about the day the music died in 1959. The album and the song were both titled, “American Pie.”

Similar to Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie (#98 on the lyricists list) many can make the claim that the only reason why Don McLean is considered one of the top lyricists is because “American Pie” was such an influential song. Hey, when someone can describe an entire music generation in a seven minute epic I do understand the reasoning. It sure is his hit and I will portray to you faithful readers what specific lyrics in the song I find to be fantastic. But, what many people seem to forget is that besides all of the understandable hooplah that surrounds “American Pie,” McLean recorded other tracks and one in particular that maintains comparable lyrics to “American Pie.”

Yes, for all of you who are going hey is that not Vincent Van Gogh’s “Starry Night” painting that is not music, it is indeed the Van Gogh masterpiece and it also ties in perfectly with Don McLean’s admiration and tribute to Van Gogh. “Vincent,” is a masterpiece itself, playing with lyrics that paint a picture of a Van Gogh landscape with words. McLean describes through luscious metaphors and pastoral imagery how many did not understand Van Gogh, but now, finally they all possibly can. Take a look at some lyrics

Now I understand
What you tried to say to me
How you suffered for your sanity
How you tried to set them free
They would not listen they did not know how
Perhaps they’ll listen now”

The first verse of the song that is written above is a wonderful explanation by McLean of an artists work. Their, sometimes hair-pulling attempt to portray that beautiful summer day on the “snowy linen land” that is the emptiness of a blank canvas on a painter’s easel. Most similar to a blank page’s glare on a lyricist. The chorus of the song holds so much beauty because McLean encaptures the struggle that Van Gogh had to go through. How he “suffered for your sanity.” How people during the time did not listen, did not understand, until he was dead. McLean ends his chorus proclaiming, “Perhaps they’ll listen now,” which is as touching as his lyric at the end of his masterpiece, “American Pie”.

The lyrics that I like the most.

“And the three men I admire most
The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost
They caught the last train for the coast
The day the music died”

Well doesn’t that describe it all. The song culminates into this ending statement. The only statement that makes any mention to the three men who died in the crash. The three men whose unfortunate demise was possibly the most shocking musical event in the 20th century. They did symbolically catch the last train for the coast on Februry 3rd, 1959. On the day that the music died.

Check out both songs:

“Vincent”- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dipFMJckZOM

“American Pie”- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6uEjifqTaI&feature=related

Wow, this list is going to take a long time. This is the thought that is running through my head at 12:26 a.m. Well, luckily, many of you will have the enjoyment of waking up in the morning and being greeted by the #98th greatest lyricist of all time. And, yet again, we have a relatively new and young lyricist to profile. I believe it is great that there are still some great young lyricists out there. Yes, music may have become repetitive and pretty much unimpressive since, let us say 1976, but there are still some musicians out there that know what they are doing…if you dig deep enough. Lyrics are poetry though and great writers are always around. So, at #98 I finally agree with Digitaldreamdoor, but only because of one song and I will explain to you why.

Digitaldreamdoor’s #98: Ben Gibbard (Death Cab for Cutie)

My Pick #98: Ben Gibbard

Ben Gibbard, from Washington (like, as it seems, all great musicians), has fronted four bands, including his most popular project Death Cab for Cutie. His lyrics generally revolve around tired themes like love and relationships, but, with his huge solo acoustic hit “I Will Follow You Into The Dark,” the lyrics are oddly touching and simple making any aspiring lyricist, like myself at one point, wondering why they could not come up with something like that themselves. What I find especially impressive about the lyrics is the subtle, but beautiful, metaphors. Think of the topic of love. From shall I compare thee to a summer’s day to I love you like a fat kid loves cake, every single love comparison has seemingly been made. It would seem that no love lyric can be written that has not been written before. Sort of like the classical music conflict. You know, all music has been done before (like over 300 years ago).  But, Gibbard obviously disagrees and proves you wrong. Let’s check out a particularly revealing part of the song, the chorus.

“If heaven and hell decide
That they both are satisfied
And illuminate the “No”s
On their vacancy signs
If there’s no one beside you
When your soul embarks
Then I’ll follow you into the dark”

The song is a touching promise from the singer saying he will be by his loves side in death and beyond death. He explains, in a fantastic metaphor, if Heaven and Hell both illuminate NO on their hotel vacancy signs it does not matter where your soul embarks I will be there and will follow you into the unknown. Quite an interesting way to describe the after life. I thought that this was called purgatory but whatever. Having one great song generally cannot propel you into a spot among the top lyricists of all time but this one is just a perfect masterpiece. Kind of like an “American Pie” by Don McLean. His other stuff is okay. “Vincent,” for example is a relaxed tune, but nothing matches “American Pie.” Don McLean will be on this list, maybe sooner then you expect, so, there is no reason why Gibbard, who like McLean has other not as good hits, should be left out. Oh, and by the way, today is his 33rd birthday. So, happy birthday Ben Gibbard and congrats on being named the #98 best lyricist of all time.

So, I am finally back from the outer space of anesthesia and I have walked in here just to see that wierd look on all of your faces. Okay that was stupid I will just shut my trap. Anyway, time for the lyricist of the day #99. WOOHOO. Let’s see here are you people ready for the pick? Well here we go. Let’s take a look what digitaldreamdoor picked.

Digital Dream Door’s #99: Matt Bellamy of Muse

My Pick: Ray LaMontagne

Okay, don’t hit me I tried. I really tried agreeing on this one. While I was easy to shoo away Axl Rose in the last one because face it people he is not good, this decision was tougher. I have a lot of respect for Muse and their music. I even profiled one of their lines in the lyric of the day from “Knight’s of Cydonia.” But, this is the problem. One of their lines. Most of Bellamy’s other lyrics are not that great. They tend to be predictable and not tremendously engaging. He is definitely good, one of the better ones today. But, in the list of top 100 he falls short. I’d give him like 105, but this is top 100, the cream of the crop, the best of the best. If you don’t impress me I ain’t giving you the call. So, without further ado,  I shall give my reasoning for picking Ray LaMontagne, the soft-spoken musician from Nashua, New Hampshire, who now lives in Maine. He has picked some fun places to live.

Okay, here is why I picked him and it is not because I like him because I like Muse too. Stupid conspiracists out there who think I am biased. It’s funny how paranoid I come off on the blog. People must think I’m at home with tin foil on my head because the googooplacans from Cybornian are attempting to feed my mind with anti-Matt Bellamy ideas. Well, that may have been the dumbest thing I have ever written but I obviously digress. Here are some lyrics that will change your mind too.

“Such the lazy Jackstraw,
Always late for tea
Never bothers to ring lately

Says the silly Sparrow,
‘There’s gossip in the grain,
Have you heard the…Oh you don’t say.’

‘Someday,
Someday,
A snow shall fill the trees
You’d best make warm the eves.’

Grown callous is the old Crow,
He’d mock even the sun,
Eyes as black as blood
Bone crack in the craw

He’d say,
He’d say,
Always a ‘Never mind’
Always a ‘Never mind’

Truth be:
The Beggar that holds his tongue,
Dines on none but air alone”

– “Gossip in the Grain,” by Ray LaMontagne released as his third studio album in October of 2008

This is the entire song from the raspy musician whose voice really is grainy. The song itself is beautiful, a true rustic beauty. The lyrics also propel him to the perfect #99 spot for him. In future years he does have room to move up, but now he fits this role well. Let’s break down the song. Their is wonderful symbolism throughout this song, mainly with the silly sparrow and the old crow. The silly sparrow who seems optimistic and the old crow whose grown callous and always says “Never Mind.” To me this sounds like a delicate admission from LaMontagne. What if the Sparrow is LaMontagne and the old crow is everyone who brought him down. His abusive, musician father who prevented LaMontagne from starting to play music at an earlier age because he was turned off to the concept. School, which proved to be a breeding ground for fights and a longing to leave. He, the Sparrow, has finally received that snow and realized that beggar’s can catch more then air looking up at the sky. You see why I like him better?

I’m guessing after one look at the title of this post confusion washed through your body and you felt cold and scared. “Where is the song title,” the question shivered from your mouth as your teeth chattered. Okay, none of that happened but in case you were wondering lyric #47 starts a brand new ball game of lyrics of the day. Why? I was getting a little bored of random songs. So, without further ado, I will reveal to you the new format.

It is nearly impossible to take all of the rock lyricists who have ever written a much sought after first word down on a piece of paper and rank them. Think about it. How many rock songs are out there? How many of these songs have poetry behind the guitars, the drums, the keyboards? The answer is a lot and I have to give my total props to the list compiled by Digitaldreamdoor of the top 100 lyricists of all time. I guess by now you know where I am going with this. For today, and the following lyrics of the day I will follow their list loosely from 100-1. What I mean by loosely is, if there is someone at a spot that I do not believe should even be on the list I am going to replace their name by someone not on the list who I think deserves it more. Easy enough? Oh yeah, the way the posts will work is a little information about the lyricists and then a segment from what I believe to be there best work. Shall we begin?

Digitaldreamdoor’s #100: Axl Rose

My Pick: Robin Pecknold

Immediately a change in the list. As we go through the lyricists lower down on the list you will see the majority of the changes. Not saying the lyricists replaced are poor with words, but, the ones that I replace them with are, most likely, rising younger musicians. So is the case with #100. Axl Rose never really hit it off for me. Guns & Roses, in my opinion, was made mainly by the excellent guitar playing of Slash, rather then the lyrical prowess of Rose. “Welcome to the Jungle,” “Sweet Child of Mine,” they all are rather corny and, in some cases, grotesque. How can I give credit to a lyricist who wrote,

“Welcome to the jungle
Feel my, my, my serpentine
I, I wanna hear you scream”

It just ain’t happening. I mean I am all for metaphors but I mean come on. That is a horribly noticeable metaphor. Axl Rose you are not a hard man to read. So, instead of Axl Rose’s insipid lyric, let us focus on lyrics that thrive on taste. Lyrics that are wonderfully pastoral and make you want to go outside, rather then looking out for the jungle that is Axl Rose’s no-no zone.

Robin Pecknold is the singer/guitarist/lead song-writer of the relatively new band Fleet Foxes. The only reason why he is not on this illustrious list of song writers is because the last time the list was updated was in 2005. Pecknold is only 23 right now and his band did not come to fame until 2007. See the time problems? If the list was continually updated Pecknold may be at around 80 but I am not changing the order just some of the named.

Pecknold, who has admitted suffering from social anxiety, is indeed an eccentric person and this is portrayed in his lyric. He comes from a music background in Seattle, Washington, proving that awesome bands will always come out of a place that rains coffee everyday. His father played in an underground Seattle band entitled The Fathoms (not to be confused by the Boston band of the same name). This Fathoms played a similar style of music to The Dynamics, an interesting soul/horn mix. Pecknold’s sister is also a rock critic for the magazine Seattle Weekly. I love Fleet Foxes who describes their music as, “Baroque harmonic pop jams.” The oddness just emits itself from their instruments. But, it is their elaborate vocal harmonies mixed with the rustic, bucolic feel that drifts into awaiting ears that makes them so good. Man, I am running out of adjectives. Anyways, on to my favorite lyrics. Soon you will see why Robin Pecknold is kinda much better then Axl Rose.

“I was following the pack
all swallowed in their coats
with scarves of red tied ’round their throats
to keep their little heads
from fallin’ in the snow
And I turned ’round and there you go
And, Michael, you would fall
and turn the white snow red as strawberries
in the summertime..”

“White Winter Hymnal,” by Fleet Foxes (written by Robin Pecknold) off of their debut album Fleet Foxes

So, let’s see. “Welcome to the Jungle, We have fun and games,” compared to this beautiful imagery. I think it is a no brainer. How about you?

For your morning pleasure I have for you a band who shoves it in your face that they have the ability to sleep all day. I kid, I kid. “No Rain,” by Blind Melon (a.k.a the song that holds together all early 90’s music) was a true revolutionary song that signaled back to acoustic 60’s music. The song sounds like it could have been performed at Woodstock and been greatly enjoyed. Yet, possibly the only difference between this song and 60’s music is that “No Rain” comes with a directed music video which showcases a girl in a bee costume dancing.

Some lyrics:

All I can say is that my life is pretty plain

I like watchin’ the puddles gather rain

And all I can do is just pour some tea for two

and speak my point of view

But it’s not sane, It’s not sane

I just want some one to say to me

I’ll always be there when you wake

– “No Rain,” by Blind Melon off of their 1992 self-titled album

I’ve always loved these lyrics because of their truthfullness. Shannon Hoon, the lead singer and songwriter who unfortunately passed away in 1995 from a drug overdose, seems to be saying that his life is no different then the rest of the world’s population. Doesn’t everyone metaphorically “pour… tea for two” and just hope someone is there to listen to them. Someone there to promise that they will be there when they awake.

Fun Fact: This is a good one. The song is mentioned in an episode of Beavis and Butt-head where they comment on a dwarf in the video of “Safety Dance” by Men Without Hats. Beavis comments, “I think that’s that bee from that Blind Melon video”. Classic.