Girls,
As I wrote in my most recent blog, two weeks ago I heard Arlo Guthrie's classic piece "Alice's Restaurant," something I literally had not heard in years. Now I have taken to rediscovering the works of this talented singer/songwriter. I especially got Josie into his version of "I Can't Stop Falling in Love with You," which he performed live with the remarkable folk artist Pete Seeger. Check it out!

So, with that in mind, is there anything you have run across lately that you haven't heard in a long time? What forgotten musical pleasures have you experienced lately?

Mere

I'm not sure if pleasure is the right word, but there was an album I owned on vinyl many decades ago and due to losing the ability to play good old 33rpm discs I hadn't heard this album for about 15 years... recently, I managed to get hold of a copy on CD and mp3 format and re-discovered this gem again.

As I said the word pleasure is probably not the right word to use as it's Lou Reed's Berlin album - which is possibly the most depressing concept album of all time, being about the doomed relationship of a bohemian junkie couple in berlin.

This last year Lou Reed has performed the album in it's entirety with orchestra, choir and band, the resulting show was released on DVD this year.

approach with caution as it really is the most depressing album of all time - but if you do manage to listen to it. it really is a classic album

I love Lou Reed, too! Your assessment of "Berlin" is correct. It is a very depressing album. I may be wrong here, but I believe an inspiration for the album comes from Hubert Selby Jr.'s infamous book "Last Exit to Brooklyn."

I cannot stop listening to Arlo these days! I forgot how enjoyable "Alice's Restaurant" can be!

Mere

I do love Arlo's music. Something about the way he sings makes me feel good.
I think one of his best is "Good Morning America" at least I think thats the name.

Mere- thanks for starting this post.

I read your blog the other evening and after that have found myself listening to a lot of my old folk recordings. I've always been a big John Denver fan - had the chance to meet him once and he was real peole, just down to earth depsite by that time being a mega pop star. But I've always enjoyed his earleir folk ballads so much. One of my favorites I've been revisiting is "Poems, Prayers and Promises". Here's a link to him performing it:

http://www.youtube.com/wa[...]CnqJsmw


Karen-
I think the song you're referring to by Arlo is actually the "City of New Orleans".... it's starts out "Good Morning America how are ya" and it's about the passenegr train the City of New Orleans that ran (a nd Amtrak still uses the name) from Chicago to New Orleans.

Thanks for responding, all!

Rochelle, you are correct. The song is called "City of New Orleans," which runs on the Illnois Central track. Yes, it still exists as an Amtrak route, one I have ridden many times going to and forth back to school.

I was never much into Elvis, but, DAMN!, Arlo sure does a great job with "I Can't Help Falling in Love with You." When he gets the audience to join in, feeding them the words, it is such a musical pleasure.

Mere

What an excellent subject for a forum. My partner is doing a degree in music theory and composition, and has started listening to many composers. One of the pieces she has studied I had the pleasure of rediscovering which is O Fortuna, from Carmina Burana by Carl Orff.

I don't often get involved in musical discussions, but Karen, Arlo's song about The City of New Orleans is a great song.

I don't know Arlo Guthrie's music well...but I do know his dad was the folk legend Woody Guthrie. I've seen the movie "Alice's Restaurant" a few times, which Arlo stars in...and I've always liked the song "City Of New Orleans".

As for Lou Reed's album "Berlin"...depressing yes, but nevertheless I think a masterpiece. I can listen to that album over and over. Looks like I may have to get that live performance on DVD...maybe if I'm a good girl Santa will leave one under the Christmas tree for me :-)

I hadn't listened to a double CD that I have of Mott The Hoople for the longest time...it's a "best of" by probably the most under rated rock band of all time. Now I can't stop listening to it...so many great songs and it's unfortunate that most people only know them for "All The Young Dudes". I would have loved to have seen them in the early 70's! Highly recommended to any rock & roller!


Hugs & kisses,

Monika

Hi Meredith-

Excellent topic, hon. I love Arlo Guthrie's music, too. Perhaps I'm mistaken but wasn't the song Alice's Restaurant and the movie as well based on something that really happened? A run in with a small town police Chief over some litter left along the road? And I loved his Dad's music. While driving up to Seattle a couple of weeks ago I was listening to a CD from Folkways Records called "A Vision Shared", it's several of his, Woody's that is, songs covered by various artists from Bob Dylan to Sweet Honey in the Rock to Emmylou Harris to U2 and is definitely worth a listen if you're a fan.

And if you are a fan there is a new CD out by Jonatha Brooks called The Works which is a collection of his unpublished lyrics set to her own music. She was given access, with the permission of his family, to a huge, archived collection of lyrics he had written on everything from legal pads to odd scraps of paper but had never set to music, or at least had not recorded that anyone is aware of. At first I was skeptical but she lets the words speak and the music, while I have to admit I don't like every single one, is true to his spirit.

Back to the original topic, if we're speaking of artists whom we haven't listened to for awhile, while on the same trip to Seattle, and digging through my box of CD's I found my copy of Warren Zevon's The Wind, the last recording he ever made. I loved his music, "Werewolves of London" and "Just an Excitable Boy"...and oh yeah..."Lawyers Guns and Money" and "Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner"... among so many others, I could go on and on. And on his last album, while I think it somewhat maudlin, ("Knocking on Heaven's Door", what was up with that?) but how could it not be, for someone staring death in the face and reflecting on their past, I love "El Amor de Mi Vida", so sweet and so touching and oh so sad. Besides, he was was so pretty, he would have made such an excellent t-girl.

Meredith, thank you for getting this topic started.

Hugs...Joni Marie

Speaking of music...and oh so not meaning to high-jack the thread....but it is about music and songs and artists we haven't heard for awhile. Do these names ring bells for anyone, Maddy Pryor, Sandy Denny and the bands "Fairport Convention" and "Steeleye Span"? Just wondering if there any fans out there. Please don't reply if you're worried it will give away your age.<lol>

Hugs...Joni Marie

Fairport Convention host/hold a festival every year, it's held in the village of Cropredy...

http://www.fairportconven[...]edy.php
http://en.wikipedia.org/w[...]vention

Sorry if this is known to you, but I'm not sure how well known this is outside the UK - but it's a very well known one here... Steeleye Span were on the bill in 2006

I've never been, as I'm not that big a fan of their music, but people I know go regularly and is one of the better festivals around at the moment for atmosphere, organisation etc

oh, and a bit more recent than Lou Reed's Berlin... I recently got out my copy of Gin Blossoms - New Miserable Experience, first time in ages - and again regret leaving it so long between listens

Copperhead Road - By Steve Earle... was another one
I remembered how much I love the A-side songs (that's "first half" for you young 'uns with knowledge of CD's only) and how much of a letdown the B-side is - The same is still holds true, for me at least

It is true that "Alice's Restaurant" is based upon an actual incident in Arlo's life. In the film they were able to get the actual police officer who arrested Arlo and his friend to play himself!

Warren Zevon is another underappreciated genius. As is Frank Zappa.

Mere

A radio station here in Boston plays "Alice's Restaurant" every Thanksgiving Day. A real treat.

I had the good fortune to see Arlo and Pete Seeger together in concert several times. Treasured memories, I'll tell you. Arlo's on-stage version of the song was hoot. At one time, he hinted that the song's length and the 18 minutes of tape erased by Nixon's secretary Rose Mary Woods was NOT a coincidence.

Hi Anne-

Thank you for the info, no, I didn't know about it at all, but it looks so fun. I'd love to go someday. I was looking about on their site and they have a 40th Anniversary DVD, omg, has it been that long? Am I that old? How did that happen? But I think I will be ordering some CDs from their site, thanks once again for the link.

And speaking of CD's and vinyl as you mentioned in your other post, here's a funny story. My son, who is now 21, and a friend of his were poking around in the garage several years ago, I think they were around nine or ten at the time. They came in the house with an ancient artifact, a 45 rpm changer, the kind that fit over the spindle on a turntable, and asked me what it was. I then proceeded on a lengthy explanation of its use, about how records were made to play at different speeds and had different sizes and different size holes in the middle and so on so on. As their eyes glazed over I had the feeling that I was a time traveler from the past describing the finer points of flint knapping or mastodon skin versus sabertooth tiger skin for drumheads.

Hugs...Joni Marie

Hi Meredith-

I so agree with you, hon, about Warren and about Frank Zappa as well.

Hugs...Joni Marie

Although the radio stations do play this song on occasion, I do not hear it nearly enough. I probably hear it maybe twice a year. Now when I need to hear it I just go to You Tube:

Al Stewart's "Year of the Cat." In the album's photos I always thought he looked like Erid Idle.

Although I do have the CD, I have also dug back up the song "Love Hurts" by Nazareth, off their classic "Hair of the Dog" album.

Mere

Like a bird on a wire...like a drunk in a midnight choir....

Thank you Christine for the reminder. And all of you as well. Memories.

Hugs...Joni marie

I downloaded "Love Hurts not to long ago. I think one of thier best was Razamanaz..
On my way to work a couple of days ago I heard "Uriah Heep's "Easy Living.
Allways was a great tune.