> Now, Jon, let's talk. You mean to say that those jingle-singers coming in
> dooby-doobying, or whatever, in the middle of the working-man's lament,
> "Detroit City," don't bother you?
Nope.
> But that's the aesthetic problem -- a producer "managing"
> a performer's sound to succeed in the market, but in so doing, diluting
> the tunes into mush. I can't believe that Bare, looking back, hasn't
> wondered whether he shouldn't have done the songs differently. He probably
> doesn't wonder too much, because regretting grand success is sort of a
> useless occupation.
True enough, but he might not wonder anyhow. I always like that Charlie
Louvin quote about the Christmas album that the Brothers did: "I don't like
to brag, but it was as good as anything that Tennessee Ernie Ford ever
cut" - and he was referring to Ford's gospel records, not his country boogie
stuff. Our perceptions of an artist's strengths and tastes don't always
match up with his or hers.
> But getting back to the earlier point... Isn't there a sound aesthetic
> argument for arranging "gritty" songs in a "gritty" fashion, and giving
> urbane lyricizing a glossier finish?
Maybe, but I'll reserve judgment until I think it through <g>.
> Jesus, the way they arranged Miller's
> Cave, they may as well had Perry Como singing it.
Uh, actually, the arrangement flows pretty directly from Hank Snow's (Bare's
is from 1964, Snow's from 1960) except that the chorus is even more up-front
on Snow's.
Jon Weisberger Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger/
