JD Crowe - White Freightliner
Here's some food for thought, of the extremely nitpicky kind... It seems to be generally frowned upon when non-bluegrass musicians take bluegrass type tunes (for example, Old 97's covering "My Blue-Eyed Darlin" - they pretty much destroy the song) and turn them into something else, but I never quite caught anything on how it's perceived when a bluegrass artist might take something from outside of the bluegrass canon and reshape it in such a way, that it's a completely different song (obviously this is common), sometimes losing some of the essential ingredients that made it such a great tune in the first place... I'm having a hard time articulating my point here, so let me just get to it... First off, the new JD Crowe record is splendid... it's everything I expected and more. The rendition of "Back to the Barrooms" completely kills me, and "White Freightliner" is a dandy as well, on most counts. Yes, numerous bands have taken this song and completely butchered it, and I'll give JDCNS their due by saying that's it's probably one of the better versions I've heard. However, the guitar pattern Townes played on this tune is very particular. I don't know how to describe it best, it's just a constant downbeat in the bass notes that only seems to come back up in just a few instances (? Hopefully people know what I'm talking about). And generally, as much as this song has been covered, I don't think too many folks have ever quite "got it" (only one comes to mind) as it's something that seems to take incredible discipline to play. So I guess that I wish JD would found some way to work this into the song. Obviously, I think it would take an unworldly guitarist to play bluegrass rhythm *and* somehow incorporate the pattern Townes played... but I think Townes was without a bass player on his best renditions of the song, and JD has that luxury here. So I guess what I'm saying is that it falls on JD's bass player and he failed to deliver the goods ... surely it couldn't be *that* hard to get that beat going on the upright g. In close, it's my understanding that bluegrass musicians are very particular about how "their" songs are played. I probably wouldn't get so whiny over many other songs besides this one, but being someone who has been chastised for not playing it right g, I think I'm only being fair... So if anyone feels like clueing me in here, feel free to do so... back to my studies... Chad
RE: JD Crowe - White Freightliner
It seems to be generally frowned upon when non-bluegrass musicians take bluegrass type tunes (for example, Old 97's covering "My Blue-Eyed Darlin" - they pretty much destroy the song) and turn them into something else... Not by me. A song is a song; it's the arrangement that puts it into one genre or another. When the Allen Brothers did "Daniel," it was a bluegrass song, not a pop one; when the Kentucky Headhunters did "Walk Softly On This Heart Of Mine," it was a country-rock song, not a bluegrass one. What frosts me is when a rock band, for instance g, does a song that comes from bluegrass and people say they're doing bluegrass, or when a band thoroughly rearranges a song in a different style and then try to pass it off as faithful to the original, or to its spirit, etc. You-all can think of examples, I'm sure. As far as the specific issue with regard to "White Freightliner" and the guitar/bass part, I haven't ever heard the original, so I can't really comment until I do so. In close, it's my understanding that bluegrass musicians are very particular about how "their" songs are played. It depends, I guess. "If it helps you, why, I'm for it 100%" is what Monroe said to Elvis when the latter apologized for reworking "Blue Moon Of Kentucky." Of course, I don't know that he ever heard the Old 97's "My Blue Eyed Darling" g. Jon Weisberger Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger/
Re: JD Crowe - White Freightliner
Chad said: First off, the new JD Crowe record is splendid... and "White Freightliner" is a dandy as well, on most counts. I was curious how Crowe would handle that one...and having just heard it yesterday, it strikes me too as one o f the best of the very many out there, of this song , which has practically become the Alt.Country National Anthem (Take your hat off! there's bad news from Houston!) And since I'm a P2 advocate of the Big Tent version of alt.country, hat Crowe and company would decide to DO THIS at all is to me a really pleasant development in itself. Just another reminder of good reasons that we should WANT bluegrass, as handled by an always innovative (and accomplished) band like this one... in the big tent. If they wanna be! And Chad added: However, the guitar pattern Townes played on this tune is very particular. I don't know how to describe it best, it's just a constant downbeat in the bass notes that only seems to come back up in just a few instances (? Hopefully people know what I'm talking about). And generally, as much as this song has been covered, I don't think too many folks have ever quite "got it" (only one comes to mind) as it's something that seems to take incredible discipline to play. ... Yup, sure does...exactly...though Townes accentuated the aspect Chad's taking about differently at different times..as you'd expect I rechecked the "Live at Old Quarter" and "Rain on a Conga Drum" solo versions--the former, much earlier one drives the steady rhythm harder, and most rock and roll versions have played off that and, I supposed, the released studio version...the later, sparer one has even more of that "mention it/don't mention" aspect to hearing the bass line...which is a very blues man thing to do. The thing to know is that the rhythm AND melody VanZandt uses in White Freightliner is a knowlingly and nicely countrified version of that mother of all American rhythms, the one heard in "Rollin" and Tumblin", one of the most fundamental and unkillable of Delta Blues songs and riffs. Townes' is probably most like Robert Johnson's version (See: "If I Had Possession of the Judgment Day")...but the definitive version to check out is probably, I admit, Muddy Waters "Rollin' and Tumblin"--except my favorite most days will always be Howlin' Wolf's "Down in the Bottom"--if that one don't rock you, nothing will This same rolling riff and bass was taken up by whorehouse piano players and became "Vicksburg Blues" or "The Old 44s"--Check out Little Brother Montgomery's definitive Vicksburg to see what I mean...and, in fact, mucking around with that line is often said to have created the "left hand like God"--which is to say--the birth of all Boogie Woogie in the hands of piano players we almost surely never heard of. There's a great TRADITION of playing around with that bass line! Well, I hope that's all interesting and gets a few people to listen to a few great records. It couldn't hoit...But the other thing isTOWNES, coming out of that real FOLK tradition (as outlined by no less than Mr. Yates lately, the one twith a right to speak its name with a straight face, and therefore could laugh.) Townes absolutely knew everything I just typed out here. He knewi all these takes, and he got in line and mucked with it in a way that--I guess we can say by now--has stuck. But I wouldn't make that approach a new gospel either (even he didn't!) ...but something else solid and lasting for new folks to add to. I say, let the rockers rock it, as Steve Earle and half the acts we talk about do, as encores...and let J.D. Crowe bring it into the smoother (but still pretty frenetic, eh?) attack of the grassers. I just think it's all pretty cool..the way it all moves alongand we get these great records. Now as proof I'm in New York, I'd better get back to the Jets, while I can. Barry M.
RE: JD Crowe - White Freightliner/Monroe
Chad: In close, it's my understanding that bluegrass musicians are very particular about how "their" songs are played. Jon: It depends, I guess. "If it helps you, why, I'm for it 100%" is what Monroe said to Elvis when the latter apologized for reworking "Blue Moon Of Kentucky." Of course, I don't know that he ever heard the Old 97's "My Blue Eyed Darling" g. My impression is that Mr. Monroe didn't care what you did with his song OUTSIDE of bluegrass, long as he could get the bucks and everybody knew where it came from...It was other real bluegrass guys' versions he found harder and took longer to accept, right? (Jim Rooney's still provocative and short cross-study of Bill Monroe and Muddy Waters as band leaders and innocators, "Bossmen" is something good to check out in the context of this thread BTW.) Barry.
Re: JD Crowe - White Freightliner
In a message dated 1/17/99 3:51:20 PM Central Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: I say, let the rockers rock it, as Steve Earle and half the acts we talk about do, as encores...and let J.D. Crowe bring it into the smoother (but still pretty frenetic, eh?) attack of the grassers. I just think it's all pretty cool..the way it all moves alongand we get these great records. Now as proof I'm in New York, I'd better get back to the Jets, while I can. when I listen to what a great job Del Mccoury did with that Robert Cray song, it is hard to question the "right" or validity of an artist from one genre doing the material from another. When it works it can be a revelation, and when it doesn't (REM butchering "King of the Road") it can suck bad. Personally, I like to hear songs done in different styles, as it shows that a good song is a good song, no matter how it's done. Back to the Jets. What do I do if the Jets (my team since childhood) play the Falcons (my home team) in the Super Bowl? Slim
Re: JD Crowe - White Freightliner
It seems to be generally frowned upon when non-bluegrass musicians take bluegrass type tunes (for example, Old 97's covering "My Blue-Eyed Darlin" - they pretty much destroy the song) and turn them into something else, Watch your generalizing there, bub. I love that version of that song. In fact, if it wasn't for the Old 97s, I probably never would have known the song existed. No frowning here. Neal Weiss
