So, I was trying to think of romantic music and the album Workers' Playtime came to mind. I've always been a big fan of Billy Bragg. He is one of the great live acts and I am going to see him perform with Mavis Staples next month at Tarrytown Music Hall. He is such an engaging gregarious and charismatic entertainer, full of humor, anecdotes, and compassion for the downtrodden. I saw him perform about ten years ago in New York with a full band which included celebrated Faces keyboard player Sir Ian McLagan. Great show. Sometimes I was disappointed when he broke off his banter to sing. He would have no problem doing spoken word shows like Henry Rollins, believe me.
On this memorable night, he discussed such English delicacies as Marmite (I've tried it--it's something that people shouldn't put in their mouths). He described it as "salt mixed with sulphur, then add more salt". He also gave us his rendition of traditional "Morris" dancing and basically made fun of English people's dancing ability, including his own.
On a more serious note, (this was right before the Bush-Gore presidential campaign of 2000), he made an announcement that Ralph Nader was speaking in New York that evening. Nader was a presidential candidate for the Green party, who made the dubious claim that the two major parties were exactly the same. I feared the worst about this spiel. He continued with "if you are interested, go check out what he has to say and what his ideas are." But then he said with great prescience, "but remember, any vote for Nader is a vote that Gore won't get, and if Gore doesn't get those votes, Bush may win."
"And you don't want that", he said. "He's a bad, bad man, and not someone you want running your country."
I am paraphrasing, but that is what I remember most about that night. But anyone who knows the music of Billy Bragg also knows that when he is not singing about politics, or decrying injustice, he is probably singing a love song. Sometimes love and politics actually merge in his lyrics. He certainly has a knack for penning a poignant phrase, for describing emotional states, and (as he has so often sung), the power of a union.
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| I Dreamt The World Stopped Turning |
I don't want to knock an artist for having extraordinary vocal gifts--after all it's not their fault--singers like Sam Cooke or Neko Case, or Colin Blunstone were born with this curse. Billy Bragg was not so afflicted.
But I think that is why his music is so affecting. There is no smoke and mirrors here, just old William Bloke, the Bard from Barking singing his proud heart out. And that makes him a great singer in a different way. It's just so very real--he's one of us, and that's where the comparisons to a Bob Dylan stand up. Maybe he isn't the voice of a generation (I would venture he'd recommend you think for yourself), but his words ring pretty true from his heart.
Granted you see the cover festooned with Chinese Social Realist Art and think that this album does not merit a spot near your Al Green albums. But I must admit that he delivers the romantic goods here. While I admit I am most impressed by his earlier albums, this album is a pretty sexy number, but by no means paint-by-the -numbers romantic zombie music. Take for example Must I Paint You A Picture?
It's bad timing and me..
We find a lot of things out this way
And there's you...
A little black cloud in a dress
The temptation
To take the precious things we have apart
To see how they work
Must be resisted for they never fit together again.
Of course there is the heartbreaking Valentine's Day Is Over. A Bragg song for the ages.
Poetry and flowers pretty words and threats
You've gone to the dogs again and I'm not placing bets
On you coming home tonight anything but blind
If you take me for granted then you must expect to find
surprise, surprise...
And of course The Only One.....(there's always room for Cello).
But wait, there's more. Five Star albums are usually like that. There's the tender The Price I Pay, The Short Answer (you try and fit Marzipan and Marx in a love song and make it work), She's Got A New Spell, and the acapella Tender Comrade. "You're upset Cos I can't read your mind" he implores on the uptempo Life With The Lions.
But wait, there's even more... The deluxe version comes with demos of some of the songs, nifty versions of The Jam's That's Entertainment, Tim Hardin's Reason To Believe, and Bonnie Raitt's Love Has No Pride.
And we can't really forget the album closing raveup Great Leap Forward!!
Here's the updated, New World Order mix...From one of the greats. Happy Valentines.
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