Feb. 11, 2016
Writer: Suzanne Saxby (suzi)
In Brother Rat/What Slayde Says, Canadian rockers NoMeansNo give us two songs seamlessly linked. The first is a knowing dialogue of potential betrayal; in the second, Slayde is cast as the bad angel, but the two characters are so alike that they could be the same person. Perhaps they are.
The story of the conquest of the Native American tribes by the European invaders is one long history of betrayal. Robbie Robertson tells of a tribe that refused to surrender, and of a general’s incredulity as their chief tells them that It Is a Good Day to Die.
Suzanne Vega’s The Queen and The Soldier tells of a soldier who refuses to fight any more. To the queen this is treason, but it is perhaps she who seems the more treacherous.
Josh Ritter’s haunting tale tells of an explorer who falls in love with his ship, the beautiful Annabelle Lee. On a voyage to find Another New World, the ship becomes trapped in the ice, the crew desert, and he is left alone. He survives, but at a price.
The Twinkle Brothers from Jamaica and The Trebunia Family Band from Poland amalgamate their musical styles to joyous effect as they plead, ‘Don’t Betray Me’. But is it a love rival or the police that they’re most worried about?
Johnny Otis, Little Esther and the Robins are singing the Double-Crossing Blues. It’s clear that neither has been faithful to the other. What a gorgeous voice Little Esther had.
Bert Jansch’s superb guitar playing is amply demonstrated in his version of a traditional song, Blackwaterside. Young man seduces girl with false promises, dumps her, and blames her for the whole thing. What a rat. Beautiful tune though.
However, it’s not just the lads that women must be wary of. Dory Previn’s song, Beware of Young Girls, is all the more devastating when we learn that it’s based on an episode in her own life. A young girl – who shall be nameless here – made friends with her and then stole her husband.
If anyone needs a masterclass in how to tell a story in song, they need look no further than Bob Dylan’s Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts. The last named is a young bank robber whose appearance at a sleazy cabaret leads to betrayal and murder.
The Hollies’ protagonist is working for the FBI. Out to trap some villains, he’s prompted to dereliction of duty by a Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress, who is singing for their entertainment. Is he wise to protect her from arrest? Almost certainly not…
It would be even more foolish, however, to listen to the seductive voice of a guy who seems to promise anything you want, money, a car…then, too late, you notice his Red Right Hand. Heed Nick Cave’s warning or you’ll be entrapped and lost.
Camille Yarbrough’s meditation on the state of the nation, All Hid, was recorded over 40 years ago. Times may have changed, but there are echoes and parallels which still resonate, both in the US and here in the UK.
Finally, Yorkshire alternative rock band I Like Trains give us a glimpse into the mind of the man who shot Spencer Perceval, the only British Prime Minister to have been assassinated.
THE LIST….
- Brother Rat/What Slayde Says – NoMeansNo
- It Is a Good Day to Die – Robbie Robertson
- The Queen and the Soldier – Suzanne Vega
- Another New World – Josh Ritter
- Don’t Betray Me – Twinkle Brothers & the Trebunia Family Band
- Double-Crossing Blues – Johnny Otis, Little Esther & the Robins
- Blackwaterside – Bert Jansch
- Beware of Young Girls – Dory Previn
- Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts – Bob Dylan
- Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress – The Hollies
- Red Right Hand – Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
- All Hid – Camille Yarbrough
- Spencer Perceval – I Like Trains
THE B-LIST…
- Kiss and Tell – Bryan Ferry
- The Book – Sheryl Crow
- Rough Trade – Stiff Little Fingers
- Barracuda – Heart
- Your Dictionary – XTC
- Right Next Door (Because Of Me) – Robert Cray
- Garden Party – Rick Nelson
- Sold Down the River – The Three Johns
- The Wake of the Medusa – The Pogues
- MacPherson’s Rant – Old Blind Dogs
- Come Join the Murder – The White Buffalo/The Forest Rangers
- Radio Radio – Elvis Costello & the Attractions
- The Spirit of 45 – Robb Johnson & the Irregulars
Spotify link to the last number – I included a version in the playlist but this is the proper version with its jaunty accompaniment.