The Very Special World Of Lee Hazlewood by Lee Hazlewood released in 1966 on MGM.

Review by Mark Deming

...Hazlewood still seems to be getting used to the idea of singing lead on these sessions, and his craggy instrument, with phrasing that lurks somewhere between singing and storytelling, works fine in context, but never sounds much like anything that would have made its way onto AM radio in the mid-'60s..."These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" has a less punchy and more grandiose arrangement, while Hazlewood's vocal is full of asides about Nancy Sinatra's epochal version, almost as if it was his hit and not hers. That said, most of Hazlewood's tales are literate and effective without sounding pretentious, and "Sand," "Bugles in the Afternoon," and "My Autumn's Done Come" reflect the mature if melodramatic side of his vision...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mXw6euvIT4&list=PLPqq4mNyJqgdZPLkU4IcUhbz8lcVWU_KX&index=6

#LeeHazelwood #BillyStrange #CountryPop #NancySinatra #Music

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Madelinksi - Tensile Strength

"A letter to a younger self, questioning youth's expectations"

https://getmusic.fm/l/EDrjTs

#folkpop #lyricism #popfolk #countrypop #puns #wordplay #music

The Chicks Sing “Silent House”

Listen to this track by pioneering country-pop mavens and status quo shit-disturbers The Chicks. It’s “Silent House”, a deep cut from their 2006 record Taking the Long Way, their seventh. The record’s release came after a four-year recording gap, and represented a more nuanced and darker set of textures compared to 2002’s Home album. This cut is a prime example, undercutting and contrasting the sweetness of the vocals with a dramatic story touched by tragedy but equally infused with familial love. Perhaps the more inward and reflective tone of this song and others comes out some of the troubled times for the group.

The first single on the new record was the provocatively titled “Not Ready to Make Nice”. This was a musical response to the controversy stirred up by a response to their 2003 on-stage denouncement of George W. Bush and his administration. The incident occurred while the group played a concert in the UK and while conflicts in Iraq and in Afghanistan raged on. By this time, many innocent people had been killed in airstrikes and in other military efforts overseen by the U.S commander-in-chief. These activities in Iraq were a part of Operation Iraqi Freedom, the naming of which seeming to come out of an Orwellian playbook clearly still in use today.

The Chicks’ politically-charged statements about feeling ashamed that George W. Bush is a fellow Texan pushed back against a silently agreed-upon patriotic orthodoxy held by the country music establishment. In some quarters, the group’s statement opposing what the president of their country stood for was thought to be equal to treason. At very least, speaking about it so candidly in front of a foreign audience was considered to be ill-mannered and in bad taste by some critics. Being a group of women did not exactly help their cause in the know your place stakes, either.

Amid all of the incendiary headlines and salacious press coverage, it was easy to forget that The Chicks were still country music exemplars and pioneers. They created exceptional and influential work in pushing the boundaries of the genre for themselves and for a generation of women coming up behind them looking to write their own songs and play instruments on their own albums. While these were also points of contention in the country music establishment of the time, a teenage Taylor Swift was a big fan of theirs and remained so after she achieved her own fame. Change was inevitable, but it was a long time coming even by 2003.

With all of the conservatism in reaction to them on multiple levels even before the incident, it was seemingly also easy to forget about why the kind of country music they make resonates so well with listeners. In addition to being tuneful and extremely well sung and played, their music upholds the core values that so much of country music has stood for during its long history; home, family, and the unflinching pride in one’s roots and sense of place.

“Silent House” is a powerful example as a song about loving family bonds, shared experiences, and of time slipping away as our loved ones slip away along with it. It’s a story about the strength of will to overcome sorrow and loss and about celebrating life by preserving treasured family memories. It’s about finding the strength to carry a loved one’s burden as they begin to fade due to illness.

And I will try to connect
All the pieces you left
I will carry it on
And let you forget
And I’ll remember the years
When your mind was clear
How the laughter and life
Filled up this silent house

~ “Silent House” by The Chicks

Written with songwriter and Crowded House head honcho Neil Finn, “Silent House” is the story of Chicks singer Natalie Maines’ grandmother who suffered through a decade of Alzheimer’s disease. The lyrics are as much of a personal resolution and reflection of core values as they are a compelling story about how family members come together to support one another, especially during times of trial.

As sad a story as it is, “Silent House” displays a full emotional spectrum. There is sadness heard in Maines’ delivery as her vocals wind through a shadowy instrumental backdrop. But listeners can hear her resolve all the better because of those dynamics. Her defiance against the forces of despair become potent and unflinching. The instrumentation supports her the whole way. McGuire’s tempestuous fiddle solo in particular perfectly captures the song’s defiant spirit. It soars above it all as a wordless statement of pure strength, dedication, and love.

After listening to “Silent House” as a story of how important and precious connections to family are, it might seem like less of a shock that the group who wrote it might be opposed to bombing cities and killing whole families by the thousands. It might indicate that their values as Americans and as Texans were offended by the idea of violence against innocent people just living their lives and trying to get by.

Perhaps those very values became more important than any prescribed obligations of empty patriotism that would have them be silent about it. Maybe that’s why they used their platform to express their opinions as American citizens on a foreign stage as their international audiences began to see events unfold in the news.

In this, a dedication to family certainly has a political component that goes beyond the performative bad faith context commonly presented by conservative critics. When you are willing to fight for your values in real and measurable ways, a commitment to family goes beyond jingoism. At a certain point, it goes beyond one’s own family. It gets you thinking about other families, even ones that don’t look like yours who live in lands far away. That realization might make you shout about it on stage during a time of violence perpetuated by your own country as the idea of all families being worth protecting becomes that much clearer to you.

Instead of their story being a cautionary tale, time has showed The Chicks to be bolder than most, with that boldness reflected in their music.

The Chicks are an active musical entity today. You can catch up to them at thechicks.com.

For more on the controversy that surrounded the group in the years before they released this song and album, check out this article from The Guardian .

Co-writer Neil Finn’s band Crowded House also recorded and released a version of this song in 2007. You can listen to that take right here.

Finally, the meaningfully-titled documentary Shut Up and Sing captures the group during the time of the backlash. You can watch the trailer to that film.

Enjoy!

#2000sMusic #CountryMusic #CountryPop #songsAboutFamily #TheChicks