Dave's Music #37 Revisit DBT Ghosts of West Virginia
We took a show to feature Steve Earle as his cd release of Ghosts of West Virginia which was mainly written for the play Coal Country. It was receiving many accolades, and unlike the reviewer "Ocrakraut" I've always been a big fan. (Note he did think highly of the CD)
I also was a little surprised when putting this blog post together the women's voice on a song that I featured included one of the Whitmore Sisters that I've been pitching through a few of the recent posts. Thanks to American Songwriter for an in-depth review.
The whole hour show was Steve's music but we did play the entire ten song release. Now in the radio show we had a tradition to start with a Dylan cover, and I found this great cover on a cd back in 2002. It's on a Warner Bros, so not in the Bandcamp library. Steve has an excellent library of material in Bandcamp.
1) My Back Pages
Because this is rare for my blog, I will post both a link for the entire cd, and individual tracks.
2) Heaven Ain't Goin Nowhere
You know you're going to love a cd when it starts like this
3) Union God and Country
Steve picks up the tempo, pledge your allegiance.
4) Devil Put the Coal in the Ground
Another snarly song with a sad reality. I love the banjo part in this song, even as the electric guitar wails.
5) John Henry was a Steel Driving Man
Steve puts his own spin to the old traditional song.
6) Time is Never on Our Side
Another painful song about too many miners who die, touched with a little religious hope or not.
7) It's About Blood
A matter time, families knowing the inevitable; just want to work and make a living.
8) If I Could See Your Face Again
Sung by Eleanor Whitmore, and it's so beautiful, yet so sad about not seeing her beloved miner again.
9) Black Lung
Chopping mandolin is very Copperhead Road.
10) Fastest Man Alive
A little rockabilly, a miner that can move.
11) The Mine
The epilogue.. it's a matter of time to have it all get better. Not sure, but I love it.
12) Times Like These
American Songwriter described the song:
"In times like these, I look behind us, and I can’t believe how far we’ve traveled and the web we weave, through times like these " Steve Earle woefully croons on “Times Like These.” Compelled by the current events in America, Earle returned to the studio on June 5 to re-record the ballad. On “Times Like These,” a crestfallen Earle poetically unravels the America he sees before him, how far it has come, where it fell behind, and the steps needed to move forward.
Days like those, don't seem to be going away easily.
13) News from Colorado
Ok this cd I had to buy off Bandcamp, looks like it's we're going to have to enjoy this incredible video. The song is so familiar to me because he co-wrote it with Emily Earle, who I've hosted a few times at my house.
14) Custer with the Milk Carton Boys
Another one owned by the big house Sony, Steve joined an All Star group to reimagine Johnny's Cash's Bitter Tears in a release called "Look Again to the Wind" Drives me crazy they allow these audio videos but not to post it Bandcamp where someone might buy it. Labels eh.
15) L.A. Freeway
When I heard Steve released a tribute cd to Guy Clark it was a matter of when and not if I would buy it. I picked three songs to fill out the hour
16) Rita Ballou
17) Old Friends with Emmy Lou Harris, Jerry Jeff Walker, and Rodney Crowell
Hope you loved the journey ... remember to follow us and as always Good Music has NO Expiration Date, so if you are listening to this ten years from now, it still will be awesome music. If this is a first time visit, check out the index of themes for past editions.
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