Ok how do I get through and listen to the incredible amount of music I buy or I'm gifted, well many times I don't. But when I do it's grabbing huge new chunks of music, and I either walk or work listening to it randomly. I was gifted a download of "Say OK" by Genna & Jesse as they were hoping to inspire me to book them for a house concert. Their song, "The Ballad of Sara Bland" came on it got me thinking... boy besides Dylan who else used that technique for the song title. I know I have many more, but picked a dozen songs that again give you (and Me of course I'll likely listen to this one many times) textured nuances of style and genres, and what else is a ballad about... STORIES my favorite song subject. (besides maybe Eyes)
Here are the album covers
1) The Ballad of Sandra Bland - Genna & Jesse
Beautiful and precious Sandra Bland, switching lanes, and tragedy happens to this brown skinned beauty. As I was searching the song, the story became all too familiar, so let's not forget it's true and shows the sad state of racism in the U.S.
2) Ballad of a Love Miscast - The Vogt Sisters
Love for Charlie Rose doesn't go to well... hey The Vogt Sisters have made it on to Bandcamp! Not the album that this song is on, but one that I only own three songs from, so I'll be buying in the future. I do prefer to share live video versions if available but if you want to hear the 4 minute studio version CLICK Here.
3) Ballad of an Unknown - The Cactus Blossoms
I've made the statement in other playlist posts, when there is a TCB song possible for a mix, I always pick it; you can't go wrong. I'm not sure who slipped and fell in this song, it's unknown.
He was alive when I found him His eyes were sad His cheeks were pale No signs of violence or foul play Maybe he slipped and fell He could barely breathe He drew me close Whispered in my ear
4) Ballad of Benson Creek - Hayward Williams
Oh my this song was a MySpace download from 2007, it's fun to revisit it. He's got one contributed song in Bandcamp and his website has had an update since 2020. Sad he's got a great soulful storytelling voice. Benson Creek is real, but is the sad story?
5) The Ballad of Howard Marshall - Greg Gilbertson
Greg's a great writer and fantastic guitarist from the Eau Claire area, and while it may look like I don't own this Bandcamp album; I have the physical CD's sometimes too.
I love the live video here and you can hear the story about him writing it for his grandpa.
6) The Ballad of the Lazy Susan and the Dumbwaiter - Katie Dahl
I'm so grateful for Katie to bring a little levity into the playlist. She's another artist that I'm trying to convince to put her music on Bandcamp, luckily I found a live recording of it. You can old school buy a cd on her page. (Funny that's a 64 year old calling her old school, and you know I don't Spotify.)
7) Ballad of John Jerome - Luke Callen
Here's an old folk sounding song about a homeless man. He puts a pretty classy local hotel in the song:
See the store fronts shining with the christmas lights and the bells Selling stain glass windows yes they are just pass the charmont hotel See them taking off their jackets getting ready for the big game Don’t even check their pockets no they don’t when I ask em for a little bit of change And i know it don’t much matter when my lamp is your street light Garbage can is empty so i’m drinking my dinner tonight
8) The Ballad Of Eddie Klepp - Chuck Brodsky
Of course there has to baseball ballad song from Chuck how addresses racism in the states and baseball after WW2. Maybe we've made some progress, but historically this really makes me so sad this was our country.
They ran him off the field before a game in Birmingham one night Made him sit up in the grandstand in the section marked “For Whites” In his Cleveland Buckeyes uniform, it was a new twist on the law The marshals kept their eyes on him and the hecklers ate him raw
Here's Chuck live doing baseball songs with John McCutcheon... boy I wish I was there for it.
9) The Ballad of Judith Anne - Hope Waits
I do love how the playlist slides into Hope's bluesy jazz pipes. Since she's not touring and the song isn't on YouTube, you could stream it here, or just read the story.
Wish I could hear you out of my good ear
Never was much for peace and quiet dear
But I've walked the line every time like a good girl should
Until then the weight of those days made a difficult play
When you left for good
So now this bag of bones I've been known to carry
This bag of bones has gotten way too heavy
She was such a beautiful girl
With her Shirley Temple curls and mischievous eyes
But oh, I'm afraid we will never know from that faded look in her smile
It's such a shame, such a shame, such a shame,
How pictures can sometimes lie
So now this bag of bones I've been known to carry
This bag of bones has gotten way to heavy
All we have are pictures from the day when she was loved
Someone knows her deeply and holds the secrets I'd like to be privy of
But no one is left who remembers that girl
With her Shirley Temple curls and mischievous smile
Only my dreams piece together the scenes of a life she once had
Goodbye my sweet Judith Ann
All the things she signified have been buried since she died
Goodbye my sweet Judith Anne
This next stop is mine, and I'm travelling light
This next stop is mine, and I'm travelling light
Writer(s): Peter Malick, Christie Johnson
10) The Ballad of Laverne and Captain Flint - Steve Earle (cover of Guy Clark)
Guy can tell a story, and Steve did such a great tribute album.
Of course this reminds me of seeing Steve in 2022 at the Dakota. Strange I can understand him better in this room. Damn drums were too loud.
11) Ballad of Tom Hazel - Caitlin Jemma
Caitlin is in Bandcamp, but not this older release. I fell quickly in love with this free spirit busking in Boulder, and we've became friends and I hosted her once for a house concert. The only place I could find this song is on Spotify and I refuse to give Spotify any love. It's on the album Old Joy of course I have in my library. I will email Caitlin and ask why she doesn't put her back releases on Bandcamp, it's truly a fun cd.
12) Ballad of the Sad Cafe - Don Lange
I suppose it fitting to end the playlist with a sad story. Don paints such a poetic picture.
Now here's a ONE Click playlist for ten of the songs:
