DBT #233 Labor Day 2023
1) Radium Girls - Rachel Sumner
Sorry I start so sad but I've been patiently waiting for Rachel to release this incredible song. Yes I'm not alone with this appraisal it won the 2022 Lennon Award for best song. What's Labor Day without thinking about all the laws the Unions have fought for us in protecting the factory workers. Rachel takes the high road not really saying who knew of the risks:
The taste was a little foul, but no one really seemed to mind
The pay was more than three times what a girl back then could find
Radium was championed a new found fount of youth
And the few who knew the dangers kept the public from the truth
Oh my just two days ago Rachel released this video, intensely magically layered.
2) Workingman's Blues - The Two Tracks
I might be asking for more emails, but I believe I found out about this trio from an agent, Lauren Stoval, telling me that they are "killer Americana group from Wyoming with cello. They have a really unique sound and wonderful songwriting."
So I found them in Bandcamp and bought their most recent album. Hey I could have asked for a free download, sometimes they offer that. Either way, I do really like this group. I thought maybe it might be a Dylan cover, but it's theirs and a nod to working people in the world.
3) My America - Adeem the Artist
We had our first opportunity to see Adeem live at the Mile of Music, and highly recommend not missing one of Adeem's concerts. For Labor Day, I too am worried how easily people who think they are on the right consider this day a patriotic day. It's a day take pause and consider that America has been built on the back of laborers and still needs to continue to evolve and add love and respect for EVERYONE.
When I was young, we didn’t have the internet
Or corporations censoring our words
I sit and scroll at night in the soft, blue cell phone light
As the lines that divide fiction from reality are blurred
Or corporations censoring our words
I sit and scroll at night in the soft, blue cell phone light
As the lines that divide fiction from reality are blurred
4) Live Free - Jimbo Scott
At this point in the playlist you might think Dave is preaching again, heck yes. I bought For A Better Life because Annie Bacon had included it in her library, and yes I bought her entire library with a click of a button. This album is a compilation that 100% of the proceeds go to Immigrant Families Together.
Americana Highways wrote:
"Immigrant Families Together is a “volunteer-run group that works fast to provide bonds, living expenses, medical, legal, and support for urgent needs of immigrant children and families at the U.S. Mexico border. Since June 2018, IFT has spent $1,141,500 on bonds, freeing 119 people, representing more than 25 detention centers and seven countries of origin.” 100% of the proceeds from For a Better Life go directly to Immigrant Families Together. Annie Bacon, Audrey Ryan, Charlie Mosbrook, Cloud Like Steps, Emily Zisman, Dyrty Byrds (fka Eric Martinez), Jimbo Scott, Megan Keely, Morley, Pete Donnelly (The Figgs), Ryan Trager, and the ‘Mericans contributed tracks for the project.
“Look your child in the eyes and tell me you wouldn’t do anything for a better life too,” Annie Bacon challenges the casual listener over plaintive acoustic guitar and reflective vocals on the project’s opener/title track. The ‘Mericans follow with “Climbing Fences,” a sparse Americana ride driven by an inviting bass line and tired snare reminiscent of an immigrants tired stride. “Who do you think you are, trying to rewrite history, tearing out the pages that you don’t want to believe, I know our history and it ain’t pretty, but learning from it leads to new beginnings,” reasons The ‘Mericans. Each artist presents a different take on the modern immigrant experience and the American dream. Highlights include Emily Zisman’s waltz “Bottle & Bowl,” Charlie Mosbrook’s brooding “Abandoned Big Box Story,” and Audrey Ryan’s xylophone and percussion dominated “Coyote.” Pete Donnelly brings appropriate noise and energy to his roots rocker “American Town,” a heartland radio ready tune equal parts Coug and Boss. Jimbo Scott’s “Live Free” compares immigrants’ tales from earlier generations to the current border crisis.
Whether you are looking for a collection of topical Americana music or a way to support immigrant families at the US Mexico border, For a Better Life will not disappoint. Visit immigrantfamiliestogether.com to learn more about Immigrant Families Together’s mission." ~Americana Highways
“Look your child in the eyes and tell me you wouldn’t do anything for a better life too,” Annie Bacon challenges the casual listener over plaintive acoustic guitar and reflective vocals on the project’s opener/title track. The ‘Mericans follow with “Climbing Fences,” a sparse Americana ride driven by an inviting bass line and tired snare reminiscent of an immigrants tired stride. “Who do you think you are, trying to rewrite history, tearing out the pages that you don’t want to believe, I know our history and it ain’t pretty, but learning from it leads to new beginnings,” reasons The ‘Mericans. Each artist presents a different take on the modern immigrant experience and the American dream. Highlights include Emily Zisman’s waltz “Bottle & Bowl,” Charlie Mosbrook’s brooding “Abandoned Big Box Story,” and Audrey Ryan’s xylophone and percussion dominated “Coyote.” Pete Donnelly brings appropriate noise and energy to his roots rocker “American Town,” a heartland radio ready tune equal parts Coug and Boss. Jimbo Scott’s “Live Free” compares immigrants’ tales from earlier generations to the current border crisis.
Whether you are looking for a collection of topical Americana music or a way to support immigrant families at the US Mexico border, For a Better Life will not disappoint. Visit immigrantfamiliestogether.com to learn more about Immigrant Families Together’s mission." ~Americana Highways
I choose Jimbo's song, but all were so filled with love for our neighbor though the stories can be so sad.
She came across the water with her brother and her daughter
in a boat they called a coffin on the sea,
They left their home in Dublin when the landlord killed her husband,
said the land was going to another lease,
And there at Ellis island they misspelled her name O’Brian
sent her brother to the railroad company,
Everywhere she went the so called natives cursed her head
but she determined that she wasn’t gonna leave,
Oh Mama! All I wanna do is live free!
Oh Mama! Piece of the American Dream!
in a boat they called a coffin on the sea,
They left their home in Dublin when the landlord killed her husband,
said the land was going to another lease,
And there at Ellis island they misspelled her name O’Brian
sent her brother to the railroad company,
Everywhere she went the so called natives cursed her head
but she determined that she wasn’t gonna leave,
Oh Mama! All I wanna do is live free!
Oh Mama! Piece of the American Dream!
5) Everybody's Looking for the Same Thing - Kate Wolf
Ok I could lighten it up and give it up to those hard working bass players that everyone is looking for. Yep they always have a job somewhere. While I'm listening to her recording, how about a jam session from a Kate Wolf Festival.
6) Queen of Sullivan Street - Karen Mal and David Stoddard
A brand new album for me, and I love it. This song gives a job to a hard working guitar player, though he wasn't too sure if he wanted to maintain it.
While the song works a little better as David being the guitar player and a duet, the video I found was solo and from Karen's perspective and is fun too. That room too... wow.
7) The Ballad of Skip Wiley - Jimmy Buffett
Dang, we lost Jimmy this weekend. Hey outlaws are working hard too. I dug deep enough to find it's based on a novel's character.
Go read the 1986 novel Tourist Season by Carl Hiaasen. This song is about one of the main characters and refers to the events in the book. Carl and Jimmy have collaborated on other projects, including the movie version of Carl's novel Hoot.
8) Duck - Drew Peterson
Here's for all those Denny's waitress and fry cooks who have their children in the restaurant, that and to PK's (pastor kids). Met Drew up in Bayfield, and his album "St. Jude, a duck and the crooked line" is awesome but not in Bandcamp, so it won't see the review page. Find it on his website, and yes I bought the CD while there.
9) Barbershop - John McCutcheon
Yes... there are some hard working barbers still out there, tip them generously.
10) If you were a Carpenter - Joan Baez
I have a soft spot for carpenters since that's what my Dad was, he completely enjoyed three day weekends where he could burn a few pork chops on the grill. I recently were imported this old song from her album "Joan"
11) The Julia Bell Swain - John Hartford
Our friends Sue and Mark took us on a boat ride on the Mississippi yesterday; amazingly so nice and cool while the temperatures were still in the high 80's when we got off the river at 8:30. Give is up for all those hippies running the boat that John immoralized. The video I picked is a cover by a lucky dog name Josh Turner who now playing in a duo with Allison Young calling themselves The Bygones.
12) Come Monday - Jimmy Buffett
The song starts... and the video has a great introduction from Jimmy explaining the classic video.
Headin' out to San FranciscoFor the Labor Day weekend showI got my Hush Puppies onI guess I never was meant for glitter rock 'n' roll
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