We Shall Overcome - The Freedom Singers

We Shall Overcome

The Freedom Singers

Mercury MG 20879

1963

This is a post in honor of MLK day.  Lately during these divisive and tumultuous times, I have been listening to political music from the 1960s, much of it folk music.  The debut album by the Freedom Singers is one of my favorites.  The group came out of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and several members were field secretaries for SNCC.  They were formed to spread the message of civil rights equality and to raise funds for SNCC activities.  I first encountered the group on an album called "Newport Broadside" which features political songs from the 1963 Newport Folk Festival.  I bought it because I was interested in the songs performed by Bob Dylan and Phil Ochs but the three tracks by the Freedom Singers greatly impressed me.  Aside from Joan Baez they are easily the best singers on the record which is otherwise comprised of music by white folkies.  Two of the tracks they performed are also on this record, "Dogs" and "Get on Board."  I was so impressed that I bought this record when I came across it in a record store many years ago.  The record opens with "Dogs" by civil rights activists James Bevel and Bernard Lafayette which uses the ability of different breeds and types of dogs to get along as a comparison for race relations.  The group performs acapella as they do throughout the album with only handclaps for percussive support.  They are applauded at the end of the song so I assume they had a small audience present when they recorded this album.  "Woke Up" is derived from an old gospel song but the lyrics have been adapted to focus on freedom rather than Jesus.  The group are superb singers and their harmonies are very invigorating to hear.  This is one of my favorite tracks on the album.  Next up they tackle the popular traditional folk song "I'm a Man of Constant Sorrow."  They have changed the setting of the song from Kentucky to Georgia where the group was formed and where most of them are from.  The song is not specifically about the civil rights struggle nor is Leadbelly's "Sylvie" which they perform after it.  The song is also known as "Bring Me Little Water Sylvie" and describes a thirsty farm worker seeking water.  The group deliver a powerful interpretation of the song that gets a strong reaction from the audience.  This is followed by another Leadbelly song "Pick a Bale of Cotton" which also has no obvious connection to the civil rights movement aside from perhaps the hardships suffered by black farm laborers.  I'm not complaining though as the group delivers a very spirited performance.  "We Shall Overcome" is such a cliché at this point I have trouble relating to it.  Whenever I hear Pete Seeger or Joan Baez singing it, I wince.  However the Freedom Singers are such skilled singers that they keep my attention as they deliver it and restore some of its potency for me.  Side two opens with "Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around" which is derived from a gospel song but instead of heading to heaven they are marching to freedom with topical references to segregation and reactionary city commissioners.  It is a heartfelt and stirring performance.  "We Shall Not Be Moved" is another spiritual that has been adapted for civil rights activism and given an energetic interpretation by the group driven by their wonderful harmonies.   It is followed by a mournful version of "Cotton-Eyed Joe" that will be unrecognizable to fans of Rednex's high energy dance song.  I don't perceive any connection to the civil rights aside from the song's pre-Civil War origins as a song sung by slaves on plantations.  "Get On Board" is derived from a 19th Century gospel song called "The Gospel Train."  Instead of riding to Zion, the song encourages fighting for human rights and freedom with topical references to getting arrested and resisting angry mobs.  It is a very engaging rendition.  This theme continues on "Freedom Train" where the slow somber pace of the song showcases the remarkable vocal harmonies of the group.  The album concludes with an enthusiastic performance of the gospel song "This Little Light of Mine" that substitutes the light of freedom for the light of God and gives the record an impassioned and uplifting finish.  When I was younger I was a fan of more pointed and aggressive political music, but as I've gotten older I prefer more subtle music like this that stresses emotion over dogma.  Much of this music is not overtly political at all but I think its aura of brotherhood and decency is more effective than most political music that I have heard.  Even beyond the lyrical content, the remarkable singing skill and the warmth of the performances make this an enormously appealing album.  I find it makes an inspirational soundtrack for contemplating the legacy of Dr. King and the Civil Rights Movement and hoping that during the difficult days ahead that this country will still reach the promised land of racial equality.  Recommended to fans of the Impressions.

Christmas Party - The Monkees

Christmas Party

The Monkees

Rhino RI 573134

2018

This was my go-to record this past Christmas.  Even though I knew this would not really be a Monkees album when it came out, I was still excited to get it last year.  It is basically a Micky Dolenz record with cameos from Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork, plus some archival recordings by Davy Jones.  To be even more accurate it is closer to being a Fountains of Wayne album with lead vocals by Dolenz which I think is probably a good thing.  I love the Monkees but I have my doubts about Dolenz on his own and besides I am also a Fountains of Wayne fan.  That band's Adam Schlesinger played bass and keyboards for most of the tracks and produced most of it as well.  He brought in bandmate Brian Young to play drums on the record and Jody Porter for a track as well.  Schlesinger had also had a big role in the prior Monkees' album "Good Times!"  He died last year of Covid-19 which along with Peter Tork's passing in 2019 gives this record a special poignancy for me.  The album opens with "Unwrap You At Christmas" by XTC's Andy Partridge which features a bouncy poppy tune to accompany mildly salacious lyrics.  "What Would Santa Do" was written by Rivers Cuomo of Weezer.  It is a punchy tune with an ebullient chorus and amusing lyrics in which the singer gets cuckolded by Santa Claus so you know this record is not directed at the kiddies.  Davy Jones sings "Mele Kalikimaka" by Robert Alex Anderson.  The vocal is lifted from a Christmas cassette Jones made in 1991 with Chip Douglas featuring new instrumental backing from Schlesinger and crew.  It is the sort of music hall type song Jones excelled at and his performance is very charming.  "House of Broken Gingerbread" was written by Schlesinger and Michael Chabon.  It is power pop with psych overtones featuring an inspired vocal from Dolenz that reminds me of the Monkees' "Porpoise Song."  The lyrics describe more Christmas debauchery.  Michael Nesmith croons the venerable classic "The Christmas Song" by Robert Wells and Mel Tormé which is given a lush interpretation with country embellishments courtesy of Pete Finney's steel guitar.  Even in his prime Nesmith did not have the chops to handle this song, but I find his clumsy yet sincere vocal rather endearing.  His son Christian produced and arranged the song and plays guitar and keyboards on it as well.  "Christmas Party" was written by power pop heavies Peter Buck and Scott McCaughey.  It is the most raucous and hard rocking song on the album as is appropriate for a song about a wild Christmas party that name checks James Brown, Darlene Love and, in a nod to Monkees fans, Auntie Grizelda.  The song opens with some Monkees dialogue that I assume was lifted from their TV series.  The side concludes with a lovely cover of Big Star's "Jesus Christ" by Alex Chilton.  Prior to this album I would never have believed that Micky Dolenz would someday be singing a song from "Third" but here it is and he does it very convincingly.  Side two opens with a cover of Wizzard's "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday" by Roy Wood.  It is an exuberant song with a sunshine pop sound worthy of the Turtles.  Jones takes on another Christmas classic with Jay Livingston and Ray Evan's "Silver Bells."  Once again the vocal is lifted from Jones's Christmas cassette with tasteful new instrumental backing.  The song suits Jones very well.  Dolenz returns with a delightful cover of Paul McCartney's "Wonderful Christmastime."  It sticks pretty close to the McCartney version and is one of my favorite tracks on the album.  Nesmith dips into the past with his version of Claude and Ruth Thornhill's "Snowfall" which dates back to 1941.  The song was produced by Nesmith's son Jonathan who also plays all the instruments and sings back up.  Nesmith's vocal is pretty weak but his son covers up for him with a very dense and rich arrangement.  Peter Tork finally makes an appearance humbly warbling "Angels We Have Heard On High" in a bare bones country arrangement featuring Tork on banjo.  Tork's voice sounds frail presumably due to his illness, but I nonetheless find his performance moving and charming, easily the most authentic moment on the album.  Dolenz gets to break out his soul man schtick for the rhythm and blues Christmas classic "Merry Christmas, Baby" by Lou Baxter and Johnny Moore.  The song is given a heavy lumbering treatment that gives Dolenz plenty of room to emote.  The record concludes with a 1967 acapella performance of the 16th Century Spanish song "Riu Chiu" which was taken from "The Monkees" tv show and is the only track to feature the group performing together on the record.  It is a little jarring to hear the lads sounding so young, but it does give the record a memorable and touching finish.  I love this album but I have to admit it is not very cohesive.  The Dolenz tracks and the tracks from his bandmates sound like they come from entirely different albums.  On the other hand you could say that about some of the original Monkees albums as well.  I dig the eclecticism and there are no tracks on here that I do not thoroughly enjoy.  It will be spinning on my turntable for many Christmases to come.  Recommended to fans of Sloan and the Posies.