What happened on September 13th?
Reading the Rolling Stone Rock of Ages History of Rock & Roll, has been fascinating. I had always thought that the great bluesmen/folk singers were song writers in their own right. Not that they weren't, but if you take a song like "House of the Rising Sun" made famous by the Animals in the 60's. You suddenly see the history behind a simple song. I always knew the animals hadn't written it, I've got a copy of Leadbelly performing it (Great double album compilation called Blues Anthology UK) awesome song, but nothing like the animals version (Leadbelly's version if from the view point of a man attending a brothel, not a gambler). But the Animals don't seem to have taken it from Leadbelly. Dylan did a cover just a year or two before. Before him, Nina Simone (haven't heard this version, but I am trying to find it), and then recording history seems to take "House of the Rising Sun". into hazy realm of recording and playing by numerous artists to the point where music historians can't figure out who wrote the song. In fact the melody seems to have come from a traditional English ballad, refined by the American folk and blues musicians. Music history is so cool.
I know this is kind of lame, but I've been caught up in RockStar SuperNova all summer, so here is my prediction for tonight's season finally. .......
Sad isn't it when you give two and half hours a week for ten weeks to a TV show about a bunch of rich rock performers (in a put together band, aka Backstreet Boys do rock) looking for a lead singer. Some people have booze, or drugs, I have staring at a square screen watching people sing. Anyway, I figure Toby is going to win, Lukas is killing me (he reminds me of Paul Williams in the Phantom of the Paradise), I just can't handle Dilana (to much theatrics), Magni just won't be allowed to win Tommy, Gilby and Jason just don't seem to like him(he did a great cover of Hush last night, but I almost always forget his performance afterwards, though last night was an exception) and that will be the end of RockStar until next summer.
Lyrics for: The House Of The Rising Sun
There is a house in New Orleans
They call the Risng Sun
And it's been the ruin of many a poor boy
And God I know I'm one
My mother was a tailor
She sewed my new bluejeans
My father was a gamblin' man
Down in New Orleans
Now the only thing a gambler needs
Is a suitcase and trunk
And the only time he's satisfied
Is when he's on a drunk
------ organ solo ------
Oh mothers tell your children
Not to do what I have done
Spend your lives in sin and misery
In the House of the Rising Sun
Well, I got one foot on the platform
The other foot on the train
I'm goin' back to New Orleans
To wear that ball and chain
Well, there is a house in New Orleans
They call the Rising Sun
And it's been the ruin of many a poor boy
And God I know I'm one
