I’m in Pennsylvania with a group of a dozen and a half of my son’s friends who have got together to go to a special mass where one of their number is about to become a consecrated virgin in the Church. ( I’ll post the livestream tomorrow)
During my conversation with a young man named Josh concerning music we were joking and on the fly I came up with a few lines for this song just before I got to sleep.
So of course when I woke up the morning of the mass while all the 20 & 30 somethings were still snoozing after a long night with this still in my head, of course I found myself writing the rest of this.
Sung to the tune of Disney’s: Under the Sea
🎵 The vibe it seem always greener In somebody else’s faith You think about joining up there But that’s just a big mistake Just look at the faith around you At Peter’s churches door The fruits of the Spirit surround you What more is you looking for? 🎵
🎵 Under Rome’s See Under Rome’s See Don’t be departing What Jesus got started Take it from me While other churches broke away We’ve got 2000 years of faith We’re still devotin’ Rosaries totin’ Under Rome See 🎵
🎵 Right here we are in Christ presence As daily to Mass we stroll Our brothers they seek Christ elsewhere But where else could they all go The tabernacle is up there The Body of Christ enclosed If you’re spiritually hungry He’s right there at Mass you know Let’s Go! 🎵
🎵 Under Rome’s See Under Rome’s See Years they did beat us Fry us and kill us Martyrs to be For centuries they did say Rome it is all dying away We still survive us The Lord to guide us Under Rome’s See Under Rome’s See 🎵
🎵Under Rome’s See Under Rome’s See
Faith life is sweet here We got them beat here Sacramentally And if the Devil’s in our way There’s Mary and all the Saints We got the spirit You got to hear it Under Rome’s See 🎵
🎵 St. Gertrude the great Aquinas so smart St. Margaret Mary Loved the Sacred Heart St. Francis and Clare Took Christ everywhere St. Augustine of Hippo! St. Dismas came first Tom More had no fear Xavier went abroad St. Therese stayed here St. Carlo Acutis He speaks to the youth And, St. Padre Pio whoa! 🎵
🎵 Under Rome’s See Under Rome’s See When absolution The Priest gives it to us It’s music to me Magisterium in da hand Our foundation is not of sand 🎵
🎵 Each Adoration Christ comes to clam us Under Rome’s See Every communion Jesus comes to us Under Rome’s See Each Priestly blessing, Each chaplet said here Bring us much closer in our devotion Yeah, we in luck here God’s with us all here Under Rome’s See 🎵
Update: I thought I was still in draft mode when I had included the livestream of the consecration and then decided to make that a separate post. I didn’t realize that it had already been posted till after I made the change. The livestream and the video I shot at Brother Andre’s cafe will go up tomorrow.
The Byrds are deservedly one of the most acclaimed rock bands. However, despite their lasting fame and their membership in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, there are several misconceptions about them.
Formed in 1964, the original members were Chicago native Jim McGuinn (lead guitar and vocals)–he later changed his first name to Roger–Gene Clark (tambourine and vocals), David Crosby (rhythm guitar and vocals), Chis Hillman (bass and vocals), and Michael Clarke (drums).
All but Clarke were songwriters.
This is the “classic” lineup. Gene Clark, arguably the band’s principal songwriter in the early days, left the act in 1966, rejoining in 1967, and then he left for good, that is, until he joined the others for the disappointing reunion album, Byrds, in 1973.
Also in 1967, Clark quit again, and Crosby was fired. The latter gained superstar status after co-founding Crosby, Stills, and Nash–later joined by Neil Young.
In 2018’s Sweetheart of the Rodeo Live, recorded with Marty Stuart and his Fabulous Superlatives, Hillman remarked that by the time The Notorious Byrd Brothers was finished, he and McGuinn “were the only two Byrds flying around at that time.”
In 1968, a series of members joined, and sometimes left, the Byrds. They are Gram Parsons, Gene Parsons (no relation), John York, Clarence White, and Skip Battin.
Gram Parsons was the most noteworthy new Byrd, contributing two songs to Sweetheart of the Rodeo, and co-writing with McGuinn, “Drug Store Truck Drivin’ Man,” which appeared on Dr. Byrds and Mr. Hyde in 1969. By that time, Parsons and Hillman had left the Byrds, forming the pioneering country rock band the Flying Burrito Brothers. Over the years, Battin, Gene Parsons, and Michael Clarke later became members of the Flying Burrito Brothers.
Parsons, who died in 1973, released two groundbreaking solo albums after leaving the band he cofounded.
The Byrds arguably created not only created the folk rock, but also country rock, and with The Band, they birthed the Americana music genre.
While it was true in the post-Sweetheart era, another misconception is that the Byrds were primarily a McGuinn project. Actually, like the Beatles, in the early days each member, except for Clarke, wrote and sang leads on songs. McGuinn, on the other hand, sang lead on the band’s two biggest hit singles, “Mr. Tambourine Man,” a Bob Dylan song, and “Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season),” a Pete Seeger cover.
McGuinn’s mastery of the 12-string guitar established the Byrds’ trademark sound.
As for Dylan, another misconception is that the Byrds’ creative output, outside of their Dylan covers, was negligible.
That’s absolutely not true.
So here are the rankings of the Byrds 12 studio albums.
12) Byrdmaniax (1971): Terry Melcher, who worked with the Byrds earlier in their career, was behind the boards for this over-produced mess. The Byrds had a hectic touring schedule at the time, the songs don’t have much feeling. Among the better tracks are “”I Wanna Grow Up to Be a Politician,” “Citizen Kane,” and the oft-covered spiritual “Glory, Glory.”
11) Farther Along (1971): The Byrds chose to self-produce this album and the sound is stripped down. Like Byrdmaniax, the best song is an old spiritual, the title track. “Bugler” and the Vaudeville-esque “”America’s Great National Pastime” standout.
10) (Untitled) (1970): This is a very strange collection. A double album, (Untitled) is half a live LP–the other half our studio tracks. Side two is an insufferable 16-minute long “Eight Miles High.” The studio songs are week, but “Chestnut Mare” is outstanding, it is the only Byrds song from the 1970s that can stand up to their earlier classics.
9) Ballad of Easy Rider (1969): Lots of people probably purchased this album, the top-selling album of the Byrds’ later career, believing it was the soundtrack to the enormously popular Easy Rider film. An acoustic version of the title song appeared on the actual movie soundtrack, sung by McGuinn, and the band’s version is also strong. Three covers, Woody Guthrie’s “Deportee (Plane Wreck at Los Gatos),” Dylan’s “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue,” and “Jesus Is Just Alright,” which was recorded by the Doobie Brothers in 1972, are memorable.
8) Byrds (1973): The year prior, Creedence Clearwater Revival released its last album, the loathsome Mardi Gras. Dubbed “John Fogerty’s Revenge,” the two other members of the band–John’s brother Tom quit the year before–Fogerty turned the band into a democracy. The far-less talented other members, who has long objected to Fogerty’s dominance, sank CCR’s swan song. Byrds was a reunion of the band’s classic lineup, and this collection could be called David Crosby’s revenge. CSNY was on hiatus and Byrds was produced by Crosby, who believed that his 1960s Byrds’ compositions weren’t given enough respect. Only one of his songs, “Lady Friend,” was released as an A-side single during his first go-around in the band. Byrds, not surprisingly, sounds like a CSNY album. Although McGuinn denies it, the other members of the band, except for Gene Clark, were accused of saving their better compositions for their solo efforts. Crosby’s “Long Live the King” is a stellar track, but it belongs on a CSNY album. Clark’s “Full Circle” is terrific, it’s the opening cut, but it’s downhill from there
7) Dr. Byrds and Mr. Hyde (1969): With McGuinn being the only founding member of the Byrds left, it was a smart move to have Roger since lead vocals on every track, for continuity. Besides the aforementioned “Drug Store Truck Drivin’ Man,” the best cuts are the folk song, “Old Blue,” and a cover of “This Wheel’s on Fire,” which was co-written by Dylan and The Band’s Rick Danko. The original appears on The Band’s Music from Big Pink.
6) Fifth Dimension (1966): From here on in, the output is much more impressive. Shortly after recording of Fifth Dimension began, Clark left the Byrds for the first time. While he’s missed on this effort, there’s some dazzling stuff here, particularly the psychedelic hit “Eight Miles High,” which was written by Clark, Crosby, and McGuinn. The former had a terrible fear of flying. “Mr. Spaceman,” a McGuinn country rock tune, as well as a cover of “Hey Joe,” are the highlights of Fifth Dimension.
5) Younger than Yesterday (1967): McGuinn and Hillman stepped up for this album. The duo co-wrote the often covered single “So You Want to Be a Rock ‘n’ Roll Star.” Hillman’s “Have You Seen Your Face” and Dylan’s “My Back Pages” were deservedly given much deserved attention after they were released as singles.
4) Turn! Turn! Turn! (1965): The Byrds’ second album leads off with the soaring title track. There are two Dylan compositions, “The Times They Are a-Changin” and “Lay Down Your Weary Tune.” A cover of an old Porter Wagoner hit, “Satisfied Mind,” presages the Byrds’ later work.
3) Mr. Tambourine Man (1965): The title track on the Byrds’ debut album was a groundbreaking recording, and like “Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season),” it reached number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. There are three other Dylan covers here, including “Chimes of Freedom.” A Clark song, “I’ll Feel a Whole Lot Better” sent word that the Byrds weren’t just a covers band.
2) Sweetheart of the Rodeo (1968): Although it didn’t sell well initially, Sweetheart is one of the most influential albums ever. There are only two tracks written by a Byrd, both by Gram Parsons, “One Hundred Years from Now” and “Hickory Wind” (co-written by Bob Buchanan). There are two Dylan covers here, including the opening cut, “You Ain’t Going Nowhere.” Some of the cuts are obscure, such as Cindy Walker’s “Blue Canadian Rockies.” Every song is fantastic.
And now, number 1) The Notorious Byrd Brothers (1967): One of only two early Byrds albums without a Dylan cover, the songwriting brilliance of the McGuinn, Hillman, and Crosby is on full display on The Notorious Byrds Brothers with such songs such as “Old John Robertson” and “Draft Morning.” However, the Byrds weren’t afraid to look elsewhere for great songs. “Goin’ Back” and “Wasn’t Born to Follow” are Carole King and Gerry Goffin compositions. The latter tune figured prominently in Easy Rider.
Time has not been kind to most of the members of the Byrds. Of the many performers who played with the Byrds, only McGuinn, Hillman, Gene Parsons, and John York survive. Some, such as Gene Clark, Michael Clarke, Gram Parsons, succumbed to the rock and roll lifestyle. Crosby, a notorious substance abuser, lived until he was 81. COVID claimed him in 2023.
Albums by the Byrds can be found on Amazon.com and can be downloaded on iTunes.
The angry young man whose first album, My Aim Is True, was released in 1977, has released 32 studio albums. His most recent collection, The Boy Named If, was issued in 2022.
Costello, whose real name is Declan Patrick MacManus, was part of the new wave movement of rock, and to this day, he’s still lumped into that genre. But Costello has released country, jazz, rhythm and blues, baroque pop, and Americana albums as well. The London-born singer, songwriter, and guitarist is a walking musicology department.
Although he’s made extensive use of session musicians, Costello has mostly worked with two backing bands. The Attractions, consisting of Steve Nieve on keyboards, Pete Thomas and drums, and Bruce Thomas (no relation) on bass.
Depending on who you talk to, Bruce left the Attractions in the late 1990s–or he was kicked out. Davey Faragher replaced Thomas on bass in 2001, the new lineup was renamed the Imposters. Nick Lowe produced Costello’s first five albums and two others later on, T-Bone Burnett produced several mid-career collections.
Generally, when you purchase a Costello album–there are a couple of exceptions, The Juliet Letters and Kojak Variety come to mind–you’ve made a smart buy.
But let’s talk about Costello’s 10 best albums.
Oh, first, a clarification. Early in his career, Elvis’ American albums and British albums varied a bit by a song or two. My selections are based on the USA collections.
10) Secret, Profane & Sugarcane (2009): An Americana offering, Burnett was behind the boards on this collection. “Red Cotton” is one of the best condemnations of slavery ever recorded. “Hidden Shame,” a Costello-penned tune that was originally recorded by Johnny Cash, is another highlight.
9) Trust (1981): This is a forgotten album of sorts from Costello. But Elvis was remembering when he recorded it. He had an enormous influence on other new wave artists, and here Elvis gives a nod to those new wavers who followed. “You’ll Never Be a Man” is a nod to the Pretenders, “Fish and Chip Paper” salutes Squeeze, and “White Knuckles” is a tribute to XTC. Squeeze’s Glenn Tilbrook contributes vocals “From a Whisper to a Scream.” But the best of the bunch is the opening track, “Clubland.”
8) Brutal Youth (1994): This might be a good collection for the Costello novice. The last Elvis album to be produced by Nick Lowe, it includes baroque pop with “London’s Brilliant Parade” and “You Tripped at Every Step,” as well as echoes from the new wave with “Pony Street” and “Sulky Girl.”
7) My Aim Is True (1977): Costello’s debut, with American country rock group Clover backing him, usually is ranked higher by his fans. The Van Morrison and Graham Parker influences are evident, particularly on songs like “Pay It Back.” But several of his most recognizable songs, “Miracle Man,” “Watching the Detectives,” “Alison,” and “Mystery Man” are here. Great stuff–but greater stuff was coming.
6) Spike (1989): The first results of Costello’s songwriting collaboration with Paul McCartney appear here, and not surprisingly, “Veronica,” Elvis’ biggest hit single in America, was one of the songs they partnered on. While it’s a single album, there’s a deluge of musical instruments–and styles–which makes Spike feel like a double album. Other great tracks here include “Any King’s Shilling,” “…This Town…” and “God’s Comic.”
5) Armed Forces (1979): Perhaps Costello’s’ best-known work, “Accidents Will Happen,” “Oliver’s Army,” and the Nick Lowe-composed “(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding” are among Costello-fan favorites found here. A couple of weak songs, “Two Little Hitlers” and “Chemistry Class” prevents Armed Forces from ranking higher. As do some bizarre Nazi Germany references used–besides the cuts mentioned earlier.
4) King of America (1986): Like the work of the Band–that group’s output was a major influence on Costello’s work, this is an Americana album before anyone knew such a genre existed. While the Attractions appear on one song, the soaring “Suit of Lights,” California-based session musicians, most prominently the Other Elvis’ backing group, the TCB Band, support Costello on this Burnett production. Other standout songs include “Brilliant Mistake,” “Jack of All Parades,” and “Indoor Fireworks.”
3) Get Happy!! (1980): After recording demos for his fourth album, Costello thought the tracks sounded “too new wave.” So, he rearranged most of the songs as if they were 1960s Memphis rhythm and blues tunes–a sound that was not that fashionable in 1980. But Get Happy!! has aged well. “Temptation,” “Riot Act,” and “High Fidelity” are particularly strong songs among the 20 found here.
2) This Year’s Model (1978): Regardless of the talent of the artist, second albums are usually disappointments. Inspired by punk, Costello revved up his act–backed for the first time by the Attractions—and his sophomore effort gave listeners a punchier sound with iconic classics such as “Pump It Up,” “Radio, Radio,” and “You Belong to Me.”
1) Imperial Bedroom (1982): Produced by Geoff Emerick, who did engineering work for the Beatles, Costello’s best album is clearly inspired by mid-1960s work of the Fab Four, as well as old-school songwriters such as Cole Porter and George Gershwin. It’s a dazzling preview of Costello’s later baroque pop work. “Beyond Belief,” “Almost Blue,” “You Little Fool,” and “Man out of Time” are particularly notable.
Under the radar, a new Van Morrison album has arrived. On Morrison’s website, the release of Live at Orangefield, had been promised for a while, and last month, on vinyl and CD, on Van the Man’s Orangefield Records, it went on sale.
I subscribe to iTunes, and with any artist whose work I’ve downloaded, I will usually find that performer’s latest effort on the “New Releases” tab of my Apple Music homepage. But not always with Morrison, a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member who has released an astounding 45 studio albums since 1967.
Morrison, a native of Belfast, Northern Ireland, also has cut six live albums. His first one, It’s Too Late to Stop Now–an expanded edition was issued in 2016–is one of the best live albums ever. His second live collection, Live at the Grand Opera House Belfast, obviously was recorded in his hometown.
As was Live at Orangefield. The Belfast Cowboy’s first live performance took place with his skiffle group in 1959 at Orangefield High School when he was a student there. In 2014, the school closed, and to salute the school–and even more so Belfast–Morrison, with his always tight band, returned.
A Facebook Morrison group–Van, by the way, is no fan of Facebook–alerted me that Live at Orangefield was available to download. Apple didn’t notify me. Possibly, because both musically and in interviews, Morrison was probably the most strident opponent among entertainment industry figures of the COVID lockdowns, that online slight was intentional. Three Morrison singles, one recorded with Eric Clapton, attacked government COVID-related restrictions. The triple-vinyl album, Latest Record Project Volume One and its follow-up, What’s It Gonna Take?–continued the pushback.
While there were some favorable reviews, most critics savaged, unfairly, that output. Rock critics are mostly an intellectually vapid lot–and like sportswriters, most of them prefer writing about politics when the opportunity arises. Morrison, despite his legendary status, offered those mental midgets a ripe target. But history has been kind to this septuagenarian rebel. At the very least, the COVID lockdowns were an overreach. Still, in the media and the music business, Van Morrison, is almost certainly purposely ignored.
In a Google News search, as of this writing, I could only find two reviews of Live at Orangefield.
And that’s a pity, because Live at Orangefield is an essential Morrison work. While Morrison has a reputation as an aloof and ornery fellow–which is either not true or it is possibly an exaggeration pushed by those self-worshipping rock critics–he offers some charm here.
In a mostly spoken-word piece on this album, “On Hyndford Street,” Morrison calls out to the crowd, “If any of the guys from ‘the street’ are here, give me a shout if you remember this one.”
Playing ’round Mrs. Kelly’s lamp Going out to Holywood on the bus And walking from the end of the lines to the seaside Stopping at Fusco’s for ice cream [loud cheers follow] In the days before rock ‘n’ roll.
I looked it up–I don’t know if the establishment I found online is the same Fusco’s that Morrison and his pals used to patronize, but there is a Fusco’s in Belfast.
Van the Man was born on August 31, 1945 at 145 Hyndford Street. And particularly with “On Hyndford Street,” which as originally released on the Hymns to the Silence double album, but also on other tracks here, listeners get the feeling that they are participating in a walking tour of Belfast–with Morrison as a tour guide.
I’ve only seen Morrison once in concert–he was fantastic. Morrison has a reputation for not playing many of his hits from the overexposed “classic rock” era. But Van is a performer, not a fossil, and if he had fossilized his career, then he’d be on the stale casino circuit along with Lynard Skynard, which carries on even though that band has no original members left on its roster. But they play the hits, as do the Van Morrison tribute bands.
But there are some of those Van hits on Live at Orangefield. The album opens with the instrumental “Celtic Excavation,” and then segues to “Into the Mystic.” Belfast of course is a seaport. I don’t know if this stanza is about Belfast, but it could be.
And when that foghorn blows I will be coming home And when the foghorn blows I want to hear it I don’t have to fear it.
Another hit, albeit a minor one, “Cleaning Windows,” follows. Morrison’s job before becoming a full-time musician was toiling as a window washer in Belfast. Then comes “Orangefield” and “Moondance.”
Other Belfast-related songs include “Got to Go Back” and “Northern Muse (Solid Ground).”
Another highlight here is “That’s Life,” the Frank Sinatra song, which Morrison recorded with Georgie Fame in 1995. Lyrically it’s an important addition to the set list, and musically too. In the 2000s and the following decade, much of Van the Man’s output had a jazzy and swing feel. New age jazz is a genre Morrison worked with in the 1980s; several of the songs I mentioned earlier utilize that sound.
Live at Orangefield is an essential collection for the Morrison fan, and it’s a good place to start, particularly if you enjoy jazz-flavored popular music, if you want to learn more about this fantastic musician.
And if you live in Belfast–then, man, what are you waiting for?
One more thing: Smart people listen to Van Morrison.
Live at Orangefield is available in vinyl and CD forms at Van Morrison.com. And you can download it at iTunes and stream it on Spotify.
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