Van Morrison: "Glad Tidings" (1970)

"Moondance" was the big hit on the identically titled album by Van Morrison in 1970. Looking back on that album, Moondance got all the airplay and one would think that "Glad Tidings" was an afterthought as it was the tenth and last cut on the album.

According to Van, he received a letter while he was in New York from a friend in London. The friend had written glad tidings on the back of the envelope and that gave him the idea for the song.

We read a number of old reviews and they were dead on in that it sounds like something coming right out of an old R & B studio. Vans vocals are sincere, smooth and soulful. The horn arrangements are classic and don't step on the vocals at all.

The song was featured throughout the final episode of The Soprano's fifth season and went so far as to let us her van sing "We send you glad tidings from New York" as Tony Blundetto (Steve Buscemi) is blown away by Tony Soprano (John Gandolfini) wielding a shotgun. The show gave this song another life.

And they'll lay you down low in the easy
And the lips that you kiss will say Christmas.
And the miles that you traveled the distance

So believe no lies, dry your eyes and realize
That surprise
La, la, la, la la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la...
And the businessmen will shake hands and talk in numbers
And the princess will wake up from her slumber
Then all the knights will step forth with their arm bands
And ev'ry stranger you meet in the street will make demands
So believe no lies, then dry your eyes and realize
That surprise
La, la, la...

[Bridge:]
And we'll send you glad tidings from New York
Open up your eyes so you may see
Ask you not to read between the lines
Hope that you will come in right on time
And they'll talk to you while you're in trances
And you'll visualize not taking any chances
But meet them halfway with love, peace and persuasion
And expect them to rise for the occasion
Don't it gratify when you see it materialize
Right in front of your eyes
That surprise

And they'll lay you down low and easy
As for Morrison, there is not enough room on this blog to do his work justice.

George Ivan Morrison was born in Northern Ireland in 1945. He played several instruments and sang with traditional Irish show bands before becoming lead vocalist for Them, an R & B band from the area. They were most identified by the song "Gloria"

Van would strike out on his own in 1967 as the smash "Brown Eyed Girl" was coming out. He has been recording and performing ever since. He has 30 + albums to his credit, six Grammys, and is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He has numerous foreign awards as well and got his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2010.

Athenaeum - "What I Didn't Know" (1998)

This is a story of a great band from North Carolina who's first iteration burned out fast.

Athenaeum was formed in 1990 at an eighth-grade dance. The main players in this scenario were Mark Kano and Nic Brown.

There would be several personnel changes around them but in 1995, Athenaeum was able to put an EP together that performed well locally. They were subsequently picked up by Atlantic Records the following year, and put out Radiance in 1998.

The song that did the best off of the album was "Flat Tire", which, like "What I Didn't Know" is straightforward rock and roll with great lyrics, infectious guitar and well shaped vocals.

"What I Didn't Know" was released first and did pretty well. Our research shows that tons of people keep stumbling upon this song and think it's new. We saw several people commenting..."this is a great song and it sounds like the '90's!".

Well they are right about that! Maybe Atlantic did not push them very hard. They signed them in 1996 and it took two years to get something out?

This song reminds us of almost anything by the Gin Blossoms, who we love, and  it also  hearkens back to "He Can't Love You" by the Michael Stanley Band as well as "My Sharona" by The Knack. Certainly the vocals evoke a little Brad Roberts from Crash Test Dummies.

From the first note, the song builds and this winds up being a tune you like in about four measure into your first listening.

I complain
When nothing's even wrong
And you're ashamed
Cause you're not quite that strong

That's when I said I'll need
More than you can offer me
I miss your face as you can tell
I hope my absence makes you well

Why did the band name itself Athenaeum at the eighth-grade dance? If they did, these were some smart students! Indications are that Nic Brown left the band to attend Columbia, so the case is made...Wait! Just found some comments from Nic Brown: It was his mother who named the band. Why? Mark couldn't remember the school song during a rally at the school, so she went with it. The definition of athenaeum is: An institution, such as a literary club or scientific academy, for the promotion of learning. Got to learn it Mark!

There is strong evidence that the second album called Athenaeum, is very good although we have not heard it yet. Another band tragedy, frequently found on this site, is that it was released the week of 911.

Enjoy this first rate '90's rock and roll.

Critics Pan Stones and Taylor Swift, Then Retreat When It Catches On...

Kevin Monahan here. This morning, music media was all over last night's Taylor Swift and Rolling Stones duet for "As Tears Go By", and showing the hate. Examples were from Yahoo Music, & ContactMusic, as well as others. I checked out the video and although I do not own a Taylor Swift cd, but I'll look into that. I liked their version, and it was perfectly appropriate for a live concert. Later in the day it seems all the negative press disappeared and it was all about the love. Either the night aggregators were in a bad mood or many critics are just looking for attention. This worked for us here at Monahan's Song.

Flagship Romance: OFFICIAL Version of "Hit the Ground" Just Released.

We liked the stripped down version of "Hit the Ground" on YouTube that was featured in our last post, but this new version best represents their recently released EP  The Fudge Sessions. Check it out!

Congratulations on their opening for the Goo Goo Dolls last night. They are planning the Clean Water Music Fest for August 10.

Nelson Riddle: "Route 66 Theme" (1962)

O.K., this is the first of what will likely be many songs that were not only great, but also T.V. or movie themes. Monahan's Songs has been looking at tapping that musical vein for some time, so here we go. This is the story of "Route 66".

Nelson Riddle (Nelson Smock Riddle Jr.), was born in Oradell, New Jersey,  a state that has boasted an incredible number of musical legends.  He was a legendary orchestral and band music arranger who's early credits include "Mona Lisa", sung by Nat "King" Cole, and was perhaps Nat's most famous hit.
 
Riddle got a reluctant chance to arrange an album in 1953 for Frank Sinatra who was not happy to shift from his favorite music formulas. The resultant album, "I've Got the World on a String," (a $1.29 download on Amazon?) was a big success and brought Sinatra into a whole new era recognition.

His motion picture accomplishments  included “The Young at Heart”, “High Society”, “Pal Joey”, “Paint Your Wagon”, “The Tender Trap”, “Can-Can”, and “The Great Gatsby” (Riddle received an Academy Award for that one).

Millions also know him for his amazing television themes including, “The Untouchables”, “Naked City” and “Route 66”, the first TV theme to become a chart-topper!

A brief background on the show, direct from Wikipedia:

Route 66 is an American TV series in which two young men traveled across America in a Chevrolet Corvette sports car.^[1] The show ran weekly on Fridays on CBS from October 7, 1960 to March 20, 1964. It starred Martin Milner as Tod Stiles and, for the first two and a half seasons, George Maharis as Buz Murdock. Maharis was ill for much of the third season, during which time Tod was shown traveling on his own. Tod met Lincoln Case, played by Glenn Corbett, late in the third season, and traveled with him until the end of the fourth and final season. The series currently airs on Me-TV, My Family TV and RTV.
Among the series more notable aspects were the featured Corvette convertible, and the program's instrumental theme song (composed and performed by Nelson Riddle), which became a major pop hit.
Bobby Troup composed a GEM when he created "(Get Your Kicks) on Route 66. This song may be one of the most covered songs ever and the lyrics make us want to feature this song on it's own someday. The lyrics are worth a read:
 Well if you ever plan to motor west
Just take my way that's the highway that's the best
Get your kicks on Route 66

Well it winds from Chicago to L.A.
More than 2000 miles all the way
Get your kicks on Route 66

Well goes from St. Louie down to Missouri
Oklahoma city looks oh so pretty
You'll see Amarillo and Gallup, New Mexico
Flagstaff, Arizona don't forget Winona
Kingman, Barstow, San Bernadino

Would you get hip to this kindly tip
And go take that California trip
Get your kicks on Route 66 A great song, but the label (or Bobby) wanted more than the producers of Route 66 the TV show, were willing to pay. Good thing, or "Route 66" may never have been written. They approached Nelson Riddle and he composed a clear homage to Troupes tune, yet a uniquely original and catchy instrumental. The arrangement just sounds like movement!

While the show was a brilliantly written drama, critics credit Riddle's theme song and breezy episode arrangements as a big part of the shows allure.

On a final note, Nelson Riddle may have found his greatest recognition via Linda Ronstadt. They recorded three albums of old pop music the label's producers thought would bomb. The albums sold over seven million copies combined and Riddle was rocketed to fame again just before his death.

Please enjoy. There is something eternally hip about this song...Oh, and maybe we should throw in "(Get Your Kicks) on Route 66" as well!








Nelson Riddle