Whoever has been in charge of choosing the songs that make up the soundtrack for AMC’s The Walking Dead I must salute you. With Bear McCreary’s Southern gothic-influenced score this show has been flush with some excellent songs to end particularly strong episodes. Last week’s strong episode of The Walking Dead saw a favorite character from season 1 make an emotional and heartbreaking return. It also helped refocus the show’s main lead to forging past his own psychological and emotional problems to take on the looming war about to begin.
The song which ended this episode is my choice for “Song of the Day” and it’s from British songwriter-musician Jamie N. Commons.
“Lead Me Home” doesn’t just end the episode but also helps put a spotlight on this show’s third season and it’s many themes concerning not just the zombie apocalypse the survivors must exist and survive in, but how they go about this task. The song’s lyrics takes on the show’s very Southern gothic roots as Rick, Michonne and Carl drive away from Rick’s hometown passing by wrecked vehicles, bodies both freshly killed and decaying.
The song really hit home when they pass by the mauled remains of the backpacker they ignored and passed by earlier in the episode whow as begging to be picked up and saved. It’s this scene which brings to light how much cynicism and distrust as entered these survivors. Faith in the goodness of people has been abandoned for the sake of survival and the roadside remains of their inaction to save this backpacker when he most needed it was shown in gory detail. It’s not the Lord that’s inside them now, but darkness and it will be a long way back before Rick and his people can lead themselves back “home”.
Lead Me Home
Oh lord live inside me, lead me on my way Oh lord live inside me, lead me on my way Lead me home Lead me home
Oh lord in the darkness, lead me on my way Oh lord in the darkness, lead me on my way Lead me home Lead me home
Hmmmmm Hmmmmm
Oh lord heaven’s waiting, open up your door Oh lord heaven’s waiting, open up your door Lead me home Lead me home
The night is growing late and to close it out I’ve chosen a new “Song of the Day” and it’s an all-time blues-rock classic from the 60′s.
Even if one wasn’t a fan of rock from the 1960′s they still would recognize the biggest hit ever released by the British blues-rock band The Animals with their 1964 hit, “House of the Rising Sun”. The weren’t the first band or musicians to have sung the song. No one truly knows the origin of the song, but music luminaries such as Bob Dylan, Woody Guthrie, Lead Belly, Joan Baez and Nina Simone were just a few to have covered it. It would be The Animals version which would live on as the one best remembered.
The song doesn’t just have the soulful cadence of classic blues, but has lyrics that show’s the band’s folk rock influences. It became part of the British Invasion of the United States during the 60′s when rock bands from them to The Beatles, The Rolling Stones right up to The Yardbirds would dominate American airwaves. The Animals would cement their place amongst these giants with this single. One thing which really powered this song through the juggernaut that was The Beatles would be the powerful vocals by frontman Eric Burdon matched with the keyboard playing of Alan Price.
“House of the Rising Sun” by The Animals continues to entertain fans old and new and still one of the best songs to come out during the 1960′s.
House of the Rising Sun
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
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 mother 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
For the latest “Song of the Day” I will have to thank fellow site contributor Leonard Wilson for talking about rock and blues. If there was ever song which perfectly fused the two into the music genre commonly as blues rock it would The Allman Brothers Band’s iconic song from their 1969 self-titled album, “Whipping Post”.
I consider “Whipping Post” one of the greatest rock songs ever created. It’s blues origins could be heard throughout the song from the near-perfect slide-guitar playing by one of rock’s greatest guitarists in Duane Allman. The lyrics to the song is classic existential blues of an evil woman the cause of one’s ruination and of the metaphorical whipping post the song’s subject is put through.
The song’s lyrics were written by Duane’s brother Greg who is also the band’s lead singer. His vocals in this song comes out as if coming from the very depths of perdition. There’s genuine, fierce emotion in the singing by Greg Allman and everyone else who has covered the song never seem to replicate the very same emotion which made “Whipping Post” so great the moment it was first heard in 1969 and continues to be great as a new generation in the 21st century gets introduced to the band.
“Whipping Post” also has the distinction of having an epic 23-minute live rendition which many rock historians and fans consider one of the greatest live recordings of a rock song ever. This live version comes from the classic At Fillmore East double-album and can be seen after the lyrics.
Whipping Post
I’ve been run down I’ve been lied to I don’t know why, I let that mean woman make me a fool She took all my money Wrecks my new car Now she’s with one of my good time buddies They’re drinkin’ in some cross town bar
Sometimes I feel Sometimes I feel Like I’ve been tied To the whipping post Tied to the whipping post Tied to the whipping post Good lord I feel like I’m dyin’
My friends tell me That I’ve been such a fool And I have to stand down and take it babe, All for lovin’ you I drown myself in sorrow As I look at what you’ve done Nothin’ seems to change Bad times stay the same And I can’t run
Sometimes I feel Sometimes I feel Like I’ve been tied To the whipping post Tied to the whipping post Tied to the whipping post Good lord I feel like I’m dyin’
Sometimes I feel Sometimes I feel Like I’ve been tied To the whipping post Tied to the whipping post Tied to the whipping post Good lord I feel like I’m dyin’
The latest “Song of the Day” is very near and dear to my blues-covered metal heart. I consider it one of the best rock ‘n’ roll songs ever created. It’s been covered by numerous bands in the decades since it’s initial release but I will always consider the original as the best. The latest song of the day is The Rolling Stones’ “Sympathy for the Devil”.
This song was released in the early days of December 1968. It was the opening track for The Rolling Stones’ latest album (Beggars Banquet) at that date. What makes this song so great is how simple the song really comes across. It doesn’t have the typical blues rock tone of previous Stones’ songs until Keith Richard’s guitar solo around the 2:55 mark. The song definitely sounds more like a combination of folk rock (by way of it’s spoken word-like lyrics) and a samba (due to the incorporation of additional percussions like the congas).
“Sympathy for the Devil” has been called a confession song while others see it as the narcissistic bragging of the narrator. Both viewpoints are quite valid and there are more as every listener of this song hears and imagines different themes. I always saw it as a combination of the two. It’s Lucifer both confession and bragging about his role in the tumultuous and evil events in man’s history. It’s a song it’s narrator wants it’s listeners to understand his role in all these events. Events as evil as they are but done so with style and panache that should count for something.
It’s no wonder Neil Jordan used the Guns ‘n’ Roses cover of this song to close out the final scenes of Interview With A Vampire. It definitely fit the film as a whole. One had to wonder if the song was for Louis or for Lestat. Of more recent use for the song was it’s inclusion in the game soundtrack for Activision’s Call of Duty: Black Ops. I’ve included the Guns ‘n’ Roses cover below so you all can decide on your own which was better: the version by the song’s primogenitors or it’s harsher cover by a band that ended up splitting up during it’s production.
Sympathy for the Devil
Please allow me to introduce myself I’m a man of wealth and taste I’ve been around for a long, long years Stole many a man’s soul and faith
And I was ’round when Jesus Christ Had his moment of doubt and pain Made damn sure that Pilate Washed his hands and sealed his fate
Pleased to meet you Hope you guess my name But what’s puzzling you Is the nature of my game
I stuck around St. Petersburg When I saw it was a time for a change Killed the czar and his ministers Anastasia screamed in vain
I rode a tank Held a general’s rank When the blitzkrieg raged And the bodies stank
Pleased to meet you Hope you guess my name, oh yeah Ah, what’s puzzling you Is the nature of my game, oh yeah (woo woo, woo woo)
I watched with glee While your kings and queens Fought for ten decades For the gods they made (woo woo, woo woo)
I shouted out, “Who killed the Kennedys?” When after all It was you and me (who who, who who)
Let me please introduce myself I’m a man of wealth and taste And I laid traps for troubadours Who get killed before they reached Bombay (woo woo, who who)
Pleased to meet you Hope you guessed my name, oh yeah (who who) But what’s puzzling you Is the nature of my game, oh yeah, get down, baby (who who, who who)
Pleased to meet you Hope you guessed my name, oh yeah But what’s confusing you Is just the nature of my game (woo woo, who who)
Just as every cop is a criminal And all the sinners saints As heads is tails Just call me Lucifer ‘Cause I’m in need of some restraint (who who, who who)
So if you meet me Have some courtesy Have some sympathy, and some taste (woo woo) Use all your well-learned politesse Or I’ll lay your soul to waste, um yeah (woo woo, woo woo)
Pleased to meet you Hope you guessed my name, um yeah (who who) But what’s puzzling you Is the nature of my game, um mean it, get down (woo woo, woo woo)
Woo, who Oh yeah, get on down Oh yeah Oh yeah! (woo woo)
Tell me baby, what’s my name Tell me honey, can ya guess my name Tell me baby, what’s my name I tell you one time, you’re to blame
Oh, who woo, woo Woo, who Woo, woo Woo, who, who Woo, who, who Oh, yeah
What’s my name Tell me, baby, what’s my name Tell me, sweetie, what’s my name
Woo, who, who Woo, who, who Woo, who, who Woo, who, who Woo, who, who Woo, who, who Oh, yeah Woo woo Woo woo
Another entry to continue marking down to the day of Iron Man 2‘s US release.
Our latest song of the day has been used quite often during the trailers and tv spots for the film. I am talking about AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck” off of their 1990 album, The Razors Edge. The song starts off with one of the best opening guitar riffs with lead guitarist Angus Young machine gun picking every note of that riff before the rest of the band moves in and Brian Johnson chanting “Thunder! Thunder!” .
I can honestly believe that this song was inspired by the band seeing a Combined Arms Live Fire EXercise in Ft. Hood. The song definitely has a bombastic tone to it with just enough of the military shock and awe. It’s no wonder this song is one of the most used by YouTube uploaders as the background music to military live-fire footage both in and out of battle.
So, it is only appropriate that Marvel Studios has chosen it to be one of the songs to accompany the trailers and tv spots for Iron Man 2.
Thunderstruck
(Thunder)(x10)
I was caught
In the middle of a railroad track (Thunder)
And I knew there was no turning back (Thunder)
My mind raced
And I thought what could I do (Thunder)
And I knew
There was no help, no help from you (Thunder)
Sound of the drums
Beatin’ in my heart
The thunder of guns
Tore me apart
You’ve been – thunderstruck
Went down the highway
Broke the limit, we hit the town
Went through to Texas, yeah Texas
And we had some fun
We met some girls
Some dancers who gave a good time
Broke all the rules, played all the fools
Yeah, yeah, they, they, they blew our minds
I was shakin’ at the knees
Could I come again please?
Yeah the ladies were too kind
You’ve been – thunderstruck, thunderstruck
Yeah yeah yeah, thunderstruck
Oh, thunderstruck
Yeah
Now we’re shaking at the knees
Could I come again please?
I had to get Led Zeppelin’s epic power ballad as my newest song of the day. Straight from their untitled fourth album, Stairway to Heaven is a mixture of acoustic-folk music and anthemic hard rock. The fact that this power ballads of all power ballads have stood the test of time, ridicule and countless covers (both serious and comedic) says much about the power that LEd Zeppelin had over rock music. Even 30 years since they broke up the band still influences musicians to this day.
Stairway to Heaven to me best exemplifies the gradual shift of the band from a down and dirty blues-based hard rock band to the proto-metal/progressive rock which would dominate the band’s sound from the mid-70′s until the band’s break-up after the untimely death of drummer John Bonham in 1980. The song puts to light Jimmy Page’s growing attraction for the esoteric as the song’s lyrics conjures up images of the fairy folk of the Welsh countryside. The acoustic guitar arpeggios which begins the song soothingly brings the listener in. Each section brings in more of the modern to the Renaissance-like intro. This build-up reaches a crescendo at the mid 5-minute mark when Jimmy Page begins a guitar solo which finally leads to a climactic hard rock finish to the song.
The song was the most requested and played track over the radio and became a staple of the band’s sets on their many tours during the 70′s. Like any piece of artistic work extremely popular with the masses the song reached such a popularity that a backlash just as extreme followed as the band broke up in 1980. The fact that this backlash didn’t diminish the song’s appeal to future generations of fans and to the legions before them shows just how important this song has become to rock music history.
While other epic power ballads have come and gone since Stairway to Heaven they will never supplant Led Zeppelin’s epic mystical anthem of fairy folk, magical lands with progressive hard rock. Led Zeppelin’s Stairway to Heaven was first and to many will always be First and The One.
Stairway to Heaven
There’s a lady whose sure all that glitters is gold
And she’s buying a stairway to heaven.
When she gets there, she knows if the stores are all closed
With a word she can get what she came for.
Ooh, ooh, and she’s buying a stairway to heaven.
There’s a sign on the wall but she wants to be sure
’Cause you know sometimes words have two meanings.
In a tree by the brook, there is a songbird who sings:
Sometimes all of our thoughts are misgiven.
Ooh, it makes me wonder,
Ooh, it makes me wonder.
Theres a feeling I get when I look to the west,
And my spirit is crying for leaving.
In my thoughts I have seen rings of smoke through the trees,
And the voices of those who standing looking.
Ooh, it makes me wonder,
Ooh, really makes me wonder.
And it’s whispered that soon if we all call the tune
Then the piper will lead us to reason.
And a new day will dawn for those who stand long
And the forests will echo with laughter.
If there’s a bustle in your hedgerow,
Don’t be alarmed now,
Its just a spring clean for the May queen.
Yes, there are two paths you can go by but in the long run
Theres still time to change the road you’re on.
And it makes me wonder.
Ooooooh…
Your head is humming and it won’t go,
In case you don’t know:
The pipers calling you to join him.
Dear lady, can you hear the wind blow,
And did you know:
Your stairway lies on the whispering wind.
And as we wind on down the road,
Our shadows taller than our soul,
There walks a lady we all know.
Who shines white light and wants to show…
How everything still turns to gold.
And if you listen very hard the tune will come to you at last.
When all are one and one is all, yeah, to be a rock and not to roll.
