On this date, 119 years ago, the great actor John Carradine was born in New York City.
Over the course of his career, Carradine worked for just about everyone. He appeared on stage. He appeared in film and television. He played the great roles of Shakespeare and he also played Dracula. He was a part of both the John Ford and the Fred Olen Ray stock companies. He had a reputation for taking almost any role offered to him and, as a result, his huge filmography offers up a wonderful amount of variety.
He was also a singer! Here he is performing today’s song of the day, Night Train to Mundo Fine! This song was featured Coleman Francis’s Red Zone Cuba. Say what you may about the song or the film, how can you not love Carrdine’s dramatic (and perhaps slightly mocking) delivery of the lyrics?
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’s confession and bragging about his role in the tumultuous and evil events in man’s history. It’s a song that its narrator wants to understand and admit that while he has been there through all those dark moments in history, he wouldn’t have been able to do what he’s done if not for people allowing him in and becoming complicit.
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
Time has come today Young hearts can go their way Can’t put it off another day I don’t care what others say They say we don’t listen anyway Time has come today (Hey)
Oh The rules have changed today (Hey) I have no place to stay (Hey) I’m thinking about the subway (Hey) My love has flown away (Hey) My tears have come and gone (Hey) Oh my Lord, I have to roam (Hey) I have no home (Hey) I have no home (Hey)
Now the time has come (Time) There’s no place to run (Time) I might get burned up by the sun (Time) But I had my fun (Time) I’ve been loved and put aside (Time) I’ve been crushed by the tumbling tide (Time) And my soul has been psychedelicized (Time)
Now the time has come (Time) There are things to realize (Time) Time has come today (Time) Time has come today (Time)
Time Time Time Time Time Time Time Time Time Time Time
Oh Now the time has come (Time) There’s no place to run (Time) I might get burned up by the sun (Time) But I had my fun (Time) I’ve been loved and put aside (Time) I’ve been crushed by tumbling tide (Time) And my soul has been psychedelicized (Time)
Now the time has come (Time) There are things to realize (Time) Time has come today (Time) Time has come today (Time)
Time Time Time Time
Songwriters: Joseph Lamar Chambers / Willie Mack Chambers
Co-written with Keith Richards and Mick Jagger, Sister Morphine was originally recorded by Faithfull in 1969 but her recording was initially banned in the United Kingdom due to the song’s drug-related content. The Rolling Stones would go on to release a version of the song in 1971 and Faithfull would record and release the song a second time in 1979.
Here I lie in my hospital bed Tell me, Sister Morphine When are you coming around again? Oh I don’t think I can wait that long Oh you see that my pain is so strong
All the other patients say They’ve never seen a man with such pain Tell me, Sister Morphine When are you coming round again? Oh I don’t think I can wait that long Oh you see that I’m not that strong
The scream of the ambulance Is sounding in my ear So tell me, Sister Morphine How long have I been lying here? What am I doing in this place? Why does the doctor have no face? Oh I can’t crawl across the floor Can’t you see, Sister Morphine? Just tryin’ to score
Well the actions go to show Things are not what they seem Please, Sister Morphine Turn my nightmare into dream Oh can’t you see that I’m fading fast? And this shot will be the last
Please, cousin Cocaine Lay your cool hands on my head Hey, Sister Morphine You better make up the black bed ‘Cause you know and I know That you want me, I’ll be dead You sit around and watch The clean white sheets stained red
Through the Shattered Lens 