To Be Young is to Be Sad is to be High?? No way, that’s pure lightweight filler. Three really great songs on that album are Come Pick Me Up, Oh My Sweet Carolina and Amy.
To Be Young etc. is preceeded by Argument with David Rawlings About Morrissey which always seemed to me the most cack handed way of saying “Look, I may sound country, but I’m indie/alternative too…”
To Be Young… thats it. I didn’t mean the spoken word part, I agree its pointless but I won’t say a bad word about David Rawlings. The mans an immensely good guitarist and To Be Young…’s a great rock & roll song.
I’ll take the “lightweight filler” over the mawkish Garth Brooks ballads thanks 😉
Okay Peter, I’ll take back ‘lightweight’ if you take back ‘Gareth Brooks’.
Oh My Sweet Carolina (which I presume you’re referring to) is more likely influenced by Gram Parsons. His Hickory Wind also referenced the Carolinas and was also a duet w/ Emmylou Harris.
Here’s Elton John doing a pretty decent cover of the song…
Oh yeah, it’s most definitely influenced by Gram Parsons — the grade A name to drop back in the 90s when alt.country was all the rage.
I don’t like it though. It’s sickly sweet and its a plain display of songwriting. If Garth Brooks had produced the song eyelids would go unbatted the world over.
Well, with respect Peter, I’d say you have a passing dislike of Gareth Brooks, fair enough.
But as a teenager in the late 1990s, I worked in a pick up truck in the American South, fixing air conditioners all day with an out and out redneck who listened exclusively to Gareth Brooks and Tim McGraw.
So when I say I hate Gareth Brooks, I’m talking on another level altogether. I mean, I’d murder the guy if I could get away with it.
If Ryan Adams sounded anything like that prick, believe me I’d come out in hives.
September 10th, 2009 at 3:18 pm
Great tune… Gillian Welsh on backing vox, no?
September 10th, 2009 at 4:33 pm
Yeah, I think so. Emmylou Harris sings on the even more beautiful Oh My Sweet Carolina…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMZYRvDvgT4
September 10th, 2009 at 7:33 pm
Great song. Ryan Adams warning to all about the robbing bitch that is Winona Ryder.
Probably still hasnt given him back his Boyzone and Take That CDs.
September 11th, 2009 at 3:06 am
Pretty great track from guy i never listened but always heard was a dick
September 11th, 2009 at 9:24 am
I love the first song on that album – its an electric Dylan pastiche to the core but its expertly done. After that its all downhill.
September 11th, 2009 at 9:38 am
To Be Young is to Be Sad is to be High?? No way, that’s pure lightweight filler. Three really great songs on that album are Come Pick Me Up, Oh My Sweet Carolina and Amy.
To Be Young etc. is preceeded by Argument with David Rawlings About Morrissey which always seemed to me the most cack handed way of saying “Look, I may sound country, but I’m indie/alternative too…”
Waaaay too self-conscious…
September 11th, 2009 at 10:46 am
To Be Young… thats it. I didn’t mean the spoken word part, I agree its pointless but I won’t say a bad word about David Rawlings. The mans an immensely good guitarist and To Be Young…’s a great rock & roll song.
I’ll take the “lightweight filler” over the mawkish Garth Brooks ballads thanks 😉
September 11th, 2009 at 10:52 am
Okay Peter, I’ll take back ‘lightweight’ if you take back ‘Gareth Brooks’.
Oh My Sweet Carolina (which I presume you’re referring to) is more likely influenced by Gram Parsons. His Hickory Wind also referenced the Carolinas and was also a duet w/ Emmylou Harris.
Here’s Elton John doing a pretty decent cover of the song…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qFJ4UaSZ34
September 11th, 2009 at 11:03 am
Oh yeah, it’s most definitely influenced by Gram Parsons — the grade A name to drop back in the 90s when alt.country was all the rage.
I don’t like it though. It’s sickly sweet and its a plain display of songwriting. If Garth Brooks had produced the song eyelids would go unbatted the world over.
September 11th, 2009 at 11:17 am
Well, with respect Peter, I’d say you have a passing dislike of Gareth Brooks, fair enough.
But as a teenager in the late 1990s, I worked in a pick up truck in the American South, fixing air conditioners all day with an out and out redneck who listened exclusively to Gareth Brooks and Tim McGraw.
So when I say I hate Gareth Brooks, I’m talking on another level altogether. I mean, I’d murder the guy if I could get away with it.
If Ryan Adams sounded anything like that prick, believe me I’d come out in hives.
September 11th, 2009 at 11:40 am
Butler I think yre just a sucker for sentimental songs about country boys who miss their mammys.
September 11th, 2009 at 1:28 pm
Fair enough Eoin, I didn’t mean to bring all those bad memories back.
September 11th, 2009 at 1:57 pm
To be honest, I’d forgotten Tim McGraw even existed until today… curses! 🙂