Straight to You is the second song to appear here from Nick Cave in the last week. It is my favourite song from his seventh studio album Henry’s Dream and one of the first Bad Seeds tunes that really caught my attention. This tragic-romance has an apocalyptic atmosphere and biblical undertones. It is one of his most anthemic pieces along with his masterpiece The Ship Song from his previous album – The Good Son. Straight to You unfolds against a backdrop of looming catastrophe – be it spiritual, or global. It was when Cave was going through a Gothic folk and romantic balladry career phase. The lyrics describe a love so consuming that it drives the narrator to defy impending disaster, traversing chaos and destruction to reunite with the beloved. Straight to You seems one of his most accessible and deeply emotional tracks.
Straight to You was released as a single in 1992 (see image inset) and charted at no. 68 in the UK and No 7 in the UK indie chart and no. 96 in Australia. According to Wikipedia it gained both contemporary and retrospective critical acclaim. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds promoted the album Henry’s Dream with an initial tour across Europe, North America, Japan and Australia in 1992; a tour consisted of five legs and fifty-five concerts.
[Verse 1] All the towers of ivory are crumbling And the swallows have sharpened their beaks This is the time of our great undoing This is the time that I’ll come running
[Chorus 1] Straight to you, for I am captured Straight to you, for I am captured One more time
[Verse 2] Now the light in our window is fading The candle gutters on the ledge Well now, sorrow, it comes a-stealing And I’ll cry, girl, but I’ll come a-running
[Verse 3] Gone are the days of rainbows And gone are the nights of swinging from the stars For the sea will swallow up the mountains And the sky will throw thunder-bolts and sparks
[Verse 4] Now heaven has denied us its kingdom And the saints, they’re all drunk, howling at the moon And the chariots of angels are colliding Well, I’ll run, babe, but I’ll come running
On September 29 this year, I wrote an article about Nathy Peluso’s magnificent song Envidia (eng. Envious) and how she had been nominated for 3 Latin Grammy awards for the following: Best Rap/Hip Hop Song with Aprender a Amar, Best Alternative Song with El Día Que Perdí Mi Juventud and Best Long Form Music Video – Grasa. I described how much heat I received in individual circles when I started circulating her music in particular her rap songs Nasty Girl and Sana Sana.
On Thursday, November 14, 2024, the 25th edition of the Latin Grammys were presented in Miami to recognise the work achieved in the Latin music industry. Well, low and behold Nathy Peluso took home all 3 statuettes in which she was nominated. “Art is about that, about putting your heart into it, putting your faith into it and giving yourself,” she said in her first appearance on stage. Excuse my obtuseness, but do I feel vindicated (not the least of all her)? – Yes, too right I (we) do!
Those who have followed underground Spanish music like ‘yours truly’ have known the name Nathy Peluso for quite a while as my previous articles demonstrate. In 2020 the Argentine-Spanish artist came to the attention of a broader audience. That year, the rapper and singer released her official debut album Calambre, which won a Latin Grammy for Best Alternative Album and received a Grammy nomination for Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album in 2021. Both visually and aurally, Nathy Peluso is part cinematic diva and part underworld kingpin. Her tough, independent persona was on full display on her now-multimillion streamed 2020 sessions as I aforementioned.
I’ll continue to follow Nathy Peluso’s development as an artist with much attentiveness as I do all my favourite singer-songwriters. I have especially admired watching how she has transfigured her artistry and changed the music landscape as we speak with such brashness and authenticity.
‘Nathy Peluso is a genuine Latin Pop polymath in the modern Latina music world; a sort of Jekyll and Hyde figure battling between herself and her bold pop star persona. She opens her latest album Grasa (Eng: Fat) with a lyric suggesting her ambition is killing her, but the scope and execution of the whole album suggest an artist who is very much alive.‘
Watch below Nathy Peluso getting her ‘look’ prepared for the 2024 Grammys. You could do worse. They got this right.
Tom Waits assumes the voice of a carnival barker in this polemic about advertising and commercialism. “Step right up” is a phrase these hucksters would often use to lure crowds into attractions, promising a life-altering viewing that would inevitably disappoint. Most of us learn early that what’s promised never lives up to the hype, but some people just keep handing over their money, hoping the Fiji Mermaid will be a glorious creature, only to find it’s a stuffed monkey with a fishtail sewed on.
Step Right Up is a clever novelty song that Tom released during his beatnik phase. Through the improvisational nature of the lyrics, the song showcases Waits’ unique delivery and sense of humor. You could perform it at a comedy festival and it would fit right in. Step Right Up is the second song to appear here from his 1976 album Small Change after his previous entry Pasties and a G-String (At The Two O’Clock Club). That song also has a lyrical style that owed influence to Charles Bukowski as well as a vocal delivery influenced by Louis Armstrong, Dr. John and Howlin’ Wolf.
The following was extracted from the Wikipedia reference below: Small Change received critical reviews equal to or better than Waits’ previous three albums, and was at first a surprise commercial success, rising to No 89 on the Billboard chart.
When asked in an interview with Mojo in 1999 if he shared many fans’ view that Small Change was the crowning moment of his “beatnik-glory-meets-Hollywood-noir period” (i.e. from 1973 to 1980), Waits replied:
Well, gee. I’d say there’s probably more songs off that record that I continued to play on the road, and that endured. Some songs you may write and record but you never sing them again. Others you sing em every night and try and figure out what they mean. “Tom Traubert’s Blues” was certainly one of those songs I continued to sing, and in fact, close my show with
In 1995 a tribute album to Tom Waits was released called Step Right Up: The Songs of Tom Waits. The songs are performed by various artists.
Step right up, step right up, step right up Everyone’s a winner, bargains galore That’s right, you too can be the proud owner Of the quality goes in before the name goes on One-tenth of a dollar, one-tenth of a dollar We got service after sales How about perfume? We got perfume How about an engagement ring? Something for the little lady Something for the little lady Something for the little lady hmm Three for a dollar We got a year-end clearance, we got our white sale And smoke-damaged furniture, you can drive it away today Act now, act now, and receive as our gift, our gift to you They come in all colors, one size fits all No muss, no fuss, no spills, you’re tired of kitchen drudgery Everything must go Going out of business, going out of business, going out of business sale Fifty percent off original retail price Skip the middle man Don’t settle for less How do we do it? How do we do it? Volume, volume, turn up the volume Now you’ve heard it advertised, don’t hesitate Don’t be caught with your drawers down Don’t be caught with your drawers down You can step right up, step right up That’s right, it filets, it chops, it dices, slices Never stops, lasts a lifetime, mows your lawn And it mows your lawn and it picks up the kids from school It gets rid of unwanted facial hair It gets rid of embarrassing age spots It delivers a pizza and it lengthens and it strengthens And it finds that slipper that’s been at large Under the chaise lounge for several weeks And it plays a mean Rhythm Master It makes excuses for unwanted lipstick on your collar And it’s only a dollar, step right up It’s only a dollar, step right up And its forging your signature If not completely satisfied, mail back unused portion of product For complete refund of price of purchase Step right up Please allow thirty days for delivery Don’t be fooled by cheap imitations You can live in it, live in it, laugh in it, love in it Swim in it, sleep in it, live in it, swim in it, laugh in it, love in it Removes embarrassing stains from contour sheets, that’s right And it entertains visiting relatives It turns a sandwich into a banquet Tired of being the life of the party? Change your shorts, change your life, change your life Change into a nine-year-old Hindu boy Get rid of your wife and it walks your dog And it doubles on sax, doubles on sax You can jump back, Jack See you later, alligator, see you later, alligator And it steals your car It gets rid of your gambling debts. it quits smoking It’s a friend and it’s a companion And it’s the only product you will ever need Follow these easy assembly instructions, it never needs ironing Well it takes weights off hips, bust thighs, chin, midriff Gives you dandruff and it finds you a job, it is a job And it strips the phone company, free, take ten for five exchange And it gives you denture breath And you know it’s a friend and it’s a companion And it gets rid of your traveler’s checks It’s new, it’s improved, it’s old-fashioned Well it takes care of business Never needs winding, never needs winding, never needs winding Gets rid of blackheads, the heartbreak of psoriasis Christ you don’t know the meaning of heartbreak, buddy C’mon c’mon c’mon c’mon ‘Cause it’s effective, it’s defective, it creates household odors It disinfects, it sanitizes for your protection It gives you an erection, it wins the election Why put up with painful corns any longer? It’s a redeemable coupon, no obligation No salesman will visit your home We got a jackpot jackpot jackpot Prizes prizes prizes, all work guaranteed How do we do it? How do we do it? How do we do it? How do we do it? We need your business We’re going out of business We’ll give you the business Get on the business end of our going-out-of-business sale Receive our free brochure, free brochure Read the easy-to-follow assembly instructions Batteries not included Send before midnight tomorrow, terms available Step right up, step right up, step right up You got it, buddy, the large print giveth and the small print taketh away Step right up, you can step right up You can step right up, c’mon step right up Get away from me, kid, you bother me Step right up, step right up, step right up C’mon c’mon c’mon c’mon c’mon Step right up, you can step right up C’mon and step right up C’mon and step right up
In 1988, Frito-Lay hired a Tom Waits imitator named Stephen Carter to voice a radio commercial for SalsaRio Doritos in the style of this song. Waits was furious when he heard it. The commercial really did sound like him and gave the impression that he endorsed it, which would be a complete reversal of what he stands for and espouses in “Step Right Up.” He filed suit for false endorsement and misappropriation, and won a $2.6 million judgment. Frito-Lay appealed, but in 1992 the verdict was upheld. Carter, the man who impersonated Waits in the commercial, testified on Tom’s behalf.
I remember in my young adulthood enthralled watching Billy Connolly’s World Tour of Scotland over and over again. My family ancestry partly originates from Scotland, so I have always had a penchant for anything Scottish especially Amy Macdonald’s rendition of Flower of Scotland. The World Tour of Scotland (image inset) is a six-part television series – the first of Scottish comedian Billy Connolly’s “world tours” – originally broadcast by the BBC in 1994.
The closing titles features an excerpt of Connolly’s performing his cover of Van Morrison’s Irish Heartbeat, live at Edinburgh’s Usher Hall, over landscape views of the areas visited in the respective episodes. It would always give me goosebumps and it still does. Billy does this just so well and with such feeling. Oh – and when the bagpipes start from the College of Piping pipe band. Of course Billy Connolly is renowned more as a comedian than a singer – musician, but he shines here and you can tell he has musical history. I wrote recently in the article on Gerry Rafferty song Shipyard Town that he became a member of a folk-pop group, the Humblebums, along with comedian Billy Connolly.
I don’t think you can achieve a song more attuned to the heritage of Scotland if you tried, yet it’s called ‘Irish Heartbeat’ by the great Van.
[Verse 1] Oh won’t you stay Stay awhile with your own ones Don’t ever stray Stray so far from your own ones For the world is so cold Don’t care nothing for your soul You share with your own ones
[Verse 2] Don’t rush away Rush away from your own ones One more day One more day with your own ones Yes the world is so cold Don’t care nothing for your soul You share with your own ones
[Bridge] There’s a stranger and he’s standing at your door Might be your best friend, might be your brother You may never know
[Verse 3] I’m going back Going back to my own ones Back to talk Talk awhile with my own ones This old world is so cold Don’t care nothing for your soul You share with your own ones
The following was extracted from the second Wikipedia reference below:
Irish Heartbeat is a popular song that was first recorded on Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison’s 1983 album Inarticulate Speech of the Heart. A remake with the Chieftains was also included on Morrison’s 1988 album, Irish Heartbeat.
‘We gained exclusive access to the world’s biggest and toughest prison in El Salvador. Fifteen thousand prisoners are locked up here, most of whom will never leave alive. The prison is the symbol of a relentless crackdown on gangs by the 42-year-old president of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele. With more than 3,000 homicides per year for a population of six million, El Salvador has long held the record of being the most dangerous country in the world. This insecurity was caused by gang warfare between MS13 and Barrio 18. To combat this violence, El Salvador’s young president, Nayib Bukele, declared a ruthless war on gangs….‘
Who can forget this pivotal inning in game 5 from this years World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees? In my short history following baseball, I have not seen a stranger inning which contain 3 of the oddest calamities one is likely to see in this sport, let alone a ‘do or die’ match of the World Series where the Yankees lost a 5 run lead to allow 5 unearned runs and eventually lose the last game of the MLB year. It was extraordinary to witness live, well live on TV at least. That 5th inning is broken down with careful precision in this video, but beware it seems to have been done in some jest to mock the Yankees who still have won more World Series than any other team and won 4 times more World Series than the Dodgers.
As I wrote in last week’s News on the March episode I have been devouring high-end adventure videos about ultra-marathon running and mountain climbing. Last week was on the latter, this week we look at the former:
I found this presentation of the Backyard Ultra Marathon fascinating. About the Backyard format:
A backyard ultra event is a unique ultramarathon race that typically takes place on a looped course, usually in a backyard or other small, contained space. The race format involves runners completing a loop of a set distance, often a mile or a kilometre, within a certain time limit, usually one hour. At the end of each loop, runners must be ready to start the next loop again when the clock starts for the next hour. This means the runners must manage their pace and energy levels carefully to ensure they have enough time to complete each loop within the time limit. The event continues in this format until only one runner remains, or until no runner can complete a full loop within the time limit. This format makes the backyard ultra event unique in that it is not a race against other runners but rather a race against the clock and oneself.
Warning: Features explicit language and offensive content.
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds’ Stagger Lee is a take on a traditional folk song; a dark and violent tale, told from the perspective of Stagger Lee, a notorious figure in American folklore. His entire character is created from his appearance in different songs by different bands over the years. It is said that Stagger Lee is one of the most frequently written-about characters who was never originally conceived in a novel, short story, film, or other traditional narrative form. In a recent interview with UnHerd, Nick Cave explained that his version is “highly problematic” and “offensive on many, many levels.” He cited the song as an example of his earlier work that he now regrets, stating that he would not write such lyrics today.
Despite its polemic nature, I always liked Stagger Lee‘s driving rhythm and haunting melody. Nick Cave’s distinctive baritone vocals are so brash and impactful delivering the song’s dark and twisted narrative. I can’t get enough of it. Face the evil up close and get a taste of it. It’s an expose on this malevolent being that rarely is captured in Song. Stagger Lee appears to remain a fan favourite and a standout track in Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds’ discography. The video below is the ants pants as far as I’m concerned. There are various recordings and spellings (stackolee, stagolee, stagger lee, stack a lee) of this song going back decades. Cave’s version draws most of the lyrics from a 1967 transcription published in the 1976 book The Life: The Lore and Folk Poetry of the Black Hustler.
[Verse 1] It was back in ’32 when times were hard He had a Colt .45 and a deck of cards Stagger Lee He wore rat-drawn shoes and an old Stetson hat Had a ’28 Ford, he had payments on that Stagger Lee His woman threw him out in the ice and snow And told him, “Never ever come back no more Stagger Lee” So he walked through the rain and he walked through the mud Till he came to a place called The Bucket Of Blood Stagger Lee He said “Mr Motherfucker, you know who I am” The barkeeper said, “No, and I don’t give a good goddamn” To Stagger Lee He said, “Well bartender, it’s so plain to see I’m the bad motherfucker called Stagger Lee Mr. Stagger Lee” Barkeep said, “Yeah, I’ve heard your name down the way And I kick motherfucking asses like you every day Mr Stagger Lee” Well ah, those were the last words that the barkeep said Cause Stag put four holes in his motherfucking head
[Verse 2] Just then in came a broad called Nellie Brown Known to make more money than any bitch in town She struts across the bar, hitching up her skirt Over to Stagger Lee, she startin’ to flirt Oh, Stagger Lee She saw the barkeep, said, “O God, he can’t be dead!” Stag said, “Well, just count the holes in the motherfucker’s head!” She said, “You ain’t look like you scored in quite a time Why not come to my pad? It won’t cost you a dime Mr. Stagger Lee!” “But there’s something I have to say before you begin You’ll have to be gone before my man Billy Dilly comes in Mr. Stagger Lee” “I’ll stay here till Billy Dilly comes in, till time comes to pass And furthermore I’ll fuck Billy Dilly in his motherfucking ass” Said Stagger Lee “I’m a bad motherfucker, don’t you know And I’ll crawl over fifty good pussies just to get to one fat boy’s asshole!” Said Stagger Lee Just then Billy Dilly rolls in and he says, “You must be The mad motherfucker called Stagger Lee” “I’m Stagger Lee Yeah, I’m Stagger Lee and you better get down on your knees And suck my dick, because If you don’t you’re gonna be dead” Said Stagger Lee Well, Billy Dilly dropped down and slobbered on his head And Stag filled him full of lead *gunshots* Oh yeah [Outro] *screaming*
The following was extracted from the Wikipedia reference below: The track was released on Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds’ 1996 album Murder Ballads. As the name suggests, the album consists of new and traditional murder ballads, a genre of songs that relays the details (and often consequences) of crimes of passion. Murder Ballads was the band’s biggest commercial success to date, most likely helped by the unexpected repeated airplay of the “Where the Wild Roses Grow” video on MTV. Cave later said: “I was kind of aware that people would go and buy the Murder Ballads album and listen to it and wonder ‘What the fuck have I bought this for?’ because the Kylie song wasn’t any true indication of what the record was actually like.” In December 2021, the album was ranked at no. 13 in Rolling Stone Australia’s “200 Greatest Australian Albums of All Time” list.
Of all the songs from the The Last Waltz concert, Stage Fright was always the one that captivated my musical sensibilities the most. It’s such an unusual song and I mean that in the best possible way. As the title suggests, The Band drummer Levon Helm has written that the song is about “the terror of performing.” Rick Danko’s vocal style is both raw and tender and fits the song’s themes of anxiety and self-doubt. His voice sounds like a man on the edge, wrestling with the pressures of fame and expectation. It’s not flawless but it is powerful and drenched in emotion and as a viewer you feel drawn to his plight. Originally Robertson intended it to be sung by Richard Manuel but it became clear that the song was better suited to Danko’s “nervous, tremulous voice.” Helm regarded the song as a “showpiece” for lead singer and bassist Rick Danko particularly in the use of a fretless bass, which according to Helm “gave the rhythm section a different feel.”
Also musically The Band brings a sense of tension and release that mirrors the song’s exploration of these themes, all while providing the perfect backdrop for Rick Danko’s vocals. Right from the opening notes, Garth Hudson’s swirling organ sets a nervous, almost restless atmosphere. Robbie Robertson’s guitar work is sharp yet restrained, with biting riffs that reflect the jittery edge of someone trying to keep it together under pressure.
Apart from the legendary The Last Waltz concert as seen below, a live performance of Stage Fright appears on Before the Flood, a live album of The Band’s 1974 tour with Bob Dylan which was my first ever Bob Dylan purchase. The song was originally released in 1971 as a single in Denmark of all places. It was re-released as the B-side of Dylan’s Most Likely You Go Your Way (And I’ll Go Mine) single in 1974.
[Verse 1] Now deep in the heart of a lonely kid Who suffered so much for what he did They gave this ploughboy his fortune and fame Since that day he ain’t been the same
[Chorus] See the man with the stage fright Just standin’ up there to give it all his might And he got caught in the spotlight But when we get to the end He wants to start all over again
[Verse 2] I’ve got fire water right on my breath And the doctor warned me I might catch a death Said, “You can make it in your disguise Just never show the fear that’s in your eyes”
[Chorus]
[Bridge] Now if he says that he’s afraid Take him at his word And for the price that the poor boy has paid He gets to sing just like a bird, oh, ooh ooh ooh
[Verse 4] Your brow is sweatin’ and your mouth gets dry Fancy people go driftin’ by The moment of truth is right at hand Just one more nightmare you can stand
[Chorus]
[Outro] Hmm hmm You wanna try it once again, hmm hmm Please, don’t make him stop, hmm hmm Let him take it from the top, hmm hmm Let him start all over again
Glory Days is the big rock stomping, jukebox hit on Bruce Springsteen’s Born in the USA album. It was the fifth single released from the record. As evident in its official music video, nowhere does Bruce Springsteen showcase and embrace this hometown, blue-collar image more than in this song. A cynic may now find it cheesy, but watching the video still brings a wide smile to my face. Glory Days and Dancing in the Dark were among the first songs I introduced to my kids from Bruce Springsteen’s vast catalogue, as I thought their catchy, upbeat appeal would be the perfect way to get someone so young interested in his music. I’ll admit my appreciation of the Born in the USA album has dissipated over the years in preference for other music from his lesser-known records, but I can’t help but sometimes think about….Glory Days!
The song was written initially as a trilogy – a friend (1st verse), a girl (2nd verse) and a father (the “missing verse”). These were three persons that impacted him significantly and tied him to his hometown. The American songwriter reference below purports how Glory Days was inspired by a chance meeting with an old high school friend as depicted in the 1st verse:
The verse recounts an event that happened on the Jersey Shore in 1973. Springsteen was leaving the Headliner in Neptune when he crossed paths with an old friend from high school. They returned to the bar and reminisced about their earlier adventures playing baseball. They had been seatmates in seventh grade at St. Rose of Lima High School in Freehold. The speedballer in question was named Joe DePugh, and he played on the same Babe Ruth League baseball team. DePugh excelled on the mound, while Springsteen played right field and earned the nickname “Saddie.”
Springsteen had released his second album and recently opened an arena show for The Beach Boys. Springsteen’s group, who would go on to be named The E Street Band, was building a strong reputation from their live shows, and the duo stayed at the bar until it closed, looking back on their “glory days.”
…..His friend Scott Wright first heard “Glory Days” and recognized the situation from DePugh’s story. In 2011, DePugh told Kevin Coyne of The New York Times, “He told me, ‘Springsteen has a new album out, and there’s a song on there about you. It’s exactly the story you told me.’ DePugh didn’t believe him, so Wright requested the song on a Montpelier, Vermont radio station. “My wife starts bawling,” DePugh said. “That’s how I knew exactly that it was me.”
Bruce decided to emit the father verse (you can read it below) from the official version because he realized that it did not fit with the song’s storyline. Perhaps it strayed too far from the youth themes and that the ‘dead-end’ future sombered the tone. Also he had written about his Dad on other songs heard on the Darkness on the Edge of Town record. Glory Days peaked at No 5 on the Billboard in the summer of 1985. It was the fifth of a record-tying seven Top 10 hit singles to be released from Born in the U.S.A.
[Verse 1] I had a friend was a big baseball player Back in high school He could throw that speedball by you Make you look like a fool, boy Saw him the other night at this roadside bar I was walking in, he was walking out We went back inside, sat down, had a few drinks But all he kept talking about was
[Chorus] Glory days Well they’ll pass you by, glory days In the wink of a young girl’s eye, glory days Glory days (Alright)
[Verse 2] Well, there’s a girl that lives up the block Back in school, she could turn all the boys’ heads Sometimes on a Friday, I’ll stop by and have a few drinks After she put her kids to bed Her and her husband, Bobby, well they split up I guess it’s two years gone by now We just sit around talking about the old times She says when she feels like crying, she starts laughing, thinking ’bout
[Chorus]
[Missing Verse] My old man worked twenty years on the line And they let him go Now everywhere he goes out looking for work They just tell him that he’s too old I was nine-years old and he was working At the Metuchen Ford plant assembly line Now he just sits on a stool down at the Legion Hall But I can tell what’s on his mind
[Verse 3] I think I’m going down to the well tonight And I’m gonna drink till I get my fill And I hope when I get old I don’t sit around thinking about it But I probably will Yeah, just sitting back, trying to recapture A little of the glory, yeah Well, time slips away and leaves you with nothing, mister But boring stories of…
I first heard the Stabat Mater (translated from Latin: The Mother was Standing referring to the Holy Mother Mary) when I saw the movie Amadeus which still sits at No 1 on my 100 favourite movies list. More music has appeared here from that film’s soundtrack than any other. The scenes in which the Stabat Mater appears you can find here. It culminates in the death of Salieri’s father. A plot breakdown follows (ref: Wikipedia):
Salieri begins his confession by saying that he grew up hearing stories of Mozart the child prodigy. As a youth, Salieri offered God a deal: if He allowed Salieri to become a famous musician like Mozart, Salieri would—in return—promise his faithfulness, chastity, and diligence. Soon after, his unsupportive father chokes on his food and dies, which Salieri interprets as a sign that God has accepted his vow.
You can find more about Antonio Salieri’s ‘real life’ and not that which is portrayed in the film at my post:
The following information contains extracts from the Wikipedia article below:
Stabat Mater was composed by the Italian composer Giovanni Battista Pergolesiin the final weeks of his life. The autograph manuscript of the work (image left) is preserved in the Benedictine Abbey of Monte Cassino. The work was composed for a Neapolitan confraternity, the Cavalieri della Vergine dei Dolori di San Luigi al Palazzo. Pergolesi composed it during his final illness from tuberculosis in a Franciscan monastery in Pozzuoli, along with a Salve Regina setting, and finished it shortly before he died. It is scored for soprano and alto soloists, violin I and II, viola and basso continuo.
The Stabat Mater is one of Pergolesi’s most celebrated sacred works, achieving great popularity after the composer’s death. Jean-Jacques Rousseau showed appreciation for the work, praising the opening movement as “the most perfect and touching duet to come from the pen of any composer“.
A translation of the Stabat Mater is as follows:
1. Stabat Mater dolorosa Iuxta crucem lacrimosa Dum pendebat Filius.
1. The grieving Mother stood weeping beside the cross where her Son was hanging.
2. Cuius animam gementem Contristatam et dolentem Pertransivit gladius.
2. Through her weeping soul, compassionate and grieving, a sword passed.
3. O quam tristis et afflicta Fuit illa benedicta Mater unigeniti!
3. O how sad and afflicted was that blessed Mother of the only-begotten!
4. Quae moerebat et dolebat, Pia Mater, dum videbat Nati poenas incliti.
4. Who mourned and grieved, seeing and bearing the torment of her glorious child.
5. Quis est homo qui non fleret, Matrem Christi si videret In tanto supplicio?
5. Who is it that would not weep, seeing Christ’s Mother in such agony?
6. Vidit suum dulcem natum Moriendo desolatum Dum emisit spiritum.
6. She saw her sweet child die desolate, as he gave up His spirit.
7. Eja Mater, fons amoris Me sentire vim doloris Fac, ut tecum lugeam.
7. O Mother, fountain of love, make me feel the power of sorrow, that I may grieve with you.
8. Fac, ut ardeat cor meum In amando Christum Deum Ut sibi complaceam.
8. Grant that my heart may burn in the love of Christ my God, that I may greatly please Him.
Spring Rain is the 10th song to appear here from my dual favourite Australian band The Go-Betweens after their previous entry Right Here. Their prominence is comparable in numbers to another stellar, but cruelly underrated Australian group – My Friend the Chocolate Cake. The Go-Betweens remain somewhat of an enigma in Australian contemporary music circles since they were, as the BBC put it – The 80s band that never conquered the world, but their enduring legacy and vast influence on the music industry cannot be understated. I might sound like a broken record, but to my listening ears no other Australian band encapsulates more instinctively the quintessential Australian ‘sound’ than the The Go-Betweens, analogous to how the wordsmanship of Australian author Tim Winton reacquaints me with my island home when I dive into one of his books.
Spring Rain is the first single from the band’s fourth album Liberty Belle and the Black Diamond Express. It is written by Robert Forster who appears in the music video below. He said the song was written when he was in London in his late twenties, looking back on a time when he was in his late teens and living in Brisbane suburbia. The lyrics appear an inner monologue, with the singer contemplating his rather monotonous life, waiting for a change to come. He feels alienated by the people around him who rather look for material goals.
Forster says the title is an homage to the Creedence Clearwater Revival songs “Who’ll Stop the Rain?” and “Have You Ever Seen The Rain?”, who also have the word ‘rain’ in it. In his memoir “Grant & I”, Forster writes:
‘Spring Rain’ was my second song – there are now four – with the word ‘rain’ in the title.
[Verse 1] Dressed in a white shirt with my hair combed straight Here in my black shoes and me without a date Me without hindsight, me without When will change come Just like Spring Rain
[Chorus] Falling down like sheets (falling down like sheets) Coming down like love (coming down like love) Falling at my feet (falling just like) Spring Rain
[Verse 2] Standing on the lawn with cousins and child brides Caught for the camera on their best sides Being caught forewarned Their best sides When will change come Just like Spring Rain
[Chorus]
[Verse 3] Driving my first car My elbows in the breeze With all these people that I Never, never need These people are excited by their cars I want surprises Just like Spring Rain
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