I’ve always enjoyed lists in magazines, and for me they serve three purposes. One, they may introduce me to some new song or artist I’ve not been aware of; two, they may make me go back to ones I already love with fresh ears; and three, they may give me an opportunity to vent my spleen in righteous indignation at the ridiculous inclusion of a non-worthy contender / at the ridiculous non-inclusion of an obvious stand out. So, my wish to you, reader, is that you may find any or all of these things in the following offerings.
Number 10. First Aid Kit ‘Emmylou’ from “The Lion’s Roar” (2012).
I couldn’t decide between this and ‘Anchorage’ by Michelle Shocked, but ‘Anchorage’ isn’t available on YouTube so, First Aid Kit win that one! They both share a similar easy rhythm, and they both impart a comforting warmth. Being First Aid Kit, we also have THE most uplifting harmonies, in a song that celebrates the impact of two of country / americana’s foremost couples – Johnny Cash and June Carter, and Emmylou Harris and Gram Parsons. That they got to sing it face-to-face with Emmylou at a tribute night for her is just perfect. No wonder she’s blubbing by the end. Is that something in my eye, too? I’m not crying, you’re crying.
Number 9. Will Hoge ‘Even If It Breaks Your Heart’ from “The Wreckage” (2009)
Co-written with Eric Paslay, and a bigger hit when recorded by the Eli Young band a few years later, there is just something about this song that ticks all the americana boxes for me. That creeping energy with a damped acoustic guitar, leading to a huge chorus that just captures the essence of what Americana is all about – can anyone else hear the ringing of a beat up old guitar?
Number 8. The Byrds ‘You Ain’t Going Nowhere’ from “Sweetheart of the Rodeo” (1968)
My first exposure to music came at the age of around 7 or 8, when my parents would take my sister and I to see Ruan Folk, a folk show band who had a residency in a small town near us in rural Cornwall. As luck would have it, within that band were some country fans, so alongside the folk staples of the day, were sprinkled the likes of ‘Foggy Mountain Breakdown’ (I was mesmerised by the virtuoso banjo player, Pete), and ‘You Ain’t Going Nowhere’. I didn’t know anything about Dylan or the Byrds, but was fascinated by the lyrics that hinted at magic but didn’t fill in the gaps. What was the easy chair? How could you strap yourself to a tree with roots? And no one else was singing about Genghis Khan. It was weird and it was wonderful. Fifty years later, it still is just as mysterious. Oh, and thanks to YouTube for coming up with this little time capsule of the Byrds playing it live!
Number 7. Sam Baker ‘Snow’ from “Cotton” (2009)
For me, Sam Baker is americana’s own Leonard Cohen. His songs are extraordinary, in that they peel away unnecessary jargon or sugar coated emotions to speak to the deep rooted humanity that lies within us all – but is seldom accessible. I couldn’t even tell you what ‘Snow’ is about. But when I hear it, I can feel the emotion welling up inside me. The reason I picked this over his others is the perfectly judged, gossamer piano outro that leaves you in the space of his music and words for long enough to truly appreciate the stillness and enormity of the world around us. It goes beyond the words, way beyond, as much of his work does.
Number 6. Iris Dement ‘OurTown’ from “Infamous Angel” (1993).
And on a similar note – the simplest chords and music, the most heartfelt lyric. Iris Dement tapped into something truly universal here. Whoever we are, whatever our backgrounds or beliefs, change is inevitable. But that doesn’t override the human propensity for holding onto places, people and memories that have huge meaning for us. Iris captures it here like nowhere else. Oh, and it provides a soundtrack for the typically moving final scene of the greatest TV series ever made (prove me wrong), “Northern Exposure”.
Number 5. Tom Petty ‘Free Fallin’ from “Full Moon Fever” (1989)
Well, every list needs at least one big hitter. So, sorry to Bruce and ‘Born To Run’, or Gram and ‘Grievous Angel’, but on this occasion, Tom takes it. Everything about this is elegiac…that riff! Those guitars! The drums! The simplicity of the two words in the chorus, that capture a feeling of … freedom? Loss? Love? Embracing the universe? Whatever. Tell me there’s a better Americana song, and I’ll…oh wait, it’s only 5 on the list. Maybe I should have thought more about that.
Number 4. Son Volt ‘Tear Stained Eye’ from “Trace” (1995)
OK, I’ve written about this song before in these pages, but what a song. Everything just sounds right, from the acoustic instruments to Jay Farrar’s world weary voice. Again, the lyrics are somewhat obscure, but all the better to capture something indefinable. If people say they don’t know now what americana is, or that they don’t like country music, I play them this. It hasn’t failed me yet.
Number 3. Wilco ‘Pieholden Suite’ from “Summerteeth” (1999)
Jeff Tweedy, Farrar’s erstwhile partner in Uncle Tupelo, also formed his own band when they split, and Wilco will need no introduction to any reader of Americana UK. For me, my relationship with Wilco started with their wonderfully sprawling second album “Being There”, and of course, they gained critical acclaim with the likes of “Yankee Hotel Foxtrot” and “A Ghost Is Born”. Tweedy has simply never looked back, and he has established a huge and rich body of work to compare with any in popular music. However, the one for me is 1999’s “Summerteeth”, in which he unleashed his more experimental textures but also kept them in check with a pop sensibility which meant earworm after earworm (credit must also go to Jay Bennett, who had a huge role in this iteration of the band with arrangements and musical ideas). Of all these wonderful songs (see also ‘How To Fight Loneliness’, ‘My Darling’, ‘Summerteeth’ itself, and many more), ‘Pieholden Suite’ sounds the most like it might have come out of the Beatles at their 1966-7 peak. It has a sumptuous and somewhat unexpected melody and chord structure, the instrumentation and backing vocals are fantastic, and it packs a huge amount into three and a half minutes. Kudos.
Number 2. Steve Earle ‘Fort Worth Blues’ from “El Corazon” (1997)
A bit like ‘Emmylou’, this is something of a tribute, to Townes van Zandt, Earle’s …friend? Mentor? Hero? Something else? Whatever, it’s a shimmering, understated song, full of imagery of the road and the people and places you find on it. It takes its place alongside a seemingly never ending supply of guitar ballads from Earle’s pen (see also ‘My Old Friend the Blues’, Goodbye’, ‘Valentine’s Day’, ‘Pilgrim’, etc etc). What else? It has one of the most emotionally engaging guitar solos in americana (entwined with a pedal steel). It has a perfect little full stop at the end. And it may well have resulted in a French woman getting an undeserved black eye twenty years ago…but that’s another story.
Number 1. Nanci Griffith ‘Love at the Five and Dime’ from “The Last of The True Believers” (1986) & “One Fair Summer Evening” (1988)
This is that rarity, a recorded live version that significantly trumps the original album track. It captures Griffith at the height of her powers as a writer, singer, but most of all performer, as she strings a collection of shaggy dog recollections over the fantastically wonderful guitar motif that makes this song so instantly memorable (try it in open G, to recreate it’s perfection). Then, there’s the words. Griffith is often described as a story teller, and she has many songs that capture this side of her, from ’Trouble In The Fields’ to ‘Love Wore a Halo’. But perhaps this is where she reached her pinnacle, with the telling of a lifelong relationship with its ups and downs. It spreads even to older age when male protagonist Eddie has to quit playing guitar because “arthritis took his hands”, though he and Rita still dance together in the evenings. Ah, you know how it goes. And if you don’t, listen to this right now. Immediately.
