Blue Monday
A few years ago a British psychologist--being paid by a travel agency--concluded that either the third or fourth Monday in January (whichever falls between the 18th and 24th) is the most depressed day of the year. His reasoning involves the supposition that "majority of people break their healthy [New Years'] resolutions six to seven days into the new year, and even the hangers-on have fallen off the wagon, torn off the nicotine patches and eaten the fridge empty by the third week..." He continues: "Following the initial thrill of New Year's celebrations and changing over a new leaf, reality starts to sink in. The realization coincides with the dark clouds rolling in and the obligation to pay off Christmas credit card bills.” The precise formula he used to determine the date is:
[W + (D-d)] x TQ/M x NA
wherein: (W) weather, (D) debt, (d) monthly salary, (T) time since Christmas, (Q) time since failed quit attempt, (M) low motivational levels and (NA) the need to take action
I feel that I've failed as a music blogger in learning of this a week too late. Still, if you plug the numbers into those variables, I think you'll find this Monday isn't a whole lot better than last. Therefore I give you Jimmie Rodgers. Generally credited as the most important pioneer of country music, his best songs have dated better than anything from the '20s other than Skip James, and remain stronger than anything in country other than Hank Williams. These songs are early enough that there's no pedal-steel or other country trappings, so the sound is hard to distinguish from old folk, but the vibe is clearly headed toward Hank. As miserable as they are essential, even as they find a clear-eyed grace...
Jimmie Rodgers--Never No Mo' Blues
Jimmie Rodgers--Nobody Knows But Me
But people back then didn't know how to milk 'depressed' the way we do now, probably because life was so much closer to fucked, in general, and also because psychological vocabulary hadn't yet penetrated into popular consciousness. So I've decided to put up a Charalambides wallow from 1999, as well. Better than anything they've done since, it starts off with grim guitars, adds in Christina Carter's if-you're-so-mystical-then-why-are-you-sad vocals, and, after a few minutes, the deadest, whitest saxophone you'll ever hear...
Charalambides--Songs For Always
posted by eagleinyourmind at 3:34 AM
3 Comments:
MORNING GLORY-jelly gas flame Dear Nate. Tell me what to do: I must wait a little more time or i must forget it. Thank you anyway. NATURE BOY-GREECE thenatureboy@mailbox.gr
these are some great fucking songs. i especially loved the jimmie rodgers stuff. it's interesting you brought up that equation too, because rodgers had the solution to it: [yo*de(leh)+ee/hoo]. he definately feels like a major influence on mr. michael hurley as well, more so his later stuff. at least to my ears. love that pic too, kind of stanley donwood meets matisse. and if you're still on a proto-country kick, do you have any charley poole to post? i've always wanted to hear his stuff.
nature boy, i want to send you the song soon, but your email address came back as undeliverable. is there another address you can give me?
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