Song Lyric Sunday: I Loved Him Like My Friend

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Song Lyric Sunday this week is for us to play a song that was posthumously released, as Jim tells us in his post Turn Me On, Dead Man. And if you want to know where that came from I’m not telling – you’ll have to to read Jim’s post! I checked the oracle – Wikipedia – and it gives a lot of detail for this, but in the end I decided to go with the first idea that came into my head. I wouldn’t be surprised if someone else chooses this for today, but that would just give us more chances to listen to songs from a wonderful album.

My chosen record is Grievous Angel, by Gram Parsons, which was recorded in summer 1973 but not released until January 1974, four months after Gram’s passing. It wasn’t a huge commercial success but has matured with age, being included at #425 in the 2012 edition of Rolling Stone‘s list of the top 500 albums of all time. And here is my favourite track from it, the one that closes the album. This track, and especially the third verse, really resonates with me since I lost my Dad two years ago:

And how about some lyrics?

 

In my hour of darkness
In my time of need
Oh Lord, grant me vision
Oh Lord, grant me speed

Once I knew a young man
Went driving through the night
Miles and miles without a word
With just his high-beam lights
Who’d have ever thought
They’d build such a deadly Denver bend
To be so strong, to take so long
As it would ’til the end

In my hour of darkness
In my time of need
Oh Lord, grant me vision
Oh, Lord, grant me speed

Another young man safely strummed
His silver string guitar
And he played to people everywhere
Some say he was a star
But he was just a country boy
His simple songs confess
And the music he had in him
So very few possess

In my hour of darkness
In my time of need
Oh Lord, grant me vision
Oh Lord, grant me speed

Then there was an old man
Kind and wise with age
And he read me just like a book
And he never missed a page
And I loved him like my father
And I loved him like my friend
And I knew his time would shortly come
But I did not know just when

In my hour of darkness
In my time of need
Oh Lord, grant me vision
Oh Lord, grant me speed

 

Songwriters: Gram Parsons, Emmylou Harris

Lyrics: Genius.com

Ingram Cecil Connor III (born November 5, 1946), known professionally as Gram Parsons, was an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, and pianist. He recorded with the International Submarine Band, the Byrds, and the Flying Burrito Brothers, popularising what he called “Cosmic American Music”, a hybrid of country, rhythm and blues, soul, folk, and rock. He has been credited with helping to found the country rock and alt-country genres and was ranked at #87 on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. He came from a troubled background: both of his parents were alcoholics and his father committed suicide in December 1958, two days before Christmas. His mother remarried and he adopted his stepfather’s surname for his musical career.

Gram first came to prominence during his brief stay in The Byrds, and was influential in persuading the band to relocate to Nashville to record the album which became 1968’s Sweetheart Of The Rodeo, now regarded as the seminal work for the country rock genre. He left the band in summer 1968 while they were touring the UK, as he objected to apartheid and didn’t think they should tour South Africa, and ended up staying on here at Keith Richards’ home, becoming friends with Keith and Mick Jagger, introducing them to country music, and prompting several Rolling Stones songs on future albums: think Country Honk, or Faraway Eyes as just two examples.

His was a complicated life, largely due to alcohol and heroin addictions, and his relationships were many: he had a daughter by one girlfriend, married another – Gretchen Burrell – and after they separated he hooked up again with a high school sweetheart, Margaret Fisher, who was staying with him at the Joshua Tree Inn in California at the time of his death from a morphine overdose, on 19 September 1973. Recording sessions for the Grievous Angel album were largely complete at the time of his death, and it was released four months later after his widow, Gretchen, had made a number of changes to the track listing and the album cover. One of the doubts she had was about his relationship with Emmylou Harris, who was his singing partner but may or may not have been more to him. The original plan for the album sleeve was for it to be a photo of Gram and Emmylou, but Gretchen relegated her to the back cover. You heard her on that song, along with Linda Ronstadt, who also contributed backing vocals to that track. He sure could pick them!

Gram and Emmylou co-wrote the song, which is a highlight of the album for me. My other big favourite is a cover version, and when you hear them on this, it becomes clear why Gretchen had her doubts:

Love Hurts was written by Boudleaux Bryant and first recorded by The Everly Brothers in 1960. There have been several other versions of the song, but this has always been the best for me: the depth of feeling they put into it is so very real. The fact that Emmylou has continued to play the song in concert and has included it on a live album reinforces that, I think. Eat your hearts out, Nazareth!

That’s me done for today, and I hope you’ve enjoyed the tunes. Keep safe and hydrated in the hot weather, and I hope to see you again for another round of Tuesday Tunes. Take care 😊

43 thoughts on “Song Lyric Sunday: I Loved Him Like My Friend”

  1. Pingback: A New View Of July | Take It Easy

  8. I’m familiar with Love Hurts but not Grievous Angel. I’m not usually a big fan of country music, but I did enjoy this song, as I prefer the old country music to the current one. Great pick for today.

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    • Thank you, Jim, I’m pleased you enjoyed the music and the story. His influence on the Stones lasted well beyond his own lifetime – without him I doubt they would have so many country songs in their catalogue.

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  12. There’s Nazareth and there’s this, two vastly different versions of a classic song. It’s been a long time since I’ve heard Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris singing ‘Love Hurts’. It was perfect. Thanks Clive. There are a lot of memories today. ❤️‍🩹

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