For this week’s Song Lyric Sunday Jim is inviting us to play a song by someone who has won the Grammy AwardFor Best New Artist, which he tells us about in his post Sprouting And Thriving. Needless to say this necessitated some research on my part, as while the Grammys are a big thing in the US the coverage of them here amounts to the square root of diddly squat. This Award was first presented in the second of these extravaganzas, back in 1960, and has been given out every year since then except for 1967, for a reason which appears to have been a secret.
The citation is that it is “for a new artist who releases, during the Eligibility Year, the first recording which establishes the public identity of that artist.” This doesn’t have to be their first record, but the one that brings them to public attention. As many of the recipients have then sunk without trace it has become known as the ‘kiss of death,’ and apparently one of the Starland Vocal Band has said that it was precisely that for their career. “Who?” you may now be asking? Just think about a song extolling the delights of an afternoon shag and it should come back to you.
But I’m not playing that one. I have chosen two songs for today, both from artists I have played before – but not these songs for SLS. Both are well-deserving of my attention. My lead (and title) song is especially relevant now in the US, though I don’t think it has ever not been important for its message. This is from the 1987 winners:
Standing in line, marking time Waiting for the welfare dime ‘Cause they can’t buy a job The man in the silk suit hurries by As he catches the poor old ladies’ eyes Just for fun he says, “get a job”
That’s just the way it is Some things’ll never change That’s just the way it is Ah, but don’t you believe them
Said, “Hey little boy, you can’t go where the others go ‘Cause you don’t look like they do” Said, “Hey old man, how can you stand To think that way? Did you really think about it Before you made the rules?”
He said, “Son Well, that’s just the way it is Some things’ll never change That’s just the way it is Ah, but don’t you believe them”
Mm, yeah
Well, they passed a law in ’64 To give those who ain’t got a little more But it only goes so far Because the law don’t change another’s mind When all it sees at the hiring time Is the line on the color bar, no, no
That’s just the way it is And some things’ll never change But that’s just the way it is That’s just the way it is, it is, it is, it is
Source: LyricFind
Songwriter: Bruce Hornsby
That is an absolutely incredible song, with an important message about the need to look out for those less fortunate than we are, and not to look on them as figures of fun. As I said, it is particularly pertinent now with the newly-elected US President’s agenda of taking the country back to the days of hatred and discrimination. Bruce Hornsby and the Range released their debut album, The Way It Is, in April 1986 and it reached #3 in the US and #16 in the UK. It is a wonderful album, nine songs and not a dud among them. I played it again the other day and reminded myself just how good it is: I could have played you any of its tracks, and it was a toss up between this one and Every Little Kiss, but this one just won out for being the title track and for its message – and I’ve played the other one for SLS before, anyway. This was the second single taken from the album, in September of that year: it reached #1 in the US and #15 here in the UK. A pretty spectacular debut all round, I think! The album sold more than 3m copies in the US, and in my view thoroughly merited its Grammy Award.
My second song for today is from the 1992 winner. I played one of the other tracks from this album for SLS just last month, and have played its best known song a couple of times on Tuesdays. Again, this is a superb album from which I could have played you the full set, but I’m going with the one which closes it, a thing of real beauty. There are several videos on YouTube where people have used this song as an accompaniment to weddings, but I’m going with the simple original recording. Who needs pictures, anyway – the words speak volumes:
Marc Cohn’s eponymous debut album was released in February 1991, making #38 in the US and #27 in the UK. Its best placings were #14 in Germany and #15 in Canada. In addition to its Grammy the album has gone Platinum in the US for a million sales, and Gold in both the UK (100k) and Germany (250k). The album’s sales were no doubt helped by the success of the lead single taken from it – Walking In Memphis – which peaked at #13 in the US and has become Marc’s signature song, despite the abomination of Cher’s cover version.
So, that’s me done for today. Two great songs from two superb albums I bought when they came out, played to bits and have loved ever since. Two worthy winners of the Grammy for Best New Artist, and two good examples of why having talent may help you to develop a long career in music and to fight off the ‘kiss of death’ stigma. Who were the Starland Vocal Band anyway?
Take It Easy 