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Silent House (Dixie Chicks)

I watched Crowded House on Austin City Limits, and they covered this Dixie Chicks song. They did ok, but I heard the Dixie Chicks do this first and I was struck by this song as an exceptional piece of songwriting, on several fronts. First is the lyrics. It's an extremely poiniant piece of writing about how the writer felt about her grandmother doing battle with Alzheimers Disease. It brought a tear to my eye having wittness the same thing with my wife's mother. She lived with us in her final time, so Sherry could take care of her while she battled the same disease. This writer has captured their pain exquisitly. Evokes emotion bigtime. And then the mood of the music is superb to this setting. Sets up a very sad framework. It's kinda hard to listen to because it goes right to your heart, but sadness is part of life, and we are better of if we don't try to avoid it, and just work through it. Ok so we have song and lyric right on the money, then there is their harmonies which I absolutely love... It's one of the things that drew me to The Dixie Chicks music. In my opinion that band name is far too trashy to suit the class of musicianship, and writing I've seen from them. And lastly they've integrated these unconventional instruments into it, mainly banjo. It works well IMHO. You'd never think banjo would work so well on such a sad song, but it does. When I saw them do this on VH1 Storytellers, I was captivated by the performance. Not sure when she wrote this or even when they performed it (I'll have to look), but I saw it in 2007, so this post goes to what Ian has setup. She told what the song is about, on the show, so that's why I know this. I am not sure who made this video but it puts the lyrics on the screen for you as you listen. They have a top notch band backing them up too. Another added bonus there. If you've never seen, or heard this band, and all you know is their kinda cliche band name I have to recommend them. They do country, but they are a crossover band and they rock it up and a lot is on the popish side too. Absolutely flawless singers.... I'm big on vocal harmonies and I'd give them an A in that area. The audio for this video is lower res, but still great. By all means check them out! They are much classier than this band name implies....

9 comments:

Stonehead said...

Hey Fred
The Dixie Chicks are a band where I had heard the name but know nothing about them.
They def have a really good vocal style,The harmony work is great.

Do you like The Roches? I have several albums.Really quirky but great vocal harmony work I love the track "No Shoes".It's on their myspace page

Keeper said...

I'll have to refresh my memory about The Roches. I do recall listening to them, but no music comes to mind.

To be honest with you, I'm usually so involved in production here that I don't get to listen to a lot of commercial music, until usually well after the fact. That's why I was at least a year behind hearing about these songs I've mentioned, and even this Crowded House concert I mentioned was recorded in Sept. of last year. It's because anymore I spend most of my free time at the console working on my own and others from the net. It's good that we can point each other to the good cuts like this. So I'll look for a version of The Roches "No Shoes", to listen on your recommendation. Maybe it's on YouTube?

My sons turn me onto a lot fo good music (and some not so good too). I found out about the band Tantric (I think I spelled that right), and Audioslave from hearing it on their players... I don't even watch that much TV to see the new bands either... If I'm lucky something will catch my eye and pull me away from the studio.

So it's good to have these recommendations like this to take me directly to the good cuts... Thanks Ian...

Stonehead said...

Hi Fred
I have put the roches track in exch
.....quirky but a bit of fun. I like the way they vary the vocal treatment to keep the interest going througfh the song....see what you think

Ian

Keeper said...

Had a listen Ian. I really like it! I'm a fan now too! Hilarious lyrics!

I cracked up when they sung, "I met a man who had no balls"....

That is a great track! Very entertaining! Thanks for sharing!

Keeper said...

No balls, no butt, and now no guts... hehehe Catchy tune!

Stonehead said...

Heh

Clever song writers,good humour and sometimes an edge too.They've been going for years and I had one of their old albums which I put on a couple of times a year but I have just "got hold" of their entire album collection that I am working my way through LOL

Keeper said...

Indeed very good singers. I really like their harmonies...

Bobbylee said...

The Dixie Chicks (a blatant sellout to the Nashville money machine) have been producing some of the finest vocal and instrumental music for a long time. You were suprised the banjo was a good choice for a sad song, the Appalacian Mountain or more correctly "Flat" singing is the Mountain Mans' Blues usually accompanied by one banjo or a fiddle. The Chicks have taken the "Flat" and injected a mix of Nashville Pop,Rock,Country,Folk, and thier own special blend that is hard to quantify, but easy to listen to!

Keeper said...

Hi Bobby-

My Mom's family is from Tennessee, and I grew up listening to bluegrass, and so fiddle and banjo. I love their sounds, and it brings me a feeling of family and old times down in Columbia (where I would spend my summers on my Grandpa's farm digging potatoes and taking up hay). But it is really unheard of to hear those instruments on many pop tunes. They kinda pioneered using it in there, and indeed I think it fits really well. The banjo itself is usally a lively instrument I think, but it served in this particular song quite well.

About the onlyother group i can think of that used it in that sort of context would be The Eagles. I'm sure there are others, but you don't hear it often.

I play harmonica from the days I spent down on Grandaddy's farm. He taught me to play and it's actually my first instrument.

Nice to hear from ya Bobby. Maybe we can kick up some sounthern rythms together...