Clive Gregson & Christine Collister: “This is the Deal” (1989)
As a duo Gregson and Collister were major figures in British folk rock in the late 80’s/early 90’s, similar to what Richard and Linda Thompson had been about a decade and a half earlier. The connections don’t end there: Gregson was a member of Richard Thompson’s band. And Thompson backed Gregson on occasion as well.
Gregson and Collister shared with the Thompsons a common configuration of a male songwriter and highly regarded guitarist accompanied by a female singer with a much-admired voice. Both couples sang songs of domestic turmoil. In the Thompsons’ case those songs were often autobiographical. In the case of Gregson and Collister, hopefully less so. “This is the Deal” for example is about an abusive relationship.
This acoustic performance really highlights Christine Collister’s husky alto–I love when she brings it on the higher notes.
This song sounds to me like something you’d find on a k.d. lang album–Ingenue comes to mind. But Rumer’s voice and style is less “big” and more restrained and intimate. Less k.d. lang and more Karen Carpenter.
This promising band from Philly was signed to RCA and released a well-received debut album, Prize, in 1995. However well-received, though, RCA must not have seen enough commercial promise and dropped them as they were recording a follow-up.
Regina Spektor: “Don’t Leave Me (Ne Me Quitte Pas)” (2012)
Classically trained pianist Regina Spektor wrote all 11 songs on her 2012 release What We Saw From the Cheap Seats and much of the diverse album was recorded with Spektor accompanying her vocals with live piano.
My two favorite songs of the Autumn season happen to fall (yes, fall) at numbers 100 and 200 in this series of posts. And in fact, they are two of my favorite songs, period. British folk rock legends Steeleye Span and the great Maddy Prior evoked the melancholy of the season beautifully in this medley from their 1980 reunion album, Sails of Silver.
If you want the mood to last, listen to it along with #100 “Autumn” by Strawbs:
You’ll be ready to go outside and…harvest something. Or just cozy up with some warm cider by the fire and watch the Yankees get knocked out of the playoffs. God our maker doth provide indeed.
When the marigold no longer blooms When summer sun is turned to gloom See the forecast winter snow See the evergreen that lonely grows Move close to the fire place Neglect the garden See the ground harden At a ghostly pace
The golden summer sun is silver now The fruit has fallen from the bough The season moves to chestnut time Toffee apples, treacle and mulled wine Quilts and furs and woolens gay You wrap around you But the cold confounds you On an autumn day
Stout and strong the walls of home and hearth The curtains drawn against the draft The rake has reaped, the blade has mown Nights draw in to call the harvest home The quiet of a heart at rest In peace abounded By love surrounded Here the home is blessed
Come, ye thankful people, come Raise the song of harvest home All be safely gathered in ‘Ere the winter storms begin God, our maker doth provide For our wants to be supplied Come, ye thankful people, come Raise the song of harvest home Raise the song of harvest home
Every Moment Has A Song 