walk amongst the mossy bones

October 10, 2007 10:21 AM

Song recommendations for a mix themed "send the soul its way." This mix will already include Calexico -- Bloodflow (hence the mix theme) and Cowboy Junkies -- Me & the Devil (from 200 more miles).

Beyond those two songs I have some ideas but I'm looking for interesting songs that I haven't heard before by interesting bands I haven't heard before that may fall within the general tone and mood of those two songs and also the theme, whatever you take it to mean.
(for those of you who don't know either song, both can be described I guess as moody desert rock and the lyric that inspired this mix from Calexico's Bloodflow is:
walk amongst the mossy bones
of my fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers
feel their blood flow away
send the soul its way)

Looking forward to your suggestions, thanks in advance.

posted by Soulbee to media & arts (23 comments total)

The very first album that came to mind was Life Stories for Minimum Wage by Cuff the Duke - you might love it.
posted by iconomy at 10:30 AM on October 10, 2007

"Requiem" by M. Ward is the first thing that springs to mind. It's western, rugged indie music. You really can't go wrong with much by M. Ward, but this song (which includes the chorus "He was a good man, and now he's gone") fits your theme.
posted by jeffmshaw at 10:30 AM on October 10, 2007

How about Emmylou Harris's All My Tears? Not exactly unknown, though.
posted by small_ruminant at 10:35 AM on October 10, 2007

oh it doesn't HAVE to be unknown, I just meant that I'd love to learn about new things or hidden jewels.
posted by Soulbee at 10:39 AM on October 10, 2007

I don't know the sounds of those bands, but the content seems amenable to mixing up with...

half the tracks off Murder Ballads (Stegger Lee being my first thought, but it's rather raucous)

Kev Russel's Junker (Kev Russel of the Gourds) has a song called Way Fallen Stranger that might be nice. He's sort of arty bluegrass/gospel, with a lyrical style that reminds me of REM.

You could go the Sawdust and Diamonds route... (or even Monkey and Bear...)

The first song I thought of (showing my New Wave roots) was Wall of Voodoo's Call of the West, but they're pretty far afield soundwise, I assume.

Another band I think of when I think "Western" is Readyville. They're adorable, if a little poppy for your purpose.
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 11:03 AM on October 10, 2007

How about some Canadian west? Chad VanGaalen, Graveyard, from the album Skelliconnection (Sub Pop).
posted by priested at 11:09 AM on October 10, 2007

Anything from The Handsome Family
posted by mattholomew at 11:15 AM on October 10, 2007

Also Neko Case's album Blacklisted fits this bill.
posted by mattholomew at 11:17 AM on October 10, 2007

Iron & Wine: Each Coming Night or Naked As We Came
The Knitters: Rank Stranger
posted by MsMolly at 11:24 AM on October 10, 2007 [1 favorite]

The Fruitbats are mellow, moody, driving winding roads with the top down sort of stuff. More toward indie folk than rock, though.
posted by Bella Sebastian at 11:40 AM on October 10, 2007

Holly Cole's cover of Tom Waits' Falling Down from her album of Waits covers is pretty good. But then again, a full third of Waits' catalog (the Bawlers) fits the bill.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 11:42 AM on October 10, 2007

Not exactly obscure, but Morphine surely has something that'll fit the dark, soulful, and sparse bill: I'm personally a fan of 'Gone for Good' off of their album 'Yes' and also 'In Spite of Me' off the fantastic 'Cure for Pain'

Gus Black has a few nice tracks on the Autumn Days release, you might try 'So Very Young.'

Ramblin' Jack Elliot's cover of 'Hong Kong Blues' (also covered by G. Harrison) seems to fit with the more western bent of your mix: lyrics are great, and a bit lighter:


It's the story of a very unfortunate coloured man
Who got arrested down in old Hong Kong
He got twenty years' privilege taken away from him
When he kicked old Buddha's gong

And now he's poppin' the piano just to raise the
price
Of a ticket to the land of the free
Well, he says his home's in 'Frisco where they
send the rice
But it's really in Tennessee

That's why he says
I need someone to love me
Need somebody to carry me home to San
Francisco
And bury my body there
I need someone to lend me a fifty-dollar bill
and then
I'll leave Hong Kong far behind me
For happiness once again

Won't somebody believe
I've a yen to see that Bay again
Everytime I try to leave
Sweet opium won't let me fly away
I need someone to love me
Need somebody to carry me home to San
Francisco
And bury my body there

That's the story of a very unfortunate coloured man
Who got arrested down in old Hong Kong
He got twenty years' privilege taken away from him
When he kicked old Buddha's gong
posted by mr. remy at 11:43 AM on October 10, 2007

Smog - Dress Sexy at My Funeral
posted by hydrophonic at 11:58 AM on October 10, 2007

Sidewinders: "Bad Crazy Sun" or their cover of that Neil Diamond song, "Solitary Man."
Nuclear Valdez: "Summer."
Thomas Dybdahl: "Still My Body Aches."
posted by breezeway at 12:08 PM on October 10, 2007

Caleb Myer by Gillian Welch & David Rawlings

"We'll Meet Again" by many people including Johnny Cash.

"Sleep Has His House" by Current 93

"Sleep Now Forever" and "Turn Off the Light" by Sorrow

50% of everything ever recorded by 16 Horsepower & Woven Hand
posted by Martin E. at 12:59 PM on October 10, 2007

Sentenced - Noose (YouTube)
And then you had made up your mind
and thought it was your time
You left this world without shedding a tear
without hope, without fear

or With Bitterness and Joy (just lyrics - but it's a great song, worth finding)
Life has given me much - maybe taken more
but those good times were always worth waiting for
When it's time for goodbyes I will leave
Grieving and yet so relieved
With bitterness and joy
posted by Wolfdog at 1:17 PM on October 10, 2007

Willard Grant Conspiracy - Right on Time from Mojave
Giant Sand (closely related to Calexico--John Convertino and Joey Burns used to be in Giant Sand) - When I Was Raw or Bottom Line Man from Chore of Enchantment
Sparklehorse - Spirit Ditch from Vivadixiesubmarinetransmission
Black Heart Procession - Your Church Is Red from 2, Ships of Gold from 3

I also think HEM could fit the bill, with Sailor or really anything off the Rabbit Songs album. Or Palace's Viva Last Blues.
posted by Kafkaesque at 1:21 PM on October 10, 2007

Oh, clever, broken link. With Bitterness and Joy.
posted by Wolfdog at 1:22 PM on October 10, 2007

Tracy Chapman - the song "Crossroads".
posted by philad at 2:20 PM on October 10, 2007

Fairport Convention : Farewell Farewell

Farewell, farewell to you who would hear
You lonely travellers all
The cold north wind will blow again
The winding road does call
posted by Dr.Pill at 2:39 PM on October 10, 2007

Laura Veirs - Where Gravity is Dead.
posted by robotot at 2:55 PM on October 10, 2007

Cross Canadian Ragweed's version of Scott Copeland's "Lighthouse Keeper" might fit the bill, though not necessarily on the obscure end of things.
posted by ThatSomething at 7:29 PM on October 10, 2007

thanks for all the suggestions; i'm working through them finding the songs and will mark favorites as I do so. thanks again!
posted by Soulbee at 8:22 AM on October 11, 2007