Woody Guthrie's gorgeous "California Stars"
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Artist:Billy Bragg and Wilco
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Album:Mermaid Avenue
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Track:California Stars
Imagine if someone contacted you and said, "There are a bunch of lyrics written by Vince Neil of Motley Crue. Would you like to put them to music?" Once your laughter subsided you might say something gentle like, "Wouldn't that be like wrapping dog shit in Louis Vuitton?" and then decline the offer. However, imagine if someone contacted you and said, "There are a bunch of unheard lyrics written by Woody Guthrie. Would you like to put them to music?" That is what happened to Billy Bragg, and he was asked by none other than Guthrie's daughter, Nora Guthrie. Billy Bragg contacted Wilco to collaborate on the project, and Wilco were given their own share of songs to finish. The resulting album was 1998's Mermaid Avenue. The song I'm featuring, "California Stars", begins with the beautiful line, "I'd like to rest my heavy head tonight on a bed of California stars," and it just gets more beautiful from there. The music was written by Jay Bennett and Jeff Tweedy of Wilco. I can just imagine the inspiration that must have been flowing through them as they sat there with Woody Guthrie's hand-written lyrics in front of them:
I'd like to rest my heavy head tonightOn a bed of California starsI'd like to lay my weary bones tonightOn a bed of California stars
I'd love to feel your hand touching mineAnd tell me why I must keep working onYes, I'd give my life to lay my head tonightOn a bed of California stars
I'd like to dream my troubles all awayOn a bed of California starsJump up from my star bed and make another dayUnderneath my California stars
They hang like grapes on vines that shineAnd warm the lovers glass like friendly wineSo, I'd give this worldJust to dream a dream with youOn our bed of California stars
When you have something like this for inspiration, in ink that flowed from the pen held by Woody Guthrie, how could it not evoke this fantastic music?
I'd like to rest my heavy head tonightOn a bed of California starsI'd like to lay my weary bones tonightOn a bed of California stars
I'd love to feel your hand touching mineAnd tell me why I must keep working onYes, I'd give my life to lay my head tonightOn a bed of California stars
I'd like to dream my troubles all awayOn a bed of California starsJump up from my star bed and make another dayUnderneath my California stars
They hang like grapes on vines that shineAnd warm the lovers glass like friendly wineSo, I'd give this worldJust to dream a dream with youOn our bed of California stars
When you have something like this for inspiration, in ink that flowed from the pen held by Woody Guthrie, how could it not evoke this fantastic music?
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