Next Stop: Heaven?
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I'm sure that many people have visions of the afterlife, whether there is one or not. If there is a heaven, getting there is half the fun - at least, from the looks of this album cover:
A buddy posted the cover art on a notorious social-networking website. You know which one I mean - the time vampire. The place where your valuable minutes on the planet are frittered away - other than at MOG, of course. (In-your-facebook, everybody!) Since the remake of the '70s New York City subway-hijacking thriller "The Taking of Pelham 123" is opening today, I thought this image was relevant, in some crazy way - or maybe it's just plain crazy. (Are those angels actually hijacking that train?)
Anyhow, it got me to thinking about what song in my collection would be the ideal accompaniment to the cover art, other than a flat-out gospel tune. Woody Guthrie's folk anthem "This Train Is Bound for Glory" might fit. There's the new-wave dance-rock of "Heaven" by the Psychedelic Furs. But I settled on "Heaven Is in Your Mind" - a significant and entirely appropriate number by the influential British ensemble Traffic from the group's 1967 debut album Mr. Fantasy.
Traffic's sometimes psychedelic blend of rock, jazz, blues and folk remains vivid and musically engaging, even four decades on. And since ex-Traffic singer-songwriter-musician Steve Winwood is currently touring with singer-guitar virtuoso Eric Clapton in support of their new album together, it made even more sense to go with "Heaven Is in Your Mind," which was co-written and sung by Winwood. Unless one of you has a better idea.
Take a good long look at the angels. Anything melodic come to mind?
Comments (14)
GREAT post Mike! Enjoyed listening. I love all the elements in this song. Thats what makes such music.. GREAT.. because the many instruments, or rhythm and colors.
Nothing came to mind, but I do want to hear the record with the angels on it. Got no probs with Traffic though.
Roxy Music's Avalon? That was a strange cover in its own right, and only slightly less funny than the one you posted. On a related note, I just turned down tix to see Winwood, who plays DC tomorrow night with Clapton. Family duty calls.
Well now Mike, Who's gonna second guess your choice here? Not I. Traffic is always welcome.
Any excuse to hear "Heaven Is in Your Mind" is valid anytime. That LP cover is magic! Here's a song I was going to use with two others for a post of my own, but this context is better than that context. Mother McCollom singing "Jesus is My Air-O-Plane" (Chicago 1930). I also just found a painting of the song by a Sister Gertrude Morgan (www.noma.org/educationguides/Morgan.pdf).
Nice Post
Nice Thread
Love Mog
Yeah...right?
never seen this before, very cool album art and song to boot
Kori: It is a beauty, and so expansive. It's even funky, especially in the sax parts. (I'll be damned. I posted it on a Friday, too, and didn't go all theme-day about it.)
Cody: Amen?
funoka: Uh-oh. No dissing for anything Roxy allowed in one of my threads. ;-)
dmdm: Yep. Traffic flows, if you know what I mean.
Spike: "Jesus is My Air-O-Plane"? Awwwwwwwe-some! Gracias!
inrumford: It's all about the love!
Rawk: If Traffic is new to you, there's a lot of fun in store - especially the first two albums.
Pimpster: Great choice. Not enuf Be-Bop Deluxe these days.
I would definitely want some mellow Arcade Fire or Muse for it :)
Not Traffic Mike, just the album cover. I had never seen it before, and to me it looks like a burner that would have been thrown up in NYC sometime in the late 70's. Very cool!
I agree with Anna's choice of Muse, although Traffic works just as nicely.
Anna: I'm sure that would a-Muse you - or Fire you up.
Rawk: It's trippy, f'sure. And what a trip...
ZZTodd: I think so too, which is why I, um, green-lighted Traffic.