Bruce 100

There were some problems with the poll site, so I was never able to vote, but WTHH might not have made my top 100, either, not because of atonality, but because (1) –as has already been stated–Bruce has written so many great songs that narrowing down any list is extremely difficult, (and 2) I don’t agree with the song’s premise: it’s a self-deprecating song wherein the self-deprecation is completely undeserved, so it seems to be in a kind of Randy Newman-ish unreliable narrator style that is great but that keeps the song from being among my favorites.

Another interesting fact: six out of the top ten songs could be classified as ballads. I love the slower songs,and Bruce really has a way with this style of music,but to paraphrase the man himself,if people only listen to the ballads, “They’ve missed the best part.”

Jackie

I don’t have a problem with the Bruce 100-just making an unscientific observation.

(Taking a break to listen to Stacked Mary Possum)

Ah,that does feel much better!

Isn’t it amazing how listening to that song makes the day’s troubles melt away?

Jackie

Oh, honey, I can take whatever comes my way! 😆

Nice updated pic, nicos. You’re smiling almost as much as Mr. Stacked Mary Possum Day above you! Hmm… there‘s a new holiday we could get Hallmark to declare… Stacked Mary Possum Day (wanna spearhead that effort, David?).

I agree, nicos, the bunch in here is so deeply into this stuff that merely picking tunes and ordering them is an impossible task. We know the lyrics, we know the music, and we have different things about each track that we do or don’t like. Some are favorite jams, some are favorite lyrical phrases, some are great stories, some are.. well, you know what I mean. I think we’d probably kill poor Si if we were to suggest to him that he run separate polls on each category – we might have so many categories that it would overwhelm his server!

– Rich

“I asked Bobby Dylan, I asked the Beatles. I asked Timothy Leary, but he couldn’t help me either.” – P. Townshend

Nicos, I agree that the “Scenes From The Southside” era is one of my favorites. I saw Bruce & the Range perform right after “Night on the Town” came out. Good concert, but sounded like the CD — not overly spontaneous. I also saw him after “Harbor Lights” came out. It seemed like a totally different sound. I love to watch Jimmy Haislip play, and Bruce’s brother, Bobby, even came up on stage to play bass. John Molo was still on drums (I love that man), and Bobby Read was on horns with another guy whose name I can’t remember. Although that era isn’t one of my top favs, I love the songs themselves as played today in concert. Does that make sense? : I mean, that’s when my signature song came out. I haven’t heard him play it in concert yet, even though I have requested it at every one of the 4-5 concerts a year I have attended since then. Does that make me a groupie? 😉

I also like your new photo. Much more personable.

Wouldn’t it be a gas if, in the middle of some really funky jam, Bruce started throwing out signature Floyd Cramer licks at us?

– Rich

That is one of my favorite eras of Bruce’s touring band, as well. I guess the only real difference between that era’s band and the one of today is the lack of John D’earth and Debbie Henry, the addition of Doug Derryberry, and changes in drummers. So, we’re not talking about a LOT of personnel changes (OK, he went through a lot of drummers), but the shift from having the trumpet and soulful background vocals and no guitar to having guitar and not the rest — that’s kind of a seismic shift in what your sound is.

Rich

I’ve fallen behind on my forum reading and see I’ve missed a lot of good topics! Here is my attempt to catch up:

1. Favorite Bruce covers: *.Wharf Rat (11/07/02,Red Butte Garden-Salt Lake City,UT-I’d never heard the song before) *King Harvest (another “new” song to my ears) *A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall (7/19/02,one of Si’s Daily Doses) *Children Of Zion *Big Rock Candy Mountain *How Far Am I From Canaan? *You Sexy Thing (always makes me smile ) *The Mighty Quinn *Stranger In A Strange Land

2. Favorite Brue era: All of them! If I had to choose one,I’d select the Noisemakers era. This is probably because this is the time period in which I’ve seen the most live shows. I never had the pleasure of seeing Bruce live during the Range days.

Jackie

My favorite cover songs done by Mr. Hornsby include the following:

Actually, the more I think about it, the more Bruce covers are added to my list! Here is “part 2” of my list: *Will It Go Round In Circles *We’ll Sing In The Sunshine-07/28/01, sung during Funhouse
*Jack Of Diamonds-07/28/01, sung before Jacob’s Ladder
*Lady Madonna-07/23/05, sung during Go Back To Your Woods
*Slip Away-07/24/02, during I Will Walk With You
*Loser
*Dear Prudence
*Friends (originally by Elton John)
*Black Muddy River
*That Would Be Something, often sung during the “non-bluegrass” version of Mandolin Rain
*That’s Where It’s At and *Under The Boardwalk-often sung during Fields of Gray
*Sugaree

I admit, the list isn’t short & sweet, but each song brings out such strong emotions (happiness, sentiment, contemplation), I couldn’t eliminate even one!

On the subject of jazz “covers,” I like them all; my favorite is Celia.

Finally,I’ll add a resounding,”Yes!” to MVF’s Amen!-I couln’t agree with you more.

Jackie