For as much love as I have for the psychedelic and faux-world music of Camper van Beethoven (and my devotion indeed is mountainous), I must say that I've got just as much for David Lowery's equally long-lived, more traditionally rock-y band Cracker. Sometimes it's that the craft of his songs stands out a bit better among less clutter. Sometimes it's the presence of good ol' rock or funk comfort food. Sometimes it's just the fact that Johnny Hickman and his Les Paul make some of the best guitar lines going.
This one's a solo workout on a Cracker tune off their hit-and-miss "The Golden Age" rekkid (1996). First heard this on a visit to Dan and Jesse's old place in Brooklyn Heights. It floored me then, sticks with me to this day and, as songs may do, it somehow carries for me a truckload of nostalgia for some very disparate times and locales-- in this case NY and the SF Bay area (no offense to anyone in Santa Cruz, as I dunno what they consider themselves). Maybe part of my weakness is that the song refers to the Giant Dipper, a 1920's era wooden frame roller coaster, not unlike my old Dragon Coaster at Rye Playland where I happily toiled away one warm summer years ago. More on my amusement park escapades at some later time. Suffice it to say, there is most definitely a place in my heart for carny life.
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| Giant Dipper, Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, CA |
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| Dragon Coaster, Rye Playland, NY |
Anyway, been meaning to record the song for about 15 years now. Here 'tis:
Big Dipper:
http://www.box.com/s/0e905b5a3c1b6e2a02a6
Big Dipper:
I was so psyched to see "Big Dipper" show up in one of your emails, and your rendition did not disappoint. Beautiful job on one of my very favorite tunes.
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