{"id":6647,"date":"2011-09-19T16:22:48","date_gmt":"2011-09-19T16:22:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thelefortreport.com\/blog\/?p=6647"},"modified":"2011-09-19T22:09:44","modified_gmt":"2011-09-19T22:09:44","slug":"the-angels-rejoiced-that-night-on-the-38th-anniversary-of-gram-parsons-passing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thelefortreport.com\/blog\/2011-09\/the-angels-rejoiced-that-night-on-the-38th-anniversary-of-gram-parsons-passing\/","title":{"rendered":"The Angels Rejoiced That Night–On The 38th Anniversary of Gram Parsons’ Passing"},"content":{"rendered":"

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38 years ago today, Gram Parsons’<\/strong> time came while wandering in the desert, and he was granted speed into his Lord’s Promised Land at the age of 26.\u00a0 Surely the angels rejoiced that night.\u00a0 Thus ended, at least chronologically, Parsons’ visionary and transforming contribution to American music.\u00a0 Though he left the earth too soon, Parsons’ music lives on here and continues to influence and touch hearts and minds.<\/p>\n

As we have written previously, Parsons invented the country-rock genre<\/strong> and did more to keep Real Country<\/strong> music vibrant and alive than any other artist who has dabbled in that realm.\u00a0 Parsons’ songs continue to inspire and affect 38-years later.\u00a0 We know this from experience since our most popular piece on The Lefort Report<\/a> <\/strong>to date is on Parsons and his revelatory song, In My Hour of Darkness<\/strong>. <\/em>In honor of Parsons and acknowledgment of his songs’ deep affect on our musical lives, we give you some more of our Parsons favorites (with emphasis added on moments of particular worth or weight).\u00a0 And Gram, we’ll see you in the by and by.<\/p>\n

Parsons’ daughter, Polly, has recently put up a phenomenal website devoted to her father.\u00a0 Go check it out HERE<\/strong><\/a> for all things Gram.<\/p>\n

First up in our list of faves is Return of the Grievous Angel<\/strong><\/em>, Parsons’ lament for the road, and its travels and travails, and his craving the calicoed comforts of home.\u00a0 20,000 roads indeed.<\/p>\n

“Won’t you scratch my itch sweet Annie Rich
\nAnd welcome me back to town
\nCome out on your porch or I’ll step into your parlor
\nAnd I’ll show you how it all went down<\/p>\n

Out with the truckers and the kickers and the cowboy angels
\nAnd a good saloon in every single town<\/p>\n

Oh, and I remember something you once told me
\nAnd I’ll be damned if it did not come true
\nTwenty thousand roads I went down, down, down
\nAnd they all lead me straight back home to you<\/strong><\/p>\n

`Cause I headed West to grow up with the country
\nAcross those prairies with the waves of grain
\nAnd I saw my devil,
\nand I saw my deep blue sea<\/strong>
\nAnd I thought about a calico bonnet from
\nCheyenne to Tennessee<\/p>\n

We flew straight across that river bridge,
\nlast night a half past two
\nThe switchman wave his lantern goodbye
\nand so long as we went rolling through
\nBillboards and truckstops pass by the grievous angel
\nAnd now I know just what I have to do<\/strong><\/p>\n

And the man on the radio won’t leave me alone
\nHe wants to take my money for something
\nthat I’ve never been shown<\/p>\n

And I saw my devil,
\nand I saw my deep blue sea
\nAnd I thought about a calico bonnet from
\nCheyenne to Tennessee<\/p>\n

The news I could bring I met up with the king
\nOn his head an amphetamine crown
\nHe talked about unbuckling that old bible belt
\nAnd lighted out for some desert town<\/p>\n

Out with the truckers and the kickers and the cowboy angels
\nAnd a good saloon in every single town<\/p>\n

Oh, but I remembered something you once told me
\nAnd I’ll be damned if it did not come true
\nTwenty thousand roads I went down, down, down
\nAnd they all lead me straight back home to you<\/strong><\/p>\n

Twenty thousand roads I went down, down, down
\nAnd they all lead me straight back home to you”<\/p>\n

Gram Parsons–<\/strong>Return of the Grievous Angel<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n[audio:https:\/\/www.thelefortreport.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2-13-Return-Of-The-Grievous-Angel-Remix.mp3|titles=2-13Return Of The Grievous Angel [Remix]\n

Next up is the supremely sad $1,000 Wedding<\/strong><\/em>, undoubtedly a vivid imagining of his wedding to Nancy Ross that never took place.\u00a0 When he sings “bad, bad day” you can taste the loss.<\/p>\n

“It was a $1000 wedding supposed to be held the other day
\nand with all the invitations sent the young bride went away
\nwhen the groom saw people passing notes not unusual, he might say
\nbut where are the flowers for my baby
\nI’d even like to see her mean old mama
\nand why ain’t there a funeral, if you’re gonna act that way<\/strong>
\nI hate to tell you how he acted when the news arrived
\nhe took some friends out drinking and it’s lucky they survived<\/strong>
\nwell, he told them everything there was to tell there along the way
\nand he felt so bad when he saw the traces
\nof old lies still on their faces
\nso why don’t someone here just spike his drink<\/p>\n

Why don’t you do him in some old way
\nsupposed to be a funeral, it’s been a bad, bad day<\/strong>
\nthe Reverend Dr. William Grace was talking to the crowd
\nall about the sweet child’s holy face
\nand the saints who sung out loud
\nand he swore the fiercest beasts
\ncould all be put to sleep the same silly way
\nand where are the flowers for the girl
\nshe only knew she loved the world
\nand why ain’t there one lonely horn and one sad note to play
\nsupposed to be a funeral, it’s been a bad, bad day
\nooh, supposed to be a funeral, it’s been a bad, bad day”<\/strong><\/p>\n

Gram Parsons–<\/strong>$1,000 Wedding<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n[audio:https:\/\/www.thelefortreport.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2-16-1000-Wedding.mp3|titles=2-16 00 Wedding]\n

Next up is arguably Parsons’ and Emmylou Harris’s best duet, Hearts on Fire<\/strong><\/em>, their voices born to sing together, and taking advantage of that realization.\u00a0 “God please take this heart of mine, ’cause if you don’t, the devil will.”<\/p>\n

“Hearts on fire
\nmy love for you brought only misery
\nhearts on fire
\nput out the flames and set this cold heart free
\none short year our love burned
\nuntil at last I guess you learned
\nthe art of being untrue and then goodbye
\nwhat could I do except to cry and moan
\nLord, what have I done
\nonce we were as sweet and warm
\nas the golden morning sun
\nhearts on fire
\nmy love for you brought only misery
\nhearts on fire
\nput out the flames and set this cold heart free<\/p>\n

Friends say it’s just a game
\nand that no one is to blame
\ngo out forget her lies
\nbut she’ll be there and sparks will fly
\nmy love has turned to hatred
\nsleep escapes me still
\nGod, please take this heart of mine
\n’cause if you don’t the devil will<\/strong>
\nhearts on fire
\nmy love for you brought only misery
\nhearts on fire
\nput out the flames and set this cold heart free
\nhearts on fire”<\/p>\n

Gram Parsons–Hearts of Fire<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n[audio:https:\/\/www.thelefortreport.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2-14-Hearts-On-Fire.mp3|titles=2-14 Hearts On Fire]\n

Next up is She, <\/strong><\/em>Parsons’ ode to a working woman and his lament of the simpler life.\u00a0 Oh, he sure could sing.<\/p>\n

“She, she came from the land of the cotton
\nland that was nearly forgotten by everyone
\nand she, she worked and she slaved so hard
\na big old field was her back yard in the delta sun
\nooh, but she sure could sing
\nooh, she sure could sing<\/strong><\/p>\n

Then he looked down and he took a little pity
\nthe whole town swore he decided he’d help her some
\nbut he didn’t mind if she wasn’t very pretty
\nfor deep inside his heart he knew she was the only one
\nooh, but she sure could sing
\nyeah, she sure could sing<\/p>\n

She had faith, she had believing
\nshe led all the people together in singing
\nand she prayed every night to the lord up above
\nsinging hallelujah, ooh hallelujah<\/strong>
\nthey use to walk singing songs by the river
\neven when she knew for sure she had to go away
\nand she never knew what her life had to give her
\nand never had to worry about it for one single day
\nooh my but she sure could sing
\nooh, she sure could sing<\/p>\n

She had faith, she had believing
\nled all the people together in singing
\nand she prayed every night to the lord up above
\nsinging hallelujah, ooh hallelujah
\nshe, she came from the land of the cotton
\nland that was nearly forgotten by everyone
\nand she, she worked and she slaved so hard
\na big old field was her back yard in the delta sun
\nooh, but she sure could sing
\nmy, my, my she sure could sing
\nooh, yeah she sure could sing
\nooh, she sure could sing”<\/p>\n

Gram Parsons–She<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n[audio:https:\/\/www.thelefortreport.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2-06-She.mp3|titles=2-06 She]\n

Next is A Song for You<\/strong><\/em>, Parsons’ sweet-voiced, emotional elegy to a relationship.\u00a0 “Some of my friends don’t know who they belong to, some can’t get a single thing to work inside.”\u00a0 So true.\u00a0 Please pass the mirror.<\/p>\n

“Oh my land is like a wild goose
\nWanders all around everywhere
\nTrembles and it shakes till every tree is loose<\/strong><\/p>\n

It rolls the meadows and it rolls the nails
\nSo take me down to your dance floor
\nAnd I wont mind the people when they stare
\nPaint a different color on your front door
\nAnd tomorrow we will still be there<\/p>\n

Jesus built a ship to sing a song to
\nIt sails the rivers and it sails the tide
\nSome of my friends don’t know who they belong to
\nSome can’t get a single thing to work inside<\/strong>
\nSo take me down to your dance floor
\nAnd I wont mind the people when they stare
\nPaint a different color on your front door
\nAnd tomorrow we will still be there<\/strong><\/p>\n

I loved you every day and now I’m leaving
\nAnd I can see the sorrow in your eyes
\nI hope you know a lot more than you’re believing
\nJust so the sun don’t hurt you when you cry<\/strong>
\nOh take me down to your dance floor
\nAnd I wont mind the people when they stare
\nPaint a different color on your front door
\nAnd tomorrow we will still be there
\nAnd tomorrow we will still be there”<\/p>\n

Gram Parsons–A Song for You<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n[audio:https:\/\/www.thelefortreport.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2-04-A-Song-For-You.mp3|titles=2-04 A Song For You]\n

Next up is the mournful Dark End Of The Street<\/em><\/strong> in which the influence of Motown and R&B can clearly be heard.\u00a0 Parsons was an early mix-master, combining R&B and Rock with his beloved Country, to great effect.\u00a0 Here we hear R&B cut with beautiful pedal-steel guitar.<\/p>\n

“At the dark end of the street
\nThat’s where we’ll always meet
\nHiding in shadows
\nWhere we don’t belong
\nLiving in darkness
\nTo hide our wrong
\nYou and me
\nAt the dark end of the street
\nYou and me<\/p>\n

I know that time’s gonna take its toll
\nWe’ll have to pay for the love that we stole
\nCause it’s a sin and we know that we’re wrong
\nOh, but our love keeps coming on strong
\nYou and me
\nAt the dark end of the street
\nYou and me<\/p>\n

They’re gonna find us
\nThey’re gonna find us
\nThey’re gonna find us someday
\nWe’ll steal away
\nTo the dark end of the street
\nYou and me<\/p>\n

If you take a walk downtown
\nAnd find some time to look around
\nIf you should see me, and I walk on by
\nOh, darling, please don’t cry
\nTonight we’ll meet
\nAt the dark end of the street
\nYou and me
\nYou and me
\nYou and me”<\/p>\n

Gram Parsons–Dark End of the Street<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n[audio:https:\/\/www.thelefortreport.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/1-15-Dark-End-Of-The-Street1.mp3|titles=1-15 Dark End Of The Street]\n

We’ll end with Parsons’ cover of Wild Horses<\/strong><\/em>, which according to Keith Richards’ autobiography, Life<\/strong><\/em>, was first written about Richards missing his young son, Marlon, but then converted by Mick Jagger into an ode to then-girlfriend, Marianne Faithful. <\/strong><\/em>Regardless, it’s one of the great ballads of all time, given haunting treatment by Parsons.\u00a0 These lyrics were, it turned out, entirely too apropos:<\/p>\n

“I know I’ve dreamed you, a sin and a lie
\nI had my freedom, but I don’t have much time<\/strong>
\nFaith has been broken, tears must be cried
\nLet’s do some living after we die.”<\/p>\n

Gram Parsons–Wild Horses<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n[audio:https:\/\/www.thelefortreport.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/1-23-Wild-Horses1.mp3|titles=1-23 Wild Horses]\n

\"\"<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

38 years ago today, Gram Parsons’ time came while wandering in the desert, and he was granted speed into his Lord’s Promised Land at the age of 26.\u00a0 Surely the angels rejoiced that night.\u00a0 Thus ended, at least chronologically, Parsons’ visionary and transforming contribution to American music.\u00a0 Though he left the earth too soon, Parsons’ […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6647","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-music"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thelefortreport.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6647","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thelefortreport.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thelefortreport.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thelefortreport.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thelefortreport.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6647"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.thelefortreport.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6647\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thelefortreport.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6647"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thelefortreport.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6647"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thelefortreport.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6647"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}