Spitball Army

Today’s playlist was inspired by the events of 27 April 2011.

Approximate playing time: 75 minutes.

1. Bob Dorough  “Daybreak in Alabama”  (1958)
2. Ed Harcourt  “The Storm Is Coming”  (2004)
3. The Kinks  “Stormy Sky”  (1977)
4. Calexico  “Fractured Air (Tornado Watch)”  (2008)
5. Talking Heads  “Listening Wind”  (1980)
6. Ed Harcourt  “Rain”  (2006)
7. Judy Garland and other cast members of The Wizard of Oz  “It’s a Twister, It’s a Twister!”  (1939)
8. Kronos Quartet  “The Storm”  (1999)
9. Doves  “The Storm”  (2005)
10. Ed Harcourt  “Whirlwind in D Minor”  (2006)
11. The Sons of the Pioneers  “Wind”  (1951)
12. Drive-By Truckers  “Tornadoes”  (2004)
13. Joseph Arthur  “Electrical Storm”  (2006)
14. Billy Bragg & Wilco  “Black Wind Blowing”  (2000)
15. Fleetwood Mac  “Storms”  (1979)
16. Frank Sinatra  “Ill Wind (You’re Blowin’ Me No Good)”  (1955)
17. Neko Case  “This Tornado Loves You”  (2009)
18. Elsie Carlisle  “The Clouds Will Soon Roll By”  (1932)
19. Isaac Hayes  “The Storm Is Over”  (1976)

[audio:Fred_FM_playlist_051511.mp3]
Some notes on the songs:

• I guess I knew this all along, but that Ed Harcourt fellow sure does write a lot of songs featuring dark themes and bad weather metaphors (Don’t read that in the wrong way: I’m not saying that his metaphors are poorly written). Two of them made their way onto this playlist. I also included his grungy cover of The Beatles’ “Rain,” with its relentless pounding rhythm that reminded me of our recent bad weather episode.
• The Kronos Quartet’s performance of Philip Glass’ “The Storm” is from Glass’ score for the Tod Browning film version of Dracula, starring Bela Lugosi. It is a terrific score that works so well in the film because that 1931 production has very little dialogue.
• The Drive-By Truckers “Tornadoes” is included here by the suggestion of my friend, Chelsea Biondolillo.
• There is at least one moment during this playlist that gives me solid chills each time I hear it, and I’ve listened through a few times. It occurs right after the Wizard of Oz track as the Kronos Quartet begin their attack in “The Storm.” I’m immediately reminded of the wind howling and the sound of tree limbs cracking outside my living room window that morning (the same sounds are conjured by the opening of Ed Harcourt’s “The Storm Is Coming”). I hope anyone listening to this playlist isn’t traumatized or feels that this is an exercise in tastelessness. More importantly, I hope that no one thinks that, by making such a list, I am in any way making light of the event. I am not.