Wednesday, April 14, 2010

The Proclaimers : Notes & Rhymes (2009) and Letter From America (1987)




The title song from last year's outstanding album. The Reid brothers do a nice mix of romantic ballads, solid rock and roll tunes (like the hard-rocking one below) on this album.

it also features sharp political commentary (i.e., banks busting the economy in "Free Market" and soldiers going off to fight endless wars in "I Know"), and wistful tunes for the forty-somethings like me about where the hell our youth went to all of a sudden.

From their website, a bit of background:

"Born in Leith in 1962, Craig and Charlie Reid grew up in Edinburgh, Cornwall and Auchtermuchty in Fife. At home, they listened to early rock 'n' roll and country greats such as Jerry Lee Lewis, Merle Haggard and Hank Williams. At school they played in punk bands and formed The Proclaimers in 1983. With a fervent live following growing in Scotland, particularly in Inverness where they performed regularly, their first big break came late in 1986 when they were invited to tour with The Housemartins.

"Then in January 1987 they made a now seminal appearance on the Channel 4 pop programme The Tube, performing Letter From America & Throw The ‘R’ Away. Singing in regional accents about Scotland - its emigration and its politics - they were a far cry from the mid-Eighties playlist staples of Rick Astley and Sinitta, and became a phenomenon almost overnight, signing to Chrysalis within a month and recording their debut album acoustically, This Is The Story, a week later, produced by the man who also signed them to Chrysalis, John Williams. Voted NME Readers Best New Band that year, they toured the UK extensively and a new ‘band’ version of Letter From America, produced by Gerry Rafferty went Top 3 in November."





22 comments:

  1. One of their biggest hits (topped at number 3 in the UK) from 1987, "Letter From America" this is the twin brothers with a more soulful and political edge.

    When you go will you send back
    A letter from America?
    Take a look up the railtrack
    From Miami to Canada
    Broke off from my work the other day
    I spent the evening thinking about
    All the blood that flowed away
    Across the ocean to the second chance
    I wonder how it got on when it reached the promised land?
    When you go will you send back
    A letter from America?
    Take a look up the railtrack
    From Miami to Canada
    I've looked at the ocean
    Tried hard to imagine
    The way you felt the day you sailed
    From Wester Ross to Nova Scotia
    We should have held you
    We should have told you
    But you know our sense of timing
    We always wait too long
    When you go will you send back
    A letter from America?
    Take a look up the railtrack
    From Miami to Canada
    Lochaber no more
    Sutherland no more
    Lewis no more
    Skye no more
    (3x)
    I wonder my blood
    Will you ever return
    To help us kick the life back
    To a dying mutual friend
    Do we not love her?
    Do we not say we love her?
    Do we have to roam the world
    To prove how much it hurts?
    When you go will you send back
    A letter from America?
    Take a look up the railtrack
    From Miami to Canada
    Bathgate no more
    Linwood no more
    Methil no more
    Irvine no more.

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  2. The Proclaimers are one of my favorite groups. Their "Sunshine on Leith" album is brilliant!

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  3. To some people "letter from america" is the true Scottish national anthem. They didn't just play chords, they struck them with the whole UK with that song. It is so rare to hear people singing with accents. But their excellent sense of music, coupled with sharp, chiselled lyrics made them very popular in the late 80s, and, this track shows that they obviously still have a lot to offer. Super.

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  4. If it's anything like this newer album, Shedrick, I'm not surprised. :-)

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  5. Aptly put, Oakie, regarding the striking power of this duo's music. "Letter from America" is a song that puts one in mind of something that Bruce Springsteen could have written-- had he been a Scot instead of a fella' from New Jersey. I really do think the lyrics stand out in all the songs off this album. I'd love to see these guys live, and I'm glad they're still going strong and have something to say.

    There are many singers from the UK who don't seem to have their native accent when they sing; I've always thought that rather odd.

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  6. Love The Proclaimers but haven't heard this recent song so will be back to view it tomorrow when I can get to a PC.

    ref Shedrick's comment on Sunshine on Leith. Spot on. It's a great album and the title track in particular is sublime.

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  7. Love The Proclaimers but haven't heard this recent song so will be back to view it tomorrow when I can get to a PC.

    ref Shedrick's comment on Sunshine on Leith. Spot on. It's a great album and the title track in particular is sublime.

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  8. Sorry for the double comment. Posting from a phone can often be troublesome!

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  9. No problem Ian. Always glad you could drop by.

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  10. One of my faves, Doug - thanks for more from this obscure but talented duo!!!!

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  11. I presume that most singers think that strong accents might make their singing a little less universal/popular. Also there seems to be a standardisation which sounds somewhere between English and American. And that standard is the one that people have nearly always aspired to. So we all know where the Proclaimers come from, but U2 don't sing Irish and Tom Jones doesn't sing Welsh. It's a fashion thing I think. Good for the Proclaimers for doing things their own way.

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  12. Yes, Oakie, I first noticed this synthesis in vocals in the 70's with the music of Elton John. I thought at first when I heard "Crocodile Rock" that he was an American!

    The Proclaimers were one of the first groups that you knew were from the British Isles not by liner notes but by their (to me and my friends at least) distinctive vocals. Good for them indeed!

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  13. Quite liked that Doug, but this is my favourite of their lovesongs...

    Let's Get Married: The Proclaimers

    Hippie Chick | MySpace Video

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  14. Yes, Elton definitely sounds American when he sings.

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  15. What a fun song it is Ian! Thanks for sharing that one!

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  16. Or, Oakie, it could be that when Elton was so popular over here in the 70's that Americans started talking like him and failed to realize it ;-)

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  17. Yes, this super song with its clever lyrics,brings back some memories, but my favourite is," I'm Gonna be 500 miles."

    Sorry Doug, I'm still not seeing your postings at my inbox, yet when I visit a certain lady from Rome, there they are in her alerts. ;-/

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  18. Since then we have had email, skype, video conferencing and social networking (even in Scotland I hear) so no worries then, it's like you never went away.

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  19. "500 Miles" is one of my favorites from the 1990's, Cassandra. They seemed to go off the radar here in America (to me at least) but I now see they have been prolific.


    I'm sorry about this problem with postings we seem to have. I seem to get yours (and my other friends) with no problem so I'm at a loss. At least our mutual Roman friend seems to be spared the Great Multiply Labyrinth.

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  20. Social networking in Scotland. Good grief, they will be having electronic chats even in British America (err, Canada) next! What an amazing world it is when even those in barren and frosty climes can indulge in instant communication.

    Yes, AA, the problem twenty-years on is that no one has to stand about the postal box, waiting for a bit of news from faraway. Armed with a laptop and a "wi-fi" connection need ever stop being about dropping casual remarks all the way back to the Native Heath. Unless you work for the Post Office, it's a win-win arrangement.

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