Well, this Week's Song was suggested to me earlier this week when I came across this singer/songwriter’s 21st album, which is a belter, by the way! However, the suggestion was simply to go back to his debut album, which I bought in 1978, and choose track one, side one, probably the first song of his I ever heard. I purchased the album Alive on Arrival based on a review that suggested that the reviewer had found Dylan’s successor, a hefty coat to bear!
Over the subsequent years, I have seen the singer live on many occasions and have always enjoyed his tuneful music and Dylanesque lyrics; however, and perhaps fortunately for him, he never grew to fill Mr Robert Allen Zimmerman’s shoes! On the Dylan theme, my choice this week does lend weight to that connection, both in the lyrical style and the use of the ‘mouthy’ or harmonica, although I don’t think I have ever heard the ‘staccato’ or ‘tremolo’ style you hear on this song.
The artist I have selected was born in Mississippi on 13 December 1954 and was christened Samuel Stephen Forbert. He went on to carve out a 48-year (and counting) musical career. I have always been impressed by Steve’s (as he is now known) youthful looks. For example, on the album cover to his debut album, he is 24 years old, and I was 20 when it came out!
And so here is track one, side one from Steve Forbert’s debut album, a five minute long masterpiece called Goin’ Down to Laurel. Please also check out It Isn’t Gonna Be That Way from the same album which I was very tempted to choose instead and on which his ‘tremolo’ mouthy’ is more evident!
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