Got a chance to listen to some Mountain Stage on the ride home today, and heard some songs from Loudon Wainwright III that made me laugh. He’s kind of a hillbilly Randy Newman, and some of you might like his work. Here’s Cash for Clunkers from his new album, 10 Songs for the New Depression
I thought his stuff was pretty solid, and his last album prior to the new one, High Wide & Handsome: The Charlie Poole Project
ppcli
I’ve never forgiven Loudon Wainwright for the fact that he was married to my dream woman (Kate McGarrigle) an’ he done did her wrong.
freelancer
I need something, because the new Radiohead album sucks. There’s like one noteworthy track on it, the rest I could go without hearing for the rest of my life.
BGinCHI
@freelancer: Radiohead is finished and I hope we don’t have to hear about/from them for much longer.
Try Spoon (if you haven’t).
LT
My #1 songwriting hero. Funny that I remember loving the guy I saw playing guitar and singing on M.A.S.H. in teh 70s, later became a big fan of LWIII – later found out he was the guy on M.A.S.H.
And, uh, hillbilly? You’ve got to listen to his song “I Was Raised Here in Westchester County.”
Personal Success/Tragedy Story: I was scheduled to open for him in a tiny club in Carmel (Monterey?) in 1996 or so. Called my parents, called my friends, probably called my kindergarten teacher – I had arrived. Morning of the gig the owner of the club called to tell me I wasn’t going to be playing. Loudon didn’t want an opener. Ow. But he had two shows – 7 and 9 – so it really didn’t make sense to have an opener scheduled in the first place. The club owner was truly sorry – very nice man. I went to the show, had a great time, shook Loudon’s hand in the parking lot afterwards, kicked him in the nuts – okay, not that last part.
Thanks for plugging one of the greats.
LT
And did you hear that Rufus Wainwright just announced he’s the surrogate father of Leonard Cohen’s daughter’s new child?
Not fucking fair. My guitar has already committed seppuku.
MikeJ
I always liked Alex’s cover of Motel Blues.
freelancer
@BGinCHI:
Oh I know about Spoon.
4jkb4ia
Absolutely fitting song for someone who mentioned Frank Zappa the other day.
LT
@freelancer: Never listened to Radiohead. I think you just made me a fan.
Art
I love me some Loudon Wainwright.
He’s another (not nearly as known) WVian, with whom I’ve broken bread and cracked a couple of beers.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1LtjtRwo98
Crashman
I saw him play at the MFA in Boston a couple years ago. He was really funny… also, he played Steven’s dad in Undeclared.
BGinCHI
@freelancer: Now that‘s a cat on the bed!
Their newest record is pretty great.
First saw them when they opened for the Drive-By Truckers at an outdoor fest here in 2004. That was a nice, nice day.
freelancer
@LT:
Ha! The rest of the new album sounds nothing like that. It’s boring, amelodic, and too much dicking around with drum machines. I mean, it was interesting when they did that on their last album in one track (and then had the USC Marching Band drumline recreate the drum effects at the Grammy’s), but this new release is just lame.
Art
Too much wine…don’t know why I wrote “another” in relation to Wainwright and WV. oops
Jinx
Check out this great tune from LWIII.
It’s from back in the day and was notably covered by Alex Chilton’s Big Star.
It’s Motel Blues and since John’s been traveling he may recognize the emotion felt (though I by no means imply any desire on his part for underage companionship). I just think it’s sort of wistful.
Jinx
4jkb4ia
But I did find out because of this post that Mountain Stage, too, has been kicked into the land of HD radio.
LT
@4jkb4ia: You sure? I listened to it in oregon in December.
Bennie
Hey John, have you seen Loudon Wainwright’s song “THE KRUGMAN BLUES”?
it’s hilarious. (youtube).
(Loudon is a fan of the NYTimes)
Mudge
Which number Louden did “Dead Skunk in the Middle of the Road”…
Mudge
It was #3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UejelYnVI3U
LiberalTarian
I’ve been a fan since I purchased “Beat the Retreat — Songs of Richard Thompson” and he performed A Heart Needs A Home with Shawn Colvin (sorry, the first part is cut off here).
I’ve purchased several of his CDs over the years, but my favorite has been Grown Man, 1995.
4jkb4ia
LT:
HD in St. Louis.
Terrestrial from reading the post, but Mountain Stage is from WV Public Radio.
Wag
I’ve been a fan since the late ’80s. His song Cardboard Boxes got me through several moves and a divorce.
RosiesDad
Saw Louden about a year and a half ago, warming up for Hot Tuna. His songs are clever and reflect his intelligence and wry sense of humor. It was a good set.
LT
Several of you are giving examples of why he wrote, “They Spelled My Name Wrong Again.”
Tom Johnson
Hillbilly?
He’s a direct descendant of Peter Stuyvesant, the son of one of Life Magazine’s editors, and attended Harvard. He’s as much a hillbilly as George H.W. Bush.
brendancalling
surprised you’d never heard about him before!
Josh
ppcli, Not only did he do Kate wrong, he wasn’t much use to his kids either. I think Martha Wainwright has a song about that. LWIII, otoh, does a schmaltzy number called “Being a Dad” and covers one called “That’s My Daughter.” Ballsy guy.
Joel
The son of former Life Magazine editor Loudon Wainwright Jr. is no man’s hillbilly. But he is folksy.
BerkeleyMom
Just saw Loudon in Berkeley with his daughter Lucy Roche. Hilarious show with some really lovely, touching moments. Go see him if you have the chance.
dollared
JC, if LWIII is new to you, I do want to make sure you’ve come across another ’70’s genius, John Hartford. A far better musician who wrote at least one hit (“Gentle on my mind”) for Glenn Campbell, he had a few topical hits (“Granny won’t you smoke some”) and developed an incredible repertiore of steamboat and Mississippi River songs. Try this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=996TpkBH2gk&feature=player_embedded#at=49
fitzwili
He opened for Rufus at Prospect Park (Brooklyn)- and did a great rendition of Krugman’ s Blues. That whole family is amazingly talented and amazingly confessional in their songs. Loudon is a very wry songwriter and a funny comic actor as well. The fact that the new baby will have Loudon and Leonard Cohen as grandads makes me think she will be some kind of singer songwriter messiah.
Axe Diesel Palin
Others have already mentioned most of the LW3 trivia I was going to slip in, but it is the Internet so I have to add my two cents anyway.
– don’t forget his cameos on the TV Show MASH.
If Loudon was one of the “new Bob Dylans” in the 70s, then you should listen to “More Love Songs”. It is his “Blood on the Tracks”.
policomic
LW3 is, like Randy Newman, a genius musical satirist who people either don’t know, or wrongly dismiss as a novelty act.
As far as his being a bad husband and father: yes, but unlike a lot of other musicians who have mistreated those closest to them, he’s been brutally honest when writing his many failings.
This is a good one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXiNI85mru0
patrick
I just saw Loudon a couple of weeks ago in Berkeley as well and have photos of him and his daughter Lucy, who opened for him.