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You are here: Home / Music / Song of the week

Song of the week

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From JPK at Can’t Explain (that song came out in 1998, I feel old).

Sarah McLachlan, “Angel” (1998)
I know Balloon Juice is rife with animal lovers but I’m not really trying to pander here—not really. In fact, I’m a little tired of that long BC SPCA End Animal Cruelty ad that uses this song and seems to saturate my teevee every December and at other random points. Tired of having my heart broken by the pictures in it as much as anything (I’m a softie myself, with three cats, two of them rescues, one missing a leg). It’s a kind of porn, I know that. But before that particular commercial came along I always loved this song and I still do. It’s so generous about the way it acknowledges and accepts human frailties and weaknesses with no judgment and a compassion that feels bottomless. I think it’s just beautiful.

Update. DougJ again here (the blurb about “Angel” is written by JPK). I’m adding another song because I convinced a young person to do it at karaoke and now I can’t stop singing it.

Reader Interactions

90Comments

  1. 1.

    schrodinger's cat

    Tired of having my heart broken by the pictures in it as much as anything (I’m a softie myself, with three cats, two of them rescues, one missing a leg).

    Aww that’s so sweet. Angry DougJ not so angry after all!
    We can has pictures?

  3. 3.

    cmorenc

    @Angry DougJ:

    From JPK at Can’t Explain (that song came out in 1998, I feel old).

    OLD is when you were around to watch the first time the Beatles performed on the Ed Sullivan show in 1964…and were already a sophomore in high school at the time. OLD is watching a live performance of Buffalo Springfield in the late 1960s, before Steven Stills departed to join Crosby, Stills and Nash.

  6. 6.

    harlana

    i always switch the channel, no matter what is on, my mom and my brother do the same thing, can’t handle it

  7. 7.

    shortstop

    I seriously thought I was the only person under 50 who loves “Band of Gold.” It’s on the playlist I made for super, extra-happy, double-plus-good roadtrip singing.

  8. 8.

    Keith G

    I hate that PSA and cannot get to the remote fast enough. I love my rescue cats -all of them through the years.

  9. 9.

    harlana

    i can at least feel okay that, when i had the money, i donated to animal causes, i wish i could do it now

  12. 12.

    schrodinger's cat

    DougJ again here (the blurb about “Angel” is written by JPK). I’m adding another song because I convinced a young person to do it at karaoke and now I can’t stop singing it

    OK I stand corrected. Angry DougJ is angry.

  14. 14.

    RedKitten

    It’s kind of a shame that “Angel” has been so overplayed. It really is an incredibly gorgeous song.

  15. 15.

    FlipYrWhig

    In our house we just call it Sad Animals. “Nooooo, change the channel, it’s Sad Animals!” And we have two rescue cats.

  17. 17.

    KyCole

    Add me and everybody I’ve discussed this with to that group of people who rush to change the channel as soon as that ad appears. I too have had many rescued pets over the years. The two dogs that now share my home are from the pound. They hate the commercial too.

  18. 18.

    Comrade Mary

    I love Band of Gold and am playing it repeatedly right now. I’m just trying to forget that so many people have said the song is about wedding night impotence because LALALALA I CAN’T HEAR YOU

  20. 20.

    Amir Khalid

    My other favorite Sarah McLachlan song is another legendary tearjerker: When She Loved Me from Toy Story 2.

  21. 21.

    Cat Lady

    The Law Firm’s back! We’ve got this,and Belichick will not be wearing the red hoodie this time. Everyone had their bad game last week, and survived by having Vince single handedly blow up the Ravens. Go Patriots!

    Love Sarah McLachlan, but Fear is my favorite song of hers. Fear the Patriots! Also.

  23. 23.

    PurpleGirl

    @Amir Khalid: “You were born from the wreckage of a silent reverie, You’re in the arms of the angel, may you find some comfort there.”

    It speaks so completely to people who feel outside society, empty and yearning to be part of life.

    It’s a beautiful song, sung so well… I usually mute my TV for the PSA.

  24. 24.

    burnspbesq

    Listening to the new Kathleen Edwards record as I write this.

    Wow. She just gets better and better.

  29. 29.

    OzoneR

    OT

    HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA!!!!

    HuffPostPol: Elizabeth Warren claims she’s not wealthy, but she’s worth millions http://huff.to/zUaVuf Can she be a warrior for the 99%?

    Cannibalism- the favorite cuisine of the left.

  31. 31.

    Violet

    @shortstop:

    I seriously thought I was the only person under 50 who loves “Band of Gold.”

    Anyone who watched American Idol back in the early days saw plenty of “Band of Gold”. It’s a great song.

  32. 32.

    Jibeaux

    If you can get the Moth podcast, find the one from DMC of Run-DMC talking about that song. Great, unexpected story.

  34. 34.

    shortstop

    @Violet: I can’t stand American Idol, but I recall it being on my older sister’s Soul Train album, which featured another excellent roadtrip song, “Want Ads” by Honey Cone.

    On a related note, I volunteer with an org that matches people with older folks who are isolated because they have no children, their spouses are dead, their siblings are dead, etc. I visit a very lovely lady in the Alzheimer’s ward of a nursing home and every single time I arrive, one of her neighbors stands up in his wheelchair and yells “Soooooooooooooul train!” at me. I am completely at a loss as to why I make him think of ST, but I always play along.

  35. 35.

    WereBear

    Mr WereBear will mute the commercial and say to my head, under the covers, “I don’t understand. All four of our cats are rescues! You do a lot for the animals.”

    It’s just I can’t rescue all of them. :(

  40. 40.

    JCT

    @WereBear: I just rescued 2 cats last week (!!) — so excited I get to pick them up on Sunday. But I felt like 2 were not enough… so many beautiful needy kittehs!

  41. 41.

    Jim C

    @shortstop:
    I’m under by a bit, and I love it.

    I think what really clinches it for me is the propulsive, insistent snare drum through the song – as it the drummer is urging her along, “Don’t wallow, don’t wallow! Keep on belting! Ache, but don’t get weepy!”

    Knowing little about the production, I thought it might have some sort of Muscle Shoals connection – the drumming is reminiscent (to me, at least) of Al Jackson Jr. from Booker T. & The MGs.* It isn’t, it’s a man from the Motown house band, The Funk Brothers, Uriel Jones. (Thanks, Wikipedia! According to that, the backup singing is done partially by the future members of Dawn, and the lead guitar is Ray Parker Jr. Even more interesting.)
    Great work, Mr. Jones.

    *Compare the propulsive snare to the snare-heavy “Time Is Tight.” (And if you really want to hear a song differently, find the album cut off the soundtrack album Up Tight, Booker T.’s organ moves to the right and the drum is mixed behind the organ and song goes from a guitar-and-drum march linked by an organ to an almost meditative piece. )

  44. 44.

    JGabriel

    @OzoneR:

    Cannibalism — the favorite cuisine of the left.

    Just because Conservatives think HuffPo is lefty, doesn’t mean you have to believe them.

    .

  46. 46.

    OzoneR

    @JGabriel:

    Just because Conservatives think HuffPo is lefty, doesn’t mean you have to believe them.

    I don’t, but if there’s one thing HuffPost does, it takes pride on being anti-bank and anti-Wall Street. It’s hilarious to see them joining in to pummel on probably the only real crusader looking to take the country back from the banks- because she happens to have money (did they just figure this out?!?!)

  47. 47.

    gbear

    @chrome agnomen:

    Old fart! I was in 4th grade. The Beatles on Ed Sullivan was a life-changing event.

    As a youth who hadn’t come to terms with his gayness yet, the song Band Of Gold was always somewhat discomforting. It make me feel kind of squishy.

  48. 48.

    eemom

    wow, I thought I was the only one who scrambles for the remote when that commercial comes on because I can’t bear to watch it.

    You guys are the bestest.

  50. 50.

    JPL

    The movie 50/50 has some great songs including Crying by Roy Orbison. Strange movie in the sense that I have never been a fan of Rogen and his crass humor but he is talented. He might have won me over to his side even though he used a word a hate.

  51. 51.

    Don K

    I’ll agree “Band of Gold” is a great song, but it only reminds me of my first job, after 10th grade, working in the packing shed of a peach/apple orchard. Sub-minimum wage, up to 15 hours/day at the height of peach season with no time-and-a-half, coming home covered in sweat and peach fuzz so I had to take a 20 minute shower just to get rid of the itch and get to sleep, what’s not to like? Well, on the late nights the owner’s wife would go out and buy McDonald’s for us for dinner, so there was that…

    Anyway, any song that was in heavy rotation on AM radio in the summer of ’70 brings back memories of that situation, and unfortunately “Band of Gold” is one.

  52. 52.

    shortstop

    @Don K: Was it really that early — 1970? Well, my big sister was several years behind the curve, UNSURPRISINGLY. Heh.

  53. 53.

    lamh35

    I’m late for this, but I’m actually sick of the song for the commercials.

    But I actually loved this song as a part of the soundtrack to the movie “City of Angels” with Nic Cage and Meg Ryan. It’s one of my fav Nic Cage movies

    City of Angels

  54. 54.

    Anya

    I am not familiar with the comercial that everyone is talking about, but that song reminds me of when JFK, Jr. died. I remember coming home and seeing my mother crying, that song was playing on teevee. I was fourteen and that was the first time I saw my mom cry that intensely. It was scary. It took me a while to find out what has happened. I always associate that song with that moment.

    @OzoneR: Left? Since when HufPo is considered left.

  62. 62.

    JPL

    Even if there are few who still watch CHUCK, I still think we should have an open thread in honor of the show. IMO>>>>

  63. 63.

    lamh35

    um so yeah, speaking of songs from movies or movies with songs…whatever…Dirty Dancing in on ABC Family and ya probably don’t know and don’t care, but I LUV DIRTY DANCING!!! I actually bought the DVD like maybe 3 times (twice before Katrina and once after Katrina) and yet I still watch it when it comes on tv…I’m a sucker for some Patrick Swazye.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpmILPAcRQo&feature=share

  64. 64.

    kuvasz

    @OzoneR:

    What is that you don’t understand about the phrase, “One doesn’t have to be of the people as long as one is for the people.”

    btw: as long as people treat animals with cruelty those commercials showing its aftermath are germane and necessary.

  65. 65.

    FlipYrWhig

    @shortstop:

    I visit a very lovely lady in the Alzheimer’s ward of a nursing home and every single time I arrive, one of her neighbors stands up in his wheelchair and yells “Soooooooooooooul train!” at me.

    Is it wrong for me to love this?

  68. 68.

    Edith

    Oh that does bring back memories. I graduated from Smith in ’99. I remember watching MTV with a bunch of (self-described)radical lesbians with huge crushes on Sarah. If it weren’t for Facebook, I’d have no idea that most of them are now married to men. I was more of a Babes in Toyland/Throwing Muses kind of girl myself. They broke me by the end though; I left with Ani DiFranco, Tracy Chapman, and the Indigo Girls. Hmm, maybe Go Fish or the Incredibly True Adventures of Two Girls in Love is available on instant download at Netflix.

  69. 69.

    Biscuits

    Whenever I hear Angel, I think of the routine Bill Burr does, and I have four cats and two doggers. It’s LOL.

  70. 70.

    JGabriel

    How come there’s no open thread for the Chuck finale?

    Given our bloghost’s love of the show, this seems like a serious breach of fanboi etiquette.

    .

  72. 72.

    Anya

    @lamh35: To add salt to the wound, that’s after Jeb (what a stupid name) Bush advised the GOP candidates to be little bit less hateful when it comes to immigrants.

  75. 75.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @Anya:

    Jeb (what a stupid name) Bush

    I haven’t Googled yet to double-check this, but I believe JEB is his initials: John (or maybe James) Ellis Bush.

    ETA: Not that that makes it any less stupid of a name, of course.

  76. 76.

    YellowJournalism

    “Chuck” thread! “Chuck” thread!

    Hubby and I PVR’d it. We’re putting the kiddos to bed and having a late dinner of Subway. I should have bought cheese balls.

    We know the show has declined a bit, like most good ones do, but it’s still the most fun thing for us to watch together besides “Supernatural.” We’re going to miss it so very much.

  77. 77.

    Mark S.

    Ladies and Gentlemen, your Republican party:

    If murderers (and I would include abortionists, rapists, and kidnappers, as well) are actually executed, it will at least have the deterrent effect upon them. For my money, we should go back to public hangings, which would be more of a deterrent to others, as well.

    Is that the Hayekian modesty I’ve been hearing so much about?

  78. 78.

    Cris (without an H)

    “Band of Gold” also figured in to a good scene on Desperate Housewives, when married Lynette steals her boss’s thunder at a singles bar.

    Like everybody else here, the SPCA ad tears my heart out. I want to win the Powerball and buy an estate big enough to adopt them all.

  80. 80.

    Cris (without an H)

    Why doesn’t JPK have front page access, so DougJ doesn’t have to do the reporting?

    I mean, Randinho has an acct, and his posting is even more narrow a niche than a resident “song of the week” would be.

  81. 81.

    Southern Beale

    So, tonight I’m working late, and I come in from my office, and the husband has on a weird Russian-language vampire film that he’s streaming, and he’s like, “I never get to watch this stuff when you’re here, so I thought I’d watch it now,” and I’m like, fine, I don’t care, but you DO realize you’re gonna be asleep in 10 minutes right? And he’s all huffy and like, “I will NOT nod off I always watch this weird stuff when you’re not here.”

    So I’m now watching some weird Russian language vampire film while the husband is snoring in his chair.

    Sigh.

  82. 82.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @Mark S.: These people are simply vile. They have no interest in appealing to any positive instinct or emotion. Even their discussions of morality are cast in terms of punishment for sins with no inducement toward “good” behavior except fear. I almost pity them them, but then I think of the harm that they do to others for no good reason and the feeling passes.

  83. 83.

    Southern Beale

    @Mark S.:

    Here in Tennessee we have a Republican state senator claiming that HIV/AIDs infections in heteros is “extremely rare,” and a whole mess of other stupid.

    You know, I’m just really over these people. But this country has been saddled with stupid Republicans since forever, so I guess we should all be grateful that Al Gore invented the internet so the entire nation can mock them.

  85. 85.

    CT Voter

    Love “Band of Gold”. Have to admit, though, this is the first time I’ve read all the lyrics, and, golly.

  86. 86.

    Froley

    @Jibeaux:

    I second this, it is worth anybody’s time to listen to DMC’s story about McLachlan’s song and how it changed his life.

  89. 89.

    kth

    @Jim C: probably not, it was one of the biggest hits on the Invictus label formed by the famed Holland-Dozier-Holland songwriting/producing team after they left Motown Records in a huff. The Wikipedia item for the song doesn’t say where it was recorded. But it notes that several of the famed Funk Brothers (Motown house musicians) played on the records, so odds are it was Detroit.

    Ray Parker, Jr. was the guitarist, and the ladies who became Dawn for Tony Orlando (gag!) were among the backup singers.

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