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Billy Bragg & Wilco
2,234,130 plays (150,840 listeners)
(1997 – 2000)
The British singer Billy Bragg and the American band Wilco collaborated to put to music and perform previously unheard lyrics written by American folk singer Woody Guthrie. The project was organized by Guthrie’s daughter, Nora Guthrie. The ensuing album “Mermaid Avenue” was released on the Elektra Records label on June 23, 1998. A second volume of recordings, “Mermaid Avenue Vol. II”, followed in 2000. The projects are named after a song “Mermaid’s Avenue” written by Guthrie. This was also the street in Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York on which Guthrie lived.
According to Bob Dylan’s autobiographical Chronicles, Woody Guthrie gave his unpublished songs to Dylan but Bob was unable to get them from Guthrie’s family (he tells a story about a reluctant babysitter).
Nora Guthrie’s liner notes in Mermaid Avenue indicate that it was her intention that the songs be given to a new generation of musicians who would be able to make the songs relevant to a younger generation. She therefore contacted singer-songwriter Billy Bragg in spring 1995 about recording some unreleased songs by her father, folk singer Woody Guthrie. Most of the songs were written late in Guthrie’s life when he was unable to record due to the motor impairments of Huntington’s disease. By the 1990s, Woody Guthrie had become a “relic” to the MTV generation, and Nora sought to establish a different legacy for the musician. To Nora, Bragg was “the only singer I knew taking on the same issues as Woody.” Bragg was concerned, however, that his fans would not realize that the songs were written by Guthrie when he performed them on tour, so he decided to record the album with another band.
According to Bob Dylan’s autobiographical Chronicles, Woody Guthrie gave his unpublished songs to Dylan but Bob was unable to get them from Guthrie’s family (he tells a story about a reluctant babysitter).
Nora Guthrie’s liner notes in Mermaid Avenue indicate that it was her intention that the songs be given to a new generation of musicians who would be able to make the songs relevant to a younger generation. She therefore contacted singer-songwriter Billy Bragg in spring 1995 about recording some unreleased songs by her father, folk singer Woody Guthrie. Most of the songs were written late in Guthrie’s life when he was unable to record due to the motor impairments of Huntington’s disease. By the 1990s, Woody Guthrie had become a “relic” to the MTV generation, and Nora sought to establish a different legacy for the musician. To Nora, Bragg was “the only singer I knew taking on the same issues as Woody.” Bragg was concerned, however, that his fans would not realize that the songs were written by Guthrie when he performed them on tour, so he decided to record the album with another band.
Top Albums
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Mermaid Avenue
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Mermaid Avenue Volume 2
Billy Bragg & Wilco
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Mermaid Avenue Demos
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Mermaid Avenue, Vol. 2
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Shoutbox
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SelenaSweety wrote:
just got this Artist's ringtones at www.itsflycell.com. California Stars is my favorite, love it!
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ghmanage wrote:
Has anyone heard the new Langhorne Slim record? Thoughts? Here is a live song from it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHN2BYvImK4
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NightStar01 wrote:
Greatness ♥
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tomgottasered wrote:
also, Hoodoo Voodoo
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tomgottasered wrote:
i've heard them play One by One and California Stars live
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vacationsays wrote:
Mermaid Avenue Vol. II is incredible. I got both volumes a couple summers ago, and California Stars was playing all throughout June and July and August for me. But I just pulled out Volume II the other day and I haven't been able to stop listening.
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REDT1DE wrote:
this would be less lame if the songs were more than 30s clips
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CesarIsAPuppy wrote:
california stars makes me want to drive to the beach and lay in the trunk with my girlfriend while watching the sunset. but.. i don't have a girlfriend..
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changing_horses wrote:
amazing music
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wildwoodflwr wrote:
"All you fascists" is empowering. Woody Guthrie was amazing and Billy Bragg delivers it so well.
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AutumnShadeIII wrote:
Natalie Merchant is awesome.
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mietpistole wrote:
aint nobody that can sink like me *
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iamalik wrote:
Blood of The Lamb is one of greatest songs I think I've ever heard.
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hawkw wrote:
There ain't nobody that can sing like me!
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leivreed wrote:
Very similar artist Leiv Reed, new album: http://www.last.fm/music/leiv+reed/only+color+true/
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mcassie wrote:
RIGHT ON GUYS
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thisisall1word wrote:
One Glasto, years ago saw Bill do his version of California Stars and also saw Wilco do a different version - good times...
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watthead wrote:
Bragg should've recorded the songs with the Red Stars or the Blokes instead of with Wilco.
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JoelofArc wrote:
The first Mermaid Avenue is one of the few albums I can't imagine being any better than it is.
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ladyanorak87 wrote:
California Stars is such a good song.
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