Oh but on the contrary, Bob is a man of many beards ! At the same time, he never really could grow a full prophet one, instead he had dozens of patchy approximative beards. Which was certainly not lost on Tweedy when he wrote the song… Wow, well done ! Here's a quote from Jeff in an Uncut interview : "It’s not a specific beard I’m referring to, it’s the idea of emulating your heroes and only being able to communicate your own emotions through the idea of someone else’s persona. But, since you mention it… I kinda like the beard he’s rocking on the cover of Infidels. Ha ha!" Which begs THE question. Why 49th ? A few theories (from most to least probable) - He saw Dylan with a beard in Chicago, during the Oh Mercy tour in November 1990, when Bob was 49 years old. - He wanted to use the number “115th”, but it was already taken by some other song. - It’s a reference to Days of '49, and the whole “Self-Portrait” lost period. - They had to do 49 takes, because Jeff kept messing up on the guitar.
A Morse Code sort of pattern at the start of "Woodgrain," and now a hint of it again on the outro here. I'd guess that Jeff meant to create a link to the main album concept and the Conet radio signals. I wonder if it actually spells out any message. I also like the mambo intro to "A Magazine Called Sunset"; along with the Polynesian intro to "The Good Part," it seems that Jeff/Jay were listening to some exotica albums at the time. "Woodgrain" was the germ of a good song; the "take a look at my kitchen" section would've been worth developing. The lyrics to "Bob Dylan's 49th Beard" seem like an undeveloped fragment, too, like high school journal stuff, but the guitar part is so lovely. A nice vocal as well, even if I forget the melody not long after the record is over.
That's just ridiculous. Why make a record that's to raise money for a movement so limited? Hopefully they repress it. Still waiting for a physical release of "Tell Your Friends" too.
Yes, and this leads to my question: is there any evidence at all that these tracks with the Morse Codes were ever intended for YHF itself? Or were these effects added on later during mixing just for the EP? I’m curious because YHF is a rather succinct album even though they could have made it a sprawling opus, given how many stray and discarded tracks they had available.
Bob Dylan's 49th Beard = something John said to Jeff "What's with the Bob Dylan beard?" or was it Jeff to John. It was something like that. I don't recall where I read it.
I love Bob Dylan’s 49th Beard. The finger-picking guitar, the self-pitying lyrics, the soft-sung melody, the atmospheric noise—it all just works for me. There’s nothing else quite like it in Tweedy’s catalog. I never get tired of hearing it.
Just checked and the EP version of “A Magazine Called Sunset” is exactly the same mix as what appears on the so-called Engineer Demos that were leaked. The alt-version “Camera” on the EP was the same as the Engineer Demo, but with a different mix. This is getting interesting; I need to check the rest of the officially released non-album tracks against the demos now and try to spot the differences (if any).
I suppose it's appropriate that "Bob Dylan's 49th Beard" is today's song since I visited Dylan's boyhood home this afternoon and spent much of the afternoon driving on U.S. Highway 61. The actual song, sadly, doesn't do much for me. It sounds a bit like some of Dylan's early folk songs, particularly the guitar strumming. There's nothing wrong with the song, but they just did better work in this style on both of the Mermaid Avenue albums.
Today is the final song on this EP: More Like the Moon This is my favorite song on the EP. I like the gentle picking (what lovely guitar playing on this track) and the steady thump of the drums. I like Jeff's vocal and I like the lyrics, which seem to deal with concepts of our smallness in the universe, our inability to really know each other and the general entropy of everything. I see us all as something But nothing like we truly are It may be a little lengthy at six minutes, but the guitar solo in the middle pretty much makes the length worth it for me. I'm sorry I haven't had much to say about the tracks on this EP. I'm not that familiar with them and I don't really have any personal connections to them... Tomorrow morning we will begin our discussions on A Ghost is Born.
More Like The Moon In the liner notes for Alpha Mike Foxtrot, Tweedy comments that there might not be a lot of spots on albums for 6 minute long songs with not one, but two, classical guitar solos. lyrics: “I see you in the morning Wearing only one shoe I say, I see you've lost something What're you gonna do? You say but no, I found one There's another out there for you I see us all as customers Holding no purchase so far Collapsing galaxies Feathered with falling stars I see us all as something But nothing like we truly are Why don't you come to me now More like you are I know we should be grateful Everything is falling apart Everything is breaking And it lifts my heart To see you as an angel As some ghostly work of art Why don't you come to me now Know who you are“ I like the (very) laid back beat on the drums. And I like the small keyboard flourishes when he sings “why don’t you come to me now/more like you are”. This is a lovely song.
More Like the Moon makes me think of the more recent Wilco output, which has a lot of this mellow, acoustic-flavored music. Yet it somehow seems of the YHF era. I really like it. The two distinct guitar solos keep things interesting. I think he's talking to a woman in the morning, somebody he doesn't know well. The whole thing is wistful but not sad. It's also my favorite track off this EP and would by on my hypothetical Great Lost Wilco album, maybe even the closer.
Excellent track: the Rumours/Fleetwood Mac-sounding drums and bass, cascading keyboard riff, delicate classical guitar solos. I was really pleased to download the EP from their website. Top shelf tracks of Magazine, Handshake Drugs and this. Good track in Bob Dylan's Beard. Why not put alternate version of Kamera on there. And not quite sure why they didn't leave Woodgrain on the shelf and bring down Cars Can't Escape. For those who downloaded YHF months earlier, this was a nice stop-gap release and gave fans a good reason to buy the physical product (at a time when kids in droves were downloading everything for free). Presented the calming assurance through Ghost that the band was churning out one quality release per year despite personnel issues. The Fertile Crescent of the band's road map for me, the long, strange trip from A.M. to A Ghost Is Born.
What strikes me the most in Jeff's canon, is the paradoxical nature of a songwriter who never stops exploring and re-inventing his sound, his singing, his playing, his band, while at the same time tirelessly working at creating a solid dependable bedrock (hope it's the correct word) for all he's doing. It is very much apparent in the sequence Bob Dylan's Beard/More Like the Moon, two songs that have a certain quintessential Tweedy quality to them. The first could be a March 16-20 song just as much as it could be on Warmer. As for More Like the Moon, it could easily be mistaken for a Sukierae track, but play it acoustically and it's not that far remote from a Being There outtake like Sun's a Star ; and if you treat the drums slightly differently, you'll get a blueprint for many Ode to Joy tunes… As it is, placed as the title track on this intermediary EP, it sounds neither like a Yankee Hotel Foxtrot reject nor a Ghost Is Born first taste. No, it's something else, it's Jeff consciously – and conscientiously – working at refining/defining his artistic personae outside the field of research and expression of any particular album.
Some great comments re this song. I agree with @Al Gator that "More Like the Moon" points towards the Wilco of today. I know that this is as Wilco thread as opposed to an Uncle Tupelo thread, BUT I had to throw in a plug for March 16-20 due to @Fortuleo 's post. That is a fantastic record. My favorite Uncle Tupelo. Its a great listen and if you've never heard it, definitely worth checking out.
Since you mentioned it: Cars Can’t Escape This was also released via a free download from wilcoworld.net, and in the liner notes for Alpha Mike Foxtrot, Jeff Tweedy writes: “This is one of the most requested songs in the Wilco catalogue, especially among the songs that have not seen traditional official releases. In retrospect, it probably should have made the record because it’s a thoroughly captivating recording. Pretty interesting.” As noted somewhere earlier in the thread, Cars Can’t Escape would sit very nicely in the spot between Heavy Metal Drummer and I’m The Man Who Loves You. I’ve tried it - and it works there. The officially released version of Cars Can’t Escape is based off of the “Engineer Demo” of the song, but it has additional overdubs and mixing done. I compared with headphones on and discovered this yesterday. Also, the official version has approx. 17 seconds of soft repeating notes at the beginning before the proper song starts, but then it fades the guitar noise ending roughly 22 sec. earlier than the Engineer Demo. lyrics: “When red is bled And petals blue And in my sleepless head Our love's been dead a week or two Sometimes, good times Are stuck inside of you And then they're gone But I don't know why A lot of things have changed Since we said goodbye There were reasons for you to love me But I gave you none So I tap my glass and nod my chin And wonder who you've been in rhythm with So time's just time Cars can't escape When clouds are gray and close Not often, too far away And blue has no value, power, or hue Or open skies, relationless Carelessness is what I miss And that's how I think of you Sometimes, good times Were all we had to do So I tap my glass and nod my chin And wonder who you've been in rhythm with So I tap my glass and nod my chin And wonder who you've been in rhythm with” This seems to be a rumination on the end of a relationship. “There were reasons for you to love me/but I gave you none” is superb writing. The whole song is superb.
More Like the Moon is a great track unlike any other in the catalogue. An EP is a great place for a meandering time like this. And if this is Jeff playing lead, which I believe it is, it looks like he’s going to be just fine without a lead guitar player. Which opens the door to Ghost...
I thought I’d provide an overview of Yankee rarities beyond the More Like the Moon EP as a reference. Most of these have been discussed in passing at one point or another, but hopefully this is a comprehensive reference. To recap, Yankee started with a lot of collaboration between Jeff and Jay on acoustic guitars, piano, Wurlitzer, etc. The band (with Ken) recorded demos and initial tracking sessions. While Jeff’s songwriting was moving in more experimental directions, a lot of these songs feel like they would go in a Being There or Summerteeth direction. Then Jeff started his Loose Fur collaboration with Jim and Glenn and we’re able to record Laminated Cat/Not for the Season to Jeff’s satisfaction. Jeff had such an intuitive bond with Glenn that soon Ken was out and Glenn was in. Jeff started taking his songwriting in more experimental directions (as several of us have pointed out earlier if you’ve never heard the demo of Poor Places, you need to... boy did that song change arrangements). Jay was still instrumental, but by the end was out of the band. Most of the rarities stem from the earlier sessions. Jeff’s later work was used up in the album and the EP. Live tracks from the era include the early four-piece band playing stripped back versions (Leroy juggling keys and guitar; Jeff playing acoustic and electric) and later the five piece when Mikael Jorgensen joined to play keys/loops. Officially released tracks: The Good Part - released as a b-side to War on War. A fun rocker with a pacific breeze running through it. I’m The Man (Live) - another b-side. Good to hear a stripped back live version with the smaller post-Jay band. Jeff’s fuzz guitar is awesome over a mellow acoustic backing. Less Than You Think/I Am Trying To Break Your Heart - Live on KCRW. An early version of a Ghost track plus Yankee’s epic opener. On these you can really hear the band starting to master the folk+noise sound they are now the kings of. Assuming Mikael is in there by this point. Cars Can’t Escape - a fan favourite melancholy ballad that’s a classic Jay/Jeff collaboration. Released quietly online. Let Me Come Home - another beautiful Jeff/Jay piano ballad this time with strings. Released on a compilation. Old Maid - a funny little acoustic number. Another compilation track. Unreleased demos: Not for the Season - a Wilco attempt at least me of Jeff’s earliest experimental songs. Not to be missed. Compare with Loose Fur’s Laminated Cat and Jeff’s acoustic version. Wilco play this live all the time. Alone (Shakin’ Sugar) - melodic pop tune. Jay recorded this solo after leaving. Will Not Let You Down - cool Stonesy rocker. Corduroy Cutoff Girl - weird little upbeat acoustic jam that has lyrics that would evolve into Radio Cure and I Am Breaking. Nothing Up My Sleeve - another upbeat acoustic pop song. Venus Stop the Train - a beautiful ballad. Jay would also record this one solo after his departure. Collaborations: -Wilco recorded the Down With Wilco album with Scott McCaughey’s Minus 5 -Jeff sang backup on Farewell My Darling with Nikki Sudden -Jeff recorded a soundtrack for the Chelsea Walls film. It rounded up some Wilco rarities (Promising, When the Roses Bloom Again), but is notable for several instrumental collaborations between Jeff and Glenn. Not stuff I return to often, but they are good examples of how Jeff was expanding his musical palate.
Is Jay on the Alpha Mike Foxtrot version of this song? I'd heard that they mixed him out of some AMF stuff... I'm really hoping for a deluxe YHF in 2021 with all the engineer demos and more alt versions different from AMF mixes.
"More Like the Moon" - This blew my mind at the time, for the advance in Jeff's guitar playing. At some point, he had traveled to Spain, where he took some lessons in flamenco guitar. I think this was before he recorded "More Like the Moon," but I know Golden Smog recorded much of "Another Fine Day" in the south of Spain, so I'm not sure when that happened, or whether these were the same trip or multiple trips. Wilco and Jeff solo have played this track very rarely. Anyway, this one is an exhibit in my brief for why Jeff Tweedy is underrated as a guitarist.
"More Like The Moon" is a fascinating track in that it is so unusual for Wilco. I love the lyrics and while I'm not as enamored with the music, it works for the kind of dreamy, thoughtful mood captured in the lyrics. The classical acoustic guitar motifs are a definite left turn and are quite impressive. I'm not going to rank the songs on the EP or rate the EP amongst the proper full-length albums, but this is probably my favorite cut on this release.
More Like The Moon: my thoughts are very similar to @robcar except I like the music. But I wouldn’t tuck in onto any of the albums that we’ve examined. It’s fine on this ep.
This is the last we’ll hear of Jay Bennett so I’ve been mulling over a bunch of oddball thoughts (from my avid reading of everyone’s great posts). Here’s just a sampling: Clearly, Cars Can’t Escape, Venus Stopped the Train and Alone (Shakin’ Sugar) were casualties of the Jeff/Jay divorce. The inclusion of all three of those would have made it harder to airbrush out Bennett’s contribution to YHF. The RS guy couldn’t have been so oblivious. Collaborative vs Democratic: this ends the collaborative era. Stirratt(?) saying the band has input on album song selection doesn’t exactly equate to Jay Bennett sitting next to Jeff and feeling perfectly at ease about responding to a question about songwriting. And in the future there isn’t going to be anyone like Ken Coomer throwing his sticks against the booth wall, yelling, “I’m a drummer. That’s it!” That era of collaboration is gone. Side thought: possibly collaborative bands- The Beatles, Jefferson Airplane, Ozark Mountain Daredevils, Drive-By Truckers, R.E.M. (though I’m listing the latter just from snippets I’ve read. Not very familiar with them). Now I’m going way back (! Sorry) to mention something that had always irritated me. Whenever Wilco is written about, it inevitably says that Jeff formed the band from the remnants of Uncle Tupelo. Which he did! But there’s a UT higher math equation involved when it comes to Wilco and Son Volt. Wilco is something like: 4/5 x 1 + 1/3 x 3 while Son Volt is 2/3 x 3 + 1/5 x 1 equals something or other. Very complicated! And just think of the equation if John Stirratt had joined Son Volt (2/3 x 3 + 2/5 x 1...anyway, my head hurts). Apologies for getting off track. I’ll stick to the straight and narrow beginning tomorrow!
