Tune Tag #62 with Peter C. Baker of "Tracks on Tracks": Bob Dylan, Mavis Staples, Jethro Tull, Tweedy, Smog, Alan Parsons, Jeremy Jordan
bradkyle.substack.com
Tune Tag #62 with Peter C. Baker of "Tracks on Tracks": Bob Dylan, Mavis Staples, Jethro Tull, Tweedy, Smog, Alan Parsons, Jeremy Jordan
🚀Houston, we have a Tune Tag! An honest-to-goodness published author joins us to Tag Tunes across the decades and genres! I think it's safe to say that this Tune Tag has the write stuff!✏
I’m a writer of fiction, journalism, essays. Over the last decade-and-a-half, I’ve published pieces on music and all kinds of other topics, mostly with The New Yorker, The New York Times Magazine, The New York Review of Books, and The Guardian.
My first novel, Planes, came out in 2022, and is now available in paperback from Vintage Books. I run Tracks on Tracks, a newsletter that primarily publishes pieces where writers – often me, often guests – dig into their relationship to individual songs. It’s been a blast, and I’m looking forward to making more connections in the world of music and music-adjacent writing here!
About Planes:
A CHICAGO TRIBUNE BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR • An urgent, fiercely intelligent debut novel about “two couples, an ocean apart—one wounded by a war crime, the other just starting to reckon with being implicated in it…. An insightful book about the slow, zigzag work of healing that nonetheless moves at the speed of a thriller” (Caleb Crain, author of Necessary Errors).
Song #1 sent by Peter to Brad: Sammy, Jeff, and Spencer Tweedy, The Replacements’ “Androgynous,” 2020
Roger, Wilco: (l-r) Spencer, Sammy, and Jeff. Four years ago, the tuneful trio created and performed the music for the Alex Winter HBO documentary, Showbiz Kids, acandid look at the highs and lows of children in show business. The Tweedys were nominated for a Critics’ Choice Documentary Award (Best Score) for their work.
Peter’s rationale: This video comes from “The Tweedy Show” (Ep. 31, via Susie Tweedy), a recurring Instagram live broadcast that
Jeff’s little shaver, Spencer. I’m told he’s got a girlfriend. While he doesn’t care much for her tie, he seems to be genuinely fond of hirsute.
This Replacements song (written by Paul Westerberg), “Androgynous,” is already about celebrating the passage of time, the way some things now and then really do improve. Seeing it performed by a dad with his sons adds to the effect. I think Sammy Tweedy is a really great singer, not because he hits every note or has a crazy range or anything like that, but because he always sounds exactly like himself. That’s kind of fuzzy sounding, but I’m guessing most music fans know exactly what I mean. Jeff and Spencer are in the group, Tweedy.
Brad’s song #1 sent to Peter: Mavis Staples, “One True Vine,” 2013
Studio Staples: Pops (l), with Mavis, foreground
Peter’s response: I see the connection here: Jeff Tweedy wrote, produced, and played guitar and bass on “One True Vine” for Mavis (now 85), and his son Spencer is drumming. It’s a fun Chicago thing, the connection between them. I’m guessing this has become somewhat more well-known lately, thanks to Jeff and Mavis’s performance together on the Colbert show in August, on the song written by Roebuck “Pops” Staples:
The Staple Singers’ Freedom Highway album was released on Epic/CBS Records in 1965, and produced by Epic A&R exec/in-house producer, Billy Sherrill, who soon made his career as the go-to Nashville-based producer of top country performers.
From an appearance in 2016, Colbert interviews Mavis about starting her career with her family—Pop Staples and The Staple Singers:
Peter’s song #2: Bob Dylan, “Santa Fe,” (Originally recorded 1967 & released in 1991)
Brad’s response: Backed by The Band, I thought Mavis or one (or more) of The Staples might’ve backed up Dylan on this ‘67 recording….plausible, as Mavis was 28 that year. But, not finding any connection between the Mavis song and “Santa Fe” (unless she once visited that pretty New Mexico capitol)!
Peter’s rationale: I got her via the famous story that Bob Dylan wanted to marry Mavis Staples. Then, in the Tune Tag spirit, I wanted to pick something freewheeling and fun! I have the impression that this one is kinda polarizing among Dylan heads: Some see it as a tossed-off throwaway, a bit of cheery nonsense. Others hear deeply exuberant pop perfection–-strained, of course, through a Dylan filter. I say, isn’t it maybe both?
From the July 25, 2024 American Blues Scene: From his Minnesota home, growing up, the young Robert Zimmerman would tune in to the 50,000-watt radio stations from Nashville, Memphis, Shreveport and Atlanta that blanketed the country each night.
“At midnight, the gospel stuff would start,” Dylan later told a documentary filmmaker. “But, the Staple Singers came on . . . and they were so different.”
According to Mavis, Dylan developed what she called a case of puppy love. The singer-songwriter first proposed to her after a kiss at the 1963 Newport Folk Festival. She refused him.
“I was the one that dodged a bullet,” Mavis told the New Yorker. Continuing, “I wouldn’t have been able to keep up with him.” However, she added, “If I stayed with him in his life, I don’t think he would have turned to drugs like he did.”
Many years later, in 2016, Mavis and her band toured as an opening act for Dylan. He knocked on her door, something he rarely does with an opening act. After knocking, he walked in and Mavis told him she was so glad to see him. “I been wanting to see you for so long,” she told him.
“You should have married me,” Dylan said. “You would’ve seen me every day.”
They have remained friends.
Brad’s song #2: Jeremy Jordan, “Santa Fe,” Broadway
Peter’s response: From “Santa Fe” to “Santa Fe.” Got it! I was actually obsessed with the Newsies movie as a kid, and I still have a soft spot for it (It remains basically the only Disney movie with a shred of real class/labor consciousness.) Sadly, I’ve never managed to see the stage show. This was actually my first time listening to the song without getting to see Christian Bale dance around his imaginary Wild West on the streets of New York!
Brad’s rationale: Matching song titles and New Mexico capital cities! Probably no longer stretch than to go from ‘60s Dylan to 21st-century Broadway musical!
of Our Reality Show (his son, Ben, was in a recent Newsies national touring company), answering a question I had: “Ben never played Jack Kelly. He was the understudy for Crutchie. The movie trailer (available on YouTube) features him, however.
“Ironically, I haven’t focused much on the Newsies period in my writing, although it was a huge part of our lives for more than two years. Ben touches on it in the recent podcast he did, and I mention it, as well, in the context of his career in the interview I did. You can find both of those in this post”:
Peter’s song #3: Smog (aka Bill Callahan), “The Morning Paper,” 1997
Though he was born in Maryland, Callahan’s family spent a total of 8 years living in Knaresborough in England’s North Riding of Yorkshire, with a four-year return to Maryland from 1969 to 1973. His parents worked as language analysts for the National Security Agency. Now 58, Callahan lives in Austin, Texas.
Peter’s rationale: From Newsies to “a song about the news.” Got it? I’ve always loved the way this evokes this epistemically distinct product: The newspaper that sits going unread until night, by which point it’s almost already “yesterday’s news.”
Brad’s song #3: Jethro Tull, “Thick as a Brick” (edit), 1972
Peter’s response: This has to have something to do with the original physical packaging for this album, which took the form of a little newspaper that tied in with the album’s concept. This is actually the only thing I’ve ever known about it; I’ve basically never listened to Jethro Tull until … right now! I confess I basically have never had a prog rock moment. [Brad: 😱] But who knows what tomorrow brings?
Brad’s rationale: The morning paper’s here! And, not a moment too soon! True, Peter…the original March 1972 Chrysalis/Warner Bros Record U.S. release of the Thick as a Brick album featured a jacket whose gatefold opened up into a 12-page newspaper:
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Peter’s song #4: Serengeti (aka David Cohn), “Lou Canela,” 2024 (Explicit lyrics) from album, KDIV
Brad’s response: Not sure what Peter’s connecting here to the Tull track.
Peter’s rationale: A confession: looking back right now, I can’t quite remember why I picked this song! But I’m guessing it’s because I think Serengeti is the contemporary artist making the absolute best concept albums.
This is from his latest, KDIV, which continues the running story of his character Kenny Dennis [first introduced on the 2013 album of the same name], formerly the quintessential Chicagoan, turned Minneapolis streetwear dealer, turned canny contemporary publicist behind KDIV Industries.
His old girlfriend’s presumed dead in a plane crash, his new girlfriend has a big pickleball tourney coming up, and in between, he’s got thoughts on Italian beef, date-night etiquette, and so much else. Ajai, Kenny’s co-protagonist on Serengeti’s Ajai LP, makes an appearance toward the end.
Brad returns: Mercy! A rap/hip-hop album with a premise and a plot! You nailed it, Peter! Jethro Tull’s Thick as a Brick is one of the “stereotypical” prog-era concept albums (however inadvertently!). If memory serves accurately, Tull leader/singer/songwriter/flautist, Ian Anderson, balked at critics’ incessant assertion that the album that preceded TAAB, Aqualung (released the day after my 16th birthday, March 19, 1971), was a concept album.
Pushing back that it, indeed wasn’t a concept album, he purposely crafted Thick as a Brick to be the ultimate concept album, if not the cynical parody of a concept album, replete with no banding on the LP…one looooong, single song! Take that, critics!
Indeed, as Anderson told Mark Keresman of The Arizona Republic in 2013, “The album was a spoof to the albums of Yes and Emerson, Lake & Palmer, much like what the movie Airplane! had been to Airport,” and later remarked that it was a “bit of a satire about the whole concept of grand, rock-based concept albums,” according to Scott Allen Nollen in his 2002 Jethro Tull: A History of the Band, 1968–2001.
Brad’s song #4: Alan Parsons Project, “Sirius,” 1982
Peter’s response: I’m not gonna nail this one exactly, but I know this song was used for many an NBA team intro back in the day…Which links us up to Serengeti because his best-known song, “Dennehy,” is a semi-official Chicago Bulls anthem; it references the Bulls (alongside the other major Chicago sports teams), and the team commissioned him to record an official Bulls version. I think Serengeti even performed it at a Bulls game or two!
Brad’s rationale: Serengeti is from Chicago, and mentions both Scottie Pippen and “Michael J” (as in Jordan) in his song. The Bulls used Parsons’ “Sirius” as the team’s intro song for years (do they still? Dunno).
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This round of Tune Tag really showcases the versatility of the game. I mean, from that Tweedy family cover of Androgynous to the fabulous Mavis Staples, and then Dylan, Broadway, and the incomparable Jethro Tull. What a rollercoaster ride!
Really liked your explanation on the Aqualung - Thick as a Brick saga and Anderson’s dig at critics on the whole “concept album” thing! My dad is a big Jethro Tull fan and I vividly remember these two records from my childhood!
I'm gonna dive deeper into all the nooks and grannies later, but wanted to jump in now and say that I appreciated both of your picks, but especially Peter's! I remember seeing that Tweedy family cover of "Androgynous" back when it was out. And I think I even read that New Yorker piece! Glad to 'meet' the writer of it!
And as a huge Mavis Staples fan, I was happy to see her get essentially 3 songs here! One of my all-time favorite shows was getting to see her perform at a small jazz club about 12 or 13 years ago. It held maybe 250 people and Mavis' sisters were performing with her. She's a legend.
And Brad, you are so good at working in our fellow writers here, with a nice shoutout to Glenn Cook and his son's theater work. I do remember him writing about it too, but I wouldn't have had the smarts to connect it all the way you do!
Also happ to see Bill Callahan/Smog get some love here....
This round of Tune Tag really showcases the versatility of the game. I mean, from that Tweedy family cover of Androgynous to the fabulous Mavis Staples, and then Dylan, Broadway, and the incomparable Jethro Tull. What a rollercoaster ride!
Really liked your explanation on the Aqualung - Thick as a Brick saga and Anderson’s dig at critics on the whole “concept album” thing! My dad is a big Jethro Tull fan and I vividly remember these two records from my childhood!
I'm gonna dive deeper into all the nooks and grannies later, but wanted to jump in now and say that I appreciated both of your picks, but especially Peter's! I remember seeing that Tweedy family cover of "Androgynous" back when it was out. And I think I even read that New Yorker piece! Glad to 'meet' the writer of it!
And as a huge Mavis Staples fan, I was happy to see her get essentially 3 songs here! One of my all-time favorite shows was getting to see her perform at a small jazz club about 12 or 13 years ago. It held maybe 250 people and Mavis' sisters were performing with her. She's a legend.
And Brad, you are so good at working in our fellow writers here, with a nice shoutout to Glenn Cook and his son's theater work. I do remember him writing about it too, but I wouldn't have had the smarts to connect it all the way you do!
Also happ to see Bill Callahan/Smog get some love here....