5-6 years ago, I had no clue who Joe Ely really was. I had heard his name but not much of his music. When I started to get into his music, I fell hard and am still falling. He opened up different artists and bands to me to enjoy. Guy Clark, Dave Alvin, and many more. Now that music is entrenched in my daily listens. I love the seesaw between the vocals and guitar in this song. It hits you with that, and that was enough to hook me.
Ely was born in Amarillo in 1947 and raised in Lubbock, Buddy Holly’s hometown. Ely came of age surrounded by dust storms, flat horizons, and rock ‘n’ roll. He has been in many bands. The Flatlanders, The Buzzin Cousins, Los Super Seven, and more. Plus, he was good friends with The Clash, with whom he toured at one time.
The song has the Texas storytelling with a harder rock edge that had grown through the 1980s with Ely. The song is from the 1992 album Love and Danger, and it feels like Ely standing between two worlds, part roots rock, part country song built for barrooms. I listened to the album this past week, and I would recommend it to everyone.
The album was recorded in Nashville and produced by Ely alongside producer Tony Brown. Brown had worked with artists across country and roots music, and his approach fit Ely’s writing style. The sessions focused on clean performances and strong players rather than heavy studio production.
During the making of the record, Ely had written dozens of songs over several months, pulling ideas from travel, Texas landscapes, and years of touring. The sessions had clean arrangements that gave space to the lyrics and Ely’s voice. Guitarist David Grissom added strong electric guitar throughout the album, helping fuse all the styles together.
Settle For Love
You say you want drama
I’ll give you drama
You say you want muscle
I’ll give you nerve
You want sugar
Would you settle for honey?
You want romance
Would you settle for love?
Would you settle for love?
Would you settle for love?
Would you settle for love or do you need
All that meaningless stuff
Would you settle for love?
Would it be enough?
Baby, would you settle for love?
You say you want fire
I’ll give you fever
You want kisses
I’ll give you all I got
You want diamonds
I’ll give you rhinestones
And you want romance
Would you settle for love?
Would you settle for love?
Would you settle for love?
Would you settle for love or do you need
All that meaningless stuff
Would you settle for love?
Would it be enough?
Baby, would you settle for love?
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one of the better lesser known singers. Texas style more than Nashville
Oh yes…that is why I like him so much.
Max, do you know of Asleep at The Wheel ?
I have heard of them yes….they are a country rock band right? I’ll take a listen Roger!
I am sure you will enjoy them . Pure Texas old school
Thanks Roger!
Great stuff. I bought this CD a few years ago at a used music store in town that unfortunately closed a couple of months ago. Good album. On a sad side note, I was going to mention yesterday that I hadn’t been aware that Dave Mason died until about a week ago. I think he died in early- mid March. Another great one gone.
Yea I heard about Mason last week…yea another great one gone. There has been too many.
I wanted to write about Dave Mason but got distracted cleaning up from the hailstorm. I think that’s your job for this week. 😉
Actually… thats a great idea. I was on the lookout for next weekend and that would fit perfectly. I should have done it this week…thank you!
BTW…we got the engine ready to take out and it started to rain…driveshaft, alternator etc… hopefully next weekend we can get it out.
“You say you want fire, I’ll give you fever” Joe gave that in spades. One of the reasons I tune into your station Max is you throw this stuff at me.
It’s been too long since I featured him…it was time. This song hit me hard…it just pierces right through you. Great line as well!
Did the same thing tome when I first heard it. Grissom is a very good guitarist. Live he really shines. He was a big part of Joes sound back then. Always had a great band. There’s a song off that album ‘Whenever Kindness Fails’ that would suit Guy Clark to a tee.
Yes he is…that guitar really stands out in this one. I’ll have to check that out. Thanks CB
Sometimes I read what CB posts and just wanna say, “YEAH. WHAT HE SAID. GOES FOR ME.”
Like now.
Vice versa Purple. Things get lost in all the comments over time but I’m curious, did you catch Joe live? Something tells me you did.
I managed to see Ely perform twice. The first time was at the late San Diego Street Fair, and don’t ask me the date. All I remember was going from a corner where the Dirty Dozen Brass Band played to another stage with Ely followed by the one and only time I have seen Richard Thompson live. What an incredible weekend!!!
We started driving down to San Diego from Los Angeles for this thing that continually blew us away. A very different ambience from the various times “Street Scenes” were tried in Los Angeles.
With the woman I loved and all that great music. Incredible.
A smorg of music at that SD Fair and with your gal. Very cool. Joe is good or was good in any setting. I caught him a few times early in small bars. Some of the best rocknroll shows I’ve experienced. I can still hear him banging out ‘Not Fade Away’ Good memories Purple.
Sounds really good, I like how its tough without sacrificing authenticity. Never heard an Ely album.
He is worth exploring.
edgy little tune, kind of can hear what would have appealed to Joe Strummer on this one
Joe…was really something special. An excellent song writer.
‘Slow You Down’ really stood out for me, I’ll definitely listen to more but that one alone gets jammed into my ever-expanding playlists.
Cool! Joe is totally playlist worthy.
Great song, Max, and based on checking out a couple of other tracks on “Love and Danger,” I think I should dig the album as well. Thanks to you and CB, I previously featured two of Joe Ely’s other songs in my Sunday series (“Fingernails” and “Musta Notta Lotta Gotta”). He definitely is an artist I’d love to further explore.
Yea I haven’t posted him since he passed away. He was really special man…thanks for reading Christian…I really do appreciate it!
Joe was amazing – the best live performer west of Asbury Park!
The Asbury/Lubbock worlds would eventually meet.