I wrote about these guys a year or so ago, and I’ve continued to listen to them. The way I describe them is 90s alt-country mixed with Big Star. You literally get Big Star, Wilco, Uncle Tupelo, and The Jayhawks in this band…plus a member of the Replacements.
The Golden Smog started as a loose collaboration of Minneapolis-based musicians who got together to play cover songs under pseudonyms. The name Golden Smog comes from a character in a Flintstones episode. The band initially played country and rock covers, but it evolved into a serious musical project over time.
Membership in this band has been fluid. They have had Chris Mars (Replacements drummer), Jeff Tweedy (Wilco), Louris and Perlman of The Jayhawks, Dave Primer from Soul Asylum, and more. Also in 1997, Jody Stephens became their drummer. He was an original member of Big Star.
This song, to my surprise, was first released by a band from the early seventies called Michaelangelo. They were a baroque-folk band around that time. This song was on their 1971 album One Voice Many.
Lyrically, it is very interesting. A mom sends her son a letter, and he is unsure whether to send a reply and tell her the truth about how he is doing…and it’s not good.
This song was released on their debut EP, On Golden Smog, in 1992. Altogether, they have released 1 EP and 4 albums, with the latest one in 2007 and a “Best Of” package in 2008. They reunited in 2019 and played together last year with Jeff Tweedy.
Son (We’ve Kept Your Room Must the Way You Left It)
Hello Mom, I’m fine, where the sun is dyin’How’s the weather around my old hometown?You seem to worry about my livin’, you say that all’s forgivenWhat’s lost is bound to be found
I hope you don’t expect to see me‘Cause you know I’m very far awayYou know I really miss youBut a man’s gotta make it on his own someday
Sue, she sends her greetings ’bout the school and civic meetingsSays she’s doin’ well in her cellYeah, her brother’s won the race nowAnd he’s proud to show his face now‘Round the corner scene in his paper-doll dreams
And me, I guess I’m livin’Takin’ what’s for the livin’Oh, Mom, you know how I really wishYou could see what’s on my mind, yeah
Yeah, I guess it’s kinda lonely, and I’ve been uptight for moneyBut I’ll make it on my own, stayin’ highYou seem upset about the drugs and thingsI guess I’ve finally found my wingsIt’s my way to be free, don’t think you failed in me
Someday, you’ll understand all thisJust what it is I mean to sayJust don’t try and love meI don’t wanna see you hurt this way
Yes, I’ll be ignorin’, makes a guy feel freeKnowin’ that somebody cares somewhere
Mama, can I mail this and let you know I failed?It’s just not right somehow, oh noI’d rather let you think I’m dead than hung on drugs insteadI’m dyin’ anyhow, and it’s too late now
And I guess there’s a moral somewhereBut I can’t seem to think just nowIf I had to do it overGuess I’d try to change the trial somehow
Lord, it’s really hell when you’re livin’ in a spellAnd nothing’s like it seems in a cocaine dream
PowerPop... An Eclectic Collection of Pop Culture 
All new to me, surprisingly!
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Fun band to check out…a lot of talented members.
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Is this an update of Allen Sherman’s “Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh”? But with guitar.
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Yea that is about it except down a darker road.
I never heard the original of this before.
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Pretty decent. More upbeat than I expected. Who’s singing- in places it sounds like Tweedy, in others not really. Dave Pirner?
Golden Smog- oh ya! Wasn’t that The Flintstones parody of Mel Torme?
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I think so…I think Fred was singing like Mel Torme and that was his nickname.
This is a cool band and their songs are right there in the 90s alt country power pop lol.
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Nice music, Max and I like the message where the youth can’t face his mom because he made a mess out of his life.
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Yea…it’s a sad one but people can relate to.
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You’re caught in this loop of connected musicians. I love this stuff. It works for me. Man do I hear a lot of influences in this. This group must have brought a huge amount of creative ideas, Somehow they make it work. We could toss what we hear in this song back and forth all day.
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The cover songs they would pick was smart…not well known ones but great songs nonetheless…and gave them new life.
I saw an interview with Tweedy…he said that is exactly what they did…swap creative ideas…which paid off.
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Does that mean Jeff and I are on the same musical wave lenght.? Maybe I should start a band.
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You should…and save a few tickets for me!
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That’s a cool perspective to take on a song. I do recall you posting on Golden Smog, not a name easily forgotten. But I don’t recall the song. I liked this enough to listen to the whole thing. Can’t say that about every song I read about every day.
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Thanks Randy…they have that alt country-power pop thing going on…which I love both…this song though…I never heard the original.
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I went and listened to the original- wow, that album cover- talk about wall to wall flowery prints, guys shirts, head to toe gal’s maxi skirts- it like being lost in a spring meadow.
This is a song I missed as I skipped in and out of Golden Smog a little bit. It’s a great song with more than a touch of, not self-loathing but personal disappointment. My fave in the ones I zipped through is ‘Red-headed Stepchild,’ don’t really know why; but that’s what music is all about, who knows why a song resonates with us?
I may well be wrong (my wife tells me I always am!) but in the lyrics the line after ‘found my wings’ sounds like it should be ‘it’s my way to be free, don’t think you failed in me.’ (I’m more than happy to be slapped down!)
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Oh yea…whichever one talks to you. It’s a group of musicians that we are bound to like…
I think you are correct…someone either mistyped it or it was on the original recording….regardless…I changed it!
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Based on what I’ve heard by Golden Smog, they are right up my alley, and I’ve covered them three times over the past three years. This hasn’t included their rendition of “Son,” which I also instantly like. I hadn’t heard of Michaelangelo before. Their original of the song isn’t bad either!
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Yea…I was shocked that was a cover. I thought sure they wrote it but it makes sense coming from that time period.
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This song descends into darkness. I wish he’d get some divine intervention. I imagine there’s a lot of druggies wishing they could send the letter but probably don’t :(. Breakin’ their momma’s hearts.
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Yea it’s a sad song no doubt…a sad dark song. I was shocked that it was a cover. Hopefully he got out of that cycle.
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