This is one of my favorite collaborations ever recorded. What’s the best way to put this? It doesn’t feel like Billy Bragg and Wilco are trying to recreate Woody Guthrie. Instead, they’re having a conversation with him across time. This is one of those rare songs that sounds like it has always existed. It makes you wonder how many other forgotten lyrics are still sitting in boxes somewhere, waiting for someone to give them a voice. If you’ve never heard the Mermaid Avenue albums, do yourself a favor and spend an evening with both of them. They’re among the finest musical tributes I’ve ever heard.
Mermaid Avenue was a collaborative album by the band Wilco and the British singer-songwriter Billy Bragg. It features previously unpublished lyrics by the legendary folk musician Woody Guthrie. The album was released in 1998 and is named after the street in Coney Island, New York, where Guthrie lived. There were 3 albums in all.
I can’t imagine the pressure Bragg and Wilco felt doing this. Having the legendary Woody Guthrie lyrics in front of you and writing melodies around them. They brought in a new generation of fans to Woody Guthrie. In this song, Jeff Tweedy wrote the music around Guthrie’s lyrics. Many of these lyrics were written in the 1930s – 1940s and finished in 1997.
Sometimes the best songs take a few decades to find their melody. This song began as a set of unpublished Woody Guthrie lyrics that sat quietly in the archives for years. The project was started by Woody Guthrie’s daughter, Nora Guthrie, who wanted to breathe new life into her father’s huge collection of unpublished lyrics. She invited Billy Bragg to set the lyrics to music, and Bragg, in turn, invited Wilco to join the project. They did a fantastic job on these albums.
Jay Bennett and Jeff Tweedy took Woody’s lyrics for California Stars and wrote a melody that feels like it had always belonged there. Tweedy’s relaxed vocal, Jay Bennett’s beautiful piano, Corey Harris’ lap steel, and Eliza Carthy’s fiddle create one of the warmest recordings of the 1990s. It sounds like an old American folk song, yet it also fits perfectly beside Wilco’s own work from that era. It’s simple, comforting, and quietly unforgettable.
The entire Mermaid Avenue project became much more than a tribute album. Billy Bragg, Wilco, and Nora Guthrie uncovered hundreds of Woody’s unpublished lyrics and introduced them to a new generation of listeners.
California Stars
I’d like to rest my heavy head tonight
On a bed of California stars
I’d like to lay my weary bones tonight
On a bed of California stars
I’d love to feel your hand touching mine
Tell me why I must keep working on
Yes, I’d give my life to lay my head tonight
On a bed of California stars
I’d like to dream my troubles all away
On a bed of California stars
Jump up from my star bed and make another day
Underneath my California stars
They hang like grapes on vines that shine
And warm the lover’s glass like friendly wine
So, I’d give this world just to dream a dream with you
On our bed of California stars
I’d like to rest my heavy head tonight
On a bed of California stars
I’d like to lay my weary bones tonight
On a bed of California stars
I’d love to feel your hand touching mine
Tell me why I must keep working on
Yes, I’d give my life to lay my head tonight
On a bed of California stars
I’d like to dream my troubles all away
On a bed of California stars
Jump up from my star bed and make another day
Underneath my California stars
They hang like grapes on vines that shine
And warm the lover’s glass like friendly wine
So, I’d give this world just to dream a dream with you
On our bed of California stars
So, I’d give this world just to dream a dream with you
On our bed of California stars
Dream a dream with you
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Very cool! 😎
I bought the CD of this project as soon as it came out. I have to be honest, I did not connect with it at the time. I don’t know what I was expecting, but I was surprised how disappointed I was. I haven’t listened to it since until now. Maybe it’s time to give it another chance. I like Billy Bragg, and I think Natalie Merchant is on it too, who I like. The only ones I’m iffy about are Wilco, which I’ve said before on here. I will try it again.
Something about it I liked. The song that drew me into it was Secrets of the Sea…it’s pure power pop and I’ve always liked it.
Hmm…well the video doesn’t seem to be ‘California Stars’, but it’s a likable dingaling type song anyway.There seems to be a nice female harmony voice and M.Y.s comment makes me think it is Natalie Merchant. They did well putting these together with only lyrics to go on.
Thanks Dave…now it is…I don’t know how I did that! I wasn’t listening to that song.
obb mentioned this project on your Lusitania take. Glad you followed up with this. Im a huge fan of the records. ‘California Stars’ (absolutely love that song) didnt come up on my feed but ‘Minor Key’ did and that’s a good substitute. ‘How one little boy got so ugly?” Another bunch of Woody magic and Billy ,Wiclo and Natalie bringing it to life.
M.Y. and I dont often land off the same page ( He still has great taste) but I ate this whole project up. It caught me and still hasnt let go. Your take nails it Max, they brought these songs to life and added their inspiration. Cool how that creative process works and it works big time here with me. Good to hear Woody is still remembered. Nora deserves the credit for this.
Yea I don’t know how the hell that happened with the wrong song because I didn’t listen to that one yesterday…but it’s corrected now.
Thanks CB…it IS one of my favorite collaborations I’ve listened to. I love what they did to these lyrics. Nora had great instinct in giving it to Bragg.
Yea it surprised me that she didn’t like this collaboration as much.
I didnt know that she didnt like the collaboration. To bad. It certainly isnt old timey folk style which I found refreshing.
Yes…they wrapped them lyrics in a great package…lot of influences there.
She said she was going to give it another try so maybe it will catch her this time.
I can think of quite a few people I’d like to hear give it a go. Some are not with us any more. I remember thinking at the time that Wilco and Bragg were off the beat’n’ track but man did it work for me. Ive never met Nora but i quite liked her vibe. That cut Bicycle sent of Los Super 7 and Joe Ely catches some lightning for sure. Emmylou’s ‘Lonesome Hobo’ hits the spot also.
(I can think of some people that I dont want to hear but it might make some dough for Woody’s estate.)
OH yea…I know what you mean…she could have got a huge name but I probably wouldn’t like it either. She made a good choice because they were not going to exploit the songs…they gave them a good home.
I did listen to some more of it earlier. I have no explanation for my initial reaction. Like I said, I don’t know what I was expecting, I just didn’t push it. On paper, it should be exactly the type of thing I should go for. I will give it some more time, especially since you and CB think so highly of it.
Hey…sometimes it doesnt catch with you…I have several like that.
I was the same way about the Jeff Buckley album, Grace. I got that CD based on all the rave reviews, and I just didn’t think it was that great. I still see it on people’s GOAT lists. It was terrible how he died, and I liked some of his father’s (Tim Buckley) music, but I don’t get it. The Robert Plant/Alison Krauss album was a disappointment to me too, and I love Alison Krauss.
The song that I really liked off of that Krauss/Plant album was Please Read the Letter….I think that is the name of it.
Back on the same page M.Y. I’m a huge Tim fan.
I looked into him after hearing “Once I Was” in the film Coming Home. Had to find out who it was
Just watched that film a while ago. A good one. Voight and Dern, you cant lose. Yes the song fit. I like his later output more which puts me in the minority.
One of my top films. I know Hal Ashby wanted him to play Woody in Bound For Glory (hey maybe this is all connected), but he died. I’ll have to look into the later stuff.
I didnt know that. I like Hal’s work. I would have caught that for sure.
David Carradine ended up starring in the film. I’ve never seen it. I think the stuff about Tim Buckley is in the DVD extras on Coming Home. OK, I’ll shut up now, have a good night.
I will too then.
(Who’da thunk it CB?)
This is a very pleasant song Max and I enjoyed listening to it.
Thank you Jim
Mermaid Avenue is great, and California Stars is one of my favourites. The second volume isn’t as strong, but Remember the Mountain Bed might be my favourite Wilco song.
I get lost in this album…same with you…I do like the other two but not as well as this first one.
I’ve never heard the third one – maybe I should.. It kind of sneaked out like a bonus disc I think.
Yea it was a box set… The Complete Sessions (2012) that contained a 3rd album of unreleased material.
There’s some really nice songs on the first two, the last, well, I listened to it but it seems to me it ranks third. California Stars’ is right at the peak, and ‘At My Window Sad And Lonely’ is another. On 2 I’m keen on ‘Some Day’ ‘Joe Di Maggio’s Done It Again’ is just joyous and retro, and the very snarky ‘Airline To Heaven.’ The trilogy is always worth a dip into, even if I like 1 and 2 more.
I just love this album and the rest…but I keep coming back to this one. Secrets of the Sea is the song that alerted me to this.
I’ll check those out again!
‘Hot Rod Hotel’ is a slice of low rent life. I like it.
True. The guy sure could write.
Im sure he lived a lot of his writings.
Very interesting and valuable project. Listening, I’m not real keen on the monotony of the melody but the lyrics are poetry.
It is a very good album…very solid. Secret of the Sea is my favorite of them all.
While I’ve known Woody’s music for what seems to be all my life, I’d never hear (or heard of) this project. Thanks for the intro, Max – and for posting it after I got home from my trip, since I didn’t read anything while I was gone.
Some of the Spotify excerpts sound nothing like what Woody would write/arrange, but I guess that’s partly the point – to bring new life to old songs and introduce Woody to a new generation.
Yes…I think his daughter trusted the right people if she wanted them to bring it to a new audience. It’s close to alt-country with a little pop in there. Glad to be the one to introduce them to you!
This was a really fun read! Great work. I’d love for you to check out my latest work at lucazani.blog, if you’re interested! Always looking to get some feedback!
“Mermaid” Avenue sounds very promising, Max. I’ve generally paid more attention to Jay Farrar (and Son Volt) than his former Uncle Tupelo mate Jeff Tweedy (and Wilco). Not surprisingly, Farrar/Son Volt with their often Neil Young-reminiscent sound/vibe are right up my alley. But I’ve also heard good stull by Tweedy/Wilco. This album, even though it’s a collaboration with Billy Bragg, makes me want to listen to more music by Tweedy and Wilco. And while I’m at it, I should probably do the same with Bragg who I really know by name only.
Check out Secret of the Sea….thats the song that brought me to this project…I think you will like it!
I really only gave these songs a once over just after the album came out. I thought it an odd pairing. It was good to get some perspective. The project really did shed a different light on Woody’s writing. I honestly wouldn’t have gotten back round to this but it was an enjoyable read!
Thanks Randy!
Great song, I’ve seen Wilco close a few concerts with “California Stars” and its magic.
Max, if there are more forgotten lyrics laying around in boxes somewhere we have to start digging them out and give them all life like this tune. I love the song…and the album cover.
Thanks Bruce! Sorry this reply took all week dude!
Great song! I think I jammed some acoustic music with a guy once and he turned me on to this song. It’s pretty simple, but it works .. how come I can’t write a song like that?
I haven’t been to the Woody Guthrie Center, but I have been to the Bob Dylan Center nextdoor in Tulsa.
Oh cool! I need to check that place out. There are so many places I want to go like The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as well.
There are some cool Christmas cards from The Beatles to Bob Dylan and lots of tour jackets, backstage passes, stories about the songs, etc. I’d recommend it.
Ok man…you really hit the sweetspot. Thanks dude! My son is a huge fan.