Tag: Long Ryders

When I was discovering the Paisley Underground Scene from the 1980s, this was one of the bands that jumped out at me. I did a post on them a few years ago with a song called Looking for Lewis and Clark.  I still can’t believe this was released in the 1980s because it lacked big production and a Casio-sounding keyboard. To me, this sounds like grounded roots music, and reminiscent of the Byrds, and I love the sound. It’s both country twang and chiming power chords.

If you’re going to kick off your first proper album, you may as well come out swinging, and the Long Ryders do just that here. This song wastes no time; the guitar riff is a jangle straight out of the Byrds’ Rickenbacker playbook, but it’s dirtied up with a garage-band growl that says these guys were listening to as much Crazy Horse as Mr. Tambourine Man.

The Long Ryders cut their debut album Native Sons in early 1984 at A&M Studios in Hollywood, with Henry Lewy, Joni Mitchell’s longtime collaborator, behind the board. He understood space and warmth, two qualities the Ryders wanted in spades. The sessions were quick; they were on an indie budget, so this song went down live in the studio, the band feeding off each other’s energy.

The album was praised by critics, Melody Maker saying ” “a modern American classic” and Allmusic has praised the album, writing that it “established their eclectic mixture of Byrds/Clash/Flying Burrito Brothers’ influences … while turning in an original sound that became the banner for both the paisley underground and cowpunk styles in the mid-’80s.”

The album peaked at #1 on the UK Indie Chart in 1984. 

I Had A Dream

Tried so hard to explain
The way things are and how quick they can change
But you never listened you just turned your head
Never even heard a single word that he said
While it’s true now that I’m not a saint
I felt pain when you live to hate
Said it before and I’ll say it again
Leave me alone man or treat me like a friend

I had a dream last night
Everybody’s laughing and everything was alright
Still some hope in sight, that was last night

I had a dream last night
Nobody’s crying, nobody’s frightened
Still some hope in sight, that was last night

Well if it seems like I sound like the rest
We’re trying hard not to be too depressed
Once they take everything I’ve left, it’s so easy
So if you’re dreaming I hhope that you do
Wish for the best and hope that it comes true
Who knows what they’ll leave when they’re through

I had a dream last night
Everybody’s laughing and everything was alright
Still some hope in sight, that was last night

I had a dream last night
Nobody’s crying, nobody’s frightened
Still some hope in sight, that was last night