I have become, as happens to us all, slightly obsessed by a song. That song – already familiar to some of you, I know – is Michael Nesmith’s Laugh Kills Lonesome, which appears on his excellent 1992 “…tropical campfires…” album. A link to a nice live version should be below. And now I’m going to try to explain my obsession.
The title caught my attention. In fact, it’s the title of a painting which is the subject of the song. The painting is by Charles Russell and if there isn’t a link to it here, I’ll add one in the comments. It’s a nocturnal painting of some cowboys around a campfire. To be honest, it’s the kind of thing I would ordinarily have dismissed as kitsch and not given much attention. I would have been wrong to do so. Russell was the real deal, a genuine cowboy and artist, who painted Laugh Kills Lonesome in 1925, towards the end of his life.
Nesmith’s song opened up my eyes to this work of art – it depicts something wonderful and human. The grins of a shared joke shine out in the darkness, literal and metaphorical.
But here’s the really clever thing. Michael Nesmith’s song isn’t just about the painting, it is an embodiment of the same theme; a piece of shared melodic joy. Laugh Kills Lonesome earns the title in its own right.
If you don’t know the song, please give it a listen.
http://mhsmuseum.pastperfectonline.com/webobject/51445DDB-88E7-4A40-A778-971805849612
The link to the painting’s entry in the Montana Historical Society online collection is hidden underneath the video, so here it is again:
http://mhsmuseum.pastperfectonline.com/webobject/51445DDB-88E7-4A40-A778-971805849612
It’s not my favourite song off that album (that would probably be Yellow Butterfly), but it’s great to see and hear it here!
The whole album’s marvellous, I think – even the Cole Porter covers.
I was lucky enough to see Papa Nes at the Union Chapel a few years ago – ranks as one of the best gigs I’ve ever been to. He has the most engaging stage presence and was an absolute delight!
I’m most envious. I had a ticket to see him in Edinburgh but it was cancelled. Bah.
Just had a huge heart bypass operation, but back on the road next month.
Infinite Tuesday – his autobio – is a very good read. He’s pretty harsh on himself, which makes for a refreshing change in pop autobios. It tails off a bit at the end (as they all seem to do, when security and success take all the challenge out of life), but it’s by no means Monkee-centric and thoroughly recommended (unlike his attempt at a novel).
It’s inspired me to investigate The Prison. Despite it having tanked so spectacularly that he’s still selling mint copies of the original 1974 vinyl release from his website, I’m intrigued. Not intrigued enough to pony up $100 plus shipping for a new copy but enough for a second-hand copy from Discogs. I’m going in.
I have the original box thingy….it’s actually not terribly good!
I beg to differ. I had the original box/book too. I don’t think it worked in the way that Nes had in mind – as two simultaneous inputs which would somehow spark to create a third impression or whatever. The book was too dull to read (although I liked the kids’ paintings), but the music – just him and Red Rhodes, ambling through some long songs like they were fields of grass – is beautiful. He later did a Zappa-style revisionist mix for the re-release, which added (*ulp*) synths, and backgrounded the pedal steel, which was of course a huge mistake. I play it once in a while to confirm my suspicions, but the original I go back to as frequently as any other Nes album. The only ones I miss out are The Garden, where he gets stuck in New Age lentil soup with his son, the Timerider soundtrack, and Ocean. I’m rather fond of the other two standout “weird” albums, The Wichita Train Whistle Sings, and Rays.
Three listens in, I like The Prison. I don’t feel the need to re-read the book, which looked like an attempt to describe Buddhist ideas in a Western style. Fair enough in itself but I think I’ve got it now. I wonder if the music was intended to induce a trance-state perhaps? I’ll have to re-read Infinite Tuesday.
Anyway, the music I liked. Difficult to categorise – prog-country? – but a compelling listen. Each side is a continuous mix – I don’t know if the cd was one continuous piece?
There’s an interesting solo acoustic variant of some of the songs on the Live at the Paris Theatre album, where he also does a valiant job of precising the book.
What a remarkable man he is.
OK! I’ll give it another chance 40 years on! I think I just so loved the earlier stuff that at the time this seemed…well, a bit difficult..and I never really got into it.
Don’t forget to find your original, not the remix!
I nabbed this at the Eel Market yesterday:
Michael Nesmith / First National Band Redux
LIVE AT THE TROUBADOUR
https://www.merchbar.com/vinyl-records/michael-nesmith-first-national-band-redux/michael-nesmith-first-national-band-redux-live-at-the-troubadour-vinyl-record
Christopher Allis — Drums
Jason Chesney — Bass
Jim Cox — Piano
Pete Finney — Pedal Steel Guitar
Circe Link — Backing Vocals
Christian Nesmith — Guitar
Jonathan Nesmith — Guitar
Amy Spear — Backing Vocals
Executive-Producer – Glenn Gretlund, Iain Lee
Mixed By – Christian Nesmith
Recorded By – Damon Gold
Mm … nice!