Full Circle to the Past
Some tunes capture a time and place (or places) perfectly. IMO, this one is such a tune. Even someone who grew up in a different, non-Northern part of the world like myself can see that.
Yeah, it’s dated. But it’s still nice – and for those of us old enough to remember the song’s time and the events the song references, it brings back memories. Enjoy.
The song’s original video can be viewed here. It’s fairly well done, and includes some imagery that simply fits. I used the other version above as it’s a bit rarer, and the sound quality is excellent.
Some 20+ years after the original, a US band (Sugarland) did a remake; you may prefer it. Though it’s nice, I have to say I still prefer the original. YMMV.
Back to our normal TAH programming.
Category: Politics
“LIFE IN A NORTHERN TOWN”
THE DREAM ACADEMY, 1985
A Salvation Army band played
And the children drank lemonade
And the morning lasted all day,
All day
And through an open window came
Like Sinatra in a younger day,
Pushing the town away
Ah –
Ah hey ma ma ma
Life in a northern town.
They sat on the stoney ground
And he took a cigarette out
And everyone else came down
To listen.
He said “In winter 1963
It felt like the world would freeze
With John F. Kennedy
And the Beatles.”
Ah hey ma ma ma
Life in a northern town.
Ah hey ma ma ma
All the work shut down.
The evening had turned to rain
Watch the water roll down the drain,
As we followed him down
To the station
And though he never would wave goodbye,
You could see it written in his eyes
As the train rolled out of sight
Bye-bye.
Ah hey ma ma ma
Life in a northern town.
Ah hey ma ma ma
Life in a northern town.
Interesting song. Never heard of it before. Back in ’85 I was recently married and British music wasn’t as interesting to me as country, metal, or big band. Go figure.
Nice tune though, and gorgeous reed player/singer. 🙂
The first few times that I saw the official video, back in 1985, when the song was originally aired in public, I couldn’t understand what they were vocalizing, but from the images I was seeing on the screen, and from the song’s title, I deduced that they were singing about Belfast, Northern Ireland.
I figured they were an Irish group singing about the troubles.
It’s almost impossible for me to understand the lyrics when a group is singing.
If only one person is singing, then it’s easier to understand what they’re vocalizing.
And I absolutely DETEST recordings of live performances, because the noise from the audience interferes with the music.
And alleged “Country” singers, such as Sugarland?
They AIN’T Country!
Shucks, there ain’t been no authentic Country and Western music since the Grand Ol’ Opry vacated the Ryman Auditorium.
Opryland RUINED the Grand Ol’ Opry.
Jamey Johnson is still country.
A good song about the troubles in Belfast, Northern Ireland is, “THERE WERE ROSES”, which has been recorded by numerous Irish artists. Yesterday, when I was at the “SCOTS ON THE ROCKS” Celtic Festival in Moab, Utah, there were a couple of folks wearing the uniform of “Northern Constabulary”. In retrospect, I suspect they may have been volunteers (off duty police?) performing security duties for the festival. _________________________________ “THERE WERE ROSES” Author: Tommy Sands VERSE # 01: So my song for you this evening, It’s not to make you sad, Not for adding to the sorrows Of this troubled northern land. But, lately I’ve been thinking And it just won’t leave my mind, To tell you of two friends one time. They were both good friends of mine Alan Bell from Banagh, He lived just across the fields. A great man for the music, And the dancing and the reels O’Malley came from South Armagh To court young Alice fair, And we often meet on the Ryan Road And laughter filled the air. CHORUS: There were roses, roses. There were roses And the tears of the people ran together. VERSE # 02: Though Alan he was Protestant And Sean was Catholic born, It never made a difference, For the friendship, it was strong. And sometimes in the evening When we heard the sound of drums, We said it won’t divide us, We will always be the one. For the ground our fathers plowed in, The soil, it is the same. And the places where we say our prayers Have just got different names. We talked about the friends who’d died And we hoped there’d be no more. It’s little then we realized The tragedy in store VERSE # 03: It was on a Sunday morning When the awful news came round. Another killing has been done Just outside Newry Town We knew that Alan danced up there. We knew he liked the band. But, when we heard that he was dead, We just could not understand. We gathered at the graveside On that cold and rainy day, And the minister,… Read more »
Ahhhh Hondo… It seems you have good taste in music.. I was a teenager just moved to Germany from Japan. A lot of crazy stuff was going on in the euro trash zone then… got in to a lot of trouble in 1986 me and my German G/F went to Berlin. I guess I was not suppose to because of daddy’s rank or something???? after that lived in Belgium then conus
I share your imaginations of this song as well as the band Hondo. It takes me to thoughts of times, things and friends past I miss still. Nick Laird-Clowes, vocalist and lead guitar, was a fairly smooth voice and a friend of David Gilmore, whom he helped a bit with lyrics on Pink Floyd’s “The Division Bell” album. ‘Life In A Northern Town” was a tribute to their friend and inspiration, Nick Drake, who had taken his life in November 1974 with an overdose of antidepressants. An issue he was plagued with his whole life. In fact, Nick Drake’s last recordings included a song, “Black Eyed Dog” from a session in early 1974. A reference to Winston Churchill’s description of his own depression as a ‘black dog”. The Dream Academy’s best talent and by far the best looking was Kate St. John. Her vocals and instrumental support on the oboe and English horn added a unique element, which distinguished this band from other British 70’s groups to my ear.
Anyway, thank you for this Sunday morning, musical trip into an oft forgotten group and time. I enjoy your thought provoking remembrances my friend.
P.S. Sugarland was neither country in the original genre nor good overall, IMO. They were simply a different flavor of the current country vanilla. They did an awful rendition of “Life In A Northern Town”. There are many songs which do not translate into the nasal twang of country music. This is an epic example of such a song. My advice to them would have been the same as to any current country artist, “stay in your own damned lane”.
Beautiful song, Thanks Hondo.
A little after my time, but still a beautiful song.
Those were the days.
The 70’s & the 80’s were great times for music, no question about it.
I saw Tears for Fears in Kansas City around that time, I don’t remember exactly the year, but it was close to that time.
Great show too…
Today marks the 50th anniversary of the ambush of the 173rd Airborne Brigade in Operation Hump by over 1200 NVA. The Brigade suffered casualties of over 40 KIA and many more wounded.
Wife and I were stationed at Geilenkirchen in 85, this was on AFN. Great memories,