083: Gram Parsons - Grievous Angel (1974)

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“I think pure country music includes rock and roll…. I just say this: It’s music. Either it’s good or it’s bad; either you like it or you don’t.”

—Gram Parsons

In this episode, we cover the (short) career of a great country singer (maybe?) who made a few albums’ worth of transcendent country music (except for all the little touches that aren’t country music). Gram Parsons was a polarizing figure, but Ben loves his 1974 opus Grievous Angel - made in collaboration with the golden-voiced Emmylou Harris - and Amanda and John dig it plenty. Along the way, they make a case for why country music is worth your attention, and for why Grievous Angel is a classic example of the genre (mostly) (it’s complicated).

Miscellany

• When Ben talks about the pluses and minuses of country music, he is not generalizing. What he says is true of every single country song, and not open to debate. 

• In case you don't listen (and you should!), we wanted to put our tribute to drummer Ronnie Tutt in print: "Just a few days before we recorded this, we sadly lost drummer Ronnie Tutt at the age of 83. I just can't believe he went before Elvis did. Anyway, Ronnie was a monster on drums: tight as hell, creative, and endlessly interesting without ever trying to overshadow the star he was supporting. Elvis Presley wasn't fussy about the songs he chose to sing, or about the drugs he took, or about the manager he allowed to tank his artistic legacy. But he chose the best musicians to back him; and he chose Ronnie Tutt. Rest in peace, Ronnie."

• Per an inflation calculator, a $1,000 Wedding in 1974 would cost $5,564.10 in 2021. That's more expensive than a trip to City Hall, but it's not officially Fancy-Shmancy either.

• John realized after the fact that a better comparison for Gram’s performance of “Hickory Wind” at the Grand Ole Opry, rather than Bob Dylan getting called “Judas” for going electric, was instead when Elvis Costello performed “Radio Radio” instead of “Less Than Zero” on Saturday Night Live.

• John also realized later that, in addition to “I Can’t Dance” having the same name as an early 90s Genesis track, “Hearts on Fire” has almost the same name as a more obscure early 90s Genesis track, “Hearts of Fire,” the B-side for “Jesus He Knows Me.” Ben wasn’t thrilled to learn this.

• Bernie Leadon, who played the dobro on “In My Hour of Darkness,” has played with Dillard & Clark and the Flying Burrito Brothers, but is best known for his time in the Eagles.

• (and for growing up in Gainesville, FL, where Ben used to live.)

• Amanda agrees with Tyler Mahan Coe about Gram Parsons being more of a folk singer than a country singer. It’s all to do with enunciation; Parsons doesn’t have that country twang and his diction is far more folk-influenced than country. 

Other links

• The AV Club article that started it all for Ben (the AV Club)

• “Emmylou Harris on her greatest hits” (The Guardian)

• The excellent Cocaine & Rhinestones podcast

• Discord & Rhyme’s Grievous Angel playlist (Spotify)

• Discord & Rhyme’s Patreon

Discord & Rhyme Roll Call 

• Ben Marlin (host)

• Amanda Rodgers (moderator)

• John McFerrin 

Grievous Angel tracklist 

1. Return of the Grievous Angel

2. Hearts on Fire

3. I Can’t Dance

4. Brass Buttons

5. $1000 Wedding

6. Medley: Cash on the Barrelhead/Hickory Wind

7. Love Hurts

8. Ooh Las Vegas

9. In My Hour of Darkness 

Other clips used 

Gram Parsons:

• We'll Sweep Out the Ashes in the Morning

• Kiss the Children

• Return of the Grievous Angel (Instrumental)

Others:

• Can - Oh Yeah

• The Flying Burrito Brothers - Christine's Tune

• International Submarine Band - Blue Eyes

• The Byrds - You're Still on My Mind

• The Rolling Stones - Country Honk

• Cut Copy - Hearts on Fire

• Genesis - I Can’t Dance

• Jeannie C. Riley - Harper Valley PTA

• The Byrds - It’s All Over Now Baby Blue

• Renaissance - I Think of You

• The Rolling Stones - Dear Doctor

• The Byrds - Hickory Wind

• Nazareth - Love Hurts

• Elvis Presley - Viva Las Vegas

• Meat Puppets - Six Gallon Pie

• Creedence Clearwater Revival - Who'll Stop the Rain

• Emmylou Harris - Boulder to Birmingham

• The Flying Burrito Brothers - Sin City

• Emmylou Harris - Prayer in Open D

• Mark Knopfler & Emmylou Harris - All the Roadrunning

• The Righteous Brothers - Rock and Roll Heaven

Band/album personnel

• Gram Parsons - lead vocals, acoustic guitar

• Emmylou Harris - vocals (all songs except "Brass Buttons")

• Glen D. Hardin - piano, electric piano on "Brass Buttons"

• James Burton - electric lead guitar

• Emory Gordy Jr. - bass

• Ron Tutt - drums

• Herb Pedersen - acoustic rhythm guitar, electric rhythm guitar on "I Can't Dance"

• Al Perkins - pedal steel

• Bernie Leadon - acoustic guitar (1), electric lead guitar (2), dobro (9)

• Byron Berline - fiddle on (1, 6, 9), mandolin (6)

• N.D. Smart - drums (2, 9)

• Steve Snyder - vibes (2)

• Linda Ronstadt - harmony vocal (9)

• Kim Fowley, Phil Kaufman, Ed Tickner, Jane & Jon Doe - "Background blah-blah" (6)

Credits 

“Discord & Rhyme (theme),” composed by the Other Leading Brand, contains elements of: 

• Duran Duran - Hungry Like the Wolf

• Amon Düül II - Dehypnotized Toothpaste

• The Dukes of Stratosphear - What in the World?? ...

• Faith No More - Midlife Crisis

• Herbie Hancock - Hornets

• Kraftwerk - Autobahn

• Talking Heads - Seen and Not Seen

• Gram Parsons - Ooh Las Vegas (this episode only)

You can buy or stream Grievous Angel and other albums by Gram Parsons and/or Emmylou Harris at your local record store, or the usual suspects such as Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, and Amazon. Follow Discord & Rhyme on Twitter @DiscordPod for news, updates, and other random stuff. Editing is by Rich, and special thanks to our own Mike DeFabio, the Other Leading Brand, for production and original music. See you next album, and keep as cool as you can.