Frank Turner Friday: Nashville Tennessee

posted by Jory on Friday, February 17, 2012
I love this song. Why, you ask?
  1. I'm drawn in by Frank's national pride. Nothing has ever made me wish I was born English more than listening to his passionate lyrics.
  2. I find the line, "I'd get them in my band and then my band would get real far," extremely witty and particularly astute because it feels like the way to success has become so formulaic. 
  3. I love when musicians take simple or redundant tunes and make them interesting again. For example, the Beatles used the French national anthem in "All You Need is Love," and My Chemical Romance rocked Pachabel's "Canon in D" in "Black Parade." Frank just uses a simple ascending and descending scale and makes it work. I have a lot of respect for that. Also, the bridge keeps me from getting bored, as if I would have anyway.
  4. I love authenticity. This is what it looks like: "I know I don't break new ground, many have travelled this sound/But I try to make it sound like home."
  5. The last line: "The only thing I'm offering is me." That's all we need, Frank. That's all we need.
By the way, I'm posting two videos this week. (You lucky ducks). You'll understand my reasoning for the second one if you actually read the lyrics. So read the lyrics. The second video is at the bottom, so you have no excuse. Without further ado, heres ya go: 


Nashville Tennessee - Frank Turner
From the heart of the Southern Downs, to the North-East London reservoirs,
From the start, the land scaped my sound, before I'd ever been to America.


And if I knew anybody who played pedal steel guitar,
I'd get them in my band and then my band would get real far,
But I was raised in middle England, and not in Nashville Tennessee,
And the only person in my band is me.


A simple scale on an old guitar, and a punk rock sense of honesty.
I cannot fail, I've got this far with no knowledge of mid-west geography.


And if I knew anywhere where I could drive in a straight line
For hours in the desert, I'd drive for hours at a time.
But I was raised in middle England, not in Nashville Tennessee,
And the only person in this car is me.


And yes I'm in four-four time, and yes I use cheap cheap rhymes,
But I try to make a sound my own.
I know I don't break new ground, many have travelled this sound,
But I try to make it sound like home.


Well I've been to Texas state, I didn't think it was that fucking great,
And Nebraska is just a bunch of songs,
Holloway and Hampshire where I belong.
And I don't know anybody who plays pedal steel guitar,
All the city roads are twisted and I do not own a car.
I was raised in middle England, not in Nashville Tennessee,
And the only thing I'm offering is me.

0 comments:

 

jo writes the blog Copyright © 2012 Design by Antonia Sundrani Vinte e poucos