By Joe Viglione
The elegant guitar strums of “Fare Thee Well” (commonly known as “Dink’s Song” with many, many interpretations) from the new Bruce Cockburn album, The Blood of Others create an environment for Cockburn’s voice on this song about leaving. Unlike Glenn Campbell’s getaway in 1967’s “By the Time I Get to Phoenix,” the protagonist here is saying goodbye to the one he loves.
Right as the publicist was sending me the Cockburn materials, in my weekly adventures to pick up vinyl I obtained In the Falling Dark by Bruce Cockburn on Island Records … had no idea I was being pitched the new disc to review, talk about serendipity. The Blood of Others, of course, is a 1984 Jodie Foster movie title from the 1945 novel by Simone de Beauvoir, (Le Sang des autres) on this album of covers that inspired the Canadian songwriter/singer over the years. It’s a brilliant idea which turns listeners and Bruce’s audience on to some music history they may not be familiar with. A black and white chair with a folk guitar leaning against its back is the plaintive cover art, reflecting at least “Fare Thee Well” via imagery to go along with the vocals full of pensive want.
“Yellow Dog Blues” is three minutes and fourteen seconds of W.C. Handy’s work with Cockburn’s voice offering dark energy that takes the song into a new era.
“Wondering Where the Lions Are” from 1979’s Dancing in the Lion’s Jaw was in the press kit as well bringing the familiar to the compelling music and essential education lesson that The Blood of Others is.
“As Time Goes By” from the film Casablanca gets Cockburn’s interpretation with Google A.I. noting “the song was actually written over a decade earlier by Herman Hupfeld for the 1931 Broadway musical Everybody’s Welcome.” It brings the audience another perspective. As I said, important art from the recesses of Bruce Cockburn’s youth and more.
Again to Google A.I. “Yellow Dog Blues” was originally written by W.C. Handy, widely known as the “Father of the Blues”. Handy originally published and copyrighted the song in 1914 under the title “Yellow Dog Rag”. He later renamed it to “Yellow Dog Blues” in 1919 to take advantage of the growing commercial popularity of the blues genre. The press kit includes the fun “On A Roll” – Google A.I. notes: “On a Roll” is the upbeat opening track from the legendary Canadian singer-songwriter Bruce Cockburn’s 2023 album, O Sun O Moon
The artist is set for a daunting tour, many many cities, and you should put it on your calendar as dates are already selling out.
Going to Bruce’s Facebook page is enlightening: https://www.facebook.com/officialbrucecockburn/
Bruce Cockburn
Here’s what Bruce has to say about “Yellow Dog Blues” the new cut from his album The Blood Of Others. “I first heard this on a collection of Bessie Smith recordings around 1962. Right away fell in love with the lyrics. WC Handy copyrighted the song in 1914, having likely composed it some years earlier. When he wrote it he was living in Clarksdale MS. He made good use of the local slang, Yellow Dog for instance, being a nickname for the Yazoo Delta railway.”
The article is also on Joe Viglione’s SUBSTACK https://joeviglione.substack.com/p/bruce-cockburn-fare-thee-well-from