Dave Edmunds – Swan Songs: The Singles 1976-1981 (Omnivore Recordings)
When we think of Swan Song Records, the label once owned by Led Zeppelin, we tend to forget that roots rocker Dave Edmunds also issued albums for them. The appropriately-titled Swan Songs collects this fertile era and contains a lot of surprisingly satisfying material.
The set leads off with the acoustic strumming of “Here Comes the Weekend,” featuring Edmunds and buddy Nick Lowe. The entire track imbues the same wide-eyed enthusiasm that made the early singles from Everly Brothers so irresistible. This was certainly a breath of fresh air when it first came out in 1977 – as disco was taking over the universe. “As Lovers Do” sounds like a mix of Nashville and Phil Spector, while the harmonies are simply gorgeous on “Where or When,” owing much to the Dion & the Belmonts’ version.
“New York’s a Lonely Town” with its tight harmonies and sleigh bells, is like the lost Brian Wilson Christmas song. “Juju Man” sounds more like the Dave Edmunds we’ve come to know – it’s an old rockabilly tune. “I Knew the Bride” is a lot more ragged than the version that Lowe later recorded, but is still fantastic. “Little Darlin” is a great original with more catchy background harmonies. “Get Out of Denver” is a killer rocker, while “Worn Out Suits, Brand New Pockets” shows that Edmunds could turn in a country twanger as well. “Deborah” has a Buddy Holly vibe, and “Television,” a good rocker about being lonely with the TV. Disc one closes with the gritty, story song, “Trouble Boys.”
“A1 on the Jukebox” is one of the greatest songs about the struggles of the music business, and it came from Edmunds, who would definitely know from experience. “Girls Talk” stands as one of his finest compositions, and it shows that when he steps out of the straight-ahead, primitive rock n’ roll, he can really excel. “Bad is Bad” is a surprising, mouth harp-led rocker written by Huey Lewis. Edmunds’ was the first to record “Queen of Hearts” and it became a hit in the UK. Juice Newton copied the arrangement for a big hit in the US.
“The Creature From the Black Lagoon” and “Crawling From the Wreckage” is a heckuva one-two punch, the former being kinda goofy, the latter more straight-ahead. He adds some muscle to the 50’s number, “Singing the Blues.” “Almost Saturday Night” sheds light on a mostly-forgotten John Fogerty composition, while “Race is On” is a great collaboration with the Stray Cats, which he produced. The set ends with the fantastically-titled ballad, “I’m Gonna Start Living Again (If it Kills Me).”
The accompanying booklet features an essay by Joe Marchese with lots of quotes from Edmunds himself, giving background on each track. These songs have appeared on other compilations, but with inferior sound – here, they sound fantastic.
There’s an exuberance to these songs that’s just infectious. Dave Edmunds is one of the unsung heroes of rock n’ roll. Swan Songs is a great way to dive into his career. —Tony Peters