Guy Clark - Live from San Francisco, 1988

  by Nicky Crewe

published: 6 / 11 / 2019

Label: Select Label
Format: N/A

intro

In our 'Re: View' section, in which our writers look back at albums from the past, Nicky Crewe finds that Guy Clark's reissued album, recorded live in San Francisco in 1988, takes you back to a special concert from a singer songwriter whose influence is very much alive today.

Guy Clark was a Texas troubadour. He was a songwriter’s songwriter, happy to work with and write for other musicians. He died in May 2016 after a long battle with lymphoma but his songs and his influence live on. He was close friends with Townes Van Zandt and worked with him. His wife Susanna Clark is also a songwriter. His songs have been covered by all the greats, including Emmylou Harris, Steve Earle, Lyle Lovett and Rodney Crowell. His material is probably better known through these cover versions. This collection is a delight because it takes us to the heart of the man and his legacy. Recorded live in October 1988 in San Francisco, this album puts us in the room with the audience. There’s chat and banter, requests and tuning. His 'country’ voice, his Texan drawl, is so intimate and relaxed that you are immediately drawn in to the stories he’s singing. His attitude to songwriting was to look for inspiration in real life, to reflect the human condition. The set list for this concert and the tracks that appear on this CD show just how gifted he was. 'LA Freeway', the opening track, is now a classic. 'Homegrown Tomatoes' takes things back to the basics for a happy life. All you need is love and homegrown tomatoes. 'Texas 1947' recalls the excitement of a childhood trip to watch the new Streamline train pass through town, a vision of the future. There are wonderful songs about love, 'Anyhow I Love You' and 'All Through Throwin’ Good Love After Bad', but he was never interested in writing a conventional love song. The lyric of 'Carpenter', with its imagery around working with wood, paying attention, doing it right, has a resonance way beyond the words. It’s about how to live in an attentive and thoughtful way and is all the more poignant when you realise that Clark was a luthier, a highly sought after guitar maker, as well as a musician and performer. He covers Joe Ely’s 'Indian Cowboy' and explores his relationship with his mentor and father figure in Desperadoes 'Waiting for a Train'. Another stand out track and classic is 'Comes From The Heart' – "dance like no-ones watching", "sing like you don’t need the money", still sound advice for getting through life. There are a couple of extra tracks, not mentioned on the CD cover including 'Let Him Roll'. This is country music at its best, with stories and characters we can relate to, and with a philosophy on life that makes sense in challenging times. Guy Clark has left a timeless legacy that is still enjoyed by audiences and performers today and provides inspiration for a new generation of Americana artists. Whether you are just discovering his music or a long time fan, this live concert recording is a treat and goes to prove how alive his songs continue to be.

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