{"id":20062,"date":"2022-05-20T07:00:41","date_gmt":"2022-05-20T11:00:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.southeastofheaven.com\/?p=20062"},"modified":"2022-05-19T07:53:59","modified_gmt":"2022-05-19T11:53:59","slug":"the-black-crowes-southern-harmony-musical-companion-turns-30","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.southeastofheaven.com\/?p=20062","title":{"rendered":"The Black Crowes’ Southern Harmony & Musical Companion Turns 30"},"content":{"rendered":"

In 1992, the Black Crowes<\/strong> were about to release their sophomore album The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion<\/em>. Coming off the heels of the multi-platinum success of their debut Shake Your Moneymaker, Instead of playing it safe and capitalizing on the success of the debut, the Black Crowes went into a completely unexpected direction.<\/p>\n

Southern Harmony had the Black Crowes taking on a whole new identity. Ditching their Rolling Stones type of whiskey soaked rock n\u2019 roll, The Black Crowes headed into a more rootsy, hippie rock kind of sound which was met with mixed results. Some fans of Shake Your Moneymaker didn\u2019t love the \u201chippie\u201d sound and look of the Crowes while other fans (like myself) happily welcomed their new direction, image, and overall delivery.<\/p>\n

The best way to describe the growth between Shake Your Moneymaker and Southern Harmony is that it sounds like the band could only afford rotgut liquor on the debut and for Southern Harmony they could actually afford to buy really, really good weed. This was also the first album to feature former Burning Tree guitarist Marc Ford who had replaced guitarist Jeff Cease the year prior. This alone took the band to new heights.<\/p>\n

Sting Me<\/strong>
\nThis song was actually from an older song that was called \u201cYou\u2019re Wrong\u201d which was a live staple of the bands Shake Your Moneymaker tour usually appearing 2nd in the setlist just behind \u201cThick N\u2019 Thin.\u201d I LOVED \u201cYou\u2019re Wrong\u201d but \u201cSting Me\u201d became a much stronger song lyrically. \u201cIf you feel like a riot then don\u2019t you deny it\u2026\u201d This song definitely was a big \u201cfuck you\u201d to the establishment encouraging \u201csons and daughters better open your eyes and tell me what you\u2019re seeing.\u201d This song still is such a strong opener and has one of the greatest middle\/guitar solo parts I\u2019ve ever heard.<\/p>\n

Remedy<\/strong>
\nThis was the big \u201chit\u201d from Southern Harmony. It was a pretty raucous rocker that had an infectious chorus and it was just such a great song. As big a song as this one was for the Crowes, this is probably my least favorite song on the album. It\u2019s in a great place on the album as the 2nd track but again, not a favorite. Still a great song but it tells you just how awesome the rest of the album is.<\/p>\n

Thorn in My Pride<\/strong>
\nThis is another \u201colder\u201d song that started popping up after the Shake Your Moneymaker tour and before the release of the Southern Harmony album. I actually remember seeing Chris and Rich Robinson doing an acoustic version of this song on MTV once and I remember being floored. Everything about this song is amazing and it\u2019s all about the vibe. The acoustic guitar intro and the floating vibe of the bass and the drums create warm, stoner experience. This is definitely my \u201cgo to\u201d song when I want to just blaze up and be in the moment.<\/p>\n

Bad Luck Blue Eyes Goodbye<\/strong>
\nAnother mellow tune that this time around showcases the soulful playing of Marc Ford. Marc Ford is a master of creating some nice breath between the notes creating a mellow, soulful vibe that makes me close my eyes and absorb it. I don\u2019t love Chris\u2019 vocals so much on this song and lyrically it\u2019s not my favorite but this song is all about the music for me. It\u2019s such a different sound than the rest of the songs on this album. It definitely doesn\u2019t suck by any means but lyrically and musically they just don\u2019t mesh well with me. It\u2019s a song that I don\u2019t skip but it fails to keep my attention. It did back in the day and it still is the same.<\/p>\n

Sometimes Salvation<\/strong>
\nMuch like \u201cBad Luck Blue Eyes Goodbye\u201d this song is much more musically strong that it is lyrically strong. From what I got out of this song, it\u2019s about a lost soul who was pulled from their normal lives due to addiction or some other form of manipulation. While it\u2019s a dark song, Its an optimistic song and a plea to someone to \u201ctry and find me.\u201d It\u2019s also kind of horrifyingly ironic being the Chris Robinson\u2019s own struggle with hard drugs would be just around the corner and plague him for many years after.<\/p>\n

Hotel Illness<\/strong>
\nThis another one of those songs that I sometimes forget about. While I don\u2019t think I ever would put it up in my top tier of Black Crowes songs, every time I hear it I absolutely love it. I\u2019m sure I\u2019ll mention this at least one or two more times before this is over but lets be honest. Black Crowes lyrics don\u2019t make a whole lot of sense but it\u2019s the certain lines that stick out that are prophetic. \u201cI\u2019ve got a head full of sermons and a mouthful of spiders. The politics of the world\u2019s greatest liar.\u201d Sounds like Robinson is speaking of his \u201cI\u2019ve had it up to here\u201d thought regarding having religious right driven down his throat by people who do the very things they tell us not to do. Pretty heavy stuff.<\/p>\n

Black Moon Creeping<\/strong>
\nIncredible song and one of my favorites on this album hands down. It\u2019s angry, it\u2019s confused, and it\u2019s accusatory. It sounds like the story of someone being confronted by a lifetime of dark secrets that has either had a profound affect on the subject or is more of a burning, curious question. \u201cWhat ya got buried in your backyard? What secrets do you sleep with when the black moon comes?\u201d A skeletons in the close, if you will, kind of thing. Great song.<\/p>\n

No Speak No Slave<\/strong>
\nThis song title alone raised a lot of eyebrows back in \u201892 and it would do more so now. The word \u201cslave\u201d is met with a lot of controversy as to it\u2019s definition. Being a slave to society, a slave to politics, and even a slave to your own demons is something everyone has a experienced. Even Prince at one time wrote \u201cslave\u201d on his face because he felt like he was a slave to the music industry. In this song, Robinson, in so many words, is saying \u201cIf you want change, be the change you want. Use your voice and do your part. \u201cYou say you wanna be free? Then don\u2019t you speak like a slave to me.\u201d Powerful song and still in my top 5 favorite Crowes songs. Also, I still think it was their best show opener of their career on this tour.<\/p>\n

My Morning Song<\/strong>
\nComing on the heels of such dark, heavy songs, \u201cMy Morning Song\u201d is an amazing way to bring it all home. Much like Dylan (again), the beauty is in the song\u2019s various parts. As a whole, I get the feeling that this is just a song about doing what makes you feel good and what takes you away from it all even for a moment. There is a part in this song that always hits me like a freight train:<\/p>\n

If music got to free your mind<\/em>
\nJust let it go cause you never know, you never know<\/em>
\nIf your rhythm ever falls out of time<\/em>
\nYou can bring it to me and I will make it alright<\/em><\/p>\n

It\u2019s a powerful statement of optimism, hope, and just reminding you to remember that you are not alone in this world no matter how shitty and hard things may be. Music is your friend and always will be.<\/p>\n

Happy 30th Birthday to one of the greatest rock albums of my generation. 30 looks good on you.<\/p>\n