Although the Walkabouts started in Seattle, US their main base of popularity was Europe. Their blend of folk idioms and noisy experimental rock has won them lots of devoted fans; however, even with twelve studio albums and another 15 EPs, live albums and compilations released, they still remain below the radar of the public at large.
The band drew inspiration from folk and country music, particularly Townes Van Zandt, Neil Young and Johnny Cash, but also from other types of artists and musical styles such as Scott Walker, Leonard Cohen, French chanson and Jacques Brel. Their sound is typically rich, with string arrangements and keyboards in addition to the standard rock instruments. In reviews the band's music is often described as melancholic or mellow, while Eckman's lyrics, concerning such themes as human relations, loneliness and restlessness, are often emphasized as poetic.
The Walkabouts achieved commercial success and a strong fanbase in Europe, where they have done promotion and extensive touring since early 1990s. They have occasionally even made it high on the record charts in countries such as Greece and Norway.
Carla Torgerson and Chris Eckman met in 1983 when they were both working at an Alaskan fish cannery as a summer break from Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington. In 1984 they moved to Seattle, and the band was born when they joined forces with Chris' two younger brothers, drummer Grant and bassist Curt. The Eckman brothers had been playing in various punk rock and pop groups during their college years, and Carla came from a folk and street singing background. The band took their name from the cult Nicolas Roeg film, Walkabout. [1]
They released their first EP, 22 Disasters, in early 1985. Curt Eckman then left the band, to be replaced by Michael Wells. Their second EP, Linda Evans/Cyclone, was released in 1987. The following year they released their first album, See Beautiful Rattlesnake Gardens, on the PopLlama label, before being signed by Sub Pop as that label's first non-grunge band. Adding keyboard player and multi-instrumentalist Glenn Slater, they released three albums on Sub Pop over the next few years - Cataract (1989), Rag & Bone (1990), and Scavenger (1991). They also toured extensively, particularly in Europe. In 1992 they left Sub Pop Seattle, but remained with Sub Pop Europe who issued three more albums, New West Motel (1993), Satisfied Mind (1993), and Setting The Woods On Fire (1994). Drummer Terri Moeller replaced Grant Eckman in 1992, when he left to care for his new born son, Dakota Eckman.[1]
Satisfied Mind was their first of several albums largely or wholly comprising songs originally written and recorded by an eclectic variety of other artists, including Nick Cave, Charlie Rich, Johnny Rivers, Patti Smith, Mary Margaret O'Hara, and Gene Clark. Their 1996 collection of unreleased songs, Death Valley Days, also included songs by Neil Young, Nick Drake and Bob Dylan, and in 2000 they issued Train Leaves At Eight, which broadened the approach further by including songs by European artists including Mikis Theodorakis, Goran Bregović, Jacques Brel and Neu!.[1]
In 1995 the band signed with Virgin Records in Germany and released Devil's Road (1996) - recorded in part with the Warsaw Philharmonic - and Nighttown (1997), leading to new levels of success in Europe. Michael Wells left the band for several years in 1996, rejoining in 2003. In 1999 they moved to the German record label, Glitterhouse Records (the successor to Sub Pop Europe), and released Trail of Stars (1999), Train Leaves At Eight (2000), Ended Up A Stranger (2001), Slow Days With Nina (2003) - an EP tribute to Nina Simone - and Acetylene (2005).
Eckman and Torgerson have also released albums as side projects under the name Chris & Carla and as solo artists. Eckman has worked with Willard Grant Conspiracy in recent years, on the albums Regard The End and Let It Roll, as well as with The Bambi Molesters.
Terri Moeller has also formed The Transmissionary Six with Paul Austin, formerly of Willard Grant Conspiracy.
Long Black Veil
The Walkabouts Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There are rows of tender hooks
Where nothing seems
To justify a second look
And not a soul is found
To tear them hooks on down
Famous times
And gun cold days
Shot to pieces above my head
Now tell who's that clown
Who pulled this veil on down
Long black veil
Long black
Long black veil
Long black
If light's a brighter grey
Please then turn it up
This whole town wears its veil down
And wrestles with some all-night clown
And he don't sleep
And he don't sleep
Long black veil
Long black
Long black veil
Long black
Long black veil
Long black
Long black veil
Tell me long black
The lyrics of The Walkabouts's song Long Black Veil are open to interpretation, but it seems to be a song about feeling trapped and isolated. The opening lines "Beyond the reach, there are rows of tender hooks" could represent the feeling of being surrounded by potential dangers or temptations that one cannot escape. The singer goes on to say that "not a soul is found to tear them hooks on down," suggesting that there is no one out there to help them break free. Similarly, the lines "This whole town wears its veil down and wrestles with some all-night clown" paints a picture of a community that is struggling to cope, but doesn't know how to do so.
The repeated refrain of "Long black veil" adds to the feeling of being trapped or imprisoned. The metaphorical veil could represent a number of different things - guilt, shame, secrets, or even death. Whatever it is, it is long and black and all-encompassing. The lines "If light's a brighter grey, please then turn it up" suggest that the singer wants to be able to see things more clearly, to find some way out of their current situation.
Overall, the song has a haunting quality to it, with its slow tempo, sparse instrumentation, and melancholy tone. It paints a picture of someone who feels lost and alone, surrounded by a world that they don't know how to navigate. It's a powerful and evocative piece of music that leaves a deep impression.
Line by Line Meaning
Beyond the reach
There are places far beyond our understanding or comprehension
There are rows of tender hooks
These places are filled with potential dangers and pitfalls
Where nothing seems
In these places, everything appears to be devoid of meaning or purpose
To justify a second look
There is no obvious or compelling reason to investigate these places further
And not a soul is found
No one is willing or able to explore these mysterious regions
To tear them hooks on down
To confront the dangers and overcome the obstacles in these places
Famous times
Historical events that are well known and widely documented
Tattooed on this burlap skin
Embedded into the fabric and texture of our society and culture
And gun cold days
Times of great turmoil, conflict, and violence
Shot to pieces above my head
Experiencing the devastating effects of these events from a distance
Now tell who's that clown
Asking who is responsible for orchestrating or perpetuating these tragedies
Who pulled this veil on down
Who obscured the truth and concealed the real motives behind these events
If light's a brighter grey
If there is a glimmer of hope or optimism amidst all this darkness and despair
Please then turn it up
Let us focus on the positive and uplifting aspects of life, no matter how small or insignificant they may seem
This whole town wears its veil down
The entire community is burdened by the weight of its collective history and struggles to move forward
And wrestles with some all-night clown
It is constantly battling against the forces that seek to keep it trapped in the past and prevent it from progressing
And he don't sleep
These struggles are ongoing and relentless, without any respite or relief
Long black veil
The symbolic shroud of mystery and deception that obscures the truth
Tell me long black
Asking for a clearer understanding of the hidden forces that shape our lives and our world
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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