>>77402
Martha
“It’s a body of work which should be more well-known and one of my favourite songs is`The Right Moment'
[from the 1982 album Sleepwalking, which was later recorded by Olivia Newton-John and Barbara Dickson].
{ https://youtu.be/J_5NyfYpC5Q
{ - Feb.12 1993 Live in Hamburg , Germany }
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>Nostalgia
>Gerry Rafferty: Posthumous 11th studio album was labour of love for daughter Martha
By Neil Drysdale July 27 2021, 6.00am Updated 11.40am
War and climate change
“This new work features songs such as Lost Highway, which is about the legality or otherwise of wars in the Gulf,
in Iraq and elsewhere, and it still feels timely.
“Then there’s Sign of the Times which is about climate change and my dad was concerned about that, and, of course,
it is becoming one of the most important issues for all of us to tackle for future generations.
“I had heard parts of these songs for many, many years, but I was just waiting for the right moment to find the time and space to give them the attention they deserved.
“I’m also thrilled that John Byrne, who was there with Dad right at the start, has contributed his unique artistic talents to this venture.
“It still seems astonishing that people such as him and Billy [Connolly] and my father all came together when they did,
all from working-class backgrounds, and remained close friends even though they all had totally different careers.”
The Big Yin has already offered a warm testimonial for the new CD, which contains 14 tracks.
In addition to many brand-new originals penned by Gerry, it features popular traditional folk songs such as Wild Mountain Thyme and Dirty Old Town.
Classic tracks
It also includes a cover of Richard & Linda Thompson’s It’s Just The Motion.
And the work climaxes with a re-recording of Stuck In The Middle With You, recorded in the 1990s,
which gives the track a fresh, country-inspired interpretation.
The result is a body of work which is brimming with raw emotion as a quintessential collection of blues, rock, and folk.
Some of the demos date back as far as 1970, many of which he had singled out as potential tracks for his new album.
It’s a fitting testimony to Gerry’s prodigious gifts and one only wishes he was still around to take it on the road.
But, while he left us too soon at 63,
one of Martha’s major achievements is reminding us of her father’s superb vocal talent and she has stripped back some of the songs
to reveal a frisson of vulnerability and warmth.
It brings out a rich hue to many of his lyrics and Connolly reacted: “I’ve never heard Gerry sing so well. He never fails to amaze me.”
His daughter is understandably delighted to have brought the project to fruition and particularly given the power of the material.
Many of the demos left by Gerry included multiple layers of synths, which Martha meticulously stripped back to showcase his immense vocal ability
and she explained her desire to remind listeners of how he kept producing classy material long after he stopped appearing in the UK charts.
‘Songs deserve a wider audience’
She said: “Everybody knows about the songs in the 1970s,
but I really hope these new tracks persuade people to go back and delve into his back catalogue,
because he kept on producing great music throughout the 80s and 90s, which deserve a wider audience.
“It’s a body of work which should be more well-known and one of my favourite songs is The Right Moment
[from the 1982 album Sleepwalking, which was later recorded by Olivia Newton-John and Barbara Dickson].
{ https://youtu.be/J_5NyfYpC5Q - Feb.12 1993 Live in Hamburg , Germany }
“It wasn’t a hit, but that was never the yardstick which bothered him.
And that is maybe one of the reasons why the songs have endured so long and why a new generation is discovering and enjoying his music.”
It’s a potent message and there’s something heartwarming about the manner in which Martha talks about her beloved dad
sitting with his guitar and singing Look Over the Hill and Far Away to his wee girl all those years ago.
And ultimately, the music still sounds every bit as timeless today as it ever did:
compelling evidence that Gerry Rafferty might have gone to the great studio in the sky,
but still has the ability to surprise and inspire in equal proportion.
Rest in Blue will be released on CD and digital on September 3.
https://www.roughtrade.com/gb/gerry-rafferty/rest-in-blue
https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/nostalgia/2406742/gerry-rafferty-posthumous-11th-studio-album-was-labour-of-love-for-daughter-martha/
https://archive.ph/oj5fB