Most bands’ experiences of the great outdoors consist of views through a steamed-up tour bus window, but many manage to think beyond their immediate surroundings of drummers’ farts and Ginsters pies to wax landscape lyrical. To close our Outdoors Issue, here’s six of the best musical moments from beyond the front door.
FLEET FOXES
‘White Winter Hymnal’
With their first album, Fleet Foxes painted landscapes in our minds through beautiful lyrics and well crafted music. Although the entire album is an ode to the beautiful nature of our world, ‘White Winter Hymnal’ creates a narrative of it; through Robin Pecknold’s lyrics we are transported to a snowy white landscape, and a wonderfully described winter story unfolds therein. Although we’re getting into the hottest months of the year, we’ll still be in need of this winter warmer. (JC)
BOW WOW WOW
‘Go Wild In The Country’
Co-written by Malcolm McLaren and the boys in the band, this simple song of dumping fast food and the concrete jungle in favour of romping in nature’s larder is propped up by a joyful melody, tribal drumming, jangly guitar and the golden tonsils of a 15-year-old Annabella Lwin. As exuberant as a pop record gets, they blasted this out at last year’s tribute show to guitarist Matthew Ashman – it sounded as good as it did when it was first released in 1982. Altogether now, “Goooooooooooo…” (SC)
STING
‘Fields Of Gold’
The Ace Face in Quadrophenia and singer of ‘Every Breath You Take’ – what’s not to like about Sting? Well, plenty, but the nauseatingly tantric, enviro-hypocrite can certainly write a melody. Of course, this isn’t really about summery walks in barley fields – it’s a metaphor for life, stupid – but it’s certainly evocative of being out in the sunshine. The universality of the song is chipped away at slightly by the fact it was written by Sting as he watched his children playing in their garden – from inside his new castle. Yeah, his fucking castle. (JK)
CLIFF RICHARD
‘In The Country’
Stewart Lee used this to soundtrack his recent Comedy Vehicle diatribe against living in the countryside, its unflappable cheerfulness the perfect musical foil for his hangdog city humour. Cliff’s cheery and dangerously infective “Bah-ba-ba-ba-bah” vocal refrain introduces and punctuates this wholesome and effervescent song, pointing out that the country is, after all, an admission-free destination where the air is good, the day is fine and he’d have us believe he’s holding hands with a pretty girl. Well, two out of three ain’t bad, Cliff. (NC)
THE BEACH BOYS
‘Surfer Girl’
One things that rarely gets mentioned about the outdoors is that there are girls there – literally all over the place. Not for the Beach Boys was staying in bed all day with the curtains closed (that would come later for Brian, as he went mad for decades). Instead they were out on the sand, falling in love in the golden sunshine. Brian sings that, “We could ride the surf together/While our love would grow” but he was unlikely to impress many girls with his skills – famously only Dennis could catch a wave. (JK)
LEMONHEADS
‘The Outdoor Type’
Evan Dando might have been a one-man Gram Parsons revival campaign in the early 90s but, despite being one of the few artists playing country rock at the time, even he was a rhinestone cowboy. He knew more about smoking grass than actually hiking across it. ‘The Outdoor Type’ admits that he’d rather stay at home, and not without good reason. “I can’t go away with you on a rock climbing weekend,” he worries over prettily plucked guitar and wandering country bass. “What if something’s on TV and it’s never shown again?” Perhaps now we’ve got Sky+ he’s out rambling every evening. (JK)
EVA CASSIDY
‘Fields of Gold’
At first listen, this song can seem like a depressing tearjerker. But delve a little deeper and you find a harmonious gem. Coupled with fine-tuned instrumental melody, Eva’s voice gently brisks through each note. It’s like listening to an angelic poem. Her words carry such honesty you feel as though you’re there, walking in fields of gold. Along with Etta James and Billy Holiday, she has left us music that will never grow old. (SD)
BLUR
‘Parklife’
Damon Albarn has done a lot of incredible things since the 90s, but nothing quite as iconic or fun as Blur’s era-defining album ‘Parklife’. Hear the chirpy, ragged, opening riff and the memories of cheap cider, bad weed, and freshly cut grass all come rushing back. With Phil Daniels’ priceless cockney opening, it manages to be uplifting and scathing at once; as if to say there’s something very dodgy about this place called England, but I can’t help loving it. (SJ)
WORDS BY STEVE CLEMENTS, NICK COQUET, JAKE CUNNINGHAM, SEAN JORDAN, JAMES KENDALL, STEPHANIE DUNLEAVY
