This song always reminds me of the Fourth of July. Gives me a feeling of small town nostalgia.
According to Wikipedia, "the lyrics are references to Tanworth-in-Arden (England) native Nick Drake, who died of an antidepressant overdose in 1974. The Dream Academy intended the song as a tribute to Drake."
So there you go, but music has always been more about the way it made me feel rather than the actual meaning. Sometimes these two are the same, clearly in this case it is not.
"Life In A Northern Town "
A Salvation Army band played
And the children drank lemonade
And the morning lasted all day, all day
And through an open window came
Like Sinatra in a younger day
Pushing the town away, away
Ah-heya ma ma ma, into the night-ahh
Hey ma ma ma, hey-ay-ay-ay, ah
Life in a northern town
Ah hey ma ma ma ma
They sat on the stony ground
And he took a cigarette out
And everyone else came down to listen
It was the winter 1963
It felt like the world would freeze
With John F. Kennedy and the Beatles, yeah, yeah
Ah-heya ma ma ma, into the night-ahh
Hey ma ma ma, hey-ay-ay-ay, ah
Life in a northern town
Ah hey ma ma ma ma
Ah-heya ma ma ma, into the night-ahh
Hey ma ma ma, hey-ay-ay-ay, ah
They shut the factory down
Ah hey ma ma ma ma
The evening had turned to rain
Watched the water roll down the drain
As we followed him down... to the station
And he would never wave goodbye
You could see it written in his eyes
As the train pulled out of sight, right by
Ah-heya ma ma ma, into the night-ahh
Heya ma ma ma, hey-ay-ay-ay, ah
Life in a northern town
Ah-hey ma ma ma, take it easy on yourself
Ah-heya ma ma ma, into the night-ahh
Heya ma ma ma, hey-ay-ay-ay, ah
Life in a northern town
Ah hey ma ma ma ma
Ah-heya ma ma ma, into the night-ahh
Heya ma ma ma, hey-ay-ay-ay, ah
Life in a northern town
Ah hey ma ma ma ma
Ah-heya ma ma ma, into the night-ahh
Hey ma ma ma, hey-ay-ay-ay, ah
Life in a northern town
Ah hey ma ma ma ma
So there you go, but music has always been more about the way it made me feel rather than the actual meaning. Sometimes these two are the same, clearly in this case it is not.
"Life In A Northern Town "
A Salvation Army band played
And the children drank lemonade
And the morning lasted all day, all day
And through an open window came
Like Sinatra in a younger day
Pushing the town away, away
Ah-heya ma ma ma, into the night-ahh
Hey ma ma ma, hey-ay-ay-ay, ah
Life in a northern town
Ah hey ma ma ma ma
They sat on the stony ground
And he took a cigarette out
And everyone else came down to listen
It was the winter 1963
It felt like the world would freeze
With John F. Kennedy and the Beatles, yeah, yeah
Ah-heya ma ma ma, into the night-ahh
Hey ma ma ma, hey-ay-ay-ay, ah
Life in a northern town
Ah hey ma ma ma ma
Ah-heya ma ma ma, into the night-ahh
Hey ma ma ma, hey-ay-ay-ay, ah
They shut the factory down
Ah hey ma ma ma ma
The evening had turned to rain
Watched the water roll down the drain
As we followed him down... to the station
And he would never wave goodbye
You could see it written in his eyes
As the train pulled out of sight, right by
Ah-heya ma ma ma, into the night-ahh
Heya ma ma ma, hey-ay-ay-ay, ah
Life in a northern town
Ah-hey ma ma ma, take it easy on yourself
Ah-heya ma ma ma, into the night-ahh
Heya ma ma ma, hey-ay-ay-ay, ah
Life in a northern town
Ah hey ma ma ma ma
Ah-heya ma ma ma, into the night-ahh
Heya ma ma ma, hey-ay-ay-ay, ah
Life in a northern town
Ah hey ma ma ma ma
Ah-heya ma ma ma, into the night-ahh
Hey ma ma ma, hey-ay-ay-ay, ah
Life in a northern town
Ah hey ma ma ma ma
I particularly like this version by Sugarland, Little Big Town, and Jake Owen. Have a listen.
Enjoy all of your Independence Day celebrations!
2 comments:
One of my favorites also. I always thought Abba sang it for some reason, but really do enjoy the Sugarland et al version.
I love Nick Drake. I didn't know this song was about him.
I like this song also. Funny, I hadn't thought about it being a 4th-of-Julyish song but I can totally see it.
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