Search - Loudon Wainwright :: Here Come the Choppers

Not my Cup of Tea, but maybe it's yours

jimnypivo | west of Chicago, USA | 06/27/2006

(3 out of 5 stars)

"As one grows older, some things don't work as well as they used to, especially with us 50-something American males. With me, it's my knees, eyes and hearing, especially my hearing. I just don't hear the lyrics as well as I did 20 years ago.



So when I was listening to HCTC for the first time, I cheated by looking at the liner notes for the lyrics. Bummed was I when I found only half of them listed. Why?



Most of Loudon's appeal comes from his clever use of language and his uncanny ability to weave imaginative word stories. I was disappointed that LWIII didn't provide the tools for a hearing-impaired old geezer to enjoy them.



On *Here Come the Choppers*, many things also don't work for My Man as well as they used to. He falls a bit short on the lyric frequently. And in another duplicitous turn he is often drowned out by an albeit magnificent backing band.



His selection of songs come from familiar sources---love gone wrong (or twisted), New York, nostalgia for his screwed up family life, and things that affect him. In the old days, you'd painlessly feel his pain. Here it seems like he's singing in the third person, disconnected, not all there. In the past he spoke from his heart, or ego, or liver. Like on *Hank and Fred* he never tells us WHY he's sad about Fred `s death, nor tells us why he connects Fred with Hank.



Some of the Old Loudon genius remains. *When You Leave* has the greatest impact, about another favorite LW III songwriting subject, Regret, is tearfully represented. *Nanny* is a bouncing Western boogie-ditty about his not-so-conventional Granny, a fun nostalgic ride thru Loudon's youth.



I promise that if I listen to this again and begin to appreciate it more, I'll write a new review with the additional insight of familiarity.

"