Tuesday, July 11, 2006

Wooden Horse - Same (1972)


WOODEN HORSE were one of the BEST folk bands of all time, allthough not many have heard their 2 lps as they are rather obscure, the music ranges in sound mostly from PETER, PAUL, and MARY, also the VELVET UNDERGROUND, GORDON LIGHTFOOT, FAIRPORT CONVENTION, LEONARD COHEN, etc. ........the lps are straight ahead acoustic folk with variations here and there if u are a fan of FOX then we'd say these lps are essential to see the kind of SUSAN aka NOOSHA sang in before FOX....
1st lp - Noosha Fox (vocals) Graham Vick () ( not sure of the rest of the lineup for the 1st lp )
'Wooden Horse' (72)
Crazy thoughts / Wake me in the morning / Trees / Northern beaches / This is a song / Broken bottles / Eastbound train / Gentle mind / Come around / Feel / Letter / Loving man
' WOODEN HORSE' '72
'CRAZY THOUGHTS'
NOOSHA's vioce sings beautifully along with the guys in this C,S, and N, type folk song which opens the lp, our copy had the first 20 seconds or so missing so here are some lyrics after that time period ' WHEN YOUR GONE THINK OF ME AND THIS ROOM WE KNEW U WELL', and 'IM LEAVING TO GO FIND MY FRIENDS TO PLAY AND TALK WITH THEM AGAIN, AND TURN YOUR LEAF TOWARDS THE DOOR, I'D KNOW I'D SEEN THIS FILM BEFORE'......
' WAKE ME '
soothing number, GREAT guitar playing 'WAKE ME IN THE MORNING YOU WILL FIND ME THOUGHJ OUR LOVE's LOST IT's BEAUTY COMING TRUE, I CAN SEE THE WINTER's SUN TELLING ME THAT OUR TIME IS DONE, ASKING ME WHAT I COULD FIND IF II LEAVE IT ALL BEHIND, WANNA COME BACK, BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW TO CHANGE MY MIND...MMMM MMMMMM
' TREES'
GREAT PETER, PAUL, and MARY flower child sound with chiming guitars,'THE TREES ARE SO TALL AND I CAN'T SEE THEM AT ALL, AND I CAN'T FEEL MY FEET ON THE GROUND, PEOPLE THAT I MEET WALKING IN THE STREET, THEY DON'T KNOW WHERE I'M BOUND'.....
'NORTHERN BEACHES'
NOOSHA begins this one solo, the bands backs her up on backing vocals later, this one is dark and atmospheric, beginning very quietly NOOSHA sings 'DRIFTING THRU A CLOUD OF SMOKE AND MUSIC, KNOWING THAT IT's SLOWLY GETTING TO ME, HOLDING ONTO TEA I THINK ANOTHER YEAR I NEED', and 'ON THE NORTHERN BEACH AS WE HAD TIME TO SING, GRASS GREW TALL AND ALL AROUND US', and ' AND NOW I'M HERE I'LL NEVER BE THE SAME AGAIN, IN THE MIDDAY SUN, THERE'S NOTHING LEFT TO DO BUT RUN'.....
'THIS IS A SONG'
this one is in a PETER, PAUL, and MARY, FAIRPORT CONVENTION style.......'THIS IS A SONG HOPING WE CAN LOVE ONE ANOTHER, HOPING WE CAN LOVE ONE ANOTHER, TO LET U KNOW I'VE BEEN WITHOUT A DAY, WHY I LET U KNOW I FEEL A DAY', and 'THIS IS A SONG TO GREET THE DAY'
'BROKEN BOTTLES'
this song closes the lp side 1, the band decides to play a lively blues, almost country sound with piano playing, sings NOOSHA and the male singer - 'NEVER HAD MY FORTUNE TOLD I CAN'T IMAGINE WHY, THE LADY TELLS IT LIKE IT IS SHE'S NEVER SEEN ME CRY', and 'IT's 2.a.m. AND I HAVE NO TEA TO EASE MY SORRY HEAD ' the song gets livelier as it goes along 'THE LORD HE MUST BE PUNISHIN' ME FOR THE CRAZY THINGS I'VE SAID', and 'I CAN BE GLAD CASUE HE's A CHRISTIAN'.............later NOOSHA says 'I'VE MADE A FRIEND HE's ALWAYS DOWN, I OFTEN BRING HIM THE NEWS, HE ALWAYS FEELS MUCH BETTER WHEN I SING HIM THE BLUES'..........piano keeps playing ( fades)....

- lp side 2 -
'EASTBOUND TRAIN'
traditional folk C, S, and N, type tune, NOOSHA and male singer begin - 'PASSING TIME ON AN EASTBOUND TRAIN, WATCHING THE SKIES FOR A SIGN OF RAIN, MY FEET ON THE ARMREST'....., and ' LOOKING AT THE LADIES FROM 1 TOWN TO THE NEXT RIDING ON A CREST OF A WAVE, and 'SIGN ON THE WALL SAYS JESUS SAVES'......
'GENTLE MIND'
a GORDON LIGHFOOT style folk song, slow and soft acoustics, -'HERE I HAVE A GENTLE MIND AND WHEN I WALK I TAKE MY TIME A ROOM TO MYSELF AND TRY TO KEEP IN GOOD HEALTH TO PASS THE DAYS IN SIMPLE WAYS......
'COME AROUND'
this one reminded us of JAMES TAYLOR, .....'YOUR HOME AGAIN , I KNOW I'M WELL, TWAS A YEAR FOR MAKING CHANGES, I HAD BEEN DOWN FOR QUITE A WHILE', and 'AND SAY HELLO, I'D LIKE TO SEE U 1 MORE TIME AND IT SEEMS LIKE EVERYDAY I'M FALLING
'FEEL'
after those 2 quiet numbers comes a much more experimental folk song close in sound to C, S, and N, but probably closer to NEIL YOUNG......dark and atmospheric with some GREAT rythme playing, 'HEY BABY STAY WITH ME, LIKE WWWWINE, SO FAST IT WILL NEVER LAST, SO FAST IT WILL NEVER LAST RRRRED ROSE........REMEMBER NOW I'M FEELING HOW IT USED TO BE , NOW THERE's a LIFE FOR U AND A LIFE FOR ME', and 'WE CAN SMILE TOGETHER AGAIN'.....
'LETTER'
this one is more a VELVET UNDERGROUND folk-pop song NOOSHA singing lead once again ' 2 MORE DAYS AND I'LL BE THERE TO SEE U WITH YOUR TORN DOWN HAIR, U LEFT YOUR CHANGE AND ALL YOUR STRANGE EASTERN BEADS ON MY CHAIR', and 'I SPENT THE DAY ALONE TO WRITE, BUT THERE's NO MORE TO DO'........
'LOVING MAN'
the closing song to the first WOODEN HORSE lp sounds like PETER, PAUL, and MARY musically, and kinda like the VELVET UNDERGROUND stylistically, '2 PEOPLE IN THE DOORWAY WATCHING THE EVENING SUN GO DOWN AND THE CONCRETE PATH TO THE WATER IS STILL WET FROM THE MORNING RAIN', and 'WITH TIME ON MY HANDS I COULD BE A REAL LOVING MAN'............the band sings in unison and closes the lp with a comforting folk sound....... taken from Flower Childern
posted by request

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi, Lisa, i'm a big fan of your work in this blog. I've learned a lot and discovered artists that i never even read about. Thank you so much.

Lisa, I have a request for you. Do you have that american band Flight? A really good fusion band, in my opinion.

I recorded a k-7 tape from a radio show almost fifteen years ago and since then I'm looking after this band. But where i live people don't know anything about.

So, Lisa, if you have any of their albums(Flight,Incredible Journey or Excursion Beyond), could you, PLEASE, post it to me?

GOOD VACCATIONS - André(Brasil)

ʘ@ʘ said...

Good day to you, Lisa!

Here's a little true story about me and this record.

I first got it in 1976. I lost it 15 years later - on July 12, 1991.

On this very day, it is exactly 15 years since I did not hear it or seen it. How can I remember that, one might ask... Well, that was the very day when the war in former Yugoslavia came knocking at my door and I had to pick up my family and leave my home forever. Beside everything else, I also had to leave behind my precious thousand-some collection of LPs, amongst which - one of the rarest and finest and my absolute favorite was this one.

Being happy to survive 15 years of refugee life, this post is a true gift for my "anniversary". It's like getting a bit of a stolen life back. So, my thanks is more than courteous.

PS. Did someone mention sychronicity?

Anonymous said...

"Hi, Lisa, i'm a big fan of your work in this blog. I've learned a lot and discovered artists that i never even read about. Thank you so much."

Same here!!!

check the "Northern Beaches" track from this album. i luv it :)

thanks

Anonymous said...

Thank you so much for the wonderful idea of posting a beautiful record a day. I just found your page and really enjoy the music. The Krautrock rarities are really great, whereas the folk albums provide a good start into my day.

Anonymous said...

YAY, That definately made my day ^^ Thanx a lot! They rule! *Hugs* Diana

ʘ@ʘ said...

thx.
no regrets. life goes on, bringing nice surprises such as this post. peace.

Jaime Antonio Alvarez said...

Lisa: Hello This is the Herbalist from prognotfrog.
Hope you're ok.
Lisa, could you repost Avaric? The link is not working.
Thanks.

PS:
Your blog inspires us all.
Be well!

Anonymous said...

Hi, Lisa.

Thank you for the back-story on this album. Although the Noosha Fox part of the history is well-known, this earlier incarnation was a total surprise!

Hoping to visit often, and maybe even start something of my own eventually.

Marcie K from the old country.

Anonymous said...

Where are you? It's been over a month...

Anonymous said...

hi lisa
have you File Number 13 from Albrecht D - Endless Music.. this file is defekt (bad)

lg afghane

Anonymous said...

One of the best obscure folk albums,thank you.

Anonymous said...

Hiya, thanks for the music!! Lovely!

Anonymous said...

awesome band thanks so much you are amazing

Anonymous said...

Wooden Horse II (1973)
Is better the first but this the rarest, good listening
Simon House
http://rapidshare.com/files/82062568/Wooden_Horse_-_Wooden_Horse_II.rar |

Anonymous said...

My dear friend David Mateer also featured on these albums (guitar and vocal). I just came across the recordings today and its been such a beautiful surprise to hear Dave's voice again.

Anonymous said...

Re: Wooden Horse. I believe one of the guitarists is Steve Beedle (of Omaha, NE). He used to play Chopin off of sheet music on his solid mahogany Les Paul custom.

Anonymous said...

Dear Anonymous
I also had the pleasure of meeting and becoming friends with Dave Mateer and watching him perform on a few occasions here in Australia. Unfortunately Dave passed away in a motorbike accident 3 or 4 years ago.