[Endangered Species]
Eric Bogle
Greentrax Recordings Limited
2000
15 tracks
Before ever I heard Eric Bogle, I heard his songs performed at the local folk club by singers who are more prone to sing Stan Rogers or very old English ballads than this type of music. It was easy to see what drew these singers to Bogle's music. As Bogle's words flowed into the room, his stories touched each listener in a personal way. That his stories are clearly rooted not in Canada but Australia didn't matter. At the core of Bogle's stories, there is always something universal that we all can understand.
Hearing these songs accompanied by just a guitar in a room with limited acoustic qualities, I became an instant fan of Bogle the lyricist and storyteller. [I'll confess up front that I do come to this review with a bit of a bias.] Hearing what Bogle does with his songs on [Endangered Species] is a whole 'nuther thing. The stories are just as powerful and at times poignant, the folkish simplicity remains in his diction and in his melodies, but there is a lushness to the music on this release that makes it just so much more.
From the opening guitar line to the inclusion of what sounds like a horn section [not listed, so probably a combination of other instruments] to the orchestrated fullness of most songs, what this release reminds me of most is the music released by Roger Whittaker some thirty years ago. Like Whittaker, Bogle manages to retain his folk sound while bringing to the music a richness only rarely if ever achieved with just a guitar.
It doesn't hurt at all that Bogle has some very fine musicians playing with him. Although none of their names are familiar to me, I'm sure these must be some of the best players in Australia. The instrumental intros and breaks on this release are a pleasure to hear and, behind Bogle's voice, this music is the perfect complement.
It's gratifying to hear a folk artist who has retained his activist edge. In one way or the other, each song on [Endangered Species] deals with an issue that can touch any one of us in this real world. At times, these issues are approached with a sense of humour, but more often Bogle's approach is serious and emotional.
Especially moving is "Jimmy Dancer" [Australian colloquial rhyming slang for Cancer]. Opening with the patient's son learning from a nurse that his mother is dying of cancer, this eight minute song chronicles the son's grief and anger at the horror that is cancer. This is a tale to touch any listener's heart.
The title song is both true [in my not always humble opinion] and very funny [as I'm sure any listener will agree]. Here is a different take on what may be the most endangered species. Because it may spoil the fun of first hearing this song, I'm not going to tell you what Bogle suggests is the most endangered species on the planet. That would be like telling you the ending of a mystery movie. It may be of interest to know, though, that in the liner notes Bogle announces that he has written to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) requesting protection for this species but has not yet heard back from them.
"Our National Pride" is a scathing indictment of our tendency to call people heroes for participating in relatively safe events (The Olympics) while often forgetting those who are hurt or killed saving people's lives. While the song uses Australia-specific examples, what Bogle says applies in Canada, the United States, or anywhere in the world. It's a good point very well made.
"The Sign" is by now more than a bit obscure, and that's a shame because the song makes a strong point. The song makes reference to Bobby Sands, a brave young Irishman who died during a hunger strike in opposition to some very real and brutal oppression by the English. However, Bobby Sands died on May 5, 1981. That's long enough ago that, while the name may ring a bell with some of us old enough, most listeners may have no idea who he was. Neither in the song nor in his liner notes does Bogle even hint at who Bobby Sands may have been. He seems to assume that the listener will just know. That the song is written in and about Australia and not Ireland only serves to make the song more obscure.
If all the serious songs on this release get you a bit teary, head for "Beam Me Up Scotty [subtitled "A flight of fantasy"]. It may not have you rolling on the floor, but it may come close. In this song, most listeners will recognize a bit of their own lives.
The closing song, "River of Time" is also funny if not exactly politically correct. Sung to a spritely tune, it's a brief history of an unrepentant "dirty old man" as told from his own perspective.
"Just Here For The Money" proves once again that, after England's Benny Hill, Eric Bogle does the best hokey American accented country sound outside the USA. Although in the song Bogle describes the accent as Scottish-Aussie twang, the feel is pure American hillbilly.
For anyone who enjoys great folk music, real world political activism, some of the best written lyrics today, and just a smattering of fall-down funny, I highly recommend Eric Bogle's [Endangered Species].
Those who may be interested can find more information on Eric Bogle at The Eric Bogle Homepage.
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