As spring slowly slips into summer, it becomes that time of the year to gather around the campfire, light up some inspiration and learn the chords to Kumbyah.
That's right; untimely, perhaps, but Summer '06 marks folk music's resurrection.
And who better to headline the revitalization than Bruce Springsteen, the pioneer of generic arena rock? Springsteen released We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions, his aptly titled 21st studio album this week. It is his debut cover record, consisting almost entirely of the Boss' renditions of folk legend Pete Seeger's tumbleweed classics.
Show-biz suicide is sailing in the air.
But get this, even more bizarre, the album is actually good. Really good. And unlike that whole Garth Brooks/Chris Gaines identity-searching disaster, We Shall Overcome actually has dimension, actually has character and actually serves social welfare.
In retrospect, the intertwining of Springsteen and Seeger makes peculiar sense. They are two musical legends, separated by decades; the former known for rejuvenating rock, the latter for fathering folk. Both continue to make headlines for their leftist activism, both consider themselves spokesmen of the middle-class, and both perform with an unmatched passion.
And Springsteen's tribute to Seeger is perhaps his most passionate musical endeavor in over a decade. With the help of 14 friends, the Boss recorded We Shall Overcome live from his New Jersey home. The mosaic of instrumental selection — banjos, fiddles, horns, accordions, organs and guitars, just to name a couple — cohere to create a vibrant, spontaneous sound. And when fused with Springsteen's gritty vocals and forced Southern drawl, a deliciously awkward, soul-rousing harmony follows.
Springsteen uses that complicated and constructed orchestration to purposefully detach himself from his eponymous counterpart. Seeger, who will soon celebrate his 87th birthday, made his name in the 1940s with his single banjo strum, simple voice and fiery enthusiasm. He fervently chaperoned folk music's 1960s revitalization, taking his fundamentalist title so seriously, he threatened to axe down the cables when Bob Dylan went electric in 1965.
So while We Shall Overcome was recorded as a tribute to the folk legend, it also must be made clear that Springsteen isn't impersonating Seeger; he's simply interrupting him. And although the rocker sounds more Dixieland than ever before, he, thankfully, doesn't stray too far away from those riveting arena anthems that still pour out of FM portals. Satisfying both Springsteen and Seeger fans, We Shall Overcome triumphantly blends the jubilance with the disapproval, a perfect soundtrack to a post-Sept. 11 upbeat society.
Track selection also contributes significantly to the album's success. Seeger offers a lengthy repertoire, but Springsteen steers away from the quintessential folk classics like "If I Had A Hammer" or "Where Have all the Flowers Gone" and instead sticks to the lesser known, although lyrically more profound, titles like the opener, "Old Dan Tucker." Originally a 19th century fiddle classic, Seeger updated the track with a catchy chorus, and Springsteen brilliantly captures the addiction.
"O Mary Don't You Weep," a gospel staple, uses unnerving horns to create a séance mood, but after six minutes, the song is long dead. Baby boomers' favorites "John Henry" and "Erie Canal" bring familiarity and a working-on-the-railroad vibe to the album.
The reason Springsteen is able to go folk with very few critical smirks is because somehow, his craggy voice seamlessly harmonizes with campfire strumming. Just listen to the powerful protest anthem "We Shall Overcome" and witness his steel sentimentality.
After decades of generating rock 'n' roll poetry, accumulating an undying fan base and garnering the reputation of the Americanized Bono in terms of public displays of community service, Springsteen has permission to take chances, ignore critics and go a little crazy. He is the Boss, after all.
And that's what generates the album's success — it's fun. For the first time in years, Springsteen sounds relaxed and unconcerned, and he probably even cracks the occasional smile. Having hosted the recording of the album in his basement, Springsteen plays the role of the entertainer, using charisma and often an upbeat melody to safeguard his company from the tragedies of the outside world.
Paradoxical, indeed, that while lyrically intoning topics such as pain, protests and oppression, Springsteen sounds his happiest. But that is how Springsteen most precisely captures Seeger's legacy: enduring, although at times hidden, optimism. Both are revolutionists, and both know a revolution is impossible without hope.
Those who will find We Shall Overcome most pleasant are the Springsteen diehards unfamiliar with Seeger's ingenuity, those who think Peter, Paul and Mary are just characters in the Bible. The album offers a glimpse into the fantastical world of folk music, a world consisting of magical dragons blowing in the wind, but with Springsteen's charm, a world proudly supporting the "Born in the USA" label.
Rating: 4 out of 5
