Canadian
Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
alt-country
Alternative country, or alternative country rock (sometimes alt-country, insurgent country, Americana, or y'allternative), is a loosely defined subgenre of country music and/or country rock that includes acts that differ significantly in style f ...
band
Cowboy Junkies
Cowboy Junkies are an alternative country and folk rock band formed in Toronto, Ontario, Canada in 1985 by Alan Anton (bassist), Michael Timmins (songwriter, guitarist), Peter Timmins (drummer) and Margo Timmins (vocalist). The three Timminses ...
, released in 2005. The album features two original songs and covers of material by
Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen (born September 23, 1949) is an American singer and songwriter. He has released 21 studio albums, most of which feature his backing band, the E Street Band. Originally from the Jersey Shore, he is an originat ...
,
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...
,
John Lennon
John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer, songwriter, musician and peace activist who achieved worldwide fame as founder, co-songwriter, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of ...
,
George Harrison
George Harrison (25 February 1943 – 29 November 2001) was an English musician and singer-songwriter who achieved international fame as the lead guitarist of the Beatles. Sometimes called "the quiet Beatle", Harrison embraced Indian c ...
and
Richie Havens
Richard Pierce Havens (January 21, 1941 – April 22, 2013) was an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. His music encompassed elements of folk, soul (both of which he frequently covered), and rhythm and blues. He had a rhythmic guitar style ...
. The record has a very strong
anti-war
An anti-war movement (also ''antiwar'') is a social movement, usually in opposition to a particular nation's decision to start or carry on an armed conflict, unconditional of a maybe-existing just cause. The term anti-war can also refer to pa ...
message, while also protesting public apathy towards the political process.
Album development
After being off the road for a few months, by February 2005, the Junkies decided it was time to get together and record some music. They invited the Timmins' older brother, John Timmins, to bring his guitar and sit in. The theme the band decided on was to be on war, violence, fear, greed, ignorance, or loss, and everybody had to bring two or three songs written by other people. The Junkies played and interpreted the works of others and recorded their sessions, over the course of five days. The album was recorded at the Cowboy Junkies recording studio, The Clubhouse, during February and March 2005. The genesis of the album were a pair of songs that the Junkies had taken to their heart, "
Isn't It a Pity
"Isn't It a Pity" is a song by English rock musician George Harrison from his 1970 solo album ''All Things Must Pass''. It appears in two variations there: one the well-known, seven-minute version; the other a reprise, titled "Isn't It a Pity ...
" by George Harrison which they started performing on the ''Long Journey Home Tour'' the previous year, and "December Skies" which was written and recorded in October 2002 during the ''
One Soul Now
''One Soul Now'' is a 2004 album by the Canadian alt-country band Cowboy Junkies. It is their first album of new material since ''Open'' in 2001. It was released on Latent Recordings in Canada, and Zoë Records internationally.
Album developmen ...
'' sessions and inspired by ''
The Wars
''The Wars'' is a 1977 novel by Timothy Findley that follows Robert Ross, a nineteen-year-old Canadian who enlists in World War I after the death of his beloved older sister in an attempt to escape both his grief and the social norms of oppressiv ...
'' by
Timothy Findley
Timothy Irving Frederick Findley Timothy Findley's entry in The other original song on the album, "This World Dreams Of" was also written during the ''One Soul Now'' session, but they never got a recording they liked. For this recording, they slowed down the song, spacing it out and letting it breathe. One line from the song, "more things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of", is from a
Tennyson
Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson (6 August 1809 – 6 October 1892) was an English poet. He was the Poet Laureate during much of Queen Victoria's reign. In 1829, Tennyson was awarded the Chancellor's Gold Medal at Cambridge for one of his ...
poem called "The Passing of Arthur", which inspired the writing of the song. The song "I Don't Want to Be a Soldier" is unusual for the Junkies because it has a rap break in the song. The band was jamming on the song, and they set up a drum loop. When they listened to their session, they realized there was a hip-hop motion to the loop, so they invited a friend of theirs, Kevin Bond, also known as Rebel, to improvise and record a rap element, using the album themes as a basis. The Junkies then asked Jeff Wolpert to mix the elements together.
Track listing
Personnel
Cowboy Junkies
*
Margo Timmins
Margo Timmins (born January 27, 1961) is the lead vocalist of Canadian alternative country and folk rock band Cowboy Junkies. She is the sister of Michael Timmins, the band's lead guitarist, and Peter Timmins, the band's drummer. Her ethereal vo ...
– vocals
*Michael Timmins – guitar
*Alan Anton – bass
*Peter Timmins – drums
Additional musicians
*John Timmins – guitar, banjo
*Jeff Bird – electric mandolin
*Jaro Czwewinec – accordion
*Kevin "Rebel" Bond – vocal and lyrics (track 10)
*Bob Egan - pedal steel guitar
*Anne Bourne - cello
Production
*Michael Timmins - producer, engineer, mixed by (tracks 1, 2, 6, 7, 9 & 11)
* Peter Moore – mastering at the E Room
*Jeff Wolpert - mixed by (tracks 3 - 5, 8 & 10)
*Howells and Dinnick - Art direction
*Xiu B Doo – cover painting