The Regular Friday Post
Ed. Michael Acoustic will be dark next week for Christmas - returning Jan 3 - thanks! I'll hit the links and stuff then....Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all!
Last week’s rando lyrics: The lyric, “And I can see you when I close my eyes” is from the song "Silver Moon”, by Michael Nesmith and The First National Band, written by Michael Nesmith, the song is Track 1 of the album “Loose Salute” released in November 1970. Produced by Michael Nesmith.
(Ed. The commercial version is on this week’s Spotify playlist, “Unexpected…” in the ME! section below. A live version of “Joanne” and “Silver Moon” is in the YouTube video in the “A Song To Play” section…)
Links: Song (Wikipedia) Silver Moon Album (Wikipedia): Loose Salute
Welcome to The Regular Friday post!
From Wikipedia: “Silver Moon was the third single Michael Nesmith recorded as a solo artist and the second to reach the Billboard Hot 100, released in 1970 from his second solo album, Loose Salute.[1] “
(Ed. When Wikipedia says “solo artist” and “solo album” about Mr. Nesmith in this context, they mean “not as a member of the Monkees”. While Mr. Nesmith wrote most of the songs on his albums, “Loose Salute” is credited to “Michael Nesmith And The First National Band”.)
It is the “red” album in the “red, white and blue” trilogy of albums released by “Michael Nesmith and The First National Band”.
Really interesting background on the band’s (more or less) post-Monkees origins, albums, and eventual demise (leading to a “Second National Band” iteration later) here:
Wikipedia Link: The First National Band
"In 1969, before Nesmith had left the Monkees, it was clear to both him and his friend John Ware that The Monkees were soon coming to an end. Ware suggested that Nesmith form another band with Ware and their mutual friend John London and put his studio connections to good use while he still had the chance. When he was free from his contract, Nesmith took Ware up on his offer, so long as Orville "Red" Rhodes would join. Also, Nesmith did not want to "just do that power trio thing". The First National Band was the start of a long collaboration between Nesmith and Rhodes, which lasted until Rhodes's death in 1995."
From Wikipedia, ibid (Silver Moon link above): “Although Nesmith released several singles following "Silver Moon", "Silver Moon" was his last song to reach a notable status on the charts. On the B-side of "Silver Moon", the track "Lady of the Valley" appears. The now highly collectable quadraphonic 8-track tape release of Loose Salute (1970) features an extended version of "Silver Moon". It is a full-length rendition of the song with a cold ending.”
(Ed. A “cold ending” is a song ending with a flourish or lick or a diatonic/non-diatonic chord or note and then silence. It’s the opposite of a “fade out” ending")
Some Stuff:
A Song To Play…
He could still hit those notes…
Lyrics
(From Genius) Link>Silver Moon<
(Ed. The lyrics below don't include the iconic "aaah" at the end of lines 1 and 3 of verse 1…. pity....)
[Verse 1]
See the lazy windmill slowly turning
Cutting up the marble canyons of the sky
See the dust around my feet go churning
Moving with the winds down the highways of goodbye
[Chorus]
Standing in the lonely light of the silver moon
Looking over maps of memories for the road
Standing in the lonely light of the silver moon
With the unexpected destination of my home
[Verse 2]
Half the thoughts I'm thinking speak in sighs
As that same old wave of loneliness returns
And I can see you when I close my eyes
Speaking very softly as you turn
[Chorus]
Standing in the lonely light of the silver moon
Looking over maps of memories for the road
Standing in the lonely light of the silver moon
With the unexpected destination of my home
[Bridge]
Now I must go
Go and let go
[Chorus]
Standing in the lonely light of the silver moon
Looking over maps of memories for the road
Standing in the lonely light of the silver moon
With the unexpected destination of my home
(Ed. Fade....)With a Les Paul:
With his 12 string Gretsch Model 6076 (Ed. pretty sure it’s the same one in the YouTube video above):
Michael Nesmith, December 30, 1942 – December 10, 2021
The “ME!” Section…..
What I’m Listening2: The “Unexpected...” playlist…
Shameless Self Promotion Section:
My song is out! Link: “>Long Road Back<”click on this link for streaming options, then scroll down for links (or just click on these links) to Amazon, Apple, Pandora, iTunes and even Spotify
If you’re enjoying our content, please let your friends and musician acquaintances know about us!!! Thanks for supporting this free newsletter!
Disclaimer Section
This Substack is free, I receive no compensation of any kind from companies or products I mention. Some linked or quoted material may be copyrighted by others, and I credit them. I rely on the “Fair Use” doctrine for educational purposes (Link: Fair Use). *I do not use AI for any of the text that’s found here, things I link to (such as some images) might…
-Michael Acoustic
Thanks for reading! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support this newsletter.
Thank You To Our New Subscribers and Followers!!
This Week’s Conversation With Mika, The Cat:
Mika: “Stop showing them my baby pictures!! I’m fierce now!! Just tell everyone Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!”
Me: “OK….But you were soooo cute!!”
Mika: “Still am…”
Cheers and keep playing!!
Michael Acoustic
“It’s never really final - you just run out of things you can bear to change…”