Bryan Ferry
May 4, 2011 7:14 PM   Subscribe

 
best 'tear in my beer' song ever?
posted by puny human at 7:14 PM on May 4, 2011


I wish I was in Carrickfergus, only for nights in Ballygran
I would swim over the deepest ocean, the deepest ocean for my love to find
But the sea is wide and I cannot swim over and neither have I wings to fly
If I could find me a handsome boatman to ferry me over to my love and die

My childhood days bring back sad reflections of happy times I spent so long ago
My boyhood friends and my own relations have all passed on now like melting snow
But I'll spend my days in endless roaming soft is the grass my bed is free
Ah to be back in Carrickfergus on that long road down to the sea

And in Kilkenny it is reported there are marble stones as black as ink
With gold and silver I would support her, but I'll sing no more now till I get a drink
I'm drunk today and I'm seldom sober, a handsome rover from town to town
Ah, but I'm sick now, my days are numbered so come all ye young men and lay me down
posted by puny human at 7:24 PM on May 4, 2011


Meanwhile, in 1972 ...
posted by philip-random at 7:41 PM on May 4, 2011 [5 favorites]


Bryan Ferry and Kate Bush in the same day. Ahhhh.
posted by Joey Michaels at 7:42 PM on May 4, 2011 [2 favorites]


Casanova

Limbo

Don't Stop the Dance

Avalon

from the Bête Noire tour in 1988
posted by puny human at 8:08 PM on May 4, 2011 [1 favorite]


As someone who loves more modern interpretations (of all stripes) of trad tunes, I didn't think it was incredibly inspired, but it was nice and I'm really glad to see him doing something like this. I felt the same way about the Sinead O'Connor album of reworked trad songs.
posted by immlass at 8:22 PM on May 4, 2011 [1 favorite]


and two gorgeous versions of These Foolish Things.

I love Bryan Ferry. And it is a love that has only deepened as I get older.
posted by puny human at 8:27 PM on May 4, 2011


The Bride Stripped Bare was the best thing Ferry did between Siren and Avalon. I would go with "When She Walks in the Room" as the better song for watering down your beer, though (and it really should be wine, ideally in a paper cup, if only to match the lyrics).
posted by Modlizki at 8:34 PM on May 4, 2011


Hummmm. For me, it's Van and the Chieftains that make this song hurt me.
posted by cccorlew at 8:36 PM on May 4, 2011 [2 favorites]


oh man, where to begin....this band taught me what was out there, and what was Out There.

I've seen Bryan Ferry live more often than any other band on the planet. Always great.
posted by Lipstick Thespian at 8:37 PM on May 4, 2011


Bryan Ferry is great, but this song always reminds me of a Celtic music workshop I taught once: this guy wanted to sing Carrickfergus as his performance piece, but he insisted on singing "Carrick-EY... fergus". I tried to explain to him that not only was this not the name of the town, but it fucks up the rhythm as well. For the concert he showed up in a weird kind of a kilt and leather jacket outfit, and made a regular bollocks out of it. Which turned out to be quite entertaining.
posted by sneebler at 9:11 PM on May 4, 2011 [1 favorite]


For me, Bryan Ferry, is one of the few singers whose voice conjures up an intense emotional reaction. I think it was probably because of Live Aid - I think seeing him singing "Slave to Love" and "Jealous Guy" must have made a weird emotional imprint upon my teenage brain.

Also, I love this video of "Avalon" which is awesome for a number of reasons, the least of which is that the female backup singer behind him appears to be a 1980s businesswoman.
posted by Dr. Zira at 9:13 PM on May 4, 2011 [1 favorite]


Oh, holy crap this video of "You Go to My Head" is pure win.
posted by Dr. Zira at 9:18 PM on May 4, 2011 [1 favorite]


"Let's Stick Together" (featuring his then-paramour, Jerry Hall) was what won me over forever.

That and "Take A Chance With Me".
posted by Joey Michaels at 9:33 PM on May 4, 2011


I love Bryan Ferry. And it is a love that has only deepened as I get older.

I've got the first five Roxy Music albums plus Viva (live) and that's about it for Mr. Ferry in my collection. The "smoothening" of the Roxy sound that started happening in the late 70s and really locked in with Avalon just ran too contrary to my growing love of punk and other rawer, more viseral stuff. Think of it as the polar opposite of nails on a chalkboard but ultimately having the precise same effect ...

Yeah, I really came to hate Roxy ... on record.

But I've never been anything short of blown away by Mr. Ferry's ability to deliver a song long live. The drama, the passion, the phrasing, the romance -- he's like a Leonard Cohen who can actually sing, a David Bowie with no alien blood, a Simon Le Bon who can actually wear a suit. Definitely one of the greats.
posted by philip-random at 9:34 PM on May 4, 2011 [1 favorite]


Boys and Girls: a masterpiece.
posted by Neiltupper at 9:36 PM on May 4, 2011


I am told Roxy Music is supposed to be touring the UK this summer.
posted by Dr. Zira at 9:38 PM on May 4, 2011


That Avalon vid is excellent Dr. Zira.
posted by puny human at 9:46 PM on May 4, 2011


Love is the Drug.
posted by Dr. Zira at 9:56 PM on May 4, 2011


Dammit, I'm never going to sleep tonight. Virginia Plain 1972 in which Mackay BRINGS THE OBOE, and BF is carving out a niche style somewhere that is a weird hybrid of Wayne Newton and Count Chocula. I feel like I need to form a tribute cover band immediately.
posted by Dr. Zira at 10:07 PM on May 4, 2011 [3 favorites]


"carving out a niche style somewhere that is a weird hybrid of Wayne Newton and Count Chocula"

omg, great line :)

excellent in-thread links Dr. Zira. Well done.

I like this youtube comment -- "Ferry is the fucking James Bond of rock!!!!!!!!!"
posted by puny human at 10:22 PM on May 4, 2011


So that's Bryan Ferry. Until now this and this was my only exposure him.
posted by snwod at 10:30 PM on May 4, 2011 [2 favorites]


Virginia Plain- nearly 40 years ago- FUCK!!!!
posted by marvin at 10:45 PM on May 4, 2011


I love Brian Ferry and I love Carrickfergus and I do not love his version, sorry. Dramatic gestures as a substitute for much of the melody is not working for me here.
posted by desuetude at 11:14 PM on May 4, 2011


Bryan Ferry is one of those damnable dudes who could sleep on a park bench, in the same suit, for two nights and still show up at the party looking more seductive than most of the rest of us guys.
posted by arse_hat at 11:21 PM on May 4, 2011 [1 favorite]


I love Brian Ferry and I love Carrickfergus and I do not love his version, sorry. Dramatic gestures as a substitute for much of the melody is not working for me here.

Same here. This is my favorite versions.
posted by various at 11:34 PM on May 4, 2011


Avalon. ::sigh::
posted by Splunge at 11:48 PM on May 4, 2011


"Avalon" and "Slave to Love" are two songs that encapsulates the 80's.
posted by New England Cultist at 12:29 AM on May 5, 2011


"Avalon" and "Slave to Love" are two songs that encapsulates the 80's.

No. It's not remotely that simple.
posted by philip-random at 1:00 AM on May 5, 2011 [1 favorite]


Back in the day ::video gets all wobbly here::

I was living with a lovely young lady who knew this interesting woman who seemed to have a connection to a person that created designer chemicals. We'd go to her Manhattan apartment and pick up the newest stuff before anyone got it.

Her place was like some kind of mellow dojo. She had ashtrays. But they had little signs in them that said, "Not for cigarettes." I'm not kidding.

We'd get X and K there. (MDMA and Ketamine) And sometimes she'd pass on a huge sheet of blotter with different sized blue spots or red spots on them. She'd say, "This is a batch that's sized wrong. Be careful. But tell me what you think of it."

So the girlfriend and I would head home and instead of hitting the good stuff, we'd dose ourselves on one or the other size of whatever was in the dots. We kept the good shit for the Tunnel or whatever club.

I recall (so far as I recall) doing a big blue dot. We were listening to the Roxy Music album Avalon on repeat. All. Fucking. Night.

This was a tiny apartment. The bathtub was in the kitchen. It was usually covered with this huge enameled slab. At one point she and I decided to to fuck in the bathtub.

This is never a good idea. Trust me.

Her roommate was a South African guy. White dude, very cool. But not so happy that day.

Until we gave him half of the sheet for his trouble.

The next (?) day I remember us at the kitchen table discussing how Steely Dan (the band) got its name. I got it right. (dildo)

Anyway, the whole time Avalon was blasting on the stereo.

I love Roxy Music. Especially Avalon...
posted by Splunge at 1:16 AM on May 5, 2011 [1 favorite]


Bryan Ferry always looks super mellow. Or sleepy.

I can't decide which.
posted by bwg at 1:57 AM on May 5, 2011


I've been to Carrickfergus. I can't imagine why anyone would wish to be there.
posted by The Ultimate Olympian at 3:21 AM on May 5, 2011 [1 favorite]


I just love this song, thank you.
posted by arcticseal at 5:23 AM on May 5, 2011 [1 favorite]


Great version of Carrickfergus? Allison Moorer.

And I love Bryan Ferry, but this guy cracks me up.
posted by pasici at 5:27 AM on May 5, 2011


Hopefully this great song is getting a boost in popularity from a recent wedding.
posted by Jahaza at 7:48 AM on May 5, 2011


"In Every Dream Home, a Heartache", live with Roxy Music, when Eno was still in the band.
posted by markkraft at 10:37 AM on May 5, 2011


Not sure he had 'Elizabeth Tailor' in mind when he wrote it, but whatever:
When She Walks in the Room
posted by Bron at 3:33 PM on May 5, 2011


For some reason I've never thought of looking for these videos before. Thanks!
posted by sneebler at 9:33 PM on May 5, 2011


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