The '59 Sound (song) explained

The '59 Sound
Cover:The Gaslight Anthem - The '59 Sound 2008 single cover.jpg
Caption:2008 single
Type:single
Artist:the Gaslight Anthem
Album:The '59 Sound
Released:July 22, 2008
June 15, 2009 (UK re-release)
Recorded:2008
Length:3:11
Label:SideOneDummy Records
Producer:Ted Hutt
Chronology:The Gaslight Anthem
Next Title:Old White Lincoln
Next Year:2008

"The '59 Sound" is the debut single by American rock band the Gaslight Anthem. Written by the band and produced by Ted Hutt, it is the title track of the band's second full-length album.[1] The song is an elegy to a friend who died in a car accident. The song reached the U.S. Alternative Airplay chart in early 2009, and was performed live by the band with Bruce Springsteen at the Glastonbury and Hard Rock Calling festivals in June 2009.

Background

"The '59 Sound" was the first song written by singer-songwriter-guitarist Brian Fallon[2] [3] for the band's album The '59 Sound (2008).[4] The song's title references a 1959 Fender Bassman amplifier that he built for himself.[5] Fallon recalled, "I never wrote a song like that before. And I thought it was better than anything else I ever wrote. I showed it to the guys [in the band] and they thought it was awesome. Then the next one was 'Great Expectations' and we definitely knew where we were going with [the album]." Fallon said the band had tried to emulate the sound of soul music from the late 1950s because "back then it seemed like there was a genuine feeling of excitement going on that I don't think is necessarily happening right now. It seems like when you look back on that era a lot of it is embodied in that Memphis sound, so it's just a giant celebratory thing."[6]

Lyrics

The song's themes mix punk rock with classic rock.[7] The song is an elegy for a friend who died in a car accident, while the band was elsewhere performing a gig.[8] The singer, Brian Fallon, asks his deceased friend: "Did you hear the '59 Sound coming through on Grandmama's radio?", referring to late 1950s music that they listened to while growing up. He continues by asking about his friend's discomfort in the hospital, shortly before his death. The song ends with the sentences "Young boys, Young girls (Ain't supposed to die on a Saturday night)", emphasizing the unexpectancy of the friend's death.[9] Fallon said the song is about growing older; and 'carrying on', accepting that loved ones eventually die.[10] [11]

Release and reception

The single was released as a CD single in July 2008, and it reached American modern rock radio stations in September.[12] Its music video, released by SideOneDummy Records, premiered the following month.[13] In January 2009, the song entered the Billboard Alternative Airplay chart,[14] peaked at number 35 in February, and spent 10 weeks on the chart.[15] It reached a peak position of 26 on Billboards Canada Rock Chart in April,[16] and of 115 on the UK Singles Chart in July.[17] [18] That same month, "The '59 Sound" was re-released in the UK as a physical single, backed with a live cover version of Pearl Jam's "State of Love and Trust", as well as a live performance of "We Came to Dance", a song from the Gaslight Anthem's first album, Sink or Swim.[19] [20]

"The '59 Sound" was well received by music critics, with Pitchfork Media writer Tom Breihan praising the bridge: "It's simple, it's sincere, and it kills me every time."[21] CMJ New Music writer Tyler Theofilos praised the song's raw, energetic soundscape.[22] Jason MacNeil of PopMatters compared it to the Killers and Tim-era Replacements.[23] The Spin magazine described "The '59 Sound" as "nuanced and assured".[24] The song was ranked number 62 on Rolling Stones list of "The 100 Best Singles of 2008".[25]

Live

The Gaslight Anthem performed "The '59 Sound" live on the talk shows Late Night with Conan O'Brien[26] [27] and Late Show with David Letterman.[28] The band was joined onstage by Bruce Springsteen during performances of the song at Glastonbury Festival 2009[29] and Hard Rock Calling 2009.[30] In June 2011, the band dedicated the song to the memory of Clarence Clemons during their set at the 2011 Glastonbury Festival.[31] Clemons, a founding member of the E Street Band, had died that same month due to a stroke.[32]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: Billboard . 3 April 2010 . . 33 . 0006-2510 .
  2. Bienstock . Richard . 2014-08-23 . No Longer Bound By The Boss . Billboard . English . 126 . 27 . 51–52.
  3. News: Holdship . Bill . November 12, 2008 . Record Review – The Gaslight Anthem – The '59 Sound . https://web.archive.org/web/20090107052121/http://metrotimes.com/music/review.asp?rid=24648 . January 7, 2009 . April 20, 2024 . Metro Times.
  4. Web site: MacNeil . Jason . March 20, 2009 . The Gaslight Anthem Have a Little Springsteen in Their Step . https://web.archive.org/web/20090322075922/https://torontosun.com/entertainment/music/2009/03/20/8825631.html . March 22, 2009 . December 19, 2009 . Toronto Sun (Sun Media).
  5. Hoard . Christian . 2012-05-07 . The '59 Sound . 2024-04-20 . Rolling Stone . en-US.
  6. Web site: Bayer . Jonah . September 9, 2009 . Gibson Exclusive: The Gaslight Anthem's Brian Fallon Looks Back on The '59 Sound . https://web.archive.org/web/20090925182949/http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Lifestyle/Features/the-gaslight-anthem-909/ . September 25, 2009 . December 19, 2009 . Gibson Guitar Corporation.
  7. Book: The Herald Journal . 4 September 2008 . Herald-Journal . 24 . en.
  8. Web site: From The Editor's Floor: The Gaslight Anthem . 2024-04-21 . . en-US.
  9. Web site: 2008-12-02 . The '59 Sound Pitchfork . 2024-04-23 . https://web.archive.org/web/20081202233155/http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/147354-the-gaslight-anthem-the-59-sound . December 2, 2008 .
  10. Web site: AltPress . From The Editor's Floor: The Gaslight Anthem . 2024-04-23 . Alternative Press Magazine . en-US.
  11. Web site: Rob Laing . 2024-03-26 . "I know that is a 25-year-old's spirit just burning – like a Chevy engine": The story of The Gaslight Anthem's classic song, The '59 Sound . 2024-04-23 . MusicRadar . en.
  12. Available for Airplay Archive . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140305153303/http://fmqb.com/Article.asp?id=16771#28 . March 5, 2014 . . December 19, 2009.
  13. The Gaslight Anthem - The '59 Sound (Official Video) . en . 2024-04-22 . www.youtube.com.
  14. Book: SPIN . July 2010 . . 33 . 0886-3032 .
  15. [{{BillboardURLbyName|artist=the gaslight anthem|chart=all}} The '59 Sound" – The Gaslight Anthem ]. https://web.archive.org/web/20211211071149/https://www.billboard.com/artist/the-gaslight-anthem/chart-history/mrt/ . December 11, 2021 . . April 20, 2024.
  16. 2021-11-18 . The Gaslight Anthem . . 2024-04-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211118025710/https://www.billboard.com/artist/the-gaslight-anthem/chart-history/car/ . November 18, 2021 .
  17. Web site: Zobbel . July 11, 2009 . Chart Log UK: New Entries Update . December 26, 2009 . Zobbel.
  19. Web site: Release "The '59 Sound" by The Gaslight Anthem - MusicBrainz . 2024-04-22 . musicbrainz.org.
  20. Web site: June 17, 2009 . The Gaslight Anthem – New Single "The '59 Sound" Out June 29th . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090624052525/http://hangout.altsounds.com/news/108262-the-gaslight-anthem-new-single-the-59-sound-out-june-29th.html . June 24, 2009 . December 19, 2009 . Altsounds.
  21. Web site: November 25, 2008. Breihan. Tom. Album Reviews – The Gaslight Anthem – The '59 Sound. Pitchfork. December 19, 2009.
  22. June 2008. 155. Theofilos. Tyler. Reviews – The Gaslight Anthem – The '59 Sound. CMJ New Music. College Media, Inc.. December 19, 2009. 1074-6978.
  23. MacNeil . Jason . November 24, 2008 . The Gaslight Anthem, The '59 Sound – Review . https://web.archive.org/web/20081201011730/https://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/65858-the-gaslight-anthem-the-59-sound/#expand . December 1, 2008 . April 20, 2024 . PopMatters.
  24. Book: SPIN . July 2010 . . 72 . 0886-3032.
  25. Web site: December 25, 2008. Best of 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20081214010113/http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/24947047/singles_of_the_year/16. dead. December 14, 2008. Rolling Stone (Wenner Media). December 19, 2009.
  26. Web site: Writer . Staff . The Gaslight Anthem to play on Conan . 2024-04-20 . The Music . en.
  27. Web site: Ryan . Gary . 2023-09-15 . The Gaslight Anthem: "Playing with Bruce Springsteen should land me a Nando's Black Card" . 2024-04-20 . NME . en-GB.
  28. Web site: LUSTIG . JAY . 2015-05-20 . The '59 Sound, The Gaslight Anthem on 'Late Show with David Letterman . 2024-04-20 . NJArts.net . en-US.
  29. June 27, 2009. Bruce Springsteen Makes Surprise Appearance with Gaslight Anthem at Glastonbury. NME. December 19, 2009.
  30. Web site: Murray. Noel. June 30, 2009. A Jersey Reunion in the UK: Bruce Springsteen & The Gaslight Anthem . The A.V. Club (The Onion, Inc.). December 19, 2009.
  31. The Gaslight Anthem - The '59 Sound (Live - Glastonbury 2011 @ Pyramid Stage) 25/06/11 . en . 2024-04-22 . "This song's for Clarence." . www.youtube.com.
  32. News: Sisario . Ben . 2011-06-19 . Clarence Clemons, Springsteen's Soulful Sideman, Dies at 69 . 2024-04-22 . The New York Times . en-US . 0362-4331.

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