From his 1983 album “Punch The Clock”, it’s a song that Elvis Costello wrote with Clive Langer during the Falklands War, reflecting the dark irony of profiting off the sales of ships on which their own sons would die.
His recording of it is distinguished forever by the haunting trumpet playing of the late Chet Baker, said to be Baker’s last recorded music. There’s been some confusion over authorship of the song. Most sources agree that Elvis wrote the lyrics to a tune written by Langer for Robert Wyatt, of Soft Machine, to record.
In fact, Elvis confirms this himself in an interview on the UK Channel Four show “Loose Talk.” Elvis said he wrote both the music and words:
ELVIS COSTELLO: “I came up with the melody first, which I put on cassette. I was singing it wordlessly, maybe just humming while playing the melody on an organ. I sang the vocal melody over these beautiful changes. It was for Robert Wyatt. He had the hope that I would write something bright and optimistic that would be the way Robert intended it, sort of like Neil Diamond’s `I’m a Believer,’ maybe something more poignant, but it should be like a conventional pop lyric. Instead of which I wrote a very specific song about something else entirely, and that reflects what was happening at that moment, that particular conflict of all these dilemmas that blew up and came out of the lyric of `Shipbuilding.’ “
In 2008, he told Q magazine he was proud of the song: “It’s a pretty good lyric, yeah. The key line for me is, ‘Diving for dear life, when we could be diving for pearls.’ That we should be doing something beautiful, better than this. I wrote the lyric before the Belgrano (Argentinean Navy cruiser sunk by British forces during the 1982 Falklands conflict in controversial circumstances). I’ve been to see the monument, stood and read the names of all the men… well, boys who died. Whatever you say about the conflict of war, that crime alone will see Thatcher in hell.”
Chet Baker played live with the band, as opposed to overdubbing his solo, according to co-producer Alan Winstanley “So we had to edit the multi-track just to get the trumpet right,” he said. “What you’re hearing is three different band performances spliced together. Amazingly, they’re all the same tempo, with no click track.”
The former Creedence Clearwater Revival leader and three of his kids remake classic tracks by the band (“Proud Mary,” “Bad Moon Rising”), as well as select covers (“Lean on Me,” “City of New Orleans”). While self-quarantining together the Fogerty Family recreated the cover of Cosmo’s Factory transforming it to Fogerty’s Factory. The family have also taken to their home studio during this isolation to create some music together, The Family Band. “Bringing a little light from our home to yours. We are having a little family fun together during the pandemic. It’s such a great feeling to be making and playin’ music surrounded by love. We all need to celebrate the life we have and remember how precious it is. I love music, I am listening every day. Makes everything feel better for me. Put the records on, pull out the old guitar, turn the radio up.. and dance to the music!” – John Fogerty.
With his new album, Fogerty’s Factory, Fogerty enlisted his children Shane, Tyler and Kelsy to revisit some choice songs from his classic catalogue as well as covers that he always felt a fondness for. Spawned from a series of weekly videos filmed by his wife Julie on her iPhone while killing time during the pandemic, the idea eventually gelled into an actual album that replicates the cover of the quintessential Creedence albumCosmo’s Factory, right down to its cover design and the typeface text.
“Fogerty’s Factory” finds John Fogerty revisiting Creedence Clearwater Revival classics and other cover songs with an impromptu family band formed during the coronavirus lockdown. Some songs you might recognize from John’s historical career are ‘Proud Mary,’ ‘Fortunate Son,’ ‘Down on the Corner,’ ‘Centerfield,’ and tons more! Although in his 70s, John shows no signs of slowing down, creating new music and continuing to tour the world, so be sure to tune in, subscribe, and keep on the pulse of all things John Fogerty.
Coming to you a day early due to the long weekend, this week Fogerty’s Factory performs Arlo Guthrie’s version of “City Of New Orleans” ( written by Steve Goodman) live from the farm! ‘Good morning, America, how are you?’ Now that is an important question. You all take care of yourselves.
While the Quarantine continues the Fogerty Family – Shane and Tyler (Hearty Har) and Kelsy – will be joining their Dad for some musical fun covering songs from the classic Fogerty collection.
The Fat Angel Sings 