For October, the Mental Jukebox is dialing it way back to the eighties and going deep. Deep cuts have always been an important element of music listening to me because they’re often the songs that resonate with me most. Deep cuts are usually the ones that the true fans appreciate most. I like my singles and hits, but I love my deep cuts.
Solitude Standing will always hold a special place in my heart. Suzanne was the first music artist that I met in person. She signed both my Solitude Standing and 99.9 F CDs at Tower Records in Greenwich Village back in the early 90’s. About 25 years later, I saw her perform literally 10 feet left of center from me at Joe’s Pub. Unsurprisingly, only “Luka” and “Tom’s Diner” from Solitude Standing made it on the setlist. It was an incredible night of wit and music. But I was disappointed she didn’t play “Gypsy”.
In 1987, my music tastes mainly leaned in two directions: a classic hard rock direction including the likes of Rush, Pink Floyd and Zeppelin, and an alternative rock direction including R.E.M., U2, Depeche Mode and the like. “Gypsy” with its folk-inspired elements, was clearly neither of these. It’s a song that helped me to appreciate the strength of great songwriting and storytelling, not just a killer guitar riff or synth hook. “Gypsy” is beautifully written, showcasing Vega’s unique ability to merge poetry with prose.
“You come from far away With pictures in your eyes.”