Song Eight (OT)

Reader Paul Pickard recommended this one. Big thank you, Paul!

And there's a first time for everything—I (me!) actually bought an album of Christmas music, which goes to show you that even the reprobate can be redeemed.

It's Nick Lowe's Quality Street. I'm mystified by the title, which seems calculated to help the album not make money. But it's delightful to catch up with Nick Lowe again after many years—I remember hunting down the European vinyl version of Jesus of Cool many years ago. The years have been good to Nick's voice and musicianly skills; Quality Street is a gem.

Here's Nick talking briefly about "Rise Up Shepherd":

It's kind of comical that I possess two Christmas albums, and one is by Low and the other by Lowe.

And both happen to contain "Silent Night," which is the "Yesterday" of Christmas songs (Nick says there have been more than 3,000 covers). "Silent Night" is best when it's played straight, as it's a beautiful song and deserves to be played as such, but I just love Nick Lowe's uptempo rockabilly version. Nick himself calls the arrangement "irresistable" and I agree. Here's the link if you want to hear that one.

Consider buying the CD, as Nick's a working musician.

Mike
(Thanks to Paul Pickard)

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(To see all the comments, click on the "Comments" link below.)
Featured Comments from:

Mike A: "Another selection enjoyed at Christmas called Quality Street. I think just about everyone in the UK would get it!"

Mike replies: Ah, so it's a UK thing. I get it. Thanks.

Bob Zimmerman: "Nick Lowe is a working musician and a damn good, if lazy one, at that. His solo career, particularly throughout the '80s, was wonderful in that his records always sounded like they were done in one take and then released, warts and all.

"My favorite story (and I think it's more story than fact) is Nick going to the mailbox one day in 1994 to discover a royalty check for a million bucks. Curtis Stigers recorded a dreadful cover of 'What's So Funny 'Bout Peace, Love and Understanding' for The Bodyguard soundtrack. Since Nick The Knife was the composer he scored on the songwriting royalties. The album has gone on to sell 45 million copies worldwide. I'm guessing he's gotten several more of those million dollar checks. Sometimes the good guys do win!"

Mike Chisholm: "On Low/Lowe, I presume you know Nick Lowe brought out an EP in 1977 titled 'Bowi,' as a response to Bowie's album 'Low.' Heh.... Don't think they'd let you do that, these days."

Steve P.: "Among other gems Nick Lowe wrote the classic song 'The Beast In Me' for his then-father-in-law Johnny Cash. For this alone he deserves his place in the rock and roll hall of fame."

Mike replies: I never knew that. Thanks, Steve.

Comments

[Mike A]

Another selection enjoyed at Christmas called Quality Street.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quality_Street_(confectionery)
I think just about everyone in the UK would get it!

[Jon Schick]

Hi Mike - Good choice of artist (brilliant when I saw him support Elvis Costello back in the day). Quality Street is a brand of chocolates (candies) which comes in a big tin and is a particular favourite for Brits of a certain age, especially around Christmas time. Generally we all only like two or three of the various flavours and it's rather disappointing when you're left to choose from the remainder..... Happy new year,

Jon

[James]

If I remember correctly from when I lived in England, "Quality Street" was a brand of mixed chocolates with all different colored wrappings.

[Bahi]

Terry Gross is a big fan of Nick Lowe's. I heard a really good interview, with live performances of songs from the album, late last year on Fresh Air, which I listen to as a podcast here in London. Listen online here.

Vaguely related: I've twice come across sometime Lowe collaborator Robyn Hitchcock while walking in London. Both times, he was alone, walking with some kind of musical instrument in a hard case, and both times, I've had a camera with me but have failed to even attempt a photograph.

[Bryce Lee]

"Quality Street" is a container, usually metal at Christmas, folded cardboard otherwise, of hard toffees and similar oriignating in the UK.

For a year or two the candies did not appear in Canada, the containers are now labelled only in the two official languages of Engiish and French, with an appropriate rise in cost.

Personally the toffees and such are/were delicious. These days my diabetic diet and my aging teeth are not seeing such delicacies.

[Ken James]

It's still Christmas music.

[mike plews]

I had been looking all over for a YouTube version of Brave Combo's brilliant Santa's Polka but no luck. I did however find this which is a fine way to send off the holiday.

http://tinyurl.com/nbtgxda

[Peter Williams]

We have the Quality Street chocolates in Australia too.

[Frank]

Ironic that Nic is an athiest doing Christmas music.

[Marc Gibeault]

I bought this album a few years ago and it became my Christmas classic.
Friends and family ask for it every time they visit!
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGp1gZkmeLQ9V234rSJokErFOb3NsLj1f

[IanC]

It's a lovely Christmas album.
Even better are Nick Lowe's wonderful records made over the past two decades, especially the albums THE OLD MAGIC, THE IMPOSSIBLE BIRD and THE CONVINCER.
And IMHO his 1970s single CRUEL TO BE KIND is the best pop single released since the Beatles called it a day.
Happy New Year to Mike and Ctein.

[Richard Ripley]

Hi Mike:

My British wife pointed me to this:

http://www.qualitystreetchocolates.com

It's part of her heritage. As well, quality street also means to be on the up and up, i.e. things are looking good which I wish you and Ctein for this New Year. Thanks for a wonderful site!