September Fields - Frazey Ford
This song by Canadian Ford really grows on you - maybe because of the Muscle Shoals southern style - actually it's just a tad north from there as she's backed by the Hi records rhythm section from Memphis, the group that backed a bevvy of soul singers not least amongst whom was Al Green. And I'm sure at least one of the Stax horn players crept in to play on this one, their warmth is there shining through, whether it's them or not.
Frazey Ford has moved on from the country folk style of the Be Good Tanyas to create her own blend of Southern backwoods soul. You can almost hear those flies buzzing around that beer can on the sleepy front porch. Except it's nighttime, this is Last Picture Show territory and this is a song about the boredom of small town life, which is expressed as much in the sultry feel of the music as in the enigmatic words, so that you understand what is being sung even though you don't understand what she's singing.
Do you toss and turn and turn at night
and are you holding, holding on so tight?
do you toss and turn and turn at night
and are you holding, holding on so tight?