 Pastime was written and recorded entirely within the month of February 2008 as part of February Album writing month (FAWM) and Record Production Month (RPM). All songs were written and recorded by Ross Durand. |
Track Listing - Stream All 1. Prologue: Myth 2. Play Ball 3. Dirt on Your Sox 4. Saturday at Fenway 5. The Babe 6. Negro Leagues 7. Rookie of the Year 8. The Shot 9. It Even got to Me 10. Out to the Ball Game 11. Ease up on the Drugs 12. Spring Training 13. Epilogue: Somewhere |
Notes:
I chose baseball as a the concept for this album after hearing an interview with Kadir Nelson on All Things Considered. Kadir Nelson has recently published a children's book about the Negroe Leagues entitled We are the Ship. That sounded like a good idea for a song, and then I realized how rich the history of baseball as a whole is, and decided to theme the whole album around that.
For research I relied heavily on the book Baseball: A History of America's Favorite Game by George Vecsey. I also consulted several web sources and ran a few drafts past a couple of friends of mine who love baseball, Ronan Murray and Toshi Chun.
Prologue: Myth - I had planned to write a song about the origin of baseball - Abner Doubleday, Cooperstown and all that - only to find that it isn't true. Bat-and-ball games are found all over the world and appear to have likely evoloved several times. However, baseball is a unique variation that does not appear to have a single direct ancestor.
Play Ball - The first official game played under what would be come the rules of baseball was played between the Knickerbocker club and the "NewYork Nine" at Elysian Field in Hoboken New Jersey (see cover image). By 1870 there was a Professional Players Association and by 1903 there was a World series between teh two major professional Leagues.
Dirt on your Sox - in 1919, eight members of the Chicago White Sox conspired with professional Gamblers to throw the world series, which they were heavily favored to win. That years eam has since become know as the Black Sox, first made familiar to me the through the film Eight Men Out, based on a notable book of the same name. "The greatest umpire of all" line is purportedly from Shoeless Joe Jackson's last words, he denied having thrown the games till his death, although he did accept money.
Saturday at Fenway -Not a lot to say here, just meant to conjure the era. It was written in response to the week one challange at FAWM, which was to include a day of the week in a title.
The Babe - What to say about Babe Ruth? There are many references to facts and quotes here. Errata: I goofed on my words when I did the recording - I should have said he made more than the President, but said "mayor." To be fixed in a subsequent recording.
Negroe Leagues - FRom 1887 -1947 blacks were generally not allowed to be members of professional baseball clubs. Black teams did play white teams in post-season barnstorming tours and won by a large margin.
Rookie of the Year - Jackie Robinson was the first black player in the modern major leagues and the first ever rookie of the year. He had been discharged from the army for refusing to sit in the back of the bus and survived a season of unbeievable racial insults on the diamond. "Put your arm around him" is a reference to the action of a fellow player Pee-Wee Reese memorialized by this statue. #42 is retired in all of professional baseball as a tribute to Jackie Robinson.
The Shot - This call is just too famous to not include, yet I couldn't see how lyrics could possibly add to it. The call is the famous one by Russ Hodges from WMCA-AM. The Giants had staged an amazing season comeback to beat the Dodgers that year.
[Missing Song] - a song belongs here. I wrote and recorded one I didn't like. Years from now I'm sure it will be the lost out-take. It concerned the expansion of baseball west.
It Even Got to Me - All of this is true.
Out to the ball game - In 1979 or 1980 I recall LA Dodger caps being sold at the local Safeway market, but labelled as "Fernando Valenzuela Hats." Although baseball has been commercializing since the first time money was collected as admission for a game - teh 80s and 90s seem to have been especially rich in this area.
Ease up on the Drugs - This was a Songfight! title for the first week of February. Not much to say here, expect it obviously is in reference to the steroid scandal. I know they are not usually taken with a pill - it just worked better words-wise.
Spring Training - It seems taht no matter waht strikes baseball - cheating, teh war, racism, betting, strikes, steroids - each new season is greeted with optimism. Heck, even the REd sox finaly won the series.
Epilogue: Somewhere - this book-end just made sense.
Ross Durand wrote all the songs and played all the instruments. Recorded at "The Outhouse" in Orange, CA.
Special thanks to: My wife for her patience, Jim Tyrell and Bill Heuristics for their encouragement.
Cover image: "The American National Game of Baseball" by Courier & Ives.
"Take Me Out to the Ballgame" by Jack Norworth, 1908.