I don’t remember “Snake-Handlin’ Man” (no. 11) ever making it into the Top 20 before last month. A lot of you actually change the station when it comes on. The lyrics are provocative, even downright odd ~ a religious framework with some none-too-godly sensual undertones ~ and Dave Carter plays a raucous banjo-style, in-your-face guitar riff throughout. (Hmmm, that’s not a banjo in there, is it?? You can check it out for yourself here. ) Maybe that’s why so many of you change the station?
Snake-Handlin’ Man was also the title of Dave Carter’s debut solo album released in 1995. The word is that he came to hate the album and wouldn’t reprint it when the first run sold out. It’s great though! So there was a lot of controversy after he died in 2002 about whether those of us lucky enough to own the original CD should share it with other fans. I remember reading irate postings on fan forums when a copy would show up on eBay. His partner Tracy Grammer did eventually release a new version as the album Seven which has most of the original songs but in the new arrangements which she and Dave had re-recorded before his death. It is quite wonderful, too, and apparently only available for purchase currently via iTunes .
Two ladies with San Diego ties are in the Top 20 this month: The fascinating Lindsey Troy (currently of LA) at no. 4 and the quirky and prolific Amber Rubarth (resident of NYC, at the moment) at no. 20.
Thanks for listening and for voting for your favorite songs!
~Kelley
www.AcousticPie.com
Top 20 Songs on Acoustic Pie
April 2011
Artist ~ Song ~ Album
1. Teitur ~ I Was Just Thinking ~ Poetry & Aeroplanes
2. Danny Schmidt ~ Make Right the Time ~ part ii ~ Make Right the Time
3. Joe Crookston ~ Everything Here Is Good ~ Darkling & The BlueBird Jubilee
4. Lindsey Troy ~ The Falling of Leaves ~ Bruises
5. Bruce Cockburn ~ Child of the Wind ~ Slice O Life ~ Live Solo
6. Louise Mosrie ~ Maybe I’m Your Angel ~ Home
7. Kesang Marstrand ~ Bodega Rose ~ Bodega Rose
8. Arlo Guthrie with the University of Kentucky Symphony Orchestra ~ Darkest Hour ~ In Times Like These
9. John Gorka ~ Wisheries ~ The Company You Keep
10. James Blunt ~ Carry You Home ~ All the Lost Souls
11. Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer ~ Snake-handlin Man ~ Seven is the Number
12. Cheryl Wheeler ~ Addicted ~ Cheryl Wheeler
13. Landon Pigg ~ Falling in Love at a Coffee Shop ~ The Boy Who Never
14. Brooker and Bullen ~ Dark Place ~ Reciprocity
15. Ben Lee ~ Ripe ~ Ripe
16. Peter Bradley Adams ~ I’ll Forget You (Radio Mix) ~ http://www.peterbradleyadams.com
17. Matt Nathanson ~ Loud ~ Still Waiting for Spring
18. Joe Crookston ~ Caitlin at the Window ~ Darkling & The BlueBird Jubilee
19. Craig Werth ~ My Way or the Highway ~ The Spokes Man
20. Amber Rubarth ~ Loud Nonsense (and Whispered Secrets…) ~ New Green Lines