77s Message Board | Print: Don't This Way - Best guitar work period.

Posted by jakester on 08-02-2009 at00:32:

Don't This Way - Best guitar work period.

Speaking of the song, "Don't This Way" from the Sticks & Stones album. All I have to say is, "WOW". I've been a fan since 1988.

First song I ever heard was, "Ba, Ba, Ba, Ba". Graduated from college and happily bought Sticks & Stones in 1990. The whole album is amazing. Don't This Way has a special place in me. Always equated it to loss of a girlfriend but upon closer examination recently, it appears to discuss death.

Still touching. Just lost my dad this year - I tried my best to have a relationship with him... but still alot was left unsaid. As Mike put it, "Don't leave this way, so many words unsaid".

Great guitar work, Mike. Love a lesson some time. Thanks for your honesty.

Posted by steveruff on 08-02-2009 at04:17:

That was my introduction to The 77's also, I love Sticks & Stones. I still think it's crazy that (from what I've been told) that album was a collection of demos, etc. that were put together. I've always thought that Don't This Way was one of the strongest tracks on there also. I am a sucker for the sad songs and if I remember correctly, the liner notes from Doc Love called that song one of the saddest songs ever written.

Posted by dennis on 08-02-2009 at12:51:

I was not new to the 77s when I bought Sticks & Stones, but I thought it was one the band's strongets efforts, and still feel that way.
I remember after having bought it, driving around in my car listening to those songs over and over again.
Such haunting beautiful and sad music.
...and a little funky as well! Happy

Posted by Ping Pong Over the Abyss on 08-03-2009 at00:54:

RE: Don't This Way - Best guitar work period.

quote:

Originally posted by jakester
Speaking of the song, "Don't This Way" from the Sticks & Stones album. All I have to say is, "WOW". I've been a fan since 1988.

First song I ever heard was, "Ba, Ba, Ba, Ba". Graduated from college and happily bought Sticks & Stones in 1990. The whole album is amazing. Don't This Way has a special place in me. Always equated it to loss of a girlfriend but upon closer examination recently, it appears to discuss death.

Still touching. Just lost my dad this year - I tried my best to have a relationship with him... but still alot was left unsaid. As Mike put it, "Don't leave this way, so many words unsaid".

Great guitar work, Mike. Love a lesson some time. Thanks for your honesty.

"Don't This Way" never grows old. Those guitars make my heart soar!!!!!!! Cool

Posted by Doctor Love on 08-03-2009 at11:19:

RE: Don't This Way - Best guitar work period.

Thanks guys for the compliments.

I love all those guitar parts too but it all sounds a little thin to me now -- would love to re-mix the song sometime and fatten it up some.

Mark Tootle wrote him a lovely song there. He loved his wife and his wife hated him -- this was one of many tunes he wrote to try and deal with that. I was responsible for the instrumental intro and outro, but I must credit the band too because I managed to glean all those wonderful parts from a very long rehearsal jam that luckily got recorded.

The song is basically Tootle's, but without the band it would not have been what it became, which is cool.

Posted by dennis on 08-03-2009 at17:03:

RE: Don't This Way - Best guitar work period.

quote:

Originally posted by Doctor Love

Mark Tootle wrote him a lovely song there. He loved his wife and his wife hated him -- this was one of many tunes he wrote to try and deal with that.

That sounds like my first marriage.

My wife who loves me back and I saw you perform in Joe's Garage on Friday.
She was the lady who requested "A Quiet Little Place." It's one of her favorite songs if all time.
She still enjoyed the concert... as did I. Cool

Posted by jakester on 08-03-2009 at20:45:

Another wow! Michael Roe reads and responds to these posts in person!

A rare privilege to hear from one of my favs. Thanks for making my day, Mike. I'm gonna show my wife and kids.

PS : admired your thoughts from the 1997 interview on the Phantom Tollbooth. Link. Especially the reference to being empty as a christian & others perceptions with that. I relate.

Posted by dennis on 08-04-2009 at17:31:

Cool

Posted by Kit on 08-04-2009 at20:28:

Hey waddya know, another Austinite.

Posted by jakester on 08-04-2009 at21:38:

Just doing my part to keep the place weird as the bumper sticker suggests.

Posted by Sam e. Ching on 08-31-2009 at18:37:

I think the guitar work from "I cannot wait till Jesu comes" is pretty strong . . . that's a song that has comforted me a lot in some times of personal grief and loss . . .

Posted by 77 bc on 09-01-2009 at05:46:

Here's Dr Love and Mark, playing "Don't This Way" in Springfield, Mo. (Video footage by Jonathan Dix and Seacock. Video production Seacock)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3jZwteYWFU

The guitar work on this song is some of my all time Dr Love playing, but then again, I am a sucker for that "surf guitar" sound. Whether Doc intended it to be a "surf guitar" sound or not, it's always kinda fit in that niche in my head.

Prime example of a perfect match of "words and music" (obscure reference to some dialog in the movie "Eddie and the Cruisers)

Posted by juan ahmal on 09-01-2009 at10:12:

sticks and stones broke my bones

I haven't listened to Sticks and Stones in a looonnnng time. In 1990 a close friend of mine commited suicide and from then on I sort of attached Don't This Way and that whole album to the memory of that time in my life. Now that nearly twenty years have gone by it's time to listen to it again.

Posted by Ping Pong Over the Abyss on 09-01-2009 at13:23:

My condolences, Juan. Frown

Posted by Ping Pong Over the Abyss on 09-01-2009 at13:26:

quote:

Originally posted by 77 bc
Here's Dr Love and Mark, playing "Don't This Way" in Springfield, Mo. (Video footage by Jonathan Dix and Seacock. Video production Seacock)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3jZwteYWFU

The guitar work on this song is some of my all time Dr Love playing, but then again, I am a sucker for that "surf guitar" sound. Whether Doc intended it to be a "surf guitar" sound or not, it's always kinda fit in that niche in my head.

Prime example of a perfect match of "words and music" (obscure reference to some dialog in the movie "Eddie and the Cruisers)

Thankee for the linkee. LOL--what's up with the Derri Daugherty bashing? Tongue

Posted by 77 bc on 09-01-2009 at16:43:

quote:

Originally posted by 77 bc
Here's Dr Love and Mark, playing "Don't This Way" in Springfield, Mo. (Video footage by Jonathan Dix and Seacock. Video production Seacock)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3jZwteYWFU

The guitar work on this song is some of my all time FAVORITE Dr Love playing, but then again, I am a sucker for that "surf guitar" sound. Whether Doc intended it to be a "surf guitar" sound or not, it's always kinda fit in that niche in my head.

Prime example of a perfect match of "words and music" (obscure reference to some dialog in the movie "Eddie and the Cruisers)

Duh Huh...I missed a word the first time around when I posted this.

Posted by mypetsounds on 09-04-2009 at06:42:

RE: sticks and stones broke my bones

Juan - I love the Chesterton quote but I have not read anything by him. Is there a particular book by him that you would recommend?

Posted by MefLiszto on 09-04-2009 at08:36:

RE: sticks and stones broke my bones

quote:

Originally posted by mypetsounds
Juan - I love the Chesterton quote but I have not read anything by him. Is there a particular book by him that you would recommend?

You should absolutely read "Orthodoxy".

Posted by MarkyMark77 on 09-04-2009 at09:05:

quote:

You should absolutely read "Orthodoxy".

And it's sequel (or equal time?), "Heretics".

Posted by juan ahmal on 09-06-2009 at19:39:

RE: sticks and stones broke my bones

quote:

Originally posted by mypetsounds
Juan - I love the Chesterton quote but I have not read anything by him. Is there a particular book by him that you would recommend?

I would agree Orthodoxy is the one to read.

btw I listened to S&S last night, first time in at least 12 - 15 years. It brought back a flood of memories. It's interesting to know that Don't This Way was about marital problems, because it really captures the feelings one has after a tragic death. I forgot that it was 7 minutes plus long with long instumental sections. The music fits the song perfectly. Also forgot how infectious You Walked In The Room was.

I always assumed the guy on the cover of Sticks And Stones was Mike, now I'm not so sure. Anybody have the scoop on who that was?