If someone was to ask me what music I think of when I think of Seattle I would say grunge. But in all honesty I wouldn’t actually think of grunge, that is just the most popular music to come out of the area. I like grunge, and it is true that it is a big deal where I am from, but by the time I was plenty old enough to go out into the world and see music, the grunge scene was for the most part over. when I was getting older and getting into music more seriously the music I remember being in Seattle was indie rock, ska, and later folk music. Not only was this music becoming very popular, it also sat very well with me, and I owe that to my parents. When I was young I can remember my parents always having music on in the house. I remember my mom listening to Joni Mitchell and James Taylor, and my dad listening to Crosby, Stills, and Nash, and the Moody Blues. It is because of this experience as a child listening to this kind of music that I enjoyed all the music that sounded similar to it when I was a lot older. I like Nirvana and Pearl Jam, but I really loved the Band of Horses and Damien Jurado. What I originally set out to look at was this second Seattle sound, a more folk oriented sound. but I don’t think anyone would give it a name like the second Seattle sound because this was a trend that was happening just as much outside my city as in it. This doesn’t make the sound any less appealing to me and I am sure I could still find a way to listen to the music and try to identify if the band was from Washington or not. This new wave of folk music wasn’t brought on just by one area, but probably because just like me, a lot of people grew up with their parents listening to it folk music, so when they went to go make music those were some of the earliest influences they had.

Now when I think of music that really represents my home I think to soccer. In Seattle we have a strong supporters culture for our major league soccer team, and they really love singing songs. When I think of songs to really get me excited about where I am from and the potential of winning a soccer match I think of two very specifically. The first one I actually can remember from way back when I was a kid as well, it seems like it has just always hung around my life. It is Perry Como’s Seattle:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NUzNtqu3zQ

The second song is from an artist I definitely know a lot more of than Perry Como, but was less familiar with the song. It is Woody Guthrie’s Roll on Columbia. here it is sung by Pete Seeger with a little bit of a story:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GrhBDaKu3o

The reason I bring these two songs up is because I was trying to think of songs that I felt really encapsulated the Pacific Northwest and Seattle, but also have some history too them. In a previous blog post I talked about the song, an American Trilogy, and how it was the combination of three songs that span over Southern history, and how it made me homesick and longed for a song similar. These are the first two songs I thought about when considering trying my hand at some sort of trilogy. The first problem is I need one more song, and the second problem is they way the songs sound. I really enjoy the way Woody Guthrie’s song moves along, but I find the Perry Como song borderline annoying. here are two sets of lyrics that I particularly enjoy

“The bluest skies you’ve ever seen are in Seattle

And the hills the greenest green, in Seattle

Like a beautiful child, growing up, free an’ wild

Full of hopes an’ full of fears, full of laughter, full of tears

Full of dreams to last the years, in Seattle

… in Seattle! ”

“Green Douglas firs where the waters cut through.

Down her wild mountains and canyons she flew.

Canadian Northwest to the ocean so blue,

Roll on, Columbia, roll on!

Roll on, Columbia, roll on.

Roll on, Columbia, roll on.

Your power is turning our darkness to dawn,

Roll on, Columbia, roll on.”

I am very grateful that I have one more week and one more blog post before we return to class. This means I will be able to attend the folklife festival in Seattle which fits very well into my current song project. I hope that next week’s blog post has a completed song.