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[miko2]

Today's Song: Stockton Gala Days by 10,000 Maniacs

The 10,000 Maniacs are a band I've always associated with Natalie Merchant. I only just realized, while doing research for this entry, that the band has actually been performing as long without Natalie Merchant than they did with her. That's odd because she was with the band from 1981 to 1994, when she embarked on her solo career. But the band itself has continued on right up to the present with other lead singers, and that's as long a stretch as the original 13 years she was with the band.

Perhaps this also explains why some of my 10,000 Maniac cds are not as interesting as others. I have Love Among the Ruins and I believe also The Earth Pressed Flat, which were done after Natalie left. Given that Natalie wasn't just their lead singer but a brilliant songwriter, it makes sense that those other cds are among the least interesting in the 10,000 Maniacs collection, at least so it seemed to me.

Anyway, Stockton Gala Days comes from their last studio album with Natalie Merchant, Our Time In Eden. After t hat they did their MTV Unplugged session/cd (also a great recording) and then Natalie Merchant went solo. Stockton Gala Days is my favorite song of theirs. I'm not actually sure if Natalie wrote it, come to think of it, and it was never a hit, but it's a cool song anyway.

And look, there's a live video of them playing the song on David Letterman: Stockton Gala Days

Because the Night (cover of the Patti Smith/Bruce Springstein tune) Although really this is the Patti Smith version, heh.

Noah's Dove (with images from the Phantom of the Opera -- very surreal) This is another great song from Our Time in Eden, another one of their great non-hits.