Cherry Pez and a Cabin in the Woods
The Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1 by Traveling Wilburys (Blast from the Past Sunday)
A few years ago, I received the best Christmas gift of my life. Not one, not two, but THREE CDs laid inside of a glimmering silvery case, all made by a conglomerate of musicians, The Traveling Wilburys. George Harrison, Roy Orbison, Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne, Bob Dylan… talk about putting the “super” in supergroup! I was so moved by the music in fact, that I popped the bonus DVD in that day, and was engrossed in every minute of their session in the isolated cabin/studio, only taking my eyes off the screen in order to load my brand new dispenser with cherry pez. (It’s now impossible for me to hear the Wilburys without tasting cherry pez, for better or for worse!)
The Wilburys made their mark in history, one that is even more relevant in light of the 35th anniversary of Vol. 1 (and Tom Petty’s 73rd birthday!!) this week. While Vol. 3 is a great album, Vol. 1 is a classic, through and through. Furthermore, it’s the album that has everyone on it, what with Roy Orbison’s unfortunate passing only a few months after it's release. Everybody’s here and everybody’s happy… what more could you want?
While the album technically begins on “Handle With Care”, the next track “Dirty World” is the one that really starts it for me. The tonal shift between the first song and the second is absolutely wild, one that makes me laugh and shake my head every time. It’s like exiting a luxury car and entering a dive bar. You go from “won’t you show me that you really care”, sung sweetly by a genuine Roy Orbison to wildly filthy lyrics sung by a gravelly, smirking Bob Dylan. No need to worry, though. It’s about a car. It’s about a car guys!! Really!!! The drums on this song make it chug along like a train, a relatively smooth ride punctuated by the strumming power of at least three or four guitars at once. While this song is always a pleasure to listen to, I love the ending, where all the Wilburys go around in a circle coming up with what to say after “He loves your…”. The documentary shows just how spontaneous this was, with all of them flipping magazine pages and finding the weirdest words to say. They burst out laughing when Jeff Lynne says “Tremblin’ Wilburys”, the original name for their group. It’s a lovely, happy moment, one that makes this song one of my favorites against all odds.
I also have a fondness for track four, “Last Night”. At first listen, the song can be a little boring. I mean, it’s the same exact thing over and over again! However, upon closer inspection, the lyrics of the song reflect the same endearing odd-ness that “Dirty World” has. It’s like a demented version of Grease’s “Tell Me More”! I mean in what world would you expect Roy Orbison to sing the phrase “I asked her to marry me/she smiled and pulled out a knife/the party just beginning she said your money or your life”?! It’s made even more hilarious because Tom Petty is the one who sings all the other phrases, so to hear Roy’s sweet voice chime in with those lyrics catches the listener by delightful surprise. Musically, while repetitive, the song features one of the best instruments ever invented — the cowbell. It rings incessantly beneath the chorus, keeping the beat with style! Cowbell lovers RISE UP!
Speaking of Roy Orbison, some of his finest work is on display in the contents of Vol. 1, but “Not Alone” is the obvious standout. You can hear the Jeff Lynne/ELO feel on this song, and it fits perfectly with Orbison’s voice. The “sha-la-la” backing vocals from the other Wilburys are earnest, loving. While they were all peers, you can tell that the other four were absolutely in awe of Orbison, pinching themselves in excitement that he was there! This song is the type that feels important, one that you just cannot skip when listening to the album. You can hear that Orbison is giving his all to the song, and it’s clear by the end that his voice had not changed a bit from his early days. “Not Alone Any More” seems a fitting finale for Orbison, who would pass away in December of 1988, a mere two months after the album has been released. This is him at his best; truly a song to be remembered by.
The Wilburys fit together perfectly, their voices blending and instruments seamlessly flowing to create magic together. However, it’s clear on each song who had the most influence. “Heading for the Light” might be the best example of this, because it may be the most George Harrison-esque song that I’ve ever heard. Every element, from the tumbling backing vocals to the jangling guitars, from the heavy snare to the horn break in the middle — this is hands down a George song. “Heading for the Light” is a blue-skies-ahead kind of song, one that has optimistic lyrics that warm the listener’s heart. And make no mistake, this song features another one of the best instruments ever invented — the tambourine! It shakes along with the chorus, again keeping the beat with style. Tambourine lovers RISE UP!
The track following this, “Margarita”, has always been one of my favorites on the album. I’ve always loved the beginning, as has a sort of “ascending to heaven” feeling, then brings you back down to earth with plucky bass and yet another chugging drum beat. This is the ultimate “ear-candy” track, with plenty of small, electronic trills that aren’t quite audible unless you’re looking for them. With such a beautiful song, I was half expecting it to take place on a spaceship. But no, here comes Bob Dylan talking about a barfight in Pittsburgh. Way to take us back to reality, man! It’s hilarious to go to the Genius lyrics page for this song and read the overblown explanations someone made up about the lyrics. Come on! It’s the Wilburys! It most certainly means nothing, and that’s a great thing.
Tom Petty once called the Traveling Wilburys “a bunch of friends that just happened to be really good at making music.” I think this is the perfect way to describe their ventures together. Yes, they were all musical geniuses, a trait which shines through on the fabulous construction of this album. But they were friends first and foremost, and that’s what makes Vol. 1 so special. There are many things that spring to mind when I hear “The Traveling Wilburys”. However, one always sticks out, a visual of them all sitting in the kitchen of the cabin they were recording in. They’re in a semi-circle, strumming their guitars together, coming up with silly lyrics to make each other laugh. The Traveling Wilburys embody a pure, sunshine variety of friendship and happiness, a beautiful mix that is still relevant 35 years later, and will remain for many, many more.
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