The Decemberists, left to right: Nate Query, Chris Funk, Jenny Conlee, Colin Meloy, John Moen. Photograph: Autumn de Wilde for the Guardian
Since Spotify has stopped working with the bluetooth in the car through my phone, I have started listening to CDs again. The Decemberists’, “The King is Dead” is one hell of a good album as I’m being reminded. What thrills me about it is the voice of Colin Meloy. His voice is truly heavenly. It’s clear, it is well-modulated, and it flows into my ear like warm honey. Not only that, Colin wrote every song on it. In the song being highlighted from the album today, the steel guitar played by Chris Funk is featured. Chris knows his steel guitar and how to make it wail just right. Gillian Welch sings backup vocals on, “Rise to Me.”
Wikipedia says: The King Is Dead is the sixth studio album by The Decemberists, released on Capitol Records on January 14, 2011. Described as the “most pastoral, rustic record they’ve ever made” by Douglas Wolk of Rolling Stone, the album reached No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart for the week ending February 5, 2011. The song “This Is Why We Fight” reached number 19 on the U.S Alternative Songs Chart, while the song “Down by the Water” also charted in the United States.
The King Is Dead was recorded during spring 2010, with most of it being made in a six-week period in a barn at an 80-acre … site called Pendarvis Farm, near Portland, Oregon. It has been speculated that the album title is an homage to The Smiths’ 1986 album The Queen Is Dead, largely due to Colin Meloy’s long-touted influence from the band. It was co-produced by Tucker Martine. Meloy has said that a primary musical influence for much of The King Is Dead is R.E.M., and three songs, “Don’t Carry It All”, “Calamity Song” and “Down by the Water”, feature the R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck. On January 26, 2011, it became their first No. 1 album on the U.S. album chart.
Rise to Me
Big mountain, wide river,
there’s an ancient call,
these tree trunks these stream beds,
leave our bellies full
they sing out, I am gonna stand my ground
you rise to me and I’ll blow you down
I am gonna stand my ground
you rise to me and I’ll blow you down
Hey Henry, can you hear me,
let me see those eyes
this distance, between us
can seem a mountain size
but boy, you are gonna stand your ground
they rise to you you’ll blow them down
let me see you stand your ground
they rise to you you’ll blow them down
My darling, my sweetheart,
I am in your sway,
two cold climbs, come spring time
so let me hear you say, my love
I am gonna stand my ground,
they rise to me and I’ll blow them down
I am gonna stand my ground,
they rise to me and I’ll blow them down
cause I am gonna stand my ground
you rise to me and I’ll blow you down
Jim Adams is the host of Song Lyric Sunday. This week Jim wants a song that mentions River/Stream/Creek/Brook, as suggested by Di of pensitivity101. This is my second linkup as I love this song and want to share it again. First time was in 2022.
Tao Talk 
It’s a great record – I kind of miss the pretentious epics, but they’re great at Americana too.
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Glad you know and like it, Graham. It is. Have you heard them with Olivia Chaney as Offa Rex? That’s another kickass album.
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Nope, I’ve never heard Offa Rex!
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Ooh ooh! You should check the album out. I don’t think they will make another one but you never know…
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Goldfinch went to see The Decemberists live at the Hammersmith Apollo just before he went back to Australia. I wished I could go with him but I had to work that evening. I met him for a drink before though, and of course he came back to mine afterwards – we had Thai food that night. He said their performances are very interactive.
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Oh wow, how awesome is that. I’d love to see them live. Since I haven’t been keeping up with your blog, is Goldfinch still in the picture in some way?
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He is still very much loved by me. But he is still on the opposite side of the planet.
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:(
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We stay in touch though Li – we are great friends.
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:) <3 <3 :)
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My daughters and I were just talking about that album! I had just found it in my so far unfiled cds and listened to it with delight once again and we were talking about the songs. A gem from start to finish. (K)
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What a wonderful bit of synchronicity. We could have even been listening to it at the same time at some point :)
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I like that idea. Entirely possible.
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I love this album. In fact, it will be appearing sometime this year on my Favorite 250 Albums list.
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Awesome, Liam. It’s a good’n.
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This is really soulful! I like the arrangement and really like his voice…not to mention the steel guitar.
He doesn’t sound like Frankie Miller but the mood of the song is great and it reminds me of the Miller song “I Can’t Change It”…the atmosphere of it. Great song Lisa.
I’m babbling tonight…sorry
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Soulful is a good way to describe it. No need to apologize, Max. I’m babbling right back :)
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I love the Decemberists!
And why would Spotify stop working? These bloody things are so annoying… But on the bright side, good thing you still have your CDs ;-)
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Dale, I think it is the car that is messing up. Bluetooth has been patchy in it from the beginning. So annoying is right. I also have a usb port in the car that I can put a flash drive in with music I just don’t want to hassle with it. CDs work just fine :)
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I feel ya. I’m a radio girl anyhow ;-)
My kids are disgusted with me that I asked for a radio for my office. I like my station, what can I say? ;-)
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Dale, you are blessed if you can find a good radio station in your area. We have very little choice, most of it not listenable. I go straight to NPR talk radio when I listen, which is ok but not music most of the time.
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I just like our national radio station. It plays light rock with more Canadian content than other stations (which has led me to wonderful discoveries), then classical for a few hours and back to contemporary. In the evening, depending on the days, there is blues, jazz, and various others. I just like most of it. Very rare I want to change the channel. But I’m not “normal” supposedly ;-)
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The group and the song were both new to me Lisa, but I thought they sounded a bit like the Band and I enjoyed this a lot.
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Jim, they have a lot of really good music they’ve made. Happy you made that comparison and enjoyed the song.
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this was completely unexpected. I really enjoyed the track and the band sound. Thanks Lisa
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Mangus, glad you were happily surprised by it. They did a really awesome collaboration with Olivia Chaney, “The Queen of Hearts,” in 2017 that I liked so much I actually bought it in vinyl.
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I LOVE this band! I posted Burial Ground last year…such a soulful band! Great choice Lisa
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Thanks, Max :)
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They are a modern band I really like
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Nice song, a new one for me. Your video wasn’t available but I found this one:
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Glad you like it, Clive. Thanks for sharing that link :)
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You’re welcome 👍
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Once again you have introduced me to new musical artists- and treated me to music I probably would never have come across on my own. Thanks, Li.
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V, I listened to the album again last night and was wowed all over again. It’s a good’n. You are welcome <3
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I love your song choice! I need to listen to more of their music 😍
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Lisa, I hope you do <3
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Thanks for reminding me of The Decemberists with this great-sounding song! Now I’m curious to hear more from “The King Is Dead”!😀
Max and I previously covered The Decemberists twice as part of our collaborative “Chris & Max Pick …songs from” series, including them in each the 2024 and 2005 installments – obviously, with songs from different albums.
You pick further confirms to me they are a group worthwhile checking out further! I haven’t included them yet in my Sunday or Friday series.
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You’re welcome, Christian. Cool that you and Max have previously covered them. Like I mentioned to Mangus, they collaborated with Olivia Chaney to form Offa Rex for an album that is so danged good.
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A lovely song, pleasing to the ear. Based on his last two posts, my guest blogger John Charlton would be pleased to know you are getting back into CDs (albeit out of necessity)!
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Lisa, I didn’t know what to expect from the Decemberists … a new group for me. I love this track. I’ll be checking out more of their songs.
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Nancy, I’m glad you enjoyed what you heard and I hope you do. That whole album is excellent.
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