Acadie Liner Notes
Still WaterThis song was written in New Orleans. Initial recording was done with myself and Malcolm Burn playing guitars. Tony Hall overdubbed a sketch bass and I did sketch drums. In England, Brian Eno recorded the haunting background vocals. Larry Mullen Jr. and Adam Clayton recorded their parts soon after that in Dublin. It was later finished and mixed in New Orleans. The final version is made up of four mixes done on four different dates, then edited together.
The MakerWritten in a big old empty room in New Orleans. This song was abandoned till Malcolm and Kevin Laffey talked me into recording it. The drum track played by Willie Green was originally recorded for the Nevilles' song "Voodoo," but never used on the Nevilles' record. I always loved this track and so with Willie's permission, "The Maker" was superimposed overtop. Tony Hall overdubbed harmony basses, Cyril Nevill played gembe, Art Neville played piano and Aaron Neville sang support and response vocals. Malcolm and I played the rest of the instruments. All done in New Orleans.
O MarieI came up with the melody for "O Marie" in New York--a sort of contrast to the noise of traffic and general city din. Back in New Orleans the idea of a work song came into play. It sounded better in French and so, with helpful suggestions by Malcolm, it became a song about tobacco picking. There is a tradition of French Canadians picking tobacco in Ontario every summer. The song talks about the expectations and the realities that go with this job. Malcolm and I performed this live, vocal and all. Mark Howard recorded and mixed it.
Jolie LouiseThis song came together quickly. The idea had been in my head for a while but the construction of it happened in two days. The initial recording was done with Malcolm on piano, me singing and knee slapping and Mark at the console. Later in Hamilton, at Grant Ave. Studio, Ed Roth played accordion. Adam and Larry did their parts in Dublin with Paul Barrett recording. We mixed it in New Orleans.
Fisherman's DaughterThe atmosphere for this goes back a few years. It was done in Hamilton at a time when Brian was there a lot. Brian inspired me to do this track. Later in New Orleans I rediscovered the track, and Malcolm and I recorded two acoustic guitars on top of it. The lyrics came last; a poem written in Biloxi about not being a pawn in the game.
White Mustang IIOn a small portable recorder I did 20 takes of this guitar instrumental--my friend Pierre Marchand listened to them all and picked out the best. In England, Brian played many beautiful keyboard parts--a sort of sound sculpture behind a lonely guitar. James May, a New Orleans trumpet player, was playing outside my window. I invited him in to do an overdub. Much later, Malcolm did the mix.
Under A Stormy SkyThis was recorded as a band--Willie, Tony, myself and Malcolm. Everyone set up in the control room, drums and all. The lyrics were completed after the track went down, the vocals done about a week later. I invited Mason Ruffner to play a solo. He lives in New Orleans not far from the studio. I put on a slide guitar and Malcolm did a vibrato guitar. The harmony on the last verse was a last minute addition. The name Bette was my mother's nickname when she was a young girl.
Where The Hawkwind KillsThis song took forever to finish. The drum track came from another song that is not on the record. The drums were were treated by Malcolm to give them that heavy Bolero effect. Brian recorded my heavy guitar part--a big sound from the smallest guitar amp. Brian also played wild synthesizer that sort of sounds like a kettle whistling. Back in New Orleans, Malcolm put on the Akai string parts and I finally finished the lyrics and the vocal and put on a last-minute acoustic guitar.
Silium's HillThis idea came to me in New York. It had been idling in my head for a long time and when I read a book of old gospel hymns, I connected Silium's Hill with Shoe Shine Mamma. Recorded in New Orleans. The vocal was done separately from the guitar and the keyboard.
IceThe sound on this is created by two main components. The first in the Omnichord, very heavily treated with echoes, etc. The second is Bill Dillon's guitar, also heavily treated. These were recorded by myself in Canada at Grant Ave. Studio. Later in New Orleans the lyrics and vocals were completed. Malcolm mixed it with a lot of compression.
St. Ann's GoldThis was an instrumental for the longest time. One of the many guitar numbers I recorded on my portable recorder. Pierre added some keyboards when he visited me in New Orleans. In England, Brian added what sort of sound like cellos. Roger Eno also played a distant keyboard part. In New Orleans, Malcolm suggested a melody to me and a lyric idea. I took the ideas and finished them into this song.
Amazing GraceAt one time we had considered including "Amazing Grace" on the Neville's record. Aaron and I had done a vocal but never used it. In my own time I married Aaron's vocal with the music. Brian helped me with this at his place in England. He played some keyboards, did treatments, etc. Later in New Orleans, Mark Howard and I did the mix.
Updated 10/06/95 |