Song of the Day-Hero and Heroine

Like most people, too me, music sharply evokes moods of time, place and memory. Certain music reminds me of certain times of year. The Beatle's "Sgt. Pepper" dominated the airwaves in the Summer of 67. The music from that album makes me feel very summery. For the same reason, the Beatles's "White Album, a Christmastime release in 1968, reminds me of winter and the Holidays. If I hear any classic Temptation's single, the memory of hearing it from a hundred open car windows and a hundred front porches on a sweltery hot summer night takes me back to my summertime youth! 

I find the music of Nick Drake to be very autumnal, as I do the music of middle-period Fleetwood Mac. Another band with a wintery feel that I blogged about a few months back is (are?) The Strawbs. This very English band that arose from the same scene as Fairport Convention and Steeleye Span gradually transmuted into a reliable visitor to the British Pop charts. The sound of the Strawbs also changed, as they retained folk music elements while adding in progressive music touches. Pre-Yes, Rick Wakeman spent time in the Strawbs.

"Hero and Heroine" recorded not longer after Wakeman's departure, was a bit of a change as the band where starting over after the lineup shakeup. The songs were a little more "heavy" in a progressive, rock style with darker lyrics. The music had a very gothic feel to it which reminds me in some ways of the "goth" bands that came along in the 80's. 

The Straws still tour today and released a studio album as recently as two years ago. I have included the title song from "Hero and Heroine" in a fine live version as today's Song of the Day!