Have we really completed ‘Flag’, our 11 eleventh track? Has it been released? The answer is Yes! And we are well on the way to finishing the last song to complete our soon to be released debut CD.
"Flag" marks a high point in MuuMuu songmanship. It was inspired by some peoples' slavish devotion to political causes of a dubious nature. You don’t need to look hard to find examples in both the countries of our birth U.S. & UK. I was also heavily influenced by the BBC television series Ridley Road, featuring my old actor pal Eddie Marsan.
Once we start motoring along, Eric takes the lead vocals on verse 2 & adds the transatlantic irony that only he can. We then meet the ladies of Calico for the first time (Barb Hall, Jenny Barnes and Janene Becker - a Nashville close harmony group) who augment the two of us beautifully on backing vocals.
Eric gets to flex his new guitar (a Keisel Airies) on the middle 8 solo. See if you can spot the sound of a racoon fighting to get out of the recording studio mid way through (not only how, but why, is it done? ). There is even some electric cello in there, tuned up a semi tone to make it more ‘al dente’.
The sound of all hell breaking loose introduces the key change (we modulate into the key of B, if you really need to know). That’s me adding the low vocal line (in a style not dissimilar to our totally different song “Down"). By the time we reach the ending, everybody is flying the flag & joining the movement & discovering it’s probably not quite “in the bag “ in a frankly rather disturbing manner. ”America!” Calico sing. “ Its starting to sag” Eric bemoans, and I’m still plugging away randomly with the repeated chorus line, into an extended coda.
The extended coda - a prime example of a lush finale that Ditch the MuuMuu are getting quite a reputation for capturing. It’s straight from the ‘If it’s going so well, why stop?’ school of recording.
And so it's on to the next song. I hope we will have as much sincere fun finishing “Things I' Have seen” - an ode to a 1936 Model A Ford. I am sure we will & you will too when you listen to it. In the mean time, “Fly The Flag“ but, make sure it’s the right one!
PS - Calico's new single "Ten Gallon Hat" is up on Spotify. Have a listen!
T B. Feb 2022