An oldy but a goody (unless you’re on dial-up). What’s the song about? Vietnam? Love? Cocaine? Who knows but it does always make me think of the Vietnam War, probably because it is often used in TV/film soundtracks set at that time
music:white room by cream
September 13th, 2007 · 12 Comments
Tags: cream · music · vietnam war · white room
12 responses so far ↓
1 warthog // Sep 13, 2007 at 1:46 am
“Platform ticket, restless diesel, goodbye window”
Wheels of Fire {Studio LP} is a wonderful album. The “Live LP” goes on too much. Too much jazz style impro thanks to Jack Bruce’s jazz influences and Ginger Baker’s need to hit a drum kit non-stop for hours on end
The studio side has some straight R&B numbers which were covers or very derived and now sound a bit tame. Jack Bruce’s vocals still sound good though. [Sitting on top of the World/Politician/Born Under a Bad Sign]
Virtually all the other tracks are excellent and largely “British Prog”…a mixture of druggy rock and folk. They have this superbly weird feel to them which I would later associate with people like Syd Barrett, Kevin Ayers and Kevin Coyne.
As She Said/Deserted Cities of the Heart are really worth a listen. Pressed Rat and Warthog is a little comedic gem sung by Baker [I think] with its Learesque lyrics all “Cockneyfied”
White Room is a classic but my all time favourite on the album is “Passing the Time” which summed up elements going on in my life at the time [1970-71ish]
“Fresh Cream” is very patchy. “Disraeli Gears” uniformly excellent. “Goodbye Cream” patchy again but “Badge” [the song] is another classic
After they broke up, Jack Bruce realeased “Song’s for a Tailor” villified at the time as too “jazz experimental”. I bought it and grew very fond of it but I’m not sure if I would recommend it now.
I dont remember Cream ever being very political in their outlook or lyrics. However Felix Pappalardi [Cream’s producer] went back to the States at the height of anti-Vietnam war protest and founded the excellent rock band “Mountain” who definitely were.
Check out “Nantucket Sleighride” and other classics
2 squib // Sep 13, 2007 at 2:06 am
lol
Is THAT where your name comes from?!
Great discography there thanks but I liked the version of White room on BBC’s Life On Mars…
3 warthog // Sep 13, 2007 at 2:29 am
“Is THAT where your name comes from?!”
In a roundabout way. It doesn’t come from a transposed “Hogwart” which most people think.
Harry Bloody Potter…as if?!
4 squib // Sep 13, 2007 at 3:34 am
To be honest I just thought you were extra fond of the Phacochoerus Africanus… I mean who wouldn’t be
5 rocafuentes // Sep 14, 2007 at 4:55 am
White Room is actually about Pete Brown’s new flat.
In the white room, with black curtains, near the station,
Black roof country, no gold pavements, tired starlings,
Silver horses ran down moonbeams in your dark eyes.
Dawn light smiles on you leaving, my contentment.
I’ll wait in this place where the sun never shines;
Wait in this place where the shadows run from themselves.
You said no strings could secure you at the station.
Platform ticket, restless diesels, goodbye windows.
I walked into such a sad time at the station.
As I walked out, felt my own need just beginning.
I’ll wait in the queue when the trains come back;
Lie with you where the shadows run from themselves.
At the party she was kindness in the hard crowd.
Consolation for the old wound now forgotten.
Yellow tigers crouched in jungles in her dark eyes.
She’s just dressing, goodbye windows, tired starlings.
I’ll sleep in this place with the lonely crowd;
Lie in the dark where the shadows run from themselves.
6 rocafuentes // Sep 14, 2007 at 4:58 am
Just to clarify, Pete Brown worked with Jack Bruce and was a British performance poet - check him out on Wiki
7 squib // Sep 14, 2007 at 5:39 am
It’s about a new flat? Well that kind of makes it boring now doesn’t it?
A performance poet…interesting, thanks Roca!
8 rocafuentes // Sep 15, 2007 at 5:47 am
The ending bars of Nantucket Sleighride used to be used on a documentary programme called Weekend World on the British ITV channel. When I first heard the track many years ago I always thought it was Pink Floyd.
A mine of absolutely useless information aren’t I
9 warthog // Sep 15, 2007 at 12:07 pm
No, that’s interesting. Nice to meet someone who liked Mountain. They seem relatively rare.
I only had the live version of Nantucket for many years [y’know, in the medley?] so I used to tune into Weekend World to hear the studio bit. The rest of the prog was usually bobbins
10 rocafuentes // Sep 17, 2007 at 4:36 am
I can still hear Bwian Waalden lisping all his r’s
I was too young and free to take in any of the programme - I just liked the theme tune
11 rocafuentes // Sep 25, 2007 at 11:32 pm
You know I always thought that Nantucket Sleighride was about the Vietnam war as it was from that era.
Thought I’d check the lyrics out and its about some guy going whale fishing – very politically incorrect these days.
Still a good song though
NANTUCKET SLEIGHRIDE
Goodbye, little Robin-Marie
Don’t try following me
Don’t cry, little Robin-Marie
‘Cause you know I’m coming home soon
My ships’ leaving on a three-year tour
The next tide will take us from shore
Windlaced, gather in sail and spray
On a search for the mighty sperm whale
Fly your willow branches
Wrap your body round my soul
Lay down your reeds and drums on my soft sheets
There are years behind us reaching
To the place where hearts are beating
And I know you’re the last true love I’ll ever meet
Starbuck’s sharpening his harpoon
The black man’s playing his tune
An old salt’s sleeping his watch away
He’ll be drunk again before noon
Three years sailing on bended knee
We found no whales in the sea
Don’t cry, little Robin-Marie
‘Cause we’ll be in sight of land soon
12 warthog // Sep 26, 2007 at 8:20 pm
That’s interesting, Roc
I thought I knew the words to that song really well but there were some lines there i had entirely wrong
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