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December 8, 2004
Flogging Molly - Within a Mile from Home
(Side One Dummy)
by Brian Yaeger
When Flogging Molly singer Dave King moved to the United States 15 years ago, George Bush was president and he was excited to work on his music career in a metal band that was signed to a major label. Today, he’s enjoying tremendous success with an Irish folk/punk/soul band whose latest album, Within a Mile of Home (Side One Dummy) debuted atop Billboard’s Independent Album chart. And now that Bush, Jr. got (re)elected, he’d like to move back to Ireland.
When Flogging Molly performed the leadoff track, “Screaming at the Wailing Wall,” at an in-store, King found it hard to believe he “could write such a happy song about such a miserable fucking cunt like George Bush. It all balances itself out.”
Unlike their first two studio albums, Within a Mile doesn’t click at first listen. They branch out from their patented sound a bit. “Factory Girls” is a duet with Americana/folk singer Lucinda Williams. “Don’t Let Me Die Still Wondering” is a tribute to country legend Johnny Cash. “Tomorrow Comes a Day Too Soon” sees accordionist Matt Hensley adding some Cajun-flavor along with a guest musician on washboard. Nathan Maxwell gets to do another pirate song like he did with “Cruel Mistress” on Drunken Lullabies, but “Queen Anne’s Revenge” mixed with equal parts Clash. King goes a cappella on “The Wrong Company.” Still, while it is not immediately as likable on first or even second spin, each cut certainly does grow on you to the point where it’s as much a necessity for your collection as their past efforts. It’s tempting to describe the album as more mature, but there was nothing immature about their previous recordings, so let’s just say that on the whole, it is a mellower, folksier album. The messages are still powerful.
I liberate your people's fate, spoke the burning bush/ But the song of beasts, drown their oil-soaked teeth/ Their dollar is mighty and true/ Now the eagle soars the sky over refugee and child/ And to all there is no end, another day in perfect hell
The above lines from “Screaming at the Wailing Wall” replete with biblical images and American patriotic icons, utilizes a familiar concept in King’s lyrics, although the US certainly does not hold a monopoly on melding religion and government.
“God seems to be Chief In Command of Bush’s government,” King said to me. “He seems to think that it’s okay because he’s got His OK to do this. I don’t know about you, but my God does not wage war. God is the biggest reason why this world is in torment… I don’t hate you. My God doesn’t hate your God. George W. Bush is convinced that his God told him to do this. Oh my God!! That is unbelievable.”
What’s ironic is that the people—especially the youth—around the world are so well informed about the issues surrounding war and its causes, and are therefore opinionated about what is happening in this country, but Americans and American youth are not. And by ironic I mean sad.
“First of all, Americans are not encouraged to vote,” King mused. “When I used to live in Ireland, I voted because you felt like you were welcome to. This is your right. This administration [tried] to stop college students from voting because their dorms are not permanent residences. It’s for them that I wrote ‘To Youth (My Sweet Roisin Dubh)’.”
So it's to youth I sing you this story/ And it's of youth I sing it now/ Like the train that derails without warning/ I must leave what I left far behind/ So goodbye, sweet Roisin Dubh
Within a Mile is a portrait of where King’s mind is these days. Poetic, romantic, and often incensed, his lyrics bare his Celtic soul. “There’s a fear base for everything in this country,” said King. “Whether it be God, religion, or death. There doesn’t seem to be much time left to celebrate. What I’ve learned through life is that I’ve had a shitty life. I’ve had a great life. And I’m going to celebrate both. I’m going to sing about it and clap my hands and dance about it.”
Posted by Ms. Jen at December 8, 2004 12:22 PM
