Song Of The Day 2/23/2014: Anne Murray - "Buffalo In the Park"

Nowadays everybody wanna talk like they got something to say, but nothing comes out when they move their lips, just a bunch of gibberish, and motherf***ers act like they forgot about Anne Murray.*

Anne Murray came from Nova Scotia, the Canadian province that also gave us Hank Snow and Feist. Actually, about halfway between Hank Snow and Feist is kind of where I'd place Murray if I was describing the sound of her early records. Especially this one, from her debut album What About Me. It came out in 1968 in Canada. It was released later in America, after she became the first Canadian female artist to get a gold record in the U.S. I believe that was for "Snowbird," maybe the most perfect country song Canada ever produced. Not quite sure I'd give that award to "Snowbird" or Snow's "I'm Moving On." I suppose I have some time to think about it.

But forget that, listen to the stunning "Buffalo In the Park." This was written by Brian Ahern, who discovered Murray in the late '60s. As was the tendency back then, Ahern pressed parts of this song through some psychedelic processes, including some reverse high-hats and stereo spacing. This is also the best use of cathedral organs I have heard in awhile. Then there's Anne's vocal, which is a pristine instrument of understatement. I always appreciate the aesthetics of non-belters like Murray and Karen Carpenter. It fits my strain of melancholy.

I'm using "Buffalo In the Park" for the end of the second act of the film I'm going to make, whenever I think it up. It's going to take place in the early morning hours on an highway a few miles east of a truck stop. Somebody's going to be nursing a black eye. He's headed east. There's some secret he's trying to dispose of. There might be a woman involved. I don't know. Anyway, this song is going to come on and remind him he still has to get through Pennsylvania. I'll come up with the rest later.

*Because Anne's a family artist, I bleeped out the word "motherfuckers." But I think you've gotten old enough to handle it being in the footnote.