Original Performance: The Flying Burrito Bros.
Written by: Chris Hillman, Gram Parsons
Written by: Chris Hillman, Gram Parsons
Versions:
- Sin City (3:58)
Available on Beck - Super Rare! Vol. 1 and 2 other releases.
CreditsJustin Meldal-Johnsen: Bass
Joey Waronker: Drums
Smokey Hormel: Guitar
Beck Hansen: Guitar (Acoustic), Vocals
Jay Dee Maness: Guitar (Pedal Steel)
Alan Sides: Mix
Billy Payne: Piano
Gabe Witcher: Violin / Fiddle
Emmylou Harris: Vocals
Lyrics:
Sin City [Version (a)]:
This old town is filled with in, it will swallow you in
If you've got some money to burn
Take it home right away, you've got three years to pay
But Satan is waiting his turn
This old earthquake's gonna leave me in the poorhouse
It seems like this whole town's insane
On the 31st floor, a gold-plated door
Won't keep out the Lord's burning rain
The scientists say it'll all wash away
But we don't believe it anymore
'Cause we've got our recruits and our green mohair suits
So please show your ID at the door
This old earthquake's gonna leave me in the poorhouse
It seems like this whole town's insane
On the 31st floor, a gold-plated door
Won't keep out the Lord's burning rain
A friend came around, tried to clean up this town
His ideas made some people mad
Yet he trusted his crowd, so he spoke right out aloud
But they lost the best friend they had
This old earthquake's gonna leave me in the poorhouse
It seems like this whole town's insane
On the 31st floor, a gold-plated door
Won't keep out the Lord's burning rain
On the 31st floor, a gold-plated door
Won't keep out the Lord's burning rain
This old town is filled with in, it will swallow you in
If you've got some money to burn
Take it home right away, you've got three years to pay
But Satan is waiting his turn
This old earthquake's gonna leave me in the poorhouse
It seems like this whole town's insane
On the 31st floor, a gold-plated door
Won't keep out the Lord's burning rain
The scientists say it'll all wash away
But we don't believe it anymore
'Cause we've got our recruits and our green mohair suits
So please show your ID at the door
This old earthquake's gonna leave me in the poorhouse
It seems like this whole town's insane
On the 31st floor, a gold-plated door
Won't keep out the Lord's burning rain
A friend came around, tried to clean up this town
His ideas made some people mad
Yet he trusted his crowd, so he spoke right out aloud
But they lost the best friend they had
This old earthquake's gonna leave me in the poorhouse
It seems like this whole town's insane
On the 31st floor, a gold-plated door
Won't keep out the Lord's burning rain
On the 31st floor, a gold-plated door
Won't keep out the Lord's burning rain
The Song:
"Sin City" is a song by one of Beck's favorite songwriters, Gram Parsons, and can originally be found on The Gilded Palace Of Sin, a 1969 album by Gram's band, The Flying Burrito Brothers.
Beck's cover was offered up on a cool Parsons tribute cd, which also featured Wilco, Gillian Welch, Elvis Costello, and more. Officially Beck's track was credited to Beck & Emmylou Harris, and it is a fine duet between the two. (This is also cool because Parsons and the Flying Burrito Brothers helped discover Emmylou.) Beck brought along his band (Joey, Justin, and Smokey) and his country-music friends (Jay Dee Maness on pedal steel, Gabe Witcher on fiddle, and Billy Pane on piano). Beck hits a nice country twang on this song, and has said that he enjoyed the change of pace in recording something live with a band, instead of the way he recorded Odelay by constructing songs with lots of fine detail. Perhaps this led naturally to his next album, Mutations.
Parsons became famous for being one of the first musicians to combine country and rock. He liked to refer to his music as "Cosmic American Music." Beck is clearly a descendant of that vibe, in how he plays with different American music all the time. Parsons worked briefly as a member of the Byrds, helping on the seminal country-rock album The Sweetheart of the Rodeo, and then as a member of the Flying Burrito Brothers (with some of the Byrds). He then made a couple of amazing solo albums as well.
But unfortunately, Parsons died young at 26, but by then, he made his mark and became a legend.
"Sin City" is a song by one of Beck's favorite songwriters, Gram Parsons, and can originally be found on The Gilded Palace Of Sin, a 1969 album by Gram's band, The Flying Burrito Brothers.
Beck's cover was offered up on a cool Parsons tribute cd, which also featured Wilco, Gillian Welch, Elvis Costello, and more. Officially Beck's track was credited to Beck & Emmylou Harris, and it is a fine duet between the two. (This is also cool because Parsons and the Flying Burrito Brothers helped discover Emmylou.) Beck brought along his band (Joey, Justin, and Smokey) and his country-music friends (Jay Dee Maness on pedal steel, Gabe Witcher on fiddle, and Billy Pane on piano). Beck hits a nice country twang on this song, and has said that he enjoyed the change of pace in recording something live with a band, instead of the way he recorded Odelay by constructing songs with lots of fine detail. Perhaps this led naturally to his next album, Mutations.
Parsons became famous for being one of the first musicians to combine country and rock. He liked to refer to his music as "Cosmic American Music." Beck is clearly a descendant of that vibe, in how he plays with different American music all the time. Parsons worked briefly as a member of the Byrds, helping on the seminal country-rock album The Sweetheart of the Rodeo, and then as a member of the Flying Burrito Brothers (with some of the Byrds). He then made a couple of amazing solo albums as well.
But unfortunately, Parsons died young at 26, but by then, he made his mark and became a legend.
Notes:
- Beck has said that he wanted to record "Sleepless Nights" for this tribute, but Elvis Costello beat him to it. So Emmylou Harris suggested they do "Sin City" instead.
- Check out GramParsons.com for more info about him.
- Beck's band on this song includes JayDee Maness, who's performed with Beck a few times (El Rey acoustic show, Farm Aid, etc.) and also recorded with him whenever a fine pedal steel guitarist is needed (i.e., "Sexx Laws"). Maness performed with Parsons in 1967 on his album Safe At Home as a member of Parsons' International Submarine Band, and on The Byrds' Sweetheart of the Rodeo.
- Gabe Witcher, who plays a fiddle solo here, is Beck's fiddler, when called upon. He's done a few shows with him, as well.