Favourites : Freedy Johnston - Can You Fly

I have about 4 or 5 albums by Freedy (not Freddy) Johnston.  I bought most of them in the wake of Can You Fly and its follow up This Perfect World hoping that some of the magic  from those two would be recaptured.  Sadly while the later albums are solid they do not repeat the glories of these two.

I have already written about picking up This Perfect World in my blog on $1 bargain buys.  So I did not start in chronological order and back tracked to Can You Fly before moving forward.  I was then delighted a few years ago when I then found a vinyl copy of Can You Fly second hand.

These two are two of my favourite albums from the 1990s.  While presented almost as gentle easy listening music they are anything but easy listens.    The lyrics are complex and at times chilling and you get the impression things are never quite what they seem.

Can you Fly opens with Trying to Tell You I Don't Know with the opening line  "Well I sold the dirt to feed the band", apparently a reference to the fact he traded in an inheritance of a farm in Kansas to follow his dream and fund his band.

Lucky One is the story of a compulsive gambler - who just knows the next $ will be the one that makes the millions.

The Mortician's Daughter presents some interesting images of precocious love. 

I used to love the mortician daughter

we drew our hearts on the dusty coffin lids

The album closes with We will shine a song that seems simple enough, strapping on your glad rags and going out on the town with your girl.  But as is usual with Freedy there is a catch - a seemingly throwaway line that leaves you wondering.....Is he just trying to cheer her up or is there something else going on.

I brought you here - but you don't complain

And I find you crying,  on your birthday

Dip your toes into some Freedy - you wont be disappointed.