So many tragedies have happened and each gets buried under the other.
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/perigee
I was walking downtown recently and took a picture of graffiti on the bridge going from Covington to Cincinnati and used this opportunity to look at the past and hope for the future. I know this is an old subject and many people have forgotten all about this and therefore some may think it unimportant. Red on Your Blue Suede Shoes is an up-tempo catchy rhythm but the lyrics are in stark contrast. The song is in honor of the innocent victims of bad decisions and prejudice. During earlier years, concert promoters tried to cash in on what they called ‘festival seating’ where they could remove chairs and pack in as many people into an area as they can – as long as they are all paying customers, that is. This by itself is not necessarily a bad thing, but it was combined with bad decision making, planning and execution. As the crowds in Cincinnati Ohio anxiously anticipated a great performance by The Who, the doors remained locked. The crowd now gaining mass and enthusiasm, wanted to make sure they got a good spot for the concert, and people started pushing toward the many closed doors before anyone was allowed to enter. Unbelievably, the venue only opened a few doors in each area and kept the others shut. Once this happened, everyone tried to rush into the few open doors so they could get to their spot.
Thousands of people squeezed and pushed those in front to try to get in. Not everyone was able to handle this crush. Some people fell down and literally got trampled to death by other fans. The Red on their Blue Suede Shoes came from walking over fellow human beings that are unable to maintain their balance. I am not sure if the song is mostly anger toward those who could do something like this or mostly hope that many did try to stop the dangerous mob to assist fallen fans. This song is dedicated to the Cincinnati 11, and the Who. I will never forget.
MidiMike 
I like the sound of this very much – this reminds me a bit of Steely Dan (I hope that’s a compliment for you.) I’d love to see the lyrics in full. Really enjoyed the piece; the impact would be stronger for me, if I knew the words.
I’ve been in those crowded venues – almost had an injury, but nothing like this, of course. I avoid anything where I can’t take a seat now.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, you are a friend for life! Steely Dan is one of my favorite bands. I will post the lyrics tomorrow for you as I am the same way. I like to read the lyrics to make sure I understand them as intended. Especially if you have been in similar situations as you mentioned. The impact becomes deep and personal. Your comments are generous. I hope you still like it once you read the lyrics!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m sure I will! I look forward to it, thanks!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I remember when we wrote this song, the emotions were so immediate and we had friends who attended; although they had reserve seating tickets and didn’t even know about the tragedy till they heard about it on the radio.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I still get chills when I hear this song. When I saw the graffiti on the bridge I couldn’t resist posting this song. At least the memory is still alive!
LikeLike
Very groovy, I like it 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you very much! It is a pretty snappy tune and I think it keeps the groove going so you don’t notice at first what the lyrics are about. I am glad you liked it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
No problem 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Nice tune Mike, reminded me of The Doors for some reason, the bassline is groovy!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great to hear! the bass line has gotten a lot of attention, and the Doors connection is pretty spot-on for the style of the song. And you are talking my language …… groovy! HA!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I really like this one, Mike. The bass line keeps everything moving along – even my head while I was listening. 🙂 I thought the change in the last minute and a half was nice, too.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I greatly appreciate the feedback. I thought it might be too long or the tempo change might not go over so your insight is great for me. Thank you for taking the time and the great comments.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Nah, I don’t think it’s too long at all. It works well. The music is so upbeat and carefree up to that point, I like that it becomes slow, deliberate and even a bit labored for several measures. Given the subject matter, I immediately think of the 11, trampled, agonizing as they make deliberate attempts to move and breathe. Then you pick it up again, but this time the tempo is not as upbeat. The drums and bass line pull against one another a bit, adding a dimension of confusion and anguish. Very nice.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You are good at this! Your insights are precious. I tried to play the chords in an almost ‘stumbling’ rhythm, so it feels right at first but also a bit awkward. I did not attend the show but was only a few blocks away. I heard the news and kept thinking this is impossible, how could this happen? If the song even hints at what those eleven people experienced, I am glad – given the subject. I would rather it never happened, but locally we did stop festival seating and that probably stopped even worse tragedies. Many thanks for your thoughts.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Greed is often the main contributor to many of the events similar to one you shared. They are all so sad and needless. Here’s to the ones who helped.
Great song.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I agree. It is unfortunate we praise the almighty dollar more than life, but here we are. And to your point, I think main stream media has such an unbalanced focus on (disaster) news. They would rather tell you about the crimes rather than the bravery of citizens or positive news. I am sure there were a number of ‘heroes’ but we will never hear about them.
LikeLike
There was a disaster here in Dublin on Valentine’s night ’81, when 48 young people were burned to death in a disco. Everybody knows it could have been avoided but health and safety was ignored and flaunted. Nothing of course could be proved !! But I just want to say that there was a lot of bravery shown that night by ordinary people, police and fire crews. That will never be forgotten.
LikeLiked by 2 people
We had a similar situation years back in neighboring state of Kentucky dinner club. It is good that we learn from those tragedies and avoid them in the future if possible. You are exactly right – many brave people risk all to help strangers, when corporations are happy taking in the profits. We do need to continue the stories and keep the heroes in our thoughts. I am sorry to hear of the Dublin tragedy but also heartened to know the bravery is not forgotten. Thank you for letting me know about this and I will also keep them in mind.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Love this song and the story behind it. You can’t help but bop your head when listening to it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you! I would rather have a different story to tell, but this event hit me hard and I guess it never really went away. The song is fun to play and I am glad to hear you and a number of other people bobbing and grooving!
LikeLike
Reblogged this on Gipsiecrone, the gipsiewonderer.
LikeLiked by 1 person