On their current 51-city Twilight Override tour, Jeff Tweedy and his band have played a regionally specific cover every night, from Daniel Johnston and Roky Erickson in Texas to the Velvet Underground in New York City to “Tennessee Waltz” in Tennessee and “Ça Plane Pour Moi” in Antwerp. Some of the choices are very clearly and directly tied to a specific city; others are a bit more broad (like, just the state or country), or as loose as, “this person used to live here.” There’s a fan-curated Apple Music playlist with the choices here.
With Tweedy’s tour concluding in Montana — he and the band play Missoula on Tuesday April 7, Great Falls on Wednesday April 8, and Bozeman on Thursday April 9 — The Pulp is wondering: What songs might they play in Big Sky Country? Will it be three Montana artists from anywhere in the state, or might they get more granular? Steel Pole Bathtub for Bozeman, perhaps? The Decemberists’ “The Apology Song,” with its mention of The Orange Street Food Farm, for Missoula?
The choice could also be more indirect. For instance, Tweedy was a friend of the late, great Montana-born musician and producer Steve Albini. So we asked a few Missoula musicians and music connoisseurs to suggest/request a few (excluding their own bands, of course). And stay tuned for our interview with Tweedy band members (and opening acts) Liam Kazar, Sima Cunningham and Macie Stewart.
Tim Midyett, of Silkworm and Mint Mile:
“Livingston Saturday Night” by Jimmy Buffett
Or maybe not. “‘15 may get you 20’ probably isn’t something Jeff would sing onstage (or think about at all, for that matter),” Midyett concedes.
Ednor Therriault, aka musician Bob Wire:.
“Montana Matters” by Shane Clouse.
“We actually tried to get this considered for the state song,” Therriault says.
John Fleming, co-owner of Ear Candy Music and bassist for Sasha Bell Band:
“Goodbye Old Missoula” by Willis Alan Ramsey
And it would also work in Bozeman! After all, the first verse goes:
Searchin' for the sunlight
On this winter's day
But here in Old Missoula
They've thrown the sun away
Come tomorrow morning
I'm headed for the Bozeman Round
And it's goodbye to Old Missoula, sleepy town.
Duane Raider, founder of Weird Montana Records and bassist for The Strangelys:
“Keep Me Awake” by Tarkio
Indeed, rather than “The Apology Song” it would be even more appropriate to go back to Colin Meloy of The Decemberists’ band from his Missoula days.
Parker Peddicord, DJ at The Trail:
“Montana” by Frank Zappa
Almost seems too obvious — or exactly right!
Erika Fredrickson, co-founder and editor of The Pulp:
“Kiss an Angel Good Morning” by Charley Pride
Tweedy loves a country cover, and is also a huge baseball fan. Pride’s time playing for the Missoula Timberjacks was quite short-lived, but he also called Helena, and then — yes! — Great Falls home.
Jason Cohen, Pulp contributor
“Daughter,” by Pearl Jam
I’m both cheating and being realistic here. Which is to say, a song from one of Jeff Ament’s other bands (be it Deranged Diction or P.E.S.T.) is probably less doable. And the Tweedy band would absolutely kill this one, with Tweedy’s younger son Sammy on vocals, plus the possibility of Macie Stewart’s violin.
Caroline Keys, singer-songwriter/guitarist for Junior, The Best Westerns:
“The West Was Burning” by Martha Scanlan
“If there was such a thing as songwriter-laureate, Martha Scanlan would be Montana’s,” Keys wrote in her email. “ The reason I chose this particular song of hers is because in Jeff Tweedy’s book “How To Write One Song” he includes an exercise called a verb ladder where you imagine a job and list 10 verbs that are required of that job. The final verse of the song feels like its own verb ladder, only Martha’s job of choice is ‘river.'”
Also I’d just love to hear Mr. Tweedy sing these lines:
And if I could be a river winding down a mountain
I would twist and curl and turn and tumble down to you
Tell you stories told by mountains and by trees…
Jeff Tweedy plays The Wilma with opener Macie Stewart Tue., April 7, with doors at 6:30 PM and show at 7:30 PM. $60 – $71. All ages. Tickets and more info.
