Photo: CJ Foeckler

(Sad Songs & Waltzes is a recurring feature on Muzzle of Bees, where artists share their favorite sad songs. Previous contributors include Delta Spirit, Damien Jurado, Kasey Anderson, Will Phalen and Roadside Graves.)

We’re obviously big fans of Conrad Plymouth here at Muzzle of Bees. We were so enthralled with their 4-song EP offering we made it our first release on our label, Ten Atoms. You can listen to it here, and, if you dig it, purchase a copy. Christopher Porterfield of the group lent two of his favorites to our continuing feature below.

Larry Norman – “Pardon Me”

Larry Norman was the original Christian rocker, with hits like “Why Should the Devil Have All the Good Music,” “Why Don’t You Look Into Jesus” and the rapture-centric “I Wish We’d All Been Ready.” His firebrand evangelical songwriting infused with early rock accouterments made him an easy target for both hippies and the church, but his dedication to his mission won him a loyal fan base. He died in 2008, leaving behind a body of work that will continue to be exhumed by the curious– whether evangelicals seeking authenticity in a vapid industry, or rock fans following a detour on a kitschy tourist map.

Most of Norman’s songs are straightforward four-chord rock with basic rhythms, and lyrics that alternate between calling out a smug and out-of-touch church, or a narcissistic American youth. But “Pardon Me,” from 1972′s Only Visiting This Planet introduces a whole other side of the artist as a man, and is one of the saddest songs I’ve ever heard. The Parisian string intro and the walking minor guitar chords set the tone for the devastating lyric, full of sorrow, self-pity and aching lust. This is the throbbing sound of a guy on the edge of the very pedestal he built for himself, with carnal urges waging a private battle with public faith. He later said that it was written as an indictment of “free love,” but it sounds like he knows firsthand how that works. He did end up burning through a couple of marriages, much to the chagrin of his faithful, and you can hear it happening in this song.

Casiotone For the Painfully Alone – “New Year’s Kiss”

Owen Ashworth is like “mean Ray” era Raymond Carver playing with a keyboard at a garage sale. Like a glass half-full of youthful optimism, but you drop the glass and get cut. No more setup required- Ashworth does all the work. Just listen.

MP3: Conrad Plymouth – “Nothing’severgonnastandinmyway” (from Wisco)
Video: Conrad Plymouth – “Here To There”
Video: Conrad Plymouth – “Fergus Falls” (Live)
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Buy: Conrad Plymouth – 10″ Vinyl EP