Sunday, September 18

September 18, 2016 - Mountain - Theme For An Imaginary Western (1970)



The beginning of Theme For An Imaginary Western makes me think of someone trying desperately to pry the lid off a tight jar of spaghetti sauce. The brow is furrowed, the hands are twisted. Garrr...why won't this thing open?! The music is a brick wall of organ, bass and drums you are smashing your head against.

Then the sweet voice of Felix Pappalardi rescues us just in time. Put that jar down, young fella, and listen to my story about the covered wagons in the olden days. That kind of journey was long and difficult, and the sun was in their eyes. There was occasional singing and dancing, but there was also violence and death. Meanwhile, Leslie West rips off two excellent guitar solos on his Les Paul. Excellent tone, heavy and distorted.

I first heard this song on the Psychedelic Supper program on the radio...which I recorded onto cassette. When the DJ got to talking about what he'd played, he said 'Mountain, featuring Leslie West. The rather rotund Leslie West.' Sure enough, Leslie West is a mountain of a man. He still plays his guitar and he looks and sounds great.

I have this old book of Mountain sheet music. It does not have the music for TFAIW; it has other songs like Blood of the Sun and Sittin' on a Rainbow. Groovy.
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