Sue Foley Alone (Together): A Holiday Companion
Sue Foley
Alone (Together): A Holiday Companion
FOMZ a subsidiary of Guitar Woman Records
Following the acoustic focus of her Grammy-nominated One Guitar Woman, Sue Foley plugs back in for a collection that moves between holiday material and songs whose themes reach well beyond the season. The album is co-produced by Foley with Michael Zschoche. It was recorded by Russell Tanner at KNKY Recordings in Dripping Springs, Texas.
Sue Foley, on guitar and vocals, is accompanied by Reo Casey on guitar, keyboards, and backing vocals; Jon Penner, bass and backing vocals; and drummer-percussionist and backing vocalist Arjuna Contreras, or drummer-percussionist Chris Hunter.
Foley opens with “Merry Christmas Darling,” originally written and released in 1961 by Harding “Hop” Wilson and Ivory Lee Semien, as Foley sings, “Merry Christmas darling…I wish you’ll always be mine…let me hug and kiss you, I feel so much better cause I know you’ll be here.”
On “’Tis the Season,” an original by Foley, she chimes, “Lights flicker on city streets, and familiar melodies haunt my ear. I’m by my window looking down, while folks rush around this town,” with some great slide guitar from Foley.
“Christmas Blues” was written by Sammy Cahn and David Jack Holt and first recorded by Dean Martin in 1953, as Foley chants, “The jingle bells are jingling, the streets are white with snow, the happy crowds are mingling, but there’s no one that I know. I’m sure that you’ll forgive me, If I don’t enthuse, I guess I’ve got the Christmas Blues…Oh Santa may have brought you some stars for your shoes but Santa only brought me the blues, those brightly tinsel covered Christmas Blues.”
“Just Another Day,” written by Foley, features her as she moans, “Well it’s Christmas time and I’m all alone, well it’s Christmas time and I’m all alone, sitting by my window, there ain’t nobody home. I told my baby, yes, I said goodbye, you know I made that good man cry, I told my baby, yes I said goodbye, and every time I think about it, you know I still wonder why.”
“Santa Claus Do You Ever Get the Blues?” was written by Christopher W. Vachon of Roomful of Blues in 2003, as Foley groans, “Santa Claus, Santa Claus, such a merry soul, you’re so jolly, but I just got to know, Santa Claus, Santa Claus. Do you ever get the blues? I never seen you worry, I never seen you cry, but what’s going on deep down inside. Santa Claus, I’ve got to know. Do you ever get the Blues?”
“Jingle Blues (Cha Cha),” another Foley original, is a slow-burning instrumental.
“I’ll Take Care of You” was written by Brook Benton in 1959 and originally recorded by Bobby “Blue” Bland, as Foley croons, “I know you’ve been hurt by someone else, I can tell by the way, you carry yourself, but if you let me, here’s what I’ll do, I’ll take care of you. I, I’ve loved and lost, the same as you, so you see I know, just what you’ve been through, but if you let me, here’s what I’ll do, I just got to take care of you. You don’t ever have to worry, you won’t ever have to cry, I’ll be there beside you, to dry your weeping eyes. So, darling tell me, that you’ll be true, there’s no doubt in mind what I want to do, just as sure as one and one is two, I’ll take care of you,” with some great Hammond B-3 from Casey.
On the closer, “Ride On,” written by Bon Scott with Angus and Malcolm Young and first recorded by AC/DC in 1976, Foley belts out, “It’s another lonely evening, in another lonely town, but I ain’t too young to worry, and I ain’t too old to cry. When a man gets me down, got another empty bottle, Mmmh and another empty bed, and I ain’t too young to admit it, and I’m not too old to lie, I’m just another empty head. Mmmh, that’s why I’m lonely, I’m so lonely, but I know what I’m going to do. I’m gonna ride on, ride on (ride on). One of these days I’m gonna change my evil ways. ‘Til then I’ll just keep riding on.”
Sue Foley closes by reiterating that “alone (together): A Holiday Companion is for people who find the holidays difficult. It’s meant to bring a little comfort and connection at a time of year that can be hard for a lot of people. For anyone spending the holidays alone, this is for you.” Although the mood is sometimes dark, you’ll always be with Sue.
Richard Ludmerer
