Johnny Falstaff: Lost In The City Lights
Johnny Falstaff, how do you define this guy? Let’s start with, he is a Honky-Tonk/Ameripolitan master who has been chasing that white line for over 20 years. He is a legend in the underground honky-tonk scene. During that time Johnny has written some strong stuff, put on more great shows than one can easily count, and made tens of thousands of fans fall in love with him and the songs he has written.
Again, he has come out swinging for the stars with his eighth studio album, Lost in the City Lights. Johnny wrote and produced all ten tracks for his latest album. For this project, he enlisted some of country and Americana music’s most sought-after session players including Tommy Detamore (pedal steel) and Aaron Till (fiddle).
The album starts with the title track “Lost In The City Lights.” It’s a fun, light-hearted piece about nightlife and being single. The song describes the things you’d want, after a hard work week, a Friday and/or Saturday night to be. The chorus lays it out perfectly:
“Lost in the city lights again/ Tonight might be my lucky day/ Lost in the city lights again/ Tomorrow is just a sin away.”
The song has a solid, classic honky-tonk sound. A walking bass line, snare drum, heavy pedal steel, with a recurring, almost hopeful, guitar riff. Makes you want to put your dancing boots on and take your partner for a spin on a sawdust floor.
“Crash and Burn” isn’t so much of a love song as it is a lust song. It’s about running into an old fling and proposing another (probably ill-fated) attempt at a relationship. My impression of the song is that this is the type of story that has as its core elements: gallons of alcohol, bad decisions, impromptu Vegas drive-up weddings and the requisite next morning discovery of unplanned tattoos. The song itself is a fast, fun piece with some great fiddle and guitar work and the first verse, truly, says it all:
“I want to crash and burn with you/ Doin’ wrong just like we used to/ We’ll have time to be ashamed when we both go down in flames/ I want to crash and burn with you.”
And, the lyrics just get better from there. Who says Johnny Falstaff isn’t a romantic genius?
“Steppin’ Stone” starts with some pedal steel and a driving beat. It’s about an unequal relationship where one person feels as though they are being used by the other. “You can’t walk across the water without standing on my shoulders for too long.” The pedal steel work is both dominant and constant throughout the song, and it carries the song well.
“Constant” has such a classic country feel to it, both musically and lyrically. The topic is almost universal to anyone over 40, seeing social and political changes that we never imagined. Add to that, seeing history being rewritten with characters that were heroes to us when we were kids, now being cast as the villains and not being able to make any sense of it at all. Yet this song is really dedicated to that special someone who we rely on. Someone who is our anchor… our “Constant.” This is a great song for you to grab your special someone and slow dance and just appreciate them for just being there.
“Jenny in the Sun” is a joyful song about a hippy girl in a cotton dress dancing barefoot. The song is laced with ethereal lines like, “Can you see the air/ Can you feel the dust in your hair?” and “Do you talk to the moon/ Do you have a star you call by name?” It’s a quick paced piece that starts with a fast strumming guitar that ends with a dual fiddle and guitar solo.
“Move a Mountain,” a breakup song where one person in the relationship has finally realized that it's just taking too much work to keep the relationship going and maybe the other person is not doing their part. A sad reality, but we have all been there at one time or another. Johnny lays it out perfectly in this verse:
“It’s like trying to move a mountain/ Chip away at the stone/ I think I’ll just take my heart and go home.”
The song has a great beat and is easily danceable. The pedal steel, bass and fiddle tend to dominate but the guitar solo both fits in with the musical theme and shines at the same time.
Now strap yourself into your rocket ship. Your seat should be in an upright position and your tray table stowed. Keep your arms, hands and feet inside until we reach orbit and get ready for “Stars.” A galactic love song with a 1950’s Rockabilly feel and a generally fun take on the love song. It’s a slow dance with guitar and keyboard in a more prominent position. After a cool, retro intro, the song starts with Johnny crooning, “It’s a cosmic honeymoon/ A celestial getaway/ A rendezvous for two/ Baby, whadda’ you say?”
“Tonight” is an upbeat and optimistic take on the infatuation stage of a relationship. The lyrics will get you singing along with lines like,
“Feel my heart beatin’, fever runnin’ wild/ Wanna’ do some kissin’ like it’s goin’ out of style?/ Gonna see my baby/ Think that maybe, tonight’s the night I fall in love.”
The song has a driving bass line and some strong guitar work. It’s fast paced and great to dance to.
“Learn Brother Learn” is a slower song that starts with pedal-steel, but has a catchy guitar riff that seems to carry the song between verses and provide a solid continuity throughout the piece. In the song, Johnny is trying to pass along some heard learned lessons of life that he has gathered along the way. And, the most important of them is that it is better to have someone with you to share and appreciate the journey.
Overall the album is another fine work from the honky-tonk legend, Johnny Fallstaff, and one that I hope you will enjoy as much as I did. Whether you’re in a dancehall or the living room, pull your partner on to that hardwood floor and swing to some new honky-tonk tunes.
