The last time I plugged a song called Gloria, it was a setting of liturgical text from the Mass. Patti Smith’s isn’t; it begins Jesus died for someone’s sins, but not mine. So, profane not sacred, even though the full title on the album says Gloria: In Excelsis Deo. Also, one of the great rock vocals ever recorded by anyone.
This is another piece I blogged about before, in which I used the phrase “loud and uncompromising but still lyrical and lovely”. I’ll stand by that. Also, Ms Smith seems to be a generally decent, sane, strong sort of person. She’s come through hard times and still goes out on the road.
What Patti Smith looks like these days.
I guess I should mention that Gloria was written by Van Morrison for his Sixties band Them, and I like some of Van’s music and Them’s version of the song is perfectly OK. But there’s only one version my grandchildren might listen to.
This is part of the Song of the Day series (background).
Links · Spotify playlist. This tune on Spotify, iTunes, Amazon. Now, as for live video, there’s really a lot, including some from back in the Seventies. I don’t know anything about Patti’s personal life, but this one has a sort of coked-out feel. Good though. But you know, I really kinda like this from 2015; Patti at 68 is sort of grandmotherly, but she has so much fun singing Gloria that you can’t not go with here. I can’t anyhow.
