Baskery: On A Day Like This

I discovered Baskery about a year and a half ago when I was looking for some punkabilly music. While the initial song I featured in 2009 was of that genre, I was soon to find that the three Bondesson sisters were difficult to categorize. The can rock with the best and they are a home with American sounding folk ballads. They are what they are and that is unique.

Today’s Traditional Tuesday song features the three sisters on one of their own compositions “On a Day Like This.” It starts off with older sister Stella playing the six-string banjo slide style. She sings lead on the first verse as well. All three sisters harmonize on the second verse as they do on the choruses. Verse three features the youngest sister Sunniva who plays guitar. On the final verse, middle sister Stella handling the vocal chores. Stella is the stand up bassist for Baskery.

I love the sound of this studio recording of this song it is haunting. I could listen to it all day long. The lyrics are so American – it is hard to believe that its composers are Swedish. Who would have thunk it. Their Nordic accents, which are present when they talk, are completely absent when they sing.

Live Version

While the video and audio is not the best on this live recording from 2009, it gives you an opportunity to hear what Baskery sounds like live. On the several recordings of this song, it is evident that Stella uses a good bit of tremolo and reverb from her vintage Fender amp to get her live sound on the banjo. Stella also has a bass drum, snare drum, and tambourine that are activated by drum pedals providing the beat.

Lyrics

There's a riot in Atlantic City
Gamblers are running wild
'cause suddenly the sky opened up
and gold was pouring down
people started fighting each other
while they tried to get their share
saying, “I've got a gun so you don't wanna mess with me.”

There's a flood all over Deadwood City
citizens are going mad
'cause suddenly the sky opened up
and rain was pouring down
people started pushing each other
while they tried to clear their way
saying, “I've got a house that's sinking into the ground.}

On a day like this it shows who you really are

There was this girl from Milwaukee
Nobody really knew
Suddenly one night she appeared
on a nation-wide TV-show
Oh, people started talking about her
And the boys were digging her past
Saying, “we've all been with her I'm sure she will remember me.”

On a day like this it shows who you really are

There's an old man in South Nevada
He's running the local bar
suddenly the wind whispered news
about how he lost that eye
locals did'nt show up at the bar
until the rumours were revised
saying, “We all knew that was nonsense all the time.”

On a day like this it shows who you really are
On a day like this it shows who you really are

On a day like this it shows who you really are
On a day like this it shows who you really are
On a day like this it shows who you really are

On a day like this, day like this you are;
On a day like this.