Jim Stafford - Jim Stafford (review)
Jim Stafford - Jim Stafford (RPM; Retro 823)
reviewed by Michael Macomber
Jim Stafford is a bona fide original. No one has ever looked at life or music in the same surreal way. Stafford’s self-titled 1974 debut LP was a masterpiece of novelty song writing, not to mention a welcome antidote to the easy listening acts crowding the airwaves at the time. Listeners who had clapped their hands over their ears in response to Bo Donaldson’s “Billy Don’t Be A Hero” and Terry Jacks’ “Seasons In The Sun” could now turn to Stafford’s hilarious “Wildwood Weed” for solace.
Born in Eloise, Florida in 1944, Stafford was a pioneer of the swamp rock form, mixing in elements of pop, blues, jazz, and whatever else struck his fancy. His satirical take on the traditional Mississippi Delta sound, “16 Little Red Noses And A Horse That Sweats,” is bizarre beyond words. Only Jim Stafford would play the blues on a banjo. Only Jim Stafford would come up with lines like “You know I love to pick the banjo… why does the whole wide world gotta pick on me?” and “My wife ran off with the garbage man — I don’t miss that woman, but somebody gotta empty my can.” This tune is also an excellent example of the way Stafford would blend first rate musicianship with utter silliness. As Stafford rants on about garbage men, nudists, little red noses, and sweating horses, it’s easy to miss the fact that he’s doing something completely revolutionary by making a banjo cry the blues.
Stafford’s biggest hit from the album, “Spiders And Snakes,” features an irresistibly funky electric guitar line courtesy of noted Neil Diamond sideman Richard Bennett. The truly remarkable feature of “Snakes,” though, is Stafford’s storytelling ability. As he spins a tale of adolescent romance and creepy crawly creatures, Stafford sounds like the oldest of old friends, kickin’ back on the front porch and reminiscing.
While the bulk of Stafford’s output was purely for laughs, he did occasionally hide a message behind the goofiness, as he does on “The Last Chant.” Backed by a dark and haunting arrangement, Stafford expresses his distaste for land developers who have moved in and destroyed the swamp culture of his childhood, putting up theme parks and retirement communities. When he says disdainfully, “You just keep dragging my swamp water down,” you know he means it.
The remaining cuts on this LP demonstrate Stafford’s command of almost every musical style. On “Nifty Fifties Blues” he rocks and rolls with all the fury of Fats Domino or Little Richard. “I Ain’t Sharin’ Sharon” (not the Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman number) finds him doing a marvelous impression of a 1930s ballroom crooner. “L.A. Mama” is a heavy duty blend of urban funk and rural charm. “Real Good Time” is a tobacco chewin’ country ballad with a brilliant punchline.
The current music scene, with its cookie cutter acts and humorless hits, could certainly use a dose of Jim Stafford’s wonderfully warped outlook. Fortunately, Stafford continues to ply his trade today, at his own Jim Stafford Theater in Branson, Missouri. Voted Branson’s Best Entertainer, Stafford has been regaling the locals with his engaging mix of down home wit and musical artistry for almost 20 years. For more information and show dates, visit Jim Stafford’s official website, at JimStafford.com.
