"Cracked Rear View"

Chris Smither 's version of real fine love sends me to the moon.

Not to mention his cover of "Memphis in the Meantime".....

Shakey

I read somewhere that it is no coincidence that Hootie and the Blowfish album was named such. It was named after that Hiatt lyric.....

Shakey

Disclaimer, I call my consulting business, Through Your Hands. I tell everyone he writes lyrics for grown ups and then rocks out like a kid. Been a big fan for years. 9-10 shows around the country-my daughter has taken me twice so a couple generations in our house. We all got snowed in one night in Madison, WI at the Barrymore. John and the band played all of slow turning, bring the family, and stolen moments. Said no one could go anywhere so he might as well just keep playing. Over three hours of music and chat. His between tune sense of humor and wry observations are just as evident as in his songs.  Had a shy 17 year old lead guitarist who really stood out. Might want to check out a couple cover compilations, Rollin' into Memphis and It'll Come to You.  For some reason the violin work on Chris Smither 's version of real fine love sends me to the moon. Or check out C J Chenier's take on falling up. I can't sit still. 

add in Crossing Muddy Waters...yum.
Take it Down...ahead of it's time...

I too, am glad to hear all of the positive experiences of others. While I do own several of the one's mentioned, I will check out more. Thanks for the recommendations as well.

Bdp,

I saw a show on the Good Guitar tour at Irving Place in NYC.  I caught Crow's entire set and was also impressed, tho I do remember thinking that she was so little that it was hard to see her behind her guitar.

The other memory of that night was how hard Hiatt's band rocked.  I'd seen him play several times prior to that show and he was usually in some variation of singer/songwriter mode.  Not that night - that band just tore it up!

My other Hiatt memory came some years later.  I was having dinner with my then girlfriend at Santorini, a small Greek restaurant two blocks from The Bottom Line, a club where I'd just seen Hiatt play that night.  In walks.....John Hiatt!  After a bit he got up (presumably for a bathroom break) and walked by my table.  I said, "John, I just want to tell you that your music has been a really happy thing in my life."

He asked my name and responded "Thank you, Marty, when I hear people say that kind of thing, it makes me feel good about the choices I've made."  It was a nice moment that's stayed with me for over twenty years.

BTW,  Two Bit Monsters, Slug Line, Hanging Around The Observatory and all of the early Hiatt LPs are all terrific records.  At that time, I always thought of Hiatt as a Southern fried Bob Dylan disciple.  Maybe it's time for me to revisit those records.

They were different from the "golden era" Hiatt records discussed here: A bit less polished, but still very effective, IMO.  Oddly, his more recent, bluesier stuff recalls those early records for me.  For better and for worse.

Bdp,

I saw a show on the Good Guitar tour at Irving Place in NYC.  I caught Crow's entire set and was also impressed, tho I do remember thinking that she was so little that it was hard to see her behind her guitar.

The other memory of that night was how hard Hiatt's band rocked.  I'd seen him play several times prior to that show and he was usually in some variation of singer/songwriter mode.  Not that night - that band just tore it up!

My other Hiatt memory came some years later.  I was having dinner with my then girlfriend at Santorini, a small Greek restaurant two blocks from The Bottom Line, a club where I'd just seen Hiatt play that night.  In walks.....John Hiatt!  After a bit he got up (presumably for a bathroom break) and walked by my table.  I said, "John, I just want to tell you that your music has been a really happy thing in my life."

He asked my name and responded "Thank you, Marty, when I hear people say that kind of thing, it makes me feel good about the choices I've made."  It was a nice moment that's stayed with me for over twenty years.

BTW,  Two Bit Monsters, Slug Line, Hanging Around The Observatory and all of the early Hiatt LPs are all terrific records.  At that time, I always thought of Hiatt as a Southern fried Bob Dylan disciple.  Maybe it's time for me to revisit those records.

They were different from the "golden era" Hiatt records discussed here: A bit less polished, but still very effective, IMO.  Oddly, his more recent, bluesier stuff fecalls those early records for me.  For better and for worse.

This thread has renewed my appreciation for John Hiatt and made me got back and listen to his work again.

Last night, I listened, (via Tidal) to "Slow Turning" and "Bring The Family" back to back.

I really like "Bring The Family" better.  Both are indeed excellent.

Tonight, I will try the above mentioned "Stolen Moments" and "Two Bit Monsters".  

Thanks for the recommendations.

"bring the family" was his critical/commercial breakthru and is  very good, but my favorite was always "two bit monsters," which i believe to be one of the best-written singer-songwriter records of the 80s. much closer to new wave/pub-rock than to the earthier, folkier stuff he evolved into, tho "pink bedroom" was a country hit for somebody.

I went to see John on his Perfectly Good Guitar tour, and his opening act had just begun her last song as I entered The Roxy Theater on Sunset Blvd. As I listened, I thought to myself "Hey, this is a good song, she's a good singer, and this is a good band". It was Sheryl Crow and the song was "Run Baby Run". I started making it to shows earlier after that!

Boy, I'll tell you that Hiatt must be good if everyone agrees that Slow Turning and Bring The Family are clearly his best.  Both are superior records, IMO, but Stolen Moments is one of my all-time favorite records.  Personally, I prefer it to Family, but I'm not gonna argue with you if you disagree.

I just checked Discogs and was surprised to see that the vinyl of "Slow Turning" has never been reissued on an audiophile label? Weird.  I have a regular US first pressing.

"Bring The Family" has been reissued by Mobile Fidelity and Music On Vinyl.  I have both and really like the MOFI the best.

I actually consider the Slow Turning album superior over-all to Bring The Family. But they're both fantastic!

Yep, love Slow Turning.

Caught him live with just him and Lyle in Charleston..two of the very best IMO...
Slow Turning is a true Masterpiece...

Absolutely in the very top tier of working singer/songwriters today.

I love so many of John Hiatt's lyrics.

This one IMO captures modern cynicism with particular wit and insight:

Still you argue for your options,
and you angle for your case,
like you wouldn't know a burning bush,
if it blew up in your face.


 - Through Your Hands
 

A little off topic, but I think John Hiatt offers great and thought provoking lyrics. But one of my favorite lines is "I always though my house haunted, 'cause nobody said boo to me" . Not verbatim but I do love his music.

Yes indeed Slaw. Musically too, with one of my very favorite guitar breaks of all time, Ry Cooder's on "Lipstick Sunset".

By the way, the MOFI "Bring The Family" is one "kick ass sounding record"!

mofimadness: what interesting little tidbits we learn as we listen?

I had never noticed that either.  But, I just did a search and found that it has been mentioned in several articles that the title "Cracked Rear View", was taken from a line in the John Hiatt song "Learning How To Love You".  So, it is apparently a well known fact.

never noticed that. Thanks for the reply.

Maybe just a nod to Hiatt from Hootie.  Hiatt did something similar to The Stones and Buddy Holly in the lyrics for Slow Turning.