Tuesday June 21, 2022 “Earth Angel” Death Cab for Cutie”
This seems a bit too coincidental that ‘Stubbs the Zombie’ is presenting us with a ‘death cab’.
You know my fascination with band names. I have read a number of versions about naming the band Death Cab for Cutie and the one I like best is that it came from a song in the Beatles Magical Mystery Tour film supposedly providing another clue in the ‘death’ of Paul McCartney, allegedly in a car accident back in those days when Paul was supposed to be dead. I guess he wasn’t dead as he just celebrated his 80th birthday.
“Earth Angel” was originally the B side of a 1954 record by doo wop group the Penguins but those devious DJs once again flipped the record and the B side became the top ten hit. “Earth Angel” would also be recorded by The Crew Cuts and their version would be a top ten hit as well.
Death Cab for Cutie started with a solo project titled You Can Play These Songs with Chords by engineering student Ben Gibbard but it grew quickly into a full fledged band as the cassette gained popularity locally.
The band has recorded ten studio albums, thirty two singles and been nominated for eight Grammys. Ben Gibbard is the principal songwriter and lead vocalist on Death Cab songs and it would be easy to label his lyrics as unusual, unique, off-beat and sometimes even a bit creepy. Not in a Stubbs the Zombie creepy way.
Stay safe and well…and did you find it ironic that a song about an angel would be sung by a group with death in their name?