So Long, J.D., Maybe You'll Meet Jesus In 3/4 Time Now...

I didn't necessarily plan to post anything by J.D. Souther anytime soon, but my hand was forced, sort of, by the man dying this week. No great eulogy from me, I wasn't particularly attached to the man and I like his music, but it's not like he was a huge favorite. Also, John David Souther was, by all accounts, not a very nice person to a lot of people. Like sometime running mate Warren Zevon he was basically a dick for most of the time, yet somehow still managed to make and keep friends in the music industry, despite his bad behavior. It probably helped that he hung out with and frequently worked with the Eagles, especially Glenn Frey and Don Henley, its two most dickish members. 

Despite being friends with fellow Motor City musician Glenn Frey long before he met the other Eagles, John David Souther was remarkably close to Don Henley in spirit. Like Henley, he was a brooder, and like Henley he was pertaining to be the sensitive one. Frey at least wore his boorishness with pride, like a frat boy, but Henley and Souther's attitude was less upfront. Behind their sensitive manner often lay a dishonest approach to romantic relationship, couched in a not insignificant amount of misogyny. But enough of that, it's the music, not the artist that counts, right? That's why I'm a huge fan of Zevon's music, have no problems with most of the Eagles' music and am a-o.k. with most of Souther's stuff, despite some questionable content. 

Before his surprising comeback in the 2000s J.D. Souther only made four albums across roughly a decade, all of them ranging from solid to pretty good. No masterworks, but very accomplished L.A. singer-songwriter rock. Draft Papers is a collection of demos from these four albums, with most of them coming from his self-titled debut. I'm not sure where I got the bulk of these tracks from, the bit rate is really not great, and would almost make He-who-shall-not-be-named raise an eyebrow, but whattareyagonnado? They're mostly of the 'a man and his guitar' variety, though there is the occasional band arrangement, and technically, an alternative version of "Kite Woman". I added Souther's fabulous version of Eagles co-write "Doolin-Dalton" he performed at The Old Grey Whistle Test, including a reversal to the original lyrics ("'till your killers set you free") that saps some of the sentimentality from the Eagles version. The excellent cover art comes from a painting by Paul W King of the artist in 1971. 

Draft Papers gives a good look at 'unplugged' J.D. Souther, as well as presenting a number of songs that didn't make his albums.  At the very least, these unvarnished versions make a case for Souther as a considerable talent. So, so long J.D., you were a bandit and a heartbreaker, and a surly bastard most of the time, but we keep your music to keep us company...

John David Souther 1945 - 2024