Chords for Cracker: Why Radio Stations Didn't Want to Play 'Low', But David Lowery Saved The Day
Tempo:
123.75 bpm
Chords used:
Db
Fm
Ab
F
Bb
Tuning:Standard Tuning (EADGBE)Capo:+0fret
Start Jamming...
Cracker would be formed in the early 90's and would be born out of the ashes of another band
named Camper Van Beethoven [Db] who would have a pretty [C] big cult following.
They [Db] would even have a
recording contract with Virgin and even [Ab] opened for REM, but musical [Db] differences led to the band
dissolving in [C] 1989.
It was [Db] following the dissolution of the band that [Ab] frontman David Lowry would
reconnect with an old friend of his named Johnny [F] Hickman and the two began [Db] work on some new music
and with Lowry still under [Abm] contract with Virgin they [Ab] soon took the songs to the [G] label and got
a [Cm] recording deal.
The [Db] band would release their self-titled debut [Ab] record in 1992 and while it
sold a [Bb] respectable amount in [Fm] about 250,000 copies it would be the group's follow-up album Kerosene
Hat the following year that would truly mark the [Db] band's commercial peak thanks to the song [C] Low.
However the song almost [Bb] never made it onto radio stations [Fm] because of its lyrical content
and today [Ab] let's talk about the history of the song Low.
[Db]
[F] A musical salad [Db] of ska,
polka, folk, [Ab] 60's psychedelic rock with flavours of middle eastern [Eb] music the band [Bbm] Camper Van
Beethoven's music was in [F] sharp contrast to what Cracker played [Ab] which was simply just [F] more
straightforward rock n' roll.
Despite [Bb] some calling Lowry a sellout for [Fm] abandoning what they perceived
as his indie roots [Dbm] to write more commercial music it would be [Ab] his long time musical taste that
served as the inspiration for [F] Cracker.
Lowry would tell the LA Times
[Abm]
[Bbm] [Dbm]
[Fm] [Db]
The [Fm] single Low would be born out of a soundcheck with Hickman telling Spin Magazine
[Ab] We were soundchecking in Portland, all a little bit [Db] hungover, and I was [Fm] just making noise.
I
started looping [Db] that riff over and over, [Fm] and David and Davie [Ab] started playing it too.
[C] We kept
playing until we had four [Fm] chords, and David asked the front of the house guy to [Db] record it.
I probably
[Ab] would have forgotten that riff if it had not been recorded.
By the band's own admission [Fm] they never
thought it was ever going to be [Eb] released as a single, but it would be the record label who
[Ab] really pushed the band to put it out.
The song would end up peaking at number [Fm] 3 on the modern
rock charts and number 64 on the pop charts.
The music video shown in black and white [Bb] was mostly
memorable because of [Fm] Lowry's boxing match with actress and comedian Sandra Bernhardt.
Lowry would
tell the Buffalo News
[Bb] [Db] [Db]
[Fm] [Eb]
[Ab] [Fm]
[Db] [Ab] The idea to feature the actress [Fm] and comedian would come from the director of the video
who interviewed Lowry ahead of the [Db] film shoot with him recalling to Spin, [Fm] Carlos Grasso,
the director is half [Eb] italian and half mexican and he just can't help [Fm] getting really abstract
and theoretical.
[Ab] He interviewed me about Low and finally [Fm] decided it was a battle between my [Db] masculine
and feminine [Fm] side.
He asked who would be my feminine other and I [Db] said, I don't know, Sandra [Ab] Bernhardt,
someone really sarcastic, [Bb] snarky, gangly.
[Eb] He's like [Fm] great we'll call her up and see if she wants
to box [Db] you.
Initially Bernhardt said she would only do the shoot if she liked the song and she
ended up loving it [G] and agreed to appear in the [Fm] video, but the song also landed [Db] the band in some
hot water.
Due [Fm] to numerous drug [Db] references the head of the band's label forced Lowry to write a
letter to radio [Db] stations denying that the song had [Fm] anything to do with drugs.
The frontman would tell Spin magazine
[Fm] Michael Plen the label's head of rock, radio and [Db] long time camper and crackers supporter
made me write a [Ab] letter about that to pass out to radio stations.
It was practically an [F] affidavit
swearing that the [F] phrase was actually being [Ab] stoned not [E] stoned.
[Bb] Despite slowing album [Fm] sales in the
years that followed the band still had a solid [Db] fan base and was [Fm] still a pretty big draw on the live
circuit.
[Db] The band continues to tour to this day.
[Ab] And that does it for today's story guys.
Thanks
for watching.
Be sure to hit the like button and subscribe [Fm] and we'll see you again on rock n' roll
your stories.
Take care.
[Db] [Eb] [N]
named Camper Van Beethoven [Db] who would have a pretty [C] big cult following.
They [Db] would even have a
recording contract with Virgin and even [Ab] opened for REM, but musical [Db] differences led to the band
dissolving in [C] 1989.
It was [Db] following the dissolution of the band that [Ab] frontman David Lowry would
reconnect with an old friend of his named Johnny [F] Hickman and the two began [Db] work on some new music
and with Lowry still under [Abm] contract with Virgin they [Ab] soon took the songs to the [G] label and got
a [Cm] recording deal.
The [Db] band would release their self-titled debut [Ab] record in 1992 and while it
sold a [Bb] respectable amount in [Fm] about 250,000 copies it would be the group's follow-up album Kerosene
Hat the following year that would truly mark the [Db] band's commercial peak thanks to the song [C] Low.
However the song almost [Bb] never made it onto radio stations [Fm] because of its lyrical content
and today [Ab] let's talk about the history of the song Low.
[Db]
[F] A musical salad [Db] of ska,
polka, folk, [Ab] 60's psychedelic rock with flavours of middle eastern [Eb] music the band [Bbm] Camper Van
Beethoven's music was in [F] sharp contrast to what Cracker played [Ab] which was simply just [F] more
straightforward rock n' roll.
Despite [Bb] some calling Lowry a sellout for [Fm] abandoning what they perceived
as his indie roots [Dbm] to write more commercial music it would be [Ab] his long time musical taste that
served as the inspiration for [F] Cracker.
Lowry would tell the LA Times
[Abm]
[Bbm] [Dbm]
[Fm] [Db]
The [Fm] single Low would be born out of a soundcheck with Hickman telling Spin Magazine
[Ab] We were soundchecking in Portland, all a little bit [Db] hungover, and I was [Fm] just making noise.
I
started looping [Db] that riff over and over, [Fm] and David and Davie [Ab] started playing it too.
[C] We kept
playing until we had four [Fm] chords, and David asked the front of the house guy to [Db] record it.
I probably
[Ab] would have forgotten that riff if it had not been recorded.
By the band's own admission [Fm] they never
thought it was ever going to be [Eb] released as a single, but it would be the record label who
[Ab] really pushed the band to put it out.
The song would end up peaking at number [Fm] 3 on the modern
rock charts and number 64 on the pop charts.
The music video shown in black and white [Bb] was mostly
memorable because of [Fm] Lowry's boxing match with actress and comedian Sandra Bernhardt.
Lowry would
tell the Buffalo News
[Bb] [Db] [Db]
[Fm] [Eb]
[Ab] [Fm]
[Db] [Ab] The idea to feature the actress [Fm] and comedian would come from the director of the video
who interviewed Lowry ahead of the [Db] film shoot with him recalling to Spin, [Fm] Carlos Grasso,
the director is half [Eb] italian and half mexican and he just can't help [Fm] getting really abstract
and theoretical.
[Ab] He interviewed me about Low and finally [Fm] decided it was a battle between my [Db] masculine
and feminine [Fm] side.
He asked who would be my feminine other and I [Db] said, I don't know, Sandra [Ab] Bernhardt,
someone really sarcastic, [Bb] snarky, gangly.
[Eb] He's like [Fm] great we'll call her up and see if she wants
to box [Db] you.
Initially Bernhardt said she would only do the shoot if she liked the song and she
ended up loving it [G] and agreed to appear in the [Fm] video, but the song also landed [Db] the band in some
hot water.
Due [Fm] to numerous drug [Db] references the head of the band's label forced Lowry to write a
letter to radio [Db] stations denying that the song had [Fm] anything to do with drugs.
The frontman would tell Spin magazine
[Fm] Michael Plen the label's head of rock, radio and [Db] long time camper and crackers supporter
made me write a [Ab] letter about that to pass out to radio stations.
It was practically an [F] affidavit
swearing that the [F] phrase was actually being [Ab] stoned not [E] stoned.
[Bb] Despite slowing album [Fm] sales in the
years that followed the band still had a solid [Db] fan base and was [Fm] still a pretty big draw on the live
circuit.
[Db] The band continues to tour to this day.
[Ab] And that does it for today's story guys.
Thanks
for watching.
Be sure to hit the like button and subscribe [Fm] and we'll see you again on rock n' roll
your stories.
Take care.
[Db] [Eb] [N]
Key:
Db
Fm
Ab
F
Bb
Db
Fm
Ab
Cracker would be formed in the early 90's and would be born out of the ashes of another band
named Camper Van Beethoven [Db] who would have a pretty [C] big cult following.
They [Db] would even have a
recording contract with Virgin and even [Ab] opened for REM, but musical [Db] differences led to the band
dissolving in [C] 1989.
It was [Db] following the dissolution of the band that [Ab] frontman David Lowry would
reconnect with an old friend of his named Johnny [F] Hickman and the two began [Db] work on some new music
and with Lowry still under [Abm] contract with Virgin they [Ab] soon took the songs to the [G] label and got
a [Cm] recording deal.
The [Db] band would release their self-titled debut [Ab] record in 1992 and while it
sold a [Bb] respectable amount in [Fm] about 250,000 copies it would be the group's follow-up album Kerosene
Hat the following year that would truly mark the [Db] band's commercial peak thanks to the song [C] Low.
However the song almost [Bb] never made it onto radio stations [Fm] because of its lyrical content
and today [Ab] let's talk about the history of the song Low.
_ _ _ _ [Db] _ _ _ _
[F] _ _ A musical salad [Db] of ska,
polka, folk, [Ab] 60's psychedelic rock with flavours of middle eastern [Eb] music the band [Bbm] Camper Van
Beethoven's music was in [F] sharp contrast to what Cracker played [Ab] which was simply just [F] more
straightforward rock n' roll.
Despite [Bb] some calling Lowry a sellout for [Fm] abandoning what they perceived
as his indie roots [Dbm] to write more commercial music it would be [Ab] his long time musical taste that
served as the inspiration for [F] Cracker.
Lowry would tell the LA Times
[Abm] _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
[Bbm] _ _ _ _ [Dbm] _ _ _ _
[Fm] _ _ _ _ [Db] _ _ _ _
_ The [Fm] single Low would be born out of a soundcheck with Hickman telling Spin Magazine
[Ab] We were soundchecking in Portland, all a little bit [Db] hungover, and I was [Fm] just making noise.
I
started looping [Db] that riff over and over, [Fm] and David and Davie [Ab] started playing it too.
[C] We kept
playing until we had four [Fm] chords, and David asked the front of the house guy to [Db] record it.
I probably
[Ab] would have forgotten that riff if it had not been recorded.
By the band's own admission [Fm] they never
thought it was ever going to be [Eb] released as a single, but it would be the record label who
[Ab] really pushed the band to put it out.
The song would end up peaking at number [Fm] 3 on the modern
rock charts and number 64 on the pop charts.
The music video shown in black and white [Bb] was mostly
memorable because of [Fm] Lowry's boxing match with actress and comedian Sandra Bernhardt.
Lowry would
tell the Buffalo News
[Bb] _ _ _ _ [Db] _ _ [Db] _ _
_ _ _ _ [Fm] _ _ [Eb] _ _
[Ab] _ _ _ _ [Fm] _ _ _ _
[Db] _ _ _ [Ab] The idea to feature the actress [Fm] and comedian would come from the director of the video
who interviewed Lowry ahead of the [Db] film shoot with him recalling to Spin, [Fm] Carlos Grasso,
the director is half [Eb] italian and half mexican and he just can't help [Fm] getting really abstract
and theoretical.
[Ab] He interviewed me about Low and finally [Fm] decided it was a battle between my [Db] masculine
and feminine [Fm] side.
He asked who would be my feminine other and I [Db] said, I don't know, Sandra [Ab] Bernhardt,
someone really sarcastic, [Bb] snarky, gangly.
[Eb] He's like [Fm] great we'll call her up and see if she wants
to box [Db] you.
Initially Bernhardt said she would only do the shoot if she liked the song and she
ended up loving it [G] and agreed to appear in the [Fm] video, but the song also landed [Db] the band in some
hot water.
Due [Fm] to numerous drug [Db] references the head of the band's label forced Lowry to write a
letter to radio [Db] stations denying that the song had [Fm] anything to do with drugs.
The frontman would tell Spin magazine
[Fm] Michael Plen the label's head of rock, radio and [Db] long time camper and crackers supporter
made me write a [Ab] letter about that to pass out to radio stations.
It was practically an [F] affidavit
swearing that the [F] phrase was actually being [Ab] stoned not [E] stoned.
[Bb] Despite slowing album [Fm] sales in the
years that followed the band still had a solid [Db] fan base and was [Fm] still a pretty big draw on the live
circuit.
[Db] The band continues to tour to this day.
[Ab] And that does it for today's story guys.
Thanks
for watching.
Be sure to hit the like button and subscribe [Fm] and we'll see you again on rock n' roll
your stories.
Take care.
[Db] _ _ _ _ [Eb] _ _ _ _ _ _ _ [N] _
named Camper Van Beethoven [Db] who would have a pretty [C] big cult following.
They [Db] would even have a
recording contract with Virgin and even [Ab] opened for REM, but musical [Db] differences led to the band
dissolving in [C] 1989.
It was [Db] following the dissolution of the band that [Ab] frontman David Lowry would
reconnect with an old friend of his named Johnny [F] Hickman and the two began [Db] work on some new music
and with Lowry still under [Abm] contract with Virgin they [Ab] soon took the songs to the [G] label and got
a [Cm] recording deal.
The [Db] band would release their self-titled debut [Ab] record in 1992 and while it
sold a [Bb] respectable amount in [Fm] about 250,000 copies it would be the group's follow-up album Kerosene
Hat the following year that would truly mark the [Db] band's commercial peak thanks to the song [C] Low.
However the song almost [Bb] never made it onto radio stations [Fm] because of its lyrical content
and today [Ab] let's talk about the history of the song Low.
_ _ _ _ [Db] _ _ _ _
[F] _ _ A musical salad [Db] of ska,
polka, folk, [Ab] 60's psychedelic rock with flavours of middle eastern [Eb] music the band [Bbm] Camper Van
Beethoven's music was in [F] sharp contrast to what Cracker played [Ab] which was simply just [F] more
straightforward rock n' roll.
Despite [Bb] some calling Lowry a sellout for [Fm] abandoning what they perceived
as his indie roots [Dbm] to write more commercial music it would be [Ab] his long time musical taste that
served as the inspiration for [F] Cracker.
Lowry would tell the LA Times
[Abm] _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
[Bbm] _ _ _ _ [Dbm] _ _ _ _
[Fm] _ _ _ _ [Db] _ _ _ _
_ The [Fm] single Low would be born out of a soundcheck with Hickman telling Spin Magazine
[Ab] We were soundchecking in Portland, all a little bit [Db] hungover, and I was [Fm] just making noise.
I
started looping [Db] that riff over and over, [Fm] and David and Davie [Ab] started playing it too.
[C] We kept
playing until we had four [Fm] chords, and David asked the front of the house guy to [Db] record it.
I probably
[Ab] would have forgotten that riff if it had not been recorded.
By the band's own admission [Fm] they never
thought it was ever going to be [Eb] released as a single, but it would be the record label who
[Ab] really pushed the band to put it out.
The song would end up peaking at number [Fm] 3 on the modern
rock charts and number 64 on the pop charts.
The music video shown in black and white [Bb] was mostly
memorable because of [Fm] Lowry's boxing match with actress and comedian Sandra Bernhardt.
Lowry would
tell the Buffalo News
[Bb] _ _ _ _ [Db] _ _ [Db] _ _
_ _ _ _ [Fm] _ _ [Eb] _ _
[Ab] _ _ _ _ [Fm] _ _ _ _
[Db] _ _ _ [Ab] The idea to feature the actress [Fm] and comedian would come from the director of the video
who interviewed Lowry ahead of the [Db] film shoot with him recalling to Spin, [Fm] Carlos Grasso,
the director is half [Eb] italian and half mexican and he just can't help [Fm] getting really abstract
and theoretical.
[Ab] He interviewed me about Low and finally [Fm] decided it was a battle between my [Db] masculine
and feminine [Fm] side.
He asked who would be my feminine other and I [Db] said, I don't know, Sandra [Ab] Bernhardt,
someone really sarcastic, [Bb] snarky, gangly.
[Eb] He's like [Fm] great we'll call her up and see if she wants
to box [Db] you.
Initially Bernhardt said she would only do the shoot if she liked the song and she
ended up loving it [G] and agreed to appear in the [Fm] video, but the song also landed [Db] the band in some
hot water.
Due [Fm] to numerous drug [Db] references the head of the band's label forced Lowry to write a
letter to radio [Db] stations denying that the song had [Fm] anything to do with drugs.
The frontman would tell Spin magazine
[Fm] Michael Plen the label's head of rock, radio and [Db] long time camper and crackers supporter
made me write a [Ab] letter about that to pass out to radio stations.
It was practically an [F] affidavit
swearing that the [F] phrase was actually being [Ab] stoned not [E] stoned.
[Bb] Despite slowing album [Fm] sales in the
years that followed the band still had a solid [Db] fan base and was [Fm] still a pretty big draw on the live
circuit.
[Db] The band continues to tour to this day.
[Ab] And that does it for today's story guys.
Thanks
for watching.
Be sure to hit the like button and subscribe [Fm] and we'll see you again on rock n' roll
your stories.
Take care.
[Db] _ _ _ _ [Eb] _ _ _ _ _ _ _ [N] _