Silver Town

Album: The Common Thread (2008)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Keith Reid was Procol Harum's lyricist. He doesn't sing or play an instrument, so he got a lot of help on his Common Thread album: John Waite, Southside Johnny and Chris Thompson all perform on it. This track features lead vocals by Steve Booker, who also wrote the music. Booker co-wrote and produced Duffy's hit "Mercy."
  • Reid told us about this song: "On 'Silver Town,' I was thinking back to 'greed is good' and Gordon Gekko, a guy who would go to some town, buy out the local business and put everybody out of work. It doesn't just happen in America, but somehow it seems to happen a lot in America where a town and a community depends on a business and it closes down. It's amazing how quickly the whole thing can just fall apart. It's all very tenuous: you've got communities which have been there for a long time, often thriving, and suddenly the factory closes down and everybody's lives fall apart." (See our interview with Keith Reid.)

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Gary Brooker of Procol Harum

Gary Brooker of Procol HarumSongwriter Interviews

The lead singer and pianist for Procol Harum, Gary talks about finding the musical ideas to match the words.

Don Felder

Don FelderSongwriter Interviews

Don breaks down "Hotel California" and other songs he wrote as a member of the Eagles. Now we know where the "warm smell of colitas" came from.

Allen Toussaint - "Southern Nights"

Allen Toussaint - "Southern Nights"They're Playing My Song

A song he wrote and recorded from "sheer spiritual inspiration," Allen's didn't think "Southern Nights" had hit potential until Glen Campbell took it to #1 two years later.

Donnie Iris (Ah! Leah!, The Rapper)

Donnie Iris (Ah! Leah!, The Rapper)Songwriter Interviews

Before "Rap" was a form of music, it was something guys did to pick up girls in nightclubs. Donnie talks about "The Rapper" and reveals the identity of Leah.

Al Kooper

Al KooperSongwriter Interviews

Kooper produced Lynyrd Skynyrd, played with Dylan and the Stones, and formed BS&T.

Emilio Castillo from Tower of Power

Emilio Castillo from Tower of PowerSongwriter Interviews

Emilio talks about what it's like to write and perform with the Tower of Power horns, and why every struggling band should have a friend like Huey Lewis.