Friday Song: "Call Me" by SP & the BB
St. Paul & the Broken Bones give us a song for the era of virtual work
It’s Friday. Let’s establish that . . .
Paul Janeway, the lead singer of St. Paul & the Broken Bones, had tried alternative soul and other genres, but hadn’t made much headway. The clock felt omnipresent as his 30s ticked by. He was running out of time for a breakthrough.
He met bassist Jesse Phillips, and they decided on a “last hurrah” when they started working together. If nothing came of it, they’d go find real jobs.
Meshing their tones and styles, they realized a straighforward soul approach suited Janeway’s voice and Phillips’ playing, so they recruited a few more local musicians from the Birmingham, AL, area, recorded an EP (before ever playing a live show), and got signed by a label. Lightning had struck at last.
It took them a little while longer to hit the road after recording an album, as the young horn players they’d recruited needed time to graduate from college.
David Letterman booked St. Paul & the Broken Bones in 2015 after hearing “Call Me,” their debut single. The band also performed on the first episode of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.” They’ve opened for the Rolling Stones, played Austin City Limits, and headlined two shows at the Ryman Auditorium.
The song is in the key of G with a comfortable 110 bpm cadence. Janeway’s voice is something else.
Stay sane!