Dark Was the Night
Encyclopedia
Dark Was the Night is the twentieth compilation release benefiting the Red Hot Organization
, an international charity dedicated to raising funds and awareness for HIV
and AIDS
. Featuring exclusive recordings by a number of independent
artists and production by Aaron and Bryce Dessner
of The National
, the compilation was released on 16 February 2009 (UK) and 17 February (US) as a double CD, three vinyl LPs, or as a digital download. John Carlin, the founder of the Red Hot Organization, was the executive producer for the album. The title is derived from the Blind Willie Johnson
song "Dark Was the Night, Cold Was the Ground
", which is covered on this collection by the Kronos Quartet
.
John Carlin and Aaron Dessner approached Martin Mills and Richard Russell of Beggars Group with the idea for the album. Their selection of artists to include was an attempt to “capture this musical renaissance, which may not have the cultural impact of grunge or punk, but is equally significant from a cultural and creative standpoint…these artists are not fringe or marginal.” The American folk roots of the compilation are acknowledged in the title and exemplified by tracks such as the cover of Bob Dylan’s “I Was Young When I Left Home.” Production of the album was focused on supporting the Red Hot Organization, as Dessner says “a lot of the artists wouldn’t take the money…Beggars agreed to be really transparent about how it’s done, so as much money flows to the charity side as possible.”
To date, Dark Was the Night has raised over $1.2 million, a sum that represents all the profits from worldwide sales. John Carlin acknowledged the reason for the album's success, saying "Dark Was the Night encapsulated the spirit and creativity of a new generation of musicians whose work struck a chord and got people to actually purchase the album and raise hundreds of thousands of dollars to fight AIDS."
On May 3, 2009 4AD and Red Hot
produced Dark Was the Night - Live, a concert commemorating the newest Red Hot album. The show took place at Radio City Music Hall
and featured several of the artists that contributed to the compilation including Dave Sitek, Dirty Projectors
, Feist, My Brightest Diamond
, The National
, Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings plus more.
Red Hot Organization
Red Hot Organization is a not-for-profit, 501 3, international organization dedicated to fighting AIDS through pop culture.Since its inception in 1989, over 400 artists, producers and directors have contributed to over 15 compilation albums, related television programs and media events to raise...
, an international charity dedicated to raising funds and awareness for HIV
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
and AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
. Featuring exclusive recordings by a number of independent
Independent record label
An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...
artists and production by Aaron and Bryce Dessner
Aaron and Bryce Dessner
Aaron and Bryce Dessner are twin brothers and members of the rock band The National. Aaron Dessnerwrites the majority of the music for The National. The brothers are co-founders, alongside Alec Hanley Bemis, of Brassland, a label that is home to artists including The National, the Clogs, catalog...
of The National
The National (band)
The National is an indie rock band formed in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1999 and currently based in Brooklyn, New York. The band's lyrics are written and sung by Matt Berninger, a baritone...
, the compilation was released on 16 February 2009 (UK) and 17 February (US) as a double CD, three vinyl LPs, or as a digital download. John Carlin, the founder of the Red Hot Organization, was the executive producer for the album. The title is derived from the Blind Willie Johnson
Blind Willie Johnson
"Blind" Willie Johnson was an American singer and guitarist, whose music straddled the border between blues and spirituals....
song "Dark Was the Night, Cold Was the Ground
Dark Was the Night, Cold Was the Ground
"Dark Was the Night, Cold Was the Ground"Because documentation is scarce in early recordings, the title of the song appears differently in many sources. It is often called "Dark Was the Night" or punctuated as "Dark Was the Night ". is a gospel-blues song written and performed by American musician...
", which is covered on this collection by the Kronos Quartet
Kronos Quartet
Kronos Quartet is a string quartet founded by violinist David Harrington in 1973 in Seattle, Washington. Since 1978, the quartet has been based in San Francisco, California. The longest-running combination of performers had Harrington and John Sherba on violin, Hank Dutt on viola, and Joan...
.
John Carlin and Aaron Dessner approached Martin Mills and Richard Russell of Beggars Group with the idea for the album. Their selection of artists to include was an attempt to “capture this musical renaissance, which may not have the cultural impact of grunge or punk, but is equally significant from a cultural and creative standpoint…these artists are not fringe or marginal.” The American folk roots of the compilation are acknowledged in the title and exemplified by tracks such as the cover of Bob Dylan’s “I Was Young When I Left Home.” Production of the album was focused on supporting the Red Hot Organization, as Dessner says “a lot of the artists wouldn’t take the money…Beggars agreed to be really transparent about how it’s done, so as much money flows to the charity side as possible.”
To date, Dark Was the Night has raised over $1.2 million, a sum that represents all the profits from worldwide sales. John Carlin acknowledged the reason for the album's success, saying "Dark Was the Night encapsulated the spirit and creativity of a new generation of musicians whose work struck a chord and got people to actually purchase the album and raise hundreds of thousands of dollars to fight AIDS."
On May 3, 2009 4AD and Red Hot
Red Hot Organization
Red Hot Organization is a not-for-profit, 501 3, international organization dedicated to fighting AIDS through pop culture.Since its inception in 1989, over 400 artists, producers and directors have contributed to over 15 compilation albums, related television programs and media events to raise...
produced Dark Was the Night - Live, a concert commemorating the newest Red Hot album. The show took place at Radio City Music Hall
Radio City Music Hall
Radio City Music Hall is an entertainment venue located in New York City's Rockefeller Center. Its nickname is the Showplace of the Nation, and it was for a time the leading tourist destination in the city...
and featured several of the artists that contributed to the compilation including Dave Sitek, Dirty Projectors
Dirty Projectors
The Dirty Projectors aka David Longstreth includes Amber Coffman , Angel Deradoorian , Brian McOmber , Nat Baldwin , and Haley Dekle during live performances...
, Feist, My Brightest Diamond
My Brightest Diamond
My Brightest Diamond is the project of singer–songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Shara Worden. The band has released two studio albums, 2006's Bring Me the Workhorse and 2008's A Thousand Shark's Teeth, along with a remix album Tear It Down and a download-only release through iTunes...
, The National
The National (band)
The National is an indie rock band formed in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1999 and currently based in Brooklyn, New York. The band's lyrics are written and sung by Matt Berninger, a baritone...
, Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings plus more.
Disc 1 - "This Disc"
- "Knotty Pine" – Dirty ProjectorsDirty ProjectorsThe Dirty Projectors aka David Longstreth includes Amber Coffman , Angel Deradoorian , Brian McOmber , Nat Baldwin , and Haley Dekle during live performances...
and David ByrneDavid ByrneDavid Byrne may refer to:*David Byrne , musician and former Talking Heads frontman**David Byrne , his eponymous album*David Byrne , Irish footballer*David Byrne , English footballer...
– 2:23 - "'Cello Song" (Nick DrakeNick DrakeNicholas Rodney "Nick" Drake was an English singer-songwriter and musician. Though he is best known for his sombre guitar based songs, Drake was also proficient at piano, clarinet and saxophone...
) – The BooksThe BooksThe Books are an American duo, formed in New York City in 1999, consisting of guitarist and vocalist Nick Zammuto and cellist Paul de Jong. Their releases typically incorporate samples of obscure sounds and speech...
featuring José GonzálezJosé GonzálezJosé González is a Swedish-Argentine indie folk singer-songwriter and guitarist from Gothenburg, Sweden.González is also a member of Swedish band Junip, along with Elias Araya and Tobias Winterkorn.- Biography :...
– 3:54 - "Train Song" (Vashti BunyanVashti BunyanVashti Bunyan is an English singer-songwriter. In 1970, Bunyan released her first album, Just Another Diamond Day. The album sold very few copies, and Bunyan, discouraged, abandoned her musical career...
) – Feist and Ben GibbardBen GibbardBenjamin "Ben" Gibbard is an American musician known as a member of several successful indie rock bands. He is the lead singer of Death Cab for Cutie and The Postal Service, and is also known for his project ¡All-Time Quarterback! and his first band, Pinwheel.-Personal life and career:Gibbard was...
– 3:02 - "Brackett, WI" – Bon IverBon IverBon Iver is a Grammy nominated folk band founded in 2007 by American indie folk singer-songwriter Justin Vernon. It includes Michael Noyce, Sean Carey, and Matthew McCaughan. Vernon released Bon Iver's debut album, For Emma, Forever Ago independently in July 2007. The majority of that album was...
– 4:03 - "Deep Blue Sea" – Grizzly BearGrizzly Bear (band)Grizzly Bear is a Brooklyn-based indie rock band, composed of Edward Droste , Daniel Rossen , Chris Taylor and Christopher Bear . The band employs traditional and electronic instruments...
– 3:46 - "So Far Around the Bend" – The NationalThe National (band)The National is an indie rock band formed in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1999 and currently based in Brooklyn, New York. The band's lyrics are written and sung by Matt Berninger, a baritone...
– 3:43 - "Tightrope" – YeasayerYeasayer-History:The band's three core members, Chris Keating, Ira Wolf Tuton, and Anand Wilder, first came to attention after appearing at the SXSW festival in early 2007. Their first single consisted of a double A-side of the tracks "Sunrise" and "2080"...
– 3:18 - "Feeling GoodFeeling Good"Feeling Good" is a song written by English singer-songwriters Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse for the 1965 musical The Roar of the Greasepaint - The Smell of the Crowd starring Cy Grant, who sang the original version of the song...
" (Anthony NewleyAnthony NewleyAnthony George Newley was an English actor, singer and songwriter. He enjoyed success as a performer in such diverse fields as rock and roll and stage and screen acting.-Early life:...
and Leslie BricusseLeslie BricusseLeslie Bricusse is an English composer, lyricist, and playwright.Although best known for his partnership with Anthony Newley, Bricusse has worked with many other composers. He was educated at University College School in London and Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge...
) – My Brightest DiamondMy Brightest DiamondMy Brightest Diamond is the project of singer–songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Shara Worden. The band has released two studio albums, 2006's Bring Me the Workhorse and 2008's A Thousand Shark's Teeth, along with a remix album Tear It Down and a download-only release through iTunes...
– 3:54 - "Dark Was the NightDark Was the Night, Cold Was the Ground"Dark Was the Night, Cold Was the Ground"Because documentation is scarce in early recordings, the title of the song appears differently in many sources. It is often called "Dark Was the Night" or punctuated as "Dark Was the Night ". is a gospel-blues song written and performed by American musician...
" (Blind Willie JohnsonBlind Willie Johnson"Blind" Willie Johnson was an American singer and guitarist, whose music straddled the border between blues and spirituals....
) – Kronos QuartetKronos QuartetKronos Quartet is a string quartet founded by violinist David Harrington in 1973 in Seattle, Washington. Since 1978, the quartet has been based in San Francisco, California. The longest-running combination of performers had Harrington and John Sherba on violin, Hank Dutt on viola, and Joan...
– 3:51 - "I Was Young When I Left Home" (Bob DylanBob DylanBob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
) – AntonyAntony HegartyAntony Hegarty is an English singer-songwriter, best known as the lead singer of the band Antony and the Johnsons.-Early life:...
with Bryce DessnerBryce DessnerBryce Dessner is a Brooklyn based composer, guitarist, and curator primarily known as a member of The National. In addition to his work with The National, he is a founding member of Clogs, and the founder of the MusicNOW Festival. Bryce has a master's degree in classical guitar from Yale University...
– 4:55 - "Big Red Machine" – Justin Vernon and Aaron DessnerAaron and Bryce DessnerAaron and Bryce Dessner are twin brothers and members of the rock band The National. Aaron Dessnerwrites the majority of the music for The National. The brothers are co-founders, alongside Alec Hanley Bemis, of Brassland, a label that is home to artists including The National, the Clogs, catalog...
– 4:39 - "Sleepless" – The DecemberistsThe DecemberistsThe Decemberists are an indie folk rock band from Portland, Oregon, United States, fronted by singer/songwriter Colin Meloy. The other members of the band are Chris Funk , Jenny Conlee , Nate Query , and John Moen .The band's...
– 7:54 - "Stolen Houses (Die)" – Iron & WineIron & WineSamuel Beam , better known by his stage and recording name Iron & Wine, is an American singer-songwriter. He has released four studio albums, several EPs and singles, as well as a few download-only releases, which include a live album...
– 1:07 - "Service Bell" – Grizzly BearGrizzly Bear (band)Grizzly Bear is a Brooklyn-based indie rock band, composed of Edward Droste , Daniel Rossen , Chris Taylor and Christopher Bear . The band employs traditional and electronic instruments...
and Feist – 2:23 - "You Are the Blood" (Castanets) – Sufjan StevensSufjan StevensSufjan Stevens is an American singer-songwriter and musician born in Detroit, Michigan. Stevens first began releasing his music on Asthmatic Kitty, a label co-founded with his stepfather, beginning with the 1999 release, A Sun Came...
– 10:14
Disc 2 - "That Disc"
- "Well-Alright" – SpoonSpoon (band)Spoon is an American rock band formed in Austin, Texas. The band is composed of Britt Daniel ; Jim Eno ; Rob Pope and Eric Harvey .-History:...
– 2:46 - "Lenin" – Arcade Fire – 4:06
- "Mimizan" – BeirutBeirut (band)Beirut is an American band which was originally the solo musical project of Santa Fe native Zachary Francis Condon, and later expanded into a band. The band's first performances were in Wollaston, United Kingdom, in May 2006, to support the release of their debut album, Gulag Orkestar...
– 2:43 - "El Caporal" – My Morning JacketMy Morning JacketMy Morning Jacket is an American rock band from Louisville, Kentucky.The band consists of Jim James , Tom 'Two-Tone Tommy' Blankenship , Patrick Hallahan , Carl Broemel , and Bo Koster .-History:My Morning Jacket was...
– 3:33 - "Inspiration Information" (Shuggie OtisShuggie OtisShuggie Otis is an American singer-songwriter, recording artist, and multi-instrumentalist....
) – Sharon Jones & The Dap-KingsSharon Jones & The Dap-KingsSharon Jones & the Dap-Kings are a funk/soul band. They are signed to Daptone Records, where the Dap-Kings are the house band. They are spearheads of a revivalist movement that aims to capture the essence of funk/soul music as it was at its height in the mid-1960s to mid-1970s...
– 4:06 - "With a Girl Like YouWith a Girl Like You"With a Girl like You" is a hit song by English band The Troggs. The song reached number one in the UK Singles Chart on 4 August 1966, where it remained for two weeks.-Song profile:...
" (Reg PresleyReg PresleyReg Presley is an English singer-songwriter. He is best known as the lead singer with prominent 1960s rock and roll band The Troggs, whose best known hit was "Wild Thing", though their only UK number one single was "With A Girl Like You"...
) – Dave SitekDavid Andrew SitekDavid Andrew Sitek is a guitarist and record producer based in New York City, best known as a member of the band TV on the Radio. He has also worked with bands such as Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Liars, Foals, Celebration, and most recently Jane's Addiction, and produced free jazz-influenced remixes of songs...
– 3:27 - "Blood Pt. 2" (Castanets) – Buck 65Buck 65Richard Terfry , who uses the stage name Buck 65, is a Canadian experimental artist, MC and turntablist. Underpinned by an extensive background in abstract hip hop, his more recent music has extensively incorporated blues, country, rock, folk and avant garde influences.Terfry is also a radio host,...
Remix (featuring Sufjan StevensSufjan StevensSufjan Stevens is an American singer-songwriter and musician born in Detroit, Michigan. Stevens first began releasing his music on Asthmatic Kitty, a label co-founded with his stepfather, beginning with the 1999 release, A Sun Came...
& SerengetiSerengeti (rapper)Serengeti, real name David Cohn, is a hip-hop artist from Chicago. His music is a sharp departure from most mainstream hip-hop, which he considers "depressing" and always consists of "the same redundant ideas." Serengeti's music includes numerous references to Chicago culture often done in...
) – 3:36 - "Hey, Snow White" (DestroyerDestroyer (band)Destroyer is a Canadian indie pop band fronted by singer-songwriter Dan Bejar.- Overview :Daniel Bejar is an independent pop singer-songwriter from Vancouver who formed Destroyer in 1995. He self-produced his first album, the lo-fi We'll Build Them a Golden Bridge, which was recorded at his in...
) – The New PornographersThe New PornographersThe New Pornographers is a Canadian indie rock band formed in 1997 in Vancouver, British Columbia.-History:The band's first four albums each ranked in the top 40 on The Village Voices Pazz & Jop year-end poll of hundreds of music reviewers. From 2000 to 2006, either a New Pornographers' album or a...
– 4:26 - "Gentle Hour" (Peter GutteridgeSnapper (band)Snapper was a New Zealand indie/alternative band formed by Peter Gutteridge, previously in The Clean, The Chills and The Great Unwashed.The band evolved from the line-up of another Gutteridge-led band, the Dunedin-based Phromes...
) – Yo La TengoYo La TengoYo La Tengo, sometimes abbreviated as YLT, is an American alternative rock band formed in Hoboken, New Jersey in 1984. Since 1992, the lineup has consisted of Ira Kaplan , Georgia Hubley , and James McNew .Despite achieving limited mainstream success, Yo La Tengo has been called "the quintessential...
– 5:31 - "Another Saturday" – Stuart MurdochStuart Murdoch (musician)Stuart Lee Murdoch is a Scottish musician, and the lead singer and songwriter for the indie pop band Belle & Sebastian. The majority of his childhood was spent a stone's throw from the birthplace of Robert Burns in Alloway, Ayr until he left school and attended university in...
– 2:56 - "Happiness" – Riceboy SleepsRiceboy SleepsJónsi & Alex is an artistic collaboration between Jón Þór Birgisson and his partner Alex Somers. They create ambient music as well as visual art. The music tends to be more ethereal and experimental than that of Sigur Rós.-Visual art:Jónsi & Alex began as a Sigur Rós side project around 2003 under...
(Jónsi & Alex) – 8:37 - "Amazing GraceAmazing Grace"Amazing Grace" is a Christian hymn with words written by the English poet and clergyman John Newton , published in 1779. With a message that forgiveness and redemption are possible regardless of the sins people commit and that the soul can be delivered from despair through the mercy of God,...
" – Cat PowerCat PowerCharlyn Marie Marshall , also known as Chan Marshall or by her stage name Cat Power, is an American singer/songwriter and occasional actress and model. Cat Power was originally the name of Marshall's first band, but has come to refer to her musical projects with various backing bands...
and Dirty Delta Blues – 3:34 - "The Giant of Illinois" (The Handsome FamilyThe Handsome FamilyThe Handsome Family is an alternative country band, formed in Chicago, Illinois.-History:The band was formed in 1993 by husband-and-wife duo Brett Sparks and Rennie Sparks and drummer Mike Werner, although the band would later revolve around Rennie, who writes the lyrics, and Brett, who writes...
) – Andrew BirdAndrew BirdAndrew Bird is an American musician, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist.- Early life and the Bowl of Fire :...
– 4:45 - "LuaLua (song)"Lua" is a single by Bright Eyes released in October 2004. Originally appearing on the album, I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning, the song deals with two people as they struggle through depression, addiction, and an interminable night...
" (Bright Eyes) – Conor OberstConor OberstConor Mullen Oberst is an American singer-songwriter best known for his work in Bright Eyes. He has also played in several other bands, including Desaparecidos, Norman Bailer , Commander Venus, Park Ave., Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band, and Monsters of Folk.-Musical career:Oberst began...
& Gillian WelchGillian WelchGillian Welch is an American singer-songwriter. She performs with her musical partner, guitarist David Rawlings. Their sparse and dark musical style, which combines elements of Appalachian music, Bluegrass, and Americana, is described by The New Yorker as "at once innovative and obliquely...
– 5:54 - "When the Road Runs Out" – Blonde RedheadBlonde RedheadBlonde Redhead is an American alternative rock band composed of vocalist/rhythm guitarist Kazu Makino and twin brothers Simone and Amedeo Pace , which formed in New York City in 1993....
& Devastations – 3:28 - "Love vs. Porn" – Kevin DrewKevin DrewKevin Drew is a Canadian musician and songwriter who, together with Brendan Canning, founded the expansive Toronto baroque-pop collective Broken Social Scene...
– 3:57
- "Play the Game" (QueenQueen (band)Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
) by Beach HouseBeach HouseBeach House is a dream pop duo formed in 2004 in Baltimore, Maryland, consisting of French-born Victoria Legrand and Baltimore native Alex Scally. Their self-titled debut, Beach House, released in 2006, was critically acclaimed. This was followed by their second release, Devotion, in 2008...
was additionally released as an iTunesITunesiTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
only bonus track. - A misprint in the tracklisting on the CD case lists Cat Power's "Amazing Grace" as track 10, and Stuart Murdoch's "Another Saturday" as track 12. The booklet has the correct order.
Side one
- "Knotty Pine" – Dirty Projectors and David Byrne
- "Cello Song" – The Books and José González
- "Train Song" – Feist and Ben Gibbard
- "Brackett, WI" – Bon Iver
- "Deep Blue Sea" – Grizzly Bear
Side two
- "So Far Around the Bend" – The National
- "Tightrope" – Yeasayer
- "Feeling Good" – My Brightest Diamond
- "Dark Was the Night" – Kronos Quartet
- "I Was Young When I Left Home" – Antony + Bryce Dessner
- "Big Red Machine" – Justin Vernon and Aaron Dessner
Side three
- "Well-Alright" – Spoon
- "Lenin" – Arcade Fire
- "Mimizan" – Beirut
- "El Caporal" – My Morning Jacket
- "Inspiration Information" – Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings
- "With a Girl Like You" – Dave Sitek
Side four
- "You Are the Blood" – Sufjan Stevens
- "Blood Pt. 2" – Buck 65 Remix (featuring Sufjan Stevens and Serengeti)
- "Hey, Snow White" – The New Pornographers
- "Gentle Hour" – Yo La Tengo
- "Die" – Iron and Wine
Side five
- "Service Bell" – Grizzly Bear and Feist
- "Sleepless" – The Decemberists
- "Happiness" – Riceboy Sleeps
- "Amazing Grace" – Cat Power and Dirt Delta Blues
Side six
- "Another Saturday" – Stuart Murdoch
- "The Giant of Illinois" – Andrew BirdAndrew BirdAndrew Bird is an American musician, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist.- Early life and the Bowl of Fire :...
- "Lua" – Conor Oberst and Gillian Welch
- "When the Road Runs Out" – Blonde Redhead and Devastations
- "Love vs. Porn" – Kevin Drew
Singles
Additionally, a double A-side 7" single was released to promote the compilation:- Dark Was the Night: Songs from the Upcoming Red Hot Compilation
- 2 February 2009; 4AD AD 2834
- "Knotty Pine" – Dirty Projectors and David Byrne – 2:23
- "So Far Around the Bend" – The National – 3:43