My Top 1000 Songs #371: Looking For Lewis & Clark

[I've been writing up my Top 1000 songs on a daily basis--you can see them all in descending order by hitting the All My Favorite Songs tag.]

The Long Ryders deserve a lot more credit for predicting & influencing the rise of the 90s' No Depression/Americana boom. I particularly liked the blend of country, psychedelia, and Paisley Underground jangle on their 1984 debut long-player Native Sons--still one of my all-time favorite albums; but their most singularly attention-grabbing song is undoubtedly "Looking For Lewis & Clark," the lead-off track on their 1985 follow-up State Of Our Union.

It's a rousing shout-along anthem, a lot more Clash than Gram Parsons (despite the latter's shout-out in the lyrics), but the cowpunk twang sets it apart from the other indie rock of the day.

I've really enjoyed their recent return to the studio, the band seeing a well-earned renaissance. But sometimes I feel like being transported back to my mid-80s college radio youth, and this one always does the trick.

Live 1985:

Still going... live in Sweden a few months back!