I must admit that I had completely forgotten that Jack Bruce recorded this song. The inspiration for this song was Lowry's novel Under the Volcano , telling the story of Geoffrey Firmin, an alcoholic British consul in the small Mexican town of Quauhnahuac (recognizably Cuernavaca), on the Day of the Dead in 1938. When I first heard this back in 1971, I had no idea of the references because I was yet to discover Malcolm Lowry.
The song features Jack Bruce on vocals, bass, piano, organ, cellos; Chris Spedding: Guitars and John Marshall: Percussion. The words to the song were written by Pete Brown. The track was produced by Jack Bruce, recorded in January 1971 at Command Studios, London and was issued on the album Harmony Row as well as coming out on 45.
When he walks from the consul at sunset Barely remembers his name Walk is a little unsteady, sadly But he knows most of all that he's living beneath the volcano Won't be so many more days Isn't muc...
When he walks from the consul at sunset
Barely remembers his name
Walk is a little unsteady, sadly
But he knows most of all that he's living beneath the volcano
Won't be so many more days
Isn't much time and it's gathering darkness, my friend
He's been going too far in his drinking
Running a little too fat
Eyelids becoming so heavy, sadly
But he tries not to sleep while he's living beneath the volcano
Won't be so many more days
Isn't much time and it's gathering darkness, my friend
Though the fireflies laugh in the dusklight
It's the Festival of Death
Crowd is all laughter, it's hollow, sadly
They may kill death tonight, but they still live beneath the volcano
Won't be so many more days
Isn't much time and it's gathering darkness, my friend.
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Its a great song, beautifully constructed. Back in 1973 or 74 I was on a music mag and interviewed Pete Brown, whose work I liked, as well as Lowry's. I especially asked about this song and he told me JB was a fan of Lowry's work and had collected some of the chocolate skulls and skeletons and other Mexican Day of the Dead items... I love the way they play this song, the laid-back piano and bass, great guitar and percussion. Also, that touch of Jack having the whisky and ice at the end. I figured JB liked Lowry and recognised a fellow imbiber...The title, Consul at Sunset, is, by the way, from a very different novel.
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