On the record
By Casey Gillis on Jan. 18, 2008
Q: I want to download a song from the ’70s, but I don’t know the title of the song and who recorded it. It’s an acoustic song and the only lines I remember clearly are “even though we ain’t got money, I’m so in love with you honey.” Can you help me?
A: The song you’re looking for is “Danny’s Song” by Loggins and Messina. Kenny Loggins was a successful songwriter when he started working on his debut album with producer Jim Messina. The two enjoyed working together so much that the album was released under both their names and thus began their musical partnership. Loggins and Messina are remembered today for “Your Mama Don’t Dance,” their No. 4 hit from 1973. Loggins wrote “Danny’s Song” while he was a senior in high school. The “Danny” in the title is his brother. It was included on Loggins and Messina’s 1972 album “Sittin’ In.” It was also a hit for Anne Murray in 1973. Her version was a No. 1 A/C hit and reached the Top 10 on the pop and country charts.
Q: Can you identify the song that’s sampled in Kanye West’s “Champion?” It sounds very familiar to me.
A: “Champion,” from Kanye West’s 2007 album “Graduation,” uses a sample from Steely Dan’s “Kid Charlemagne.” West wrote the song about his father, and about the emotion that went into writing the song in a letter to Steely Dan’s Donald Fagen in an attempt to get permission to use the sample in the song. As you can hear, the letter worked. “Kid Charlemagne” was included on Steely Dan’s 1976 album, “The Royal Scam.”
Q: Twenty or thirty years ago, my father used to sing portions of a ballad about a West Virginia state trooper who was killed in a shoot-out. I remember my father saying that it was written and recorded by a state trooper in honor of his friend. I remember the lines, “Oh, he wears the green of West Virginia/with a silver badge upon his chest/Oh, he wears the green of West Virginia/and stands shoulder to shoulder with the best.” I believe the title might have been “The Green of West Virginia.” Do you know who wrote the song and who might have recorded it, and where I might get a copy of this recording?
A: As we were unfamiliar with this song, we contacted the West Virginia Troopers Association for help. Terry Campbell, the office manager, very kindly confirmed that you are correct in thinking that the song was entitled, “The Green of West Virginia.” According to Campbell, the song was written by Guy C. Davidson “on the side of the road at Flat Top, WVa.” Campbell also informed us that Davidson released ownership and copyrights to the West Virginia State Police during the 1950s. He says the song and lyrics are currently housed at the West Virginia State Police Academy, so you may want to contact that facility for further information. The Academy is located at 135 Academy Drive, Dunbar, WV 25064, and their telephone number is (304)766-2600. Finally, Campbell told us that Sgt. Greg Duckworth of the Beckley, WVa., Detachment of the West Virginia State Police, is working on a new recording of the song.
u What’s the name of that song? Where are they now? What does that lyric mean? Send your questions about songs, albums and musicians to
or visit http://www.musicontherecord.com. Brady and Maron are freelance music writers based in Raleigh, N.C.
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