Fallen angel - Robbie Robertson

I recently rediscovered Robbie Robertson's singles and then I realized that one was still missing from my collection. It's 'Fallen Angel', a track from the same album that contains 'Somewhere down the crazy river' and 'Showdown at big sky'. Both are excellent, but this one even more so. I mean, it contains vocals by Peter Gabriel! 

'Fallen angel' was actually the second single taken from Robbie's self-titled album, and also the least successful, inexplicably. It only made it to number 95 in the UK singles chart. Some things are just too weird for me.

My collection: 7" single no. 7575
Found: Discogs.com, received 6 February 2025
Tracks: 'Fallen angel' / 'Hell's half acre'

Somewhere down the crazy river - Robbie Robertson

Promotional singles can be confusing, especially when they are delivered in 'regular' sleeves. This Robbie Robertson single is a good example.

The sleeve announces the title track and a B-side, 'Broken arrow'. But the disc containes a remix edit and the LP version of 'Somewhere down the crazy river'. This is also why I wanted to have this disc - because it's great to have both versions of the song. The label of the disc clearly indicates 'For promo use only - Not for sale'. And fortunately, a sticker on the front sleeve also says 'Special radio sampler'. Which made me curious.

My collection: 7" single no. 7542
Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, 19 January 2025
Tracks: 'Somewhere down the crazy river (Remix/Edit)' / 'Somewhere down the crazy river (LP version)'

Showdown at big sky - Robbie Robertson

1987 was the year when the first cd player entered our house. Every disc my sister and me bought was played almost religiously, while we listened to the sound of this flawless disc. Of course, I was still very much into the 7" vinyl format, so when a great song came around that was released as a single, I bought it. It widened the scope of my musical tastes beyond radio material.

'Showdown at big sky' was one of those singles I never heard on the radio, but solely on my sister's copy of Robbie Robertson's cd 'Robbie Robertson'. A great song, which didn't chart in Europe.

My collection: 7" single no. 709
Found: 1987
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'Showdown at big sky' / 'Hell's half acre'

Somewhere down the crazy river - Robbie Robertson

When asked about the inspiration for the song 'Somewhere down the crazy river', producer Daniel Lanois commented: 'Robbie Robertson was describing what it was like to hang out in Arkansas with Levon Helm in his old neighbourhood. He was telling me about the hot nights and fishing with dynamite, and was asking someone for directions for someplace somewhere down the crazy river... I had presented him with this toy instrument that Eno introduced me to called the Suzuki Omnichord, like an electric autoharp. He found a little chord sequence with it that was sweet and wonderful. As he was developing his chord sequence I recorded him and superimposed his storytelling, which I was secretly recording, on top. That was the birth of 'Somewhere down the crazy river.' It's kind of like a guy with a deep voice telling you about steaming nights in Arkansas.'

The song was released as a single and became notable as Robertson's only solo hit in the UK, reaching number 15 on the UK singles chart. In the Dutch Top 40, it did even better, peaking at number 9.

My collection: 7" single no. 1540
Found: Record fair, October 27, 1991
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Somewhere down the crazy river' / 'American roulette'