The Mutton Birds - White Valiant (live)

[@markbrooks4471]

These guys were consistently great, It's a great mystery to me why they were so overlooked after all their great albums. A world-class act. Found this one by accident. Don's lyric is a road movie put to song.

[@artslap7520]

Out of my entire music collection, this single song has many more plays than any other. there was a time when I would put this on repeat and listen to it over and over and over. I've progressed to playing it o guitar now and will never get tired of it ever.

[@smidon]

Wow. I can scarcely believe that it’s 2023 and only now have I heard this song. It’s beautiful and eerie - is he a good guy or what? Brilliant. Thank you Don McGlashan

[@fractalnomics]

I rank this song as one of the greatest written - it's got it all. As dark and haunting as Springsteen's Nebraska.

[@CHRISTOPHERVEALE]

Best artist I saw I. NZ lived there many yrs still .y go to ocas love it cher bro

[@richardbrown5420]

Wow - so glad to hear this song again after all these years. When I first heard it in the 90s I thought it was a heart-warming tale of a teenage runaway (from the family that moved in up the valley) being given a lift by some old guy and them stumbling across a free music festival or something when forced to take a detour. Reading the comments and listening again I had completely missed the sinister undertone! In my defense the vocal melody is so beatiful and the last line of "remember where we left the car..." sounded like something you say to a family member so you can meet up again if you get seperated. It suggested to me that they were going to continue their journey together - an unlikely bond had been formed between 2 lonely strangers. Not so sure now... especially with the drum fill at the end. And yes I'm a bit late to the conversation, but later late than never eh? 😃

[@ernieneedham199]

Amazing NZ , Musios . Timeless , it’s an 80’s track. I think it’s one of the Kiwi Best , Well done Andrew , Fagin ? 😊 ‘

[@stephenrobinson1648]

Loved the Mutton Birds....saw them opening for Peter Gabriel at Mount Smart in 1994. Had no idea who they were but they left a big impression, and I saw them on tour several time when I was back home in Canada. Fantastic band.

[@stephenrobinson1648]

And to add.....the day after the Mount Smart gig, I took a flight to Sydney. Who sat beside me on the flight but Don McGlashan, and we had a nice chat. He was going to Australia to mix the album that became Salty. I'm a big fan, and saw them several times in Canada (Montreal and Wakefield, Quebec) promoting Salty. Good times.

[@kainehansen4067]

My favourite Mutton Birds song. Says so much about the community of NZ; helping and consideration.

[@LeeBee-hs6mj]

It's interesting that you see it that way. I think it is very menacing and sinister. I don't think the hitchhiker made it to their destination.

[@flamencoprof]

Rapt to find this, An old memory of a song that prompted at the time older memories of events like Nambassa. Can't find so far The Front Lawn's "Hello, How are Ya", which I remember with affection and would like to show to someone.

[@finscontingencyplan7005]

How You Doin is the name of the tune and it's on youtube.

[@flamencoprof]

@@finscontingencyplan7005 Oh! Thanks for the title. The keyword I wrote is "show"; "on youtube" is true for the tune, but there was a video, prob done on K Road that I remember. So awkward! Thanks again, bookmarked the audio.

[@elise5214]

A Martin Phillipps esque riff to boot ... a cool reference for an eerie song

[@FCAhound]

I'm not a kiwi but your music has always made me wish I was. Don's songs are sound films - this above most. Hair on the back of the neck stuff.........

[@rhysjones8953]

are band did the support in ponty arts center wales uk, nice

[@MikeBudden]

The Chills and JPS Experience

[@Wathen66]

Yes, a superb song. Very eerie. I'd always thought that the song was written from the point of view of some sort of deranged sex criminal, whether serial killer or rapist or such like. A story like you'd get in a scary movie or 'psychological thriller'. Have we ever heard Don McGlashan speaking about it?

[@MikeBudden]

Plus eins

[@pattiern]

What a Creepy song. I think it's great. Is there a story behind this song?

[@dracovenit9549]

Yes it is about a murder in the south Island.

[@fossilmatic]

I always thought it was less specific, but growing up it reminded me of the mystery around the Mona Blades disappearance amongst others. New Zealand has many such unexplained cold cases: Jennifer Beard, Tracey Anne Patient, Heidi Parkonnen , Kirsty Bentley.... and so often the missing piece seems to revolve around a car.

[@CSM393]

A car. Villiant is a type of car. The lyrics say at the end he lost his keys to his White Villiant. Tougecand cheek!

[@campgalley]

epic

[@red1964]

Wierdly scary song. I always had the impression that the character singing the song is actually the devil, and the white Valiant is parked up in hell's car park. Brilliant, as the Birds always were.

[@fratertater6130]

Grant Morrison brought me here.

[@thingfish000]

Me too! "Nameless" is the scariest, bloodiest book I've read.

[@rhysjones8953]

mc78