Post by FriendsofAN44 on Sept 20, 2006 18:24:52 GMT -5
Bob Seger just released a new album, and one of the songs on it (Face The Promise) has the following lyrics:
“I’m tired of this river, these nothin’ nights
I’m small-towned out, I need city lights.
So long Allegany, so long Olean.
I need to face the promise of the Promised Land.”
There has been an onoing debate in the Olean Times Herald about where Seger obtained the references to Olean and Allegany, and whether he ever played a concert here or not. Here is the latest article on the subject, and some do remember him appearing at SBU in the early 70's. I know there are several regulars on this board from that era (Chaz !) - can you add anything to this discussion ? Do you recall Bob Seger performing at Bona's ? Thanks and I look forward to the comments from some who were actually there. I'll forward them to the OTH too so they can finalize their article.
Seger’s history with area dates back 30 years
By RICK MILLER , Olean Times Herald
Bob Seger’s connection to the small towns of the Southern Tier he sings about in the title track of his new CD “Face The Promise” dates back more than 30 years.
The Detroit rocker played at least two gigs at St. Bonaventure University between 1971 and 1973 — playing first as The Bob Seger System and later as Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band.
“The Bob Seger System had a gig at the Reilly Center in the early 1970s,” wrote Dr. Michael Chiarello, a professor of political science and philosophy at St. Bonaventure University. He e-mailed the Olean Times Herald Monday after reading a story in Saturday’s edition looking for the singer/songwriter’s link to Allegany and Olean in “Face The Promise.”
In the song’s third verse, Mr. Seger, 61, sings:
“I’m tired of this river, these nothin’ nights
I’m small-towned out, I need city lights.
So long Allegany, so long Olean.
I need to face the promise of the Promised Land.”
Initial sources at St. Bonaventure did not recall Mr. Seger ever having played there.
Dr. Chairello wrote, “They had a hit protest song. I think it was about the draft, but they were not a big name and I missed the concert myself. I came to St. Bonaventure University in 1970.”
John Stevens, a university alumna from Olean, telephoned the newsroom and said, “I’m positive I went to see him (at St. Bonaventure). It was the early 1970s, ’71 to ’73. Right before he played at St. Bonaventure he formed the Silver Bullet Band.” He said he recalled the song “Night Moves.”
Another e-mail from Olean native Jon R. Orcutt said, “I believe Seger had biked through the area on his Harley. He has mentioned in interviews his love for taking bike trips, and one thing this region is known for is the love bikers have for it.”
In an e-mailed reply to Saturday’s online story, Patrick Ryan of Bradford, Pa., wrote, “Back in the early ’70s, Seger was somewhat well-known in this area because of his song from the late 1960s, “Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man.”
Mr. Ryan further wrote, “He played a social at St. Bonaventure when I was a student there. It was at Butler Hall, and it was not a concert but a dance. I would say it was in 1971 or 1972. The band was called the Bob Seger System. Seger was a great live performer and no surprise that he would become well-known nationally.”
The question remains: Why did the performer pull the names of Allegany and Olean in a song he wrote in 1998 and revised several times while recording the CD over the past three years?
“I’m tired of this river, these nothin’ nights
I’m small-towned out, I need city lights.
So long Allegany, so long Olean.
I need to face the promise of the Promised Land.”
There has been an onoing debate in the Olean Times Herald about where Seger obtained the references to Olean and Allegany, and whether he ever played a concert here or not. Here is the latest article on the subject, and some do remember him appearing at SBU in the early 70's. I know there are several regulars on this board from that era (Chaz !) - can you add anything to this discussion ? Do you recall Bob Seger performing at Bona's ? Thanks and I look forward to the comments from some who were actually there. I'll forward them to the OTH too so they can finalize their article.
Seger’s history with area dates back 30 years
By RICK MILLER , Olean Times Herald
Bob Seger’s connection to the small towns of the Southern Tier he sings about in the title track of his new CD “Face The Promise” dates back more than 30 years.
The Detroit rocker played at least two gigs at St. Bonaventure University between 1971 and 1973 — playing first as The Bob Seger System and later as Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band.
“The Bob Seger System had a gig at the Reilly Center in the early 1970s,” wrote Dr. Michael Chiarello, a professor of political science and philosophy at St. Bonaventure University. He e-mailed the Olean Times Herald Monday after reading a story in Saturday’s edition looking for the singer/songwriter’s link to Allegany and Olean in “Face The Promise.”
In the song’s third verse, Mr. Seger, 61, sings:
“I’m tired of this river, these nothin’ nights
I’m small-towned out, I need city lights.
So long Allegany, so long Olean.
I need to face the promise of the Promised Land.”
Initial sources at St. Bonaventure did not recall Mr. Seger ever having played there.
Dr. Chairello wrote, “They had a hit protest song. I think it was about the draft, but they were not a big name and I missed the concert myself. I came to St. Bonaventure University in 1970.”
John Stevens, a university alumna from Olean, telephoned the newsroom and said, “I’m positive I went to see him (at St. Bonaventure). It was the early 1970s, ’71 to ’73. Right before he played at St. Bonaventure he formed the Silver Bullet Band.” He said he recalled the song “Night Moves.”
Another e-mail from Olean native Jon R. Orcutt said, “I believe Seger had biked through the area on his Harley. He has mentioned in interviews his love for taking bike trips, and one thing this region is known for is the love bikers have for it.”
In an e-mailed reply to Saturday’s online story, Patrick Ryan of Bradford, Pa., wrote, “Back in the early ’70s, Seger was somewhat well-known in this area because of his song from the late 1960s, “Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man.”
Mr. Ryan further wrote, “He played a social at St. Bonaventure when I was a student there. It was at Butler Hall, and it was not a concert but a dance. I would say it was in 1971 or 1972. The band was called the Bob Seger System. Seger was a great live performer and no surprise that he would become well-known nationally.”
The question remains: Why did the performer pull the names of Allegany and Olean in a song he wrote in 1998 and revised several times while recording the CD over the past three years?
