Americana Highways presents this premiere of Logan Springer and the Wonderfully Wild’s song “Greenbacks and Gold” from their forthcoming album Crow, which is scheduled for release on March 3. Crow was recorded at Flat Black Studios in Lone Tree, Iowa; produced and arranged by Logan Springer & The Wonderfully Wild; and engineered and mixed by Luke Tweedy. It was mastered by Todd Rittman in Chicago. “Greenbacks and Gold” will be available on January 25.
“Greenbacks and Gold” is Logan Springer on vocals and guitars; Ben Schwing on bass, guitar, and backing vocals; Murray Lee Rice on piano, organ, and guitar; Tom Swanson on guitars and backing vocals; Craig Shehorn on drums, gong, and hand percussion; Brian Cooper on drums; and Chrissy Boyer and Erin Mooer on backing vocals.
Low down and driving, this song sets the stage for a robbery and the feeling of taking back what you desperately need, and what’s rightfully yours — and feeling like there’s no other way out. A touch of the sinister and a lot of relatable desperation mark this song.
“Greenbacks and Gold” is a song that was originally slotted to be on my first solo record, but it never quite came together the way I had hoped, and it got cut at the last minute. At the time, I was disappointed because lyrically, it was one of my favorites then as it is now, but the “sound” just wasn’t there. Once we got the full band together, I got a different feeling for the song, I changed the chord structure and changed from acoustic to electric guitar, and the band just absolutely nailed the sound I had in my head.
“Greenbacks and Gold” is a tale of a bank robbery that is about to happen but never does…at least in the song. The main character, I imagine, has just endured another long, unfulfilled work week with nothing to show but sore muscles and a feeling of rage from busting his back for an ungrateful, distant employer. He’s vowing to take back what he believes is rightfully his through any means necessary. This is the type of story I’ve heard countless times at dive bars all across the country, somebody spouting off about how they’re going to stick it to the man, but it’s only ever half serious. But maybe this time, he’s really going to do something about it and be the hero, the Robin Hood, of his own story, at least. I think we all like to daydream about taking back what is “owed” to us. We all want to be righteous in our quests. That’s what this song is really about, being the righteous hero, standing up to the bullies, and taking back what is ours, it’s a revolution song. And whether the act ever actually happens is secondary to the fact that it just plain feels good to imagine sometimes. — Logan Springer
Find the music here: https://loganspringerthewonderfullywild.bandcamp.com/
This band is fun!