Jonathan Wilson creatively draws from everything around him. Whether he’s working with frequent collaborators such as Father John Misty or directing something dear to him, like his song “There’s a Light”, nothing is left unexplored. On his latest single, “Charlie Parker”, from his forthcoming album eat the wormthe multi-instrumentalist has channeled the tragic life story of another music legend.
Named after the late jazz pioneer Charlie “Bird” Parker, the song explores the saxophonist’s tragic battle with drug and alcohol addiction. Throughout the song, Wilson taps into the darkness that drug addicts face at their lowest points.
The second verse is the most piercing, as Wilson sang: “Well, I guess I needed cheap thrills and a long limo / I wanted whiskey and pretty ladies galore / I crouched down, and I got passed / I fell asleep under a satanic spell / I struggled with the substance, I struggled for the glory /, But I came back singing this melody / Yes, I came back whistling a pretty melody / So said melody, it’s gonna happen now.
In a statement, Wilson discussed the inspiration behind the song, saying, “‘Charlie Parker’ is one of my favorite songs on eat the worm. It’s a fantastic, fictional flight of fancy and fantasy. It also evokes the ups and downs of my life over the past decade as a touring musician and more. It’s filled with strings, horns, fuzzy guitars, tube bells, and a few bebop elements as well, hence the name. In a way, “Charlie Parker” encompasses what the new record is about adventure, fidelity and fun. »
Listen to the full track above. Check eat the worms tracklist below.
- “Marzipan”
- “Grace”
- “Old Father’s Time”
- “Hollywood Vape”
- “The village is dead”
- “Wim Hoff”
- “And There you go”
- “Charlie Parker”
- “Hello my love”
- “Stud Ram” (exclusive vinyl)
- “BFF”
- “Is here”
- “Ridin’ In A Me”
eat the worm was released on 9/8 via BMG. Find more information here.