A good but underappreciated album is one by the ex-Rainbow keysman, Tony Carey, an album which in fact has his two hit singles on it. Despite what we may all think, he's a big hit in Europe, but over here really only known for the two hits and for the time he spent with Blackmore, most effectively on the seminal “Rising” album. But there's some great writing on this album, “Some tough city”, and it's one of those songs I'd like to concentrate on here. It is in fact one of his hit singles, so you may know it, or have heard it on the radio or MTV --- I recall around the early eighties it was doing the rounds with a pretty half-decent video.
A fine, fine day (Tony Carey) from “Some tough city”, 1984
Music and lyrics by Tony Carey
The song concerns an ex-con who has done his time in jail, and on his release returns to his old stomping grounds. Through the lyric and indeed the video we're given the impression he used to be something of a big noise in his neighbourhood, perhaps a crime boss. Calling a cab, he goes down towards Central Park and waits for the buzz to begin as people realise he's back. But no-one does. His time has past, and he must accept that the world has moved on without him.
It's a sobering tale, though of course it's hard to feel sympathy for someone who has broken the law and by all accounts has spent quite a long time inside ---
”You did your sittin'/ You did hard time” --- and in the video he's an old man, trying to hang on to the past and recapture former glories. Thinking he'll be hailed and revered when he gets out of the can, he's depressed and disappointed to find that time has moved on and left him behind.
However, there are those who have not forgotten him. Although his old crew all welcome him back with open arms, he's visited by people who are looking for revenge, as their boss tells the protagonist
”I see you made it back alright/ I see you're none the worse for wear” and soon afterwards “Uncle Sonny” is shot, dying in Tony's arms, perhaps a testament to your past catching up with you, or the tenacity of those who wait on the outside for you to be released so they can have their vengeance. As I said, a sobering tale.
“
When my Uncle Sonny blew back into town,
Said "I'll just go for a ride and have a look around."
And he took off his fedora, stuck his fingers in the crown,
And he pulled out twenty dollars and he laid that money down.
And he called out to a taxi cab, "Take me down to Central Park,
And keep that meter runnin' to the twenty dollar mark."
And he kept his eyes turned forward and he sat up straight and tall
And no one even noticed him, no one cared at all.
It's a fine, fine day for a reunion.
It's a fine, fine day for comin' home.
You did your sittin', you did hard time.
But you ain't gonna sit no more,
they can't keep you there no more.
It's a fine, fine day;
And nothin's gonna take it,
nothin's gonna take it away
It's a fine, fine day.
First time I saw Sonny I was just about this tall
And he always made my momma kinda crazy when he'd call.
Him and my old man would stand and whisper in the hall;
Then they'd disappear, and maybe not come home at all.
Then one day Sonny stopped comin' round
Heard he'd gotten himself into a little trouble out in town.
Sometime after that he finally disappeared for good:
And he pulled that ol' Houdini, like we always knew he would.
It's a fine, fine day for a reunion.
It's a fine, fine day for comin' home.
You did your sittin', you did hard time.
But you ain't gonna sit no more,
they can't keep you there no more.
It's a fine, fine day;
And nothin's gonna take it,
nothin's gonna take it away
It's a fine, fine day.
"I see you made it back alright, alright.
I see you're none the worse for wear.
It's been a long time comin':
Nothin's gonna drag you away from here!"
A fine, fine day!
And nothin's gonna take,
nothin's gonna take it away.
Oh yeah
A fine, fine day... fine day.”