Thursday CarTune: Angela by The Lumineers

The Song
Angela falls into the category of “running away songs” that would also include of course, Born To Run by Bruce Springsteen, She’s Leaving Home by the Beatles, and Fast Car by Tracy Chapman. The lyrics are a bit enigmatic. Only a hint is given for Angela’s desire to flee her hometown.

The strangers in this town,
They raise you up just to cut you down
Oh Angela it’s a long time coming

Like many of The Lumineers songs, Angela is sparse and a bit haunting. With the guitar capoed up four frets and the D minor between the G and the C, simple piano chords, and a cello droning in the background, the song begins with a sad, almost introspective tone but builds to a hopeful finish as our heroine finds her way out of town to begin her new life.

The Band
The Lumineers have been around (though not under that name) since 2002 when bandmates Wesley Schultz and Jeremiah Fraites started writing and performing together in their home state of New Jersey. After bouncing around the New York area writing and playing as a duo between working odd jobs to pay the bills, Schultz and Fraites moved to Denver hoping to be able to focus more on their music in 2009. When cellist and recent music school graduate Neyla Pekarek answered a Craigslist ad and agreed to join the band, their fate was sealed. Eventually the trio found their sound and it wasn’t long before they had a hit on their hands with the song Ho Hey. In 2013, Gale Song was featured in the film, Hunger Games – Catching Fire. And when their hit Stubborn Love found its way onto President Obama’s iTunes playlist last year it brought the band to a whole new level of cool.

The Lumineers are currently finishing their most recent world tour promoting their second album “Cleopatra” with a few dates left in July and August. They also had the honor of opening for U2 on their Joshua Tree tour.

The Car
The Volvo 240 is an iconic sedan. It’s the car most people picture when you say the word Volvo. Boxy, solid, comfortable, and yes, safe, it was in production with only minor variations for a remarkable 19 years from 1974 to 1993. During that time Volvo sold over 2.8 million 200 series sedans, wagons, and coupes, all rear-wheel drive and most with in-line 4-cylinder engines. It’s claim to fame wasn’t style, comfort, or performance. It was all about safety and a minimalist Swedish ethic that earned it this place pop culture via the movie “Crazy People” starring Dudley Moore and Paul Reiser.

The 240 in all its variations is much loved today and good examples – as this 1993 240 Limited Edition that’s currently for sale on ebay appears to be – can fetch a fair sum for a boring sedan with middling performance. All that being said, if I had room in my garage, I’d be very tempted to make this car mine.