Chicago’s Dangerous Chairs, is comprised of “Little Dave” Merriman from The Arrivals, Jim Mertz, Andy Cline, Chris “The Kid” Landefeld, and Brian Fee. It’s a new group with veteran musicians and a 2022 debut album, “Introducing Dangerous Chairs.” The record is loaded with evocative tunes. Among those in this night’s set were “Jeweler’s Lens,” “Slow Bleed,” “Regret Song,” “Statue,” and “Rooftops.” Just as The Brokedowns reminded me of another filmed piece of pop culture, so too did the Dangerous Chairs tune “Superman Is Painless.” It immediately made me think of a song from the iconic film M*A*S*H. An instrumental version of the tune also served as the theme for the equally iconic television adaptation. Turns out I had good reason. Per Merriman:
“It’s a play on Suicide is Painless, the theme to M*A*S*H, along with the fact that he commits suicide in the song and also that he would always feel no pain.” That’s a pretty heavy description with lyrics even heavier:
“Problematic Superman
As tired as he’s old
His emblem hides his broken heart
and his deeds all seem so cold…”
“...The only way to kill the man
Could only come from his own hand
And when we found him dead at least
You’d think we’d understood”
Apparently I was not the only one to think of the tragic story of the man who first played Superman. Merriman again,
“Andy, one of the guitarists, mentioned the George Reeves connection after it was named.”
Dangerous Chairs ventures into dark waters but does it so well. I am looking forward to hearing more from this group.