Postcards From Cuba
With its Cuban rhythms provided by a group ensemble which includes keyboards and trumpet (on Harry's Gone Fishing), this song is Leon's most musically carefree since "Let Your Hair Hang Down" (1977). In the text, Leon takes a look around the place and (postcard-like) reports back what he sees. The images and events are real, based on a recent holiday, but the picture of Cuba which emerges is tinged with sadness. Subjected to economic blockade by the USA, everyone is hungry for US currency, turning the island into a tourist trap at the expense of its own culture. Nevertheless, Cuba is celebrated for being one of the few real examples of a society which, despite everything, remains outside of the global capitalist system.
"This is not an analysis of the politics and achievements of Cuba or of the effects of the long vindictive blockade by its mighty neighbour. It's simply a few personal snapshots of a three week holiday stretching through Xmas '98 and Revolution Day '99. It is, in fact, exactly what the title suggests - postcards that I would have sent if I hadn't been assured that they would never arrive." - LR (sleevenotes to Harry's Gone Fishing, 1999)
"For such a long song, with such long verses, 'Postcards From Cuba' hangs together pretty well, I think. Though there's no chorus, there are enough repeated word patterns and images to keep the form tight. The problems from the legalising of the dollar and the drive for tourism are, of course, part of the story but the song is essentially a fairly accurate description of what happened on a three week family holiday which took in Xmas 1998 and Revolution Day 1999 - with an upbeat coda for those who like to keep their dreams alive." - (Turning Silence Into Song (songbook), p45)
“The concentration is on very precise word pictures of the places we went to. But, of course, a political content is implied because otherwise it would be a rather pointless exercise in what we did on our holidays.” - LR (sleevenotes to The World Turned Upside Down (CD box set), p62)
"For such a long song, with such long verses, 'Postcards From Cuba' hangs together pretty well, I think. Though there's no chorus, there are enough repeated word patterns and images to keep the form tight. The problems from the legalising of the dollar and the drive for tourism are, of course, part of the story but the song is essentially a fairly accurate description of what happened on a three week family holiday which took in Xmas 1998 and Revolution Day 1999 - with an upbeat coda for those who like to keep their dreams alive." - (Turning Silence Into Song (songbook), p45)
“The concentration is on very precise word pictures of the places we went to. But, of course, a political content is implied because otherwise it would be a rather pointless exercise in what we did on our holidays.” - LR (sleevenotes to The World Turned Upside Down (CD box set), p62)
Recordings
Version 1 (1999)