David Ackles
Five & Dime

“And Satan answered the Lord: «Skin for skin; all that a man has he will give for his life. But stretch out your hand and touch his bone and flesh, and he will surely curse you to your face!» The Lord said to Satan: «Behold, he is in your hands! Only spare his life».” (Job, I, vv.4-6).

This is the story of David Ackles who, despite everything, never raised his fist against his Lord and was one of the greatest American singer-songwriters, but few know this.

The Lord gives, the Lord takes away, he throws you into life and distributes the roles. And it's better not to play dice with him.

It's known: not everyone can have the role of the lead, and even the other main roles are quickly taken. So it's better not to get distracted if you don’t want to end up as a background actor in life.

And David was not destined to be a protagonist, but not a mere extra either; born into a family of artists, he tasted the dust of the stage early: at four years old, he was already performing in a duo with his sister.

“My dad played the bass, and mum played the drums, and I played the piano, and Jesus sang the song” (Family Band)

And so here is the perfect role for him: the friend of the protagonist.

Rusty is a big nice dog, dogs were popular in those years (we're in '49), they made movies and TV series about them; they made seven about Rusty. Rusty's owner is a nice kid, Danny Mitchell, and Danny has a friend, Tuck Worden. Tuck is our David (though his name wouldn't be credited). But Rusty isn't Rin tin tin or Lassie, so – after a while – he disappears, and not many will notice. Because even among dogs, not all can be the protagonist.

Indeed: the Lord gives and the Lord takes away. He distributes the roles, and I suspect he has a great time doing it.

"Love is not that way, dear God he'll play" (Candy Man)

So here's the second role ready for David: the magnificent loser.

Ah, how I love the “beautiful losers”!

Chiara also liked those who were beautiful and losing. I used to steal beers from supermarkets for her. But she was beautiful, and I was just a loser. So, in the end, she married a dentist. But this is, really, another story.

And so, David first veers off course, even gets to know the reformatory; then he discovers poetry, flies to Scotland. In Edinburgh, he studies English literature and German philology. Back in his homeland, he attends courses in film technique and history at the University Of Southern California.

Then he does everything: piano bar pianist, car salesman, gardener, security guard in a toilet paper factory (!), private detective. Until, investigating the wrong people, he ends up in deep trouble and even risks his life, then decides it's better to return to music.

“I met a man, a fine young man, in a broken down jail, And he told me "Friend, don't be afraid to live. You know it doesn't matter if you fail" Then he smiled” (Out on The Road).

Jac Holzman is someone with an eye for talent. He listens to David and realizes the guy has talent, takes him to Elektra and tries to have his songs interpreted by some of his artists. No one fits. In the end, he decides that, okay, David will sing those songs himself.

It's 1968, David is 31 years old and releases “David Ackles”, his first LP. And 31 years is a lot at a time when the business of youth is being discovered.

“David Ackles” is beautiful. Trust me. If you've never heard it, look for it: it's beautiful. Inside are songs like “His Name Is Andrew” or “The Road To Cairo”.

Then he records two more, “Subway To The Country” and “American Gothic”, equally beautiful, for some even more so.

Lyrics that are punches and music that caresses while scratching.

But it's not enough. The applause of the critics nor the appreciation of colleagues is not enough. Someone will interpret his pieces, famous people like Julie Driscoll or Harry Belafonte, even Bernie Taupin steps up to produce “American Gothic”. But nothing, success does not arrive.

Elektra drops him.

“Shall we accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” (Job II, v.10)

Clive Davis is the president of CBS/Columbia. He is someone who has an eye for talent. He listened to “American Gothic” and was captivated by it. He decides that David will be the “new Leonard Cohen”.

But that's a lead role, not the part for David.

And so, David starts working on his fourth album. “Five & Dime”. David wants to compose a fresco, a small concept of everyday life. Little snapshots of ordinary people in 1973 America. He doesn't go to the studios, records them at home with a four-track. It's the usual David Ackles: crystal-clear class, ultra-refined arrangements (Van Dyke Parks?), this time a bit less baroque, words, music, and that voice. That voice between Scott Walker and Fred Neil. That style a bit Leon Russell and a bit Leonard Cohen and a bit Randy Newman. His deep and expressive baritone. And the always extraordinary lyrics, perhaps just a little less harsh than other times.

Some say this is his weakest record. The only flaw of “Five & Dime” is coming after three absolute masterpieces like “David Ackles”, “Subway To The Country” and “American Gothic”, but how many singer-songwriters would give their soul for a record like this? “Aberfan” sing it at my funeral.

Why didn't someone like this succeed? He was neither too strange, nor too little strange, nor too complicated, nor too easy, nor too ugly, nor too unsympathetic nor any other nonsense you might have in mind. Why?

“Behold, God is exalted in his power; who is a teacher like him? Who has prescribed his ways for him, or said to him, «You have done wrong».” (Job, XXXVI, vv. 22-23)

“Five & Dime” could be the breakthrough album. Yet CBS fires Clive Davis (a bad story of reimbursements and money), the only one who believed in David. The album is not supported. It's a flop. David does not get his contract renewed. You say: Chance, Misfortune; damn Fortune.

The Lord gives, the Lord takes away, he throws you into life and then decides the roles, and David's role is not that of the protagonist.

But David's faith remains firm, the only thing truly firm in his life.

“He sang in the arms of God as he strummed” (His Name Is Andrew)

So he takes his Janice and goes to live in Tujunga, near Los Angeles, on a farm, with their children. He writes for television and cinema, teaches theater. In short, he carries on.

“What portion does God allot from above and what heritage does the Almighty from on high?” (Job, XXXI, v2)

Here is a new role: the survivor.

But it's not over here.

“The Lord said to Satan: «Behold, all that he has is in your power, only do not stretch out your hand against him». (Job, I, v.12).

And so, one morning in 1981, a drunk man crashed his car into David's car. The impact nearly tore his arm off.

Janice screamed to the doctors “save his arm, he's a pianist!” It took effort and suffering, pain and rehabilitation, four years to get back to playing the piano, even if only for short periods. The arm, however, never fully healed.

Still, he composed more. A musical (the dream of a lifetime), “Sister Aimee”. And it hardly matters if it was never released on record, it was performed in Chicago and Los Angeles. He even directed Brecht’s “The Threepenny Opera” for a university company.

And I would like to end it here.

But there is the final scene, his last role. Little Tuck Warden will perform it excellently. David will not avert his gaze from the Lord even when they take away his lung piece by piece, to fight the tumor.

And when the illness takes him away, he is only 62 years old. It's March 2, 1999.

Now you ask me: and the meaning, what is it?

“Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation? Tell me, if you have understanding! Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it? Where are its foundations set or who laid its cornerstone, while the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy? (Job, XXXVIII, vv. 4-10)

Do not ask: there is no meaning.

(To all those who were distracted when lead roles were assigned).