From: owner-joni-digest@smoe.org (JMDL Digest) To: joni-digest@smoe.org Subject: JMDL Digest V2011 #365 Reply-To: joni@smoe.org Sender: owner-joni-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-joni-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk Unsubscribe: mailto:joni-digest-request@smoe.org?body=unsubscribe Website: http://jmdl.com JMDL Digest Wednesday, October 19 2011 Volume 2011 : Number 365 ========== TOPICS and authors in this Digest: -------- Re: Trouble Child [Bob Muller ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 19 Oct 2011 16:58:24 -0700 (PDT) From: Bob Muller Subject: Re: Trouble Child Hello sweet-a Anita! I have also enjoyed the discussion, thanks to Robin for kicking it off and everyone that contributed. I never made the connection with all of the water metaphors, so that was cool too. (And Mark, you DON'T go on too long; on the contrary, your analyses typically end too soon). The whole of C&S is multi-thematic I think, and one of the streams of theme running through it is mental health. People's Parties - I told you when I met you I was CRAZY Help Me - When I get this CRAZY feeling.... Just Like This Train - Jealous lovin' will make you CRAZY And then the bookends that conclude the album - Trouble Child and Twisted; one very heavy dealing with mental health issues and one very playful. As much as Hejira is my musical touchstone on any given day I'll call C&S my favorite Joni. Bob NP: Elton John, "First Episode at Hienton" ________________________________ From: Anita G To: Randy Remote Cc: Joni List Sent: Wednesday, October 19, 2011 9:40 PM Subject: Re: Trouble Child As always, some fascinating analyses of 'Trouble Child' with some great insights and ideas about the symbolism. I certainly hadn't considered heraldic links. I have always been particularly struck by the numbers of images about water in 'Trouble Child'. The 'river of changing faces looking for an ocean', trickling through leaky plans, dreams over dams, plus the 'breaking' of both the waves and the 'patient.' Again, I am struck by the existential truth the song contains when Joni comments about the 'shock' of finding the truth of our isolation. Why does it comes as such a shock to know we really have no-one? Why,indeed. On a personal level, I have been in hospital twice in my life struggling with my depression, and the first time was in 1974 when, i think, I first hear C&S. The song sure sang lots for me, although fortunately I was never quite mad enough to think Joni had written it for me! However, the Doctors I saw often felt like vastly superior dragons and I certainly felt my 'right to be human' was going over the dam. Now I am older, I feel the truth about our isolation that Joni writes so well about in this song is tempered by the understanding that the people who trickle through all kind of plans can still be very,very close. We can still experience great connection with one another no matter how fleeting the contact and, of course, we can be blessed to have people in our lives who love us dearly and stick around. However, the truth of the fact that we are ultimately all alone is one of the most poignant aspects of 'Trouble Child' for me. 'We all come and go unknown' in so many ways. So, for me, both 'Hejira' and 'Trouble Child' are closing linked, being brilliant comments on existential truths. Robin, I know we will do a great job on this tune! Love Anita ------------------------------ End of JMDL Digest V2011 #365 ***************************** ------- To post messages to the list, send to joni@smoe.org. Unsubscribe by clicking here: mailto:joni-digest-request@smoe.org?body=unsubscribe -------