From: owner-joni-digest@smoe.org (JMDL Digest) To: joni-digest@smoe.org Subject: JMDL Digest V2012 #205 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://jonimitchell.com JMDL Digest Wednesday, February 15 2012 Volume 2012 : Number 205 ========== TOPICS and authors in this Digest: -------- Re: Nathan [Betsy Blue ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 15 Feb 2012 09:03:59 -0800 From: Betsy Blue Subject: Re: Nathan I'm blaming my negative feelings about Chelsea Morning on Judy Collins. It's so cheerful that it sometimes grates. (Shawn Colvin saved Cactus Tree.) Pirate of Penance has always been a "wtf was she smoking?" song to me. Nathan La Franeer is beautiful and puposefully ugly for all the reasons below. I just want to add that the banshee is an early example of Joni's developing production skills. Later she added to "sound effects" in Car in a Hill, collaged commercials into Reocurring Dream, and created a carnival atmosphere on Harlem in Havana, among many others. Betsy NP Next to Me, Civil Twilight > > > Date: Wed, 15 Feb 2012 10:38:46 -0500 > From: "Robert Sartorius" > Subject: RE: Nathan > > Bob M replied to Betsy: > > "I get 2/3 of that...I've not heard HER do Midnight Cowboy, just Donal > Leace, > and it's nothing to write home about. Pirate of Penance is also really > terrible and doesn't belong on her first record when she had so many better > songs. She should have canned Nathan La Franeer as well, come to think of > it. > > But Chelsea Morning - I adore that one, those opening chords are just like > throwing open the blinds and letting in the rays of a beautiful new day. It > always makes me feel good." > > I 100% concur with Pirate of Penance. It does not fit the theme of the > album, which otherwise paints realistic portraits of life (in the city, and > by the seashore). Also, the musical style is Palinish to my ears. > > I also agree about Midnight Cowboy, which I have listened to only once (a > deliberate number) and Chelsea Morning (which I have played and sung on my > guitar many times - especially in the morning - as a "pick me up"). > > However, I am afraid that I must demur re Nathan. I love the lyrics of that > song, which fit well on the "I Came To The City" side. (The editor in me has > always changed the word "I'll" in line 4 to "we'll", and dislikes the > duplication of the phrase "shared a common space", but I digress.) Have you > ever met Nathan? I have. And having lived in NYC for a couple of years > during my early 20s, I can relate pretty strongly to the feelings expressed > on all 5 songs of side one. Moreover, Nathan serves as the transition, > taking her out of the city and down to the seaside (by way of the tunnel). > > Here's what tickles me: > > The alliteration (I would not be surprised if it turned out that this was > the song that "inspired" Helplessly Hoping.) Taking the cake were the lines > > With gangs and girly shows > The ghostly garden grows > > But others are not far behind > > crawled the canyons > tunnels tiled and turning > Burglar bells and wishing wells > Meter maids and peace parades > > Tickling phrases > > I hired a coach > Eyebrows furrowed > Grumbled at the grey > Through the tunnels tiled and turning into daylight (I love that line) > Filled it full of silver > Left the fingers counting > > And the whole last verse gets me - especially the way that she pans out near > the end to the endless (and empty) sky from the specific (and crowded) > scenes she leaves. > > He asked me for a dollar more > He cursed me to my face > He hated everyone who paid to ride > And share his common space > I picked my bags up from the curb > And stumbled to the door > Another man reached out his hand > Another hand reached out for more > And I filled it full of silver > And I left the fingers counting > And the sky goes on forever > Without meter maids and peace parades > > > Finally, the litmus test for me - I really have enjoyed playing and singing > this song over the years. It's just not in the same class as Pirate of > Penance. > > True, Joni had some "better songs" that she could have used on her first > record. But that record was a thematic one - and those other songs wouldn't > have fit the art she envisioned. (And I love the way Cactus Tree ties the > two sides together - the man who's been out sailing who takes her to his > schooner, and the lady in the city who thinks she loves them all). > > Bobsart ------------------------------ End of JMDL Digest V2012 #205 ***************************** ------- To post messages to the list, send tojoni@smoe.org. Unsubscribe by clicking here: mailto:joni-digest-request@smoe.org?body=unsubscribe -------