From: les@jmdl.com (onlyJMDL Digest) To: onlyjoni-digest@smoe.org Subject: onlyJMDL Digest V1 #131 Reply-To: joni@smoe.org Sender: les@jmdl.com Errors-To: les@jmdl.com Precedence: bulk onlyJMDL Digest Monday, July 26 1999 Volume 01 : Number 131 The Laborday JoniFest is happening this fall! For information: send a message to Join the mailing list at: ------- The Official Joni Mitchell Homepage is maintained by Wally Breese at http://www.jonimitchell.com and contains the latest news, a detailed bio, original interviews and essays, lyrics, and much more. ------- The JMDL website can be found at http://www.jmdl.com and contains interviews, articles, the member gallery, archives, and much more. ========== TOPICS and authors in this Digest: -------- Re: UK meet [AzeemAK@aol.com] Another Joni cover [AzeemAK@aol.com] Re: Just a trick on ya & 'The Priest' [Siresorrow@aol.com] Electricity ["Takats, Angela" ] Flowers of A Lifetime [Michael Paz ] Joni Muzak!!JC ["Russell Bowden" ] Re: Just a trick on ya & 'The Priest' ["Mark or Travis" ] Re: Just a trick on ya & 'The Priest' [Deb Messling ] Re: Just a trick on ya & 'The Priest' [Mark Domyancich ] The Secret Of Life ["Jim L'Hommedieu" ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 25 Jul 1999 16:24:36 EDT From: AzeemAK@aol.com Subject: Re: UK meet In a message dated 24/07/99 12:41:25 GMT Daylight Time, catman@ethericcats.demon.co.uk writes: << Three people have responded favourably to the bank Holiday weekend so far. No one else has responded. The other 'list' appears not to be working. Jason, Kevin, Christopher and myself can all do the Bank Holiday. >> I haven't seen anything else about this Colin, so there could be a gremlin. Anyway, if you're talking about the last weekend in August (which I'm sure you are but I lose track of these bank holidays), count me in too. Azeem ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 25 Jul 1999 16:24:37 EDT From: AzeemAK@aol.com Subject: Another Joni cover So there I was, firing up my computer to download my JMDL email, choosing which one of the 5 CDs I'd bought this afternoon to play - relax folks, they're all second hand, and cost me a total of ten pounds (and I've just discovered that my new-ish computer doesn't have the pound sign on it - grrr!)... Anyway, I plumped for Caroline Lavelle's "Spirit". I'd heard good things about her, and for one pound it seemed to be worth the risk. And blow me down if I didn't glance at the back of the case and spot the words "A Case of You"! Don't know if anyone else has heard this; it came out in 1995. It's a gorgeous album, produced by William Orbit, combining subtle dance rhythms with beautifully organic instruments (Lavelle plays the cello, and the great English violinist Nigel Kennedy guests). She has a great voice too. The bad news is that the Joni cover doesn't work: I tried to imagine "A Case of You" with a dance beat and decided that she probably wouldn't try it, but they had a go, and it sounds all wrong, and it's also the only song on the album where her voice sounds uncertain - perhaps she was thinking "uh-oh, this is a fabulous song by my hero, and we're making a dog's dinner of it". While on the subject, I've got a couple of Joni covers that may be unfamiliar to most of you good people: Ian Shaw's "This Flight Tonight" (not bad), Mathilde Santing's "I had a King" (superb), a couple of Christine Collister's (I think you know how I feel about the divine Ms C); I don't know much about tape trees, but if they're the sort of items that fit on the trees, somebody let me know to whom I should send recordings. Azeem in London NP: Caroline Lavelle, "Sleep Now" (appropriate, as I'll be turning in soon...) ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 25 Jul 1999 16:36:17 EDT From: Siresorrow@aol.com Subject: Re: Just a trick on ya & 'The Priest' In a message dated 7/24/99 2:15:28 PM Eastern Daylight Time, mark-n-travis@worldnet.att.net writes: << Now the trials are trumpet scored Oh will we pass the test? Or just as one loves more & more Will one love less & less? Oh come let's run from this ring we're in Where the Christians clap and the Germans grin Crying let them lose Crying let them win Oh make them both confess! >> ok, here goes a crack at it. codeb's post was really nice. it made me want to be there, one of the two at the bar, feeling that intense human complexity. i listened to the song to get the feel again. first, it feels like an irish song. has a little bounce to it. maybe a jig. but very minor sounding, dark and gloomy. it seems to me that her religion is totally twined up with this song. she sees a disparity between the church's paradox of separating the human and the divine. maybe she is mad because to be fully human in the eyes of the church means to be sinful, which means we are bad. but to believe in god as a christitian is to believe in a god who became fully human and thus just like us. so she is confused by the priest's nobel ideas but very human desires. the germans are the philosophers. the nihilists. the existentialists. they hold her true truth....the mind knows better than to believe. But her heart wants to believe. But the priest has also shown his valentines to her. so there is a fight in the circle, where the christians clap and the germans grin. and we know on the last song of the album we are mere captives in the circle game. we can't return, we can only look behind from where we came. so she can't reach her faith at this point in time. what a great idea: make them both confess. the christians and the philosophers. make them both tell all they know, with out the need to be right. only honest. that would be beautiful. we'd learn so much. keep in mind this is circa 1967. post killauren, her greatest personal loss. at that time in her life, the germans had won over the christians. the mind knew more. the heart was given to fantasy. truth came with the edge of a knife. with the loss of her daughter. oh, but what a wonderful picture to overlay the mid to late '90's on top of her mid to late '60's songs. now we have the full picture. did the german's really win joni's heart? or did she find the true confessions of both sides of the coin. the heart and the mind. the christians and the germans. the gods and the humans. the dreams and the realities. does she love more or does she love less? i think it is fair to say that the two most moving moments in joni's life were the loss and reunion of and with her daughter. now she loves more. she has grandchildren. she's gone full circle, but ended up with more, than less. nihilism is over for her. but at that time, it was very very real. it almost hurts to think about it. that's my best shot at it. ss. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 26 Jul 1999 08:42:19 +1000 From: "Takats, Angela" Subject: Electricity Clark wrote: <> I've always loved this song...even though I've never quite "got it"....I really have no idea what 'deeper meaning' there is...but it doesn't stop me from being totally mezmorised by it. This song seems to just float along, so beautifully, so intense in parts "like a heart beat" and then light and fluffy in others....that last "too eeeeeeeeeasy" is just magical and always makes me smile "oh joni". Haven't even attempted to work this one out on the guitar. I think we've discussed this song before, but if anyone has some new ideas on the deeper meaning I would be all ears!!! Ange Sydney ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 25 Jul 1999 17:45:07 -0500 From: Michael Paz Subject: Flowers of A Lifetime Hello List and Happy Lazy Sunday- Has anyone heard of a recording released (a boot of course) called Flower of A Lifetime by Joni Mitchell?? I came across someone this weekend that told me they have a copy of this and will burn me a copy. Just trying to retrieve anymore info on it while I am writhing with anticipation. Could it be something we have not heard yet? Or is it just another renamed release of a boot we already know about and have in our collections? Or being that it's the anniversary of Woodstock am I having a flashback from some of that brown acid? Any info would be appreciated. Michael NP-Love of My Life-Santana with Dave Matthew's scratch the lazy Sunday part I have just been informed I have to go cut the lawn ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 25 Jul 1999 16:18:04 PDT From: "Russell Bowden" Subject: Joni Muzak!!JC Hello All. Here I am in Maine visiting family for the month of July. The other day I was on hold with ATT Phoe customer service when what to my wondering ears did appear but a very familiar percussion opening to "In France They Kiss On Main Street" Sure enough I had the pleasure of hearing the entire song (instrumental only). I never thought I would say it, but it was a wonderful three and a half minutes. Every note and inflection of the vocal part was there. Probably one of those things I'll never hear again. Glad I caught it. It just goes to show that the genius of My Goddess of Song can withstand even Muzak and come through gracefully. To those of you who remember my saying a few months back that I had never heard TI (a HUGE fan for 25 years, mind you). Well, I decided to take the plunge and requested a copy for my birthday. (June 13) My sister sent it to me in San Francisco. (Tension mounting) Unwrapped, popped it in......expectation a fever pitch now.....and was swept into Sunny Sunday. Verdict: It is the best thing I've heard since Hejira....and is tied for greatest. EVERY SONG won me on the FIRST hearing. First time since Blue THAT has happened. My ears and mind are so much richer for this and I thank Joni (Thank You, Joni Mitchell) for being beyond any talent living. IMHO. Back to SF nest week, then immediately off to Eugene, OR to live with my partner (Brent) who is moving to the US from Japan so we can start a life together. Yeah, a commitment. Wish us luck!!! He is not a Joni fan (yet)but he'll be hearing plenty of her from the CD player and my hands on the piano!!! Hope you all are hanging in there. Look forward to begin posting regularly when we get settled. Love, Russ _______________________________________________________________ Get Free Email and Do More On The Web. Visit http://www.msn.com ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 25 Jul 1999 16:49:57 -0700 From: "Mark or Travis" Subject: Re: Just a trick on ya & 'The Priest' > > ok, here goes a crack at it. codeb's post was really nice. it made me want > to be there, one of the two at the bar, feeling that intense human complexity. > > i listened to the song to get the feel again....... (snip) ....the dreams and the realities. does she love more or > does she love less? Very interesting! There's certainly a lot to think about here. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I've been wondering if it is really a Roman Catholic priest she is talking about here or if the word has another or broader meaning. Catholic priests wear a special kind of collar but not (to my knowledge) a 'father's tie'. She refers to the man in Rainy Night House (Leonard Cohen, if what we've heard is true) as 'a holy man'. So is she really talking about a priest of the Church or some other kind of priest or 'holy man'? > > i think it is fair to say that the two most moving moments in joni's life > were the loss and reunion of and with her daughter. now she loves more. she > has grandchildren. she's gone full circle, but ended up with more, than > less. I certainly agree with this. I've said before that a lot of Joni's music was colored by the loss of that child with a sadness and longing that goes deeper than just your ordinary torch song. And in Taming the Tiger we begin to hear the voice of someone who is finally at peace with themselves and can at last allow themselves to be happy. > it almost hurts to think about it. > It does indeed. > that's my best shot at it. ss. Thank you for your thoughts. Your screen name kind of leaps out at me. I love that particular song. I think it's one of the finest things Joni has done. But it came at a point of my life when I was all too ready to believe it. I had to finally stop listening to it. But I do still love & admire it. I know its source is biblical but it still reminds me of Euripides or Sophocles. Mark in Seattle ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 25 Jul 1999 20:47:03 EDT From: RMuRocks@aol.com Subject: Back from Vacation (and caught up) Hi all, Just got back from the beach yesterday, and it was a good week to be there with an ocean to jump into and plenty of refreshing beverages on ice! Temps on the South Carolina coast were around 100 all week. Since I've spent a couple hours catching up with all the listmail from the last week, I'll make a couple comments: Re: the Kennedy Story - because I only listen to my jambox all week and only read old Vanity Fairs & novels, I didn't even know about the story until I went into town from the beach house on Monday and saw the headline in the paper. So it IS possible to isolate onesself from the media feeding frenzy if you wish, you just have to pick the right media! :~) Re: The great Close Encounters with Joni, congratulations to you and thanks for sharing the stories...hope there's more! Re: "The Haunting" - loved the original, saw it a couple months ago, it's so creepy! ( I have NO interest in the new Hollywood screw-up)...plus, I remember a short film based on Jackson's "The Lottery" that I saw in English Class in High School, that was equally creepy. One of the pieces I read at the beach was the original short story "The Birds" by Daphne DeMaurier that Hitchcock based his film on. There was very little similarity really, the story was much more scary, again because I think your mind can conjure up such more frightening images. And someone mentioned Jaws, I remember the summer THAT came out and I was at the beach, very few of us went into the water and when we did we were doing some serious watching of the waves! While at the beach, I started each day with a cup of coffee and a Joni record. I was hoping to run through her whole catalog but didn't. I think the one I enjoyed the most was FTR, such a beautiful record...Hejira has it beat for poetry and imagery, but as far as a giant Binney & Smith collection of glorious colors, FTR is it. Of course there's no sense in comparing one to the other anyway, it's like picking which one of your kids is your favorite - I love them all in different ways. Ironically, this beach trip used to be with very close friends and there was always so much great conversation there - now it's mostly family and I have to come home to the list to pick up on the truly GOOD conversation! Bob, tanned, rested & ready NP: JT, "Mud Slide Slim & The Blue Horizon" ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 25 Jul 1999 19:31:09 -0600 From: Kate Subject: mimi knows everyone Hi Mimi Boy do I envy you. Not only have you sat on the grass with my favourite singer, but your girlfriend Rebecca Jenkins is my favourite actor! Some folks have all the luck...! Kate - --Weird Aunt Kate's Letter Out http://www.connect.ab.ca/~katej/auntkate/ ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 25 Jul 1999 22:23:45 -0400 From: Deb Messling Subject: Re: Just a trick on ya & 'The Priest' Mark said: >I've been wondering if it is really a Roman Catholic priest she is >talking about here or if the word has another or broader meaning. >Catholic priests wear a special kind of collar but not (to my >knowledge) a 'father's tie'. I've always assumed, sinner that I am, that the priest was wearing his father's tie as an *escape* from his clerical collar. He was sitting in that bar disguising himself as a regular guy, and almost fishing for a forbidden relationship. Deb Messling messling@enter.net http://www.enter.net/~messling/ ~there are only three kinds of people: those who can count, and those who can't. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 25 Jul 1999 21:35:26 -0500 From: Mark Domyancich Subject: Re: Just a trick on ya & 'The Priest' But what about the lines "He said, you wouldn't like it here, no, it's no place you should share?" Is he saying that if they were together they would have to be together elsewhere? At 10:23 PM -0400 7/25/99, Deb Messling wrote: >I've always assumed, sinner that I am, that the priest was wearing his >father's tie as an *escape* from his clerical collar. He was sitting in >that bar disguising himself as a regular guy, and almost fishing for a >forbidden relationship. ____________________________ | Mark Domyancich | | Harpua@revealed.net | | home.revealed.net/Harpua | |__________________________| ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 25 Jul 1999 22:46:32 EDT From: IVPAUL42@aol.com Subject: Re: Just a trick on ya & 'The Priest' In a message dated 7/25/99 10:37:32 PM Eastern Daylight Time, Harpua@revealed.net writes: << At 10:23 PM -0400 7/25/99, Deb Messling wrote: >I've always assumed, sinner that I am, that the priest was wearing his >father's tie as an *escape* from his clerical collar. He was sitting in >that bar disguising himself as a regular guy, and almost fishing for a >forbidden relationship. >> I always took it to mean he was wearing his usual collar, since priests are called "Father," it meant he was in "uniform," and not in disguise. Paul I ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 26 Jul 1999 13:47:07 +1000 From: "Takats, Angela" Subject: joni moment Hey Listers, Just a quick little warm and fuzzy joni moment....talking to my friend on the phone (she lives in Tasmania - island state off the coast of Australia) and I can hear something very familiar...a familiar tune, could it be joni, and I'm like "what's that music in the background" and she's like "it's the TV"...it was our morning current affairs program called "Today", and they were doing a closer on Kakadu National Park, with "Tiger Bones" (TTT) playing over it.....it was a beautiful choice and worked so well with the pictures....made me very happy. So I thought I'd share the joyous moment with you all. Ange Sydney ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 26 Jul 1999 00:19:25 -0400 From: "Jim L'Hommedieu" Subject: The Secret Of Life The secret of life is hugely over-rated. It's not such a big deal. The meaning of life is to get your genes into the next generation. See? You knew that all along, right? From that perspective a search for *meaning* is very different. The search for meaning is a philosophical question. Are there any philosophers in the house, in the house? - -- All the best, Jim L'Hommedieu ** Get well Wally! ** Tolerance, tolerance, tol... np: "Radio Plastic Jennifer" by bryan thomas ------------------------------ End of onlyJMDL Digest V1 #131 ****************************** The Song and Album Voting Booths are open! Cast your votes by clicking the links at http://www.jmdl.com/gallery username: jimdle password: siquomb ------- Don't forget about these ongoing projects: Glossary project: Send a blank message to for all the details. FAQ Project: Help compile the JMDL FAQ. 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