From: owner-onlyjoni-digest@smoe.org (onlyJMDL Digest) To: onlyjoni-digest@smoe.org Subject: onlyJMDL Digest V2008 #88 Reply-To: joni@smoe.org Sender: owner-onlyjoni-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-onlyjoni-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk Archives: http://www.smoe.org/lists/onlyjoni Websites: http://www.jmdl.com http://www.jonimitchell.com Unsubscribe: mailto:onlyjoni-digest-request@smoe.org?body=unsubscribe onlyJMDL Digest Wednesday, June 25 2008 Volume 2008 : Number 088 ========== TOPICS and authors in this Digest: -------- Furry sings the blues [Michel BYRNE ] Great Lyricists Booklet [William Waddell ] Re: Furry sings the blues [Monika Bogdanowicz ] Re: ?? [Laura Stanley ] re: ?? [Laura Stanley ] Re: ?? ["Jamie's Box of Paints" ] Re: CBS Sunday Morning... now summer Joni [Laura Stanley ] Re: Furry Lewis and Joni [Jerry Notaro ] Spanking Joni Mitchell on YouTube and Gossip Girl [est86mlm@ameritech.net] From Bo [Peep Richman ] Re: Furry Lewis and Joni ["Kate Bennett" ] Re: Great Lyricists Booklet [Garret ] re:joni in the guardian ["joe farrell" ] RE: Great Lyricists Booklet [William Waddell ] Thoughts on LOTC (long) [Monika Bogdanowicz ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 24 Jun 2008 10:54:13 +0000 From: Michel BYRNE Subject: Furry sings the blues I agree with 'anon anon' that some share of royalties or one-off payment would have been gracious, although it might also have been interpreted as condescending. I cant agree with Monika, though - it's understandable that a musician living in abject poverty would be as mercenary as Furry was - he'd probably felt ripped off by the music industry for years, before this rich rock star breezed in for a visit . But hell, it's such a brilliant song! So simply constructed (every first section of the verse about the decaying neighbourhood, every second section about the encounter), but full of those 'exploding lines' folk were discussing recently, and also totally aware of the awkwardness of the meeting, the power imbalance that couldn't make this a successful encounter. Brilliant, intelligent, poetic - the most crafted song on 'Hejira', in my book. But I still feel for grumpy ol' Furry! Mich _________________________________________________________________ Great deals on almost anything at eBay.co.uk. Search, bid, find and win on eBay today! http://clk.atdmt.com/UKM/go/msnnkmgl0010000004ukm/direct/01/ ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 24 Jun 2008 12:37:11 +0000 From: William Waddell Subject: Great Lyricists Booklet Fellow JMDLers, Heres the forward by Lynne Truss for Great Lyricists Joni Mitchell in todays Guardian. 'I wrote a radio play a few years ago, setting it in 1973. Its 18-year-old heroine worked in a library, wore long frocks, had long, straight hair, and was completely autobiographical. Here is a short scene: A dulcimer guitar is strummed rather badly. LAURA (sings in a high screechy manner, the song patterned on Joni Mitchells A Case of You) I could read a stack of you, David A multi-volume set! (She retunes a string, and makes matters slightly worse. Shes making up the song as she goes along) LAURA contd, still singing) You live in Stevenage You took a Masters Degree in Coventry! You are so shy and lean I even like the way you read Tolkien! Youre my introduction and my text You are my dum-dum-dum index! Oh I could read a stack of you, David And my eyesight would never be vexed! No, my eyesight would never be vexed! No disrespect was intended by this, of course - except to my younger, earth-bound self. I was surprised recently to learn that Joni Mitchells 1971 album Blue sold half a million copies; it made such an enormous impact on sensitive, long-haired, darkened-bedroom people of my generation that I assumed it had actually been more. Personally, I learned all Jonis lyrics off by heart as each of the early albums came out - Ladies of the Canyon (1970), Blue, For the Roses (1972), Court and Spark (1974) - and yearned to be able to write the same sort of emotionally raw but musically sophisticated voice-of-experience songs, despite the obviously inconvenient fact (to take just the example of A Case of You) I had personally never been involved in souls pouring into each other; there was absolutely no one in my blood like holy wine; I couldnt imagine what a cartoon coaster was; and to be perfectly frank, I was still at school. Might it have helped if Id turned the lights on? We will never know. But anyway, its an unavoidable truth that, looking back, the only thing I had in common with the singer of A Case of You was that I could draw a map of Canada. Joni Mitchell is generally admitted to be one of the most influential songwriters of the past 40 years; she is also said to be one of the most immodest, because she routinely compares herself with Picasso and Bob Dylan. I tend to think of her simply as a supremely driven artist worthy of complete admiration - whether restless in pursuit of herself, or in running away from herself, it hardly seems to matter, because the journey is the point. Women in unhappy solo flight have always had an appeal for me, and I blame Joni Mitchell entirely. From her earliest album, Song to a Seagull (1968), she was pulling into the Cactus Tree Motel / To shower off the dust. Or calling for this crazy bird to turn around (because she shouldnt have got on this flight tonight). She wished she had a river she could skate away on. She wanted the wind to carry her. She was a hitcher, a prisoner of the white lines on the freeway. She was travelling in some vehicle, sitting in some cafi. One of her best selling singles was Free Man in Paris (1974). This was one of her very rare songs about someone else, of course, but it was about someone who had clearly said something she whole-heartedly agreed with. I was a free man in Paris / I felt unfettered and alive. I know she irritates some people. Ego centric, introspective women, even when they are geniuses, are a bit of a challenge. Also, fair enough, some people never liked the shrieky bits, or the giggle at the end of Big Yellow Taxi. But when BBC4 showed an Old Grey Whistle Test session last year from around 1974, it was truly startling to see such sheer musicianship and compositional ambition embodied in a slim, beautiful young woman in a crocheted top, who looked like she might sing something about daddy taking her to the zoo tomorrow, zoo tomorrow, zoo tomorrow. What I now wish is that the lyrics in this booklet were not so familiar. How many times have I heard Joni singing blue, with its first line, Blue songs are like tattoos, and not stopped to think how deeply this song itself has got right under my skin?' The lyrics are given for: Amelia Barangrill The Beat of Black Wings Blue The Boho Dance Coyote Face Lift Furry Sings the Blues The Last Time I Saw Richard Not to Blame Raised on Robbery Underneath the Streetlight Also included is a piece From the Guardian and Observer archives: Happy talkin Joni by Mick Brown April 22 1983, available as an online subscription at guardian.co.uk/archive WtS x _________________________________________________________________ http://clk.atdmt.com/UKM/go/msnnkmgl0010000002ukm/direct/01/ ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 24 Jun 2008 05:43:39 -0700 (PDT) From: Monika Bogdanowicz Subject: Re: Furry sings the blues But you see, if Furry would have welcomed Joni for more than a "drink and smoke" maybe he would have seen the two of them had something in common--a distaste for the music industry! Presumably for different reasons but still a distaste nonetheless. That could have been some conversation, eh? -Monika Michel BYRNE wrote: as Furry was - he'd probably felt ripped off by the music industry for years, before this rich rock star breezed in for a visit . Mich _________________________________________________________________ Great deals on almost anything at eBay.co.uk. Search, bid, find and win on eBay today! http://clk.atdmt.com/UKM/go/msnnkmgl0010000004ukm/direct/01/ ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 24 Jun 2008 05:57:35 -0700 (PDT) From: Laura Stanley Subject: Re: ?? Is this photo viewable online somewhere? - --- On Tue, 6/24/08, Jamie's Box of Paints wrote: > > Ah ok, that's gotta be her set list. In the 1988 Q > magazine there is a > photo of her hugging her guitar with the titles of her > songs > handwritten and taped to the body her guitar in the very > same > position. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 24 Jun 2008 05:55:54 -0700 (PDT) From: Laura Stanley Subject: re: ?? Thanks Mia! - --- On Tue, 6/24/08, mia _ wrote: > Hi Laura, > > I'm on digest, so maybe someone already got back to > you. But just in case, I have read previously that Joni > sometimes tapes a > piece of paper to her guitar (when she performs live) with > either the chords or tunings for particular songs. (I > think it is the opening > chords so she doesn't draw a blank when starting out > with a new song). > > Mia ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 24 Jun 2008 14:05:00 +0100 From: "Jamie's Box of Paints" Subject: Re: ?? http://jonimitchell.com/Library/view.cfm?id=249 Your wish is my command. It's in the Library at the JM.COM Much Joni Jamie Zooby 2008/6/24 Laura Stanley : > > Is this photo viewable online somewhere? > > --- On Tue, 6/24/08, Jamie's Box of Paints wrote: > >> >> Ah ok, that's gotta be her set list. In the 1988 Q >> magazine there is a >> photo of her hugging her guitar with the titles of her >> songs >> handwritten and taped to the body her guitar in the very >> same >> position. >> >> >> > > > > > - -- I am a lonely Painter I live in a Box of Paints I'm frightened by the devil But I'm drawn to those ones that 'aint afraid... Jamie Zubairi can be found for voice-overs at http://uk.voicespro.com/jamie.zubairi1 acting CV and showreel at http://uk.castingcallpro.com/u/81749 http://www.jamiezubairi.co.uk Facebook me! ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 24 Jun 2008 06:33:25 -0700 (PDT) From: Laura Stanley Subject: Re: CBS Sunday Morning... now summer Joni Garret wrote: I tend to associate MOA with summer and LOTC (espeically with sunny mornings) GARRET Hi Garret, Oh yes... MOA. Reminds me of the first Jonifest I went to which was in August of 2004. Betty and I had visited Marianne, and she gave me her MOA CD which we listened to on the way to the Full Moon. The MOA version of Woodstock will always come with the sense of being in Woodstock for the first time. Reminds me, Mary had ridden from Albany with us. S'up Mary? The Both Sides Now Youtube video Monika posted sounds like the MOA version. I love the feeling of summer freedom I get when I listen to the album. Love, Laura ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 24 Jun 2008 06:44:30 -0700 From: Dave Blackburn Subject: Re: Furry Lewis and Joni Regarding the question of Furry and his deep complaint I'd say It's more of an unseemliness on Joni's part than anything else; she certainly is under no legal or even customary obligations towards him. She paints a picture of rundown Beale Street with Furry as an emblem of its bygone days as any painter or storyteller might do. However, she did sort of "interview" him and observed even in the song that visitors were only welcome for their gifts. As sensitive as Joni was to the disconnect between her own wealth and the poverty around ("while my limo is shining on his shanty street") she ought to have offered him a little "tip", even after the the album came out, for using his real name and describing him in detail. Most other people Joni described in her songs were given either pseudonyms or handles ("My Old Man", "Harry's House, "Coyote" etc) and it could be debated as to who they actually were. Furry however is described without the semantic "soft focus" or the remove of fiction. A hundred dollar bill would have probably done the trick... But then I guess she'd have to pay Sweetie, Eccles the Tailor and Ginny too... Dave ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 24 Jun 2008 09:56:42 -0400 From: Jerry Notaro Subject: Re: Furry Lewis and Joni Yeah. I wonder which one of these sent penniless and alcoholic street tap dancer Bojangles any money: Dave Jarvis, Chet Atkins, Frank Sinatra, Rod McKuen, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Whitney Houston, Harry Nilsson, Bob Dylan, The Byrds, Jim Croce, Harry Belafonte, Elton John, Lulu, Arlo Guthrie, Nina Simone, Esther Phillips, John Denver, David Bromberg, Neil Diamond, Sammy Davis, Jr., Tom T. Hall, John Holt, Bermuda Triangle Band, Robbie Williams, David Campbell, Jamie Cullum, Ray Quinn, Edwyn Collins, Frankie Laine and Jamie Walker from blues band Tantrum. Jerry > Regarding the question of Furry and his deep complaint I'd say It's > more of an unseemliness on Joni's part than anything else; she > certainly is under no legal or even customary obligations towards > him. She paints a picture of rundown Beale Street with Furry as an > emblem of its bygone days as any painter or storyteller might do. > However, she did sort of "interview" him and observed even in the > song that visitors were only welcome for their gifts. As sensitive as > Joni was to the disconnect between her own wealth and the poverty > around ("while my limo is shining on his shanty street") she ought to > have offered him a little "tip", even after the the album came out, > for using his real name and describing him in detail. Most other > people Joni described in her songs were given either pseudonyms or > handles ("My Old Man", "Harry's House, "Coyote" etc) and it could be > debated as to who they actually were. Furry however is described > without the semantic "soft focus" or the remove of fiction. > > A hundred dollar bill would have probably done the trick... > > But then I guess she'd have to pay Sweetie, Eccles the Tailor and > Ginny too... > > Dave ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 24 Jun 2008 10:02:57 -0600 From: est86mlm@ameritech.net Subject: Spanking Joni Mitchell on YouTube and Gossip Girl Just ran across this from another link. Anyone know about this? Don't know if this is real or some kind of joke. Looks kind of silly kid stuff but interesting none the less! http://www.youtube.com/user/GossipShow Laura ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 24 Jun 2008 08:21:10 -0700 (PDT) From: Peep Richman Subject: From Bo Hi Jonilistas!!! Yesterday I helped a dear friend (who after 25 years just had a marriage (civil ceremony), clean his house, every inch, because, together with his mother, who arrived today, are traveling to Ireland!!! Obviously there's something connecting cleaning and mother! Joni knows all about this! Imagine this: me in leggings and a tee, wiping down every surface of everything...and there sure are a lot of things....listening to SHINE all day long!!!! I was in heaven. My dogs were outside in the enclosed back yard for over 8 hours and loving it! CONGRATULATIONS to Bob & Rebbecca on their very special day. So, you've decided to get that piece of paper from the City Hall!!!! I'm sending you so many very special wishes for a gorgeous, musical, healthy, safe and joyous life together! My mom turns 80 on the 28TH of June and I'm spending the day with her and my brother and another brother (adopted at age 14...he's now70) in Stone Harbor, NJ....right on the beach!!!! And now it's Tuesday...and I just finished reading the Digest (lots of references to Furry) and learned that I have the joy of sending magical wishes for all things wonderful to Lori and Mary!!! I want to add a few thoughts about Furry and all that was posted. I believe that Joni is completely sincere and innocent when she talks with anyone, famous or not, and that discussion turns into a magnificent work...musical or a piece of art work. I can't possibly imagine that Joni specifically went to anyone (she uses many names throughout her body of work) for information to compose a song. She wouldn't do this knowingly. It completely contradicts her artistic expression. Her work is not about needing a jump-start from a discussion with anyone. Joni writes about "The Ladies of the Canyon" for instance. I could go on and on. You get my point, I'm sure. As for the legality of the matter...well, isn't that something for Joni's staff of managers and attorney's to check? How in the world could Joni be constricted to the knowledge of being careful about this and careful about that. I'm not being disrespectful of Furry and his comments. I can understand his views. I'd bet almost anything that Joni did not/does not knowingly interview people or gaze on a particular aspect of our physical world and the many events, to produce for example, such a song as "Sex Kills"....she's moved on a conscious, that maybe is a 'sub' or unconscious way, that puts her creativity to work. It seems to me that to be so amazingly talented in so many different ways and to be so so brilliant in a creative and intellectual way, that Joni has never knowingly met and talked with someone to create a song. Could be that I'm innocent regarding these matters but if so, we ought to consider every song and lyrics because I'd wonder if each song contains and maybe is expressed in lyrics Joni's comments about someone, something and don't forget the magic of the interaction! I just felt like posting my thoughts. Be well, and lets hope for and work toward peace. Bo ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 24 Jun 2008 10:24:56 -0700 From: "Kate Bennett" Subject: Re: Furry Lewis and Joni A bit of historical perspective is important. A lot of musicians of a certain age, especially those of color, were ripped off by the music industry (white folks mostly) which might explain his bitterness. > In my honest opinion. ol' Furry was indeed just a bitter musician looking to cash in on something since he said you shouldn't have the right to use someone's name without something in return.< ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 24 Jun 2008 22:12:21 +0100 From: Garret Subject: Re: Great Lyricists Booklet Hey Willy, thanks for posting this. So the Guardian chose this list to represent Joni's lyrics: > Amelia > Barangrill > The Beat of Black Wings > Blue > The Boho Dance > Coyote > Face Lift > Furry Sings the Blues > The Last Time I Saw Richard > Not to Blame > Raised on Robbery > Underneath the Streetlight I was surprised to see Underneath the Streetlight included. I'm not sure which 12 songs i would choose to represent Joni's lyrics, but you can bet it would be very different from this list. I'll think about it and post my list tomorrow. Which songs might you choose? GARRET ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 24 Jun 2008 22:13:24 +0100 From: "joe farrell" Subject: re:joni in the guardian thanks for the alert on this. just read the digest,10:00pm Tuesday night, and dashed out to the late shop and managed to grab the last copy. looks like a well produced little booklet, with a foreword, song lyrics and an article published in the guardian in april 1983. looking forward to reading it. regards, joe. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 24 Jun 2008 22:07:57 +0000 From: William Waddell Subject: RE: Great Lyricists Booklet Garret, I was also surprised to see Streetlight included. For me, Joni's lyrics are, more often than not, so well crafted and girl-you-paint-pictures-in-my head that it would be easier to chose less great ones. Though having said that, even then I'd be hard pushed. Funny though, coz the article itself actually made me rethink the opening lyrics to Blue, the song. I've always heard the song going: Blue... [and then that] songs are like tattoos. The way the article was worded was that blue songs [as such] are like tattoos. I'd never thought of it as blue songs being like tattoos. As an artist, myself, I'm drawn to the more abstract lyrics of Don't Interrupt the Sorrow, for instance. But ask me tomorrow and... I'll say Hejira, the song. Down to You. Jeez! Could go on and on. WtShake off again into lurkdom x > > Hey Willy, thanks for posting this. > > So the Guardian chose this list to represent Joni's lyrics: > >> Amelia >> Barangrill >> The Beat of Black Wings >> Blue >> The Boho Dance >> Coyote >> Face Lift >> Furry Sings the Blues >> The Last Time I Saw Richard >> Not to Blame >> Raised on Robbery >> Underneath the Streetlight > > I was surprised to see Underneath the Streetlight included. I'm not > sure which 12 songs i would choose to represent Joni's lyrics, but you > can bet it would be very different from this list. I'll think about > it and post my list tomorrow. Which songs might you choose? > GARRET _________________________________________________________________ http://clk.atdmt.com/UKM/go/msnnkmgl0010000007ukm/direct/01/ ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 24 Jun 2008 15:24:14 -0700 (PDT) From: Bob Muller Subject: Re: Spanking Joni Mitchell on YouTube and Gossip Girl I think you can put it in the "some kind of a joke" category, Laura. Just a guess on my part. Bob NP: Bruce, "She's The One" - ----- Original Message - ---- From: "est86mlm@ameritech.net" To: joni@smoe.org Sent: Tuesday, June 24, 2008 12:02:57 PM Subject: Spanking Joni Mitchell on YouTube and Gossip Girl Just ran across this from another link. Anyone know about this? Don't know if this is real or some kind of joke. Looks kind of silly kid stuff but interesting none the less! http://www.youtube.com/user/GossipShow Laura ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 24 Jun 2008 16:03:04 -0700 From: "Lori Fye" Subject: Re: Furry sings the blues This is one of those gems that reminds me why I've loved this list for so long: > But hell, it's such a brilliant song! So simply constructed (every first > section of the verse about the decaying neighbourhood, every second section > about the encounter), I've owned some version of Hejira since 1977, and I never realized that before. Thanks, Michel! > but full of those 'exploding lines' folk were discussing > recently, and also totally aware of the awkwardness of the meeting, > the power imbalance that couldn't make this a successful encounter Absolutely, as she wrote: Furry sings the blues Why should I expect that old guy to give it to me true Fallen to hard luck And time and other thieves While our limo is shining on his shanty street Old Furry sings the blues Joni completely recognized the disparity in their circumstances. The second line of that half of the verse is particularly interesting though, don't you think? Furry said, "She wanted to hear 'bout the old days, said it was for her own personal self, and I told it to her like it was, gave her straight oil from the can." Joni said, "Why should I expect that old guy to give it to me true?" Apparently they had different viewpoints regarding the exchange ... : ) Lori (looking out the window at all the smoke near) Santa Rosa ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 24 Jun 2008 21:04:41 -0700 (PDT) From: Monika Bogdanowicz Subject: Thoughts on LOTC (long) I noticed a couple of people had said they enjoyed listening to LOTC during the summer. Well, it was a beautiful day today so I decided to bring LOTC with me for the drive to and from work. I've got to say that LOTC is probably one of Joni's albums that I listen to the least. There's no particular reason as I do like the album but it isn't one of my favorites. There aren't too many songs that really give me a thrill as different songs on other albums have. However, today after not listening to it in a while, it was very refreshing. There were many different ideas within the lyrics that I hadn't noticed before. I was concentrating more on the content than my driving! It was actually that entrancing. Perhaps it was the nice weather....or the fact I hadn't listened to the album in a while....or the luxury of being able to listen to some Joni in my car.....or the mood I was in or most likely a combination of all of the above. First off, I found myself listening to "For Free" again even more closely and thinking about how Joni's attitude towards fame and success sort of changed within her career yet there remained a few constants. Whereas in for "For Free," Joni is almost guilty and apologetic in a sense of her musical success while she notices a man who plays just for the sake of playing without any sort of payment or reward. Joni tends to return to the concept of looking at other musicians new in the game from the standpoint of not a "been there, done that" as you might presume but a sense of a loss in that innocence....a longing in a way but also a warning for times to come. She does so in For The Roses as was discussed on the list not too long ago. I also enjoyed, for the first time (other than at the song circle at the last Jonifest), "Conversation." I really enjoy the vocal melody on the following lines: "And I only say hello And turn away before his lady knows How much I want to see him" AND the other lines that have the same melody... You can also hear Joni's Canadian accent on some of her words in this particular song. I must also mention, what a fun song! I love the end singing which proves to be a sing along! It is also well known that "Willy" was a song written for and about Graham Nash. However, given what is known about their relationship (and specifically how it ended since Joni decided she didn't actually want to get married then) I find it curious she makes "Willy" the one with all the doubts. It makes perfect sense in a new relationship where you don't quite know where you stand with someone though. I love these lines: "But you know it's hard to tell When you're in the spell if it's wrong or if it's real" No kidding! Anyway, it is almost midnight and I still have some of the songs in my head. I've been singing them to myself while doing mundane chores all day (laundry, taking the dog out, etc). Music makes the time worthwhile in a way. That's all folks as its coming on midnight. G'night. -Monika, in a rambling mood ------------------------------ End of onlyJMDL Digest V2008 #88 ******************************** ------- Post messages to the list by clicking here: mailto:joni@smoe.org Unsubscribe by clicking here: mailto:onlyjoni-digest-request@smoe.org?body=unsubscribe