From: owner-onlyjoni-digest@smoe.org (onlyJMDL Digest) To: onlyjoni-digest@smoe.org Subject: onlyJMDL Digest V2012 #327 Reply-To: joni@smoe.org Sender: owner-onlyjoni-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-onlyjoni-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk Website:http://www.jonimitchell.com Unsubscribe:mailto:onlyjoni-digest-request@smoe.org?body=unsubscribe onlyJMDL Digest Tuesday, October 2 2012 Volume 2012 : Number 327 ========== TOPICS and authors in this Digest: -------- Magical Night With Joni & Bella Lugosi [est86mlm@ameritech.net] SJC: now Jethro Tull [Victor Johnson ] RE: now Jethro Tull ["John McGloin" ] RE: JMDL Digest V2012 #1509 ["Gary Hanick" ] quintessential Joni [Paul Ivice ] Re: JMDL Digest V2012 #1499 Joni songs that we hate, or don't quite like [Dave Blackburn ] Re: JMDL Digest V2012 #1499 Joni songs that we hate, or don't quite like [Catherine McKay ] Re: quintessential Joni [Anita G ] RE: (Shine on) Reverend Pearson [Susan Tierney McNamara Subject: SJC: now Jethro Tull Speaking of Jethro Tull, I saw Ian Anderson perform Thick as a Brick in it's entirety... and it was fecking unbelievable! His band completely nailed it. I've always thought it to be one of the most beautiful compositions ever written and I felt like I was in another space and time. Ian had a younger singer performing with him who sang some of the parts but he was very good and it flowed together seamlessly. So, if Joni were to tour, and perform one of her albums in it's entirety, which one would you want her to do... and do you think she could pull it off? Victor in Atlanta show of Africa, and at one section the music was the introduction to > Jethro Tull's "My God." Very cool. > > Susan Tierney McNamara > email: sem8@cornell.edu ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 2 Oct 2012 23:45:31 +0100 From: "John McGloin" Subject: RE: now Jethro Tull Can I cheat a bit and request for Shadows and Light. Don't know who would replace Jaco tho' - possibly his son Felix who's bass playing has a certain "Jaco" feel to it. Cheers John - -----Original Message----- From: owner-onlyjoni@smoe.org [mailto:owner-onlyjoni@smoe.org] On Behalf Of Victor Johnson Sent: 02 October 2012 22:53 To: Susan Tierney McNamara Cc: Betsy; joni@smoe.org Subject: SJC: now Jethro Tull Speaking of Jethro Tull, I saw Ian Anderson perform Thick as a Brick in it's entirety... and it was fecking unbelievable! His band completely nailed it. I've always thought it to be one of the most beautiful compositions ever written and I felt like I was in another space and time. Ian had a younger singer performing with him who sang some of the parts but he was very good and it flowed together seamlessly. So, if Joni were to tour, and perform one of her albums in it's entirety, which one would you want her to do... and do you think she could pull it off? Victor in Atlanta show of Africa, and at one section the music was the introduction to > Jethro Tull's "My God." Very cool. > > Susan Tierney McNamara > email: sem8@cornell.edu ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 2 Oct 2012 11:50:28 -0700 From: "Gary Hanick" Subject: RE: JMDL Digest V2012 #1509 I agree with Bob on this.... "Lead Balloon" is another story. It probably would have been better without words. - -----Original Message----- From: owner-joni-digest@smoe.org [mailto:owner-joni-digest@smoe.org] Sent: Tuesday, October 02, 2012 7:18 AM To: joni-digest@smoe.org Subject: JMDL Digest V2012 #1509 JMDL Digest Tuesday, October 2 2012 Volume 2012 : Number 1509 ========== TOPICS and authors in this Digest: - -------- Re: JMDL Digest V2012 #1499 Joni songs that we hate, or don't quite like [Bob.Muller@Fluor.c] Re: quintessential Joni [Anita G ] quintessential Joni [Paul Ivice ] Re: quintessential Joni [Bob.Muller@Fluor.com] RE: Ruby Lake Photos [Susan Tierney McNamara ] Re: JMDL Digest V2012 #1499 Joni songs that we hate, or don't quite like [Dave Blackburn I loved it the first time I heard it. It sounded like a jazz standard then and is becoming one over time. A totally singable melody, witty and original lyrics, the whole package. And I'm glad Joni went with Chuck Domanico's stand-up bass over Jaco's, though I would be interested in what his creative mind might have done with it. Bob - - ------------------------------------------------------------ The information transmitted is intended only for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain proprietary, business-confidential and/or privileged material. If you are not the intended recipient of this message you are hereby notified that any use, review, retransmission, dissemination, distribution, reproduction or any action taken in reliance upon this message is prohibited. If you received this in error, please contact the sender and delete the material from any computer. Any views expressed in this message are those of the individual sender and may not necessarily reflect the views of the company. - - ------------------------------------------------------------ - ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 2 Oct 2012 11:22:55 +0100 From: Anita G Subject: Re: quintessential Joni Paul, what a great question! And what a hard one. I have always been stunned and amazed by the lyric and feel of Hejira. The granite markers, those tributes to finality and eternity; And I simply love the lines: " In the church they light the candles And the wax rolls down like tears, There is the hope and hopelessness I've witnessed all these years" I can't believe she wrote that in her thirties. Extraordinary. However, watching 'Painting With Words and Music', I was struck by Joni's rendition of 'The Magdalene Laundries'. Playing this song to my friend who had never heard Joni, it would capture Joni's ability to find words for others in the most difficult situations. This finding words where others can't find any is a real key, for me, to Joni's music. Joni also sings it with such a haunting cry that I get chilled to the bone. Her description of the survivors of such abuse as 'lame bulbs' that will never bloom is so profound and works on so many levels. The guitar part is also interesting and the stark arrangement works brilliantly. I have shared on JMDL before that I have worked with Irish survivors of abuse by the Christian Brothers in Ireland and it is a song that they have found invaluable. I also saw Joni 'The Magdalene Laundries' it for the first time at the Edmonton Folk Festival in 1994, prior to the release of 'Turbulent Indigo' (when I got to meet her for the second time) so it has great memories of a time and place and of great joy in my life,too. That's what I would choose as my quintessentially Joni song today. But tomorrow it may be different! Anita > > Here's a question for all. I understand that much of Joni's magic comes > from > how she grew as a musician through a progression of genres, from folk to > rock > to jazz, > But if you had a friend who'd never heard of Joni and had to choose only > one > song of Joni's to play for your friend, what song would you choose that > would > give your friend the best sense of who Joni is? > In other words, what song do you think is quintessential Joni and why? > > > Paul Ivice ;>) - ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 2 Oct 2012 05:17:44 -0400 (EDT) From: Paul Ivice Subject: quintessential Joni Catherine McKay wrote: I don't dislike "Big Yellow Taxi" and agree that it makes its point in a way that has stood the test of time, so I'm not disagreeing that it's a good song. Here's a question for all. I understand that much of Joni's magic comes from how she grew as a musician through a progression of genres, from folk to rock to jazz, But if you had a friend who'd never heard of Joni and had to choose only one song of Joni's to play for your friend, what song would you choose that would give your friend the best sense of who Joni is? In other words, what song do you think is quintessential Joni and why? Paul Ivice ;>) - ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 2 Oct 2012 08:24:01 -0400 From: Bob.Muller@Fluor.com Subject: Re: quintessential Joni Back in the day, I made mix tapes for people (which morphed into CD's), typically consisting of music that I didn't think they had but would like based on what I knew about them. The early Pandora genome, if you will. Sometimes I hit a bullseye ("Animal Day" by Wall of Voodoo became one of my younger sister's favorite songs) and sometimes I missed the mark (my older sister - don't make me listen to ANOTHER Elvis Costello song ever!") I say this as a semi-answer to the question; for me it would depend on WHO I was sharing with. I wouldn't hesitate to use "Hejira" for me Dad who is a word guy but wouldn't throw that one at too many others. If my friend was more comfortable with country music they would probably get "You Turn Me On" as an intro. If it was someone I was trying to ditch and never hear from again it would be "Dancing Clown"....and so on. I'm not sure there is such a thing as a quintessential Joni song - the word almost forces a sense of limitation, of pigeonholing that's not fair to Joni or to the listener. It would be a better exercise to play a 5-6 song set to showcase Joni's versatility. Bob - - ------------------------------------------------------------ The information transmitted is intended only for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain proprietary, business-confidential and/or privileged material. If you are not the intended recipient of this message you are hereby notified that any use, review, retransmission, dissemination, distribution, reproduction or any action taken in reliance upon this message is prohibited. If you received this in error, please contact the sender and delete the material from any computer. Any views expressed in this message are those of the individual sender and may not necessarily reflect the views of the company. - - ------------------------------------------------------------ - ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 30 Sep 2012 12:39:54 +0000 From: Susan Tierney McNamara Subject: RE: Ruby Lake Photos Wow, I'm so happy for all of you! What a wonderful opportunity to be with Joni! I'm still waiting to hear snippets from your conversations. I love how she reacted to the recycled purse that you gave her, Cassy. She obviously loved it! I would have loved to have been there with you, my dear friends. :-) Love, Sue Susan McNamara email: sem8@cornell.edu Sent: Saturday, September 29, 2012 4:24 PM To: JMDL Subject: Ruby Lake Photos For those of you who are not on Facebook, here is a link to my photographs from our Ruby Lake hejira: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.4676301994710.185216.150852518 1&typ e=3 Ib?d love to be able to articulate the weekend but Ib?m still processing it all. love, Cassy - ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 2 Oct 2012 07:14:47 -0700 From: Dave Blackburn Subject: Re: JMDL Digest V2012 #1499 Joni songs that we hate, or don't quite like On Oct 2, 2012, at 5:13 AM, Bob.Muller@Fluor.com wrote: > I quite like "Blue Motel Room". I think it's jazzy, bluesy and humourous > as well. It doesn't come off as affected to me at all.> I wrote this piece about Blue Motel Room in a post in 2007. In case anyone would like to read it (or re-read it) here it is again: Much has been said (and no doubt remains to be said) about the philosophical depth of certain songs on Hejira (Hejira, Refuge of the Roads, Amelia) as well as about others which offer rich Shakespearean character portraits (Old Furry, Coyote, A Strange Boy, possibly even the absent Sharon by inference). Blue Motel Room appears, on the surface, to contain neither; It has an easy swing groove from another era (the romantic Bing Crosby era that Joni grew up in and loved--as she describes in the WOHAM DVD). Some feel that its torch ballad vibe is out of place stylistically on the album, and that the sentiments are relative fluff compared to the penetrating insights and poetic craft so evident on the Hejira album as a whole. I offer these thoughts: Blue Motel Room reveals a side of Joni seldom shown before or after: namely, sweetness. Vulnerability is all over Blue of course, and self reflection is everywhere in her career, but there's a particular sweetness in her plain language here: "will you still love me when I get back to L.A town" or "I hope you'll be thinking of me, because I'll be thinking of you, when I'm traveling home alone." Perhaps "See you Sometime" shows a similar side of Joni but I can't think of many other examples from her work of such unguarded softness. As such, I think the song offers an almost unique angle of this most complex woman. Here she is the opposite of the tough worldly rock star, the later political ranter or the sardonic commentator on humanity's baseness. Joni the girl is still visible here. Dare I say it, but it's sexy... Then thematically, on a road album, what could be more apt than home sickness in a drab motel room in the pouring rain in the opposite corner of the continent from where you live? Road adventures when alone usually contain more of that feeling than exciting liaisons or spiritual awakenings, even though she manages all three on this legendary trip (that we all wish we were a fly on the wall for). As Joni often does, she word associates heavily in this song: on the word "Blue", not for the first or last time. Blue bedspread, blue motel room, the blues inside and outside my head (no doubt suggesting the relaxed blues feel of the music to her). For a painter, what could come more naturally than seeing the connections between and connotations of colors. The poet is still crafting language threads even with her "high falutin'" switch turned off. I also love the cold war metaphor, anachronistic as it became. She probably saw some TV news in her blue motel room with some Soviet/US developments about peace talks and instantly wove that beautifully into the song. Blue Motel Room is a lovely piece of colored cloth that fits into Hejira's rag rug in a gentle and most sensuous way. I love it... Dave - ------------------------------ End of JMDL Digest V2012 #1509 ****************************** - ------- To post messages to the list, sendtojoni@smoe.org. Unsubscribe by clicking here: mailto:joni-digest-request@smoe.org?body=unsubscribe - ------- ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 2 Oct 2012 05:17:44 -0400 (EDT) From: Paul Ivice Subject: quintessential Joni Catherine McKay wrote: I don't dislike "Big Yellow Taxi" and agree that it makes its point in a way that has stood the test of time, so I'm not disagreeing that it's a good song. Here's a question for all. I understand that much of Joni's magic comes from how she grew as a musician through a progression of genres, from folk to rock to jazz, But if you had a friend who'd never heard of Joni and had to choose only one song of Joni's to play for your friend, what song would you choose that would give your friend the best sense of who Joni is? In other words, what song do you think is quintessential Joni and why? Paul Ivice ;>) ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 2 Oct 2012 07:14:47 -0700 From: Dave Blackburn Subject: Re: JMDL Digest V2012 #1499 Joni songs that we hate, or don't quite like On Oct 2, 2012, at 5:13 AM, Bob.Muller@Fluor.com wrote: > I quite like "Blue Motel Room". I think it's jazzy, bluesy and humourous > as well. It doesn't come off as affected to me at all.> I wrote this piece about Blue Motel Room in a post in 2007. In case anyone would like to read it (or re-read it) here it is again: Much has been said (and no doubt remains to be said) about the philosophical depth of certain songs on Hejira (Hejira, Refuge of the Roads, Amelia) as well as about others which offer rich Shakespearean character portraits (Old Furry, Coyote, A Strange Boy, possibly even the absent Sharon by inference). Blue Motel Room appears, on the surface, to contain neither; It has an easy swing groove from another era (the romantic Bing Crosby era that Joni grew up in and loved--as she describes in the WOHAM DVD). Some feel that its torch ballad vibe is out of place stylistically on the album, and that the sentiments are relative fluff compared to the penetrating insights and poetic craft so evident on the Hejira album as a whole. I offer these thoughts: Blue Motel Room reveals a side of Joni seldom shown before or after: namely, sweetness. Vulnerability is all over Blue of course, and self reflection is everywhere in her career, but there's a particular sweetness in her plain language here: "will you still love me when I get back to L.A town" or "I hope you'll be thinking of me, because I'll be thinking of you, when I'm traveling home alone." Perhaps "See you Sometime" shows a similar side of Joni but I can't think of many other examples from her work of such unguarded softness. As such, I think the song offers an almost unique angle of this most complex woman. Here she is the opposite of the tough worldly rock star, the later political ranter or the sardonic commentator on humanity's baseness. Joni the girl is still visible here. Dare I say it, but it's sexy... Then thematically, on a road album, what could be more apt than home sickness in a drab motel room in the pouring rain in the opposite corner of the continent from where you live? Road adventures when alone usually contain more of that feeling than exciting liaisons or spiritual awakenings, even though she manages all three on this legendary trip (that we all wish we were a fly on the wall for). As Joni often does, she word associates heavily in this song: on the word "Blue", not for the first or last time. Blue bedspread, blue motel room, the blues inside and outside my head (no doubt suggesting the relaxed blues feel of the music to her). For a painter, what could come more naturally than seeing the connections between and connotations of colors. The poet is still crafting language threads even with her "high falutin'" switch turned off. I also love the cold war metaphor, anachronistic as it became. She probably saw some TV news in her blue motel room with some Soviet/US developments about peace talks and instantly wove that beautifully into the song. Blue Motel Room is a lovely piece of colored cloth that fits into Hejira's rag rug in a gentle and most sensuous way. I love it... Dave ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 2 Oct 2012 23:40:45 +0100 From: Jamie Zubairi Home Subject: Re: SJC: now Jethro Tull I would love her to play Travelog all the way through, both discs, with varying line-ups from a 5 piece to a 75 piece, with the whole orchestra having all the lead sheets. It was just a dream some of us had. Zooby On 2 October 2012 22:52, Victor Johnson wrote: > Speaking of Jethro Tull, I saw Ian Anderson perform Thick as a Brick in > it's entirety... and it was fecking unbelievable! His band completely > nailed it. I've always thought it to be one of the most beautiful > compositions ever written and I felt like I was in another space and time. > > Ian had a younger singer performing with him who sang some of the parts but > he was very good and it flowed together seamlessly. > > So, if Joni were to tour, and perform one of her albums in it's entirety, > which one would you want her to do... and do you think she could pull it > off? > > Victor in Atlanta > > show of Africa, and at one section the music was the introduction to > > Jethro Tull's "My God." Very cool. > > > > Susan Tierney McNamara > > email: sem8@cornell.edu > - -- Jamie Zubairi Actor, Voiceover, Painter, Photographer. Acting Agent: Pelham Associates 01273 323 010 SpotLight Showreel UnBroken Line Wefund Currently performing at the Tate Modern Turbine Hall as part of the *Tino Sehgal Unilever Commission. *In December *'Unbroken Line*' a solo performance premieres at OvalHouse Upstairs. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 2 Oct 2012 11:45:52 -0700 (PDT) From: Catherine McKay Subject: Re: JMDL Digest V2012 #1499 Joni songs that we hate, or don't quite like I agree absolutely with what both of you said. Dave, thanks for reposting what you did - I don't remember seeing it before, so maybe I just wasn't paying attention at the time (or else maybe it's just my really crappy memory.) "Blue Motel Room" is kind of what it claims to be - a rest-stop on the journey. - ----- Original Message ----- > From: Susan Tierney McNamara > To: Dave Blackburn ; "Bob.Muller@Fluor.com" > Cc: Catherine McKay ; JONIMITCHELL DISCUSSION LIST ; Mary Morris > Sent: Tuesday, October 2, 2012 1:04:04 PM > Subject: RE: JMDL Digest V2012 #1499 Joni songs that we hate, or don't quite like > >T his is a great piece, Dave! I don't remember reading it the first time you > posted it. Thanks for sending it again. It's funny but I have always felt > Blue Motel Room had a different feel than the other songs on Hejira, but I never > felt it shouldn't be on the album. Coming from a painter's perspective, > it's the contrast color in the corner of the composition that highlights the > grey tones! :-) > > Susan Tierney McNamara > email: sem8@cornell.edu > > > -----Original Message----- > From: owner-joni@smoe.org [mailto:owner-joni@smoe.org] On Behalf Of Dave > Blackburn > Sent: Tuesday, October 02, 2012 10:15 AM > To: Bob.Muller@Fluor.com > Cc: Catherine McKay; JONIMITCHELL DISCUSSION LIST; Mary Morris > Subject: Re: JMDL Digest V2012 #1499 Joni songs that we hate, or don't quite > like > > On Oct 2, 2012, at 5:13 AM, Bob.Muller@Fluor.com wrote: > >> I quite like "Blue Motel Room". I think it's jazzy, bluesy > and >> humourous as well. It doesn't come off as affected to me at all.> > > > I wrote this piece about Blue Motel Room in a post in 2007. In case anyone would > like to read it (or re-read it) here it is again: > > Much has been said (and no doubt remains to be said) about the philosophical > depth of certain songs on Hejira (Hejira, Refuge of the Roads, Amelia) as well > as about others which offer rich Shakespearean character portraits (Old Furry, > Coyote, A Strange Boy, possibly even the absent Sharon by inference). Blue Motel > Room appears, on the surface, to contain neither; It has an easy swing groove > from another era (the romantic Bing Crosby era that Joni grew up in and > loved--as she describes in the WOHAM DVD). Some feel that its torch ballad vibe > is out of place stylistically on the album, and that the sentiments are relative > fluff compared to the penetrating insights and poetic craft so evident on the > Hejira album as a whole. > I offer these thoughts: > Blue Motel Room reveals a side of Joni seldom shown before or after: namely, > sweetness. Vulnerability is all over Blue of course, and self reflection is > everywhere in her career, but there's a particular sweetness in her plain > language here: "will you still love me when I get back to L.A town" or > "I hope you'll be thinking of me, because I'll be thinking of you, > when I'm traveling home alone." Perhaps "See you Sometime" > shows a similar side of Joni but I can't think of many other examples from > her work of such unguarded softness. As such, I think the song offers an almost > unique angle of this most complex woman. Here she is the opposite of the tough > worldly rock star, the later political ranter or the sardonic commentator on > humanity's baseness. Joni the girl is still visible here. Dare I say it, but > it's sexy... > Then thematically, on a road album, what could be more apt than home > sickness in a drab motel room in the pouring rain in the opposite corner of the > continent from where you live? Road adventures when alone usually contain more > of that feeling than exciting liaisons or spiritual awakenings, even though she > manages all three on this legendary trip (that we all wish we were a fly on the > wall for). > As Joni often does, she word associates heavily in this song: on the word > "Blue", not for the first or last time. Blue bedspread, blue motel > room, the blues inside and outside my head (no doubt suggesting the relaxed > blues feel of the music to her). For a painter, what could come more naturally > than seeing the connections between and connotations of colors. The poet is > still crafting language threads even with her "high falutin'" > switch turned off. I also love the cold war metaphor, anachronistic as it > became. She probably saw some TV news in her blue motel room with some Soviet/US > developments about peace talks and instantly wove that beautifully into the > song. > > Blue Motel Room is a lovely piece of colored cloth that fits into > Hejira's rag rug in a gentle and most sensuous way. I love it... > > > Dave ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 2 Oct 2012 14:28:08 +0000 From: Susan Tierney McNamara Subject: RE: quintessential Joni I think a transitional album for Joni was For The Roses. As I was thinking of what quintessential song involved all of the genres you mention, Paul, I hit on Cold Blue Steel and Sweet Fire ... it has all the elements: her inventive tuning style, with all the strings playing the parts; the bluesy jazz rhythm, and the virtuoso prose of her songwriting style. It's also a very cerebral song that not everyone would latch on to, but that's Joni. Susan Tierney McNamara email: sem8@cornell.edu - -----Original Message----- From: owner-joni@smoe.org [mailto:owner-joni@smoe.org] On Behalf Of Paul Ivice Sent: Tuesday, October 02, 2012 5:18 AM To: joni@smoe.org Subject: quintessential Joni Catherine McKay wrote: I don't dislike "Big Yellow Taxi" and agree that it makes its point in a way that has stood the test of time, so I'm not disagreeing that it's a good song. Here's a question for all. I understand that much of Joni's magic comes from how she grew as a musician through a progression of genres, from folk to rock to jazz, But if you had a friend who'd never heard of Joni and had to choose only one song of Joni's to play for your friend, what song would you choose that would give your friend the best sense of who Joni is? In other words, what song do you think is quintessential Joni and why? Paul Ivice ;>) ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 2 Oct 2012 11:22:55 +0100 From: Anita G Subject: Re: quintessential Joni Paul, what a great question! And what a hard one. I have always been stunned and amazed by the lyric and feel of Hejira. The granite markers, those tributes to finality and eternity; And I simply love the lines: " In the church they light the candles And the wax rolls down like tears, There is the hope and hopelessness I've witnessed all these years" I can't believe she wrote that in her thirties. Extraordinary. However, watching 'Painting With Words and Music', I was struck by Joni's rendition of 'The Magdalene Laundries'. Playing this song to my friend who had never heard Joni, it would capture Joni's ability to find words for others in the most difficult situations. This finding words where others can't find any is a real key, for me, to Joni's music. Joni also sings it with such a haunting cry that I get chilled to the bone. Her description of the survivors of such abuse as 'lame bulbs' that will never bloom is so profound and works on so many levels. The guitar part is also interesting and the stark arrangement works brilliantly. I have shared on JMDL before that I have worked with Irish survivors of abuse by the Christian Brothers in Ireland and it is a song that they have found invaluable. I also saw Joni 'The Magdalene Laundries' it for the first time at the Edmonton Folk Festival in 1994, prior to the release of 'Turbulent Indigo' (when I got to meet her for the second time) so it has great memories of a time and place and of great joy in my life,too. That's what I would choose as my quintessentially Joni song today. But tomorrow it may be different! Anita > > Here's a question for all. I understand that much of Joni's magic comes > from > how she grew as a musician through a progression of genres, from folk to > rock > to jazz, > But if you had a friend who'd never heard of Joni and had to choose only > one > song of Joni's to play for your friend, what song would you choose that > would > give your friend the best sense of who Joni is? > In other words, what song do you think is quintessential Joni and why? > > > Paul Ivice ;>) ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 2 Oct 2012 19:43:58 +0000 From: Susan Tierney McNamara Subject: RE: (Shine on) Reverend Pearson I really enjoyed this Betsy. The story of him visiting the church in San Francisco was awesome! I also noticed two very interesting details: Rev. Pearson said "flies on their babies eyes" while talking about seeing a TV show of Africa, and at one section the music was the introduction to Jethro Tull's "My God." Very cool. Susan Tierney McNamara email: sem8@cornell.edu - -----Original Message----- From: owner-joni@smoe.org [mailto:owner-joni@smoe.org] On Behalf Of Betsy Sent: Tuesday, October 02, 2012 2:11 PM To: joni@smoe.org Subject: (Shine on) Reverend Pearson This American Life did an hour on Carlton Pearson back in 2005. I found it interesting to hear more about him, since there was just a passing mention in Shine. You can listen to it here: Tinyurl.com/2ccd24c Betsy ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 2 Oct 2012 16:53:28 -0700 From: Mary Morris Subject: RE: JMDL Digest V2012 #1499 Joni songs that we hate, or don't quite like Ok, ok.....thank you all good Joni scholars...good points each & every one of you. I'm becoming convinced. I'm starting to re-think "Blue Hotel Room" - put in there as being tired in some hotel on the road, a long way from home - tired from the journey; I can see the logic of putting it on the album, though stylistically it doesn't really fit. Still there's a couple of notes she hits that sounds a little flattened out to me. Jars a little next to all the sonic gorgeousness of Hejira - (which is my favorite album). There really ain't nothing I don't like from Joni - my job is to listen & go where she takes me. Still, "Lead Balloon"....not crazy about that one, sounds bitter. GREETINGS FROM THE TRIPLE M Down a gravel road, where the barb wire meets the sky. MARY M. MORRIS > Date: Tue, 2 Oct 2012 11:45:52 -0700 > From: anima_rising@yahoo.ca > Subject: Re: JMDL Digest V2012 #1499 Joni songs that we hate, or don't quite like > To: sem8@cornell.edu; beatntrack@sbcglobal.net; Bob.Muller@Fluor.com > CC: joni@smoe.org; joni2city@hotmail.com > > I agree absolutely with what both of you said. Dave, thanks for reposting what you did - I don't remember seeing it before, so maybe I just wasn't paying attention at the time (or else maybe it's just my really crappy memory.) > > "Blue Motel Room" is kind of what it claims to be - a rest-stop on the journey. > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: Susan Tierney McNamara > > To: Dave Blackburn ; "Bob.Muller@Fluor.com" > > Cc: Catherine McKay ; JONIMITCHELL DISCUSSION LIST ; Mary Morris > > Sent: Tuesday, October 2, 2012 1:04:04 PM > > Subject: RE: JMDL Digest V2012 #1499 Joni songs that we hate, or don't quite like > > > >T his is a great piece, Dave! I don't remember reading it the first time you > > posted it. Thanks for sending it again. It's funny but I have always felt > > Blue Motel Room had a different feel than the other songs on Hejira, but I never > > felt it shouldn't be on the album. Coming from a painter's perspective, > > it's the contrast color in the corner of the composition that highlights the > > grey tones! :-) > > > > Susan Tierney McNamara > > email: sem8@cornell.edu > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: owner-joni@smoe.org [mailto:owner-joni@smoe.org] On Behalf Of Dave > > Blackburn > > Sent: Tuesday, October 02, 2012 10:15 AM > > To: Bob.Muller@Fluor.com > > Cc: Catherine McKay; JONIMITCHELL DISCUSSION LIST; Mary Morris > > Subject: Re: JMDL Digest V2012 #1499 Joni songs that we hate, or don't quite > > like > > > > On Oct 2, 2012, at 5:13 AM, Bob.Muller@Fluor.com wrote: > > > >> I quite like "Blue Motel Room". I think it's jazzy, bluesy > > and > >> humourous as well. It doesn't come off as affected to me at all.> > > > > > > I wrote this piece about Blue Motel Room in a post in 2007. In case anyone would > > like to read it (or re-read it) here it is again: > > > > Much has been said (and no doubt remains to be said) about the philosophical > > depth of certain songs on Hejira (Hejira, Refuge of the Roads, Amelia) as well > > as about others which offer rich Shakespearean character portraits (Old Furry, > > Coyote, A Strange Boy, possibly even the absent Sharon by inference). Blue Motel > > Room appears, on the surface, to contain neither; It has an easy swing groove > > from another era (the romantic Bing Crosby era that Joni grew up in and > > loved--as she describes in the WOHAM DVD). Some feel that its torch ballad vibe > > is out of place stylistically on the album, and that the sentiments are relative > > fluff compared to the penetrating insights and poetic craft so evident on the > > Hejira album as a whole. > > I offer these thoughts: > > Blue Motel Room reveals a side of Joni seldom shown before or after: namely, > > sweetness. Vulnerability is all over Blue of course, and self reflection is > > everywhere in her career, but there's a particular sweetness in her plain > > language here: "will you still love me when I get back to L.A town" or > > "I hope you'll be thinking of me, because I'll be thinking of you, > > when I'm traveling home alone." Perhaps "See you Sometime" > > shows a similar side of Joni but I can't think of many other examples from > > her work of such unguarded softness. As such, I think the song offers an almost > > unique angle of this most complex woman. Here she is the opposite of the tough > > worldly rock star, the later political ranter or the sardonic commentator on > > humanity's baseness. Joni the girl is still visible here. Dare I say it, but > > it's sexy... > > Then thematically, on a road album, what could be more apt than home > > sickness in a drab motel room in the pouring rain in the opposite corner of the > > continent from where you live? Road adventures when alone usually contain more > > of that feeling than exciting liaisons or spiritual awakenings, even though she > > manages all three on this legendary trip (that we all wish we were a fly on the > > wall for). > > As Joni often does, she word associates heavily in this song: on the word > > "Blue", not for the first or last time. Blue bedspread, blue motel > > room, the blues inside and outside my head (no doubt suggesting the relaxed > > blues feel of the music to her). For a painter, what could come more naturally > > than seeing the connections between and connotations of colors. The poet is > > still crafting language threads even with her "high falutin'" > > switch turned off. I also love the cold war metaphor, anachronistic as it > > became. She probably saw some TV news in her blue motel room with some Soviet/US > > developments about peace talks and instantly wove that beautifully into the > > song. > > > > Blue Motel Room is a lovely piece of colored cloth that fits into > > Hejira's rag rug in a gentle and most sensuous way. I love it... > > > > > > Dave ------------------------------ End of onlyJMDL Digest V2012 #327 ********************************* ------- Post messages to the list by clicking here:mailto:joni@smoe.org Unsubscribe by clicking here: mailto:onlyjoni-digest-request@smoe.org?body=unsubscribe