From: owner-shindell-list-digest@smoe.org (shindell-list-digest) To: shindell-list-digest@smoe.org Subject: shindell-list-digest V2 #269 Reply-To: shindell-list@smoe.org Sender: owner-shindell-list-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-shindell-list-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk shindell-list-digest Saturday, September 23 2000 Volume 02 : Number 269 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Re: [RS] Essence of Shindell [Rongrittz@aol.com] [RS] Essence of Shindell [Gf212121@aol.com] [RS] courier [Lee Wessman ] [RS] Richard's Toronto Show ["Michael O'Hara" ] [RS] Guardian of the word ["Norman A. Johnson" ] [RS] Essence of Shindell [Gf212121@aol.com] [RS] East Lansing, Michigan Playlist -- 9/22/2000 [patrick t power ] RE: [RS] Essence of Shindell [Katrin.Uhl@t-online.de (Katrin Uhl)] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 22 Sep 2000 07:06:45 EDT From: Rongrittz@aol.com Subject: Re: [RS] Essence of Shindell << Could you beat around the bush just a wee bit more, Ron?? >> Yeah, I guess I should 'splained myself a little more. "The Courier," to me, is Richard's quintessential song for reasons bigger than the song itself. I mean, yeah, it's classic Richard from the standpoint that it's one of his "other person's point-of-view" songs told in classic story style. And the fact that it also happens to be my FAVORITE Richard song stacks the deck a little bit, too. But the song is "essential" Shindell for the same reason that I called my own CD of cover songs "The Messenger." Richard IS a courier. He crawls through the dirt, bringing us notes from his various characters. He (Richard), like the courier in the song, is often "invisible," taking a back seat so that the character he "portrays" in the song can shine through. And I've always seen the song as an overall statement of who Richard Shindell really is . . . a guardian of the word. And, damn, I love that violin solo. RG ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 22 Sep 2000 08:51:44 EDT From: Gf212121@aol.com Subject: [RS] Essence of Shindell Hey you guys, My first thought for the essential Shindell song was 'Wisteria,' but it really is too personal to be representative of Richard's body of work. I would agree with Pat, and choose 'The Next Best Western.' I think the themes in the song (faith, loneliness, despair, trucks) and the setting place most listeners in a place he or she has been before, maybe a bit more than some of his others. Gene F. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 22 Sep 2000 09:35:16 -0700 From: Lee Wessman Subject: [RS] courier Even before I read Ron G's response, The Courier popped into my head. It was the first RS song that absolutely clutched me. And it did so on the first listen. I bought Sparrow's Point shortly after it was released without ever having heard Richard's music before. I got the shrink wrap off, put the record on, was reacting positively, and then the Courier came on and that was it. I knew this guy was the real thing. It is quintessential Shindell. Great story, told as much by what the words say as what they don't say... Vivid imagery... A person caught up in forces beyond his control... And great music, rooted in traditional but also pushing in its own direction. - -lee ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 22 Sep 2000 15:25:49 -0400 From: "Michael O'Hara" Subject: [RS] Richard's Toronto Show Richard put on a riveting show last night at the Tranzac Club here in Toronto. It was my first time seeing Richard perform with just his guitar, and must say that I was continually feeling chills throughout the show. During a moment in "Fishing", I received such a tremendous chill that my body physically twitched...my girlfriend didn't know what to make of that....!! There were so many wonderful moments during the evening...Richard seemed to be in a great mood. I do remember everything he played, just not in the correct order...the beginning songs and the end songs are pretty much accurate...everything else in the middle is quite jumbled in my scattered mind... :) Tranzac Club, Toronto, Ontario September 21st, 2000 next best western confession wisteria fishing kenworth an old bluegrass song?? "the hobo song" or some-such? lazy mary magdalene money for floods( a request) are you happy now reunion hill you stay here abuelita cold missouri waters summer wind (also a request) transit (encore) nora (my own request for the evening) Would live to drive to Michigan to catch him this evening, but...I think I'll just have to content myself with SP, BD, RH and SNP playing on my stereo all night. Thanks Richard!! Michael ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 22 Sep 2000 17:48:18 -0400 From: "Norman A. Johnson" Subject: [RS] Guardian of the word RonG wrote: >>But the song is "essential" Shindell for the same reason that I called my own CD of cover songs "The Messenger." Richard IS a courier. He crawls through the dirt, bringing us notes from his various characters. He (Richard), like the courier in the song, is often "invisible," taking a back seat so that the character he "portrays" in the song can shine through. And I've always seen the song as an overall statement of who Richard Shindell really is . . . a guardian of the word. >> Good points, especially the one about "guardian of the word". Ron, have you thought about covering this song on your next CD, which I suggest you call "Guardian of the Word". >>And, damn, I love that violin solo. >> Who doesn't? That Larry Campbell is something else. Norman ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 22 Sep 2000 19:47:54 EDT From: Gf212121@aol.com Subject: [RS] Essence of Shindell Hey you guys, I was discussing this thread with Isabel (who refuses to emerge from lurkdom to express this opinion herself) and she said that if he had actually written it, 'Cold Missouri Water' would be a pretty essential Shindell song. I definitely agree. Isn't it a sign of how rich a body of work we have in these four and 1/3 CDs that seven people have chosen six different songs, all fairly diverse, that represent the essence of Richard to them? And at that, I haven't read an opinion that made me shake my head and say 'I don't think so.' Now if someone chose 'Lazy'....... Gene F. (who has finally succumbed to the subject title. BAM!) ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 23 Sep 2000 01:24:46 -0700 From: patrick t power Subject: [RS] East Lansing, Michigan Playlist -- 9/22/2000 Here's the song list for tonight's show (Friday, September 22, 2000) at the Ten Pound Fiddle Coffeehouse (notes to follow) in East Lansing, Michigan. Confession The Kenworth Of My Dreams Wisteria The Ballad Of Mary Magdalen The Hobo Song I Saw My Youth Today The Weather The Next Best Western Memory Of You Fishing Abuelita Arrowhead Lazy You Stay Here Are You Happy Now? On A Sea Of Fleur-de-Lis Reunion Hill Sittin' On Top Of The World Transit (encore) May Sing Me Back Home Pat _ ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 23 Sep 2000 02:10:08 -0400 From: "Norman A. Johnson" Subject: [RS] Weather report Pat, you must be in heaven right now. "The Weather", "May", and "Fleur de Lis". At the risk of another "you beat me to it" from Ron G, let me quote Paul Simon: "I get the news I need on the weather report. Oh, I can gather all the news I need on the weather report" BTW, Simon's new album comes out on the 3rd! First one in almost 10 years (that Capeman album doesn't count), kind of makes Richard quick by comparison. Norman PS- I agree with Gene's comments about "Cold Missouri Waters". That one (Richard's version) sends shivers up my spine. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 23 Sep 2000 08:48:11 +0200 From: Katrin.Uhl@t-online.de (Katrin Uhl) Subject: RE: [RS] Essence of Shindell good morning everyone, quintessential Richard... hm... I'm tempted to say Nora just cause it's such a wonderfully haunting song, but I think I'd have to go with either Reunion Hill or Abuelita. I don't think I can come up with a long explanation why - it's just gotta be one of those two. Maybe I could be talked into naming the Next Best Western as well though. Heck, now that I'm thinking about it, Richard seems to have written quite a few "essence of Shindell-songs" :-) Katrin, who will devote the weekend to coming up with a strategy to get Richard to perform Howling at the Trouble the next time she gets to see him play - ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ~ I'm so sick of forgetting myself to remember who I am ~ Dar Williams ------------------------------ End of shindell-list-digest V2 #269 ***********************************