From: owner-shindell-list-digest@smoe.org (shindell-list-digest) To: shindell-list-digest@smoe.org Subject: shindell-list-digest V2 #275 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 Wednesday, September 27 2000 Volume 02 : Number 275 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Re: [RS] Transit, the de facto SOTW [patrick t power ] Re: [RS] Troubled by "Transit" [Lisa Davis & family ] Re: [RS] Troubled by "Transit" [Lisa Davis & family ] Re: [RS] David Olney ["aequalis" ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 26 Sep 2000 23:07:18 -0700 From: patrick t power Subject: Re: [RS] Transit, the de facto SOTW Gene wrote: << the songwriters' workshop at Falcon Ridge, Richard explained away this addition off-handedly, saying that the song was meant to be six minutes long, and implying that the end was written primarily to fill the time.>> Speaking of "Transit" as well as the Falcon Ridge workshop stage, while Richard was performing the song, I caught him taking a glance at Jodi (the ASL signer for that particular session) and smirking to himself shortly after singing the "flipping the bird" line in the song. I finallly remembered to ask him about it Friday night and he told me that he looked at Jodi just a moment too late to see if she actually flipped the bird at the audience or if she made signs to represent the phrase. Did anybody who went to the festival happen to be watching Jodi when he sang that particular line? Pat _ ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 26 Sep 2000 23:53:09 -0400 From: Lisa Davis & family Subject: Re: [RS] Troubled by "Transit" > It is ironic that the man who wrote this song seems to limit his connection with those he meets sometimes, I wonder if he'd stop and help me change a tire if I was wearing a habit? I wouldn't say that -- that is he connects, but with reserve. And for that matter one of the things that intrigues is the way so many of these songs are about "religion" all the while he claims he's not really a "believer" in the ideas they express. Just as John Gorka claims some of his songs aren't "about" him, it's as if Richard is claiming these ideas that keep recurring (Ascent, Nora) aren't *his* ideas, aren't really . I think I believe that as much as I believe that any one of the stories behind 'Are you happy now" is the "true" story! To be sure, it doesn't matter, and maybe isn't our business, but most certainly it adds to the intrigue! Then again, I think the quintessential Richard song is "Next Best Westner." It has a joke in it, at the same time it is poignant, human, beautifully written, and works on many levels. It's also a hauntingly beautiful melody. Most impportantly, the refrain says: "I wish I could believe." Not that I do. I wish I could. lisa ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 26 Sep 2000 23:58:34 -0400 From: Lisa Davis & family Subject: Re: [RS] Troubled by "Transit" Elwestrand wrote: > I think Richard is very sympathetic to criminals (see Transit, > Ascend, Sing me Back Home, Sonora Death Row). I think that what > is behind this is the implication that people who live "outside > the law" are somehow more passionate, more alive, more authentic > than the rest of us. Oh, I don't think so. I think he's fascinated by the doctrinal arguments about grace. Saved through faith, no matter what. Which is fascinating BECAUSE it is contrary to "rational" thought. The appeal of some religious doctrine is that it asks you to believe things that cannot necessarily be justified with reason. It says that some things are higher than reason. That exaltation is itself exciting. I have trouble with this because ultimately it means you are to believe what you are told to believe. Then again, relying on reason is equally fallacious because quite often you may use reason to justify anything you *want* to believe. I like quakerism or other mystical approaches which rely neither on dictum nor on reason, but then again you have the same problem -- how do you KNOW the "still small voice" isn't just your own? What to do, what to do! See prior post. This is just the seminarian who can't quit. (For me, this kind of circular quandary took place in high school.) But it sure makes the songs both unique, and interesting! lisa ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 27 Sep 2000 10:04:55 +0200 From: "aequalis" Subject: Re: [RS] David Olney Of course, I'll stop lurking and add my contribution to this praise of David Olney as I maintain his unofficial page. David is a great songwriter, the kind whose songs are covered by many artists in various genres: Townes, Steve Earle, Kathy Moffatt, Emmylou Harris, Linda Rondstadt or Steve Young for the most famous ones. Charlie Hunter wrote a great text about David. I found it at the deadreckoners page (www.deadreckoners.com) and added it to my Songwriters page (www.multimania.com/songwriters/do_bio.htm). And you all know Charlie knows a lot about great songwriters (Fred Eaglesmith is another one). Now David will be touring in New England (including a songwriting workshop at Passim) and on the East Coast next month. His schedule is has follows: 10/12 , Bellow Falls, VT Thursdays at Oona's (802-463-9830) 10/13, Cambridge, MA , Club Passim (617-492-7679) Masters of Songwriting show 10/14, Workshop at Passim School of Music 10-noon 10/14, Portsmouth, RI, Common Fences (401-683-5085) 10/15, Philadelphia, Tin Angel in support of the Burns Sisters 10/20, Bethlehem, PA, Godfrey Daniels (610-867-2390) 10/21, Phoenixville, PA , Plowshares Coffeehouse, (610-933-7630) 10/22, Little Washington, VA, Theater at Little Washington Herve, Paris Pal _______________________________________________________________ http://www.multimania.com/murphy, e-home of Elliott Murphy http://www.multimania.com/songwriters, e-home of David Olney, Eric Taylor and Tom House To subscribe to Illegal Cargo, send a blank message to: IllegalCargo-subscribe@egroups.com ------------------------------ End of shindell-list-digest V2 #275 ***********************************