From: owner-shindell-list-digest@smoe.org (shindell-list-digest) To: shindell-list-digest@smoe.org Subject: shindell-list-digest V3 #87 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 Thursday, March 15 2001 Volume 03 : Number 087 Today's Subjects: ----------------- [RS] Ascent [Lee Wessman ] Re: [RS] Ascent [SMOKEY596@aol.com] [RS] SOTW Ascent [jcolb ] [RS] Re: SOTW: Ascent ["funster" ] [RS] Richard's early show at the Iron Horse ["Norman A. Johnson" ] [RS] Oh Susanna (traditional... :-) [OzWoman321@aol.com] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 14 Mar 2001 12:11:36 -0800 From: Lee Wessman Subject: [RS] Ascent I never saw this song from a Christian perspective, but more a Buddhist one. I imagined a guy on death row who achieves, quite unexpectedly, enlightenment. Sort of like Siddhartha finding what he was looking for only after he gave up the spiritual search. And the moral I took from the story comes from the "you haven't got a clue" line that E alludes to: spiritual clarity might very well show up in the least-likely circumstances among the least-likely people. Interesting how Richard's songs hold a mirror up to so many of us, despite our widely diverse backgrounds. - -lee ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 14 Mar 2001 15:57:30 EST From: SMOKEY596@aol.com Subject: Re: [RS] Ascent Without looking at the lyrics again and trying to analyze the song, I'd have to say that I've always heard it as kind of a "Silence of the Lambs" kind of thing....like here he is about to die for what he's done, and he's pretty much saying "don't bother trying to figure out why I am this way or why I did it". He seems to be almost in a zombie-like state as he speaks. He seems indifferent all the way around to me. SMOKEY ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 14 Mar 2001 17:31:47 -0500 From: jcolb Subject: [RS] SOTW Ascent > Richard says he wrote it after seeing a late-night movie on this topic -- > can't remember the movie or the theme, just about someone on death row. > I listened to this song numerous times to and from my TV shoot about 45 miles away this morning... beautiful drive through some country two lanes between state college and huntingdon, pa. Perfect RS listening opportunity. You know, I didn't realize at first it was about a criminal per se, that part had missed me- I too sometimes lose words being wrapped up in the music- but the search the family history lines etc. make this much more obvious once you do make that assumption. I assumed the regrets and remorse he was feeling was the confessions of a normal life... like, did i really deserve to end up here, how was i good enough? Geez, I just flipped that guy the bird on 80, and there was that time I ran away from my war comrades, and man, the things that i have seen... (Ascent reminds me a bit of the Richard julian song from Fast Folk when, I believe rs was associate editor... about a guy who commited suicide and i'm assuming his last breath or thought was a plea for salvation and made it to heaven- I haven't heard that song in a long time so I may even be making the wrong associations there. But it also has the sort of, whooah, how'd this happen? aspect to it... To me it is almost a subliminal gospel song in reinforcing the singer's need for salvation and absolution, just by the grace of him having found it at the last moment... and having found salvation, he no longer recognizes himself by the nature of the new, pure being that he has become. And I also believe he has no explanation, because this is just such a huge concept- yet so utterly simple... you are saved by grace alone, you just have to truly believe and trust and ask for forgiveness...that he just can't possibly truly understand or explain it in terms that make sense. I love the minor chord aspect of it, and the starkness of the song. This isn't one I would go to first if I had blue divide in and was doing, say, a ten minute drive and just picking a few highlights, but i think the fragility of the arrangement bears very well on repeated listenings. It likely would not make it onto a 74 minute sampler I would pass along...depending on the recipient. But mostly, it would be not included just because I have other definate favorites that would come first. On a more comprehensive collection, such as the 2 disc best of I burned to listen to in my truck (from my original CD's, natch) it is indeed included. Were I good enough to perform live, I don't think this would be on my 'A' set list, though, just because i think there are other choices in RS material that might draw the casual observer in or be more captivating or rewarding to play... jim colbert ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 14 Mar 2001 18:06:35 -0500 From: "funster" Subject: [RS] Re: SOTW: Ascent Most of what I wanted to say, has been said, but I'll add more... (The problem with only receiving mail once a day on home computer...) I feel like this guy is in prison on death-row, or facing death, but not really confessing or converting or believing. I'm reminded of American Beauty, where Lester (Is this right?) talks about the morning of the last day of his life. It's like he wants to hear the story about the thief because it may be comforting, not because he really believes he'll be "saved." And the second verse I think is more the response to "why did you do it?" that the victims' ('s) family would ask. All of my RS are on CD, and since I don't have a CD player in my car, I taped SNP for listening on my one hour commute to and one hour from work. (ugh) On the left over space on the tape, I have my favorites from his other CDs. Ascent is on it. It has always been a song that I've been attracted to musically/lyrically on a sound level. I also like the "you never had a clue" part. Anyway, a bit of my thoughts... Candy ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 14 Mar 2001 23:07:56 -0500 From: "Norman A. Johnson" Subject: [RS] Richard's early show at the Iron Horse Good show tonight by Richard and his band-- Denny, Lincoln, and John Putnam. Richard is definitely becoming more popular as well as a better performer. I arrived at the Iron Horse a little before five and there was already a growing line, unusual for a weekday show unless it's someone like Dar or The Nields. Richard started with three songs from SPARROW'S POINT: "The Courier", "Memory of You", and "Kenworth" (in that order). Richard said his songs are all lies; he's never stepped foot in a Kenworth, much less wasted his life driving one. From SP, he later played "Are You Happy Now?" (sans story) From BLUE DIVIDE, he played "Summer Wind, Cotton Dress" (again said his songs were all lies), "Fishing" (introduced by saying that he used to be a communist and now he's a greedy, capitalist pig and talks to his dad about the stock market), and "Arrowhead". No songs from REUNION HILL. The SOMEWHERE NEAR PATERSON songs received the largest applause and recognition. A little boy asked him to play "Hey Doc, How's about a refill". Richard responded, "Now we both know your father really wants to hear that song and he figures I'll more likely play it if you ask than if he does". Richard then said "Son, at least you know what the song is about? Right, son? Young man". I could not see the boy's reaction. Richard later did play "Confession". After playing it, he talked about how the song was dated (because the stock market is falling) and said "usually I write songs that happen before 1868 or so, when I write a contemporary song, there's a danger of being outdated". Also from SNP: "Abeulita", "You Stay Here" (the band really nailed it!), "Wisteria", and "Transit" (he closed with that). Richard changed a line of "Transit". Instead of a "murderous horde hell-bound on Saturday", they were a "well-insured horde". He played the new song "Who's in charge here?". The covers were some trucking song that I don't know, "Cold Missouri Waters", and "Sing Me Back Home" (encore). Richard dedicated CMW to two Worchester firemen who were in the audience. This was the only song that Richard performed solo and it was just a little slower than the Cry3 version. I've heard Richard do SMBH several times as an encore and I'm getting a little tired of it. Overall, an excellent show! Norman ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 15 Mar 2001 00:24:09 -0500 From: "Norman A. Johnson" Subject: [RS] "Vincent" cover While waiting for Richard's show, I heard a recording of woman singing a cover of Don McLean's "Vincent". Anyone know who it is? Norman ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 15 Mar 2001 01:35:51 EST From: OzWoman321@aol.com Subject: [RS] Oh Susanna (traditional... :-) Norman asked: << While waiting for Richard's show, I heard a recording of woman singing a cover of Don McLean's "Vincent". Anyone know who it is? >> Yep, that would be Susan Werner, from her fabulous Time Between Trains - and don't forget to stick around to the end to hear Movie of My Life, the hidden track... :-) the *other* Susan "You're either out of control or you're stuck" - Todd Snider ------------------------------ End of shindell-list-digest V3 #87 **********************************