From: owner-shindell-list-digest@smoe.org (shindell-list-digest) To: shindell-list-digest@smoe.org Subject: shindell-list-digest V6 #109 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 Tuesday, May 18 2004 Volume 06 : Number 109 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Re: [RS] Chris's Question On Last Fare [adam plunkett Subject: Re: [RS] Chris's Question On Last Fare - --- Bobdog25nj@aol.com wrote: > After listening to the Claudia Marshall WFUV > interview, Chris had two > questions: > > - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > ------------------------- > > 1. When talking about "Last Fare", Richard said--at > Claudia Marshall's > prompting--that the two couples in the song were not > the same couple, in his > mind. !! I don't understand that. I feel that a > large part of the beauty of > the song derives from the two couples being the > same; barely able to stand or > speak due to sadness after 9-11, and then happy and > bearing a baby (named > either "Hope" or "Grace") in the spring, with the > obvious symbolism. The > power > of the imagery diminishes somewhat, to my thinking, > if these are two different > couples. Does anyone else agree? Has anyone heard > Richard comment one way or > the other in another interview/whatever? > - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > ----------- > Hmmm. Believe it or not I had EXACTLY the same > response to hearing Richard > explain that he did not think that the couple with > the baby at the end were the > same couple that the cab driver had picked up on > 9-11. > > Actually, my thought was more along the line of " > well, Richard has written a > beautiful and understated song about 9-11, that > manages the extremely > difficult trick of making the song > both very sad and yet uplifting at the end - and it > is most unfortunate that > Richard is apparently TOO INCREDIBLY STUPID to > understand his own song! " > > During the interview ( which I did not re-hear > yesterday) , I remember > Richard talking about being in Argentina and > happening upon a moment of street life, > where he just happened to witness a cab bringing > home a Mom and Dad and baby > from the hospital for the first time. > Maybe there was a small welcoming comittee of > friends and neighbors , I don't > know. But I remember Richard saying that he noticed > the face of the cab > driver and how incredibly proud he seemed to be that > he had "brought them home". > > Somehow - through songwriter magic - that cabdriver > ended up in NYC on 9-11. > That part I get. But I am with Chris - I think the > song loses a lot of its > emotional power if the couple with that baby at the > end are not the same couple > that the cabdriver picked up in the area of lower > Manhattan on 9-11. > > Perhaps we need to explain to Richard that the > "collective unconcious" > allowed him to write the song - and has left it to > us to correct Richard when he has > clearly gone awry. > > Chris also asked: > - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > ----------------------------------- > 2. This one is kinda personal: Richard referred to > a sixteen-year-old son > "from > before", living somewhere in the States (can't > remember...Jersey maybe?) Was > Richard married earlier? Did I completely mishear > this? (I was paying some > bills at that moment.) I assume that this isn't > extraordinary sensitive > information, or else Richard wouldn't have mentioned > it during a radio > interview. I can appreciate an artist's privacy, > though, so Scott (or anyone > else), feel free to tell me to mind my own business. > > - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > ---------------------------------------- > OK... I did hear this small part of the interview > last night again. Richard's > eldest son lives in Georgetown ( pretty sure that's > what Richard said) ... > from the context of the explanation I kinda thought > that Richard's first son is > probably from a first marriage? But I am also with > Scott that we are getting > close to invading Richard's privacy ... and besides, > it's not like this has > anything to do with Richard's songs anyway. > > If someone does know, and if it's not too personal, > a brief explanation of > what happened to Richard after college ( and The > Razzy Dazzy Spazum Band) , and > the point at which he started to make Cds and earn > his living as a > singer-songwriter might be interesting. I know > Richard attended Seminary School somewhere > ( he has mentioned this at shows) and that does seem > to be reflected in his > songwriting. ( I seem to recall he decided being a > minister was not for him and > left the program ). > > Did Richard ever work a straight 9 to 5 job? Did he > ever sell Rolexs in Times > Square? Work as the DJ at Satin Dolls in Lodi, New > Jersey? Teach guitar? What > was his major in college anyway? When he wasn't > planning to be a working > musician, what was he planning to be? > > Or not. But a little info on Richard's path to where > he is now might be > interesting. > > see ya... bob paterson __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? SBC Yahoo! - Internet access at a great low price. http://promo.yahoo.com/sbc/ ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 18 May 2004 08:33:18 -0700 (PDT) From: adam plunkett Subject: Re: [RS] Chris's Question On Last Fare What makes Richatd Shindell such a gifted writer is the layers his songwriting has....and it doesn't matter if why he wrote the song is the same reason why the listener is drawn to it...it shouldn't lose the impact it had on you prior. In every great song, it can be interpreted in different ways. And every person is able to get out of it what they see...no matter what the artist intended. Cant wait for the new album. Adam - --- Bobdog25nj@aol.com wrote: > After listening to the Claudia Marshall WFUV > interview, Chris had two > questions: > > - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > ------------------------- > > 1. When talking about "Last Fare", Richard said--at > Claudia Marshall's > prompting--that the two couples in the song were not > the same couple, in his > mind. !! I don't understand that. I feel that a > large part of the beauty of > the song derives from the two couples being the > same; barely able to stand or > speak due to sadness after 9-11, and then happy and > bearing a baby (named > either "Hope" or "Grace") in the spring, with the > obvious symbolism. The > power > of the imagery diminishes somewhat, to my thinking, > if these are two different > couples. Does anyone else agree? Has anyone heard > Richard comment one way or > the other in another interview/whatever? > - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > ----------- > Hmmm. Believe it or not I had EXACTLY the same > response to hearing Richard > explain that he did not think that the couple with > the baby at the end were the > same couple that the cab driver had picked up on > 9-11. > > Actually, my thought was more along the line of " > well, Richard has written a > beautiful and understated song about 9-11, that > manages the extremely > difficult trick of making the song > both very sad and yet uplifting at the end - and it > is most unfortunate that > Richard is apparently TOO INCREDIBLY STUPID to > understand his own song! " > > During the interview ( which I did not re-hear > yesterday) , I remember > Richard talking about being in Argentina and > happening upon a moment of street life, > where he just happened to witness a cab bringing > home a Mom and Dad and baby > from the hospital for the first time. > Maybe there was a small welcoming comittee of > friends and neighbors , I don't > know. But I remember Richard saying that he noticed > the face of the cab > driver and how incredibly proud he seemed to be that > he had "brought them home". > > Somehow - through songwriter magic - that cabdriver > ended up in NYC on 9-11. > That part I get. But I am with Chris - I think the > song loses a lot of its > emotional power if the couple with that baby at the > end are not the same couple > that the cabdriver picked up in the area of lower > Manhattan on 9-11. > > Perhaps we need to explain to Richard that the > "collective unconcious" > allowed him to write the song - and has left it to > us to correct Richard when he has > clearly gone awry. > > Chris also asked: > - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > ----------------------------------- > 2. This one is kinda personal: Richard referred to > a sixteen-year-old son > "from > before", living somewhere in the States (can't > remember...Jersey maybe?) Was > Richard married earlier? Did I completely mishear > this? (I was paying some > bills at that moment.) I assume that this isn't > extraordinary sensitive > information, or else Richard wouldn't have mentioned > it during a radio > interview. I can appreciate an artist's privacy, > though, so Scott (or anyone > else), feel free to tell me to mind my own business. > > - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > ---------------------------------------- > OK... I did hear this small part of the interview > last night again. Richard's > eldest son lives in Georgetown ( pretty sure that's > what Richard said) ... > from the context of the explanation I kinda thought > that Richard's first son is > probably from a first marriage? But I am also with > Scott that we are getting > close to invading Richard's privacy ... and besides, > it's not like this has > anything to do with Richard's songs anyway. > > If someone does know, and if it's not too personal, > a brief explanation of > what happened to Richard after college ( and The > Razzy Dazzy Spazum Band) , and > the point at which he started to make Cds and earn > his living as a > singer-songwriter might be interesting. I know > Richard attended Seminary School somewhere > ( he has mentioned this at shows) and that does seem > to be reflected in his > songwriting. ( I seem to recall he decided being a > minister was not for him and > left the program ). > > Did Richard ever work a straight 9 to 5 job? Did he > ever sell Rolexs in Times > Square? Work as the DJ at Satin Dolls in Lodi, New > Jersey? Teach guitar? What > was his major in college anyway? When he wasn't > planning to be a working > musician, what was he planning to be? > > Or not. But a little info on Richard's path to where > he is now might be > interesting. > > see ya... bob paterson __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? SBC Yahoo! - Internet access at a great low price. http://promo.yahoo.com/sbc/ ------------------------------ End of shindell-list-digest V6 #109 ***********************************