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Subject: shindell-list-digest V3 #326
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shindell-list-digest   Thursday, September 27 2001   Volume 03 : Number 326



                               Today's Subjects:
                               -----------------
  [RS] Eddie Vedder's Dream-Come-True    ["Gene Frey" <gf212121@hotmail.com>]
  Re: [RS] Re: sparrows point etc.       [patrick t power <ptpower@juno.com>]
  Re: [RS] Please let HIM sing Reunion Hill  [patrick t power <ptpower@juno.]
  [RS] Re: Sparrows Point redux                            [LBECKLAW@aol.com]
  [RS] Re: Sparrows Point redux                           [Rongrittz@aol.com]
  Re: [RS] Re: Sparrows Point redux      [patrick t power <ptpower@juno.com>]
  Re: [RS] Re: Sparrows Point redux          ["L. Davis" <ldavis@connix.com>]
  [RS] Re: Sparrows Point (sans the apostrophe) :-)      [L8NiteBluz@aol.com]
  [RS] Chords: FOR A DANCER                               [Rongrittz@aol.com]
  [RS] Re: mandy and richard separated at birth?           [LBECKLAW@aol.com]
  [RS] Re: shindell-list-digest V3 #325                    [LBECKLAW@aol.com]
  Re: [RS] Re: Sparrows Point redux   [Vanessa Wills <vcwills@Princeton.EDU>]

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Thu, 27 Sep 2001 16:55:58 -0400
From: "Gene Frey" <gf212121@hotmail.com>
Subject: [RS] Eddie Vedder's Dream-Come-True

Hey you guys,

Ron G. informed me:

>>CSI is actually the College of Staten Island. <<

And, they have tickets on sale already for the 2/23/02 show. You can go to:

http://www.csi.cuny.edu/arts/

and purchase tickets on-line with no service fee! Take that, Ticketmaster.

Gene F. (who originally thought that by going to a show at CSI that he would 
meet Marg Helgenberger)

_________________________________________________________________
Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 27 Sep 2001 16:36:56 -0400
From: patrick t power <ptpower@juno.com>
Subject: Re: [RS] Re: sparrows point etc.

Laura asked:

<<I'm afraid I am a mere novitiate. Is that a word?>>

If you're intending on being a nun, it might be accurate!

Pat

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 27 Sep 2001 16:53:46 -0400
From: patrick t power <ptpower@juno.com>
Subject: Re: [RS] Please let HIM sing Reunion Hill

Gene wondered:

<<They list a CSI Center for the Arts in New York, NY. The address is
2800 Victory Blvd. That sounds like Staten Island, but I've never heard
of the place, and the map link shows 'unknown.' Anybody have a clue?>>

And RonG responded:

<<Yeah . . . a little Google search shows that CSI is actually the
College of Staten Island.>>

In Toledo, CSI was (when I was a wee lad) the Child Study Institute,
where untoward children were sent.

Pat
p.s. And if you're wondering . . . NO!

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 27 Sep 2001 17:05:56 EDT
From: LBECKLAW@aol.com
Subject: [RS] Re: Sparrows Point redux

Well sergeant at arms, Dick-head (!) and all other VSF's,

I'm happy to report that after much due diligence and effort (while fasting, 
no less), I was able to locate a CD of Sparrows Point, the much discussed and 
apparently unanimously favorite RS album.  Since I didn't get it online 
(pause for collective gasp)I must wait as long as 2 weeks for it to arrive at 
Borders Books, the ole-fashioned way.  Sure it's worth the wait. All of your 
enthusiasm and fervor for this album has made me very eager to own it. Do you 
guys get a cut?  Still a novice, still fasting (1 more hour to go)...

Laura aka "Grasshopper"

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 27 Sep 2001 17:28:50 EDT
From: Rongrittz@aol.com
Subject: [RS] Re: Sparrows Point redux

>> Sparrows Point, the much discussed and apparently unanimously favorite RS album. <<

While it's probably not a UNANIMOUS favorite, I do have a question that might spur some interesting conversation.  I'm wondering if "Sparrows Point" is only the favorite of the EARLIEST Richard fans, or whether those who jumped on the Shindell-wagon somewhat later (through Dar or Cry Cry Cry or the Dylan contemporary of whom I do not speak) ALSO consider it their favorite.  Or whether it's too folky for the crowd who might prefer the type of arrangements on "Reunion Hill" or "Somewhere Near Paterson."

Thoughts?

RG

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 27 Sep 2001 17:43:01 -0400
From: patrick t power <ptpower@juno.com>
Subject: Re: [RS] Re: Sparrows Point redux

Ron posed:

<<While it's probably not a UNANIMOUS favorite, I do have a question that
might spur some interesting conversation.  I'm wondering if "Sparrows
Point" is only the favorite of the EARLIEST Richard fans, or whether
those who jumped on the Shindell-wagon somewhat later (through Dar or Cry
Cry Cry or the Dylan contemporary of whom I do not speak) ALSO consider
it their favorite.  Or whether it's too folky for the crowd who might
prefer the type of arrangements on "Reunion Hill" or "Somewhere Near
Paterson.">>

Certainly, I have a different "favorite" CD at various times. However, I
think that there is something very *special* about "Sparrows Point" . . .
perhaps because it's a "watermark" collection of songs. Those songs
really have set the standard (not really the word I'm trying to conjure)
by which we early Shindell "wagoneers" gauge his work. 

There are so few songwriters who write anything that can come close to
comparing to the writing on that CD.

Pat

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 27 Sep 2001 17:46:43 -0400 (EDT)
From: "L. Davis" <ldavis@connix.com>
Subject: Re: [RS] Re: Sparrows Point redux

Laura, you have to understand, I think that was the ONLY CD I listened to
for an entire year, religiously, to/from work which must be about an hour
a day... !!!  OK so maybe I'm a wee bit obessive at times :)  but if that
gives you some idea!  (I had it copied onto BOTH sides of a C-90.)

Lisa Davis
FYI:  New Address is now/soon to be lndavis@cnmnetwork.com

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 27 Sep 2001 18:30:06 EDT
From: L8NiteBluz@aol.com
Subject: [RS] Re: Sparrows Point (sans the apostrophe) :-)

Everyone I know who loves RS's music seems to agree that Sparrows Point is 
their favorite disk, however, SNP contains quite possibly, one of the single 
most beautiful songs I have ever heard...EVER---Wisteria----which I played 
probably 25 times today driving from Springfield to Salem and back. Simply a 
gorgeous song. One of three that I will surely wear out soon, the other two 
being Bruce Cockburn's "Closer To The Light", and Sinatra's "You Go To My 
Head".

Mark

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 27 Sep 2001 21:53:10 EDT
From: Rongrittz@aol.com
Subject: [RS] Chords: FOR A DANCER

I've had a few requests for the chords to this song, and although I don't 
plan to put it up on my site, I figured I'd post it here for anyone who's 
interested.  Pretty straightforward song in C, no capo.

RG

FOR A DANCER . . . Jackson Browne

(C)Keep a fire burning (F)in your eye 
(C)Pay attention to the (F)open sky 
(C)You never know what (F)will be coming (C)down (G)
(C)I don't remember losing (F)track of you 
(C)You were always dancing in and (F)out of view 
(C)I must have thought you'd (F)always be a(C)round (G)
(Am)Always keeping things (F)real by playing the (C)clown 
Now you're (G)nowhere to be found (C)(F)(C)(G)

(C)I don't know what happens when (F)people die 
(C)Can't seem to grasp it as (F)hard as I try 
It's like a (C)song I can hear playing (F)right in my ear 
That I can't (C)sing . . . I can't help (G)listening 
(C)And I can't help feeling stupid (F)standing 'round 
(C)Crying as they (F)ease you down 
(C)'Cause I know that you'd (F)rather we were dan(C)cing 
(G)Dancing our sorrow a(Am)way (F)
(Right on dancing) 
(C)No matter what fate (G)chooses to play (C)
(There's nothing you can do about it anyway) 

Just (F)do the steps that (C)you've been shown 
By (F)everyone you've (C)ever known (G)
(Am)Until the dance be(C7)comes your very (F)own 
No matter how (G)close to yours 
An(Am)other's steps have (F)grown 
In the (C)end there is one (G)dance you'll do a(C)lone (F)(C)(G)

(C)Keep a fire for the (F)human race 
(C)Let your prayers go drifting (F)into space 
(C)You never know what (F)will be coming (C)down (G)
(C)Perhaps a better world is (F)drawing near 
(C)Just as easily it could (F)all disappear 
(C)Along with whatever (F)meaning you might have (C)found (G)
(Am)Don't let the un(F)certainty turn you (C)around 
(The world keeps turning around and around) 
Go (G)on and make a joyful (C)sound 

In(F)to a dancer (C)you have grown 
From a (F)seed somebody (C)else has thrown (G)
(Am)Go on ahead and (C7)throw some seeds of your (F)own 
And somewhere be(G)tween the time you ar(Am)rive 
And the time you (F)go 
May lie a (C)reason you were a(G)live 
But you'll never know (C)(F)(C)(G)(C)

(c) 1974 SWALLOW TURN MUSIC

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 27 Sep 2001 22:34:00 EDT
From: LBECKLAW@aol.com
Subject: [RS] Re: mandy and richard separated at birth?

Okay, I really did go to the mandy patinkin website, and I really did try to make this RS/MP connection work for me. But I have to say that even at this semi-late hour of the night, it just doesn't happen for me. In fact, now I'm starting to come round to the Kevin Spacey/RS way of thinking...although I must say I thoroughly enjoyed Mandy P. in Elmo in Grouchland, a riveting film that is a triumph of the human spirit!

Laura 

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 27 Sep 2001 22:41:43 EDT
From: LBECKLAW@aol.com
Subject: [RS] Re: shindell-list-digest V3 #325

And another thing: does anyone see any merit in the Forrest Sawyer/RS theory, or should I just let it go? Check out Forrest's photo on ABCNEWS.com and see. 
Grasshopper

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 27 Sep 2001 22:59:34 -0400
From: Vanessa Wills <vcwills@Princeton.EDU>
Subject: Re: [RS] Re: Sparrows Point redux

Well, I became a fan somewhere in the later middle of Richard's career--summer 1998, when I saw him play solo live. I bought the discs all at once (I had more $$ in those days <sigh>--or was less fiscally responsible, anyway), so I was exposed to them all together. Sparrows Point soon emerged as the clear favorite. There's something very honest and bare about the songs, and this appeals to me. "Courier" will always be a fave, and like RonG, I think it is the quintessential RS song. Interesting to compare
it to (what I've always considered to be) the other song on SP about being a folk singer, "Kenworth of My Dreams." SP benefits as much from what isn't there as from what is. One of the reasons "Memory of You" is so creepy and haunting is that it is so simple and repetitive. The same goes for "By Now," which depends on its stripped-down sound for much of its power. The title song is essentially a sad, rambling story set to some very simple guitar.
Moreover, a sensation of yearning saturates the entire album. There are also themes of wanting and planning escape, and of having pulled it off and not really liked what one has escaped to. This is what I see, to varying degrees, in "Fleur-de-Lis," "The Kenworth of My Dreams" and "Sparrows Point."

When I say Sparrows Point is my fave, I don't mean to downplay Richard's latest achievements. I think comparing SP to the others is basically comparing apples to oranges. Even as early as Blue Divide, something totally different is happening, musically. Most trivially, SP is a debut, and the others are not. In SP, the voice of Richard's talent is making itself heard for the first time, and the uncertainty is reflected in the subject matter and the "vibe," if you will, of the songs. Obviously, this is not
the case in Richard's later works.

I will say this, however: Sparrows Point is an album that you put in the player, and then drop everything else that you're doing and LISTEN to it. Like Ron said, just cuz it's quiet and folky does not mean it's background music. It bears very close repeat listening. The lyrics and the spare arrangements constantly yield new interpretations. And well, it's just plain beautiful, as well.

By the by, I'm bringing a whole bunch of friends to the Hightstown concert on Saturday! :-) Looking forward to seeing lots of you there!

Peace, Love, and Mischief,
Vanessa


Rongrittz@aol.com wrote:

> >> Sparrows Point, the much discussed and apparently unanimously favorite RS album. <<
>
> While it's probably not a UNANIMOUS favorite, I do have a question that might spur some interesting conversation.  I'm wondering if "Sparrows Point" is only the favorite of the EARLIEST Richard fans, or whether those who jumped on the Shindell-wagon somewhat later (through Dar or Cry Cry Cry or the Dylan contemporary of whom I do not speak) ALSO consider it their favorite.  Or whether it's too folky for the crowd who might prefer the type of arrangements on "Reunion Hill" or "Somewhere Near Paterson."
>
> Thoughts?
>
> RG

- --
"I still confuse mowing down with getting through."
                 -Jeff Lang, "throw it all," from _Cedar Grove_

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End of shindell-list-digest V3 #326
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