From: owner-shindell-list-digest@smoe.org (shindell-list-digest) To: shindell-list-digest@smoe.org Subject: shindell-list-digest V12 #381 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, February 16 2013 Volume 12 : Number 381 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Re: [RS] Manilow? ["Michael & Linda Marmer" ] [RS] Manilow? [Pete Jameson ] [RS] Round two! [Gene Frey ] [RS] Round Two [Beth DeSombre ] [RS] New Hope Winery show [Toby ] Re: [RS] Dead Skunks [Carol Love ] Re: [RS] Manilow? ["Michael & Linda Marmer" ] Re: [RS] Concert [Carol Love ] Re: [RS] Manilow? [Carol Love ] [RS] Concert ["Michael & Linda Marmer" ] [RS] Dead Skunks [Carol Love ] [RS] CL's Much Madness, Round Two [Carol Love ] Re: [RS] Concert [Carol Love ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 16 Feb 2013 13:00:37 -0500 From: "Michael & Linda Marmer" Subject: Re: [RS] Manilow? Carol, Hope 2013 is better for you. Sorry to hear about the loses you went through last year. I am going to see a friend today who lost their daughter this week at age 28 who was to have a uprising career as a vet doctor. And I know about the lost of cats, as I took care of two who lived to be 20 as the things I did to keep them alive, no regrets in doing that. Best, Mike - -----Original Message----- From: Carol Love Sent: Saturday, February 16, 2013 12:36 PM To: shindell-list@smoe.org Subject: Re: [RS] Manilow? Mike wrote: > Just saw a neat version of Hairspray with MIcky Dolenz as the father of > Tracy. He did a great job. > I actually saw Micky last year at EPCOT. (See earlier mention of conditions to see David Cassidy under.) It was incredibly bittersweet as I had originally planned the weekend because Davy Jones was going to play during the Star Wars weekends, so it was something to make both me and hubby happy. Davy then died. But that was 2012 for me. The year that just couldn't suck enough. I lost everything from my cat to my lifelong bestfriend. It was a living Shindell tune. ....Carol ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 16 Feb 2013 10:39:06 -0500 From: Pete Jameson Subject: [RS] Manilow? ...hmm...methinks we're some wyrd bedfellowes here on the Shin-dig... Tapering Down, PeterPA On Feb 16, 2013, at 9:43 AM, Carol Love wrote: > Ron wrote: > >> >> 14. You Stay Here (over Are You Happy Now) >> "Are You Happy Now" is Richard's "Dead Skunk" . . . the song I bet I wish >> he could stop playing, but still keeps plugging into his set list because >> he thinks people want to hear it. >> > > > > ....GREAT analogy!! That made me laugh out loud ~ really. > > Way back before I was an underpaid teacher, I was an underpaid freelance > writer. One time I interviewed RS for an upcoming local show and asked if > he got tired of AYHN. He denied it and said it was good fun. Yeah, and > Moby Dick is a book about a fish. > > I love the song because it's so many people's gateway into Shindellhood. > When it sits next to something like "Courier", it just isn't in the same > ballpark. > > But then, that's coming from someone who actually didn't let their husband > change the station the other night when Barry Manilow's "Even Now" came on > the radio... > > > *Ciao!* > > .....Carol ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 16 Feb 2013 10:24:46 -0500 From: Gene Frey Subject: [RS] Round two! Hey you guys, I voted. I'm not happy about it. Some beautiful, meaningful, wonderful songs will be cast aside, and for them I will shed a tear. (Did you buy that? Let the battle rage!!!!) 1. Wisteria (over Ascent) Because it made my daughter cry when she heard it after my our family and my parents both moved from the only houses she ever knew. Plus, the dual meaning of I know its not my place, (which I believe was pointed out by Pat Power back in the punch-card days of the Shindell List) is just perfect. 2. I Saw My Youth Today (over Balloon Man) A tough call, but the concept wins me over. Im sure we talked about this being like a Twilight Zone episode years ago (Walking Distance comes to mind). 3. Reunion Hill (over Fenario) So good that not even Joan Baez cover can ruin it for me. 4. By Now (over Mary Magdalene) The key to this song, for me, is not just the vocal but the hideously evil instrumental ending to the song  a minute and a half with no words, just instruments slowly breaking down, which I take to represent the silence of Mary Ann. 5. There Goes Mavis (over State of the Union) Damn your draw. Lesser of two mehs. 6. Sparrows Point (over Cancion Sencilla) The Shindell song Id most like to see done up as a concept video. The Depression, WW II, this one has it all. It sounds as fresh and relevant as the day I first heard it. 7. Transit (over Summer Wind, Cotton Dress) Auggggggh. Ive changed this vote three times already. Two very different songs, and boyohboy do I love Transit, but just what was he thinking at that table that was too dark for the kitchen light? 8. Fishing (over Abuelita) Bureaucrats are people, too. Wacka doo. 9. The Next Best Western (over On A Sea Of Fleur-de-Lis) For a while, my favorite Shindell song, and still way up there. F-d-L is excellent, and lends itself nicely to covers by Celtic bands (Solas and Burning Bridget Cleary to name two) but it just misses out. 10. Money for Floods (over Che Guevara T-Shirt ) One more example of a Shindell song that uses a crystal-clear character study to reveal a greater truth (although they both do, really). I thought of this song a lot after Sandy, especially seeing President Obama in New Jersey, though I never did see a green helicopter. 11. The Weather (over Nora) I have to vote for The Weather, I suppose, and do so gladly, but if I had to take one to a desert island Id be up all night deciding. Can I take Dars version of Nora? 12. May (over Kenworth of my Dreams) Kenworth is good, but May is unforgettable. 13. The Courier (over The Things That I Have Seen) Easy call here. When we carve Mt. Shindellmore the Courier character would definitely be one of the four faces (although that would be quite a chore, since no one knows what the characters look like, eh?) 14. You Stay Here (over Are You Happy Now) I got tired of AYHN after a while, and recent listen after a lengthy hiatus made me appreciate it again, but You Stay Here is too good. 15. Waiting for the Storm (over Juggler Out in Traffic) Not a hard call, but either would lose to both songs in ten or twelve other matches. 16. Last Fare Of The Day (over Arrowhead) The Hope and Grace line gets me, still. I want to take the version I have of "Last Fare" that someone in the crowd recorded at the 2003 Falcon Ridge Festival to the CSI lab to remove the crying baby and stray conversation, as it is the best version I have ever heard. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 16 Feb 2013 07:55:28 -0500 From: Beth DeSombre Subject: [RS] Round Two Yup, it's getting harder. But actually less hard than I might have expected just due to how some of the pairings worked out. 1. Ascent *Wisteria <--* I didn't vote for Wisteria in the last round, but I haven't been a big fan of Ascent, and I do find myself singing Wisteria a lot (especially when I come across some). 2.* Balloon Man <--* I Saw My Youth Today No contest here, in my book. 3. Fenario *Reunion Hill <--* I think Reunion hill is on the list of his top 5 songs, easily (top 3, maybe), so as much as I love Fenario, I have to make the choice this way. 4. By Now *Mary Magdalene <--* Not a hard pairing in my book. 5. *There Goes Mavis <--* State of the Union I love Mavis. I actually don't love the musical style of the song, but it works perfectly for the lyrics, and the picture painted is vivid and poignant (and creative). And who else would even have come up with this story, or told it with such perceptive details? 6. *Sparrows Point <--* Cancion Sencilla Also a hard one. I was a big advocate of Cancion Sencilla in the last round, but ultimately I have to take a story song. 7. *Transit <--* Summer Wind, Cotton Dress This ione is the most painful for me. I think Transit is a nearly perfect song (and I love that I first heard it as only part of it was written and he didn't know where it was going, and then how it wraps up). But Summer Wind has always been one of my favorites, and it was kind of a theme song for me one summer (I'll leave it to your imagination what was going on that summer). GAAAH. Still, have to choose Transit. 8. *Fishing <--* Abuelita 9. *The Next Best Western <--* On A Sea Of Fleur-de-Lis 10. Money for Floods *Che Guevara T-Shirt <--* A hard one, too, but Che is such a great story. (The beautiful guitar part for Floods almost sways me, and I like the story there, too.) This is one of those that I'll be okay with whichever makes it through the round. 11. *Nora <--* The Weather The Weather is a lovely sweet song that gets extra points for never being played. But Nora is mysterious and deep and sticks in my head. 12. May *Kenworth of my Dreams <--* Yes, this time I'm choosing fun over deep, but I love Kenworth (and I actually like the character sketch as well as the cleverness of the lyrics) in Kenworth. 13. *The Courier <--* The Things That I Have Seen 14. You Stay Here *Are You Happy Now <--* I think AYHN is brilliant but, more importantly, it's the song (from that When October Goes sampler) that introduced me to Richard way back when, so it gets pride of place in my heart. 15. Waiting for the Storm *Juggler Out in Traffic <--* I like Juggler a lot. It's beatable, but not by Waiting, which is a much less interesting story/person in my book. 16. Arrowhead *Last Fare Of The Day <--* One of hardest choices of this round for me, because Arrowhead is my spouse's favorite song (trying to get him to join for the voting) and I've learned to love it more than I already did by seeing it through his eyes. But Last Fare is just brilliant (although I'm with Ron at chafing at the breaking of the rhyme scheme for something that didn't seem worthy of it, in the last verse). Beth Beth DeSombre www.bethdesombre.com ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 16 Feb 2013 08:28:25 -0500 From: Toby Subject: [RS] New Hope Winery show It was mentioned earlier on the list that it would be nice to post show reports....so here is mine! Antje Duvekot opened for Richard Thursday night...the announcer totally butchered her name beyond recognition, but I would bet that happens a lot. She played 5 or 6 songs, Lincoln was with her for the first 2. Her voice sweet and beautiful, as always. Richard looked great; maybe lost a little weight and his hair is shorter. Perhaps the year off did him good :). He mentioned that his dad was in the audience and that his daughter was selling cd's. Lincoln Schleifer, Marc Shulman and Joe Bonadio were with him. Joe is fun to watch-I'm not sure I've seen him before. The set list was heavy on the new songs, a few of which he didn't say the title, so I'm not sure if I got those right, maybe someone can fill in those gaps; Kenworth Next Best Western Deer on the Parkway-jokingly said he could have called it deer on 202 Love in Vain-RS and the band discussed this in depth, how Robert Johnson had achieved poetic symmetry, who the suitcase belonged to, what may have been in it and the blue and red lights as the train pulled away. It was very well done. Juggler Satellites Stray Cow Blues-Richard used a microphone that sounded very cool on this song-gave it a real old time feel All Wide Open?- new song, didn't say the title... Careless? Another new one Are You Happy Now-a funny moment happened when Marc knocked his music stand over and sheet music went everywhere. Richard couldn't let that one slide and snag "there's music strewn across the stage... " Your Guitar Mavis Clara Transit Wisteria for the encore. As usual a great show....I'm looking forward to seeing him again next week at the Tin Angel in Philly.... Toby in PA Sent from my iPad ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 16 Feb 2013 11:14:40 -0500 From: Carol Love Subject: Re: [RS] Dead Skunks Carrie, You're my new hero if you can actually get Ron to change one of his choices. If I was a bookie, you'd have REALLY long odds. :-) *Ciao!* ....Carol Carrie wrote: But ya know...they DO want to hear it. I noticed in the last two concerts people clapped and hooted when the heard "You took the toaster when you went" carrie in bb Ron wrote: > > >> 14. You Stay Here (over Are You Happy Now) >> "Are You Happy Now" is Richard's "Dead Skunk" . . . the song I bet I wish >> he could stop playing, but still keeps plugging into his set list because >> he thinks people want to hear it. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 16 Feb 2013 11:47:20 -0500 From: "Michael & Linda Marmer" Subject: Re: [RS] Manilow? UGH! LOL Just saw a neat version of Hairspray with MIcky Dolenz as the father of Tracy. He did a great job. My unauthorized Youtube of the curtain call with Micky. Micky comes out at the 26 second mark John Waters did a narration of the show, telling how some of the characters came about, as the movie is based on a real Baltimore Dance show for kids, comes out at the 45 second mark. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpaK9fT7g6g hey hey we are the Monkee's Anyway, Mike - -----Original Message----- From: Carol Love Sent: Saturday, February 16, 2013 11:17 AM To: shindell-list@smoe.org Subject: Re: [RS] Manilow? Pedro wrote: > ...hmm...methinks we're some wyrd bedfellowes here on the Shin-dig... Come on, Pete. Admit the song you're most embarrassed to admit you like. (Barry Manilow, Bread, David Cassidy and Neil Diamond are hiding in my closet...although DC is the only one I'd see in concert, and THAT'S if he's doing EPCOT where my man can drink his way around the world while we're there...) *Ciao!* .....Carol ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 16 Feb 2013 11:20:50 -0500 From: Carol Love Subject: Re: [RS] Concert Michael & Linda Marmer wrote: > Linda wants to know if Richard will be shaking his butt at Jammin Java on > Feb. 24, a site we don't want to see, but............. and how many outfit > changes will he be doing? > What do I win if I say he'll come on in either a pull on t-shirt OR a long sleeve button up (possibly BOTH) and then he will wear jeans. He will change nothing and he won't pull a Marco Rubio reaching for his water, either. *Ciao!* ....Carol PS. What DO RS and Beyonnce have in common?????? They both HATE their unauthorized youtube videos ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 16 Feb 2013 11:17:41 -0500 From: Carol Love Subject: Re: [RS] Manilow? Pedro wrote: > ...hmm...methinks we're some wyrd bedfellowes here on the Shin-dig... Come on, Pete. Admit the song you're most embarrassed to admit you like. (Barry Manilow, Bread, David Cassidy and Neil Diamond are hiding in my closet...although DC is the only one I'd see in concert, and THAT'S if he's doing EPCOT where my man can drink his way around the world while we're there...) *Ciao!* .....Carol ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 16 Feb 2013 10:40:59 -0500 From: "Michael & Linda Marmer" Subject: [RS] Concert There is a big brew Ha Ha over the ticket sales for a Beyonci concert in Washington DC, as each show at the Verizon center, sold out in a minute. The news report showed Beyonci shaking her butt, and doing outfit changes between songs. Linda wants to know if Richard will be shaking his butt at Jammin Java on Feb. 24, a site we don't want to see, but............. and how many outfit changes will he be doing? Hmmmmmmmmmm Mike ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 16 Feb 2013 09:43:22 -0500 From: Carol Love Subject: [RS] Dead Skunks Ron wrote: > > 14. You Stay Here (over Are You Happy Now) > "Are You Happy Now" is Richard's "Dead Skunk" . . . the song I bet I wish > he could stop playing, but still keeps plugging into his set list because > he thinks people want to hear it. > ....GREAT analogy!! That made me laugh out loud ~ really. Way back before I was an underpaid teacher, I was an underpaid freelance writer. One time I interviewed RS for an upcoming local show and asked if he got tired of AYHN. He denied it and said it was good fun. Yeah, and Moby Dick is a book about a fish. I love the song because it's so many people's gateway into Shindellhood. When it sits next to something like "Courier", it just isn't in the same ballpark. But then, that's coming from someone who actually didn't let their husband change the station the other night when Barry Manilow's "Even Now" came on the radio... *Ciao!* .....Carol ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 16 Feb 2013 11:06:52 -0500 From: Carol Love Subject: [RS] CL's Much Madness, Round Two The only way I was able to winnow some of these down was asking myself what I actually would HAVE to take to a desert island. Some choices were agonizing, some it was flip a coin. 1. ~*~Wisteria~*~ Simply one of the most beautiful and haunting RS songs ever. I suspect it is a person piece and not the usual "character" creation. More importantly *I* connect to this. I had a great English Prof in college who said, "Ever heard a song you *live* in?? Well, that applies to more than one RS song, but this one particularly. 2. ~*~I Saw My Youth Today~*~ This was one of my difficult choices. If it were specified that it was the alt. Balloon Man, it would be even more difficult. Both songs represent the RS brand of poetry. The English teacher has to go with "dreaming feet" and "cold unyielding stones" as best in show for metaphors, though. Although, I blush to admit I didn't know the word, "equipoise" before Balloon Man. 3. ~*~Reunion Hill~*~ by a mile. If they wanted to make a movie out of a RS song, this would be the one. 4. ~*~Ballad of Mary Magdalene~*~ Shindell beats Dan Brown in pointing out the "hidden" story. Richard is one of the very few male writers who can write well in the feminine voice (see RH above, too). The fact that he can effectively weave in "Jesus Loves Me" is part of what makes this song so phenomenal, too. I do wonder if that makes a difference to those who weren't raised in the Christian tradition and didn't sing this every Sunday morning in their youth. 5. ~*~State of the Union~*~ This was an apathetic coin toss. Good songs, but I haven't strongly connected with either. 6. ~*~Sparrows Point~*~ Being the usual slacker American, I am only fluent in one language, although I can passively understand some Spanish (Especially Latino students who might be calling me something "colorful".) However, even if Cancion could "speak" to me, it's still be Sparrow's Point. It is one of the best story songs from one of the best albums. It is also another great "progression" song although not as obvious as "Arrowhead" or "You Stay Here". William goes from having a slingshot to a rifle in his hands. (I think "Last Fare of the Day" is ANOTHER subtle progression song, too. And one for the GOOD direction!!) 7. ~*~Transit~*~ Ya killin' me, Smalls (Ron!!) Another pair up would have seen Summer Wind win because it is one of the few RS songs my husband likes. However, again, the recovering Southern Baptist in me can't go by the subtle reference "Softly and Tenderly  calling for you and me" to a hymn I sung a thousand times growing up. The fact that the "respectable" people get taken out and it is the "Car thieves and crack dealers, mobsters and murderers" are humanized into "Husbands and sons, fathers and brothers" is truly what Jesus would do. (Evidently Richard would as well...) 8. ~*~Fishing~*~ Hey thanks, Ron!! You brought Abuelita back just to put it in with another impossible pairing!!! THIS couldn't been against "Mavis"??? The metaphor of fishing as the way an immigration officer would work is just too good to leave behind. I also love how at the end Richard shifts to the detainee's point of view. Full nets with two meanings. 9. ~*~The Next Best Western~*~ Sophie had a hard time with this choice. I was able to hear RS when he was still working on TNBW. When it's just him and his guitar, this was one of his most beautiful songs ever. The album version disappoints, especially when the full band scares me by coming in at the chorus. (I'll play Gritz here and point out that it happens right at 1:24 on the track...) Another song about religion. So many examples of GREAT religious imagery here. "The signal is crystal clear, but I cannot hear what he says about the Revelation..." If the signal is crystal clear, he can obviously hear in the physical sense. Does he refuse to hear about the end times or doesn't WANT to hear about the end times?? However, over all best line, "Did he who made the lamb, Put the tremble in the hand, That reaches out to take my quarter??" I guess I have to go with the song I completely understand rather than the one that is haunting but a total mystery to me. 10. ~*~Che Guevara T-Shirt~*~ because I like my Shindell acoustic, not stirred. 11. ~*~Nora~*~ Not picking this song would be a sin. (What with all the religion in these Shindell songs?? Next thing you know he'll writing a song about God talking to Jesus or something....) 12. ~*~Kenworth of my Dreams~*~ Sophie did this one because she dumped "Summer Wind" the other favorite song of the hubby. And as much as I HATE to say RG is right, something HAD to be upbeat here. I absolutely love "May". I heard it when it was a work in progress and could not wait to hear it on an album. I also love that RS hit his own/my own Celtic roots here. I would take out "State of the Union" to put "May" on the list if I could. 13. ~*~The Courier~*~ No contest. "I am the string pulled by the sure hand, animating what was still..." Oy, this guy can write!! (ANOTHER progression song. We go from chain mail to bayonets...) 14.~*~ Are You Happy Now~*~ It's the gateway drug into Shindell. 15.~*~ Waiting for the Storm~*~ Another apathy choice. I'd gladly trade this for Abuelita/May 16. Arrowhead/Last Fare Of The Day!!?? Really????? Do we go with hope or despair????? I love Arrowhead for the tempo, the concept and the fact that I am from the South and actually use "Mama" when addressing me Mum. Last Fare of the Day is the song about the Pearl Harbor of our generation. RS takes us to that moment without hitting us with a single flag or even mentioning the event directly. ~*~ Last Fare ~*~ wins because it is about the most important event of my lifetime and he got me to believe that driving a cab is like ballet. ALSO, my husband noted as I played out this impossible choice, that many of the truckers heading south on 95 would have been carrying debris from the World Trade Center. THERE is dog in the details. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 16 Feb 2013 12:32:17 -0500 From: Carol Love Subject: Re: [RS] Concert Mike wrote: > Carol, > > A unauthorized DVD of Shindell Youtube concerts. O:)! > > Wow, I did not know that, that is too bad, as I think Youtube helps artist > gain more fans. Even the unauthorized ones. Mike!! You've never been at a show where RS says he won't do a song he doesn't completely know the lyrics to because the goof will end up on youtube?? RG probably knows how to find it, but there's something on you tube with RS forgetting completely where he is in a request, stopping and I believe he says, "Shit!" I think it's great, but evidently Richard did NOT. Then let's not even start on Beyoncee taking an epic fall doing down stairs in giant heels. She appeals to the audience to NOT you tube it, and then it proceeds to go totally viral. Wonder if RS has the same heel issue??? :-) *Ciao!* ....Carol ------------------------------ End of shindell-list-digest V12 #381 ************************************