No Taxi from me, though I did vote for Woodstock.
― skip, Tuesday, 2 October 2012 20:43 (eleven years ago) link
Mordy, there's three so far missing from the Spotify playlist on my side (and missing from Spotify at all, says a quick search):
thx for checking for me. I don't think I can do anything about tracks that Spotify doesn't have at all.
― Mordy, Tuesday, 2 October 2012 22:32 (eleven years ago) link
i totally didn't vote so i have no right to observe, but "trouble child" is too low!
― horseshoe, Tuesday, 2 October 2012 22:47 (eleven years ago) link
Shit. I come here too rarely. I'd have voted Hissing best album and Harry's House best single, I think.
― Tsuga, Tuesday, 2 October 2012 23:38 (eleven years ago) link
i would have voted shadows and light best album but it would have been TACTICAL VOTING
― set the controls for the heart of the congos (thomp), Tuesday, 2 October 2012 23:47 (eleven years ago) link
A couple thoughts after listening to Blue once at work and twice tonight... 1) There is more piano than I remembered. Her vocals tend to be the focus on those, and the instrumentation has a light touch throughout, so it's easy not to notice that multiple tracks have only piano in the backing track. Plus the piano is kind of jangly and tinny, almost guitar-ish. 2) The sequencing is something else. "Carey" into "Blue" is the most obvious jarring moment but every time you think you get into a positive groove she hits you with a killer quiet track.
― skip, Wednesday, 3 October 2012 00:58 (eleven years ago) link
http://i50.tinypic.com/2iicy2u.jpg
Original cover of 'For the Roses,' 1972 - Ink and Felt Pen
― Mordy, Wednesday, 3 October 2012 12:35 (eleven years ago) link
35. Cold Blue Steel and Sweet Fire (For the Roses): 132 points, 6 votes, 1 1st place vote
A wristwatch, a ring, a downstairs screamerEdgy-black cracks of the sky "Pin cushion prick fix this poor bad dreamer" "Money" cold shadows reply
― Mordy, Wednesday, 3 October 2012 12:38 (eleven years ago) link
Just a quick reminder that as the tracks are revealed they will also be added to this Spotify playlist for listening convenience:
http://open.spotify.com/user/mordys/playlist/79HgvbsptKvCXt6uKHSBl2
― Mordy, Wednesday, 3 October 2012 12:39 (eleven years ago) link
My second vote to show up... another great piece of guitar work in addition to the harrowing subject matter. I still find it hard to believe how much her voice drops in the span of 3 years.
― skip, Wednesday, 3 October 2012 13:00 (eleven years ago) link
That Moog part in "Cold Blue Steel" after the second chorus = A+++
― the ones that I'm near most: fellow outcasts and ilxors (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 3 October 2012 13:27 (eleven years ago) link
34. People's Parties (Court and Spark: 141 points, 7 votes
And Jack behind his jokerAnd stone-cold Grace behind her fanAnd me in my frightened silenceThinking I don't understand
― Mordy, Wednesday, 3 October 2012 13:30 (eleven years ago) link
33. The Same Situation (Court and Spark): 146 points, 8 votes
Still I sent up my prayer Wondering where it had to go With heaven full of astronauts And the Lord on death row
― Mordy, Wednesday, 3 October 2012 13:36 (eleven years ago) link
you're picking excellent lyrics Mordy! I sing People's Parties to myself when I get nervous and socially awkward, trying to be Stone Cold Grace.
― she started dancing to that (Finefinemusic), Wednesday, 3 October 2012 13:41 (eleven years ago) link
thanks! these are all the lyrics i sing in my head all the time. for some of the songs i have to pick between a few excerpts i constantly sing in my head. i try to pick the one i think about the most.
― Mordy, Wednesday, 3 October 2012 13:42 (eleven years ago) link
32. Little Green (Blue): 147 points, 7 votes
Child with a child pretendingWeary of lies you are sending homeSo you sign all the papers in the family nameYou're sad and you're sorry but you're not ashamed
― Mordy, Wednesday, 3 October 2012 13:48 (eleven years ago) link
little green kills me every time i hear it.
― Mordy, Wednesday, 3 October 2012 13:49 (eleven years ago) link
Absolutely. It's too sad for me to listen to if I'm in the wrong mood. I forgot to vote for it!
― she started dancing to that (Finefinemusic), Wednesday, 3 October 2012 13:50 (eleven years ago) link
i don't get the "but you're not ashamed" line - what is she supposed to be shameful about?
― Lee626, Wednesday, 3 October 2012 13:57 (eleven years ago) link
that she have he daughter up for adoption
― Mordy, Wednesday, 3 October 2012 14:00 (eleven years ago) link
gave the*
― Mordy, Wednesday, 3 October 2012 14:01 (eleven years ago) link
didn't realize adoption is shameful, but whatev
― Lee626, Wednesday, 3 October 2012 14:04 (eleven years ago) link
maybe she felt there were cultural expectations of shame around giving a child up* for adoption in 1971. that is how i always understood the line, tho. i agree w/ you that there shouldn't be anything shameful about.
*even that expression 'giving up for adoption' obv contains a sort of negative implication - to give up on a child. it's sorta embedded in the cultural discourse around adoption.
― Mordy, Wednesday, 3 October 2012 14:09 (eleven years ago) link
Both of those C&S tracks are more effective in the context of the album than in isolation. And for some reason I had trouble voting for the "slow" Blue songs, the best stuff from Hejira and For the Roses grabs me a bit more.
― skip, Wednesday, 3 October 2012 14:11 (eleven years ago) link
She has since reconciled with her daughter fwiw
― the ones that I'm near most: fellow outcasts and ilxors (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 3 October 2012 14:11 (eleven years ago) link
31. Big Yellow Taxi (Ladies of the Canyon): 155 points, 8 votes
They took all the trees Put 'em in a tree museumAnd they charged the people A dollar and a half just to see 'em
― Mordy, Wednesday, 3 October 2012 14:16 (eleven years ago) link
hate Counting Crows forever for covering this song
― skip, Wednesday, 3 October 2012 14:20 (eleven years ago) link
According to Girls Like Us, giving up her daughter haunted so much of what she wrote, right up to their reunion.
― clemenza, Wednesday, 3 October 2012 14:20 (eleven years ago) link
$1.50 always seemed reasonable to me for a tree museum
― Mordy, Wednesday, 3 October 2012 14:22 (eleven years ago) link
there's an Amy Grant cover of this where the lyric "dollar and a half" is changed to "25 bucks". That's some serious tree-museum inflation
― Lee626, Wednesday, 3 October 2012 14:22 (eleven years ago) link
hate that lots of ppl think it's a crappy song because they only know the Counting Crows version
― Lee626, Wednesday, 3 October 2012 14:24 (eleven years ago) link
My brother-in-law hates the laugh at the end, and I think someone on the voting thread hated it, too. I think it's an amazing moment.
― clemenza, Wednesday, 3 October 2012 14:28 (eleven years ago) link
30. Don't Interrupt the Sorrow (The Hissing of Summer Lawns): 159 points, 6 votes, 1 1st place vote
Anima risingQueen of QueensWash my guilt of EdenWash and balance me
― Mordy, Wednesday, 3 October 2012 14:28 (eleven years ago) link
you're darn right!
― the ones that I'm near most: fellow outcasts and ilxors (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 3 October 2012 14:30 (eleven years ago) link
I have Mordy on FB & I saw he was listening to this song and guessed it was next. Insider trading!
― she started dancing to that (Finefinemusic), Wednesday, 3 October 2012 14:32 (eleven years ago) link
uh oh. i'll have to be more discrete. or switch it up more.
― Mordy, Wednesday, 3 October 2012 14:32 (eleven years ago) link
righteous bass line on this one.
― skip, Wednesday, 3 October 2012 14:33 (eleven years ago) link
I won't spoil anything, promise :)
― she started dancing to that (Finefinemusic), Wednesday, 3 October 2012 14:35 (eleven years ago) link
The Pinhead Gunpowder version wasn't so bad.
― pplains, Wednesday, 3 October 2012 14:36 (eleven years ago) link
29. Court and Spark (Court and Spark): 161 points, 8 votes
He was playing on the sidewalk For passing change When something strange happened Glory train passed through him So he buried the coins he made In People's Park And went looking for a woman To court and spark
― Mordy, Wednesday, 3 October 2012 14:42 (eleven years ago) link
28. Black Crow (Hejira): 167 points, 6 votes, 1 1st place vote
My whole life has beenIlluminationCorruptionAnd diving diving diving diving
― Mordy, Wednesday, 3 October 2012 16:36 (eleven years ago) link
I may be an unusual JM fan in that I listen to her almost entirely for the sound of her music.
― EveningStar (Sund4r), Wednesday, 3 October 2012 16:38 (eleven years ago) link
It's funny: "Black Crow" is a huge favourite of mine but seeing those lyrics, I had to think for a moment - "Oh yeah, those words are in that song!"
― EveningStar (Sund4r), Wednesday, 3 October 2012 16:39 (eleven years ago) link
27. Barangrill (For the Roses): 168 points, 8 votes
The guy at the gaspumps He's got a lot of soul He sings Merry Christmas for you Just like Nat King Cole
― Mordy, Wednesday, 3 October 2012 16:39 (eleven years ago) link
Her mind's on her boyfriend and eggs over easy... Love the flutes. Great storytelling, all those little unimportant things that add up to a memorable road trip or important experience.
― skip, Wednesday, 3 October 2012 16:46 (eleven years ago) link
Does she have any tracks that are more sinister than Black Crow?
― skip, Wednesday, 3 October 2012 16:47 (eleven years ago) link
26. Blue (Blue): 178 points, 9 votes
Blue songs are like tattoosYou know I've been to sea beforeCrown and anchor meOr let me sail away
― Mordy, Wednesday, 3 October 2012 16:52 (eleven years ago) link
That seems low.
― EveningStar (Sund4r), Wednesday, 3 October 2012 16:54 (eleven years ago) link
up against River and A Case of You maybe it got pushed down people's lists.
― skip, Wednesday, 3 October 2012 16:58 (eleven years ago) link
I can start tearing up just thinking about "Blue," it's such a beautiful song and lends the title to one of my fave ILX threads (okay, more appropriately I appropriated the lyrics for the thread):
Songs Are Like Tattoos: Female Singer-Songwriter Rolling Thread
Also, these lyrics always reminded me of Dorothy Parker's poem "Resume:"
Acid, booze and assNeedles, guns and grass
Resume goes:
Razors pain you; Rivers are damp; Acids stain you; And drugs cause cramp; Guns aren't lawful; Nooses give; Gas smells awful; You might as well live.
It's not the only Joni song that reminds me of DP -- also "People's Parties." I've always wanted to unpack the connection between the two further, but I'm not sure there is one besides these light evocations that might only resonate for me (not exactly a strong critical relationship) -- and maybe only bc they were the two poets that most deeply impacted me in high school.
― Mordy, Wednesday, 3 October 2012 17:01 (eleven years ago) link