While I was writing my post about feeling a bit lost, I was also listening to back to back Gil Scott-Heron, having only just heard about the loss of someone who could fill such a big space. I only saw him live once, but it was one of the best gigs of my life. Merits a post all of its own, and maybe it will get one soon, as part of the upcoming 'leaving town' series...
When I ran out of obvious GSH I turned to Diana Jones, who does lonesome and bleak pretty damn well. But that wasn't quite working for me, so I clicked around the related artists on Spotify and decided to check out Iris DeMent's Infamous Angel. Five songs in, she sang Kate Rusby's Our Town, a song off Sleepless which was what took me to see her play live in 2004, and which, though she didn't play it that night, has stayed with me ever since.
I had a little cry, and dug out the album to hear what I thought was the original, only to find, thanks to the sleeve notes (you never get those on Spotify, do you, huh?) that it was in fact an Iris DeMent original. Respect to her for that, it's amazing.
But having given them both several listens, I have to go with the English interpretation. If your head's at anywhere near where mine's at, this song is a killer.
joella
PS I'm fine though. Don't go fretting.
2 comments:
Black Muddy River did it for me when it was mentioned on Front Row on my wedding anniversary. But I recalled the Grateful Dead version not the one being discussed, which I didn't fully register:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsZ5aBPKAM4
Memories are funny old things. Even while life is good and moving upwards there those snagging threads, catching you at odd moments.
Enjoy the chance to reflect and recollect.
Don't even get me started on Black Muddy River! I love the Grateful Dead version, but I suspect the one being discussed might have been Norma Waterson's, which I love even more. Not on YouTube but on Spotify here...
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