TheAnachronism
Critical Thinker
- Joined
- Jul 16, 2007
- Messages
- 439
[ETA: How the heck does one embed youtube videos? Am I missing something? I was in denial about my lack of intelligence, but now I know.]
I know she's not very mainstream (or, like, at all), but given the amount of musicophiles, poetry lovers, and literati that inhabit this forum, I'm surprised nobody has started a thread about Joanna Newsom.
So who is Joanna Newsom? Well, she's an übertalented, 29-year old singer/songwriter, performing mainly on her trusty and gorgeous harp. See, here's a picture of her and her harp. And isn't she cute? And sometimes gorgeous?
Anyway, while I enjoy a wide variety of music, I mainly appreciate good, old-fashioned poetry above all else, and Miss Newsom rates at the top of my list when it comes to astounding lyricism. I often find myself thinking over snippets of her songs in my head as I'm going about my day and suddenly having a lightbulb-over-the-head epiphany moment when I find some little treasure in her words that I hadn't fully understood at first.
I could honestly sit here and talk (or type) about Joanna for hours, so I'll shut up and let her do the talking...errrr...singing. I wasn't sure whether or not to make this song the first example I posted, because it's also her longest, but it also holds a special place in my heart, so I'm posting it first against my better judgement. Here is Emily, written about her sister.
I mean, just look at the second stanza:
Pure poetry. And no matter how many times I hear it, I still find beauty in it. There are some people who are bound to dislike her voice, or think it odd, especially in her earlier music (her voice has changed quite bit since). But even at its quirkiest and most child-like, I can't help but smile and love her all the more.
I once shared her song Peach, Plum, Pear to a college literature class, where one is bound to find a wide variety of music tastes, and I think a great many of them thought I was a bit insane for being in love with this woman's music. I now share it with you guys:
I mean, who can't relate to falling in love with a person and only later realizing they're really not all that you thought they were? And you wonder why they can't just make it easy, let you go: "Am I so dear? do I run rare?" That little song, as simple as it is, encompasses an entire relationship, playing out as you listen. And I can't help smiling to myself and knowing exactly what she means when she sings:
I just think it's a cute, interesting, and succinct way to convey what it's like when one realizes that one's object of desire might reciprocate those feelings. It's genius imagery to me.
Even a simple song about her dog dying, Sadie, is transformed from such a simple concept into an entire philosophical musing on life and death and the eventual end of humanity as a whole.
It seems to simple and sweet. At first. The more I looked at the lyrics, the more ingenious I found the song, but also heart-wrenchingly sad in a way.
But of course, she realizes that musing on our mortality isn't anything new and won't do anything to help:
The first time I heard the song, I fell in love with her imagery of the end of the world (if anyone really can fall in love with such an image, but I digress):
For those who still can't get past her voice, it's changed, as I've said, quite considerably over the years, and her newest album, Have One On Me, is really quite gorgeous in every single way. She sounds more mature, there's a smoothness to her voice, and her lyrics are just as amazing as ever. I have so many favorites from the new album that I've agonized over which one to share here. I think On a Good Day is just so strikingly beautiful yet pensive that I can't help but share:
So, that's it! That's the Joanna Newsom thread that I feel the JREF so desperately wants and needs
For those of you who have heard of her before: What do you think? Also, those of you who haven't, what do you think?
I know she's not very mainstream (or, like, at all), but given the amount of musicophiles, poetry lovers, and literati that inhabit this forum, I'm surprised nobody has started a thread about Joanna Newsom.
So who is Joanna Newsom? Well, she's an übertalented, 29-year old singer/songwriter, performing mainly on her trusty and gorgeous harp. See, here's a picture of her and her harp. And isn't she cute? And sometimes gorgeous?
Anyway, while I enjoy a wide variety of music, I mainly appreciate good, old-fashioned poetry above all else, and Miss Newsom rates at the top of my list when it comes to astounding lyricism. I often find myself thinking over snippets of her songs in my head as I'm going about my day and suddenly having a lightbulb-over-the-head epiphany moment when I find some little treasure in her words that I hadn't fully understood at first.
I could honestly sit here and talk (or type) about Joanna for hours, so I'll shut up and let her do the talking...errrr...singing. I wasn't sure whether or not to make this song the first example I posted, because it's also her longest, but it also holds a special place in my heart, so I'm posting it first against my better judgement. Here is Emily, written about her sister.
I mean, just look at the second stanza:
There is a rusty light on the pines tonight,
Sun pouring wine, lord, or marrow
Down into the bones of the birches
And the spires of the churches
Jutting out from the shadows,
And the oak, and the axe,
And the old smokestacks,
And the bale and the barrow.
And everything sloped
Like it was dragged from a rope
In the mouth of the south below.
Sun pouring wine, lord, or marrow
Down into the bones of the birches
And the spires of the churches
Jutting out from the shadows,
And the oak, and the axe,
And the old smokestacks,
And the bale and the barrow.
And everything sloped
Like it was dragged from a rope
In the mouth of the south below.
Pure poetry. And no matter how many times I hear it, I still find beauty in it. There are some people who are bound to dislike her voice, or think it odd, especially in her earlier music (her voice has changed quite bit since). But even at its quirkiest and most child-like, I can't help but smile and love her all the more.
I once shared her song Peach, Plum, Pear to a college literature class, where one is bound to find a wide variety of music tastes, and I think a great many of them thought I was a bit insane for being in love with this woman's music. I now share it with you guys:
I mean, who can't relate to falling in love with a person and only later realizing they're really not all that you thought they were? And you wonder why they can't just make it easy, let you go: "Am I so dear? do I run rare?" That little song, as simple as it is, encompasses an entire relationship, playing out as you listen. And I can't help smiling to myself and knowing exactly what she means when she sings:
I have read the right books
To interpret your looks:
You were knocking me down
With the palm of your eye.
To interpret your looks:
You were knocking me down
With the palm of your eye.
I just think it's a cute, interesting, and succinct way to convey what it's like when one realizes that one's object of desire might reciprocate those feelings. It's genius imagery to me.
Even a simple song about her dog dying, Sadie, is transformed from such a simple concept into an entire philosophical musing on life and death and the eventual end of humanity as a whole.
It seems to simple and sweet. At first. The more I looked at the lyrics, the more ingenious I found the song, but also heart-wrenchingly sad in a way.
And all that we build,
And all that we breathe,
And all that we spilt
Is pulled up like weeds,
Is piled up in back
As it burns irrevocably.
And we spoke up in turns
'Til a silence crept over me.
And all that we breathe,
And all that we spilt
Is pulled up like weeds,
Is piled up in back
As it burns irrevocably.
And we spoke up in turns
'Til a silence crept over me.
But of course, she realizes that musing on our mortality isn't anything new and won't do anything to help:
This is an old song, these are old blues,
And this is not my tune, but it's mine to use.
And this is not my tune, but it's mine to use.
The first time I heard the song, I fell in love with her imagery of the end of the world (if anyone really can fall in love with such an image, but I digress):
And the mealy worms in the brine will burn
In a salty pyre among the fauns and ferns.
And the love we hold and the love we spurn
Will never grow cold, only taciturn.
In a salty pyre among the fauns and ferns.
And the love we hold and the love we spurn
Will never grow cold, only taciturn.
For those who still can't get past her voice, it's changed, as I've said, quite considerably over the years, and her newest album, Have One On Me, is really quite gorgeous in every single way. She sounds more mature, there's a smoothness to her voice, and her lyrics are just as amazing as ever. I have so many favorites from the new album that I've agonized over which one to share here. I think On a Good Day is just so strikingly beautiful yet pensive that I can't help but share:
So, that's it! That's the Joanna Newsom thread that I feel the JREF so desperately wants and needs
For those of you who have heard of her before: What do you think? Also, those of you who haven't, what do you think?
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