Eeeerr.
| This thread has been locked, it will not receive new replies. |
|
Locked on 10/15/2005 9:26:20 AM PDT by Admin Moderator, reason:
Troll magnet. |
Posted on 09/22/2005 7:40:12 AM PDT by Millee
Joan Baez has a brand-new album out, but it already feels like a bit of history.
"Bowery Songs," released just two weeks ago, is a live album recorded in New York City last November just four days after the election that gave President Bush a second term in the White House.
To Baez — the most famous singer not named Dylan to come out of the 1960s-era folk-music era, and a central figure on the political left for 40 years — a lot has happened since then. The spirit that night was one of sadness and soul- searching.
"It was very hard to keep the tempo up," said Baez who performs at the Rio in Santa Cruz Sept. 30. "We were just dragging, and we knew it. When you’re that shocked and depressed, it’s very hard to keep up things as usual."
In fact, "Bowery Songs" is full of lovely renditions of stirring folk/pop songs, including versions of songs from such songwriters as Greg Brown, Gillian Welch and, of course, Bob Dylan. The album also features a rapturous take on what Baez has called the saddest song she’s ever heard, the old Irish reel "Carrickfergus." What it does not contain is much in-between banter between Baez and her audience.
"Luckily, I can sing. Because if I spoke that night, I didn’t have much hope to offer. I’m not an optimist. I’m not terribly hopeful, considering what the human race is doing to itself. But I guessed I’ve always behaved as if things were going to work out because that’s the only way you can behave decently."Now, said the politically attuned Baez, her concerts have more a feisty tone. The set list is different. The political spirit is more pointed. "Everything has changed because of three things. First, Michael Moore cracked the wall of denial put up by this administration that we had all been banging our heads against. Then, Cindy Sheehan put her foot through it. And it took a hurricane to knock that wall down."
Baez popped up in the news a month ago, when she appeared at "Camp Casey," a site of anti-war protest established near President Bush’s Texas ranch by Sheehan, the aggrieved mother of a GI killed in Iraq. Baez’ stature gave the event a sense of historical continuity, bestowing upon it a legitimacy that only a veteran of past protests can give.
What she saw in Crawford did not, as you might assume, remind Baez of the protests against the Vietnam War a generation ago, protests in which she was often a central figure.
"It was more similar to me to the beginning of the Civil Rights Movement," said Baez, pointing out that during the protest against the Vietnam War, she spent some time in jail and more time struggling to establish the Institute for the Study of Nonviolence. "But I was very present with (Martin Luther) King and his people a lot of the time. And that was the feeling I had in Crawford. It was deja vu, and it was very exciting."
At 61, Baez is a towering figure on the folk-music scene. Often caricatured as a symbol for the free-love ’60s by those with a distaste for her political activism, Baez has used her fame to help establish organizations in line with her political ideals — she was an early supporter of the Resource Center for Nonviolence in Santa Cruz.
She has also used her high profile to serve as a first-hand witness to history. She has sung for an audience of one — once waking the sleeping Dr. King with one of his favorite spirituals — and for an audience of 350,000 on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial during the famous 1963 march on Washington.
These days, her political focus is on the war in Iraq, which she opposes. She also has a personal connection to Baghdad, having live there as a child in the 1950s.
"I was really very ill for the only time in my life during that time; I had jaundice," she said, remembering Baghdad of 50 years ago. "I remember sitting outside practicing making little mud huts, just like the ones I saw across the fence that people were living in. And I did have tea and oranges on my porch, long before that song was written," she said, referring to Leonard Cohen’s "Suzanne."
Though Baez traveled to Bosnia in the 1990s, she has no plans to return to Baghdad for the first time since she was 10 years old.
"If I thought it would make some sense, I might consider it. But it would be at great expense to my system. I’m just not pulled to do it.
"In Bosnia, I was convinced that my being there would not make much of a difference, but I just really wanted to do it. On the spiritual level, it made a difference for a lot of people, but in terms of military strategy and action, it didn’t make any difference. And in Baghdad, I really would have to be convinced that it was going to make some kind of real difference."
In the meantime, she’s still performing and adapting to what age has done with one of the most recognizable voices in American music. In the early days of her career, she said, she could depend upon the full-throated power of her natural ability. These days, she’s has to work at it a bit more.
"There’s no choice, really, but to welcome (age). Physically what has happened is that now I have to vocalize. The first 20 years of my career I didn’t have to do that so much. So it was a shock to me that my vocal chords were mortal.
"But now I work very hard, and I’m aware of the changes in my voice. Sometimes I really miss the old voice, but I couldn’t fabricate it if I wanted to. Mostly though, I enjoy what’s there. I’m aware of how different it is. My voice now just shows I’ve done a lot of living."
Her voice has always sounded completely off putting to me. Her desecration of The Band's 'The Night they Drove Old Dixie Down' was a crime.
I went to a Amnesty International concert when I was a teenager (I wanted to see U2) and she opened. I still recall with horror her rendition of "Shout" by Tears for Fear. She was gawd awful.
Feisty Joan had no problems with the Bathist throwing people off roofs and feeding them through shredders. Not to mention the son raping brides for fun. No problems at all it was a dream compared to the current debacle.
I think in addition to her other flaws, she is lying about her age. If she's 61, that would have made her 19 when she sang at the March On Washington. And she had been around awhile even then. Possible, but I doubt it.
Just another rich old commie. She's sell off the rest of the nation to keep her pile.
And that's what it's all about, Lefties from the '60s trying be remain relevant when nobody but other Lefties from the '60s care.
So how 'bout those Cambodian killing fields, Queen Jane?
Yawn!!! "Folk" music oh how stirring.
I always loved her voice, especially on songs like "Diamonds and Rust" with no political content.
I saw her live in concert in the late 70's. She was particularly chatty that night, until someone in the audience yelled, "Cut the political bullsh!t Joanie and sing!". She did.
The war in Iraq is the best thing that has happened to her career in 30 years. She should thank Bush for making her relevent in the eyes of pot smoking college students again.
Who writes this crap?
Matt Drudge mentioned Judy Collins a couple of years ago:
XXXXX DRUDGE REPORT XXXXX WEDNESDAY, JUNE 09 1999 00:14:03 UTC XXXXX
Anti-war activist Judy Collins is set this evening to sing at a gala White House state dinner -- all the while, the US led NATO war against Yugoslavia continues unrestrained.
Collins, who made her name over the last 35 years as a social conscience, is known for her renditions of anti-war songs such as 'Masters of War', 'Song For Sarajevo', 'Last Night I Had The Strangest Dream' and 'Fortune of Soldiers'.
Calls to Collins' label ELEKTRA asking for clarification on whether her fans can still apply her passionate, idealistic songs to the current war in the Balkans were unreturned.
Incidentally, tonight's dinner -- honoring the President of the Republic of Hungary, Arpad Goncz and his wife, Mrs. Zsuzsanna Goncz -- features a menu of Copper River Salmon with Portobello Mushroom, Roasted Onions and Sweet Peppers, Fennel and Herb Salad, Toasted Caraway and Tomato Sauce, Pecan Crusted Lamb, Wilted Summer Greens, Sweet Potato Flan, Barbequed Peach Ragout, Salad of Bibb Lettuce, Asparagus and Avocado, Stilton Crisp, Tarragon Grapefruit Dressing.
And for dessert: Bing Cherry Strudel Surprise and Creme Fraeche....
#####################################################
Folk song, anybody?
How about:
"Last night I had the strangest dream, I ever had before, I dreamed Slick Clinton put ol Judy Collins on the floor, with an oink oink here, and an oink oink there, here an oink, there an oink, everywhere an oink, oink... "Judy Collins is a pig, EE AY EE AY OH..." or possibly: JUUUUUU-DEEEEEE You know you gotta put on a re-ed light The DNC needs money an so You gotta sell your body to the night Put on that RE-EED LIGHT, Put on that RE-EED LIGHT, Put on that RE-EED LIGHT............ JUUUUUU-DEEEEEE You gotta wear that dress tonight When the DNC needs money They don't give a shit about what's wrong or right Put on that RE-EED LIGHT, Put on that RE-EED LIGHT, Put on that RE-EED LIGHT............
Same old songs and same stupid, old "__itch" singing them.
Eeeerr.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.