Tuesday, November 23, 2010

seven songs to be thankful for

Songwriting genius Milton and I once passed an entire day discussing the fact that, when we get right down to it, we can only name a handful of songwriters who we could happily agree to call "masters". They have written a slightly larger handful of "perfect" songs, songs which are musically rich, lyrically airtight, and emotionally true. I wouldn't presume to name every song or writer on this list, but here are a few.

Leonard Cohen - Suzanne



Cohen, of course, has more perfect songs than your average songwriting legend. Hallelujah, Famous Blue Raincoat, Bird on a Wire, or No Way to Say Goodbye could just as easily have made it on this list. Suzanne, though, is my personal favorite. It tells a story of such depth, detail and honesty (at least in the emotional sense), that I think of Suzanne as an estranged, eclectic, tragic aunt, who my family has tried and failed to keep secret.

Paul Simon - Still Crazy After All These Years



This song deliciously and succinctly captures nostalgia, which is not a simple feeling to capture. There is sweetness, elation, longing, and a healthy dose of regret, all seamlessly set to one of the prettiest and most memorable melodies I know. I've told this story before and I'll tell it again: Paul Simon is quoted in "Songwriters on Songwriting" (Zollo) describing the writing of this song. He says he was stepping into the shower when the refrain came to him, and "... I wasn't very happy about it, either. I didn't say 'Oh, that's a good one, that's clever, I can use that.' It was an assessment of where I was at the time, and I wasn't very happy that that was my assessment." I think Paul's feeling of vulnerability and reluctant honesty comes straight through those speakers, and that's part of the magic of this song.

Joni Mitchell - A Case of You



Joni has lots of perfect songs also, Chelsea Morning and Both Sides Now being close contenders for this list. This song, though, is quickly becoming a standard, and for good reason. Among other things, I love the ambiguity; it's ambiguous without being at all confusing. We hear the love and devotion, along with the conflict in the relationship, and what's worse: the conflict of a flighty artist's heart. It's a true and perfect story.

George & Ira Gershwin - Our Love is Here to Stay



Singer/songwriter Peter Mulvey once told me a beautiful story about this song. The Gershwins were not a married couple but brothers, George wrote the music and Ira wrote the lyrics (to dozens of gorgeous jazz songs and musicals, including 'They Can't Take That Away From Me', 'Someone to Watch Over Me', 'Porgy and Bess', and many more). George, Ira's baby brother, died at the age of 40, leaving a final composition behind. That composition was this song, to which Ira penned the lyrics, "It's very clear... our love is here to stay. Not for a year, forever and a day".

Bob Dylan - You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome



What strikes me first about this song, every time, is its sweetness. Who knew Bob could be such a sweetheart? What strikes me next is the simplicity: lines like "when something is not right, it's wrong". Then, the chorus hits, and my heart lifts, too. And again with the simplicity, and the doggone truthiness of it: "I could stay with you forever, and never realize the time".

Patty Griffin - Peter Pan



Patty is one of my personal favorites. The emotional intimacy in her voice, and in her lyrics, is so complete, and so effortless, I feel like I know her feelings better than my own. This song is a gem among gems - how perfectly, and touchingly, she describes the sad inevitability of growing up.

Steve Earle - Tom Ames' Prayer



This is a perfect story song. "Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts" can eat the shorts of this song. Rocky Raccoon wishes he were half as cool as Tom Ames. "He cocked both his pistols, and he spit in the dirt, and he walked out into the street." DAMN!

Friday, November 5, 2010

travel tips

There are plenty of travel guides in the world, and I'm sure many of them are handy. That said, road-tripping in the northeastern US is it's own breed of travel, and I have become something of an expert at it (IIDSSM). Here are a few things you ought to know about before you embark.

1) Wawa. Wawa is a convenience store which I'm pretty sure only exists in PA, NJ and DE (correct me if I'm wrong). If you ever have the good fortune to come across one in the course of a long drive, take full advantage. There is fresh fruit, hot sandwiches, cheap gas, and even milkshakes. Joe is pictured here anticipating his made-to-order sandwich from this high-tech touch screen.



2) Cracker Barrel. The Wood Bros taught me the magic of Cracker Barrel. It's a ubiquitous restaurant chain where you can sit down, order some vegetables, and have a non-fried meal by a roaring hearth. You can even rent audiobooks on CD, and return them to any other Cracker Barrel location.


3) Parkways are better than interstates. Especially in New York, and especially in the autumn. They even have pretty names like Palisades, Merrit, and Hutchinson.

4) Music. Driving music should be aggressively happy, or feel-good in a keeps-you-awake way. I recommend Elvis Costello, Aretha Franklin, The Beatles, or early Ella Fitzgerald. I DO NOT recommend Iron & Wine, Miles Davis, or Radiohead. You will love them right to sleep.