I know the Monday Poem this week was set off by Bruce Springsteen's 'Home Town' in theory but I have to admit that as I listened to that song another one with 'town' in the title started to play louder and clearer in my head as I worked my way towards a poem. It was
this song (can't embed it, sorry). The song is 'Our Town' performed by the tremendous Yorkshire lass Kate Rusby (and I have posted about her before). Here she is - unbelievably pretty as well as talented...not that any of us cerebral types care about looks...
If you're interested you can see/hear the same song performed by its writer
Iris DeMent (
here). I prefer the Rusby version but then I heard hers first and that often happens with a song, doesn't it?
Off to walk the dog in glorious Angus September sunshine now. Fields, woods, all the space of the country – who needs towns anyway?
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23 comments:
Well, I do. Back from the dog walk I'm off into town to do some shopping now.
(inserted for balance and accuracy)
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Might go to the library too.
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Haha! I love it - self commenting/moderating - I must try it!
I think it might be connected to facebook (the talking to self). I've been having a look/try at it lately and it does seem to involve an awful lot of talking to yourself and hoping like hell that someone is listening (even more than on blogs!). Plus I still find it very boxy and far, far too clean.
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I saw Kate Rusby at Hitchin folk club shortly after she'd released her first album. Great music, deeply irritating in-between-song chatter. I hope she's dropped all that I'm-just-a-Yorkshire-lass stuff now that she's a bit of an institution!
Harsh for you, Dick! I've only seen her perform live once (a couple of years ago in Glasgow in a huge festival venue) and the chatter was...not the best I've heard but not terrible either. The thing is she is just a Yorkshire lass...but I like her very much so she can't do much wrong in my eyes (or ears). Even when she did that (really horrible) song as a duet with Ronan Keating I still loved her. That's fandom for you.
When I saw her in Glasgow we were on the front row and it was very apparent that all was not well on stage (in terms of how the personnel were communicating). I wondered if she and then husband (musician) John McCusker had had a fight but not long after I read somewhere that they had split up. You could tell! It was weird to watch.
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You mean that's not you in the photo ...?
No. Worse still it's not my voice on her cds either.
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Who needs towns indeed Rachel - now that we have a Tesco near I rarely if ever go into a town any larger than population three thousand. Walking the dog is much more fun. Is the dog coming south with you? If so and you do manage to call in then our dogs can meet too.
Oh yes, Weaver. Dog most definitely coming too.
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I suppose it's something like the difference between Whitney Houston's version of 'I Will Always Love You' compared to Dolly Parton's, who wrote the song. A lot of the time I find we get attached to the first version of the song we hear and we have to learn to let go of that before we can hear the original afresh. And I'm sure we all can think of loads of cover versions which we heard first. The one that jumps to mind is 'Money (That's What I Want)' by The Flying Lizards. I couldn't believe it was a Mowtown song by somone called Barret Stong although I heard it covered by The Beatles before I ever heard the original. The version by The Kingsmen is pretty hip too.
I always preferred Dolly Parton's.
Did I see Kate Rusby on Jools Holland once? She is pretty superb, isn't she?
Who needs towns? I do, my dear, I do!
I agree with Jim in principle and yet, my exception to the rule is Eric Clapton's "Layla"...hated his first, earlier version but loved the second one.
What a lovely face this lady has and when I have more time I promise to go listen to her. You've never let me down, musically speaking.
Or book wise. Just finished the Billy Connolley bio...funny, sad and interesting all wrapped up in one. Thanks for suggesting that one!
You dissin' da Boss? :)
Oh Jim I quite like a bit of '80s pop Whitney (well, I did...) but that 'always love you' song! Yuck and double yuck...sung by anyone! I like 'Money' though - all the versions really. A good song can often survive multiple versions (hence the entire folk tradition...).
Yes, Titus, Rusby has been on TV quite a bit for a folk singer. She sings the 'Jam and Jerusalem' feme tune (and other music on the show) too. Fairly crap show though (J & J) all in all. Sorry Jennifer Saunders but no-one can work magic every time.
Glad you enjoyed the book, Hope. You will be more Scottish than the Scottish soon. Now forget Clapton and get some Scottish jigs and reels on!
Not dissin TFE but I have never quite understood the fuss about old Bruce. One of my brothers quite liked him but he never won me over then and I don't see it changing now. I watched him at Glastonbury on TV this year and still...nothing. I don't like his voice much for a start. You can have him!
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Ooh haven't listened to this cd for ages, or any of hers for that matter - overdosed on her but now in the mood to listen to her again!
Very good lullaby material too.
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Yes, that home town thing made me think of the Iris Dement/Kate Rusby song too!
Hello SW
Haven't seen you on here much of late.
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I'ts a struggle to fnd a lot of quality blogging time right now what with long, erratic hours at work, and other things. I've been living in two different places and only have access to a computer in one of these... But I am trying to keep up with reading all my favourite blogs - and yours is high up there on my favourites list! (It's funny, but when I don't have regular doses of blogging and blog reading, I really do miss it terribly. I'm addicted.)
I'm honoured. And likewise addicted (only to interesting blogs/writers/people though).
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She's *very* pretty isn't she?
...what?
:)
I know. She is.
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