Music that inspires me

I've noticed that since I've retired I seem to have lots of time for things I may have neglected to some degree previously. One of those things is music and I've come to really enjoy exploring old favorite songs and some new.

I've enjoyed many different genres but I think I now most enjoy the efforts of singer/songwriters playing minimally produced music that doesn't necessarily get airplay outside of small venues and YouTube. I think I'd like to share some of that, perhaps a new one or two daily, with others who may never have the opportunity to enjoy these unique talents.

Here's my first one: Guy Clark with Stuff That Works

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mpr...;feature=share

One more for the day. I first listened to John Prine back in the 70's and only recently re-discovered him. I'm not sure what took so long since I now believe he is my absolute favorite songwriter and so-so singer ever. He'll probably show up in this thread a lot.

John Prine - Hello In There

<em>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfwGkplB_sY

Oh, I love that John Prine tune so much. I remember Joan Baez performing it too. Thanks for bringing that out!

OK, I don't mean to overdo it on one day but here's another John Prine tune performed by someone else. It's been said that there are certain artists who can do someone else's song and it automatically becomes their own. Johnny Cash was one and Bonnie Raitt is another.

I read somewhere that the term 'Angel from Montgomery' is prison slang for pardons that come down from the Governor's office in Montgomery Alabama. This song is the story of a woman trying to escape the prison her life has become.

Bonnie Raitt - Angel From Montgomery

<em>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhe3vb0z7mY

Some friends and I are having fun doing an in-depth discussion of the book, "The Music Shop" by Rachel Joyce. I brought out my vinyl record collection to play a few pieces mentioned in the book which focuses on vinyl music.

Ivan Rebroff is my absolutely favourite singer with the range of five octaves. I have several of his LP's. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GudXZUgQxeg

I also found 2 LP's in my collection by Nana Mouskouri and started playing that as well. Love her voice https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCXIGJ9y9rk

Fun thread, Alan

In depth program on tv today that music makes a person happy or can change from being depressed. YLMV IMO

Being an absolutely terrible guitar player I've always admired people who play well, especially an acoustic guitar using the finger picking style. Paul Simon is one of the best at this plus he writes some damn fine songs. I've often said that I find his songs either brilliant (The Boxer, Sound of Silence, etc) or crap (Me and Julio, Kodachrome), with no middle ground. In my opinion, one of the brilliant ones is his American Tune.

Paul Simon - American Tune

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6cfYS-LVEQ

Another thing that inspires me in a song is the story it tells. You'll see that in just about everything I post, including another of my Paul Simon favorites.

Paul Simon - Duncan

<em>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QT-WEJBpEIs

I mentioned in a previous post that there are a few artists who can cover someone else's song and it automatically becomes theirs, then suggested Johnny Cash was one of those artists. Here he is doing it with a Sting song.

Johnny Cash - I Hung My Head

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0M53FcPoWtA

I don't have a drinking problem but start to get one every time I listen to Prine. He's a favorite but I just can't listen to him very much.

Here's one that inspired me the other day. Eva Cassidy singing "People Get Ready" live at the Blues Alley supper club.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzLd2MDAHK8

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Originally Posted by Rogar

I don't have a drinking problem but start to get one every time I listen to Prine. He's a favorite but I just can't listen to him very much.

Here's one that inspired me the other day. Eva Cassidy singing "People Get Ready" live at the Blues Alley supper club.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzLd2MDAHK8

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That was nice, I'm not familiar with her but I'll be on the lookout for more.

I'm sorry to hear that John Prine has that effect on you. Maybe you just need to hear one of his happier songs. Here's one I tell my wife he wrote about us.

John Prine & Iris Dement - In Spite Of Ourselves

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8tTwXv4glY

If I keep up this thread with a new post or two per day one thing that will become obvious is that the music that inspires me is simple. A singer, an acoustic insturment or two such as a guitar, an alto bass or cello, maybe a mandolin. No drums, no piano, no horns but maybe once in a while a woodwind of some sort.
The songs themselves seldom have mass appeal, you'll never hear them on top 40 type radio stations and if music stores still existed you'd probably have to look in the bargain bins to find them.

Another of my favorites is Lyle Lovett. He got my attention in his early days with his unusual songs and the big sound of his "Large Band", but I didn't then appreciate how much I'd like him later when I started finding examples of his more intimate performances.


Lyle Lovett -

If I Had A Boat

<em>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxecx4oRsEI

Paul Simon’s old ballads are very nice. Duncan’s song is beautiful and very sad. America might be my favorite Simon tune, certainly Btidge over troubled water is gorgeous and an American classic.

I just finished reading the new biography about Paul Simon. It is an authoritative one the first one really that is detailed and written from interviews with him. He didn’t tell me a whole lot I didn’t already know but it was interesting to see how driven he is. He was always concerned about how his material was perceived, how it was selling, etc.

Apparently he has hung up the guitar and touring but I wonder how someone like that can put it on the shelf.

I hear that Cher is coming to town. I remember one or two previous Cher farewell tours.

Another for Rogar, I find this one helpful when I'm feeling down.

John Prine - Beautiful World

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qhp-NeTUbv8

Speaking of Iris Dement, her song "Our Town" always makes me sad. It's about leaving home. If you need a drinking song, check out Dale Watson - an old favorite from our Austin days.

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Originally Posted by iris lilies

Paul Simon’s old ballads are very nice. Duncan’s song is beautiful and very sad. America might be my favorite Simon tune, certainly Btidge over troubled water is gorgeous and an American classic.

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I'm drawn to a lot of his older stuff, he has a poet's soul and he's a great technical guitarist. I'd add The Boxer, Homeward Bound, America, Armistice Day and Run That Body Down to my top 10 list.

Here's a Paul Simon related anecdote for you. About 20 years ago I was working late, sitting in my office, when one of our building housekeeping staff came in to vacuum and collect trash. Her name was Betty and I'd spent a fair amount of time chatting with her over the years. On this particular night she was upset with a new kid who'd just been brought onto the housekeeping staff, she didn't think he was showing her the proper respect by calling her by her first name instead of calling her Mrs Jackson. Now, I'd been calling her Betty for years and suddenly felt the need to apologize if I'd offended her as well but she quickly let me know that it was OK if I did it because we were roughly the same age. That was a relief, so in my best sing-song voice I told her that "If I can call you Betty, then Betty when you call me you can call me Al".

She didn't get it. It was awkward, and I've never had the opportunity to do it again.

I really like the John Prine tune. I wasn't familiar with it, so thanks.

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Originally Posted by Alan

Another for Rogar, I find this one helpful when I'm feeling down.

John Prine - Beautiful World

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Thanks Alan. Those are a couple of good ones from his lighter side. I think Prine is a national treasure, but some of his songs just hit me sort of hard for some reason. I think he's lightened up some from his Sam Stone days.

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Originally Posted by Rogar

Thanks Alan. Those are a couple of good ones from his lighter side.

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He has a fairly extensive lighter side, but they're typically not as moving as the rest. I won't post them here but you could also check out Dear Abby and Please Don't Bury Me or his more recent Lonesome Friends Of Science.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Alan

I'm drawn to a lot of his older stuff, he has a poet's soul and he's a great technical guitarist. I'd add The Boxer, Homeward Bound, America, Armistice Day and Run That Body Down to my top 10 list.

Here's a Paul Simon related anecdote for you. About 20 years ago I was working late, sitting in my office, when one of our building housekeeping staff came in to vacuum and collect trash. Her name was Betty and I'd spent a fair amount of time chatting with her over the years. On this particular night she was upset with a new kid who'd just been brought onto the housekeeping staff, she didn't think he was showing her the proper respect by calling her by her first name instead of calling her Mrs Jackson. Now, I'd been calling her Betty for years and suddenly felt the need to apologize if I'd offended her as well but she quickly let me know that it was OK if I did it because we were roughly the same age. That was a relief, so in my best sing-song voice I told her that "If I can call you Betty, then Betty when you call me you can call me Al".

She didn't get it. It was awkward, and I've never had the opportunity to do it again.

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doh, of course The Boxer is in his top ballads.how could I not mention that.

No one will ever believe this, but I had “a moment” with locked eyes with Paul Simon back in the day. While I am sure he had about 8,000 of those moments with fangirls, it was the one I needed to knock it off my bucket list.

He is not only short, he is tiny.

I love a lot of music, but the music that has inspired me throughout my life has been music from the theatre world. Les Miserables is so incredibly inspiring to me I could cry every time I hear the soundtrack. The Beatles has inspired me for sure: Let It Be is an anthem for me. And Cat Stevens' rendition of the hymn Morning Has Broken is another anthem. I've left instructions to play it at my funeral.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXWI6ISkzlI

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Originally Posted by Alan

Paul Simon writes some damn fine songs.

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In the Norwegian film De Usynlige the Bergen Cathedral organ is played by Iver Kleive … Bridge Over Troubled Water

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPScxJlaLbc

Not music but I really wish we could all meet sometime. I think it would be awesome.

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Originally Posted by dado potato

In the Norwegian film De Usynlige the Bergen Cathedral organ is played by Iver Kleive … Bridge Over Troubled Water

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPScxJlaLbc

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Did you see that film? I did and I liked it

@ Iris Lilies
Yes, I think it was Amazon Prime where I saw it. Technically I believe the film is quite creative in showing events from two different perspectives. The tension felt by characters is memorable. The theme of redemption is truly inspirational, as well as the organ music.

What about the film did you consider inspirational?

I was entertained by this today - during nurses week:

https://youtu.be/id3KlaCwBmg

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Originally Posted by dado potato

@ Iris Lilies
Yes, I think it was Amazon Prime where I saw it. Technically I believe the film is quite creative in showing events from two different perspectives. The tension felt by characters is memorable. The theme of redemption is truly inspirational, as well as the organ music.

What about the film did you consider inspirational?

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It was moving how the lead character had to to ingratiate himself back into society after his prison time. He was a sympathetic character.

edited to add: years later after this thread was started, I still remember this film, English translation Troubled Waters which I remember without even looking up. The actor was long faced and handsome so I guess that goes a long ways in me remembering it!

I like a very wide variety of music from classical to semi-hard rock. As I age, I seem to be finding a "middle ground" of not too hard, not too soft. LOL.

Love the Beatles, John Denver - I have always found them to be very inspirational. After the CT school shooting, I found this song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIuy1a9IdHk - again, makes me feel I can effect change starting with myself; person-to-person.

One of my children has been following BTS (Korean K-pop) from their beginnings and now has me listening. Even though I have to go find translations, I find their music good and their lyrics very inspirational.

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Originally Posted by Alan

John Prine & Iris Dement - In Spite Of Ourselves
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8tTwXv4glY

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I like that song too. Maybe because in our most honest moments we all recognize that we're just a little bit like that ourselves.

But my favorite John Prine song is one I learned listening to a John Denver album in the mid-1970s, Paradise (Peabody's Coal Train) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ediaZ5DhYjw

I was doing a lot of backpacking along the Appalachian Trial in those years, and at a gathering of hikers near Boone North Carolina the evening's entertainment was that anyone who wanted to could come up front and sing a couple of songs acapella.

Now I didn't have a great singing voice and I had never sung in front of more than 5 people, but I figured I could sing good enough for country music (KWIM?) so after a half hour or so I walked up front and stood there in front of ~100 strangers, and standing tall like the proud young buck I was, I sang Paradise, and then I sang Sweet Surrender. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K23XK15M68g

Those were my two best songs, and two of my favorites. They were also perfect for a room full of backpackers. And the applause afterward was both a thrill and a relief. :)

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Originally Posted by GeorgeParker

But my favorite John Prine song is one I learned listening to a John Denver album in the mid-1970s, Paradise (Peabody's Coal Train) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ediaZ5DhYjw

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I grew up in S/E Missouri but have been in Ohio for the past 40 or so years. Once or twice a year I drive down to visit my mother along my favorite route which includes a portion of the Western Kentucky Parkway. At one point along that route I cross over into Muhlenberg County and then almost immediately cross over the Green River. Over the 40 years of crossing that bridge I always break out into song: "Daddy won't you take me back to Muhlenberg County across the Green River where Paradise lay, I'm sorry my son but you're too late in asking Mr. Peabody's coal train's done hauled it away....", and I guess I always will.

Since John Prine died last year I've spent hundreds of hours listening to his music, never from albums or cd's as I find those to be over produced. I prefer the intimate stripped down versions you can only find on YouTube. This was his last song, recorded in his home just before his death. I get misty eyed every time I view it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L21Tc_DtL6M&amp;feature=emb_logo

Defying Gravity:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEq3xM-i0Ng

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Originally Posted by Tybee

Defying Gravity: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEq3xM-i0Ng

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Agreed! Here is a magnificent performance of that song by a young lady who has obviously had a lot of voice lessons with a very good coach. She not only sings it splendidly, but she also "acts" the role properly with her voice and body. Notice how at the beginning of the song her happy little-girl face changed to an angry-frustrated face, and at the end after the last note she has a triumphant face, which quickly transforms back into her little girl face when she relaxes. (And I love her accent) BTW: When you see Simon smile, you know it's really good!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUP_aC5-bkM