The week’s been one of needing (re)encouragement — always a popular subject with writers, who can never get (or imagine they can’t get) enough of it — and of finding new reasons why maybe we don’t need as much encouragement as we thought. Coincidentally, in the last 24 hours I’ve tripped across a couple of songs that seem to fit the mood.
The first is by Mary Gauthier, from her recent album The Foundling. The album was recorded in Toronto, produced by Michael Timmins of the Cowboy Junkies (with characteristically smoky backing vocals by sister and bandmate Margo Timmins). Gautier says of the songs on the album:
[They] tell the story of a kid abandoned at birth who spent a year in an orphanage and was adopted, who ran way from the adopted home and ended up in show business, who searched for birth parents late in life and found one and was rejected, and who came through the other side of all of this still believing in love.
Here’s “Sideshow,” the opening track (lyrics below).
Lyrics:
Sideshow
(Mary Gauthier)People stare and then they walk away
But there’s always a few who’ll stay
From the state I watch ’em close their eyes
Like a little kid trying to hide
Like they’re somewhere ain’t supposed to be
Watching something they ain’t supposed to see
Giving in to the undertow
In the dark at the sideshowI’m the singer at the sideshow
It’s a place that orphans go
Far away from the bright lights
Hard to find on a dark night
Another truly troubled troubadour
Writing songs to even up the score
A tune for every single body flow
And I sing ’em at the sideshowWho likes to think about their pain
Most people would avoid the rain
A sunny song will help you make it through
But constant whistling is hard to do
Too many songs about happiness
Leave me sad, lonely, and depressed
A million miles from the radio
You can find me at the side showI make my living at the sideshow
It’s a place that orphans go
Far away from the bright lights
Hard to find on a dark night
Another truly troubled troubadour
Writing songs to even up the score
A tune for every single body blow
And I sing ’em at the side showI make a living at the sideshow
It’s a place that the wounded go
Far away from the Bright lights
Hard to find on a dark night
You can find us
Another truly troubled troubadour
At the sideshow
Writing songs to even up the score
Yea, me
A tune for every single body blow
And the buffalo
And I sing ’em at the sideshow
You can find us
Back in the corner where the sad songs flow
At the sideshow
I’ve actually had the second song on my playlist for a few years; it’s just been a while since I last heard it. It comes from Eric Bibb, as recorded on the multi-artist album Mali to Memphis which traces the route of the blues across an ocean and from one continent to another.
Here’s “Don’t Ever Let Nobody Drag Your Spirit Down” (lyrics below).
Lyrics:
Don’t Ever Let Nobody Drag Your Spirit Down
(Eric Bibb)You might slip
You might slide
You might tumble and fall by the road side
Don’t you ever let nobody
Drag your spirit down
Remember you’re walkin’ up to heaven
Don’t let nobody turn you roundWalk with the rich
Walk with the poor
Learn from everybody that’s what life is for
Don’t you ever let nobody
Drag your spirit down
Remember you’re walkin’ up to heaven
Don’t let nobody turn you roundSome say yes
Some say no
Some wait and see which way the wind blow
Don’t you ever let nobody
Drag your spirit down
Well we’re walkin’ up to heaven
Don’t let nobody turn you roundWell I might say things
Sound strange to you
And I might preach the gospel I believe it’s true
I won’t let nobody
Drag my spirit down
Yes I’m walkin’ up to heaven
Won’t let nobody turn me roundYou might slip
You might slide
You might tumble and fall by the road side
Don’t you ever let nobody
Drag your spirit down
Remember you’re walkin’ up to heaven
Don’t let nobody turn you round
cynth says
I thought sure you were going to use the song (of the same name above) from “Charlotte’s Web” sung by Debbie Reynolds (who was the voice of Charlotte–this is the cartoon version by the way). Your niece and nephew will be disappointed that you didn’t include it with your musical musings.
DarcKnyt says
I almost fell out of my chair laughing at cynth’s comment — which was EXACTLY what I was thinking too!
Encouragement needed? Come my way, JES. I’m happy to do some encouraging of a fellow writer feeling down. Lord knows, I’ve been there until last Friday when I got a big shot. And I have enough of it to go ’round. Just say the word, bud. :)
Froog says
Ooh, that’s some proper blues. I can’t believe I haven’t come across Eric Bibb before. Thanks for the introduction.
I didn’t catch any of Margo on the Mary Gauthier song – which leaves me bereft: Margo is the Ultimate Fantasy Girlfriend.
ReCaptcha today is the compellingly strange Ayaspaşa Muzio – which sounds as though it could be a particularly exotic character name, although Ayaspaşa is apparently a district of Istanbul, so I doubt if anyone’s ever taken it as a personal name.
[JES: Fixed that “ş” for you. :)]
Froog says
Aha – unsupported character?! That taunting ‘?’ should have been an s with a cedilla under it.
John says
cynth: All right, all right… The soundtrack for that version of Charlotte’s Web shows up in digital form at NEITHER iTunes nor Amazon. So right there we have a problem.
And there I could let the matter rest with something like a clear conscience.
But in all honesty, I didn’t include “Chin Up” because, um, I’ve never seen any film/TV version of the book, and had no idea there even was a song with that name on the soundtrack. In fact, since neither you nor DarcKnyt actually NAMED the song whose absence you were talking and laughing about, I had to read the post multiple times to figure out what song you had in mind.
Darc: Well, the things I needed encouragement about seem to have fallen — or are about to fall — into place. So I’ll put your offer in the bank. But you better believe I’ll tap it when I need it again; thanks!
Froog: I think you’re right: Margo T doesn’t seem to be on this particular track, but IS (per Gauthier herself) on the album.
I was going to say I’m beginning to think the only women not on your Fantasy Girlfriend list are your real girlfriend(s), current or ex-. Then it occurred to me that that’s pretty much the definition of “fantasy girlfriend”!
And my own reCaptcha of the moment can apply to so many situations, in so many contexts, that it might as well be a slogan: bleeping better. I bleep you not.