I have always been pleasantly crushed by Elliot Smith’s compositions. He had endless stretches with melody mashing through guitar and piano and to this day, I have yet to come across another like him. Though I have been in love with Elliot Smith’s music for so many years, I really only knew so much about him. The documentary was a beautiful presentation of his musical history and brought his personality on and off stage to light.
The first song I ever learned how to play was Liz’s ‘Polyester Bride’. Upstairs in my bedroom. 9th grade on my mom’s classical guitar. Nylon strings just didn’t quite cut it.
In 2005, I was fortunate to meet Liz at a private concert at one of my home brew pubs, Russian River Brewing Company. We shared a bathroom visit, I got her autograph on a beer coaster and I gave her my phone number incase she ever had any vision for violin on a future track. She was extremely down to earth and short like me!
Liz ‘s chord structures and constant changes have always made me swoon. Her lyrics are straight out of a diary you wonder if you’re allowed to be reading. She is intimate, raw, a little off and extremely confident. I sometimes think she could sing an octave higher and get better air support for melody but then I realize, that’s the 90s sound that I love so much. I do love her just the way she is and she’s a big staple.
Side note: Her later albums are different than the 90s but not to pass over.
I get a huge grin on my face when I hear songs on my local oldies station. Songs I haven’t forgotten yet when I hear them, I am surprised and thrilled. And the lyrics are still there, just falling out of my mouth when queued. Here’s just ONE for example. (Note: I’m positive no one is actually playing here! In addition, instruments in recording that are not even on stage pretending to play!)
Alright, so this isn’t the first time I’ve mentioned crying in cars. But it’s such a safe place to do it… And it can sometimes shorten the trip.
Percy Sledge had a way of words, deliverance and timing. And every time this song comes on, I’m in the car and I cry. The perfect repetition of verses, chorus and phrasing.
So it goes: Someone tells you to check something out and you sorta forget about it and never do. And then one day that thing jumps on your path and you’re stopped in your tracks on how beautiful it is. My cousin informed me months ago that I would enjoy Erykah Badu’s Green Eyes but I have never been a huge fan of hers and I just forgot to give it a shot. (I’m sorry Abbie!) I’ll shamefully admit it took me twenty-some years for Badu to move me but I now gladly accept. She has created so many compartments and perfectly woven layers of instruments. A singing goddess full of feeling, she is!
