It had been four years…since 'Van Lear Rose'…that I had sought out or hoisted a cd with such obsess or intent. Mr. Burnett had me at the first snare to floor tom of the Everly Brother's "Gone, Gone, Gone"…but when Mr. Buc played, "Nothin" two weeks ago on a WRLT Saturday morn…I tripped-literally-to get to the phone in time to get Daniel before the song was over to say, THIS is what I'm 'talkin' 'bout'.  What's crazy is that just the night before, he told me there was a Townes Van Zandt song he wanted me to do and would send it to me…as fate would have it,'twas "Nothin''".  So now that I've been in and out of a hypnotic coma for the last week listening to 'Raising Sand', I got a New Year's Day present via email, this morn.
 

So I've been listening to Townes' original all morning…had to step away for a minute to regain my composure…and true, the line taken out for the Plant/Krauss version is the best one- "Your back ain't strong enough for burden's double fold…they'll crush you down-down into nothin'"…two weeks ago, I had sat like a schoolgirl across the dinner table from Nanci Griffith as she told beautiful stories of the complex man of who she loved-as a friend and an artist…I tried so hard to not let my green, 'green' eyes give me away of how I hung on-or related to- every word that left her own girlish mouth.  I wish the world could have heard her defend him as 'misunderstood' and kind and gentle as other's at the table interjected their own not-so-dreamy experiences with him in the 'state' he was most known for. Hmmm…I suggested-as if-that perhaps it was because he respected her that he kept those 'colors' from her…she proudly and modestly agreed. First class.
 

So as far as the song goes- nothin'.  Even if I had gotten my hands on the Townes version first, I could never imagine touching this song…the Plant/Krauss/Burnett version in itself, is perfection.  The entire Raising Sand CD is perfection-literally, a perfect compilation.  D.K. also pointed out after gaining his own composure upon first listen, that it sounds so 'Tom Waits' …aside from the cover of "Trampled Rose". He then schooled me about Marc Ribot, who's on all but two tracks…I'll stop here by emploring all of ya' to acquire this masterpiece.

 
In the meantime, thanks to the unexpected, but ever-welcome reactions to my exposure of my Achilles heel and other related vulnerabilities through the first of now to be a series of new song posts. So I'm putting up another ultra-rough living room demo of a new song, "Starin' at the Telephone"…my friend, Bobby, who's a brilliant sound engineer, asked me last night if I could make an effort to minimize the background noises in the new offerings…ie in "I wanna die in my sleep" there was an ambulance siren embedded into the track…not a chance, Bobby:). In this one, you can hear my phone ring in the background at the last verse of "I'm landlocked and anchored to a line of tears and woe…" to me, that phone ringin' is poetic-and in it's lack of refinement, to me, is perfection.

 
Happy New Year's Everything…today the rain actually turned into snow:)

Heather

 
Staring At The Telephone HH/08

 
You said I'm brilliant
You said I'm lovely
You said you're always thinkin' of me

 
You said you're tired
You wanna settle down
Tired of chasin' the past around

 
Still I'm starin' at the telephone
I'm landlocked and anchored to a line of tears
and woe…

 
Tell me when we met, babe, cuz I don't know
Hold on now that's not true
That's a lie for sure

 
I'm glarin' at the telephone
I'm drowning in a sea of tears
and woe…
 

If you want me baby, I don't know
If you want me that's a helluva way to show…

 
I feel faint and just shy of checkin out
I can't eat or think or laugh or breathe with ease
When you ain't about…

 
I'm pissed at the telephone
I am cuffed and bound in twine of tears
and woe…

 
I'm tired as well and wanna settle down
But I'm sick and had it with chasin you around…

 
I'm soaking in desire of a memory
And choke-chokin back on a sigh that's laced in ecstasy

 
I'm starin' at the telephone
I'm landlocked and anchored to a line of tears
and woe…

 
If you want me baby, I don't know
If you want me, that's a helluva way to show
If I'll wait for you babe, I don't know
If I'll wait for you babe, I don't know