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Cathartic Songs: yours?
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Subject: Lyr Add: WITHOUT THE SONG (There's No Show)^^ From: The Shambles Date: 10 Feb 00 - 05:34 AM No Not the songs that Cathar's sing. I dug this song up from the 'dusty vaults' of the Mudcat cellar. I thought it might be interesting to have a thread for songs, that you sing to make you feel better and the reasons why they do. I always feel better after I sing this one but I do have to carefully explain to the audience that it is about a particular place and time and is not about them (for it is more of a reminder to me and my ego). Otherwise, they are usually gone before the end of the song. It was a place where songwriters could go and perform to an audience that consisted of other songwriters. The idea was that they, of all people, would provide a sympathetic audience for original material. It was a disaster of course as they were too busy either preparing to perform or flushed with success after they had performed, to actually listen to anybody else and just went through the motions, clapping dutifully at the end of songs. Without the song (there's no show).
I saw no storm clouds appear
You know you're the best
Small fishes, small ponds
The singers come and go
The bottle may be shattered Roger Gall 1997
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Subject: RE: Cathartic Songs: yours? From: Mbo Date: 10 Feb 00 - 08:03 AM "Catch the Wind" & "Is Ar Eirinn Ni Nosfain Ce Hi." --Mbo |
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Subject: RE: Cathartic Songs: yours? From: Allan C. Date: 10 Feb 00 - 08:40 AM "Every Night When the Sun Goes In"; "I'm a Drifter" and "Shule Aroon" when I sing it to myself. Each depends greatly upon what emotion I need to let out. There are some days when I sing "California Dreamin'" much more slowly than the Mammas and Pappas ever did it and it just drains away some feelings of needing to be far, far away... |
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Subject: RE: Cathartic Songs: yours? From: MMario Date: 10 Feb 00 - 08:49 AM almost any song. For me it is usually the ACT of singing that allows the catharsis. |
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Subject: RE: Cathartic Songs: yours? From: Amos Date: 10 Feb 00 - 09:03 AM Depending on what needs to be catharted -- "Trouble In Mind", Big Bill Broonzy "Just Like A Woman", Little Bob Dylan "Sweet Baby James", James Taylor "Girl From the North Country" ..and "Bring Down the Walls", by Amos A |
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Subject: RE: Cathartic Songs: yours? From: Dani Date: 10 Feb 00 - 09:13 AM "Trouble in Mind" does it for me, too. A good round of "Summertime" half-time works. Also makes a good lullaby that way. Actually, for belting out just to spin off a little energy, I like "Rockin' Robin" a la the Jackson Five. Don't tell the folk police. Good soul-stirring gospel works every time. Dani |
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Subject: RE: Cathartic Songs: yours? From: The Shambles Date: 10 Feb 00 - 09:35 AM I just tried 'Catch the Wind' and it made me feel better too. |
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Subject: RE: Cathartic Songs: yours? From: canoer Date: 10 Feb 00 - 09:43 AM Currently it's "Mary Ellen Carter" does the lump-in-the-throat job for me. "Across the Great Divide" was working pretty good there for a while. Tons of others -- depends on the situation. Nice thread for some musing. |
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Subject: RE: Cathartic Songs: yours? From: Sean Belt Date: 10 Feb 00 - 09:47 AM For me it's "Handsome Molly" that tugs at my heart and tear ducts when I sing, oddly enough. Also "Dark End of the Street", is one of those great, torchy R&B songs from the '50s or '60s. I try to sing it a lot more bluesy than the original recording, though. - Sean |
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Subject: RE: Cathartic Songs: yours? From: sophocleese Date: 10 Feb 00 - 09:59 AM I go with MMario on this one, its less the song than the actual singing that brings me out of the depths. |
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Subject: RE: Cathartic Songs: yours? From: Bert Date: 10 Feb 00 - 10:09 AM I gotta go with Mmario as well, anything will do, often a jolly song like 'Woad' will do perfectly. |
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Subject: RE: Cathartic Songs: yours? From: GUEST,Mbo Date: 10 Feb 00 - 10:18 AM Sorry guys, it doesn't seem to work like that for me. If I'm happy, and I sing "The Boys of Barr Na Sraide," I won't make me feel happier. I could sing till I'm blue in the face when I'm down, but only a sad song can make me feel better. --Mbo |
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Subject: RE: Cathartic Songs: yours? From: GeorgeH Date: 10 Feb 00 - 11:03 AM Yup, as a listener only I also agree with MMario. Except "Heart like a Wheel" and one version of "Long, long trail" ALWAYS do it for me, even in recollection . . G. |
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Subject: RE: Cathartic Songs: yours? From: Lin in Kansas Date: 10 Feb 00 - 11:36 AM "Mary Hamilton" (a/k/a "The Four Maries") and "Handful of Songs" from Art Thieme's CD-- I'm with Mbo. When I'm feeling down, only a sad song will make me feel better. JL |
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Subject: RE: Cathartic Songs: yours? From: Troll Date: 10 Feb 00 - 11:54 AM Ditto Meebo. I usually start with "Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out" and "St. James Infirmary" and just go on from there. The blues does it for me. troll |
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Subject: RE: Cathartic Songs: yours? From: Amos Date: 10 Feb 00 - 12:25 PM Let her gooooo, let her gooooooo, God Bless her! Wherever sheeee may be!!! She can search the wide world over, Neveeer fin' another man like meeeee!! Great whining song. And another is van Ronk's version of "I'm A Winin' Boy" A |
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Subject: RE: Cathartic Songs: yours? From: Clinton Hammond2 Date: 10 Feb 00 - 03:53 PM I gotta agree with Mary Ellen Carter, ya... I hope I never get tired of that one... I've been ending my folkier shows these days with James Gordon's "Lonesome Cowboy's Lament"... but that just might be because of the itchy feet... I go way over the top with my version of Mike Cross's "The Bounty Hunter"... Lotsa raking harmonics and percussion on the body of the guitar... Makes me feel just a little bit like Don Ross.... ;-) One more Stan Rogers tune here... I love playing "House of Orange" for the *expletive deleted* who request rebel songs all night trying to get the pub fired up and start fights... I automatically ignore any *expletive deleted* whose first question upon meeting me is "Poddy or Cath.?" "Get *expletive deleted*!" is my response, and I walk away, pick up my DADGAD, turn everything way up and play House of Orange... "For causes are ashes where children lie slain!" The band has been rounding out the night with the sweetest version of Mingulay Boat Song that I think I've ever heard... We start it out hard and upbeat, like a working song should be and we sink into the horizon with a great a tempo a cappella chorus at the end... great harmony... I get chills just thinking about it... Sam Hall (yer a bunch of muckers all, Damn yer eyes..) is great for those apathetic audiences... Or a song I got from Len Wallace called "F^ck off And Die!" LOL!! |
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Subject: RE: Cathartic Songs: yours? From: Dan Evergreen Date: 10 Feb 00 - 06:43 PM When I'm really bombed out I don't feel any song. I know I'm going through the motions. It sounds like shit and it feels like shit. I end up putting my guitar down and sort of looking at it like it's its fault. Doesn't anybody else have this problem? |
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Subject: RE: Cathartic Songs: yours? From: Mbo Date: 10 Feb 00 - 06:53 PM All the time, Dan. Stupid frets making me make mistakes! --Mbo |
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Subject: RE: Cathartic Songs: yours? From: Callie Date: 10 Feb 00 - 07:14 PM Hearing Van's "Brown Eyed Girl", and also anything by Australian band The Black Sorrows. Crowded House's "Four Seasons in One Day" (not about pizza); Mary-Ellen Carter, Hard Times Come Again No More, and John Dowland's "Lachrimae". Callie |
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Subject: RE: Cathartic Songs: yours? From: Mbo Date: 10 Feb 00 - 07:32 PM WHOA CALLIE! You know Dowland's "Lachrimae"? That's such a great tune. I play the song version "Flow My Tears" all the time on my Classical guitar. Also, good ones by him are "I Saw My Lady Weep" and "Go Crystal Tears." --Mbo |
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Subject: RE: Cathartic Songs: yours? From: McGrath of Harlow Date: 10 Feb 00 - 07:34 PM Mbo - do I get you right, and you think "The Boys of Barr Na Sraide" is a cheery song?
But I'm with you on preferring sad songs to most happy songs when I want to lift myself, and "The Boys of Barr Na Sraide" might be one of them. You can't beat death in a song.
There's a time for happy songs, but not when you're sad. And not really when you're at your most happy either.
I think G.K.Chesterton got it essentially right, about the songs anyway, when he wrote:
"For the great Gaels of Ireland
That's from The Ballad of the White Horse - and if you want to read the rest of it, click on the title. (To find the quote, write Gaels in the Find facility of your browser, and click a couple of times, till it comes up.)
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Subject: RE: Cathartic Songs: yours? From: Mbo Date: 10 Feb 00 - 08:23 PM You got it right, McGrath. I was just saying that singing in general isn't a catharsis for me. A sad song when I'm sad makes me feel better. A happy song when I'm sad makes me feel bad. A sad song when I'm happy DOESN'T make me happy. --Mbo |
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Subject: RE: Cathartic Songs: yours? From: pastorpest Date: 10 Feb 00 - 09:06 PM If I answered this thread next year or maybe next month or even next week the answer might change. For now, my cathartic song is Gordon Bok's "Turning Toward the Morning". |
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Subject: RE: Cathartic Songs: yours? From: Midchuck Date: 10 Feb 00 - 09:10 PM I go along with Mr. Hammond on House of Orange and Sam Hall. Here's another favorite of mine: Claude Dallas, by Ian Tyson. Peter. |
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Subject: RE: Cathartic Songs: yours? From: canoer Date: 11 Feb 00 - 12:39 PM Turning Towrd the Morning, betcha.
Stan Rogers' "Lies" ... When I'm really feeling the song, I have to put anger in my voice to sing the last chorus, as if angry at the mirror, to cover up being near-to-tears over 'loves hers line for line'. Topic being cathartic songs -- don't have to make you happy when you're sad or v-v, necessarily, just bring forth strong feelings from wherever inside they are buried (or unburied), and provide a discharge/resolution. No? |
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Subject: RE: Cathartic Songs: yours? From: Ely Date: 11 Feb 00 - 05:06 PM Don't Think Twice, It's All Right (Dylan) Tecumseh Valley (Townes Van Zandt) Gaftai Baile Bui (spelling butchered--I apologize) "Iowa (Traveling, Pt. 3)" (Dar Williams) Midnight on the Water (Kate Wolf version; the lyrics are pretty bad but I love the tune) |
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Subject: RE: Cathartic Songs: yours? From: MarkS Date: 12 Feb 00 - 12:31 AM The Circle Game - Joni Mitchell Makes me think I'm not the only one who realizes that the seasons, they go round and round. Also, Truckin' - by the Grateful Dead. Because lately, it does occur to me what a long strange trip it's been. |
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Subject: RE: Cathartic Songs: yours? From: Metchosin Date: 12 Feb 00 - 01:27 AM Canoer, I believe yes, but I am uncertain for some, just why. Cloudbusting - Kate Bush The Living Years - Mike and the Mechanics Mary Ellen Carter - Stan Rogers If I Had a Rocket Launcher - Bruce Cockburn Down Under - Men at Work Money for Nothing - Dire Straits Nessun Dorma - Jussi Bjoerling |
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Subject: RE: Cathartic Songs: yours? From: Metchosin Date: 12 Feb 00 - 01:33 AM sorry Jussi, just spelled it as I pronounced it. |
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Subject: RE: Cathartic Songs: yours? From: GUEST,Annraoi Date: 12 Feb 00 - 07:11 PM If by cathartic you mean a song that brings tears to the eyes, then for myself and my wife it is "Sonny, Don't Go Away". That was receiving a lot of airtime in Ireland when our first born left to work in England. It still hurts. Annraoi |
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Subject: RE: Cathartic Songs: yours? From: The Shambles Date: 13 Feb 00 - 04:58 AM Maybe it was the wrong word. What I mean is a song that, as a consequence of singing it, enables an emotion that you have to be expressed or one you don't want, to be got rid of. Of course, all singing/music-making does do that to a degree but there are particular songs that I sing that always make me feel better. 'Geronimo's Cadillac', is another one and 'The World Turned Upside Down'
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