Video: Too Many Shadows (Jean Ritchie/kytrad)

Subject: Old-ish video-Too Many Shadows
From: kytrad (Jean Ritchie)
Date: 04 May 06 - 08:20 PM

We came across this old video (15 years old?), and as this is one of my "new" songs I like singing, we thought others might, too, so Jon put it on the long-lost web site. Hope you like it- or can stand it at least! It's a bit dark on some computers, and keep in mind that the actual melody line, on the chorus, is being sung by son # 1, Peter Pickow, as I couldn't get that low note, so I'm singing harmony.
I love the low note and think it makes the song, and Pete's bass is mighty good. And- we had much fun doing it!    Jean

THREAD TITLE CHANGED by Fat Clone.....M.Ted had a good suggestion to get this thread a bit more noticed.

Subject: RE: Old-ish video-Too Many Shadows
From: Bill D
Date: 04 May 06 - 10:46 PM

waiting for the link, Jean..*smile*.....I want to see it.

Subject: RE: Old-ish video-Too Many Shadows
From: Joe Offer
Date: 04 May 06 - 10:47 PM

http://www.jeanritchie.com/

Subject: RE: Old-ish video-Too Many Shadows (kytrad)
From: Bert
Date: 05 May 06 - 04:56 PM

WOW! I love it.

Subject: RE: Old-ish video-Too Many Shadows (kytrad)
From: GUEST
Date: 05 May 06 - 07:13 PM

Absolutely fantastic. Jean, your voice is still an instrument of beauty. I never get tired of listening to your albums or, on the rare occasion, seeing you perform. Thank you for all of the music that you've shared with us throughout the years. Keep doing what you do best for as long as you can.

Andy

Subject: RE: Old-ish video-Too Many Shadows (kytrad)
From: Northerner
Date: 05 May 06 - 07:43 PM

Lovely! I really enjoyed it! Thank you.

Subject: RE: Old-ish video-Too Many Shadows (kytrad)
From: Alice
Date: 05 May 06 - 09:47 PM

Thanks, Jean!

Alice Flynn

Subject: RE: Old-ish video-Too Many Shadows (kytrad)
From: Bill D
Date: 05 May 06 - 10:05 PM

Lovely....as I was playing it, my wife wandered in from the kitchen saying, "that has the feel of a Jean Ritchie song!"

Subject: RE: Old-ish video-Too Many Shadows (kytrad)
From: masato sakurai
Date: 05 May 06 - 10:06 PM

Thanks a lot, Jean. I have None But One, and Celebration of Life.

Masato

Subject: RE: Old-ish video-Too Many Shadows (kytrad)
From: kytrad (Jean Ritchie)
Date: 06 May 06 - 12:28 AM

Why did I write a country song? One night we went into a Greenwich Village coffe house, and in one of the booths sat Johnny Cash with friends. He greeted me with, "Hello there, Jean- when're you gonna write me a song?" I thought about,"Too Many Shadows, as it had been coming to me already, so I went home and in a few days finished and sent it to him, done to the chuck-chucka-chuck-chucka chuck rhythm that he liked. Well, I guess he didn't think much of it, but soon afterward recorded, "The L&N Don't Stop Here Anymore," which June had recorded previously. "Shadows" hung around for awhile, unsung, but when we did the None But One album I thought of it again- something like, "...if no one else is going to sing it Jean, why not sing it yourself?" Learnt a few lessons there...more humility for one thing, followed an un-supression of pride in something I felt was-well, a pretty good song. MY feeling now- doesn't mean it's shared by others.

Subject: RE: Old-ish video-Too Many Shadows (kytrad)
From: Big Mick
Date: 08 May 06 - 01:00 AM

That last comment is exactly what makes the Mudcat such a special place. With all the attention on Johnny and June right now, then we get to read this marvelous tellin' and then slip off and watch the video. I love this video, and believe that we owe a debt to our Jean for sharing it with us. I certainly hope there will be more.

Done in the first person as only can happen on Mudcat. What a treat!! And a wonderful song, m'dear. Thanks for "passin' it on".

All the best,

Mick

Subject: RE: Old-ish video-Too Many Shadows (kytrad)
From: Tannywheeler
Date: 08 May 06 - 08:18 AM

I kissed my Dell. What a treat. Peter's a good boy. Thank you more than I can say...............Tw

Subject: RE: Old-ish video-Too Many Shadows (kytrad)
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 08 May 06 - 01:32 PM

Jean it's an honour to share your thoughts and hear the background to your stuff. I too enjoyed it very much, and I don't see anything wrong with it being C&W sounding. Johnny Cash was liked by many people most of whom wouldn't listen to Country Music, he crossed boundaries, and so should we all.
Thanks too for your post on my get well thread, and the assumption that I am a young 'un, I suppose I am compared to George, I'm still in my 60s, but that'll do me for a while thanks.
Regards
Giok

Subject: RE: Old-ish video-Too Many Shadows (kytrad)
From: catspaw49
Date: 08 May 06 - 01:50 PM

Sorry Jean......I'm guilty here of something I get on others about and that is reading a thread and not making comment when you like it. I've started threads here over the years that have gotten me a load of PM's but those same people could have posted to the thread......which is what keeps them alive.

THIS is a thread that most certainly needs to be kept up top and I should have posted to it several days ago when I sat for an hour singing along, learning the words, and getting a kick out of the steel guitar licks in a Jean Ritchie song!   Instead I got a note from Mick asking what the hell was wrong with me as I hadn't posted to a Jean Ritchie thread!

I do love the song. And of course the story of it that you have now added to this thread is great as Mick said. So can you add a bit more and tell us something about the video, its making/location/people involved and the like? I'm just nosy.....And my best to George and his hip.......

Spaw

Subject: RE: Old-ish video-Too Many Shadows (kytrad)
From: M.Ted
Date: 08 May 06 - 02:37 PM

Great song! And what a surprise hear a Jean Ritchie recording wit h that bright "country and western single" sound--I passed this thread over a couple times on the idea that someone wanted to know how to clean up some shadows on an old video!

Maybe someone can add a"Listen/Watch" prefix--

Subject: RE: WATCH/LISTEN-Oldish Video-TooManyShadows(kytrad)
From: Peter T.
Date: 08 May 06 - 02:56 PM

Perhaps Johnny didn't like songs with too many shadows, you know, all that dark stuff, not really his cup of tea (that is a joke)......

It is really amusing to hear you talk about humility. Everyone else on this site would kill to be able to pipe up at a party -- "Well, Johnny Cash said, so when are you going to write me a song!?" Now there is a conversation stopper. It is sort of like, "So, there I was, corresponding with Jean Ritchie about how she wrote this song for Johnny Cash....." (Folkies fall over in dead faint, clutching their hearts.)

yours,

Peter T.

Subject: RE: WATCH/LISTEN-Oldish Video-TooManyShadows(kytra
From: skarpi
Date: 08 May 06 - 03:48 PM

I would like to hear this song I am Johnny Cash fan , but I have
comp, proplem I can´t listen to it so here is a question
can I only listen to through the real player ? it want work in my computer , not but I will work it out somehow so untilthen .

can´t wait to hear it ,
please if anyone can help me to find a program that I can use to listen
let me know

for now   and I will be back

All the best Skarpi Iceland.

Subject: RE: WATCH/LISTEN-Oldish Video-TooManyShadows(kytrad)
From: M.Ted
Date: 08 May 06 - 04:02 PM

That's a bit scary. But cool.

Subject: RE: WATCH/LISTEN-Oldish Video-TooManyShadows(kytrad)
From: Tannywheeler
Date: 08 May 06 - 04:06 PM

Sorry I'm not technically literate enough. Someone help Skarpi get RealPlayer on his machine. Stars in your crown in heaven for doing such a good deed.                     Tw

Subject: RE: WATCH/LISTEN-Oldish Video-TooManyShadows(kytrad)
From: Bill D
Date: 08 May 06 - 04:24 PM

it is not a RealPlayer song....it is a video in .wmv format.

You can easily play this if you have either Windows Media player, or Media Player Classic working. (Your browser also needs to know which one you WISH to use to play the video.....or you need to just download the file and then open the chosen Media Player and tell it where to look)

Subject: RE: WATCH/LISTEN-Oldish Video-TooManyShadows(kytrad)
From: Bill D
Date: 08 May 06 - 04:34 PM

I have also just played the video in JetAudio, BSPlayer, and VLC Media Player

The last 3 are VERY fine programs with many options. VLC & BSplayer have more settings and controls than you will ever need, but they will also do the basics well...

Subject: RE: WATCH/LISTEN-Oldish Video-TooManyShadows(kytrad)
From: jaze
Date: 08 May 06 - 04:39 PM

Beautiful song, Jean and Johnny Cash's loss. Now to get the cd..

Subject: RE: WATCH/LISTEN-Oldish Video-TooManyShadows(kytra
From: Seamus Kennedy
Date: 08 May 06 - 04:39 PM

Jean, Johnny's loss is our gain. What a great song.
I could hear Ernest Tubb doing it too.
Mighty fine pedal- steel on there as well.
It works really well as a female-male duet, in fact I would love to have heard this one on the new Emmylou Harris/Mark Knopfler album!
Thanks.

Seamus kennedy

Subject: RE: WATCH/LISTEN-Oldish Video-TooManyShadows(kytra
From: skarpi
Date: 08 May 06 - 04:50 PM

Thanks Bill , I got it the VLC player on my computer heheheh at last
I can play videos on my ..................

well I have listen to the song and I like it a lot a fantastic
country song and I have to say I wish I could hear this song
on cd, listen to it on my computer does not give me the right sound
I have to listen again and again I am a country fan , and I would like to play this song my self someday with my band or solo one night
here at my home town , I like the lyric Jean .

I would like to try a hardanger fiddle in this song .....

Jean it´s a good melody , it´s singing in my head already after
three hearings :>)) and it´s a song you made to Johnny Cash
witch I assume were you friend?

I hope you let me play it with my band arranged by us with fiddles
and flutes.......

All the best Skarpi Iceland

Subject: RE: WATCH/LISTEN-Oldish Video-TooManyShadows(kytra
From: Jeri
Date: 08 May 06 - 06:37 PM

I also thought the thread was about fixing a video problem and almost missed it. This song relly does sound like one Johnny Cash would sing. It sure sounds like one I'd sing! The CD looks intriguing. Thanks for the video!

The song's on None But One

You can get it from the Jean Ritchie homepage just click on "Recordings".

Subject: RE: WATCH/LISTEN-Oldish Video-TooManyShadows(kytrad)
From: George Papavgeris
Date: 08 May 06 - 06:42 PM

I second the comment about the Johnny Cash feel. Jean, great song, beautifully sung!

Subject: RE: WATCH/LISTEN-Oldish Video-TooManyShadows(kytrad)
From: George Papavgeris
Date: 08 May 06 - 06:45 PM

Come to think of it, there a sort of justice in the way Peter sounds like Johnny on the recording too, given the earlier story...

Subject: RE: WATCH/LISTEN-Oldish Video-TooManyShadows(kytrad)
From: catspaw49
Date: 08 May 06 - 06:51 PM

Change the background arrangement and its folkie.......But as far as country artists go, I'd have gone for Waylon doing it!

Don't forget to give us some details on the making of the video when you come back Jean.

Spaw

Subject: RE: WATCH/LISTEN-Oldish Video-TooManyShadows(kytrad)
From: Bill D
Date: 08 May 06 - 07:03 PM

(glad it worked, Skarpi! That VLC is a good player...it will play durn near everything) Maybe a bunch of us can sing the song together at the Getaway...(it would be even nicer if we could lure Jean to the Getaway..*smile*)

Subject: RE: WATCH/LISTEN-Oldish Video-TooManyShadows(kytra
From: Jeri
Date: 08 May 06 - 07:20 PM

Ooh... it would be nicer, wouldn't it?

Subject: RE: WATCH/LISTEN-Oldish Video-TooManyShadows(kytrad)
From: kendall
Date: 08 May 06 - 09:17 PM

Now this is my kind of country music, Jean, and you are right about that bass. Well done, beautiful song.

Subject: RE: WATCH/LISTEN-Oldish Video-TooManyShadows(kytrad)
From: JedMarum
Date: 08 May 06 - 10:13 PM

... funny, I watched and listened before I heard mention of Johnny Cash and thought of him right away. It's a great song and video. Now that you've released it, maybe the next Johnny Cash will make his mark with the song!

Subject: RE: WATCH/LISTEN-Oldish Video-TooManyShadows(kytrad)
From: catspaw49
Date: 09 May 06 - 09:00 AM

Geez Ted.....Your suggestion obviously worked!

Hopefully we see Jean back here soon.

Spaw

Subject: RE: WATCH/LISTEN-Oldish Video-TooManyShadows(kytrad)
From: SINSULL
Date: 09 May 06 - 10:43 AM

What a treat! Thank you, Jean. I'm with PeterT on this one. Can't wait to drop the line "Oh yeah. Jean Ritchie ran that one by me on Mudcat..." heh heh

Subject: RE: WATCH/LISTEN-Oldish Video-TooManyShadows(kytrad)
From: kytrad (Jean Ritchie)
Date: 09 May 06 - 05:56 PM

Heck! What a bunch you are- and that's heavy cussin coming from me! I say goodby to a thread with 10 posts, including mine, and come back a few days later and there's 32- and all of them friendly and positive- no trolls, sarcastic criticism- just good words...do I sense a Conspiracy? Well, whatever it be, I want to thank all of you sincerely, and perhaps sometime soon I can pursuade George (recovering now from a broken hip) to dictate, "The Story Behind the Video"... I hesitate, because he always tells people that when I am his photo subject I give him hell...(there I said it)! Love to all, Jean

Subject: RE: WATCH/LISTEN-Oldish Video-TooManyShadows(kytra
From: skarpi
Date: 09 May 06 - 06:17 PM

I might ask Rósa to make an Icelandic lyric , I am listen now
and it´s only getting better .........

All the best Skarpi Iceland.

Subject: RE: WATCH/LISTEN-Oldish Video-TooManyShadows(kytrad)
From: kendall
Date: 09 May 06 - 09:22 PM

Now Jean, how could you ever believe we don't care?

Subject: RE: WATCH/LISTEN-Oldish Video-TooManyShadows(kytrad)
From: JedMarum
Date: 09 May 06 - 09:30 PM

I'd like to hear the story behind the video ...

Subject: RE: WATCH/LISTEN-Oldish Video-TooManyShadows(kytrad)
From: Big Mick
Date: 09 May 06 - 09:41 PM

I am waiting for the same. It got our Jean to say "Hell" right out loud. Methinks this will be a good'un, Paw.

Mick

Subject: RE: WATCH/LISTEN-Oldish Video-TooManyShadows(kytrad)
From: catspaw49
Date: 09 May 06 - 09:58 PM

I'm a bad influence.........

I am curious as to where it was filmed as it has that KY appearance but it could be any number of other fine places. Down in Jean's original neck of the woods there are some places that look a lot like that including one of my favorite spots on earth about a hundred miles or so on west of Jean's birthplace.......Yahoo Falls


In the winter it freezes top to bottom and there are huge icicles hanging from the cliffs. In March as the thaw comes its like a volcano of ice with the falls flowing into the center. It's a healthy hike down into the little canyon and I wondered awhile back if I'd ever be able to see the place again......but I did...and I'm going back again.

Spaw

Subject: RE: WATCH/LISTEN-Oldish Video-TooManyShadows(kytra
From: katlaughing
Date: 09 May 06 - 10:44 PM

Well, Im a latecomer, too. I listened and watched before reading any comments and had the same reaction, "this sounds just like something Johnny Cash would do!"

I love it, Jean, but it was a momentary surprise to hear you and steel guitar, etc. altogether.:-) LOVE the harmonies...your voice is so ringing, clear, sweet, and true and that low bass is gorgeous.

Thank yew, thank yew! Can't wait to hear more.

Spawdarlin'...I am so glad you will be going to the Falls and thanks for the link. They're plumb bee-you-tee-full!

luvyakat

Subject: RE: WATCH/LISTEN-Oldish Video-TooManyShadows(kytrad)
From: kytrad (Jean Ritchie)
Date: 10 May 06 - 06:39 PM

Thanks for that picture of Yahoo Falls, Spaw- I can't believe I never knew they existed! But if they're near Whitley City they must also be quite near to Cumberland Falls- which gets all the publicity what with its moonbow...I had my first two college years at Cumberland College, Williamsburg, KY before my UK days, and the falls' moonbow inspired many an attractive (and romantic) Sunday evening drive!

The video was George's idea- he's the one who always pushed me to do things for the sake of "publicity;" I never wanted to, somehow. Well, also George was maybe a little put-out with Johnny Cash for ignoring the song- and so many others of our friends loved it, as we did. I, because it WAS a little different than my usual style (Kat have you listened to the title song, "None But One"? Now that jam session- (Eric Weissburg's "Deliverance" band- should have REALLY surprised you!) Anyway- George wanted to show off the song, and talked me into doing the video, just for us and friends (and he'd send one to JC).

The location is our back woods right here in the middle of our little LI town. We're working by the creek- our house is straight up the hill, about 3-4 hundred yards, and unseen by the camera. No Yahoo Falls, just a little branch, emptying into Manhasset Bay. You know, we bought this place because it reminded me of Kentucky! It was George's eye that found the shady path, the cool shadows, the trees and trembling waters- he's a great photographer. All I did was walk through his scenes and sing the song. Oh,and he says tell you that he made it on the Amiga, the first computer on which one could do home video editing- gosh, that must make the video older than my speculated 15 years I guess.

And I will not tell you how many times he hollered at me,"DON'T WALK SO FAST"..."LOOK SAD- STOP SMILING"...and too many times, "AARG- GOTTA DO THAT OVER-I(YOU)GOOFED!" I'm telling you it was hard to keep looking serene- I was ready to sacrifice the guitar over his head by the time we finished (several days in the making). Now, after not looking at it for all these years, I'm so glad we did it. And thank you-all for listening!

Subject: RE: WATCH/LISTEN-Oldish Video-TooManyShadows(kytra
From: Ferrara
Date: 11 May 06 - 02:49 PM

Jean, I'm LOL at the story of how the video was made.

I wrote a longish post a few days ago, hit the wrong button and lost it, didn't have time to redo it right then. I think I have to post something here if I'm ever going to get that song out of top position in my head. I hear it all day long.

I was two rooms away when Bill played it. It sounded like your voice or at least one of your songs so I came in to find out what it was. That's when I said "That has the feel of a Jean Ritchie song." Bill didn't say a word. He played the video, watching my reaction. Basically I just melted. It is lovely. We played it two or three times and have played it several times since. I keep seeing images from the video and as I say the song won't leave my mind.

Years ago a co-worker, Jonyl Adams, sang "Black Waters" for me. Jonyl said the song had special meaning for him because he was from Perry County. Then he played one whole side of the "None But One" album for me, saying I should hear more of your music, and later gave me a copy.

I don't know how many hours I spent learning the words of those songs! Not to perform, just to sing. When I met Bill we used to sing "See That Rainbow Shine" together -- we both knew it. "Too Many Shadows" was a favorite. I still have those hand written pages.    Seeing the video and learning the Johnny Cash story makes me love it even more. Thank you for posting the video.

Rita F

Subject: RE: WATCH/LISTEN-Oldish Video-TooManyShadows(kytrad)
From: catspaw49
Date: 11 May 06 - 03:14 PM

Thanks Jean for the extra tale!

And Rita, that is a really lovely little story there as well. Black Waters always had a real meaning for me as well. I come from the Tuscarawas Valley in Ohio and much of its beauty has been mined to death through an especially ugly process...strip mining. Mineral Rights were sold long before and some of the largest shovels and the biggest dragline ever to mar the earth worked there.

Spaw

Subject: RE: WATCH/LISTEN-Oldish Video-TooManyShadows(kytrad)
From: Big Mick
Date: 11 May 06 - 03:31 PM

When you visit Jean's site, be sure and click the link and look at George Pickow's pictures. Simply amazing photos. The one of Jean, Woody Gutherie, Fred Hellerman, and Pete Seeger just knocks me out. Also the ones of the Jeff, KY church folks. Just take a peek, you won't be sorry.

All the best,

Mick

Subject: RE: WATCH/LISTEN-Oldish Video-TooManyShadows(kytra
From: katlaughing
Date: 11 May 06 - 04:05 PM

Thanks for the tip, Mick. Incredible photos! We have such Treasures among us!

Subject: RE: WATCH/LISTEN-Oldish Video-TooManyShadows(kytra
From: IvanB
Date: 11 May 06 - 04:45 PM

I'm another latecomer to this thread. We've just returned from our winter jaunt, where I was on a dial-up connection and didn't get to Mudcat as often as I'd like.

Jean, thanks so much for the link to your video. I have Celebration of Life and have always loved this song, but this is the first chance I've had to hear you sing it, which makes it all the more special! Thanks again.

Subject: RE: WATCH/LISTEN-Oldish Video-TooManyShadows(kytrad)
From: kytrad (Jean Ritchie)
Date: 12 May 06 - 11:43 PM

Celebration of Life is soon to be a collector's item, IvanB, so hold onto it! We'd love to get it reprinted, but want to revise it somewhat, and are just getting too slowed-down with our years to put the work into it which it needs...never enough time in the week/month/year. But, thank you, and again all of you, for helping me to celebrate, "Too Many Shadows."    Love, Jean

Subject: RE: WATCH/LISTEN-Oldish Video-TooManyShadows(kytra
From: IvanB
Date: 13 May 06 - 03:07 PM

Jeanne, sadly my copy of Celebration is in far too poor shape to be a collector's item - at this point it consists of a collection of single or groups of a few bound sheets held together in a file folder. I can, with some certainty, say that both covers and all the pages are still there however.

I have a small anecdote regarding the collection that might interest you, though. My wife and I had two daughters six years apart, and from the time they started talking they would join us in singing together of an evening. When the girls were 5 and 11 we adopted two sibling boys who were 6 and 7. The boys came from a background of abuse and neglect and, as one might imagine, brought along lots of psychological and emotional baggage. For months they would sit silently, seemingly uninterested, during our family sings.

One night I did "Boston Beans," and the boys, rightly or wrongly associating it with eating beans and the attendant gas and other bodily functions which follow, thought it was wonderful. I'm sure it was partly the guilty pleasure gained from allusion to a slightly risque subject in polite company, but they began requesting the song just about every sing. It wasn't long before they were enjoying our sings as much as the rest of the family. So I have to thank you and your song for one of the many breakthroughs we had in integrating our sons into the family. Although they've scattered, all four kids still have an abiding love of music.