Mark, I meant to respond to this earlier, but ...
Anyway, yes, I was the one who wrote about loving Joni's early music. And you're in the ballpark on this. Two of Joni's main devices in her early songs are her major/minor shifts and her oblique chromaticism; the latter is what you hear in the lines you quoted: "There's oil in puddle in taffeta patterns" is in a major tonality, then "that run down the drain" is, too, except that it's a half-step down, which produces an effect somewhat similar to, but still quite different from, a major/minor shift. She does it again on the very next phrase "In colored arrangements ... " It produces a disconnected, "falling" feeling; very common in Joni's early songs. (For example, "Songs To Aging Children Come" consists almost entirely of this device, as well as other permutations of oblique and otherwise unrelated chromaticism.) Where you will hear the major/minor shift in "Michael From Mountains" is on these lines: (starts major) "Michael wakes you up with sweets, he takes you up (shift to minor) streets and the rain comes (return to major) down." I hope this is clear. I'll bet if you go back to Joni's version, you'll now hear the same thing you heard in Judy's version just as well. What's really fascinating to me is how understanding the music in a technical way actually enhances its emotional effect; for instance, one easily sees how her "falling" chromaticism device causes a direct and visceral tug on the heart. I love music. Later, Fred In a message dated 3/15/02 1:43:24 AM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: >"Mark or Travis" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: Michael From Mountains > >Since buying Judy Collins' 'Wildflowers' I've been sort of hearing 'Michael >From Mountains' with new ears. All these years that I've been listening >to Joni's version on 'Song To A Seagull' I've always thought this song (and >all the songs on STAS) had a very pretty melody. But hearing it in a more >orchestral setting on 'Wildflowers' has made me hear just how unique & >unusual this melody is. > >I think it was Fred who wrote a post about loving Joni's early songs because >the melodies were more interesting and unusual. If I remember right, Fred, >you mentioned that Joni's early songs often seemed to shift between minor >& major chords or keys and that this created an effect that you admired. >I'm not a musician so please excuse my fumbling for terminology & my ignorance. >But listening to Judy's version of 'MFM' (hey that could be 'Michael From >Mountains' or 'Man From Mars' - sometimes those anagrams can get confusing) >I'm pretty sure I can distinctly hear what you were referring to. The >phrase 'There's oil in puddle in taffeta patterns' sounds like a major >key to me but then the following phrase 'that run down the drain' sounds minor. >Am I right or did I land in a puddle and now I'm all wet? The funny thing >is that this never struck me as particularly different or remarkable in >Joni's version of the song. It was just part of the melody & I never >thought much about it. But in the Judy Collins version it is so obvious >to me. It really gives me a new appreciation of this particular song and >of course of the genius behind it. > >Mark E in Seattle
