Two great threads - got me to thinking round and round. While I tend to agree with Fred about the melody thing being more special in her earlier work, I would offer some words of caution to him. No, it is not heretical in any way to critique and even criticize. However, as I confessed several times to this list in the past, there can be some danger in doing so in Joni's case ;-)
For example, while I was so mesmerized by her melody lines and personal/confessional/romantic lyrics of the first 6 albums, I rejected Hissing and Hejira, which were very different from her earlier works in those two respects. (I would say "initially", but the rejection lasted over 20 years). Wrong ! Worse, I was openly critical of her shift in emphasis toward the arrangements and accompaniment and jazz influence and subject matter beyond (a bit cooler, a bit more third personal, less idealistic than) the confessional romanticism of her earlier works. Although I was defensive enough to caveat my criticism with words to the effect of "I am sure she is just going off in other directions because of her talent, but she is losing me", in my heart at that time I did not think she was as good at the new genres as she was in her earlier ones. Wrong again ! Later, I bought WTRF and DED - even worse, I thought - and passed on the others altogether. Wrong again ! Then, about 5 years ago I started picking her "later" work up again (she was always #1 with me, if only for her first 6 albums). First with TI, which inspired me to try NRH, then I gave Hejira and HOSL another chance and ....I was confronted with the awful truth of what I had said 20 years earlier. Couldn't (still can't) erase it from my conscience. Better not to try. Turns out my tastes and I needed to grow up a bit. In her later works she has done more with harmonies, counterpoint, social commentary, and instrumentation than her earlier reliance on melody and single instrumental accompaniment. One need not prefer it - but I for one have learned not to hold my opinion of her work in higher regard than Joni's own opinion of it. If she thinks it's good, and I do not, she as almost certainly right :-) Speaking of which, if she likes Sex Kills (and I agree that it is obvious that she does), I would be even more hesitant to dismiss it. Watch out - its virtues may sneak up on you from behind some day and goose you ;-). As a second point of caution, if Dylan (not one of my favorites) was effusive about it, it probably is a pretty good piece of lyrical writing. (Then there is my wondering whether his rare praise for that work lifted it higher in Joni's esteem - how dare I go there ?) On the subject of honesty, I agree with Bob M that Jericho is a brutally honest song. I have expressed my view in the past that in Jericho's case it exposes some of her failings in the area of love - shows her warts, if you will. But her honesty is an integral part of her greatness as an artist - I accept her warts, and respect that she shows them to me - er, us. ;-) Still on the subject of honesty, sometimes she takes me in her third person work to places I am/have been/ wish I were not. Songs I would rather not live. It may not have gotten me out of them, but it has helped me to keep them in better perspective and deal with them with better balance. You could have been more Than a name on the door On the 33rd floor in the air More than a credit card Swimming pool in the back yard While you still have the time You could get away and find A better life, you know the grind Is so ungrateful Racing cards, whiskey bars (bridge cards, chord bars, four pars) ........No one cares who you really are I know it gets hard Keeping the wheels turning And the wife she keeps the key She's so pleased to be A part of the arrangement You could have been more You could have been more You could have been more To those of us for whom this song has held up pretty well over the years (sometimes crossing generations within a family), I must say it is quite a haunting piece of work - for a 25 year year old to have written. Not exactly right , perhaps (or is it ?) - but too close for comfort. And this is perhaps #50 on my list of favorites of hers. In a world where nothing is right and nothing is wrong (?) or where everything on our side is right and everything on their side is wrong (?), Borderline is a pretty timely (timeless ?) piece of writing - although I think it is below her norm as a piece of music. I may be wrong about that last criticism, however ;-) Bob S.
