You know it just dawned on me today that I can't distinguish between the two Bobs in an email by referring to one of them as Bob M. Geez can't you guys do something about this? You're so right BOB who does not channel Ethel, - maybe not the first, but the *best*, I like that. She raised the bar sky high. I'm reminded of a quote by Tom Petty, when an interviewer asked him about how he wrote lyrics, what he does when he struggles with a line, and he replied, "It's only rock 'n' roll. It's not supposed to be *that* good" With her work, Joni made a statement, it *can* be that good and isn't it great when it is? (As a non-genius songwriter myself, however, I prefer Petty's quote). I had been seeing every record up until Hejira as incredibly creative and beautiful and original, but not necessarily ground-breaking. Well, in the realm of pop music, she was original out of the gate, but sometimes the way Joni talks, it's as if she invented a whole new kind of music, not just in the realm of pop. But when I heard Hejira - it was a new sound. Actually, it wasn't it! I had spent a few years collecting Windham Hill samplers just before that and when I heard the timeless Hejira, it was like oh wow -not that she'd be proud - but I think Hejira spawned the genre of new age music! Her and Jaco I should say. Thanks for your thoughts - and I am anxious to other's opinions. Jenny [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:In a message dated 11/10/2002 9:35:45 AM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
> Specifically - when do you think Joni broke some ground? And what was her > contribution - lyrical...musical. Well, I may not be the right one to answer, as I didn't really pick up on Joni until C&S, but having listened to her complete works now for awhile and being able to trace the sequence, I would say that her composing in unique tunings was ground-breaking. Not that she was the first one to do it, but that she ONLY wrote in alternates...created such different sounding chord shapes & patterns! Even looking back to when "Help Me" came out on the radio, it was SO unique and fresh-sounding. Also the way she multi-tracked her own vocals; again she didn't invent it but it was the first time I remember hearing it. Her approach to playing the piano also sounds 'groundbreaking' to me - not being a musician I can't say why, it might just be her chordal combinations. Her sampling of and inclusion of world music in her work - certainly a tired cliche now but remember when you heard "Jungle Line" for the first time? Then of course there are the words. She came right out of the block writing in her own blood..."I had a king in a tenement castle..." This was obviously autobigraphical, BUT it was so genuine, so purely real that it became universal - something we could all relate to. And the images she stirs up with her words...also groundbreaking I think. Nary a cliche to be found (which is probably why "one big boo hoo" resonates so awkwardly with some of us). Additionally, her vocabulary, imagery, & metaphor are unprecedented, Dylan notwithstanding. And her business sense is also groundbreaking in her way...firstly she retained total control over her publishing; rarely if ever done from what I understand. And career-wise, where contemporaries find a commercial niche and stay there (and nothing wrong with doing so), Joni constantly turns her back on commerciality, reinventing herself and following her own direction instead, confusing the industry & her casual fanbase, and even confounding most of the hardcores like us! Again, I don't know that she is the FIRST to do any of these, I can only say that she is the BEST. Bob U2 on LAUNCH - Exclusive medley & videos from Greatest Hits CD
