This is a beautiful piece of writing, David, and I really appreciate the continuity and manner in which you tie everything together. I'm still teaching "The Ballad of the Sad Cafe" (to tenth-graders), by the way. McCullers' prose never gets old, and it possesses so much "music."
Your writing is truly remarkable, as it always has been. So impressed and glad to read it. This one in particular gets to me - the selective hearing of troubling lyrics, the memories of Arts & early 90s NYC, the selective emotions of age. So well done.
Thank you, Andie! If you haven’t already, please consider a free subscription. Knowing you are reading and sharing this delicate thing helps me get through.
Thank you for another beautifully written exploration of some of my own favorite music. Vega's version of Cohen's Song of Isaac on Tower of Song has that potent combination of pain spoken as plain truth. The knowledge that a child could be sacrificed---would not even be that great a loss for a man caught in the grips of idolatry--cuts straight through.
I hadn't thought of Suzanne in a while and then about a week ago I started singing Luka in the car for no apparent reason! Then this article brought up so many other songs I couldn't live without .. you mention Small Blue Thing, but I also thought of Night Vision, and Calypso. I also adored 99.9 .. what an amazing talent. <3
I always think of you when I think of this--the Salad of the Bad Cafe quiz. And it's still really true about the lover and the beloved, and I learned about it from you.
It's so crazy ... I was driving home from work the other day and just started singing Luka for no reason!! I hadn't thought of Suzanne for a while and now here's your wonderful article! I was so obsessed with her talent .. songs I felt were masterpieces of poetry like Night Vision and Small Blue Thing .. I also loved Calypso and used to play it all the time ... Thanks David ... <3
When I heard "Small Blue Thing" at 14, I thought of it as a brilliant poetic idea, but when I hear it now, I cry. I think we get more tender as we age and more vulnerable to what that song is really doing. And if a long period of time goes by, it hits you, and you realize that you were fragile this whole time, and this song gets it and gets you.
I always loved the way that song described the lover as a precious thing in your pocket that you cherish ... I was also really struck by the McCullers quote "most of us would rather love than be loved." that truth really hits me in the face when I think of how crazy I am when I'm in love ... thanks for that David! <3
This is a beautiful piece of writing, David, and I really appreciate the continuity and manner in which you tie everything together. I'm still teaching "The Ballad of the Sad Cafe" (to tenth-graders), by the way. McCullers' prose never gets old, and it possesses so much "music."
Your writing is truly remarkable, as it always has been. So impressed and glad to read it. This one in particular gets to me - the selective hearing of troubling lyrics, the memories of Arts & early 90s NYC, the selective emotions of age. So well done.
Thank you, Andie! If you haven’t already, please consider a free subscription. Knowing you are reading and sharing this delicate thing helps me get through.
I think I subscribed. I get email notifications when you post. They make my day. Keep musing.
Thank you for another beautifully written exploration of some of my own favorite music. Vega's version of Cohen's Song of Isaac on Tower of Song has that potent combination of pain spoken as plain truth. The knowledge that a child could be sacrificed---would not even be that great a loss for a man caught in the grips of idolatry--cuts straight through.
I hadn't thought of Suzanne in a while and then about a week ago I started singing Luka in the car for no apparent reason! Then this article brought up so many other songs I couldn't live without .. you mention Small Blue Thing, but I also thought of Night Vision, and Calypso. I also adored 99.9 .. what an amazing talent. <3
I always think of you when I think of this--the Salad of the Bad Cafe quiz. And it's still really true about the lover and the beloved, and I learned about it from you.
It’s so great. They were friends and he interviewed her. Yes, her delivery got it across so powerfully. Thanks for reading me so generously.
David, Once again a beautiful, insightful and beautifully voiced essay. Bravo!
Thank you! I'd be grateful for a free subscription, and if you have already, thank you!
It's so crazy ... I was driving home from work the other day and just started singing Luka for no reason!! I hadn't thought of Suzanne for a while and now here's your wonderful article! I was so obsessed with her talent .. songs I felt were masterpieces of poetry like Night Vision and Small Blue Thing .. I also loved Calypso and used to play it all the time ... Thanks David ... <3
When I heard "Small Blue Thing" at 14, I thought of it as a brilliant poetic idea, but when I hear it now, I cry. I think we get more tender as we age and more vulnerable to what that song is really doing. And if a long period of time goes by, it hits you, and you realize that you were fragile this whole time, and this song gets it and gets you.
I always loved the way that song described the lover as a precious thing in your pocket that you cherish ... I was also really struck by the McCullers quote "most of us would rather love than be loved." that truth really hits me in the face when I think of how crazy I am when I'm in love ... thanks for that David! <3
Sorry I wrote this twice, it's my first post and substack interrupted to get me signed in.