Thursday, November 29, 2007

Three Beautiful Things 11/28/07:Croce, Clapton/Knopfler, Cale

1. Jim Croce revival! I spent a little time on YouTube tonight not only remembering and admiring Jim Croce, but trying to get beyond my nostalgic feeling for his songs and listening to how he shaped his lyrics and how he performed.

2. Eric Clapton and Mark Knopfler! Until tonight I didn't they ever performed together. If you scroll down to my last post you can listen to them perform together: first "Layla" and then "Wonderful Tonight". I cannot get enough of Mark Knopfler's stylings on guitar and what I love is epitomized as he plays a quiet sideman electric guitar to Clapton's acoustic guitar and vocals in their performance of "Layla". Indulge yourself. Scroll down and listen.

3. J. J. Cale revival! Is there a more easy going, placid guitar player and singer than J. J. Cale? His face is cracked with wrinkles and character, but as he performs "Cocaine" on a YouTube video I watched early this evening, he was like a country-jazz Buddha in his expressionless calm as he leisurely worked his way through his subtle rendering of the doom cocaine use promises. "She don't lie, she don't lie: cocaine."

3 comments:

Student of Life said...

Wow. You just struck a nerve with me. I love all of these artists. Wonderful Tonight was my wedding dance with Soul Mate. I can't even articulate what Croche does to my soul.

Christy Woolum said...

Every morning I have a group of male students that come in before class and watch these YouTube animated videos to "old" songs. I have heard "Build Me Up Buttercup", " Mr. Sandman", and others. It is a nice nostagic way to start the day.

Anonymous said...

Knopler and Clapton played together in 1988 at Nelson Mandela's birthday concert. Probably before then too.