Thursday, January 29, 2009
WRECKING BALL
Why do we like sad songs? Because we're sensitive human beings who enjoy some good healthy emotional release? Or because we're big dumb saps who wear our hearts on our sleeves? Probably a little of both. Aristotle said tragedy "achieves through the representation of pitiable and fearful incidents, catharsis." They say he could play the hell out of a country song.
Here's a sweet sad song for whiskey drinking, a plaintive late night tune written by Neil Young and sung beautifully by the lovely Emmylou Harris. Aw, shoot. I think I got something in my eye. Aw, hell.
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2 comments:
Oh Emmylou, be still my heart....
The album from which this song comes is a killer -- her masterpiece in my opinion. Every time I hear it I notice something different.
I once assembled a list of the saddest sweetest songs I know. Emmylou H. figured prominently.
It's a great album, and she has an amazing voice. The choice of songs was great--covering Dylan, U2, Hendrix, and Gilian Welch. Good stuff.
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