SOTU 605 - Gold In Them Hills

[wee_ginga_yin]

Don't let us get sick cover by Ron Sexsmith of a warren Zevon song

 

[pabrizzer]

paoriginal for 605

 

[wee_ginga_yin]

Funny how I have dreams at night where I can sprint and leap fences, and I feel hope an happiness that during the night something miraculous has taken place.

But I wake to find things are no different, the leg still wont work properly, but still after breakfast I will try and walk, my right foot making shaking movements like a fish swimming through water with each step.

But Bukowski writes about the miraculous recovery of his white cat, where each small improvement is greeted by a triumphant blast of a trumpet playing the Hallelujah chorus, where the cat overcomes adversity and becomes good as new. Redemption is a wonderful thing. Who knows where the spirit to persevere comes from.

 

[joo]

Day 3, part 1 :

hands_on_lanzon, Golden Grass (original)
What a beauty. Sweet, lovely tune like refreshing spring shower. Gorgeous picking and melody. I especially love how the verses flow into the Golden Grass section, and how you end with the high part on the word "rain". Very pretty. Have you listened to any Arto Lindsay? I suddenly thought of his music when I hear this. Tender singing with a moving, optimistic message that touches me. I wish the very best to your aunt's husband, Chris. And thank you so much for the back story to this gem. Wonderful first original! (Love the photo of Huckleberry, is that him? and...you use a Mitsubishi pen too? :---) i like the description "dormant beauty". :---))

Canada Jim, Hard Bargain (Ron Sexsmith)
This one is from an album that took some time to grow on me. Retriever I think it was. RS is really easy to listen to, and I put on his music and go about doing my housework and whatever I am doing. Then when I pay attention to the words, I really like them even more. He is awesome. Thanks so much for playing this for us, Jim! I hope you will find more songs to play this week. RS's or those he has covered.

jtsteam, Reason To Believe (Tim Hardin)
Yeah your Enya just sounds lovely. And I love this song. So good to hear and see you, Edwin! I feel like I have not watched your videos for a while now....( a few days is a long time on a Seasons), and now that I have, I feel more "seasoned"! (Such a bad pun! ha. Making myself frown here.) I like looking at people's clutter in their rooms. Alan DP very nicely turned his camera to show his cluttered bookshelf yesterday in his video. I noticed the very healthy potted plant beside the curtains which I never noticed before. Lovely cover, thank you! (looking forward to a RS cover from you, if you find the time to do it. :--))

wee_ginga_yin, Don't Let Us Get Sick (Warren Zevon)
Sabine said, 11 months ago, "Good health is often only truly appreciated when you no longer have it, like all good things, I suppose.". So true. I noticed you have changed "us" to "me" in this version which you did 8 years ago. Beautiful cover, sir. I hope you are still doing the physio work now and keeping a healthy mind. My best wishes to you. Thank you so much for sharing this.

pabrizzer, Good Spirited And Life Affirming Song (original)
Yeah...I wish that the shitty stuff can just go away! But no. haha. doesn't work that way. Wonderful original that birthed from trying to write a good spirited and life affirming song! I find this quite good spirited and life affirming, actually. Thanks so much for this song, Brian! (RS never dismisses struggle and suffering in his songs...but there is a sorta child-liked, compassionate quality in them)

wee_ginga_yin, The History Of A Tough ************ (Charles Bukowski)
fantastic reading and video! Love the bass and the effects! Gonna quote what you wrote 10 years ago under your video, because it is what tuff MFs do : "It is a great thing to fight and refuse to curl up and die, better still to recognize it in others and in yourself". Thanks for sharing this.

 

[joo]

I just looked up John's (One Man And His Uke) very moving version of Ron Sexsmith's For The Driver.
He did that several months ago for Season 557.
As one of the commenters described : A song of true humanity. Well said
I am sharing it here, hope you don't mind, John.

 

[One Man And His Uke]

Thank you Joo, I’ve done one or two Ron songs over the years. Always a pleasure, never a chore

 

[One Man And His Uke]

This is off Blue Boy, which as I said earlier, was the first Ron Sexsmith Album I bought. Tried to find a harmonica to do the solo break but to no avail, so whistling will have to suffice.

 

[joo]

Day 3, part 2

One Man And His Uke - Just My Heart Talking (Ron Sexsmith)
i don't know this one. After 1 listen the melody stays strong in my head. great song!!! I can listen to you sing all day John! how do you do it? the strumming i mean. it looks so simple but sounds so great. oh and i love this painted uke of yours. sound and looks. (and where is everyone? Looks like RS songs might be a bit of a challenge? I find them hard to cover actually.) I l love this. RS's songs have a kind of magic for me, and you do them so SO beautifully. Thank you John!

HEY EVERYONE!
I AM HAPPY TO HAVE SONGS THAT RON SEXSMITH HAS COVERED TOO! He has covered lots of people.

I know I did say I would like to see you all try to bring one of his songs, if you are gonna submit more than 1, but....BUT the thing is as I try to learn his songs myself, I find them not that easy to cover! (for me that is) We can leave that to One Man And His Uke..............(just joking, John! But I am looking forward to more of your RS covers, or any songs)

Time to rest and get ready for another new day tomorrow. See you!

 

[One Man And His Uke]

He uses fairly straightforward forward chords most of the time I think Joo. Don’t let it put you off. If there’s a song of his you want to try but can’t figure out the chords I’ll be happy to help

 

[joo]

He uses fairly straightforward forward chords most of the time I think Joo. Don’t let it put you off. If there’s a song of his you want to try but can’t figure out the chords I’ll be happy to help

I was trying to play For The Driver and being so lazy and having the habit of relying on published chords, I, er...looked up your cover of that song and when I listened to your version I told myself no way am I gonna do that little whatdoyoucallit run with that picking the way you do. I am impatient. I see a song and I wanna play it NOW. haha. There are so many songs I wanna play! Not just RS's. But sometimes I don't have the mood. And when I have the mood I don't have the time and...quiet space to do it. haha! I am such a headache. :---O

(if I go into desperate mode I will PM you! Thank you so much!)

 

[LimousinLil]

Hello again, Joo! I found this song this afternoon and thought it was rather lovely - my version obviously isn't! Ron Sexsmith wrote the melody but the lyrics were actually written by English lyricist, Don Black. (Since I have only just discovered a way to add reverb and haven't the faintest idea what I'm doing, I've probably added too much! And I have no idea what that gratuitous "bang" was at the beginning of the recording - my apologies!) Anyway ...

 

[Joko]

My humble offering features none of me... at least not visually.

Happy International Talk Like a Pirate Day!

 

[Flatbaroque]

I have a mate Mick Blacksmith. He can trace his family back generations to a family of iron mongers (blacksmiths) in County Cork Ireland. I'm wondering what Ron's ancestors did?
edit...I was making a slightly rude joke but on googling a sexsmith is someone who makes scythes or similar bladed implements,
Here's an unseasonal seasons entry.

 

[joo]

Good morning dear Seasons friends!

I have added the 3 entries that came in overnight for me, to the playlist. Haven't watched and commented yet.

John of the South.................................your ancestors joke..........
(Oh i saw that you had just 1 second ago edited your post. now i have learned something new.:--))

(LOVE the morning light in your video. everything looks and feels so light and nice. will listen to the song later)

I do want to add this, i have never in my life typed the word "sex" so many times in a day.

will be back soon with a report from joojooland.

 

[joo]

Day 4, morning session

LimousinLil - Autumn Light (Ron Sexsmith and Don Black)
yeah very sad, evocative song, like John said. You played and sang this so beautifully Val. I love it. The reverb isn't too much. Everything sounds natural. The airy-ness from the reverb suits the mood of the song. I think reverb works for some songs more than others.

Joko - Get In Line (Ron Sexsmith)
i like the woman doing the threatening. haha. I LOVE this, Joko! This is so good! Great harmonies, playing, infectious, energetic singing, plus a video so well put together! Love how you slowed down the last verse and went "yah?". Thanks Joko!

Flatbaroque - Maybe This Christmas (Ron Sexsmith)
He is such a great songwriter! What a song! LOVE THIS! LOVE your heartfelt version John. and your picking rocks. Now I know what those nails are for. I am a happy girl listening to all you wonderful players covering RS! Thank you so much. More please! (I know I overdosed a bit on the exclamation marks. it's how I feel!)

Thanks Val, Joko and John!
Looking forward to more RS covers and originals and covers of covers!
Later!

 

[TCK]

Found one I have known for years about Angels (because Catholic School), so I put Ron’s first record on for the drive home and he played this. Get home to play it myself for my old friend Joo, and find that it is a Leonard Cohen song. Was hoping it was an original but the 8 string was out and it was stuck solid in my head, so here we go. Another repeat, seems that is what we are gettin this week, but a helluva song to have twice on the playlist.

 

[LimousinLil]

I have a mate Mick Blacksmith. He can trace his family back generations to a family of iron mongers (blacksmiths) in County Cork Ireland. I'm wondering what Ron's ancestors did?
edit...I was making a slightly rude joke but on googling a sexsmith is someone who makes scythes or similar bladed implements,
Here's an unseasonal seasons entry.

I was thinking along exactly the same lines, it is such an unusual name and the "smith" would indicate that he comes from a family of experts in, er,well ...... Oh, but it's SCYTHES!!!! You learn something new every day!

 

[joo]

another one take wonder! haha.
Actually I screwed up a couple of times but due to the little time I had this is the best take!
Lunch time singing session with auntiejoo~

A Ron Sexsmith song I discovered and wanted to learn and play for TCK's Plant week, but didn't get to it.
I think it's such a lovely song.
From his 2023 album The Vivian Line.
I am including the lyrics...

Everywhere I look
I see your handiwork
Now as a vine ascends the trellis
The cedar planks and more
The headboard and the floor
Hold on tight they seem to tell us
For the living must go on
Even though you’re gone
Your soul remains
In these flower boxes
Every bird I hear
Is singing loud and clear
Just hold on to the gift you gave us
The cheerful light you brought
The tearful lesson taught
From despair our memories can save us
All the things you made with pride
By hand with love inside
Our hopes and dreams
All in these flower boxes
For the living must go on
Even though you’re gone
Your soul remains in these flower boxes.
Everywhere I look
I see your handiwork

 

[wee_ginga_yin]

We can talk about resilience of cats or humans,but there is also something very fine about the indestructibility of some inanimate objects.

In an age where consumer commodities have a built in obsolescence it is a treasure to be in possession of an item that lasts.

Though you may try to destroy a transistor radio by throwing it out the window in a fit of rage, miraculously it still plays music and draws you out to the window to appreciate the sun shining on a woman's bottom.... it is as if the radio planned it to lighten your mood from a drunken fit.

it was on the 2nd floor on Coronado Street
I used to get drunk
and throw the radio through the window
while it was playing, and, of course,
it would break the glass in the window
and the radio would sit there on the roof
still playing
and I'd tell my woman,
"Ah, what a marvelous radio!"
the next morning I'd take the window
off the hinges
and carry it down the street
to the glass man
who would put in another pane.
I kept throwing that radio through the window
each time I got drunk
and it would sit there on the roof
still playing-
a magic radio
a radio with guts,
and each morning I'd take the window
back to the glass man.
I don't remember how it ended exactly
though I do remember
we finally moved out.
there was a woman downstairs who worked in
the garden in her bathing suit,
she really dug with that trowel
and she put her behind up in the air
and I used to sit in the window
and watch the sun shine all over that thing
while the music played.

 

[ukukeguy]

I have quite a busy

Day 3, part 2

One Man And His Uke - Just My Heart Talking (Ron Sexsmith)
i don't know this one. After 1 listen the melody stays strong in my head. great song!!! I can listen to you sing all day John! how do you do it? the strumming i mean. it looks so simple but sounds so great. oh and i love this painted uke of yours. sound and looks. (and where is everyone? Looks like RS songs might be a bit of a challenge? I find them hard to cover actually.) I l love this. RS's songs have a kind of magic for me, and you do them so SO beautifully. Thank you John!

HEY EVERYONE!
I AM HAPPY TO HAVE SONGS THAT RON SEXSMITH HAS COVERED TOO! He has covered lots of people.

I know I did say I would like to see you all try to bring one of his songs, if you are gonna submit more than 1, but....BUT the thing is as I try to learn his songs myself, I find them not that easy to cover! (for me that is) We can leave that to One Man And His Uke..............(just joking, John! But I am looking forward to more of your RS covers, or any songs)

Time to rest and get ready for another new day tomorrow. See you!

I did a simplified version of Love Shines for SotU 605, if it's of any help to anyone? Chords are C, F, G, A minor and D minor (I think!) Lyrics in the video comments.