Tim Buckley, A Lost Shining Star

In the post-Beatles, post-Dylan era, great musicians were lost in the folds of time to the public eye, and one of them was Tim Buckley. Transcending rock, jazz, and folk cliches, Tim Buckley experimented on his own terms the arts and fusions of rock using a weighted tenor to summon and unite dolphins and hurricanes alike when singing above an ocean. Starting as a run-of-the-mill folk/pop artist, at least in San Francisco circa 1966, Buckley took psychedelic pop rock folk to new heights with Goodbye and Hello in 1967, before turning to extended bop-like Jazz with Happy Sad in 1969.Bop slowly let loose to the wave of Free Jazz experimentation that was all the rage of 1969/1970 with Lorca and Star Sailor both confusing and shedding audiences in one felling swoop. Needless to say, I have all his albums until this period, aside from Lorca which is impossible to find, and love just about everything about them all, though I can see the frustration one might have with the expectation based on the previous albums. With excess in music came excess in other modes of life and was a known heroin addict who fought until the day he died in 1975 at 28. The last years of his life were sexually driven rolling stone's-esque flavored rock. Putting aside the straightforward sex-talk which basically synthesized the last couple albums, it was clear that Buckley had more up his sleeve but was fighting a demon of deadly proportions. I've left my favorite Tim Buckley song, I'll Never Be Your Mountain, which has to be one of the most powerful songs of the decade for me. Written for his wife who'd just left him alone taking his son, Jeff, after excess lead to the destruction of their family (at least that's how I understand it). Here are it's lyrics:O I never asked to be your mountainI never asked to flyRemember when you came to meAnd told me of his liesYou didnt understand my loveYou dont know why I tryAnd the rain was falling on that dayAnd damn the reason whyThe flying pisces sails for timeAnd tells me of my childWrapped in bitter tales and heartacheHe begs for just a smileO he never asked to be her mountainHe never asked to flyAnd through his eye he comes his loveAnd tells her not to cryShe says, your scoundrel father fliesWith a dancer called a queenAnd with her stolen cards he playsAnd laughs, but never winsO the child dreams to be his handsIn the counting of the rainBut only barren breasts he feelsFor her milk will never drainAs I die I cant rememberWhere I saw the rain:Could it be that her laughterDrove me down again?Charming dancer will you stop,Stop and talk to me?Is there someone else you feelIn your dreams? you will, you see:In midnight gazesIve found you far from me:If you lead me onPlease leave me downO flying flying fishPlease flutter by my door:Yes you can drink my liesIf first you read my eyes:Each one is titledIm drowning back to you:I cant swim your watersAnd you cant walk my lands:Im sailing all my sinsAnd Im climbing all my fearsAnd soon now Ill flyO I never asked to be your mountainI never asked to flyRemember when you came to meAnd told me of his liesYou didnt understand my loveYou dont know why I tryAnd the rain was falling on that dayAnd thats the reason whySweet lover, will you come backAnd love me for a while?Please take my handLeave all your fears behindIve been gone too longNow Im home to stayPlease dont leave meAgain this wayPlease come home