DANGER! DANGER! A REPHRASED REPOST. To help digest your great repast
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It pains me some to admit this but my music collection started when 78 rpm records were the standard. When my dad finally got his first "HI-FI" the old 78 rpm player went downstairs into our rumpus room,(Don't ask, I don't know), along with a stack of records that I'd taken a particular shine to. "Weary Blues From Waitin' " by the legendary Hank Williams was actually the B-side, but A little tiny deadmandeadman played the shit out of it. Now old Hank was in full strindent yodeling mode for his take...most of my contempories hated it (That's still sorta true, though). I loved it though, and still do. The yearning & longing in that lyric is just too real, and Hank's pain is obvious.
Years & years later Madeleine Peyroux tanks Hank's lament & tones it down some, allowing some of the bathos that almost seems her trademark to infuse the song with a sexuality that's not even hinted at in Hank's version.
Comments (12)
Why should your experiencing the 78 rpm era first-hand pain you? Cred like that is priceless, as are childhood memories in general. When my family lived in Mexico 1957-59, I bought rock & roll 78s because our Mexican turntable had three speeds but only a 78 needle. None of my 78s made it back to the States in one piece.
It sounds like you had a good ear from the get-go. Peyroux's choice of a minor key makes it resemble "St. James Infirmary." You're right about her infusing it with more sexuality, and I have a theory about why. Because his voice brings to the surface so much of the depths of his complex soul, it dwarfs whatever sexual longing is included, whereas with her being for most of us younger and of the opposite sex, it's easier to think about the whole topic of hiding the salami.
Peyroux has shown herself to be quite the interpretrix. And this is solid evidence. (And that's a solid analysis of her charm, Spike. Seconded.)
As Spike says, there's a fair chunk of "St James Infirmary Blues" in the melody now, which isn't exactly classic Hank Williams territory. Has Madeleine played with the tune a bit, or was composer Hank being a bit naughty?
"whereas with her being for most of us younger and of the opposite sex, it's easier to think about the whole topic of hiding the salami."
Spike you classy dude, you have such a way with words.
Just trying to keep up with you guys.
Yes, we are a classy bunch aren't we?
You have all those bones to focus on, we just have the one.
I like this a lot. Never heard the Hank original. When I was a youngster, my grandparents two doors down had a 78 player in their basement and some 78s down there. I remember the big steel needles in particular, and the crank you turned to power the thing. Damn, where did that thing go? I would've love to have that.
wouldnt have guessed that to be a Hank song, nice, hows the quiting going?
Its rough......have not gone cold turkey....I'm at about 10 cigs a day. (down from two packs of Camel non-filters a day)
thats a major effort man, gently pat yourself on the back!
not yet.....i want to stop. period. But I'm weak
Wow. Great tune. I think I can sit here and grade a few more papers after that one.
I've got the weary blues from gradin'.