Sunday, November 16, 2008

An Evening Back In Time

I figured this post would be more appreciated here than in my personal journal.

Last night, I revisited my youth. I saw Judy Collins in concert.

Do you know that she will be 70 years old next year? She talked about being inspired to turn to folk music (over classical...as she'd been trained) in 1954 by the song Barbara Allen. I don't know why that surprised me. I guess that I thought she was maybe ten years older than me...not twenty.

I hope that I am doing as well at seventy. Judy's voice has not lost anything. She can still hit those high notes effortlessly (or so it appears). She performed on that hot stage for an hour and a half, much of it standing in three inch heels. She's definatly still got it going on and it's obvious she still enjoys performing. I would have LOVED to have photographed her during the show.

She played a lot of the old best loved favorites and she did some new songs as well. She talked about how important the STORY of the song is to her and that was apparent in the songs she chose to include in the set. I couldn't help but notice a thematic thread though those songs. Love found and lost, the quick passage of time and a sense of knowing who you are by appreciating where you've come from and your experiences. For me, the last one was particularly powerful. It resonated the loss I'm feeling in needing to know that somewhere is the place I call home.


I saw Judy once before, during my college years. I'm so happy that I've had that opportunity again. What memories were dredged up with her music. I realized I learned some of her songs as a kid at girl scout camp long before I ever heard them on an album. I could certainly picture the campfires at a tearful Scouts Own down by the lake.

She included two songs from a recently released album, Judy Collins Sings Lennon & McCartney. When she first mentioned it, I thought it was a little corny. But think of it...Norwegian Wood and Blackbird as sung by Judy. It was as spectacular as you imagine. I think both John would be, and Paul is, very pleased.

3 comments:

Lisa :-] said...

I love Judy Collins. Have loved her since I was in high school. She sand at my wedding (recorded music...LOL!) She's always gorgeous, always sings beautiful, topical songs, and just never goes out of style.I would have loved to have seen that concert!

Paul said...

Awk! Man on the floor!

I used to teach the ballad Barbara Allen. She leaves her true love's death bed because he slighted her at the pub, then...

"Oh mother, mother, make my bed
Make it soft and narrow
Sweet William died, for love of me,
And I shall of sorrow."

Unknown said...

What a step back in the past! I had all of her albums in college, right next to Mitchell, Baez, Nyro--all those women who seemed to know me. It's nice to hear that her voice is till as beautiful.