I absolutely need to share a Rainbow story. In college I drove through a snow storm in my VW bug to see Keith Jarret in Troy NY. c. 1984. The Troy Opera House was deemed at the time of its construction to be the most perfectly acoustic music hall in the world. I'm getting the syntax wrong, but you get the idea. I loved Jarret. I'd go on to see him in person another 3 times at Tanglewood and other places. He was always a free agent; sometimes he loved us in the audience, and sometimes he despised us. Once he played call-and-response with the pigeons in rafters at Tanglewood by crawling into the piano and plucking the strings with his fingers.
Anyway...at Troy, I moved in and out of consciousness with his improv. It was alternately sublime and confusing. But of course, well worth the death-defying trip to see him. But at encore, out came the opening chords of "Rainbow." A scattered, but obvious chuckle came out of the crowd. Seriously, Somewhere Over the Rainbow? WTF? Is he fucking with us?
By the song's conclusion, my cheeks were wet with tears; I don't think there was a dry eye in the opera house. And the night ended with a thunderous ovation. It was a moment I will never, ever forget.
I was heartbroken when he had his stroke and I read of his struggle with a brain that recalled the music but a body that can not respond. So nice to read this. So very nice.
DON'T QUITE KNOW WHY, but this is one of several songs that move me to tears every time I hear it/them. After Miss Garland recorded it for the movie, producers decided it didn't quite "fit" the movie, and they cut it. After plenty arguing, the song was brought back into the movie. We might've been >that close< to never hearing this all-time standard.
I absolutely need to share a Rainbow story. In college I drove through a snow storm in my VW bug to see Keith Jarret in Troy NY. c. 1984. The Troy Opera House was deemed at the time of its construction to be the most perfectly acoustic music hall in the world. I'm getting the syntax wrong, but you get the idea. I loved Jarret. I'd go on to see him in person another 3 times at Tanglewood and other places. He was always a free agent; sometimes he loved us in the audience, and sometimes he despised us. Once he played call-and-response with the pigeons in rafters at Tanglewood by crawling into the piano and plucking the strings with his fingers.
Anyway...at Troy, I moved in and out of consciousness with his improv. It was alternately sublime and confusing. But of course, well worth the death-defying trip to see him. But at encore, out came the opening chords of "Rainbow." A scattered, but obvious chuckle came out of the crowd. Seriously, Somewhere Over the Rainbow? WTF? Is he fucking with us?
By the song's conclusion, my cheeks were wet with tears; I don't think there was a dry eye in the opera house. And the night ended with a thunderous ovation. It was a moment I will never, ever forget.
I was heartbroken when he had his stroke and I read of his struggle with a brain that recalled the music but a body that can not respond. So nice to read this. So very nice.
Yes. I saw him only once in Venice, CA.
Mesmerizing.
I have all the solo recordings that I know of, and they sometimes play nonstop when I am working.
But never as background, only as listening with my second brain.
I know you know what I mean.
Thanks for the story.
DON'T QUITE KNOW WHY, but this is one of several songs that move me to tears every time I hear it/them. After Miss Garland recorded it for the movie, producers decided it didn't quite "fit" the movie, and they cut it. After plenty arguing, the song was brought back into the movie. We might've been >that close< to never hearing this all-time standard.
I have on occasion referred to it as one example of a perfect song.
From harmony through melody and lyrics, it is a perfect gem.
That road trip sounds like a dream Don!
In the planning stages.
I am excited about the possibility.
No cows??? Don, you're all hat and no cattle!!
At this moment, Edwin.
We cannot get our herd established before the hacienda is built.
But there is indeed a cow (and a pig and chickens) in the future.
As for now, I am indeed all hat and no cattle.
But I got a motorcycle, so there is that.
But you also have some pretty sharp cowboy hats which prompted my smart ass remark. And one scooter is worth a herd of cattle!
LOL...
Scoots are fun, but they suck at barrel racing and roping.