tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6402985451299910936.post3069527038469559532..comments2024-03-12T20:57:55.805-07:00Comments on Just A Song: Townes Van Zandt: RakeUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6402985451299910936.post-89091390323727219572011-05-31T05:09:59.055-07:002011-05-31T05:09:59.055-07:00In general, I think the song is an attempt to deal...In general, I think the song is an attempt to deal with multi-personality disorder:<br /> "my laughter turned 'round eyes blazing an' saying, friends we're holding a wedding."<br />The endless interplay between the dark night of the soul and the bright light of genius is binding all the demons and angels together while they fight it out for possession of the soul. Townes's problem was he used the demon of alcohol to try to silence these "voices".Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6402985451299910936.post-43564043833305895802009-09-29T09:23:04.478-07:002009-09-29T09:23:04.478-07:00I love this song... plan to review it myself, but ...I love this song... plan to review it myself, but will struggle to top this one. I always thought this song was about a vampire. The imagery and how the story plays out, it seems to me that the Rake is a vampire and that by the end of the song, when his laughter/face is speaking to him... it's two sides to his personality... his vampire ego struggling to control his human longing to be mortal, but free.<br /><br />here are the lyircs:<br /><br />I was takin' my pride in the pleasures I'd known<br />I laughed and thought I'd be forgiven<br />but my laughter turned 'round, eyes blazing and<br />said "my friend, we're holdin' a wedding"<br />I buried my face but it spoke once again<br />It's the night to the day that we're a bindin'<br />and now the dark air is like fire on my skin<br />and even the moonlight is blinding"Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6402985451299910936.post-31253843539180180032009-06-14T00:34:21.541-07:002009-06-14T00:34:21.541-07:00Yes, as bleak as it gets folks. None speaks the tr...Yes, as bleak as it gets folks. None speaks the truth like the drunk...in vinos veritas : "and the turnin' of day into cursin'" <br /><br />In verse 3 my take on it is<br /><br />"A lover of women <br />he can't hardly stand,"<br /><br />and not <br /><br />"A lover of women he can't hardly stand,"<br /><br />i.e. he loves women but due to being drunk he can't even stand up.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6402985451299910936.post-1504737570994890522009-05-28T08:02:48.791-07:002009-05-28T08:02:48.791-07:00Oh, this Texas girl is a forever fan of Townes. No...Oh, this Texas girl is a forever fan of Townes. Not his lifestyle, not his demons, but his music speaks volumes to my soul. <br /><br />I am not sure Townes knew how special his music was, and that's sad. Does it take a tragic life to produce such artistry? I wished it weren't so, but seems true. <br /><br />Townes was the real deal.Cowtown Pattiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07384649567351202679noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6402985451299910936.post-64462351414976292512009-05-27T17:22:35.865-07:002009-05-27T17:22:35.865-07:00Was listening to the song by Townes live from Carn...Was listening to the song by Townes live from Carnegie Hall since Monday, because I heard Earle covered it. Was always one of my favorites. Thanks for posting the lyrics.Russ C.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6402985451299910936.post-47698977127013894342009-05-27T13:09:23.758-07:002009-05-27T13:09:23.758-07:00Thanks for this-- great review of a great song. T...Thanks for this-- great review of a great song. Townes' best? I'd never be able to pick one, but this one really can send chills up your spine. The thing about Townes' melancholy-- it goes all the way thru (& sometimes comes out on the other side). It was never a pose.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15687192784861682991noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6402985451299910936.post-48949909536144562482009-05-27T12:46:31.016-07:002009-05-27T12:46:31.016-07:00I like the way you tied duende into the understand...I like the way you tied <I>duende</I> into the understanding of Townes' music. It really describes what he was about.<br /><br />BTW, I agree with you about Leonard Cohen's <I>Death of a Ladies Man</I>. He apparently doesn't like the production that much himself, but if you listen to the albums immediately preceding it, there's an argument that its sound is a logical progression. Interestingly, Cohen happens to be a disciple of Garcia Lorca: His song <I>Take This Waltz</I> is his version of a Garcia Lorca poem, and he named his daughter Lorca.K.https://www.blogger.com/profile/10222703055177237209noreply@blogger.com