At 02:18 PM 10/8/00 -0400, Jim L'Hommedieu wrote:
>> Brian Workman said,
>> A piece of art, particularly by someone as instinctive as
>> Joni means what it means to the perceiver. Only Joni can say what
>> her songs mean, and I'm not so sure she even knows....
>I agree.
>Furthermore, while Joni may be an 'expert' authority on her lyrics, she
>doesn't always, uhh.... share the truth with us.
Not sure if Brian's was meant to be a blanket statement, but if so, I
disagree. Joni often laces her songs with ambiguity and this is one reason
her music appeals to a broad audience. It transcends pigeonholes and gives
inspiration to men and women, young and old. The songs can be interpreted
in several ways, with many individuals getting different affecting feelings
after listening to her albums.
However, some of her songs *are* about specific individuals, places, and
experiences. For example, can there be any doubt that "Willie" is about
Graham Nash? It's been documented that Joni *did* pay a visit to Furry
Lewis, subject of "Furry Sings The Blues." Is there some hidden meaning to
"Magdalene Laundries?" Isn't that song about a real place in Ireland and
its history of atrocities?
Sometimes we may not want to know that a particular song Joni wrote had a
specific person or place or event at its roots, because we feel that we
already know what it means to us, oftentimes profoundly. It's like a pact
we form with the artist and we don't want it to be any other way. So be it.
Go with it, enjoy the music, savor the moment. But if you read this list,
if you peruse her interviews, if you hear her talk, then be prepared for
some revelations. Joni knows that the core of her art is the audience's
personal interpretations, and I believe she guards these mysteries not
because she doesn't know, but rather because she wants to give the audience
their own opportunities to discover what it means to them.
Scott
