Years ago, a man I dated put this Leonard Cohen song on an mixed tape for me (sometimes i miss the days of mixed tapes ... ). Even though I wasn't sure what the guy was singing about when I first heard it, it immediately got to me on an emotional level; sad,
plaintive and ripe with longing (all that bittersweet stuff that i love). Years later I heard another version of it in Shrek (shrek loves fiona but he doesn't think she loves him [we know she does] ... and as he walks dejectedly away from her, the music swells ... sad, plaintive and ripe w/longing ...) (heavy sigh ...).
Last week, as I was obsessively filling in gaps of old favorite music on my beloved iPod, I did a search to find Jeff Buckley's version (the one the old boyfriend gave me), and there I discovered lots of different interpretations. Curious, I took a little detour to YouTube to see if I could find more than the little clips they offer up on iTunes, and oy, did I find them ... Cohen's version, Rufus Wainwright k.d. lang (damn, that woman can wail), and this one, by Allison Crowe. (i'd never heard of her before, but she can rip the guts out of the song too ...) If, like me, you think life w/out longing is flat, and you love all things bittersweet ... (or if you need a good cry and just want a little push) have a listen to any one of these versions and enjoy. Hallelujah.
(hell, who needs mixed tapes? i'm in love w/my iPod.)
And semi related: I had a gathering at mi casa last weekend and - talk about floodin' my ego w/the love stuff - a few of buds commented on my good music mix. (do they know what i like to hear or what?)
This post about anthropomorphizing inanimate objects cracked me up. (and ohmygod, i can relate to the stuffed animal part of the story; i still can't pack my favorite childhood doll in a box that doesn't have an air-hole. it's sick; it's fucked up; i know it. but the 5 year old inside will not let harm come to drowsy ...)
This also cracked me up ... ('specially 1 - 6) (and mostly 4 - 6).
(do you like my new bathmat?)