Brainpicker #2

A recording created as part of the Golden Record carried into space by the Voyager spacecraft in 1977. Story here: http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2014/02/10/murmurs-of-earth-sagan-golden-record/

FULL STORY

The Sounds of Earth (The Golden Record)

09 Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois -

Cover #22 from the series "Songs I Love" by Piers Faccini
Free download: http://www.unlock.fm/4g7

Given my love of her writing, I really should have already covered a Joni Mitchell song in the series by now. As a lyricist she's in a hallowed place all of her own and I can't think of anyone else who writes with such invention and grace. Little Green almost hurts to sing. It tells the story of the daughter Joni Mitchell gave up for adoption. One can only imagine the torment of a young mother having to give up her child and it's tempting too as the verses unfold to question her for doing so. Perhaps that's what makes it such a moving piece, taking us as listeners, deep into complex and ambiguous emotional waters where compassion, sorrow and forgiveness can mingle? I wonder how Joni's biological daughter feels about the song, would she have preferred it to have remain unwritten, unsung? It makes me think that writers are inevitably selfish beings as nothing is ever off limits for them. Shining a light on events that others might rather hide  is hard for the people that inspire the stories. But despite the sorrow Little Green calls up, I have no doubt the rest us are better off for hearing it.  The beautiful guitar part here was played by my friend the South African Guy Buttery. We met when I toured South Africa in 2008 with Nibs van der Spuy, I've collaborated on a few songs of Guy's over the years,  including one on his next album, I encourage you to discover his amazing music, he has a crowdfunding thing going on for his next album, I hear guitar buffs can even bid for one of his guitars! http://igg.me/at/guybuttery/x

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Franchement, vu comme j’adore ses compositions, il y a longtemps que j’aurais pu inclure une chanson de Joni Mitchell  dans la série!  Comme parolière, elle évolue dans une sorte de sanctuaire qui n’appartient qu’à elle – je cherche en vain quelqu’un qui écrive avec autant de grâce et de sincérité.  ‘Little Green’  est une chanson très sensible, poignante. Elle raconte l’histoire de la fille que Joni Mitchell a dû abandonner et confier à l’adoption. On peut imaginer les tourments d’une jeune mère acculée à laisser son enfant ; mais au fil de l’histoire, on a aussi envie de l’interpeller sur son geste… C’est sans doute ce qui rend ce récit si touchant, et qui plonge ceux qui écoutent dans les hauts fonds des émotions complexes et profondes, là où peuvent se fondre la compassion, la tristesse, et le pardon… Je me demande ce que ressent la fille biologique de Joni à l’écoute de cette chanson : aurait-elle préféré qu’elle demeure non-écrite,  jamais chantée ? Je réalise que les auteurs sont en fait des êtres assez égoïstes, qui ne se posent aucune limite. Porter au jour des événements que d’autres préfèreraient cacher n’est pas sans conséquences douloureuses pour les personnes qui inspirent ces récits. Malgré la tristesse que ‘Little Green’ éveille, je suis convaincu qu’une autre part de nous est heureuse de l’écouter.  
Sur cette reprise, la superbe partition de guitare est jouée par mon ami Sud-Africain Guy Buttery.  Nous nous sommes rencontrés lors de ma tournée là-bas en 2008 avec Nibs van der Spuy. Je vous invite à découvrir son incroyable univers musical. J’ai contribué à quelques chansons de Guy ces dernières années, y compris pour son prochain album. Il y a une campagne de financement participatif en cours sur ce projet, et je crois même qu’il y a des enchères possibles pour une de ses guitares. Avis aux amateurs ! http://igg.me/at/guybuttery/x
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Order book/cd 'Songs I Love' vol.1: http://shop.beatingdrumrecords.com

Also available on:
http://iTunes: smarturl.it/songsilove1
http://Spotify: spoti.fi/1jbGOfl
http://Deezer: www.deezer.com/album/8050372
http://Google Play: bit.ly/songsiloveplay
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Piers Faccini : http://www.facebook.com/PiersFacciniMusic
Beating Drum : http://www.beatingdrumrecords.com

FREE DOWNLOAD

Piers Faccini - Little Green [Joni Mitchell Cover](Songs I Love #22)

Daniel Lanois' Iceland - Mixed by Pan•American. Live guitar, Mark Nelson, live drums, Steven Hess


Iceland (pan•american remix)

Background and poem text: https://www.brainpickings.org/2016/05/16/wait-galway-kinnell/

POEM TEXT

Galway Kinnell reads "Wait"

5 Tracks record in June 2016

Lyrics and Composition by Eli Blackshear

Session Engineer - Travis Baker

Her Song

Poem text and context: https://www.brainpickings.org/2017/04/03/working-together-david-whyte/
Excerpted from https://soundcloud.com/onbeing/sets/david-whyte-the-conversational

Photograph by Nicol Ragland

POEM TEXT / CONTEXT

David Whyte reads "Working Together"

Full context and poem text: https://www.brainpickings.org/2017/04/27/janna-levin-reads-planetarium-by-adrienne-rich/

Recorded at "The Universe in Verse," April 24, 2017.

Photograph of Janna Levin by Molly Walsh / Academy of American Poets

Astrophysicist Janna Levin reads "Planetarium" by Adrienne Rich

A French-born Tibetan Buddhist monk and a central figure in the Dalai Lama's dialogue with scientists, Matthieu Ricard was dubbed "The Happiest Man in the World" after his brain was imaged. But he resists this label. In his writing and in his life, he explores happiness not as a pleasurable feeling but as a way of being that gives you the resources to deal with the ups and downs of life and that encompasses many emotional states, including sadness. We take in Matthieu Ricard's practical teachings for cultivating inner strength, joy, and direction.

On Being with Krista Tippett

Matthieu Ricard  — Happiness as Human Flourishing

http://www.dominorecordco.com/artists/robert-wyatt/

Robert Wyatt - "What A Wonderful World"

Poem text and context: https://www.brainpickings.org/2019/02/04/janna-levin-w-h-auden-the-more-loving-one/

Recorded at the Academy of American Poets' 16th annual "Poetry & the Creative Mind."

Astrophysicist Janna Levin reads "Planetarium" by Adrienne Rich

brainpicker

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