Category: Joni Mitchell

G is for Gardens

Some weeks ago, one of my sisters sent me a bunch of beautiful pictures such as this one:

I wanted to use them for this blog post, so I wrote to the person who had forwarded the pictures to her, a friend of my sister, who I had met at my niece’s wedding in March 2005. Well, HE didn’t take them either.

The posting was listed as Montreal Gardens. But they did not look like they were from the Montreal Botanical Gardens, which has items that look more like this:

As it turned out, others had the very same question:
Recently saw a short video (via email) of a fabulous topiary garden in Montreal with all kinds of animal/bird topiaries. It just says “Montreal gardens” but no location or any other information. I have searched Montreal attractions but no clue. Even the Botanical Garden page doesn’t mention it. – thought it might be there. Anyone know where in Montreal area it is? Thank you.

Someone answered: that it was from Mosaicultures Internationales de Montreal (www.mosaiculture.ca). It’s in the Vieux-Port, not the BG.
Unfortunately, it’s only a temporary exhibition, not presented every year. I don’t know when the next one is expected.

You can find a slideshow of a couple dozen International Mosaiculture of Montreal pictures here.
***
Meanwhile, the concept of the garden also reminded me of a couple other things. One was Adam and Eve, and the Garden of Eden.

Albrecht Dürer. The Fall of Man (Adam and Eve). Engraving, 1504

A comparison between Rembrandt’s etched Adam and Eve and Dürer’s engraved version of the same subject can be seen here.

In that vein, there is a great song, The Garden. It was written and performed by Bobby McFerrin on the 1990 Medicine Music album, and can be heard here. Interestingly, after I watched him perform a couple cuts from the album on NBC-TV’s Today show, McFerrin declared to host Bryant Gumbel that he would never again perform his biggest hit from a couple years before, Don’t Worry, Be Happy. Here’s a cover version of The Garden by Vocal Line.

Finally, lyrics to the song Woodstock by Joni Mitchell:
We are stardust
We are golden
And we’ve got to get ourselves
Back to the garden

Joni’s version; ironically, she never performed at Woodstock 40 years ago; she was booked to appear on late-night, ABC-TV program The Dick Cavett Show, and her manager feared that she won’t make it back from Bethel, NY (where the concert was held) to New York City (where Cavett’s show originated) in time; a legitimate concern, as it turned out.

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young’s cover of Woodstock from the 1970 Album Deja Vu. They DID perform at Woodstock, BTW.
ROG

ROG

Songs That Move Me, 20-11

20. Strawberry Letter #23 – Brothers Johnson
Starts off with circus music, then kicks a groove. That swirling sound at the bridge is extraordinary.
Feeling: loving.

19. Eleanore – the Turtles.
The story goes that their record company wanted another “Happy Together”, so the group gave them one. It has the same minor to major transition, very similar – though lovely – harmonies, and the like. So why is this song, rather than “Happy Together” on the list? Two reasons, really. One: HT was really overplayed. Two: the line “you’re my pride and joy, et cet’ra,” a throwaway line if ever I heard one. (It rhymes with “better” or more correctly, “betta”.) Love singing along.
Feeling: swell.

18. Drive My Car – Beatles.
I read once the intricacy of the chord structure. It’s the minor key feel of the verse and major chord feel of the chorus that grabbed me from first hearing. First song that Paul McCartney played in some 23008 concerts.
Feeling: ironic.

17. Isaac Hayes – Shaft
Even before the great vocal comes up, an orchestral delight, as the melody shifts from section to section.
Feeling: damn right.

16. Can We Still Be Friends – Todd Rundgren
The changing meter in the bridge makes it.
feeling: You know the answer is no.

15. Sly & The Family Stone – Hot Fun In The Summertime
Harmonies, shared vocals and an “ooo-Lord” worth waiting for.
Feeling: sweaty.

14. Jerks on the Loose – the Roches.
The album Keep On Doing was produced by Robert Fripp, so there are odd sonic twists and turns throughout. this song has one of my favorite (and used) couplets:
“You work too ard to take this abuse
Be on your guard jerks on the loose.
This 30-second taste (Track 11) hardly gives the full sense of how great this song is.
Feeling: on my guard.

13. (Just Like) Starting Over – John Lennon.
In the fall of 1980, when the single was released, there was a lot of anticipation about it and the forthcoming Double Fantasy album. I didn’t think it was a great song, but it was sort of fun, with that faux Elvis vocal in the beginning of the verse. Then John died, and the irony of the title – we waited five years and THAT had to happen? – made me tear up for months, if not years.
Feeling: still makes me very sad.

12. River – Joni Mitchell.
There’s a lot of Joni I could have picked, but this one, based on Jingle Bells, is just so beautiful. The piano variations at the end seal the deal.
Feeling: longing.

11. In My Room – the Beach Boys.
I liked being in my room when I was a kid. I could entertain myself for hours, reading, looking at my baseball cards and listening to the radio. Yet I was somehow supposed to feel guilty for doing so. Anyway, lives on the vocals, in this case – single voice, then two-part harmony, then full harmony; very effective.
Feeling: cloistered.

ROG

ROG
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