I belong to a 'Friday Song' WhatsApp group. One track is selected to be posted by the admin each week, with a story behind why that was so. No commenting is permitted on the group which is a good thing - it would get a bit crazy as there are hundreds of members, but you can respond with an emoji, or privately, if you wish. Anyway - it's a great concept so I'm stealing and adapting it (obviously comments can be made here). Sorry Mark!
The idea is to post the one song or track that has had you in its thrall during the course of the past week, for whatever reason. There must be a narrative of sorts, even if it's basic.
I bought The Pentangle LP this past week – it’s their debut album. The song I always have in mind though, when I think of Pentangle, is “Dragonfly” which appears on 1985's Open the Door. Quite aside from the incredible warm timbre of Jacqui McShee’s voice, the bass syncopation on this track, courtesy of Danny Thompson, and the violin playing by Mike Piggott are truly something else. Piggott perfectly portrays what one would imagine those shimmering iridescent wings to sound like, supposing one could hear them. It’s genius, IMHO. Super sophisticated folk rock and a simple yet pretty commentary on the fleeting nature of all things.
As for dragonflies – I learned something new about them too! Each of their four wings can rotate and operate individually which allows for superior manoeuvring. Such smart little helicopters! I clearly remember seeing a fantastic nature documentary (Microcosmos, if I recall correctly) which showed the emergence of a dragonfly nymph from its pupa. It looked for all the world like a fairy – maybe that’s where the notion originated.
This is my song of the week - feel free to share yours, if you have one!
The idea is to post the one song or track that has had you in its thrall during the course of the past week, for whatever reason. There must be a narrative of sorts, even if it's basic.
I bought The Pentangle LP this past week – it’s their debut album. The song I always have in mind though, when I think of Pentangle, is “Dragonfly” which appears on 1985's Open the Door. Quite aside from the incredible warm timbre of Jacqui McShee’s voice, the bass syncopation on this track, courtesy of Danny Thompson, and the violin playing by Mike Piggott are truly something else. Piggott perfectly portrays what one would imagine those shimmering iridescent wings to sound like, supposing one could hear them. It’s genius, IMHO. Super sophisticated folk rock and a simple yet pretty commentary on the fleeting nature of all things.
As for dragonflies – I learned something new about them too! Each of their four wings can rotate and operate individually which allows for superior manoeuvring. Such smart little helicopters! I clearly remember seeing a fantastic nature documentary (Microcosmos, if I recall correctly) which showed the emergence of a dragonfly nymph from its pupa. It looked for all the world like a fairy – maybe that’s where the notion originated.
This is my song of the week - feel free to share yours, if you have one!
"The surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that it has never tried to contact us." ~ Bill Watterson