"That curious McGarrigle mix of being a bit all over the place and sharp as a tack at the same time" is as good a summary of how their music comes across as I've ever read. Thanks for the sharp observation!
Seeing a thread like this is one of (many) reasons I am so glad I joined this forum. The McGarrigles may not have been the biggest brand name in music, even in music of this genre, but were valued by anyone who 's heard their elegant songs. So glad to see them featured here, and that there are so many people posting who hold them in high regard. I cannot add much to the insightful posts about their music, but here's a few thoughts on the last three songs. Mendocino - Heartbreaking and beautiful; seamless lines of pure poetry, which imply, more than outrightly state, the story that 's stirring beneath the surface . Very sad song; it seems to me to be a song about a love that was doomed from the outset, and that no matter where the narrator found herself, there was no travel or location that would save her from,ultimately ; a broken passion. One of those rare songs that truly brings tears to one 's eyes. And like the blues, by remembering the journey and singing the heartache, the song imparts some kind of relief. A perfectly wrought song. The Swimming Song - Adore this song- merry and impishly childlike and funny - and yes, I think it's just about the joy of swimming ( though of course, you could take it to mean anything you want.) I' m a fan of Loudon too, but always preferred this version of the song . Which btw, I have been singing for years- to myself or anyone who was within earshot at the pool or lake or any body of water I could paddle round in. Don't know that I' ll be doing any swimming this summer.....but maybe I'll be singing it in the shower. My Town - The location becomes almost a third character in the story ( true in Mendicino as well) . I think my favorite type of music ( starting with the esteemed Mr. Dylan) are songs that have strong roots in folk and country , but the added dimension of a contemporary writer's voice. My Town is a great example of melding traditional sounding music, with a new spin on being driven out of town. Not by a sentry like in Whiskey in the Jar, but by the presence of a two timing lover .And a theme of the traditional Irish folk songs I am familiar with is a great sense of place , and longing for home. The McGarrigles also sing of place, with a sense of longing and dear to heart memories, but the stories they tell are uniquely theirs. Thwnks again for this thread. I find that no matter if their songs are upbeat or tug on the heartstrings, I m happy to hear the McGarrigles sing them. Always happy for the songs. The only thing I'm a bit disconcerted about - and I just learned it here! - is that Cabot Cove , that cosy New England town, was really Mendicino. Oh my, so from now on, anytime I see Jessica Fletcher coming out of her house in the misty morning, I' m going to be paying due attention to where the sun is really rising....or setting.
As a still quite fresh McGarrigle fan, I've always felt that I have not enough forum to enjoy The McGarrigles and to share that joy with others. This is what this thread is really about. I am so very happy to see that this thread seem to fill it's purpous fully. Thank you for saying that - it made my day (and it's really only 8:50 AM) yet. Also, my family has been on a Murder She Wrote binge as of late and, too, am a bit shocked to know that Cabot Cove is actually Mendocino. Trivia like that makes all the difference. PS: I don't like to be boosting myself, but if anyone would be interested in checking out my Instagram or tumblr, both of which often features the McGarrigles and family, I'll happily give you my usernames. I also got a YouTube where I've uploaded a few McGarrigle songs not previously on the internet that I could find (all taken from my honestly purchased physical media), so I can link that for anyone interested too. However, this thread is not about me so that is upon request.
Here are the lyrics to "Mendocino". It's a masterwork in lyrical economy; a poignant story told by sketching a few details and leaving the rest to the imagination. I bid farewell to the state of old New York My home away from home In the state of New York I came of age When first I started roaming And the trees grow high in New York state And they shine like gold in the autumn Never had the blues from whence I came But in New York state, I got 'em Talk to me of Mendocino Closing my eyes I hear the sea Must I wait, must I follow Won't you say come with me And it's on to south bend, Indiana Flat out on the western plain Rise up over the rockies and down on into California Out to where but the rocks again And let the sun set on the ocean I will watch it from the shore Let the sun rise over the redwoods I'll rise with it till I rise no more Talk to me of Mendocino Closing my eyes I hear the sea Must I wait, must I follow Won't you say come with me
Beautiful. Thank you for posting them! I remember once in a thread soemwhere on Facebook, someone asked for the lyrics to that one. I wrote them down from memory for him. I love memorising songs to sing for myself. At this point I probably have at least 3 or 4 McGarrigle songs stuck start to finish in my head.
One of the most succinct and accurate descriptions of the McGarrigles I've ever read. Thankyou. Best Wishes, David
Feeling guilty about my "Murder She Wrote" exposure - I hope I haven't ruined Mendocino for everyone! I daren't even mention the movie that was filmed twenty miles further down the coast (there were lots of feathers involved...) in case I freak everyone out completely.
This is one of my top 5 favourite songs by anyone - I never tire of listening to it. For me it is one of the greatest evocations of place and mood ever recorded. My wife, daughters and I had a trip to the US 7 years back and we spent a day driving to and then enjoying being in Mendocino - the approach drive through the redwoods was magical. Little did I know when first hearing this all those years ago and being shaken by the beauty of the harmonies and blend of voices on the first chorus that the song would live with me in the way it has and become such a reliable touchstone. Best Wishes, David
My Town - 10/10 My other favourite from side 1 after Mendocino. One of those great songs that nobody you know has ever heard.
It's a wonderfully realized song start to finish. The lyrics are storytelling natural and poetic. The harmonies and arrangement is deceiving in a way that's not atypical for Kate and Anna. Upon listening to it initially; it's a simple waltz (a time signature perfectly suited for The Sisters more contemplative, yearning, woeful songs) but upon a deeper listening the vocal arrangements are in actuality quite complex. It's an art unto itself to make the complex sound simple and it's mastered in My Town as in many of the McGarrigles' songs. The instrumentation follows the same route in its apparent simplicity; but the intentional introduction and irregular placement at a minimum of points within the song for not more then few bars at a time is subtly beautiful in it's own right as well as in its enhancing the feel throughout the entire song and serves to magnify it's pathos. The mandolin part and especially the harmonic inclusions are stunning. The harmonica element is extraordinary as it's not simply a collection of well placed notes and phrases, but the fact of how its played, how the sound is physically achieved, the nature of the instrument. The sound is created as a function of the introduction of intimate breath into the instrument which seems to enter into the song directly as a human voice, a participant interacting musically with the lyric, the story. The totality of it all paints a vivid picture of Her Town in words and images to the strains of a waltz that swirls through it all. Upon rereading the above I see it's woefully convoluted but I will not apologize for it... I'll simply hope that my point was able to be understood in spite of the feeble presentation and will be more deliberate and concise in the future. On second thought... my apologies.
Your insights are valued and appreciated as much as any in thread... not only are they insightful but your thoughtful reflections mirror the poetic, personal, sincere and intimate nature of The McGarrigles' music in tone and sensitivity. As I said; from my perspective your inclusion here is invaluable.
Complainte Pour Ste Cathrine Love this. From the first chorus all the way to the catchy end, it is fantastic. Political satire and such is always nice. Actually heard Anna try to claim it was ‘a-political’ on a radio broadcast once. best laugh in a long time...anyway, on to the trivia! Most would probably not know this, but Anna actually released Complaint as a solo artist in 1974. Her and Philippe Tatartcheff wrote it when she needed a B-side for a single - a hockey anthem called "Hommage A Henri Richard" which failed to sell when the Montreal Canadians lost the NHL. Tatartcheff later convinced her and Kate to rerecord it for their first warner bros. album, and the rest, as they say, is history. Today's video was filmed in a studio in Montreal. Kate was at the end of her pregnancy with Martha at the time, though it doesn't show behind the accordion. Because of pregnancy related issues, their entier tour had been cancelled, and when it was found out that the song had become a hit in the Netherlands they were instead forced to make a music video. This despite Kate being on bedrest at the time. Perhaps that is the reason for the tulips in the vase?
Their original LPs are quite easy to find, especially here in Canada. I have only the recent ones on CD, and have never tracked down Matapedia so I didn't even know it was remastered. I might not chirp in to the song-by song comments, I would have been satisfied with an album by album thread. My two favourites of theirs are "Entre La Jeunesse Et La Sagesse (aka French Record)" and "The McGarrigle Christmas Hour". I would love to hear from anyone who saw them live, I never did, but have seen both Rufus, Martha and Loudon live (all separate concerts). Martha especially is an unsung singer, songwriter and amazing artist. Seeing her live is one of the greatest experiences of my life.
i considered an album by album thread but thought it would be much too short and general. Feel free to chirp in whenever you want, whether on one song or twenty.
Complainte Pour Ste Catherine There's a lot going on in the sound here, and i confess when i first listened to the album all those years ago it took me a while to hear how great a song this was/is. I should have been able to handle the french, but those wicked twangy accents didn't help me pick up on the lyrics at first either... I realised a bit later of course that sharpmess was one of the things which made their sound and their harmonies so unique. And I like the fact that they included a french-language track on their debut release....and prominently positioned too...it comes across as a statement of intent ...'this is us, this is how we sound, this is a great song - deal with it!' 45 years later and I think this sounds immense - 10/10
We got a lot to thank Philippe Tatartcheff for. He's been a enabler for their French language music their entier career. He is a co-writer a lot of the time when they've written it themselves, including this song, and as mentioned above for example it was upon his suggestion that they included Complainte on this record.
Complainte- Cod Reggae arrangement about Montreal in French..Yes Please! A classic and in the capable hands of Tony Levin and Steve Gadd the reggae arrangement works, compare the studio version to any live version and it ain't the same. Has anyone heard the original solo recording from Anna?
"Complainte Pour Ste. Catherine" is a favorite of mine. I had French Record before I had the first album so I heard it there first.
I love the live versions too, but it is great on the first LP. I have not heard Anna's solo recording - it is not online amd the single itself has only ever sold once on Discogs. My hope is to one day have a copy of it - that would really complete my collection!
Foolish You I got a deep respect for the songwriting of Wade Hemsworth, Canada's hidden gem. He is fantastic though largely unknown artist and the McGarrigles have always been one of his number one interpreters. This is song is a good example of that, along with many others (though sadly most were live performances). Also another example of very nice early lead vocals for Anna.
Jingsaw Puzzle of Life Another forgotten effort by Anna. This one is happy, so as to counter her other heartbroken laments. A good, but not amazing track. From the lyrics, one can discern that Anna is most likely writing about not-yet-husband Dane Lanken (curly hair, tall etc) who she had been "comfortably settled" - her own exact words - with since 1968, and had been seeing on and off for another five years prior.
Thank you OP Keam and all other posters. I haven't much to add, but that the melding of their voices is among the finest of sibling singing, on a par with the Everly Brothers [or fill in whatever family vocals you place in high esteem].
It's hard to evaluate or even discuss the individual tracks from the first McGarrigles album, for me anyway, because the album itself is such a rare thing - a complete body of work where each song enhances the rest. Like a lot of people in this mouse-clicking era, I'm guilty of just listening to isolated tracks of whatever takes my fancy, because it's so easy to do so, but this album is one I ALWAYS play all the way through, from beginning to end. I do the same with the French Record, but not so much with the others. As an aside, I heard a band in the street, busking, somewhere in England's West Midlands last year, doing a great version of "Foolish You", which I seem to recall has been covered by someone famous recently. Great song.
Well, on Monday we are starting Dancer With Bruised knees, so hopefully yiu'll be back to give more individial comments then. Otherwise you can just drop by to provide trivia, share relevant live cideos or whatever you fancy! Also, I share you sentiment with the french record. I always play it front to back, unlile mich else. Hmm,I must dig into the foolish you thing. I love Wade Hemswprth so mich, he goes well with my general love for Canadian folk, especially stuff from the 50s/60s.
