In a world where anyone wearing a stetson and carrying a guitar can call himself an "outlaw", Sill was the real deal, living the life. Tough as nails and soft as a summer morning.
Unlike many albums from troubled artists, Sill's music is mostly honey from the hive. Redemption.
ITEM! Four Or Five Guy© drfeelgoed has donated a swell piece of artwork to grace Steve Shark's compilation of list songs - head on over and swipe it onto your desktop!
ReplyDeletehttps://falsememoryfoam.blogspot.com/2022/01/steve-sharks-list-job-dept.html
I can state that it's reely groovy. I thank 'ee good Doctor F!
DeleteJudee in disguise, with glasses.
ReplyDeleteFirst I heard of her was at the time of her first album release in 1971, there was an in-depth interview in one of the pop magazines. The only thing I remember is her recounting how she scored some contaminated smack and it made her break out in boils but she kept on shooting it as she needed the smack that was in it.
ReplyDeleteThat pretty much sums up my memories, of Judee.
DeleteSuch a sad waste...
I started reading an article about her life. Yes, there were some bad choices - and who hadn't made some of those? - but there was also an abusive upbringing that made very difficult reading.
DeleteA hell of a life that must also have been hell a lot of the time.
Nice, but is there a link for these albums that I'm missing?
ReplyDeleteSounds interesting.
To answer your question: yes, there is, and you are: "Judee", at 8:51.
DeleteHmm, I feel humbled....yet, I still have no idea how to download this. Cryptic. I'm not in the 'know' here for sure.
DeleteYou mention; "Judee", at 8:51.
This is code for...?
D, welcome to the wonderful world of Mr 3 and his stealth links - he is referring to his comment at 8:51 a.m. , try your luck there, simple when you know how!
DeleteI'm sure we all remember the elation we felt on finding our first Stealth Link©!
DeleteIt ranks way up there with the joy of discovering how to bake a loaf of bread that was good enough not to be used in building brick walls.
DeleteToo funny. I'm am now one of the elated ones. Finally got it downloaded. One more question, which album of hers is this or is this a diy mash-up?
DeleteEither way, thanks for letting me into this exclusive club.
But as my sainted mother would say, "She meant well."
ReplyDeleteMuzak McMusics
Jesus was a crossmaker is one of the finest songs I have ever heard. A talented woman without doubt but I guess people like to be titillated (word of the day?) and the focus always ends up on the other aspects of her life. It would be like just remembering Elvis as a fat bloke in a giant romper suit chewing a burger while on the bog - thankfully that never gets mentioned.....
ReplyDeleteAny piece on her avoiding her eventful life would be hypocritical at best, dishonest at worst. Why should it not be mentioned? It was her life, her choices (up to a point), and out of it came this beautiful music; not sullen, self-pitying wallows in depression. Her life made her what she was - if you find it titillating that's not her problem.
Delete(... I should add that the "you" here is meant to imply anyone, not you, Mr. Nockian.)
DeleteI take your point. Her music is generally outstanding and ranks with the best of the Laurel canyon output. Methinks. Onethinks.
DeleteI first heard "Crossmaker" on The Old Grey Whistle Test (early 1970s?) and was just stunned by her voice, but it was the song itself that really grabbed me.
ReplyDeleteWhat a very fine artist. Incidentally, just listened to her, what, three days ago.
ReplyDeleteAnyone needs any more Judee, give me a holler...
I for one would be very grateful.
Deleteshe shoulda been bigger....
ReplyDeletemusta been her genes...
DeleteVery first artist signed to Asylum records...and then unceremonously dropped when her albums didn't deliver anything close to a hit.
ReplyDeleteJesus Was A Crossmaker was her revenge song on John David Souther who was sleeping his way through the female side of the Asylum roster.
Could have sworn I'd commented on this. Apparently not.
ReplyDeleteWhat's really great about "Jesus Was A Crossmaker", besides, you know, the arrangement and the stunning voice, is how subtle it is as a putdown/warning.
ReplyDeleteShe's not flat out saying "you're an asshole and what goes around comes around"...but, you know...
Yo, JD, you're a bandit and a heartbreaker
but Jesus was a crossmaker
...and look where he ended up...
I agree with greenockian that it's one of the best songs ever written. And I'm pretty sure a male artist with her talent and outsider life would now be revered and mourned as a cult figure.
DeleteYeah, it's weird that all these obscure people have been rediscovered and are now revered, yet Sill is...a lot less so. I remember the weird "freak folk revival/rediscovery" boom from the early/mid-2000s where all kinds of folks were dug up out of the realm of the forgotten. And yet, rarely anyone ever mentions Judee. Maybe she's, strange as it seems, not obscure enough? No one can claim "I rediscovered this forgotten gem" dibs on her?!
DeleteMore Judee, for those that want to upgrade
ReplyDeleteThe first two albums with a load of bonus tracks from the "Abracadra" mini-boxset and a resequenced take on what would have/could have been her third album.
Enjoy
https://workupload.com/archive/bu37QyKJ
Ooh, ta ever so!
Delete