Merry Go Round

Merry Go Round
by Jenny Dalton

How did you pull the wool over their eyes?
It's some trick you pulled, but I am unfooled
Then the sheriff called
and the bible thumped
It's some badge you wear
like you're exalted

It's alright now 'cause I am all that he became
Standing down, staring at infinity
Ride and ride, we'll ride those horses round and round
Dodge and burn
on the merry go round

Underneath your skin, a dark hazard waits
Is this bridge on fire? Were you too late?
This history repeats itself
It's some horse you mount
like you're wiser

Photo: flickr (richiesoft)

This Poem

This Poem
by Joseph

This poem is about
your life, not mine,
or hers or his...

In which you
discover what you
need to do
which is not about
me or him or her...

It goes back to you,
returns to you
Because life is about risk
Without risk, you're already...

dead

Find out what you want,
Find what you need,
Start living now, today,
Make this poem a success.


Photo of Jenny Dalton: flickr (Clark Patrick), used with the permission of Jenny Dalton.

Of Joni (Mitchell) and Jenny (Dalton)...

Just last week, we took a look back at Joni Mitchell's classic bridging album For the Roses... Shortly afterward I spent some time listening to For the Roses during my daily commute. The next day, in went Jenny Dalton's Rusalka's Umbrella into the mp3 player in our New Beetle. Mrs. Bear, who'd never heard this album before, said after hearing the first few songs, "She's listened to a lot of Joni Mitchell, hasn't she?" Well, maybe, maybe not... I'd say that if Jenny has not studied Joni she has at least learned to channel Joni's heart, her spirit and her soul.

Here's an experiment for you. Take your copy of Rusalka's Umbrella and proceed to track number 12, Snow Mazes of Norway. Then, beg, borrow or steal a friend's copy of Joni's Roses and play track 7, See You Sometime. [Or listen to both at You Tube.] You'll notice the similarities... Each is almost a mirror-image of the other, not quite the same, but far more the same than different.

This is not meant in anyway to be negative, not at all. I have been a huge fan of Jenny's and remain so, so understand the point I'm trying to make here...

Being a musician who just happens to be talented enough to produce music that reminds some people of a genius, Joni Mitchell, is a tremendous gift. For me, saying that a musician is in Joni Mitchell's league is the very highest compliment that I know how to pay. This is the compliment I mean to pass on here to Jenny Dalton.

How to Search This Blog... (or any blogspot site)

Friends have asked me how to search for particular articles - such as book or music reviews - within this blog. I had no idea until about a week ago when a fellow blogger explained it to me.

In the upper left corner of this sample blog page, you'll see a blank white rectangular box. This is where you can enter a search term phrase or keywords such as: bob dylan, dave mason, small faces, jenny dalton, green day, great central government, munchy, peet's, starbucks, bold coffee or some other topic and then click on Search Blog (earlier Search This Blog). The multiple results for these topics will then appear as one long web page. Pretty cool.

I feel like I should keep writing except there is nothing more to say, it's as simple as this.

Circles: An Interview with Jenny Dalton (part two of two parts)...

We're continuing our interview with singer-songwriter Jenny Dalton...

A number of music's best artists have created their best work after things have gone wrong - or not quite right - in their lives. Is this how you work?

JD: It's not how I'd like to work, but it is true that I go to my keyboard as a refuge. I always have. It's the thing that always makes me feel better. I can write a song about whatever I'm going through, and then the ickiness doesn't follow me around anymore. But, I don't think it's essential to go through rocky times to create good feelings. I do think it's essential to treat creativity as a re-usable resource. You can definitely over-draw from it, so I do things that inspire me to fill up the reserves again.

I recently heard the song Circles and it seems like a different type of song for you, almost country-rock. Is there a story behind this and, if so, could you tell us about it?

JD: That's funny because I think that the genre labels can only start to be put on the songs when I "dress them up" in the recording process. In that song, there is sax, slide guitar, and vintage organ songs that contribute to that feel. I suppose the core of the song's meaning can find its roots in country blues. I wrote it because my boyfriend at that time had just been sent off to war, and I was miserable. Incurably miserable. The only thing I could do was just wallow in it. So that's what the song is about. It's kind of a dusty loner cowgirl kind of song.

If the Jenny of today could talk to the Jenny of 6 to 10 years ago, what would you tell her?

JD: Huh, I think I'd tell her "don't be afraid." I still think I have to tell myself that. Risks are so hard to take, and it seems much, much easier to take the safe and comfortable route. I was so unsure of myself and misled as to what I really wanted out of life. It's a dangerous spot. A person can really get locked into something that isn't right for them, and that almost happened to me. I was so afraid to rip myself away from it though. The right thing is almost never the easier thing.

If the Jenny of 10 to 15 years in the future could talk to you now, what do you think she would say?

JD: I like these questions! I'd ask, "do you have any regrets?" And then I'd probably say "don't be afraid" again. I thought about what would be on my bucket list of things to do before I die... I take it as a good sign that I don't really have anything to put on that list.

Again looking forward... Let's presume that you're being inducted into the Songwriter's Hall of Fame. Who would - all things being possible - give your induction-introduction speech?

JD: Oooh. All things being possible?? Maybe my cat Midnight who died a few years ago. I'd had her since I was 9 years old. She was my first fan and my only audience member for a long, long time.

Thank you, Jenny. As always, I remain a fan, a supporter and an admirer of your talent.

JD: Thank you! It's quite lovely to have your support.

http://www.jennydalton.com

Circles: Interviewing Jenny Dalton (first of two parts...)

Hello. Today we're interviewing the singer-songwriter-musician-poet Jenny Dalton. I'm going to try not to take up too much of her valuable creative time, which is one reason we're splitting this interview into two parts. I'll be asking Jenny a few brief questions today and tomorrow.

First, I would like to make an observation directly to Jenny. The one thing that bothers me when I read articles about you is that you're generally compared to a small and select group of women musicians. That's fine, but let me make an exception to this...

I like the way you use humor, for example, at the end of the song Snow Mazes of Norway. This reminds me of Paul Simon. And there's something in your storytelling, on a song like Dear Paul, that reminds me of the late Jim Croce. Maybe it's just because of his song These Dreams, or maybe it's something more.

But let's start...

Is it true that you're a self-taught piano player or is this a web-fostered myth?

JD: It's fully true that I am self-taught. I still don't consider myself a real musician because I don't know how to read music or even tell my band what key a song is in. I took a 30-minute piano lesson once when I was in high school and couldn't handle it because, by that time, I was playing classical pieces by ear. I had no patience for Mary had a Little Lamb.

Do you take after anyone in your family in terms of your musical and creative talents and abilities?

JD: Not really. As far as I know, there are no other songwriters in my family. I think I was a genetic fluke! My dad and brother were both drummers, so I think I have a higher appreciation for percussion than most people because of that. Maybe that's also why I love the piano so much: it's both melodic and percussive.

How important is it to you to have your own independent career as opposed to, for example, being a single member of a relatively successful band?

JD: I'm not good at being in other band projects. My brain just won't let me work that way. I can improvise well enough, but I have no memory for what I play or for other people's song structures. It's kind of weird. So I have no choice but to do my own thing. And as far as the industry goes, I also have no choice but to do my own thing. Until the larger record label infrastructures figure out how to successfully deal with the changing landscapes, I think I'm on my own. I kind of like it that way though for now.

The writer John L. Parker, Jr. has indicated that for the true runner, running is as important as life itself. I get the feeling that this is the way you feel about music. Am I correct?

JD: Absolutely. I hate to think of who I'd be without the music. I know that while I was pursuing a more "standard" life track and ignoring the music part of myself, I felt really sick and imbalanced. It's so, so, so important to listen to the gut. If I didn't, I'd probably be a very unhappy, estranged girl by now. Despite the moodiness of my music, I'm actually a happy person.

These are the first four questions we had for Jenny, and we hope we've peaked your interest! We have five additional questions for her tomorrow, including two or three unique - we hope - questions.


http://jennydaltonmusic.blogspot.com

Circles (a song by Jenny Dalton)

I can't walk, I can't talk
But I've already told you that I'm happy this way
I can't eat, I can't sleep
But I've already told you that I'm happy this way
Don't look for the reasons
'cause I've nothing to tell you at all
Don't look for the signs anymore
'cause he's got nothing to tell you at all
If I'm on the outside looking in
I see those stars are trying to cross our paths again
I know this face 'cause I've seen it before
And I see those stars
are trying to cross our paths again
Don't look for the reasons
'cause I've got nothing to tell you at all
Don't look for the signs anymore
'cause he's got nothing to show you at all
In circles and in circles
don't bring me around, don't want to live it again
In circles and in circles
don't bring me around, don't want to live it again
Don't call on me
I've already told you that I'm happy this way
don't call on me
I've already told you
I've already told you that I'm happy this way

Next: An exclusive interview with Jenny Dalton.

http://jennydaltonmusic.blogspot.com

http://www.jennydalton.com

A Preview of Coming Attractions...

If things work out as planned, we'll have a two-part exclusive interview with singer-songwriter Jenny Dalton on this site on Friday, May 8th and Saturday, May 9th. Stay tuned...

Also, the book A Freewheelin' Time: A Memoir of Greenwich Village in the Sixties by Suze Rotolo - Bob Dylan's first girlfriend - will be released in paperback next week. She was the then 17 year old young woman who, 45 years ago, was pictured with Bob on the cover of The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan. We plan to post a review as soon as is humanly possible.

Dear Paul (a song by Jenny Dalton)

Dear Paul, I am writing
wondering how you have been
Dear Paul, I've been reading
I fear I'm reading too much into this

Give me something more
Give me something strong
Give me something I can believe in
Give me something more
Give me something strong
I know something's wrong with this picture

Dear Paul, I have thrown out
everything that I believe in
I can't decide if I'm a nihilist or a fatalist
today

Dear Paul, I know I've been
a little bit out of touch, a little bit out of
reach
But now I'll sit beside you
Take my hand, let's see what happens

And he says, "Give me something more.
Give me something strong.
Give me something I can believe in."
And I said, "I can't give you more.
This is all I've got.
This is everything I believe in."

Photo: flickr (slagheap)

Keeping Up With Jenny Dalton...

Unfortunately, we did not notice this before the fact but singer-songwriter-poet-writer Jenny Dalton last month traveled from the Twin Cities in Minnesota to play at the Vaudeville Mews in Des Moines, Iowa. (Munchy the cat loves the name Mews!)

The website Rock Iowa said this about Jenny at that time: Backed by moody piano, Jenny Dalton's vocals have been described as beautiful, haunting and classic. She has drawn comparisons to Kate Bush and Tori Amos, but Jenny Dalton's one of a kind.

Well written. I have seen Kate Bush perform live and I second the statement.

From now on, we'll attempt to keep better track of Jenny's concert schedule, and cross our fingers in the hope that she will one day make it to the left coast of the U.S. Until then, above is a view of a beautiful poster that advertised one of Jenny's recent home state performances.

Jenny Dalton's New Vision (by Ice B.)

The noted artist and social critic Ice B. was generous enough to send us his comments on Jenny Dalton, which we are reproducing below:

There is no doubt that Jenny Dalton is a wonderful singer and songwriter. I also view her as a poet. "Daughters of the Dead Sea" is a valuable new addition to the cycle of poets emerging in the 21st Century. I remember a poem by Gary Snyder: "The twang of a tire iron, the taste of rust..." In those few descriptive words you could feel our society age. In Ms. Dalton's book of verse, Entry 9, she writes, "I drink warm water..." and you sense that society can be reborn after cleansing itself of that which makes us weak and lethargic.

With the recent passing of Philip Whalen, it is good to know that there's a new generation of poets and writers providing us with fresh ideas and new thoughts.

Note: The photograph shown here might have been a fine illustration for Jenny's song Snow Mazes of Norway. However, the photo was actually taken in Switzerland. I wouldn't know the difference, but naturally Munchy the Norwegian Forest Cat was pretty clear on this.

Better Known Vacancy - a song by Jenny Dalton

BETTER KNOWN VACANCY

The sun is weary as it makes its way down
The sound of gravel crunches under my feet
as I walked up to that house where the water rushed in
Clenching sand in my fist, the tide was reaching for me

Sometimes I wish I could float back to you
where it was safe and sound 'cause it's a jungle out there
It's funny how they'll always drive me...

The space is empty, more than it already was
We're disassembled, let's pick up and dust off
I woke up in that house when the water rushed in
Clenching sand in my fist, the tide was reaching for me

Sometimes I wish I could float back to you
where it was safe and sound 'cause it's a jungle out here
It's funny how they'll always drive me
to that better known vacancy

Finding out about Jenny Dalton...

Jenny Dalton is pictured here and her blog is on our favorites list to the left (My Blog List). We're quite happy to see that she noticed some of our recent comments about her and her music. We certainly hope she won't mind if, at some point in the future, we post the lyrics to her song Better Known Vacancy; it's a haunting vision - enough said.

But the true story to be told here - because this reflects the unique way that connections are made in this life - has to do with how we happened to read about Jenny. We transported a relative to a medical appointment in a city in northern California. There we were, we knew, scheduled to wait a long time in the lobby while a medical procedure was performed. After reading a local newspaper and shuffling through some non-adrenaline-raising Sunset and National Geographic magazines, we noticed a magazine called Mpls. St. Paul. What? What's a magazine from Minnesota doing here in the lobby?

It was like discovering a copy of Tucson Lifestyle, another fine magazine which would be more than just a bit out of place from a geographic standpoint. Well, we thought, there must be a reason why this particular magazine is here...

About two-thirds of the way through the issue we spotted the MSP's profile of Jenny Dalton. OK, so she's a musician, singer-songwriter, poet, etc. This we learned from this short profile and decided to write her name down.

At some point later we Googled her and found the video for the song-poem Snow Mazes of Norway, which we loved from the very first view/listen.

Let's hope that this clearly very highly talented artist keeps producing her fine art. After all, there's a reason why the "good vibrations" about Jenny traveled all the way from the Twin Cities to a health clinic in northern California.

A Review of Jenny Dalton's Rusalka's Umbrella

Lately we've been quite interested in Jenny Dalton, whose music and lyrics remind us of a young Joni Mitchell; although her lyrics are a bit more oblique than Joni's. In interviews Jenny has said that her songs are more like what she remembers of dreams than actual events in her life... Maybe this is why, so many years ago, Bob Dylan labeled some of his songs as dreams.

With this in mind, here is a re-print of a review published on September 24, 2008 in the Twin Cities Daily Planet. The review -- abridged here -- was written by Jay Gabler, the Daily Planet's arts editor.

MUSIC NOTE: Babushka, babushka... Rusalka?

It grew on me. It took a few days of driving around the Twin Cities listening to Jenny Dalton's new album Rusalka's Umbrella, but it finally got under my skin.

It's a concept album and the concept is water. The songs (and accompanying book) are inspired, Dalton's web site notes, by "a collage of influences including Twin Peaks, the Morton Salt Girl, The Shipping News, ghosts, Memoirs of a Geisha, folktales, The Fall by Albert Camus, the 35W bridge collapse, mermaids and more." I don't think I caught all that on the record, but nor did I ever figure out... what the hell happened to Billy Shears.

There's an aptly Eastern European tint to a couple of the songs (in Slavic folklore, a rusalka is a water spirit)... Over Stingesquely decorous arrangements, Dalton lilts like Joni Mitchell with the trilling of Rs and swallowed vocals of the Cranberries' Dolores O'Riordan. Taken as a package, though, the nearest point of reference is the iconoclastic siren Kate Bush -- perhaps the only other living artist who could put such genuine feeling into lyrics like "Six points on a snowflake, eight arrows on a compass/My brother with a host family playing drums for the Norwegians." Move along, folks, move along -- it's all part of the concept.

If the album is a little perplexing at first, by the third or fourth listen it does cohere, and it's well programmed to sweep the listener from the ominous opener "Better Known Vacancy" to the piano-pounding boogie "The Turn and the River" into the strange realms of the album's heart, climaxing with the elegant ballad "Dear Paul" and the surging "Puddle Jump" before depositing us back among "The Snow Mazes of Norway."

I'm sorry I missed the album release show, where the music was dramatized. I'm sure the interpretation wasn't entirely literal... It occurs to me that from the album's lyrics you could assemble an alternate universe Village People: the pirate, the Viking, the test pilot, the surfer, and the sheriff.

reality and illusion

If reality is a subjective manifestation of beliefs, then
maybe illusion is our greatest treasure. Jenny Dalton

life

Life is so strange, you're always tested and things always change and you waver and the destination that you think you're going towards changes. Jenny Dalton

Snow Mazes of Norway - a song by Jenny Dalton

SNOW MAZES OF NORWAY by Jenny Dalton

Six points on a snowflake, eight arrows on a compass
My brother with a host family playing drums for the Norwegians
He went walking to explore Trysil, but he got lost in a winter maze
Six points on a snow flake, eight arrows on a compass

Six ways from Sunday falling down
Eight feet of heaven on the ground
Keep him warm, keep him warm
'Cause in the snow mazes of Norway,
he is underground

He brought back some souvenirs
a metal bowl with a Viking ship
a wooden carving and compass
and six points on a snowflake

Six points on a snowflake
Eight memories in a photograph
My brother's going to miss that snow
Now he surfs in San Diego