Wednesday, January 19, 2005
Someone Left The Cake Out In The Rain...
Richard Harris - In The Final Hours
About eight years ago I bought a compilation of the two albums Richard Harris recorded with Jimmy Webb, "A Tramp Shining" and "The Yard Went On Forever".
I still haven't figured it out yet.
It's a strange winding path that starts with the snappy pop of "Up, Up and Away" and ends up with work like this. Over orchestrated, over emoting, beautiful, pretentious, flawed and beautifully human in its utter folly.
That's just what the albums are are, two Follies. Jimmy stands on top of one, waving and shouting at Richard. He's on the other, gesturing wildly out to sea.
"What the Hell are we about?"
"Art, Jimmy, art and beauty!"
"WHAT?"
"AAAAAAARRRRRRRTTTTTTTT!!!!! BEAUTYYYYYYYYY!!!!"
After a bit more gesturing and words thrown into the face of the winter gales, they climb down and head off to the pub.
Maybe I have figured it out.
Better this than false modesty, solid work, reliability, mundanity, delivering only what is expected.... The Beautiful South!
And yes, MacArthur Park is on there.
I'm off to swig Pernod and smoke a More Menthol.
Buy - Richard Harris - A Tramp Shining
Buy - Richard Harris - The Webb Sessions: 1968-1969
Visit - Richard Harris Biography
Mike.