Friday, January 28, 2005

What grievous pain we bear

Download: WASHINGTON PHILLIPS "Jesus Is My Friend"

Washington Phillips recorded 18 songs in the late '20s in Dallas. There's been lots of renewed interest in him, thanks to an excellent article by Michael Corcoran that was supposed to also run in YETI 3, but since it's taken fifteen years for the issue to come out and the piece also was included (rightfully) in one of those best music writing of the year books, well, it was removed (though a song by Phillips is on the CD). I just found this guy's obsessive site where he says Wash plays a fretless zither and not the dolceola. Once the film to Love In Vain is finally made, the (proposed) use of an entire W.P. tune in the last scene will turn lots more people onto his haunting, singular music, of this I am certain. His version here of "What a Friend We Have In Jesus" (published by Joseph M. Scriven in 1855) is haunting and singular. Don’t you think?

2 Comments:

Blogger QueenOfSpades said...

Hi, Mike,

I'd like to send some music your way, by a musician I really like, and think you might, too. What is the best way to send it to you?

Thanks,
Kim

8:37 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hey Mike,

God, it's been a long time since we spoke. I just stumbled onto your blog and have plenty of good reading in front of me, I'm sure.
I'd love to meet up with you some time, just drink coffee and talk.
Still in Orlando, homesick with house and wife listening to Jandek ;)
your friend
Klas

6:08 PM  

Post a Comment

<< Home