Because he died almost 6 years ago, because his music regularly haunts me when I'm feeling shit as I do feel tonight, because he must not be forgotten, here is a re-up of these two masterpieces. I don't read what I wrote in the initial post below so don't blame me for my poor English, I'm a little bit better now but after all my words are rather useless on this blog.
Exactly one week ago, on the Xmas night, Vic Chesnutt fell in an eternal chemical sleep. This same night, mine was also chemical, but not eternal. On the eve of this evening, considered by many as an occasion for collective joy (and nothing guilty in that), all I can do is write about him some words and put a fake 7" (the Death 7", pronounce "heaven") with 2 of the most moving songs, not only in his last LP (At The Cut that everyone of you should buy) but in the (dying) year. In these 2 songs, he talked about his view on death ("Coward" can be taken today as a statement on his fear of dying, and the fact that this gives the courage to suicide, if there is any suicide in his act, I don't know actually), and few have described this intimacy with such a direct and honest approach. There are litterature references in these songs. On "Coward", he cites them (Franck Norris, Joseph Roth). On "Flirted With You All My Life", I can't help thinking about what Thomas Bernhard was saying about his own death in the last years of his life. He had written it on the first page of his book "Old Masters" ("Je sens la mort qui me tient continuellement dans ses griffes. Quoi que je fasse, elle est partout"). Musically, they are seminal gems. "Coward" could have been on The Narcotic Story (Oxbow) and Eugene Robinson seems a black gigantic brother of Vic Chesnutt. I dream of what the pair would have done, on stage or even in the real life. But this will remain a dream, one of the rare one in a nightmarish existence for so many.
Exactly one week ago, on the Xmas night, Vic Chesnutt fell in an eternal chemical sleep. This same night, mine was also chemical, but not eternal. On the eve of this evening, considered by many as an occasion for collective joy (and nothing guilty in that), all I can do is write about him some words and put a fake 7" (the Death 7", pronounce "heaven") with 2 of the most moving songs, not only in his last LP (At The Cut that everyone of you should buy) but in the (dying) year. In these 2 songs, he talked about his view on death ("Coward" can be taken today as a statement on his fear of dying, and the fact that this gives the courage to suicide, if there is any suicide in his act, I don't know actually), and few have described this intimacy with such a direct and honest approach. There are litterature references in these songs. On "Coward", he cites them (Franck Norris, Joseph Roth). On "Flirted With You All My Life", I can't help thinking about what Thomas Bernhard was saying about his own death in the last years of his life. He had written it on the first page of his book "Old Masters" ("Je sens la mort qui me tient continuellement dans ses griffes. Quoi que je fasse, elle est partout"). Musically, they are seminal gems. "Coward" could have been on The Narcotic Story (Oxbow) and Eugene Robinson seems a black gigantic brother of Vic Chesnutt. I dream of what the pair would have done, on stage or even in the real life. But this will remain a dream, one of the rare one in a nightmarish existence for so many.
Coward. "The courage of the coward - greater than all others" (from franck Norris - McTeague) A scaredy cat'll scratch ya if you back him in a corner. I am a Coward. "Courage born of despair and impotence" (from Joseph Roth - Radetzky March). Submissive dogs can lash out in fear and be very, very dangerous. I am a Coward.
Flirted With You All My Life. I am a man. I am self aware and everywhere I go, you're always right there with me. I flirted with you all my life. Even kissed you once or twice and to this day I swear it was nice but clearly I was not ready. When you touched a friend of mine I thought I would lose my mind. But I found out with time that really, I was not ready. O' Death... I'm not ready. O' Death, you hector me and decimate those dear to me. Even tease me with your sweet relief. You are cruel and you are constant. When my mom was cancer sick, she fought but then succumbed to it. But you made her beg for it "Lord Jesus, please I'm ready". O' Death... Clearly I'm not ready.
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