We are Meat, We are Spirit - The Kate & Anna McGarrigle MATAPEDIA Poll

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"We are meat, we are spirit
We have blood and we have grace
We have a will and we have muscle
A soul and a face
Why must we die?"

Arguably one of the ten best artist statements of the year 1996 alongside Hell on Earth by Mobb Deep and Second Toughest in the Infants by Underworld and Soundtracks for the Blind by Swans and Dopesick by Eyehategod and Brave Murder Day by Katatonia. Or, for that matter, Fargo by the Coen Brothers or Lone Star by John Sayles. There were probably novels that came out in 1996 that were also as substantial as this album. I didn't read any of them. But they probably exist. Choosing one song off of this album is too hard. Each has such a strong spirit. It would be churlish to choose one over another. But this is what a poll is. It can't help but be what it is. Do I choose the epic title track? The sublime "Goin' Back To Harlan"? The jaw-dropping "I Don't Know"? The eternal ache of "Hang Out Your Heart"? Or do I take the easy way out and choose the lyrics that will be on a hypothetical tombstone of mine that will never exist because fuck a tombstone death is a societal construct we never die energy and atoms never die...but i digress...do i choose "Why Must We Die", one of the great artworks of the 20th century? Who knows? In the end, who cares? The earth blesses Matapedia. Or I do anyway as one of the earth's representatives.

Poll Results

OptionVotes
The Bike Song 1
Why Must We Die 1
Jacques Et Gilles 1
Goin' Back To Harlan 1
Hang Out Your Heart 0
Arbre 0
I Don't Know 0
Song For Gaby 0
Talk About It 0
Matapedia 0


scott seward, Friday, 17 May 2024 16:27 (one year ago)

shout-out to Alice Munro! Blessings upon you! Enjoy your eternal journey thru the solar system and beyond!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sj7_Sq_VlJ8

scott seward, Friday, 17 May 2024 16:29 (one year ago)

oh i meant this for ILM. eh, whatever. its good anywhere.

scott seward, Friday, 17 May 2024 16:29 (one year ago)

two weeks pass...

Definitely "The Bike Song", which my wife and I have performed a few times with a harmony singer. There's a very interesting weave where sometimes the harmony is above the lead vocal and sometimes below, and of course that melody is itself wonderful.

Other songs I like on this are "Hang Out Your Heart" (which almost rocks) and "Arbre". These and most of my favourite McGarrigle songs are written and sung by Anna.

I was always intrigued by these lines from the title track:

She was seventeen
And he said, "Oh my God, it's Kate"
She said "No, I'm the daughter of Kate
My name is Martha, who are you?
Ma never told me, never told me 'bout you"

The only reason I can think of for using the awkward phrase "the daughter of Kate" rather than "Kate's daughter" is that the former is a literal transcription of the words in French, maybe a subtle indication that the man is Francophone and they are speaking French to each other.

ten best artist statements of the year 1996

Interbabe Concern by the Loud Family.

Halfway there but for you, Sunday, 2 June 2024 02:38 (one year ago)

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

System, Wednesday, 5 June 2024 00:01 (one year ago)

Love this album! Voted "Goin' Back to Harlan," partly because I also love the Emmylou Harris recording of it. But the original is the best. Title track is so good too, lots of great songs.

a man often referred to in the news media as the Duke of Saxony (tipsy mothra), Wednesday, 5 June 2024 00:25 (one year ago)

Putting it on now, been a while.

a man often referred to in the news media as the Duke of Saxony (tipsy mothra), Wednesday, 5 June 2024 00:26 (one year ago)

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

System, Thursday, 6 June 2024 00:01 (one year ago)


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