This is a late post about the late Jesse Winchester, who passed away in April. Why in God's name is Elvis Costello's ugly mug adorning this post? You'll see.
Short bit of history: Jesse, born and bred in the US South, comes up for the Vietnam War draft, decides instead to de-camp to Canada, where he remains for many years, writing wistful songs about the land he left behind. Sweet, unsentimental yet heartbreaking songs. I tuck some in the back of my brain, but at first recall, all I can come up with is "Rhumba Man". Oh wait, there's "The Brand New Tennessee Waltz", and that great song that Emmylou Harris covered, "Defying Gravity", and that fine version of "Biloxi" that Ian Matthews did....well, the list goes on.
Fast forward to 2014. My dear wife and I learn of Jesse's passing, and vaguely remember his appearance on Elvis Costello's show "Spectacle", hence the gap-toothed image below.
It's a "guitar pull" (?) episode, and onstage we have EC, Jesse, Sheryl Crow and Neko Case. Heck, I barely knew about Neko when we first viewed the episode, and now we also have on the disc an earlier episode which features...the since-late Levon Helm (my wife's latest fave -- LOVES "Electric Dirt").
On the Jesse show, he performs "Sham-a-Ling-Dong-Ding", a sweet, sweet song about young love in the late '50s, the songs that expressed love in nonsense lyrics, and how the 'old folks' said they were crazy, foolish youngsters. My favorite line: "the way we danced was not a dance, but more a long embrace". Ah, but Jesse suggests that those same old folks sang the same silly songs ("silly love songs", eh Paulie?) But here's the catch: Jesse's isn't on stage with some rookies, but his songs are so dear that the camera catches a tear rolling down Neko's cheek -- priceless. I checked other reviews on-line, and Neko's tear was a common element. Even Elvis himself says something along the lines of "You finished me off; it happened in rehearsal and it happened now".
Sweet dreams, Jesse.
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