Joan Baez: Turn to the Wind & the Rain?
Walrus
not quite sure on the title (she sang it on the Dylan video 'Don't Look
Back'), what album of hers is it from?
- Wal
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GVPIII
(Walrus) wrote:
> Joan baez sings a song called Turn to the Wind & the Rain or something, I am
> not quite sure on the title (she sang it on the Dylan video 'Don't Look
> Back'), what album of hers is it from?
This is a Dylan song, actually, titled "Percy's Song." I don't know that
it is on any of Joan's albums, but there are others on the net who can
answer that.
Gary Parker
park...@ctrvax.vanderbilt.edu
"Is there any chance you guys could be here every Thursday night?"
--David Letterman, 1984
ez00...@wilma.ucdavis.edu
>Joan baez sings a song called Turn to the Wind & the Rain or something, I am
>not quite sure on the title (she sang it on the Dylan video 'Don't Look
>Back'), what album of hers is it from?
>
>- Wal
The song is written by Dylan and is called "Percy's Song." He released it on
"Biograph" but it is not on any Joan Baez disc, or record, sadly. (I don't
like all of Joan's covers of Dylan's song, but this one, sad and melodic, would
be perfect for her. The part she sings on "Don't Look Back" sounds real nice.
Wade
Sergei Lvov
>From: s91...@yallara.cs.rmit.OZ.AU (Walrus)
>Date: 10 Feb 1994 06:13:57 GMT
It's called Percy's Song and it can be found on Biograph.
Great song,isn't it?
- Paul Seifer
Sten Winfield Johnson
great.
Gerry Myerson
fnl...@wis-eyal.weizmann.ac.il (Sergei Lvov) wrote:
>
> It's called Percy's Song and it can be found on Biograph.
> Great song,isn't it?
Yes, but...I am the only one bothered by a song that asks for more lenient
treatment for a drunk driver?
Gerry Myerson
Newsfeed unreliable. If you post a follow-up to this article, please
send it to me by email, as well.
P Woods
: Check out Fairport Convention's version of this tune-- it's
: great.
Yes, on Unhalfbricking, with vocals by the late Sandy Denny.
Paul Woods
Kent Stewart
>In article <fnlvo...@wis-eyal.weizmann.ac.il>,
>fnl...@wis-eyal.weizmann.ac.il (Sergei Lvov) wrote:
>>
>> It's called Percy's Song and it can be found on Biograph.
>> Great song,isn't it?
>
>Yes, but...I am the only one bothered by a song that asks for more lenient
>treatment for a drunk driver?
As far as I know, the song does not at any point say that the driver
was either intoxicated or even driving irresponsibly; merely that "a crash
apon the highway threw a car into a field/there were four people killed
and he was at the wheel."
Drunk driving is indeed one hypothesis that fits that description, but
it's far from the only one, nor do I believe it is the *implied* one.
There are any number of more innocent reasons why a car could, for example,
cross the center line with disasterous results. And this could indeed
"happen to anyone." It's the difference between falling asleep a mile
from home after an 8 hour drive (potential irresponsibility, misjudging
one's ability to remain awake) and driving with a bottle of tequilla in
one's lap (blatant irresponsibility, endangerment, vehicular manslaughter).
The way so many *sober* people drive, I'm amazed we don't have more
such accidents. And for it to happen to somebody who sincerely "wouldn't
harm a life that belonged to someone else" through fate alone--and not
through substance abuse or other intentionally reckless and irresponsible
behavior-- and for that person to receive a 99 year sentence without
possibility of parole for a tragedy that "could have happened to anyone"
would indeed be a tragedy, as the song implies.
It is clear that at least the singer is convinced that his friend would
never intentionally endanger another life, and the persona of the singer
seems wise enough to recognize that drunk driving is equivalent to
intentional endangerment, IMO.
--bongo
"at that the judge jerked forward, and his face it did freeze"
R...@automation.university-library.cambridge.ac.uk
>for more lenient treatment for a drunk driver?
Yup! The only one.
No sign of drinking on my copy.
But he ain't no criminal
And his crime it is none,
Presume drunk driving would be a clear and indisputable
crime? Even the friend would admit that?
And I cannot find the words "intentional endangerment" in
the song, anyone remember which word Dylan usually rhymes
"endangerment" with? ;-) Estrangerment perhaps?
So who was Percy?
Craig
--
Could ya tell me the facts?
I said without fear,
Turn, turn, turn again.
That a friend of mine
Would get ninety-nine years,
Turn, turn to the rain
And the wind.
Adam K. Powers
>fnl...@wis-eyal.weizmann.ac.il (Sergei Lvov) wrote:
>>
>> It's called Percy's Song and it can be found on Biograph.
>> Great song,isn't it?
>
>Yes, but...I am the only one bothered by a song that asks for more lenient
>treatment for a drunk driver?
I wouldn't lump this song in with the 'protest' songs at all.
"Percy's Song" is really a lament - the narrator's world has been shaken up
and there is nothing he can do about it reflect on his friend's fate.
The reason he gripes to the judge is that he doesn't understand
what went on and is upset that his friend has been jailed. The narrator
doesn't act as if he's going to appeal the case or anything - he's just
upset, so he pleads for the past to be overturned & then realizes the
futility of his protest. He enters the judge's chamber upset and
feelin betrayed, but when he leaves, he's sad and resigned, not outraged.
I think this song is actually a hint from Dylan that he doesn't intend to
stick to songs of protest or moral outrage - the situation in this song
is too complicated to be dealt with in terms of good and evil. Percy
obviously *meant* no harm and the narrator knows it; but his actions
inadvertantly caused several deaths. Consequently, Percy has to pay his due.
Adam K. Powers
ak...@midway.uchicago.edu