Discography - Joy or Friendship or Community

OK, we've reached the second in our brief Pandemic-inspired Discography series, not songs about the disease itself (although doubtless it will inspire many songs and movies and novels in the near future) but rather our responses to the Great Isolation. A couple weeks ago we contributed songs related to isolation or sadness or loneliness,and this week we have the happier chore- although as a couple of us opined, the more difficult challenge - of songs about community or joy or friendship; because, well, there will eventually be another side to this nightmare.

Dave Kelley

"Land of Hope and Dreams"  Bruce Springsteen

There are so many musical artists from so many areas of music that I love dearly.  That being said, Bruce will always be my go to go to musician.  His concerts are always communal experiences shared between the band and the audience, so I wanted to use a live performance of this song.  Using the great "People Get Ready" from Curtis Mayfield as his inspiration, Bruce wrote a timeless piece about our shared experiences as human beings.  To quote Jason Isbell, "we are all carrying the same burden and sharing the same fate."  Corona boredom tempts me to blather on endlessly, but I'll just Bruce and the mighty E Street Band preach instead.

Kathy Seiler

Jill Scott, Family Reunion

I picked this song by Jill Scott, who as we all know, is a favorite artist of mine. The song is really simple. Just a description of the family members and interactions among them seen at a family reunion, warts and all. The chorus is "What can you say... it's family." 

Both immediate and extended family are a unique community with which we all have some degree of familiarity. For all the family drama we all endure on a regular basis, I miss many of my family members with an intensity I haven't experienced since starting college. The distancing we must do now makes me realize that for all the complaining I may do about them, it's still pretty great to be with people who share my DNA.

Phil Seiler

"We've been waiting so long. We've been waiting so long. We've been waiting for the sun to rise and shine. Shining still. Give us the will. Can you hear me? The sound of my voice. I am here to tell you, I have made my choice. I've been listening, to what's been going down. There's just too much talk and gossip going 'round. You may think that I'm a fool, but I know the answer. Words become a tool. Anyone can use them. Take the golden rule as the best example. Eyes that have seen, will know what I mean."

And so begins Todd Rundgren's epic track, Just One Victory. So yes, I am a Todd head and I really resisted posting this track for this topic because it seemed so obvious. But it is just so on point, I can't not.

We do need just one victory. We do need each other if we want to win. We have been waiting so fucking long.

And here is an alternate version for the a capella lovers from our well endowed neighbors to the south, Middlebury College:

It's a message and melody that resonates across the divides. We are in this together.

We are on our way.

Mike Kelly

Perfect Day - Andrew Bird and Matt Berninger (Lou Reed Cover) 

Remember when you could go and do fun stuff with your friends like get drunk in the park and watch movies?  That's what this song is about.  While there's well-placed speculation that the "you" that Lou Reed gets to spend the day with is actually heroin, for the sake of the discography, let's just take the old Velvet Underground singer at his word when he said in an interview shortly before he died, "This song is pretty straightforward- it's about a day when I was thinking about what I want to do with my girlfriend."  Back when, you know, things were open.  Miss you all. 

Alice Neiley

Not surprisingly, at least for me, this week's song choice was harder. Not that there aren't a million wonderful songs about friendship, togetherness, etc., but I've been in a cranky mood on and off for the past week (not being able to go to the library and stare at books when I need a break is getting to me -- I know, first world problems), so dark, sad, isolation music comes to mind faster. That said, I found "Travel in Time" by a sort of obscure group called Marching Band about 10 years ago, and fell in love with it immediately. It's sort of...magical, about being welcomed into a group of people, or welcoming someone into a group, about telling stories, writing songs, trading dreams and ideas. My favorite line has always been "we're so happy/so happy to meet you 'cause you sparkle".  It's about connection, plus, it's up beat with a catchy melody, but not in an annoying way (an essential distinction in these crazy times). And yes, I know this is my shortest post EVER, but I think for once I'll let the song speak for itself, and if everyone is truly honest with their sentimental selves, this tune might win the week. Oh. Who am I kidding? Junior faculty never wins ;). 

Gary Scudder

First Aid Kit, Emmylou 

I was just discussing with the esteemed Phil Seiler the other day the challenge we both felt in regards to picking happier songs, as compared to the seemingly endless number of cripplingly sad songs that one would expect from one of the world's biggest Neil Young fans. Nevertheless, I am happy with my choice this week, although it's certainly in most ways an unusual one. I'm not certain how I stumbled across First Aid Kit, and it seems like a group that Dave Wallace or Gary Beatrice or Phil Seiler probably shared with me (for that matter, this song may have been featured before). They're two sisters from Sweden who have put out several albums, all of them quite good. This song is dedicated to friendship and the joy of singing with others, or, for that matter, just spending time with others. This particular version is a recording of them singing it in front of Emmylou Harris, and I can't watch it without sobbing. I made a point to an ex-student on Twitter the other day the pandemic and the Great Isolation has left me feeling much like I did after 9/11 in that my emotional thermostat is broken and I find myself crying an awful lot. However, I don't think I'm crying (much) because I'm sad and lonely, although I'm both, but instead the simple beauty of life just destroys me.