"My uncle died about two weeks ago / my mom she just told me tonight / 'son call me - important' - the message she sent / said it's something that's not fit to write..."
The sobering rustic folk shock and awe of "Jeremy", by American in Berlin songwriter / purveyor of folk stories Joshua Tell, is a song that blindsides you right away. Not for the faint of heart and told in a blunt historical folk sort of way, full forward without niceties, just cold hard truth written the very night that Tell found out about his uncle's suicide. Appalachian murder ballads and American black slave spirituals (both) as forms of storytelling (even news reporting) or cathartic ways of survivorship tend to have twangy, showy, gratuitous vocals or gospel rich crooning but Tell's somber technique is spoken word or Sprechgesang which feels even darker, more maudlin and matter of fact, maybe tempering his words like you quench steel in oil, as a coping mechanism. After all, as Tell reveals his uncles struggles were as historic as Tell's folk style.
Joshua Tell shares:
"I wrote this the night I found out about my uncle's suicide. It all came out in one sitting. But his story had been something of a family tragedy for many years. The conclusion was a moment to process it."
As an embracing catharsis and overwhelmingly sad eulogy, I find Tell's storytelling and poetic words entrancing. Tell, with a wonderful folk voice, imbues his story with bitter sadness but also full glimmers of hope within the hard and sweetly soft remembrances and this is such a lovely tribute to how life for whatever reason can push you straight into the most feral pain, some of us succumbing and some able to make it through.
My condolences Joshua. Your words are brutal, beautiful and evocative. Even apart from this song, they stand as true poetry. The following is one of my favorite passages.
a forsaken old drifter unnamed,
and memories from childhood of his easy cool
were the gist of his essence remained -
a letterman athlete, a movie star grin,
were the stories his mom liked to tell;
genuine, gentle, and gracious, the words
to describe her son before he fell,
(the full lyrics are shown below the You Tube video)
LINER NOTES (bracketed):
[Joshua Tell writes songs that draw people in. Tender to toe-tapping, traveling tunes to historical ballads. Since moving to Cologne, Germany in 2012 he has built a collection of songs based on the American folk tradition, with a perspective from the other side of the pond.]
-Robb Donker Curtius
The Chicken Wheel will take you to the AP Go Fund Me- and any amount is so appreciated!
THE FACTS AS WE KNOW THEM
https://www.facebook.com/JoshuaTellMusic/
http://joshuatell.com/
https://joshuatell.bandcamp.com/album/joshua-tell
Singing songwriter and guitarist from the USA playing folk songs in Berlin
Joshua Tell writes songs that draw people in. Tender to toe-tapping, traveling tunes to historical ballads. Since moving to Cologne, Germany in 2012 he has built a collection of songs based on the American folk tradition, with a perspective from the other side of the pond.
Singing songwriter and guitarist from the USA playing folk songs in Berlin
Joshua Tell writes songs that draw people in. Tender to toe-tapping, traveling tunes to historical ballads. Since moving to Cologne, Germany in 2012 he has built a collection of songs based on the American folk tradition, with a perspective from the other side of the pond.
Joshua Tell, folk, historic folk, rustic folk, period folk, American in Berlin, "Jeremy" (Official Video), wonderful poetic lyrics, part homage / part eulogy, traveling tunes, historic ballads,
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