Gordon Lightfoot Forums - View Single Post - "The Ballad" vs. "The Wreck": Which of the two song do you like better and why?

The Rez · 06-09-2005, 01:43 AM

Titan:

Radio time isn't too often a fair measuring stick. That would mean The Macarena is better still, or Sugar Sugar, ad nauseaum.

I figure I'm looking at it three ways tonite:

1. A Hit all over the radio; the other, obscure, but equally compelling tale. That would be on record when folks hear Gord

2. A perfomance situation by Gord. The general, less discerning, audience wants to hear the hits. They will extremely rarely give the attention necessary to appreciate an obscure gem.

3. A performance piece by a nameless band: The Wreck is such a wonderfully multi-dynamic arrangement (from bobmast to whisper to strong, clear ending.) When performing that song, a group can really cut loose w/ the changes and grab an audience, already familiar w/ the song.

Yarmouth Castle, on the other hand, is mono-dynamic throughout. It's the lyrics alone that draw the listener into the haunt and terror. It has none of the trademarks of a "grabber," and it simply conlcudes w/o fanfare. The general audience is just not hip to that.

Example: Yrs ago w/ a non-descript Las Vegas lounge band, the lady (our leader) sang Jimmy Webb's "Didn't We." She'd paid a guy in Houston for a fantastic, unique arrangement. The ending grew more and more quiet w/ each chromatically decending 13th series of chords - to a whisper.

The folks didn't know the song was over, so we ended up glueing on a Big Barry Manilow ending. She brought the house down every night.

Sorry for the ramble.

The Rez

06-09-2005, 01:43 AM	#19
The Rez Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Balboa, CA, US of A Posts: 598	Titan: Radio time isn't too often a fair measuring stick. That would mean The Macarena is better still, or Sugar Sugar, ad nauseaum. I figure I'm looking at it three ways tonite: 1. A Hit all over the radio; the other, obscure, but equally compelling tale. That would be on record when folks hear Gord 2. A perfomance situation by Gord. The general, less discerning, audience wants to hear the hits. They will extremely rarely give the attention necessary to appreciate an obscure gem. 3. A performance piece by a nameless band: The Wreck is such a wonderfully multi-dynamic arrangement (from bobmast to whisper to strong, clear ending.) When performing that song, a group can really cut loose w/ the changes and grab an audience, already familiar w/ the song. Yarmouth Castle, on the other hand, is mono-dynamic throughout. It's the lyrics alone that draw the listener into the haunt and terror. It has none of the trademarks of a "grabber," and it simply conlcudes w/o fanfare. The general audience is just not hip to that. Example: Yrs ago w/ a non-descript Las Vegas lounge band, the lady (our leader) sang Jimmy Webb's "Didn't We." She'd paid a guy in Houston for a fantastic, unique arrangement. The ending grew more and more quiet w/ each chromatically decending 13th series of chords - to a whisper. The folks didn't know the song was over, so we ended up glueing on a Big Barry Manilow ending. She brought the house down every night. Sorry for the ramble. The Rez __________________ I came to Love the Music Before I came to Be [Psalm 139:13]