A while ago a good friend and I swapped quite alot of music. I introduced him to many of my records from Mali, Algeria, Iraq, Lebannon and Syria not to mention the little collection of south Indian classical music I've accumulated. My friend gave me more of the finer selections of my own musical tradition, which I've neglected somewhat over the years but which I still find very dear to my heart.
Today, I came home from the same friend's place armed with his copy of "Desperate Man Blues: Discovering the roots of American Music" a documentary about a man's search for the roots of blues and folklore recordings through the south of America. In the right mood to watch it, I thought I'd warm up with some old timey music first and got the "O Brother, where art thou?" soundtrack spinning but inadvertantly played Doc Watson's version of "Keep on the Sunny Side", and from there I decided to give his voice more of a listen.
It's no understatement to say this is exactly the kind of music I admire, adore and love the most. I can't believe the power of expression in Doc Watson's voice and instrumentalisations. One song which instantly stuck to me was Moody River....powerful stuff, I had to share the lyrics.
Last saturday eveningI came to the old oaktree
It stands beside the river
Where you would a-meet me
On the ground your glove I found
With a note adressed to me
And it read
"Dear love, I've done you wrong,
Now I must set you free"
Moody river, more deadly
Than the vainest knife
Moody river, your muddy waters
Took my baby's life
Looked into your muddy water
And what did I see
I saw a lonely lonely man
Just lookin' back at me
Tears in his eyes
And a prayer on his lips
And with the glove of his lost love
There at his finger tips
Moody river, more deadly
Than the vainest knife
Moody river, your muddy waters
Took my baby's life
Moody river, your muddy waters
Took my baby's life
The Following is from the
Merlefest website (A festival dedicated to the memory of Doc's late son Merle).
When asked how he would like to be remembered by the countless people from all walks of life whom he has enriched with measures of music and wisdom of astonishing clarity, he responded by saying
"I would rather be remembered as a likable person than for any phase of my picking. Don't misunderstand me; I really appreciate people's love of what I do with the guitar. That's an achievement as far as I'm concerned, and I'm proud of it. But I'd rather people remember me as a decent human being than as a flashy guitar player. That's the way I feel about it."
