Posted on Tuesday, August 05, 2014 - 09:37 pm:
Recently I came across two articles on nodepression.com about the power of quiet music, music played quietly and songs performed quietly.
First, Kim Ruehl had posted about Robby Hecht who, she wrote, “sings like a whisper, like a hesitant truth that simply can’t go unsung anymore. His songs can invoke starry nights and fog rolling in on the beach. Lights turning off. Front porch silences and morning walks alone. Holding hands for the first time, letting go for the last.” (
http://www.nodepression.com/profiles/bl ... erview-wit" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; h-robby-hecht)
The second article, subtitled “The speaking quietude”, was written by Geoffrey Himes about the Be Good Tanyas, an all-female group, and how “one can play so quietly, so slowly, so delicately that the music threatens to evaporate into nothingness. We don’t tend to think of this subdued sound as being bold and innovative, but in fact these artists create as much tension as the wall-shaking, roof-rattling avant-gardists.”
(
http://archives.nodepression.com/2003/0 ... -quietude/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;)
After reading both of these articles within the same week, I got to thinking about whether or not Glen Campbell recorded any songs or instrumentals that could be considered “quiet”? Did he ever record a “whisper” of a song with a “hesitant truth”? Did he ever “play so quietly, so slowly, so delicately” that his “music threaten(ed) to evaporate into nothingness”?
I couldn't immediately think of a song that Glen sang in this way.
Then, this week, I listened to Glen’s “Southern Nights” album for the first time in a long time. (For shame!) When “Guide Me”, track 6 on side B, played, I realized that I was hearing a beautiful whisper of a song that is a perfect example, I think, of Kim Ruehl and Geoffrey Himes’ descriptions. Glen sings this song softly, delicately, prayer-like: “Dear Lord, I love her face, I love this day. Guide me, guide me”. I found myself “hanging” onto every word in this song because of the way Glen sings it. He didn't need a big production, he didn't require volume or an orchestra in a big back-up way for this song to speak volumes.
I’d like to hear what you think of it, and if there are other songs in Glen’s body of work that can be categorized as a whisper of a song? I uploaded “Guide Me” to my YouTube channel. Copy and paste this string in the YT search field:
Glen Campbell Sings "Guide Me"
I hope you enjoy it as much as I did when I re-discovered it this week.
Dee