"I write," says Joan Armatrading, "because I love it."
Isn't that why we all write?
Born on the Caribbean island of St. Kitts but moving to Birmingham, England when she was eight, award-winning singer-songwriter Joan Armatrading started writing songs when she was fourteen years old. She says "I've always thought of myself as a songwriter first. I write all the time. The last thing I think about is how to sing it." (Stambler, Folk & Blues, The Encyclopedia,2001.)
Joan Armatrading is described on Jabaspace, her community website: "When first you hear the voice, rich, warm, remarkable, it's a voice that suits a secret sharer, a woman who tells the truth. For 33 years, Joan Armatrading has done just that--in songs crafty, subtle and sublime. Armatrading's songs are in the truest sense soul music; even at their boldest, driven by her passionate guitar, they touch the listener like a whisper to the ear, like confessions from heart to heart."
Joan Armatrading is described on Jabaspace, her community website: "When first you hear the voice, rich, warm, remarkable, it's a voice that suits a secret sharer, a woman who tells the truth. For 33 years, Joan Armatrading has done just that--in songs crafty, subtle and sublime. Armatrading's songs are in the truest sense soul music; even at their boldest, driven by her passionate guitar, they touch the listener like a whisper to the ear, like confessions from heart to heart."
From the 1976 album Joan Armatrading, "Love and Affection" is her only song to hit the American Top Ten. To me, this song is not dated at all (except maybe for the sax solo...). It's pure truth and poetry. If you click on the video and listen at YouTube, the lyrics are printed below. Brilliant young Joan, the seventies! What an incredible video this is.
Enjoy, fellow Toads! I'm looking forward to reading your inspirations and interpretations.
hope you like this, Toads. i have watched this magical video so many times this week, i could watch it over and over and over again. so many things to say!
ReplyDeleteThanks Marian -- watching this brought back such bittersweet memories of first love, back in the late 70s -- presence so augmented by absence, the dance so light and lilting in cold moonlight. Thanks for putting a glow there.
ReplyDeleteMarian,
ReplyDeleteMemories for me also with Joan A. Grad school. Listened to her constantly while driving from VA to SC to visit my then boyfriend (now husband). Was lucky enough to see her in concert also. Fantastic.
Oh gosh! Joan Armatrading is one of my all-time faves! With so many great songs, other than "Love and Affection". Her lyrics are the poetry of a gift and sensitive woman - and her voice is one of a kind.
ReplyDeleteWonderful choice of inspiration.
yay! i know, so many songs, but i could not resist this video and its seventies charm but especially how she looks when she sings, so beautiful! she looks at the camera, looks inward when the backup singers sing, it's just magical. sigh. lovely.
ReplyDeletei've been lucky enough to see Joan Armatading perform live two times. also, if anyone's following along, last night my husband & i got to see They Might Be Giants (think back to the first music prompt) on our wedding anniversary! so i am floating on happy rainbows today. yay!
Lovely... reminds me a bit of Tracy Chapman, one of my favorites.
ReplyDeleteP.S. I focused on the dancing... not cheek-to-cheek, but hopefully this will do = )
ReplyDeleteToads, I've linked up something for now... and am working on a poem that I'll link up later. I was working on another prompt as I was listening to Joan and preparing to write this article, and you'll see if you look at this first thing I've linked, it's heavily influenced by the song! I'm out and about today but will come back later with my own poem and to read all of yours. Enjoy!
ReplyDeletePretty and so lyrical!
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like a 12 string...I love this type of guitar~ It has a unique voice!
Her music represents this instrument so well~
This is a great song!
ReplyDeleteI took your opening quote from Armatrading about love and writing, Marian, and ran with it off into my own particular weeds--loved the music and the prompt, and hope I'm not sounding any off notes. ;-) We're walking out the door on a shopping expedition in a minute, but I'll be back later to read everyone's take.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing, she is so talented and someone I wasn't t familiar with. I am working on how to represent her talent in a poem. Intriguing prompt!
ReplyDeletei came back with a poem!
ReplyDeletewill be around to read you all after kids are in bed :)
i used a joan song i knew from the tv show "the l word".
ReplyDelete^^^Coal means the "L" word....silly grrl doesn't like caps...
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for the challenge Marian. I am not sure I did justice to it. My head has not quite been into writing the past few days. As I wrote on my blog Joan's song inspired the poem, but when I finished it I was hearing Adele..so I included them both.
ReplyDeleteMy post is up ~ I sort of used the lyrics in the song for this ~
ReplyDeleteThanks for the prompt ~
I love Joan Armatrading, but I took this in rather a dark direction, my mood at the moment, I'm afraid. K.
ReplyDeletethey are all wonderful. as i expected :)
ReplyDeletegreat prompt, Marian
ReplyDeletethis is just an amazing song by someone i have neglected for far too long! LOVE Joan Armatrading!
ReplyDeletethank you for the prompt and for reminding me of a singer i had forgotten.
i'll be back tonight to read others!
I too thought of Tracy Chapman!
ReplyDeleteFun prompt, it gave me wonderful memories~ Thank you!