Andy Chase

Speaking of haunting love songs, The Blackest Crow is just about the prettiest/saddest such tune I've heard in the oldtime/traditional genre. One of these days I'm going to memorize and practice it enough to be able to do it justice. There's a great 3/4 instrumental rendition in Brad Leftwich's Round Peak Style Clawhammer Banjo book, but I think I like Arnie Naiman and Chris Coole's 4/4 version on their Five Strings attached with No Backing album even better (which for me is saying a lot, because I'm not a huge fan of oldtime/bluegrass vocals). You can listen to it at http://www.merriweather.ca/album.aspx?album=9&style=Banjo.

The most effective verses:

The Blackest Crow

The time draws near, my dearest dear
When you and I must part
And no one knows the inner griefs
Of my poor aching heart

I wish my breast was made of glass
Wherein you might behold
Oh, there you'd find your name lies writ
In letters made of gold

The blackest crow that ever flew
Will surely turn to white
If ever I prove false to you
Bright day will turn to night

Bright day will turn to night, my love
The elements will mourn
If ever I prove false to you
The seas will rage and burn

Tom Waits' Take it With Me is simultaneously the prettiest and most haunting love song I think I've ever heard, and it only gets moreso every time I listen to it. Specifically, the recording on Mule Variations.

I don't know how it was accomplished, but the piano in that recording sounds dusty. There's no other way I can think of to describe it. You can hear the dust motes, and I think it's a big part of why the track has such a grip on me.

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• tomwaits