Arachnophonia: Nick Drake “Pink Moon”

Editor’s note: Arachnophonia (“Arachno” = spider / “-phonia” = sound) is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library‘s collection.

All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record for the item in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by student assistant Georgia (class of 2025) and features Nick Drake’s 1972 studio album Pink Moon. Thanks, Georgia!

Nick Drake
Pink Moon

Nick Drake - Pink Moon album cover art

As a graduating senior, my life feels full of mystery, like I’m entering a threshold into a world of possibilities. But despite all the excitement and anticipation that this should bring, it is impossible not to dwell in the anxiety of uncertainty, as I am also entering a world that is suffering and undergoing extreme changes. Nick Drake’s Pink Moon (1972) is an album that reflects on choices and individual agency through a beautiful arrangement of nature metaphors and thoughtful reflection, and stands out to me as proof that art making and nurturing creativity are our most human tools that connect us all together and to the planet.

Which Will,” the album’s fourth song, encapsulates feelings of both opportunity and indecision, as he asks

“which will you go for, which will you love,
which will you choose from, from the stars above,
which will you answer, which will you call,
which will you take for, for your one and all?”

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

This song reminds me of Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar, when Esther reflects on her life through the metaphor of a fig tree, where she imagines her future and notices her feelings of indecision, and here she states:

“I saw my life branching out before me like the green fig tree in the story. From the tip of every branch, like a fat purple fig, a wonderful future beckoned and winked. One fig was a husband and a happy home and children, and another fig was a famous poet and another fig was a brilliant professor, and another fig was Ee Gee, the amazing editor, and another fig was Europe and Africa and South America, and another fig was Constantin and Socrates and Attila and a pack of other lovers with queer names and offbeat professions, and another fig was an Olympic lady crew champion, and beyond and above these figs were many more figs I couldn’t quite make out. I saw myself sitting in the crotch of this fig tree, starving to death, just because I couldn’t make up my mind which of the figs I would choose. I wanted each and every one of them, but choosing one meant losing all the rest, and, as I sat there, unable to decide, the figs began to wrinkle and go black, and, one by one, they plopped to the ground at my feet.”

The environment has much to reveal about our nature as human beings, and can assure us that we are part of a larger, interconnected world. The stars above, the fig tree, our imaginings and choices, are reflected everywhere. We all see the same sky, and wish just to live in peace and without regrets.

Another song that has particularly inspired my reflection on this album is “Things Behind the Sun.” This song speaks deeply to the idea of choosing to live with creativity and earnestness despite external pressures to conform and lose all sense of individuality.

“Open up the broken cup
Let goodly sin and sunshine in
Yes, that’s the day
And open wide the hymns you hide
You find renown while people frown
At thing that you say
But say what you’ll say
About the farmers and the fun
And the things behind the sun
And the people around your head
Who say everything’s been said
And the movement in your brain
Sends you out into the rain.”

Ours is a very scary time for many people, with unconstitutional and unconscionable acts being enacted from those meant to serve us. We are intentionally being overwhelmed into apathy, with unnecessary tragedies and poisonous rhetoric filling the minds and ears of people everywhere. When it feels like we have nothing to do, nothing we can do, we must not stay still. One of many ways we can resist is within our own lives, choosing to nurture our spirits, our creativity, and our individuality, and building communities that encourage the same for others. Despite what many would want you to think, we live a life full of infinite choices, and within those so many opportunities to choose empathy and self-expression. What makes us human is you and me, so why should we be any different?

Nick Drake

Tragically, Nick Drake passed away when he was 26, overdosing on his antidepressants in his home in Warwickshire, United Kingdom. In this unfortunately short life he lived, he has filled so many with inspiration and comfort. He would have turned 77 this year.

*I recommend you read or listen to this NPR interview that discusses Drake’s life and career:
https://www.npr.org/2024/11/30/nx-s1-5206525/remembering-singer-nick-drake-50-years-on

Arachnophonia: Bob Dylan

Editor’s note: Arachnophonia (“Arachno” = spider / “-phonia” = sound) is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library‘s collection.

All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record for the item in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by student manager Amy (class of 2025) and features Bob Dylan’s first studio album (released in 1962). Thanks, Amy!

Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan (1962)

Bob Dylan’s debut album, released in March 1962 by Columbia Records, marks a pivotal moment in the history of folk and popular music. Recorded over two days in November 1961, the album introduces the world to the raw, authentic voice of 20-year-old Dylan. The opening track, “You’re No Good,” immediately showcases Dylan‘s distinctive vocal style and his ability to infuse traditional songs with new life. The album is a compelling blend of folk standards, bluesy interpretations, and a few original compositions, offering a glimpse into the mind of a burgeoning songwriter and storyteller.

Dylan’s command of the acoustic guitar is evident throughout the album, providing a solid foundation for his poetic and often socially conscious lyrics. “Talkin’ New York” is an autobiographical track detailing Dylan’s early experiences and struggles in the Greenwich Village folk scene. “In My Time of Dyin'” reflects Dylan’s fascination with mortality and traditional blues themes, while “Man of Constant Sorrow” highlights his ability to reinterpret folk classics with a fresh perspective.

The album also features Dylan’s take on the traditional ballad “House of the Risin’ Sun,” a rendition that would influence countless musicians. The haunting quality of this track, combined with Dylan’s distinctive vocal delivery, contributes to the enduring appeal of the song. “Song to Woody” pays homage to Woody Guthrie, one of Dylan‘s most significant influences.

In hindsight, Bob Dylan is a captivating snapshot of an artist on the cusp of greatness. While not an immediate commercial success, the album laid the groundwork for Dylan’s subsequent groundbreaking work. Its influence on the folk revival of the 1960s and its enduring impact on subsequent generations of musicians solidify its place as a seminal piece in the folk and rock canon. Bob Dylan captures the essence of a young artist finding his voice, foreshadowing the revolutionary changes he would bring to the world of music in the years to come.

You can listen to Bob Dylan’s first studio album Bob Dylan at Parsons Music Library.

Parsons Playlists: Autumn Anthems

Welcome back to Parsons Playlists! Today’s playlist is curated by Music Library student assistant Susanne (class of 2026) some songs for the shorter, colder days of autumn.

Autumn Anthems

late autumn

As the days get shorter and the air grows colder, it’s always fun to listen to music that matches the ambience of our weather. This playlist features songs with a range of folk, indie, pop and acoustic roots that take inspiration from the natural world around us. Whether you’re cooking festive foods, hosting a game night with friends, or hiking in Virginia’s breathtaking mountains, this soothing yet upbeat playlist is sure to have you singing along and inspired to reconnect with the earth.

The Lumineers – “Walls”

Mt. Joy – “Evergreen”

Noah Kahan – “Everywhere, Everything”

Taylor Swift – “ivy”

Hozier – “First Light”

Jonah Kagen – “The Roads”

Lord Huron – “Ends of the Earth”

Phoebe Bridgers – “Moon Song”

Wild Rivers – “Thinking ‘Bout Love”

MisterWives – “SUPERBLOOM”

Maggie Rogers – “Fallingwater”

Here is a link to the whole playlist on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLU94rco57Zez28BPfSvouKU9LILeLlYdF&si=4pgXfi_0t8nrAW1N

New CDs added – November/December 2019

New CDs for November & December 2019

Concertos and Chamber Music

Ludwig van Beethoven – Complete Piano Concertos – Jan Lisiecki/Academy of St. Martin in the Fields

Beethoven Concertos - Lisiecki

Jazz

Joyce DiDonato – Songplay

Joyce DiDonato - Songplay

Opera, Opera Excerpts and Art Songs

Mason Bates – The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs
Tobias Picker – Fantastic Mr. Fox
Gregory Spears – Fellow Travelers

Fantastic Mr Fox

Gospel Music

Various – Sorrow Come Pass Me Around: A Survey of Rural Black Religious Music

Sorrow Come Pass Me Around

Popular Music

Various – Beat girls espanol! : 1960s she-pop from Spain
Various – C’est Chic!: French Girl Singers of the 1960s
Various – Don’t Think I’ve Forgotten: Cambodia’s Lost Rock and Roll

Don't Think I've Forgotten

Various – Nippon Girls: Japanese Pop, Beat & Bossa Nova 1966-70
Various – Qat, Coffee & Qambus: Raw 45s from Yemen

Beat Girls Espanol

Folk Music

Various – The Art of Field Recording Vol. 2: Fifty Years of Traditional American Music
Various – The Year of Jubilo: 78 RPM Recordings of Songs from the Civil War

The Year of Jubilo

Arachnophonia: Jim Croce “You Don’t Mess Around With Jim”

Editor’s note: Arachnophonia is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library‘s collection.

All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record for the item in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by student worker Molly (class of 2021) and features Jim Croce’s 1972 studio album You Don’t Mess Around With Jim. Thanks, Molly!

Jim Croce

You Don’t Mess Around With Jim

Jim Croce - You Don't Mess Around With Jim

The first time I listened to a song on this album was my first time visiting New York, again after moving to Connecticut. Fittingly, I was sitting in a deli enjoying New York’s finest bagels and Jim Croce’s “New York’s Not My Home” came on. Soon I was engulfed by Croce’s lyrics and every sense of nostalgia. I guess you could say, my similar feelings towards New York made me first start listening to Jim Croce.

In 1968, Jim and his wife, Ingrid Croce, were encouraged to move to New York City by a record producer. They recorded their first album in the Bronx and drove around playing in small clubs and colleges. After being disappointed by the music business in New York, the couple sold all of their belongings except for one guitar to pay their rent and moved back to the countryside of Pennsylvania. Here, Croce was forced to pick up jobs like truck driving and construction work to pay the bills while he continued to write songs. What I like most about Croce’s songs is that many of them tell the stories of these odd times in his life that I find very relateable.

This album carries an array of songs that tell stories in a folk style like “New York’s Not My Home”, “Box #10”, and “Walkin’ Back to Georgia”, while others like “Operator (That’s Not The Way It Feels)”, “Time in a Bottle”, and “A Long Time Ago” portray love songs of different sorts. This eclectic mix of songs are very warm and it is an optimistic album I recommend to many.

I also enjoy Croce’s style which I view as a mix of character, humor, and love that creates the most heartfelt and relateable material, especially in this album. In my personal opinion, this album is the best to listen to after a long day to help unwind. The common man feel to this album drops the crypticness of most of today’s folk songs but paves poetic lyrics that tells us a story.

Spider Sounds: Eva Cassidy “Songbird”

Editor’s Note: “Spider Sounds” invites members of the University of Richmond community to share their thoughts about items in the Parsons Music Library’s collection. The links included will take you to the library catalog record for the item in question, or to additional relevant information.
Today’s installment of “Spider Sounds” comes courtesy of Music Library Student worker, Emily (class of 2017) and features a compilation of songs by the late Eva Cassidy. Thanks for contributing to Spider Sounds, Emily!

Eva Cassidy

Songbird

Songbird - Eva Cassidy

I picked the album “Songbird,” by Eva Cassidy. This is one of my favorite albums, because it
can find its way into almost any occasion, and makes you smile–and sometimes makes you cry. My mom would always listen to it in the car, and I’ve found it complements studying and cooking time, or can be a good refuge if you are stressed and need to zone out.

Eva Cassidy

Rather meditative and nostalgic, the tone set by the album is reflective of its publication. It was compiled two years after Cassidy’s death, in her memory. Many of the songs are from live concerts, and her introductions have been maintained, to give the listener not only a feel for the song they are about to hear, but for the character and spirit of the singer. Many of the numbers are recognizable, others more obscure, but for all, the experience will pull at a listener’s heart.

Spider Sounds