I Will Not Be Afraid of Women

[mokuyoubi]

I can't embed it, but I think this, one of my favourite songs, by one of my favourite artists, sort of describes what I can't put into words, and how I'm feeling right now, in the midst of various wanks. As Cool As I Am, by Dar Williams: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4j5ms5f6hI

I want to put together a Dar zip, because she is amazing. If interested, let me know.

ETA: Also, this:

Because my computer knows my moods, and played this as the first song when I started up my player...

And another Dar song (my favourite) just because:

Which makes me want to write a slow, lazy bandom fic.

Comments

[inteligrrl.livejournal.com]

Wow, I can't believe I've never heard of her - she is really quite cool.

[moku-youbi.livejournal.com]

wow, really? I will def. make you a zip. That's not even my favourite of hers. Just one of them. Check out these, too:



and

[roebling.livejournal.com]

I first saw Dar many years ago at a folk festival. She is and has always been one of my favorites, as well as an absolutely gracious and charming person the few times I've had the pleasure to meet her. One of my best memories is hearing her play 'Iowa' outside on the night of a full moon surrounded by my favorite people.

[moku-youbi.livejournal.com]

man, that's awesome! I've never had the opportunity to see her live--when I first started listening to her I was 11 or 12, so, yeah, couldn't really get to a show, and these days I'm just so out of the loop as to when/where shows are, I guess they just pass me by. But that sounds like a beautiful evening. I would love to see her someday--does she even still tour?

[roebling.livejournal.com]

That's so funny! I started listening to her at around the same age; she meant so much to me when I was a teenager -- just all the complicated and painful things I was feeling she sang about. My family and many of our friends have gone to a folk festival in upstate New York for years; she used to play there every year. I think she took some time off touring when she had a baby, but I'm pretty sure she still plays!

[moku-youbi.livejournal.com]

Man, I'll have to look into that.

Would you happen to have music of hers you could share? I used to have all her cds back in the 90s, but honestly once my music got onto my computer, I just lost all my cds into some secret black hole in my parent's home, and then my computer died D: All I have of hers is some of her live stuff -- Family, Iowa, As Cool As I Am, What Do You Hear in These Sounds, Alleluia, Babysitter's Here, February, Christians and Pagans, and Are You Out There. It's impossible to find downloads of her stuff, and just listening online sucks. I'd like to put them on my mp3 player.

[roebling.livejournal.com]

Ohh, she's going to be up my way in August. I'm going to have to put that one on my calendar.

And yes, absolutely! I am sure I have at least a couple of her CDs -- either the actual copies or the mp3s that I ripped years ago. Let me see what I've got tonight and I'll definitely upload some for you.

[moku-youbi.livejournal.com]

you're my hero!

I discovered Dar thanks to my older sis, who was always so much more aware of things than me (I sort of lived in a bubble, particularly in regards to music, and my early musical education is all thanks to her). It was her and Ani and Alanis for me, throughout my early teen years, these female voices that seemed to *get* things on such a deep, visceral level. But as much as I love them, Ani and Alanis had a lot of anger (though Alanis has become so delightfully open and interesting since). Dar had a gentler, more humourous take on things that made feel like...no matter how bad things might get, there was always going to be a brighter side to it, eventually, a place where you could look back and laugh, or at least smile indulgently and shake your head. If that makes sense--particularly with songs like CoEd. And then she has the songs like Iowa and February which are just so achingly beautiful and paint entire landscapes and whole lifetimes of stories in my head.

[roebling.livejournal.com]

That's always what's drawn me to Dar, too -- the grace and good humor with which she approached the world. For me, Dar and other folk singers like her (The Neilds, David Carter & Tracey Grammer, Eddie From Ohio) provided a unique and intelligent alternative to the mainstream music my friends were listening to -- music that I really could make much meaning out of. Something about Dar's music really resonated with me, and made me hopeful about my own future. When I was in high school, I adored her so much I applied to Wesleyan University, which is where she went. I didn't end up going to Wesleyan, but when I was that age I don't think there was any musician who I admired more.

[roebling.livejournal.com]

Whoo! I did have some of her stuff on my laptop!

hxxp://www.mediafire.com/?ikyzkyhndym - End of Summer

hxxp://www.mediafire.com/?jldgmemzuei - Mortal City

hxxp://www.mediafire.com/?jzlnambhwjm - The Green World

These were my three favorites of hers, but I think I probably have a couple others on an external hard drive. I'm gonna check it out this weekend. I'm glad I could share these with you :)

[moku-youbi.livejournal.com]

omg, you're my hero! Thank you so much!!!

[moku-youbi.livejournal.com]

dude, she *is* on tour, and in Ohio on July 2nd! Now if only I could get off work!

If you're interested: http://www.darwilliams.com/index.php?page=calendar

[sparkfrost.livejournal.com]

I'm not that petty, as cool as I am I thought you'd know this already...

Seriously, I ♥ Dar Williams SO much, especially the two songs you linked to. I first heard As Cool As I Am when I was about 16, and have loved it since then. \o/ (Also, Iowa breaks my heart...)

[moku-youbi.livejournal.com]

&you; I saw the first line of your response and just grinned so big.

Iowa does break my heart, but in the best way (which I've sort of detailed in the comments already, I'm not going to be boring and repeat myself over and over), but it fills me with hope, and a sort of contentment, too, to know there is someone else in the world who feels thinks in the same way as I do, when I've always felt so strange and set apart from others. I mean, now I have bandom for that, but back then, Dar seemed like the only one.

I also just sort of have a thing for songs that break my heart. I guess I'm a masochist like that...

[redandglenda.livejournal.com]

I hadn't heard of Dar Williams, but I'm glad that I now have! I'd be very interested in a Dar zip if you make one, I really loved new music and this is some wonderful stuff!

[moku-youbi.livejournal.com]

cool! I'm collecting what I have, borrowing from others, and buying some of her rare stuff online, so give me a few days. But anything to spread the Dar love. She is absolutely amazing :D