PATTY GRIFFIN
In 2004, Zach Braff was at the height of his popularity. The show he starred in, Scrubs, was in the middle of its run and it was a huge hit. Not only did the series showcase Zach's comedic (and dramatic) acting ability, but he also directed a few episodes and his musical taste influenced the show's soundtrack. With Zach in his prime, as it were, it was the perfect time for his movie, Garden State, to hit theaters.
If you've never seen Garden State, you need to rectify that immediately. It's fantastic. It's about this guy who's a failing actor in LA, and he finds out his mother died. So he goes back to his hometown in New Jersey for the funeral (hence the title, Garden State). During his visit, he reconnects with old friends, meets a quirky girl, goes on little adventures around town, discovers himself, stands up to his dad, and falls in love with the quirky girl. Zach Braff wrote, directed, and stars in the film. Oh, and he handpicked every song on the soundtrack which is AMAZING. Top ten soundtrack of all time. Maybe top five.
The movie was a hit, Zach Braff continued to ride the wave of popularity he was on, and movie producers everywhere were telling themselves, "We gotta tap into that Garden State mojo."
Fast forward to 2005. Cameron Crowe, a very successful writer and director in his own right, releases a movie called Elizabethtown. This movie is garishly unapologetic about its similarity to Garden State. It's about this guy who's a failing shoe designer in LA, and he finds out his father died while visiting family in his hometown of Elizabethtown, Kentucky (hence the title, Elizabethtown). His mom and sister send him to Kentucky to get his dad's body and send it back to California to be buried. But while he's in Elizabethtown, he reconnects with relatives, meets a quirky girl, goes on little adventures around town, discovers himself, stands up to his mom and sister, and falls in love with the quirky girl. Oh, and if those similarities weren't enough, the soundtrack is ridiculously good.
One of the songs on the Elizabethtown soundtrack is a haunting tune called "Long Ride Home" by Patty Griffin. It's about a 40-year marriage that ends because one of the partners passed away. Following the funeral, the surviving partner reflects on the marriage while riding home in a black limousine. Check out this lyric:
Forty years gone by with someone laying in your bed
Forty years of things you say you wish you'd never said
"How hard would it have been to say some kinder words instead?"
I wonder as I stare at the sky turning red
Patty Griffin's voice is beautiful and strong and sweet. Her guitar is bright and airy, even when she plays sad, melancholy songs. Yet when she sings a lyric like the one above, she rips your heart from your chest like Kano in Mortal Kombat. How can a musician like Patty Griffin hit so hard? I can't explain it. But she can, and she does.
In 2007, she released a record called Children Running Through that contains the song “No Bad News”. It's an energetic, upbeat song in a major key that sounds happy and fun. But it's not. It's a protest song. It's a giant middle-finger to the then-sitting president, George W. Bush:
Don't bring me bad news, no bad news
I don't need none of your bad news today
You're a sad little boy, anyone can see, just a sad little boy
That's why you're carrying on that way
Why don't you burn it all down, burn your own house down
Burn your own house down, and try to kill your own disease
And leave the rest of us, there's a lot of us
Leave the rest of us who wanna live in peace to live in peace
Whether she’s writing a sad, introspective song about love and death, or an emotionally charged political piece (or something in between), Patty Griffin does not mince words. The emotions in her music are raw, and they weigh heavy; even if the song she’s singing is one she didn’t write.
In 2012, my maternal grandmother passed away. It was the worst loss I've ever experienced. In the days and weeks that followed her death, I would listen to Patty Griffin's version of "All Creatures of our God and King" and weep. Sometimes I still turn that song on and let myself be sad. Not because I enjoy grieving my grandmother. But because the song reminds me of how much I still love her.
Music is wonderful in that way. And Patty Griffin's music allows me to tap into certain emotions I don't always feel comfortable letting myself feel. And that's why I'm a fan.
LINKS
Long Ride Home
No Bad News
All Creatures of Our God and King
ABOUT THE DRAWING
I used more reference for this drawing than the previous ones, and I had a blast with it. Patty Griffin is a delight to listen to and a delight to draw. Also, her guitar kinda looks like mine.
31 Days of Fandom - Day 14 HINT
Here’s a hint at tomorrow’s entry:
It is an item that pertains to guitars…