Book Review
Earth & Sky
The Laurie Lewis Songbook
This is a comprehensive collection of music and lyrics by Laurie Lewis
-- based on her 1997 CD of the same title -- with brief explanations of
the roots of the songs, and the ideas and journeys that led to their
conception. It is illustrated by a variety of cute cartoons and lots of
photographs of Laurie at various stages in her career, alongside her
fellow musicians, family and friends.
The lyrics are delightful, and the tunes clearly notated with
directions for playing. For those not too familiar with Laurie, a
multi-talented lady who is a singer-songwriter, fiddler, guitarist,
bass-player and band-leader, accessing her website will soon acquaint
you with her plethora of CDs and her collaborations with other
musicians. Well-known in bluegrass circles, her style encompasses
bluegrass, country and folk ballad, and there is a veritable feast of
music downloads available to entice you to purchase her CDs. Her clear
voice and skilled playing are the only obvious losses in buying her
songbook! But for those like me who enjoy the broad canvas of her
compositions -- mainly on love, nature, family, friendships, with a
sprinkling of comic lyrics as well -- this book is great for learning
her songs and singing them and/or playing them. There are 40 songs in
total, listed by title, and also by first lines and a comprehensive
discography in the back, naming the 10 CDs other than Earth & Sky from
which the songs are taken, so if there are gaps in your collection, you
may well also be tempted to fill them in as you read the songs.
Earth & Sky: The Laurie Lewis Songbook represents good value for money
and should be appreciated by imitators, musicians, singers and fans
alike. I believe the title comes from "The Maple's Lament," a poignant
and lovely song with a delicately mournful violin solo, inspired by the
fashion of inscribing such instruments with Latin words which translate
as "When I was alive I stood mute in the forest. Now, in death, I
sing." Laurie's take on this was to say, "what about the tree?" "And
when the day would come I'd raise my branches to the sun. I was a child
of earth and sky and all the world was one. ... I am but the slave who
sings when master draws the bow. ... But sometimes from mem'ry I can
sing the birds in flight/And I can sing of sweet dark earth and endless
starry nights/But oh, my favourite song of all, I truly do believe/Is
the song the sunlight sang to me while dancing on my leaves."
Aside from sounding the violin strings, if your heartstrings remain unplucked by Laurie's sentiments, then at least recommend this book to those who will enjoy her unique viewpoint on life.
- Rambles
written by Jenny Ivor
published 8 March 2003