Chet’s Janis Ian collection
So, she’s been around like forever, but then so have I. And my brother’s comment that she’s still around made me wonder whether he’d thought she got married and then faded from the music scene. I guess that’s what’s usually expected of us “girls”, right? Maybe that’s why in the “good” old days, families don’t invest much in educating their daughters cuz it’d be wasted cuz they’d eventually marry, settle down and have babies, etc., etc. Besides, their husbands will be supporting them, right? Yeah, right … not.
Don’t get me wrong. I don’t think my brother’s comment shows that he shares such ancient views. I think he said it cuz she’s not had very many commercial hits since “At 17″, which may mean she’s not been successful. Well, not by mainstream standard. But she’s been quietly chugging away and has her own circle of fans, a cirrcle that includes me, and Dinesh and Sylvia, the husband-and-wife team behind Greenhorn Productions that’s bringing Janis to Singapore in February.
Hi, Dinesh & Sylvia!
*waves*
Er … but that’s not what this post is about. I want to talk about my Janis Ian collection (all three of them – one cassette and two CDs, one of them a double), and link them to where you can have a listen to some samples online. (To listen, just click on the album pictures to go to their respective pages at amazon.com, from where you can click on specific song titles to hear a sample.)
| Between the Lines (Cassette)
Mine is a cassette version, bought more than 15 years ago when I was studying in Norwich, and had borrowed a copy from the Norwich Library, after which I went and got my own copy. Altho I keep meaning to, I’ve never got around to getting a CD version cuz sometimes, I find the songs in it quite depressing. But this is where I first heard “At 17″ and “In the Winter” (oh, the nights Mel and I spent singing the chorus at the top of our lungs while staying in that house on Bathurst Street). | |
| Billie’s Bones (CD)
About eight or 10 years ago, for some reason, I went searching for Janis Ian online and found her web site (www.janisian.com) which she maintains herself and which has a list of her writings, etc. Recently, I visited the site again (after quite a few years) and found it has a new look. Not only that, it had details about her new album, Billie’s Bones, complete with notes about the different stages of the writing and the recording right through to the final packaging and all. There were even downloads of some songs from the album, which I downloaded, listened and enjoyed very much, as well as shared with one friend in particular. When I heard that my brother-in-law’s niece was coming back from the States, I ordered this CD and the next one below and had them sent to her address for her to bring back for me. Billie’s Bones is what I’ve been listening to for the past few mornings on my way to work. |
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| Live: Working without a Net (Double CD)
I heard a couple of tracks from this album and was hooked, so it was a must-have, purchased along with Billie’s Bones. Most singers don’t sound as good “live” as they do in studio recordings. The exceptions that I’ve heard so far have all been women singers, including Donna Summer, kdlang, and of course, Janis Ian. The only grouse I have with the “live” recording is when she speaks between songs and often cannot be heard too clearly. But then that only adds to the intimacy of the occasion, and gives me a glimpse of what to expect for her Singapore concert. |
BTW, my brother has booked my ticket and will be collecting it soon. He also found a picture of the venue online for me:
 Source: Esplanade: Theatres on the Bay |
As VaLz said, I got me a nice brother.
Concert information:
Janis Ian-Live!
