thus the dedication [“...to the memory of that place without interjecting myself there, there, myself interjecting without place that had just been so disturbed about the war; horrors of war.”]. and and that song overwhelmingly connected someplace someone else would be. else would someone someplace from the new record. the new record. from giving giving people three-and-a-half minutes of in in giving details and still remaining Basically, I wanted to be able to put people in people put to able be to wanted I Basically, everysoldier and every civilian lost to the of of any other written songwriter an who’s just ode to their ). stepfather (laughs We’ve I think that the greatest challenge for me I am a pacifist andapologize I don’t forit, finishedour tour of U.K.theand Ireland with this record was a song like “Beautiful.” “Beautiful.” like a song was thiswith record song other any than more audience, the with universal? universal? That is so extremely personal. I don’t know know don’t I personal. is extremely so That There is a journalistic quality to these tunes. tunes. these to quality journalistic a is There Were you trying to chronicle events? you trying chronicle to Were What’s the challenge for a songwriter After being rocked being After

Hearts Hearts in , Mind which in recent years by a bout with thyroid cancer, cancer, thyroid with bout a by years recent in the outspoken Griffith sat down sat toGriffith discuss the outspoken ponders the strength of love in the face of her her newest album, albums, Nanci Griffith has made made has Griffith Nanci albums, a career of both writing and Songs like “Before,” “Simple Life” and us her thoughts on Sylvia Plath, George W. us her on Sylvia thoughts Plath, George W. Bush and singing naked on stage. stage. on naked singing and Bush ongoing war. While we it, at she were gave war. ongoing runs through your new album? new your album? runs through her her own “Gulf Coast Highway,” Over Over the last 26 years and 24 finding folk-rock classics such as such classics folk-rock finding Do you feel like there’s a specific theme that that theme specific a there’s like feel you Do Julie Gold’s world-peace anthem anthem world-peace Gold’s Julie And there are songs about reconciliation.songsaboutthereare And I “Heart of Indochine” are about inneraboutpeace. are Indochine” of “Heart “Love “Love at the Five and Dime” or Distance.” a “From ci Griffith nci Na s with: e ut n VE Mi Nanci Griffith Nanci — Mind in Hearts in deeds of hate the blood has flowed their ghosts from grace” of peace around this ball FI Is just a bloody fall Humanity upon this ball We’ve killed our menWe’ve We spend ourWe destinies And refused to hear Almost a century, “Big Blue Ball War” Blue of “Big “

Five Minutes with: Nanci Griffith by Bob Cannon 1 2 3 4 5 Nanci Griffith Hearts in Mind 5 Minutes with Nanci Griffith End

Why do you suppose that is? the song “Old Hanoi.” That was inspired by So it was just time it had a voice. I didn’t think it would be a universal my trips there, but it was also inspired by Your voice sounds deeper and richer on this sentiment—thanking my stepfather for reading Graham Greene. I think reading is record. What’s different? being there for me and for taking me on as a must for anybody who wants to be a writer One of the things that Pat McInerney and a daughter. I guess it is more universal than of prose or a songwriter. You’ve gotta put myself, as co-producers on this project, a lot of people think. something in your head first. decided was to do something different with When did he become your stepfather? You’re known for picking great tunes by other the background vocals. I’ve always done my When I was 10. I had a well-formed stubborn writers. What draws you to certain songs? own, and if you put my high harmonies on personality by the time he came along When we started putting this record together, top of each other, that creates a certain (laughs). He communicated with me with I called Julie Gold, and I said “Julie, I really sound. With this record I didn’t do my music, and that sort of settled me down and would like to have a new song from you backing vocals. They’re different voices, gave me something to dedicate my life to. so it separates and sets aside my voice, as And he really played with Woody Herman, opposed to making a choir out of it. like the song says? The Concept of Were you going for a hymnal feel on “Big Yes he did. He played with Woody Herman’s Home Home for a Blue Ball of War”? Traveling Musician big band, which disbanded in 1953. But the I was. I wrote that song for a songwriters-in- irony of that is that, as you may know, I’ve “It is always where my voice sings true and the-round with Mary Chapin Carpenter, Le written a lot of songs with my evil twin, Tom remains my private sanctuary.” Ann Etheridge and Emmylou Harris at the Littlefield, and Tom is Woody Herman’s Telluride Bluegrass Festival. We were doing —Nanci Griffith a thing in the square for the Landmine campaign, and I wrote it for us all to sing “I think reading is a must for together. I think if I have two masterpieces anybody who wants to be a in my catalog, they’re “Big Blue Ball of War” and “It’s a Hard Life Wherever You Go.” writer of prose or a songwriter. Is it hard to maintain a note of hope after singing about all these atrocities? You’ve gotta put something in Well, I think the last verse is a ray of hope, your head first.” that we have to call evil what evil is. We have to have a reformation, because there has to grandson. It’s frightening how fate works. be a way for humanity to exist without war. That tune shows the world your scat singing, And as my liner notes tell you, “OK boys, doesn’t it? it’s been all about you, all about taking care Ella Fitzgerald once said that scatting is like of you, all about your bloody wars, since standing on stage naked, and it is. When I the time of Abraham. And it’s time to take did it in the studio, it was like being naked in your garbage out to the curb and leave it the studio. Now it has just become the most there, and you’re not coming in this house freeing feeling on stage. I’m getting better at until you do. It’s time that women started it, but when we did it in the studio, that was a standing up and saying, ‘It’s time to change. first take, so it was a real lame effortlaughs ( ). We’re tired of you killing our children.’” But it does make people smile, and it’s become if you have anything.” Well, Julie had been Did your bout with cancer color what you a really special moment in the show. so traumatized by September 11 that she put into this record? What compelled you to record Le Ann had not written anything since. So I asked I think my whole experience gave me a Etheridge’s “Back When Ted Loved Sylvia”? her for a song, and a week later we were different attitude about life, because every I’m a huge Sylvia Plath fan. I’ve been to playing a Campaign For a Landmine Free day for me is a bonus, and I don’t take the archives several times at Smith College, World show in Boston, and Julie came up anything for granted. where all of her papers are. I was so taken and said, “Nance, I wrote a song just for you.” Do you feel like an elder stateswoman with Le Ann Etheridge’s outlook on it, She played “Mountain of Sorrow” that night these days? because there has been this war between and it just fit. Now she’s just writing away. It I do get a lot of calls for advice, so I feel scholars about whose fault [Plath’s suicide] kind of broke the block of ice that she had like I am an elder stateswoman now. Is was. Was it Sylvia’s or did Ted [Hughes, in her head. that good? That’s great. I had sworn I was Plath’s husband] drive her to it? It’s a Where did you find Tom Kimmel and going to leave the country for four years if brilliant song, beautifully written, and I Jennifer Kimball’s song, “Angels”? Bush won again. It made a huge splash in think it’s amazing that it’s being used in a Tom and Jennifer wrote that song back The Tennessean, and all sorts of people were university course at Smith College on Sylvia when Tom and I were dating, which is writing in nasty things like “Good riddance.” Plath. Le Ann is just so overwhelmed by the ancient history. They wrote it together, and But I ran into Brenda Lee, who grabbed me recognition she’s receiving in academia. of course, Jennifer is his ex-wife. So I heard by the arm and said, “You can’t leave! We What has drawn you toward literary the song right when it was written. Art need your voice, and this is no time for any pursuits? Garfunkel was making a record and he took of us to be leaving the country.” And I said, It’s a great escape. And in order to write the song, but I don’t think that record ever “When Brenda Lee speaks, I listen.” So I split well, you need to read. Reading comes first, came out. It’s such a beautiful song, and Tom the difference—Brenda Lee being my elder and you can’t write until you learn to read. I and Jennifer were inspired to write it by my stateswoman, I feel like I’m in the in-between get so many inspirations from reading, like favorite film, Wim Wenders’Wings of Desire. generation of elder stateswomen. ■

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