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Old 30-07-2005, 20:21
Ruby_
 
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Joan Armatrading's music has great personal significance for me. As a teenager in the 70s, I owned everything she'd ever released, and she was frequently on my turntable. Listening to her early albums like 'Whatever's For Us', 'Back to the Night', 'Joan Armatrading' or 'Show Some Emotion' today brings back a lot of strong feelings for me. Although I stopped following her in the early 80s, when she moved from folk/pop to the more conventional rock/pop sound of 'Me Myself I' and 'Walk Under Ladders', I still love her music and consider her to be one of the greatest songwriters of my lifetime.

Given the quality of Joan Armatrading's albums over the period 1972-1981, I feel she has never received anything like the level of popular acclaim that she deserves! I believe that her self-titled album 'Joan Armatrading' (1976) belongs in most people's collections. I'd warmly recommend it to anyone who appreciates well-written melodies, brilliant lyrics, first class musicianship and a beautiful female alto voice. There is not a single track on this lovely album which isn't of exceptional quality.

After an eight year break following a long period of little success, in 2003 she released 'Lovers Speak', a completely solo effort including all instruments and production, which received warm reviews from critics and longstanding fans. I wouldn't class it with her best works, but it is a strong, unpretentious album with some lovely songs, and very far from the typical 'comeback' album.

She is very rarely mentioned in this forum and on the few occasions she has been, hardly anyone has responded. I am curious to know whether most people under 30 have even heard of her. Any forum members who've followed Joan throughout her career? Any other responses or views?
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Old 30-07-2005, 20:29
xMariax
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I am 17 and I love Joan Armatradings voice! Her album ' Track Record ' is one of my favourite album
Obviously I havn't followed Joan throughout her career. I first heard her when her song 'Heaven' was on in the car once, and I loved it, asked my mum to borrow the album, and loved it since
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Old 30-07-2005, 20:33
tonbangeratty
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I think she's wonderful too. I was listening to 'Track Record' only the other day - all the songs sound as fresh and relevant today as they did when they were written.

Inspite of their immediacy her work is notoriously complex and difficult to play/cover, which is probably why her stuff hasn't been murdered so far by the likes of Elton John.

At last Ruby - some signs of good taste!

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Old 30-07-2005, 21:37
Ruby_
 
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It's lovely to see your reply Antonia. Hope you mention her to others too!

Tonbangeratty, believe me, the surprise is entirely mutual!
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Old 30-07-2005, 22:25
JJ2005
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I don't have any of Joan's albums, though I do like her well-known songs such as Love and Affection.

I am a very big fan of Tracy Chapman and I have all her albums on CD. Is Joan’s stuff broadly similar?

Maybe I will explore her stuff a bit. I love female singer songwriters such as Chapman, Joni Mitchell and Janis Ian.
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Old 30-07-2005, 22:30
xMariax
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Originally Posted by JJ2005
I don't have any of Joan's albums, though I do like her well-known songs such as Love and Affection.

I am a very big fan of Tracy Chapman and I have all her albums on CD. Is Joan’s stuff broadly similar?

Maybe I will explore her stuff a bit. I love female singer songwriters such as Chapman, Joni Mitchell and Janis Ian.
I love Tracy Chapman as well!
I think that their voices are quite similar.
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Old 30-07-2005, 23:00
Ruby_
 
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Originally Posted by JJ2005
I don't have any of Joan's albums, though I do like her well-known songs such as Love and Affection.

I am a very big fan of Tracy Chapman and I have all her albums on CD. Is Joan’s stuff broadly similar?

Maybe I will explore her stuff a bit. I love female singer songwriters such as Chapman, Joni Mitchell and Janis Ian.
I'd agree with Antonia that their voices are similar. Joan's material is very different. I think her musical influences are much broader and her lyrical style is more personal.

Look, I love all the artists you've mentioned too. You're obviously part of Joan Armatrading's natural fanbase. Please, do yourself a huge favour and listen to her self-titled album. You will enjoy it. I promise.

There are clips available from the link in my OP.
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Old 31-07-2005, 10:39
rzappa
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I've been a fan of Joan's for years.

What I didn't realise until I saw a concert of hers on tv (several years ago now) was what a great guitar player she is.
When she played a cover of Van Morrison's Moondance she played the accoustic solo fast and spanned the whole of the neck whilst doing so. Sounded fantastic & looked really impressive too.

She deserves far greater credit than she gets as a singer, songwriter and musician.
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Old 31-07-2005, 15:20
Ruby_
 
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Great comment, rzappa! You've given me an excuse to quote two people from her Ectophiles page:

Joan Armatrading is an outstanding guitarist, she plays acoustic Ovations, a six-string and a 12-string as well as a variety of electrics. When she tours, she takes about 7 guitars with her, including two electric gibsons and a strat.
I always thought she was a good guitarist, but when I finally saw her (back in the '80s, this was), I was truly impressed. She's so shy, even on stage, that it's almost like she wants to keep her ability a secret. But at one point in the concert someone handed her an electric guitar, and she ripped through a solo that made the whole crowd gasp out loud; I don't think anyone had any idea that she even played electric at that point.
Sadly I can't say that I noticed it myself when I saw her perform live in 1980, but that was just because I was totally rapt in her voice.
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Old 31-07-2005, 19:44
didy
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Heaven was 'our song' when my husband and I got married in 1988. My husband had Track Record. I also love Willow.
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Old 01-08-2005, 18:39
marling
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Great to see so many bigging up Joan! Loved her since 'Love and Affection' and even really liked her 'Me Myself I' phase.

Ruby_ you are probably right that most of us of a certain age have a Joanie or two albums / CD's tucked away in our collection. I must dig one of hers out as I now can't get 'Drop the Pilot' out of my head: 'animal, mineral physical, spiritual....
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Old 01-08-2005, 20:14
alex golf
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Love and affection is the best song......ever.

It's perfect.

Enough said
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Old 01-08-2005, 20:53
tonbangeratty
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Originally Posted by alex golf
Love and affection is the best song......ever.

It's perfect.

Enough said
You've obviously not heard 'You're Beautiful' yet!

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Old 01-08-2005, 22:20
alex golf
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No your right. I haven't.

But even if it is as good as what i have read, it would not stop L & A being what IT is.
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Old 01-08-2005, 23:36
tonbangeratty
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Originally Posted by alex golf
No your right. I haven't.

But even if it is as good as what i have read, it would not stop L & A being what IT is.
I think you're getting tied up in your own semantics here.

Surely it follows that if you heard a better song, L&A could no longer be 'the best song......ever'. It could still be perfect - no uniqueness is implied in perfection.

Granted 'it would not stop L&A being what IT is', but L&A will have been surplanted in your affections by the new song.

You'd have been better off saying 'one of the best songs......ever' - that would have prevented my 'sniping' post and you wouldn't have shown yourself up.

Just some free advice from well-meaning FM.



PS: I was joking about 'You're Beautiful' - it's sh*te.
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Old 02-08-2005, 13:20
Ruby_
 
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Originally Posted by tonbangeratty
I think you're getting tied up in your own semantics here.

Surely it follows that if you heard a better song, L&A could no longer be 'the best song......ever' ...

... You'd have been better off saying 'one of the best songs......ever' - that would have prevented my 'sniping' post and you wouldn't have shown yourself up.

Just some free advice from well-meaning FM.
Tonbangeratty please stop your *outrageous* patronising and nitpicking. This thread is about Joan, and people are welcome to eulogise her as far as I'm concerned, without being spoken down to like this!

I wish I'd called this an appreciation thread now.

Last edited by Ruby_ : 02-08-2005 at 13:59.
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Old 02-08-2005, 13:44
Ruby_
 
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Originally Posted by alex golf
Love and affection is the best song......ever.

It's perfect.

Enough said
I agree that it's perfect. Enough said, indeed.

I noticed that several people here own Joan's compilation album, Track Record. I wasn't familiar with it, so I went and had a look at the track list. Basically the first half of it is her rockier, post-1980 work, and the second half is her earlier, folkier work. Anyone who especially likes 'Down To Zero', 'Love And Affection, 'Show Some Emotion' or 'Willow' is missing out dreadfully if they never hear her self-titled album, which consists entirely of stunning songs in a similar genre. In my opinion, it's the best album she ever released.
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Old 02-08-2005, 14:08
benzippy
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Just letting you all know that Joan is touring this year. Dates on her website.
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Old 02-08-2005, 16:26
Ruby_
 
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Originally Posted by marling
Great to see so many bigging up Joan! Loved her since 'Love and Affection' and even really liked her 'Me Myself I' phase.

Ruby_ you are probably right that most of us of a certain age have a Joanie or two albums / CD's tucked away in our collection...
I was trying to figure out what I'd said that was probably right, then I realised you probably meant this: "I believe that her self-titled album... belongs in most people's collections." What I meant was that I think it should be in most people's collections, not that I think it actually is. Yes, most of us of a certain age probably do own a couple of Joan's albums, but I suspect she's under the radar for most people under 40. Hope I'm wrong though.

Originally Posted by benzippy
Just letting you all know that Joan is touring this year. Dates on her website.
Thanks for mentioning that. Has anyone been to one of her recent concerts? Any recollections of the audience's age range?

Last edited by Ruby_ : 02-08-2005 at 17:15.
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Old 02-08-2005, 20:45
tonbangeratty
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Originally Posted by Ruby_
Tonbangeratty please stop your *outrageous* patronising and nitpicking. This thread is about Joan, and people are welcome to eulogise her as far as I'm concerned, without being spoken down to like this!

I wish I'd called this an appreciation thread now.
Sorry Ruby.

At no point would I question anyone's love of JA - I think she's great myself (as you know).

I just thought (rightly or wrongly) that AG's reply to my previous lighthearted post was a little offhand, and flawed, so I responded with thinly veiled sarcasm.

For future reference my posts are almost always meant in jest (I come on DS for a laugh or to help answer queries), but if somebody slights me or takes issue with me specifically then I feel I have the right to reply in kind if I so choose.

And I thought we were getting on just great.

I was going to add you to my buddy list.

You were nice before - now you've gone all horrid.

Your loss pal.



















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Old 02-08-2005, 22:21
adamcm
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i've only heard 'Drop The Pilot' but i love that song lol
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Old 16-01-2012, 13:47
pinkteddyx64
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I know this thread is old, but I really enjoy songs by Joan Armatrading such as "Me Myself I", "I'm Lucky" and "Drop The Pilot" with my favourite one being "I'm Lucky".

My stepdad has got a friend who knows Joan Armatrading.
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Old 16-01-2012, 14:42
SonofaBeast
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She's a great talent. I love the songs "Dry Land" and "Rosie".
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Old 17-01-2012, 09:04
mushymanrob
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class act.... it frustrates me that today so much attention is placed upon heavily hyped artists like beyonce yet true artistes like joan are overlooked.
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Old 17-01-2012, 09:08
warszawa
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I saw her a couple of years ago and her guitar playing was something else. A genuine talent.
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