John Keats
(While I’m in Italy, here’s the second of two previous posts about the English poet John Keats, who died in Rome in February 1821. This one’s also about Tim Buckley, a not dissimilar soul.)
I heard it said once that an artist is a young man who gives up the quest for wealth, fame, and beautiful women to pursue his art, whereby he hopes to gain wealth, fame, and beautiful women.
I wrote a few weeks ago about John Keats, who at 19 gave up everything for poetry. Keats was born in 1795. When he was in his teens, the most famous man in Europe—next to Napoleon—was a poet: George Noel Gordon, Lord Byron. A sensitive young man with the creative spark and a yearning after fame had Byron as his model. He picked up a pen.
When I was in my teens, Byron was, of course, long dead, and poetry—as a meaningful part of popular culture—was all but defunct. A sensitive young man with the creative spark and a yearning after fame had Elvis Presley and Buddy Holly, and, soon enough, the Beatles and Bob Dylan as his models. He picked up a guitar.
So, I’ve always wondered: If Keats had been born in my generation, would he have formed the Kinks?
Which leads me to wondering about someone else—one of the many singer-songwriters who emerged after Dylan in the 1960s: Tim Buckley. A beautiful curly-headed boy with a tenor of incredible range. He played a Martin 12-string. Because I encountered him and Keats at about the same time, and each as a rapturous discovery, they’re often paired in my thoughts to this day.
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They were both so young. They were freakishly gifted, and they developed startlingly fast, and while one could have chosen to write poems, and the other to record albums, that were more likely to fetch a living and make them popular, they chose instead to search for the art that was uniquely theirs. I’m sure they yearned for wealth, fame, and beautiful women, but the art is what fired them.
They died obscure: Keats, never famous while he lived, of tuberculosis, at 25. Buckley, popular at first but punished for his musical innovations, of drugs, at 28.
John Keats: 1795-1821. Tim Buckley: 1947-1975.
Why the big deal over these two—I mean, why the big deal for me? Because we long for a voice, especially when we are young. And when we are young, the artist who has the voice we would have, if only we’d been so blessed, is the next best thing. I think it was the naturalist/essayist Loren Eiseley who wrote of the need the thrush has to sing in the trees: “Thrush here!” That’s what we want to do on our own, and what is done on our behalf, sometimes, by particular artists. In our gratitude we love them.
I’m going to assume that the appreciation of those who sing on our behalf has always been a part of humankind, though the poem or the song that sounds like our own voice has differed with the culture and the era. If John Keats were somehow able to listen to Tim Buckley, would it sound like music to him, or mere noise? What are the odds that Tim Buckley would have read “Ode on Melancholy” and said, “I can dig that?”
I’ll also assume that you, today, have artists of your own, whether on a yellowing page of a book or in the original vinyl or in your mind’s eye from that matinee performance of years ago, who produce the song you would sing if only you could. Who are they?
Before too long, I’ll tell you more about Tim Buckley’s career. In the meantime, you can watch the video of an early song of his called “Happy Time,” from 1968.
Ted the Cat (1994-present) is a domestic shorthair blogger and vers libre poet. He also enjoys sleeping, eating, and lurking. Ted the Cat co-habits with Kaze,
also a blogger at 317am.net.
Wonderful post. My husband has a 12-string Martin and plays it beautifully. But I digress. The most influential songwriter for me was (and still is) Joni Mitchell. Johnny Rivers is also high on my long list of favorites.
I'm not that familiar with Tim Buckley but look forward to reading more about his career.
Thanks you so much for the kind words, ficwriter. What kind of fic do you write?
Joni Mitchell…what a journey she's made. All those men and cigarettes. I listen to "Blue" a lot, and "Court and Spark." "Carey, get out your cane."
Great post, indeed (but aren't they all?).
On paper: Emily Dickinson, Prévert and Aragon.
for the ear and the eye: Brel, Ferré, Brassens, Ferrat, Nougaro, Ferré, James Taylor, Gordon Lightfoot, Joni Mitchell, those 4 chappies from Liddipool, Janis Ian, Leonard Cohen (his songs, hate his voice) Sondheim … how long do you want me to go on?
Fav songs:
Send in the Clowns
Calling (Bagdad Café)
The way we were
Poor little rich girl
Great write up, but the 12 String was a Guild and Tim went through a couple. Guild F-412 and eventually a custom built Guild F-512. He also had a Fender "Hockey Stick" 12 Stringed Electric.
Thirty-five years later and I find out it was a Guild that Tim was playing . . . damn! Whoever you are, Anonymous, I'm going to trust you on this. I stand corrected.
For me it's the music moreso than the lyrics. If the melody sings directly to me, whether it's John Waite's "ain't missing you" or Pacabels Canon in D, the lyrics are merely ornamental. The emotion tearing through words on a page or on a CD and brought forth through a couple of bars brings the world clarity and has the power to still my beating heart.
Anonymous – That's one reason I liked Tim's music so much. The more he developed as a musician, the more he used his voice as one more instrument in the ensemble, and the words were swept up and away in the emotions. Were you a fan?
Wonderful writing about Keats and Buckley. Both were brilliant, sensitive, talented and enormously creative. Your celebration of them is a breath of fresh air in today’s social climate. Thank you so much for your insight, love, compassion, and marvelous creative powers. Keep on keepin’ on, Steve! All the very best, Lee
Hmm it appears like your blog ate my first comment (it was extremely long) so I guess I’ll just sum it up what I wrote and say, I’m thoroughly enjoying your blog. I as well am an aspiring blog blogger but I’m still new to everything. Do you have any tips for beginner blog writers? I’d definitely appreciate it.
Winona – Glad you’re enjoying 317am, and please do try to recreate your first comment for us. Ras writes about blogging from time to time and you may enjoy this particular post. Use our search function and key in “blogging” and other keywords that might interest you, and you’re bound to find more. http://www.317am.net/2011/05/blogging-101-choosing-your-niche.html