Monday, October 24, 2005
Damien Rice & Lisa Hannigan: Unplayed Piano
I am happy to look for a rope especially for a woman of such graceDamien, who visited Burma and wrote the song in July 2004, said of the cause: “I prefer not to interfere too much with what is going on in the world, but when someone has been thrown into a hole and they ask you to throw down a rope, I am happy to look for a rope especially for a woman of such grace.” — Crud Magazine
There's a reason why Damien Rice has been dominating the folk music scene, since his 2003 release of "O". It's an amazing study in delicate beauty—haunting, joyous, bittersweet, and painful. I still remember the first time I listened to Cold Water. The emotional pain was as paralyzing as it was freeing. It introduces, Lisa Hannigan, who's voice wonderfully compliments Rice's. The two create a achingly beautiful duet, that for me, it is the cornerstone of "O".
Damien Rice does duets well. I love "O", and highly, highly recommend the album. It singlehandedly, kindled a love for folk music, especially the sub-genres of Alternative and Contemporary Folk. (aside: Sure, I love Ani Difranco, and her bran of Urban Folk, but let's face it, she too easily classified as alternative rock/pop to serve as catalyst to new sprung fire for folk music.) But as much as I love "O", and a whole cast of songs that are Damien, through and through—I really love it when Damien does duets. With Tori Amos on "The Power of Orange Knickers", and especially with Lisa Hannigan.
Cold Water introduced me to Lisa Hannigan's vocals, and they were so amazing, I almost cried. But while I was amazed, and wondered, who's that girl, I didn't do too much follow-up. Then came, "Unplayed Piano", and obviously, this review. Unplayed Piano is an amazing song. It's a song to benefit, Nobel Peace Prize winner, and Burmese prisoner, Aung San Suu Kyi, if you don't know who she is, or about the struggle in Burma, visit Action Burma or read the news collection at Google News.
I admit, I purchased the "Unplayed Piano" EP with video, just because it was new music by Damien Rice, and I had been waiting for something else to come out. After my aborted attempt of research, on who was the female vocalist for Cold Water, I have to admit to not even recognizing Lisa Hannigan's name. O' but I recognized her voice, and I was off again. She's amazing. She's wonderful. She's so damn cool! She doesn't even have a solo album. Hell, she doesn't even have a listing at AllMusic, but I'm not the only one appreciating her.
Obviously, Damien loves her as well, since he keeps returning to her voice to make his gorgeous songs even more memorable (how's that possible??). And Jon Hartmere wants to be her. Read this funny, funny take on meeting and wanting to be Lisa Hannigan over at Jon Hartmere's website, Single Chick Theory. It's titled, Being Lisa Hannigan, it's a fun read. That said, I still don't know nearly enough about Lisa Hannigan. I'd feel more satisfied, if she had a solo album or a website with a brief bio. But we can't always get what we want.
But you can get this wonderful song. Buy it today from iTunes Music Store (iTMS).. I recommend it. I highly recommend it. Also, if you like, give a closer look to Damien Rice's "O". It's a fantastic album.
Album
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Song: Unplayed Piano
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Sound Clip
This clip is closer to a minute in a length, rather than the normal 30 seconds I provide. Hopefully, I'm not violating copyright by extending it that far, but I just had to capture the back and forth vocals between Damien and Lisa in this segment of the song; and of course you just had to hear Lisa's voice it's purity. Sorry, the clip ends abruptly, I thought a minute and a half might be too excessive for a "clip", but that's what would have been needed for me to stop it at a breathable point. As always, the clip is in Apple Quicktime Movie format.
Lyrics
Come and see me
Sing me to sleep
Come and free me
Hold me if i need to weep
Maybe it's not the season
Maybe it's not the year
Maybe there's no good reason
Why i'm locked up inside
Just cause they wanna hide me
The moon goes bright
The darker they make my night
Unplayed pianos
Are often by a window
In a room where nobody loved goes
She sits alone with her silent song
Somebody bring her home
Unplayed piano
Still holds a tune
Lock on the lid
In a stale, stale room
Maybe it's not that easy
Or maybe it's not that hard
Maybe they could release me
Let the people decide
I've got nothing to hide
I've done nothing wrong
So why have i been here so long?
Unplayed pianos
Are often by a window
In a room where nobody loved goes
She sits alone with her silent song
Somebody bring her home
Unplayed pianos
Are often by a window
In a room where nobody loved goes
She sits alone with her silent song
Somebody bring her home
Unplayed piano
Still holds a tune
Years pass by
In the changing of the moon
Footnotes
Eskimo Friends, A Damien Rice Fan Listing (Lisa Hannigan)
Being Lisa Hanigan over at Single Chick Theory
Damien Rice by PopMatters
Other Details
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