Empty Pages: Issa's Sunday Service, #183

Photo by Cohdra

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Traffic was one of the great rock bands with jazz inclinations of the late 60s and early 70s. A multi-talented assemblage of musicians, the band was composed of founding members Stevie Winwood, Dave Mason, Jim Capaldi, and the great Chris Wood. 

Today's choice is self-explanatory: the title says it all. A light, airy almost pop piece, with an eerie undercutting of something a bit unsettling. The artist here seems to be balancing life and work, perhaps not too successfully.

So it goes.

 
Empty Pages 

Found someone who can comfort me
But there are always exceptions
And she's good at appearing sane
But I just want you to know

She's the one makes me feel so good
When everything is against me
Picks me up when I'm feeling down
So I've got something to show

Staring at empty pages
Centered 'round the same old plot
Staring at empty pages
Flowing along the ages

Often lost and forgotten
The vagueness and the mud
I've been thinking I'm working too hard
But I've got something to show

Staring at empty pages
Centered 'round the same old plot
Staring at empty pages
Flowing along the ages

Staring at empty pages
Centered 'round the same old plot
Staring at empty pages
Flowing along the ages

Often lost and forgotten
The vagueness and the mud
I've been thinking I'm working too hard
But I've got something to show, you know

Found someone who can comfort me
But there are always exceptions
And she's good at appearing sane
But I just want you to know

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here is a live performance by the band, from early 1972, featuring Stevie Winwood's oft overlooked, formidable guitar chops and some fine flute work by the equally multi-talented Chris Wood, particularly after the first go round. Around the third verse, Winwood is joined by Jim Capaldi for some fine vocal harmonizing. This traditional British folk song, John Barleycorn, dates from the 17th century and is given due respect by this versatile rock band: 
 
       

Malted Barley by Finley McWalters

     

ripened barley--
walking through the field
a little sake vendor

Issa
translated by David G. Lanoue

best,

Don

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Go to the LitRock web site for a list of all 183 songs