I know this genre isn't for everyone, but her style is only part of her magic. At the end of the day, what matters more than anything, is whether or not the words of a song can touch you, and this woman has been feeling me up since the very first time I heard L.A. Song. I'd left California in 1998, to go to college, and the song spoke to me. I knew what it felt like to flee L.A., my home, everything I'd ever known, only to find I was essentially still the same person. I couldn't outrun myself. "She left a note, by the phone -- Don't leave a message, 'cause this ain't no home."
At some point, I bought that album, Screamin' for my Supper. Beth is heart-breakingly honest about her struggles with addiction and substance abuse, and that record is a gritty, sometimes violent, depiction of her of her battle with those fearsome demons. Strangely, I found dark reflections of my self in every song, though I've never done an illegal drug in my entire life. Despite our differences, when she puts her pen to her paper, my soul bleeds out onto the page. I know every word to every song on that album. I remember thinking once that if she was that good when she was strung out, what would she be like sober?
About two years ago, I got sucked into Pintrest when I should have been working on my book, and I came across a Beth Hart song I'd never heard before. She'd fallen off my proverbial map after the early 2000's, though I often listened to my one CD. The song, Like You (And Everyone Else), is so different from everything I'd heard of hers before. Her earlier music is wild, aggressive, and strong. Like You is the epitome of vulnerability.
I immediately scoured Youtube for more and found a treasure trove of new music -- new to me, anyway. Now in recovery, Beth is making the most soulful music of her career. Her sound is less rock, and more blues, but still edgy. There's a playful side to her as well, like we saw in Delicious Surprise, and she's still having fun with songs like Bang Bang Boom Boom and Chocolate Jesus. Her aching, sad songs are my favorites, but she writes upbeat jams, as well. Better Man, Learning To Live, and Beautiful Child follow that vein.
The songs I love most from her, though, are the ones that I know must have hurt to write; Sister Heroine, Baddest Blues, Leave The Light On, Life is Calling, Over You, and Tell 'Em To Hold On.
Sadly, the show was over way too soon. There were a ton of songs she didn't sing that I missed. I was waiting for Mechanical Heart, Mama and Tell Her You Belong To Me, but she didn't do those. Beth didn't do L.A. Song either. I did get to see her sing my favorite song, though. I recorded it, even though they told us not to. I couldn't NOT record it. This song is where I'm at in my own life right now. It's how I feel in the quiet moments, when I take stock of where I am, and what I have, and how far I still have to go to get to where I want to be. It hurts to hear the words, but they comfort me in a weird way. This song is everything!
The show was amazing! The theater was filled with true fans who knew the words and appreciated the sound. It was awesome just to be a part of that, to be there in that room. The best part was getting to hear her tell the stories behind the songs, how they came to be, what she was going through when she wrote them. That's all music really is-- a story. Beth Hart is truly a master storyteller!
I got all fancified to go to the show. I even wore make up! Just in case I thought I was looking too cute, though, I fell in the hotel parking lot and scuffed both my knees. And, yes, there were witnesses. I also dropped my phone at the theater and cracked my screen. Still, nothing could ruin this night. My knees are sore, but they'll heal. My phone can be repaired. Nothing will ever tarnish the memory of sitting on that balcony, eating Milk Duds, drinking Blue Moon, and listening to one of the best female Blues singers in the world.
I rented a hotel in Durham because I thought the show would run late and I'd be too tired to drive all the way back to Raleigh. The concert ended before ten, though, and I was amped up as I drove away, regretting that I'd forked over the cash to stay in town. I got back to my room and immediately started writing this blog post. I don't think I even finished the first paragraph before the exhaustion hit me. I woke up at 3:00am, face down on my laptop, with the left over Milk Duds still in my hand. I went pee, cleared off the bed, and fell right back to sleep. I guess it was just too much excitement for one day. So, it's a good thing I didn't try to make that forty-five minute drive, after all.
So, Beth Hart was the highlight of February, and she was fabulous! This is also my "health" month. Not all my doctor's appointments have gone as well. I'll tell you more about that later. March will be "Car" month. I'll also be seeing Katt Williams, Garth Brooks and, possibly, Martin Lawrence, I've still got lots to look forward to this year! It's crazy to think how much fun I've had so far, and we're only two months in!
I got all fancified to go to the show. I even wore make up! Just in case I thought I was looking too cute, though, I fell in the hotel parking lot and scuffed both my knees. And, yes, there were witnesses. I also dropped my phone at the theater and cracked my screen. Still, nothing could ruin this night. My knees are sore, but they'll heal. My phone can be repaired. Nothing will ever tarnish the memory of sitting on that balcony, eating Milk Duds, drinking Blue Moon, and listening to one of the best female Blues singers in the world.
I rented a hotel in Durham because I thought the show would run late and I'd be too tired to drive all the way back to Raleigh. The concert ended before ten, though, and I was amped up as I drove away, regretting that I'd forked over the cash to stay in town. I got back to my room and immediately started writing this blog post. I don't think I even finished the first paragraph before the exhaustion hit me. I woke up at 3:00am, face down on my laptop, with the left over Milk Duds still in my hand. I went pee, cleared off the bed, and fell right back to sleep. I guess it was just too much excitement for one day. So, it's a good thing I didn't try to make that forty-five minute drive, after all.
So, Beth Hart was the highlight of February, and she was fabulous! This is also my "health" month. Not all my doctor's appointments have gone as well. I'll tell you more about that later. March will be "Car" month. I'll also be seeing Katt Williams, Garth Brooks and, possibly, Martin Lawrence, I've still got lots to look forward to this year! It's crazy to think how much fun I've had so far, and we're only two months in!
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