ENCORE OF THE MONTH
March, 2020
Jeff Buckley
Jeff Buckley drowned in the Mississippi River at the age of 30. His one and only studio album was 'Grace'. The album garnered accolades from both the public and the industry. Jimmy Page called it his number 1 album of the decade while David Bowie put it into his top 10 albums he would take with him to a deserted island. 'Grace' was the lead single and it really captures the mood of the album. The under currents that run just under the surface make 'Grace' a really interesting song.
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'Grace' is an album peppered with lyrical undertones. It is not surprising that Bob Dylan called Buckley one of the best songwriters of the decade.
One of our favorite songs on the album is 'Last Goodbye'. It is also the song that had the greatest commercial success.
One of the most hauntingly beautiful songs on 'Grace' is Leonard Cohen's 'Hallelujah'. This tune just takes me to another place.
Tim Buckley, a 60s folk star, who died of an overdose at the age of 28, was the estranged father of Jeff. Jeff Buckley only met his father once and he was never given the opportunity to talk to him. Jeff was not invited to his father's funeral and was reluctant to accept an offer to play at a tribute concert for his father. He decided to play at the concert and sang the song 'I never asked you to be my mountain'. Tim had written this song to his estranged wife and son. What makes this song so chilling when Jeff performed it at the tribute concert is the additional lines of forgiveness and acceptance he adds to it at the end of the song. It gives me goosebumps.
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