Ray LaMontagne — Winter Birds
Album: Gossip In The GrainAvg rating:
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Total ratings: 741
Length: 6:12
Plays (last 30 days): 0
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It's the Widow now that owns that angry plow,
The spartan Mule and The Crippled Cow
The fallow field that will yield no more,
As the fox lay sleeping beneath her kitchen floor
The stream can't contain such the withering rain,
And from the pasture the fence it is leaning away
The clouds crack and growl
Like some great cat on the prowl
Crying out, "I am, I am" over and over again
The days grow short
As the nights grow long
The kettle sings it's tortured song
As many petalled kiss I place upon her brow,
Oh, my lady, Lady I am loving you now
The winter birds have come back again,
Here the sprightly Chickadee
Gone now is the Willow Wren
In passing greet each other as if old, old friends
And to the voiceless trees
It is their own they will lend
The days grow short
As the nights grow long
The kettle sings it's tortured song
As many petalled kiss I place upon her brow,
Oh, my lady, Lady I am loving you now
And though all these things will change,
The memories will remain
As green to gold, and gold to brown
The leaves will fall to feed the ground
And in their falling, make no sound
Oh my lady,
Lady I am loving you now
I've gathered all my money and I'm goin' to town,
To buy my lady a long and flowing gown
'Cause come tomorrow morning
We're off to the county fair
I'll find a yellow flower
And I will lace it in her hair
The spartan Mule and The Crippled Cow
The fallow field that will yield no more,
As the fox lay sleeping beneath her kitchen floor
The stream can't contain such the withering rain,
And from the pasture the fence it is leaning away
The clouds crack and growl
Like some great cat on the prowl
Crying out, "I am, I am" over and over again
The days grow short
As the nights grow long
The kettle sings it's tortured song
As many petalled kiss I place upon her brow,
Oh, my lady, Lady I am loving you now
The winter birds have come back again,
Here the sprightly Chickadee
Gone now is the Willow Wren
In passing greet each other as if old, old friends
And to the voiceless trees
It is their own they will lend
The days grow short
As the nights grow long
The kettle sings it's tortured song
As many petalled kiss I place upon her brow,
Oh, my lady, Lady I am loving you now
And though all these things will change,
The memories will remain
As green to gold, and gold to brown
The leaves will fall to feed the ground
And in their falling, make no sound
Oh my lady,
Lady I am loving you now
I've gathered all my money and I'm goin' to town,
To buy my lady a long and flowing gown
'Cause come tomorrow morning
We're off to the county fair
I'll find a yellow flower
And I will lace it in her hair
Comments (54)add comment
Stephen_Phillips wrote:
That is his style - it sounds the way he wants it to sound. You're right of course, 'pitch' is more of a suggestion to him, but that's part of the presentation. It's a song of heartbreak and loss - breaking pitch is an element of sorrow.
Not unlike when somebody told Neil Young he was flat - he responded with 'I know. It's my style'. And SRV was always a tiny fraction behind the beat - also his style.
I get it, it ain't for everyone. But y'know, folks like Ray and Neil and Stevie never did it for everyone - they did it for themselves.
c.
If he was a contestant on American Idol or Xfactor the judges would call this "pitchy".
He is all over the place... sharp one minute... flat the other... and so breathless it makes me feel like he needs a draw on an oxygen mask.
I like breathless singing and I like singing acoustically with no electronic effects but this is well below par.
If it was a bootleg recording of a practice run through of a new song I could forgive it - but a full professional studio recording and mastering and put out by a major record label? No way.
Not unlike when somebody told Neil Young he was flat - he responded with 'I know. It's my style'. And SRV was always a tiny fraction behind the beat - also his style.
I get it, it ain't for everyone. But y'know, folks like Ray and Neil and Stevie never did it for everyone - they did it for themselves.
c.
gwolfie1959 wrote:
have you listened to his self titled album that includes 'loan me a dime' (1969) and his third album, Boz Scaggs and Band 1971?
I see that Ray LaMontagne has gotten some bad ratings. There seems to be people who just don't get him.
I feel the same way about Box Scaggs. I can't stand his voice and I don't like his music.
So now I don't comment on how I feel bout' Boz.
have you listened to his self titled album that includes 'loan me a dime' (1969) and his third album, Boz Scaggs and Band 1971?
bjornfallman wrote:
Be quiet and listen...you might learn something!!!
So glad it’s not only me that finds this dissonant. I started to question my hearing.
Be quiet and listen...you might learn something!!!
So glad it’s not only me that finds this dissonant. I started to question my hearing.
Damn, he looks like a dead ringer for a young Donald Sutherland in this photo. And my son informs me he also looks like Rhett of Rhett and Link, for those of us in the younger set.
I don't get all the negative shit about this lovely song....there's nothing pitchy about it, and I'm very particular about pitch, maybe people can't get their collective heads round his phrasing, which btw is wonderful....gonna give a 10 just cos I can
Haha! I love all the criticism of the song, so much fun to read. Still like it though. How is it that Ray LaMontagne can simultaneously be so good while being almost a caricature of himself?
I normally like him but WOW he's all over the place with his pitch. I'd love to see him record this again, because it's a decent song otherwise.
I don't hear what off-key singing is supposed to contribute to the song.
Very much a Ray fan , but this is definitely not his best work.
So a rating of decent is, unfortunately, about right. :-(
So a rating of decent is, unfortunately, about right. :-(
Rating this super high to boost it up. It deserves better than 5.5
Gish05 wrote:
A lot
This sucks.
A lot
As usual for Ray, terribly annoying vocals. Ugh.
Such a depressing song
I see that Ray LaMontagne has gotten some bad ratings. There seems to be people who just don't get him.
I feel the same way about Box Scaggs. I can't stand his voice and I don't like his music.
So now I don't comment on how I feel bout' Boz.
I feel the same way about Box Scaggs. I can't stand his voice and I don't like his music.
So now I don't comment on how I feel bout' Boz.
Stephen_Phillips wrote:
Generally, anything being disliked by the judges on those loathsome television programs could be a good sign, but I don't find this to be a particularly good song or recording either.
If he was a contestant on American Idol or Xfactor the judges would call this "pitchy".
He is all over the place... sharp one minute... flat the other... and so breathless it makes me feel like he needs a draw on an oxygen mask.
I like breathless singing and I like singing acoustically with no electronic effects but this is well below par.
If it was a bootleg recording of a practice run through of a new song I could forgive it - but a full professional studio recording and mastering and put out by a major record label? No way.
He is all over the place... sharp one minute... flat the other... and so breathless it makes me feel like he needs a draw on an oxygen mask.
I like breathless singing and I like singing acoustically with no electronic effects but this is well below par.
If it was a bootleg recording of a practice run through of a new song I could forgive it - but a full professional studio recording and mastering and put out by a major record label? No way.
Generally, anything being disliked by the judges on those loathsome television programs could be a good sign, but I don't find this to be a particularly good song or recording either.
I used to think this song was ok (great album!!!!), but after reading all the negative comments I listened with a more critical ear, and I agree, not his best work. Thanks for ruining this song for me guys, you've effectively spread that misery.
I like the tune, but the words are just too tacky for my taste.
Dang, Ray. WTF?
The ratings of some of these songs is like the Wild Wild West
5.1 average? Are you silly? Ray‘s works are outstanding! Thanks rp once again!
Willow wren? It sounds lyrical, but there is no such species in North America.
Lame lyrics and boring music.
If he was a contestant on American Idol or Xfactor the judges would call this "pitchy".
He is all over the place... sharp one minute... flat the other... and so breathless it makes me feel like he needs a draw on an oxygen mask.
I like breathless singing and I like singing acoustically with no electronic effects but this is well below par.
If it was a bootleg recording of a practice run through of a new song I could forgive it - but a full professional studio recording and mastering and put out by a major record label? No way.
He is all over the place... sharp one minute... flat the other... and so breathless it makes me feel like he needs a draw on an oxygen mask.
I like breathless singing and I like singing acoustically with no electronic effects but this is well below par.
If it was a bootleg recording of a practice run through of a new song I could forgive it - but a full professional studio recording and mastering and put out by a major record label? No way.
Man needs a lung transplant.
Beautiful.
This sucks.
stevo_b wrote:
Couldn't agree more.
Awful...
Couldn't agree more.
markoirl wrote:
LMAO. Now that's funny. And I haven't seen that color to the right before on here.
If he sang in key I could go as far as giving this a 2
LMAO. Now that's funny. And I haven't seen that color to the right before on here.
this was torture 4 me except the guitar playing
Not a fan of his......but this is a very nice piece for my wake up to environment today. Reminicent of Dan Fogelberg?
not usually a big ray fan, but this song is excellent. surprised it has such a low rating to be honest.
Awful...
it's back!!!! please make it go away...
Very boring, time to take nap
akkkkkk!!!! been a Radio Paradise listener for well over a year and love just about everything played here. but this, THIS... This is painful. I registered just to say please don't play this again. I've heard it at least 3 times recently and each time I've heard it I've said "what IS this??", I go check and it's this. Ughhh... please, no more...
What possesses men to sing like this?
"The days grow short"...so does my patience.
"The nights grow long"...so does this SONG!
"The days grow short"...so does my patience.
"The nights grow long"...so does this SONG!
So far I'm not liking his new album at all.
(Judging from the cover photo) channelling Donald Sutherland....
Love the lyrics, great imagery, but the song is kind of flat though.
If he sang in key I could go as far as giving this a 2
It's the Widow now that owns that angry plow,
The spartan Mule and The Crippled Cow
The fallow field that will yield no more,
As the fox lay sleeping beneath her kitchen floor
The stream can't contain such the withering rain,
And from the pasture the fence it is leaning away
The clouds crack and growl
Like some great cat on the prowl
Crying out, "I am, I am" over and over again
The days grow short
As the nights grow long
The kettle sings its tortured song
As many petalled kiss I place upon her brow,
Oh, my lady, Lady I am loving you now
The winter birds have come back again,
Here the sprightly Chickadee
Gone now is the Willow Wren
In passing greet each other as if old, old friends
And to the voiceless trees
It is their own they will lend
The days grow short
As the nights grow long
The kettle sings its tortured song
As many petalled kiss I place upon her brow,
Oh, my lady, Lady I am loving you now
And though all these things will change,
The memories will remain
As green to gold, and gold to brown
The leaves will fall to feed the ground
And in their falling, make no sound
Oh my lady,
Lady I am loving you now
I've gathered all my money and I'm goin' to town,
To buy my lady a long and flowing gown
'Cause come tomorrow morning
We're off to the county fair
I'll find a yellow flower
And I will lace it in her hair
The spartan Mule and The Crippled Cow
The fallow field that will yield no more,
As the fox lay sleeping beneath her kitchen floor
The stream can't contain such the withering rain,
And from the pasture the fence it is leaning away
The clouds crack and growl
Like some great cat on the prowl
Crying out, "I am, I am" over and over again
The days grow short
As the nights grow long
The kettle sings its tortured song
As many petalled kiss I place upon her brow,
Oh, my lady, Lady I am loving you now
The winter birds have come back again,
Here the sprightly Chickadee
Gone now is the Willow Wren
In passing greet each other as if old, old friends
And to the voiceless trees
It is their own they will lend
The days grow short
As the nights grow long
The kettle sings its tortured song
As many petalled kiss I place upon her brow,
Oh, my lady, Lady I am loving you now
And though all these things will change,
The memories will remain
As green to gold, and gold to brown
The leaves will fall to feed the ground
And in their falling, make no sound
Oh my lady,
Lady I am loving you now
I've gathered all my money and I'm goin' to town,
To buy my lady a long and flowing gown
'Cause come tomorrow morning
We're off to the county fair
I'll find a yellow flower
And I will lace it in her hair
in albúm Gossip in the Grain (2008)
** 8 **
I gave it a 3 at the start of the song, by the middle I'd changed it to a 2, by the end of it I went back and made it a 1.
Please do not play again?
I love his other two songs that play here, bought that cd because of hearing them here, but this one ain't too good - you betcha.
Please do not play again?
I love his other two songs that play here, bought that cd because of hearing them here, but this one ain't too good - you betcha.
Love this one. I just noticed he's going to be here in Portland on Wednesday. Whoo-hoo!
sporkster wrote:
Agreed. Definitely not up to par with the other tracks from the album.
True, love what I've heard so far from this album. But this one, not so much. 4
Agreed. Definitely not up to par with the other tracks from the album.
True, love what I've heard so far from this album. But this one, not so much. 4
cutterjudd wrote:
Are you suffering from a lack of sleep?
Warm fire, glass of wine, and a fine woman..............while listening to this song. Works for me.........!
Are you suffering from a lack of sleep?
Warm fire, glass of wine, and a fine woman..............while listening to this song. Works for me.........!
notremotely wrote:
Agreed. Definitely not up to par with the other tracks from the album.
I have heard and enjoyed other LaMontagne songs, but on this one he sounds like he's not hitting the notes. I don't claim to be a musician or vocalist, but it just doesn't sound right.
Is he flat or are my ears broken?
Is he flat or are my ears broken?
Agreed. Definitely not up to par with the other tracks from the album.
Rarely motivated to complain, but this ...
I have heard and enjoyed other LaMontagne songs, but on this one he sounds like he's not hitting the notes. I don't claim to be a musician or vocalist, but it just doesn't sound right.
Is he flat or are my ears broken?
Is he flat or are my ears broken?
Ick. I like RL, but this is really terrible, isn't it?
If you guys like this song check out this Live Winter Birds Video on my blog. I gotta say I've been quite intregued by the new album.
Is this still playing? Maybe I have my volume too low, but I just hear his voice here and there. Not really incited to turn it up...
This inspires an emotion within me, music from the heart for the heart.
Their is something
for everyone in this world
Tim