The Crying Is Over
Why aren’t more songs written about death and mourning? Lou Reed’s Magic & Loss, Bruce Springsteen’s The Rising, Loudon Wainwright III’s History contain a few great songs in this vein. Beth Nielsen Chapman and Cindy Bullens have dealt with loss as well.
But Marvin’s "Can’t Cry Hard Enough" bests all of these contributions. It conveys the devastating emptiness and bitter defiance that accompany grief. It may seem overwrought to anyone who has never experienced this agony, but people in the throes of the experience will recognize its genuine pathos. I’m not the only fan of the song; it’s been covered by Victoria Williams, Christine Collister and Julie Miller.
"Can’t Cry Hard Enough" is from the out-of-print debut album by Marvin Etzioni, or Marvin the Mandolin Man as he was billed then. It was issued in 1992 after he left Lone Justice. It ranks alongside the Waterboys’ Fisherman’s Blues and Van Morrison’s Moondance as a gypsy soul classic.
4 comments:
I always thought this song was written by the Williams Brothers but after a little research it seems Etzoni got co-credit for the song. it appeared first on the Williams Brothers 1991 debut. I love their version but it's now a toss-up in terms of whose is better
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:70q8g4fttv6z
Craig- I'd never heard of these guys, but I just listened to a clip at Amazon. One customer review indicates that the Williams Brothers began as boy band, but they went on to work with Joe Ely and T-Bone Burnett. And a used CD is available for a pittance. Thanks for the tip.
Thanks for the link! I really dig your blog. I've added a link at my site too!
you'll like it I think
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