The altar to Sweet Marie

Marty’s been in the studio recording with singer/songwriter Mark Harper.

The dream world we’re coerced into inhabiting from the moment we draw breath is a seriously screwed up place. I’ve known this for years, since I was old enough to sit on a potty chair, and have a lot of experience with the fact that particular world is a seriously screwed up place and that despite this fact every moment is a window onto a heart-crushing view of wonderful.

Mark catches these windows well.

His songs are like little altars. Lots of people write songs because they want to tell you about their experience. I’ve the feeling that Mark writes songs because he wants to remind you of your experiences. The nano thoughts and experiences that you continually throw out because you think they’re not big enough to be a part of you, he instead takes and builds little altars to them. And you say, “Oh, my god, that is me. That really did happen to me. I threw it away because I thought it didn’t matter but Mark found it and brought it back and look what a wonderful thing it really is. I guess this has happened to many of us.”

Marty played for me the first batch of seven songs on the way to the Farmer’s Market the Tuesday before Christmas. I loved them all but woke up Thursday morning with “I Love Marie” going through my head. Every single note.

Listen to I Love Marie.


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2 responses to “The altar to Sweet Marie”

  1. Nina Avatar
    Nina

    Yes! This had me thinking about people in my own past, boys that I remember, though I assume they wouldn’t remember me.

  2. Idyllopus Avatar

    I, too, can think of a few who wouldn’t remember me. I prefer that to those reminiscences which would be, “Oh. yeah. I remember her. Yuck.”

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