A list of the other songs nominated by Bob within his post-doctorate book, which we have already covered, is given at the end. Each article has at least one recording of the song within it.
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By Tony Attwood
“Doesn’t Hurt Anymore” is one of the songs from Bob’s book that I didn’t know before the book was published, and as soon as I heard the recording, I had a problem. And let me say that the problem is mine, not anyone else’s. It is just that I really don’t care too much for “songs” which are in fact recitals, while at the same time recognising that this song is really something very special, and reciting is what John Trudell did.
So how can I possibly criticise any decision by John Trudell, who lived through an experience that I can’t even begin to comprehend, with the death of his family (you can look it up if you are not familiar with the event – I don’t want to write about it). And if you are starting from the beginning, there is a fairly comprehensive article on John Trudell on Wikipedia.
So the best thing I can do concerning this song is to offer the lyrics. And knowing something of John Trudell’s life I can understand why he chose to recite rather than sing, so the problem is entirely mine. But even with my prejudice against recited songs I still do love this piece, although it makes me feel desperate.
I wonder, does how one creates the art really matter when the message in the song is so vital, so important, so overwhelming? I doubt it – so it really is just me. But this sung verse is now a part of me. And in saying, this I mean no disrespect to the memory of John Trudell, nor any diminution of all that he went through.
“My ride showed up. Celebrate Love. Celebrate Life,”
Previously in this series
- Ball of confusion
- Blue Bayou
- Blue Suede Shoes
- Cheaper to Keep Her
- CIA Man – the Fugs
- Detroit City
- Doesn’t hurt anymore
- Don’t let me be misunderstood
- Dirty Life and Times
- Detroit City
- Dirty Life and Times
- Don’t let me be misunderstood
- El Paso
- I got a woman
- If you don’t know me by now
- I’ve always been crazy
- Jesse James and Po Boy
- Keep my Skillet Good and Greasy
- Little White Cloud that Cried
- London’s Calling
- Mac the Knife
- Midnight Rider
- Money Honey
- My Generation and Desolation Row
- My prayer
- Nellie was a Lady
- Old Violin by Johnny Paycheck
- On the road again (save a horse)
- On the street where you live
- Pancho and Lefty
- Please don’t let me be misunderstood
- Poor Little Fool
- Poison Love
- Pump it up
- Ruby are you mad
- Saturday night at the movies
- Strangers in the Night
- Truckin
- Take Me from This Garden of Evil
- The Pretender
- The Whiffenpoof Song
- There stands the glass
- Tutti Fruiti (A wap bop a … etc)
- Volare
- Waist Deep in the Big Muddy
- When
- Where or When
- Willy the Wandering Gypsy and Me
- Without a song
- Your cheating heart