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I was going to wait, to mention Lilac Wine, till later in our story.
There’s an exquisite cover of the song by Jeff Buckley.
But then I saw this video. There’s the penmanship, there’s the performance itself, it’s in black-and-white, even in the underwater realm, and so I couldn’t wait.
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And a little update: see the EXTRAS page for our growing Sailor Twain playlists. It has some of the suggestions you’ve kindly left in recent discussions. Please do keep them coming. I’ll be looking to add music and songs that relate not only for themes, but also for moods.
wonderful scene
Wow. A song from my teens (Elkie version). What a fantastic film/cartouche/dream of love? Thank you again Mark. Great advantage being in Oz eh?
So lovely and sweet! Both the page and your video selection are perfect remedies for a Monday morning!
Thanks, Conquest. Thanks, Phili. Thanks, Mary Beth. Early birds and other hemisphere, nice to hear from you today!
I love that everything on this page is so bright, as compared to some of the very dark scenes on the ship. It makes for a nice contrast.
I am partial to Nina Simone’s cover of this song, although the wispy voice and less directed performance works well for this wonderful video.
I have a few more suggestions for accompanying soundtracks. I have no idea if any of these are even remotely appropriate but there is no harm in trying I guess. I only meant to find one song but got carried away:
Two whale themed songs by Megan Washington:
Belly Of The Whale ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mcf_j7zJzSg
Ishmael ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxz-nQV-wxc (I think this one sounds particularly representative of the mermaid)
Speaking of mermaids, Mermaid by Regina Spektor ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DH9r2NJLEc
More nautical themes: The Albatross by Sarah Blasko ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmVXLnmdstY
Finally, a clip I only just discovered that, in my opinion, gets Video Of The Week (even over Lilac Wine, sorry!): Babylon by Angus & Julia Stone ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXN30DpC9vk
Happy Listening!
I am Alarmed. There was just a young 16 yr old on Australias X Factor, called ‘TJ’ who IS Sailor Twain! HUGE EYES, shaggy dark hair, narrow face, tentative smile..Will try to send a link but after my bedtime now. Sorry this seems so low brow, but I swear, that kid…
Lovely memory.
Panels 4 and 6 look almost Picassic with the nose architecture. I’m relieved that the anatomy appears to be more or less conventional in panel 7.
Dude…I didn’t think it was possible to make him look younger-adult, but there you just do it, and perfectly…also, her expression last panel made me laugh.
I heard the last line of the song with the pretty video as “I am not ready for my life” at first, and thought it a lot deeper in meaning for nearly fifteen seconds…curious, how much and at once how little love relates to life – some would kill over it, yet no amount of the stuff will stop the slide of a dying or self-destructive soul… *hem*
Song of, er, “engine room mood”, I suppose…that is, it has the same steam-and-voyeuristic-discomfort (veuxpasvoyer-isim?) atmosphere as a few pages ago, and an innocent/naturally lust-inducing nonhuman “female”…here.
erm.
I honestly hope Twain stays faithful to his wife… mermaids are all good and well, but philandering is not romantic at all.
I’m with Kelly.
I, too, love the brightness and gentle sensuality here. In stark contrast, panel one is so painful, with South’s covering her face – is she crying at the thought of being turned over to Lafayette? – and Twain’s glum angst.
I’m glad the Captain has that memory to bolster him. Or is he making it up … ? My guess is Mr. Siegel will not say.
Not to get too anatomical, but what exactly can one do with a mermaid to elicit the illicit? Perhaps that explains the gaping wound.
Fine links, Niall and Pale Corbie! I’ll have to add to our growing playlists.
Thank you all for the comments on this one…
Kelly, Anne: I appreciate your comments, especially alongside this scene; it would be simpler if Twain and Pearl had a bad marriage, or she was inconsequential. Or a fishwife (!) …
I read somewhere that Tolstoi set out to write Anna Karenina as a pure villainess, and from his high moral ground, he was to damn the adulteress in every way—but in writing her, he fell in love with her. He still had to throw her under a train in the end, but she became a great, great character in the process. I love when stories challenge our assumptions, and reveal weakness or endearment or heroism where we didn’t expect it. (An excellent french movie that plays on that: THE TASTE OF OTHERS.) I’m sure you’ll agree that stories are rarely driven by good characters making wise choices—little drama or chance of redemption there.
But I love that this has come up in our discussion, and I hope there will be more as the stories go on. I don’t think the storyteller should be judging his or her characters, but trying to draw out a line of truth, emotionally, mentally, morally and otherwise…
And Anne, it’s a memory…
This is wonderful. I love the tonal contrast of this to the rest of the series. Excellent work!
Mark, thank you.
Alas for Pearl; but the story would not exist without a hero with a deep crack in his armor, would it? No need to explain. In the meantime, we are also seeing the occasionally admirable side to everyone’s favorite rake, Lafayette.
Terribly like life, this is. I mean that as a compliment.
Immediately after reading this, I felt the strongest urge to comment that I’ve felt since beginning to read the story. But I figured “no, it’s just a passing urge.”
Well, a day later and the imagery from these panels has been stuck in my head for the past 24 hours! What a beautiful job. Can’t wait to see what the significance of this memory could be.
By the way, I’m finding that Sting’s “Fields of Gold” is a lovely accompaniment to this page. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxVH-5D6c-k&ob=av2e
Hmmmm…the SIREN on the Hudson, perhaps?
Ah! Thanks, Claire! Now you won’t let the urge pass anymore, will you?
Anne: yes! There’s an Eva Cassidy version that’s a beauty: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGwDYBWEDSc&feature=related
This is cool: storyboards and production sketches for this video are on BLiND Studio’s blog: http://www.blind.com/work/featured/a-little-taste-of-lilac-wine/
Thanks for sharing the video and the song, Mark.
Also appreciating the sensual turn of style and line for today’s page!
when watching the scene between South & Twain unfold…it reminded me of a small luscious scene in one of my favorite 80′s movies “Diva”. Longing for physical touch with someone who is, in some ways unattainable. A very haunting, beautiful piano solo “Sentimental Walk” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lN_8qFinDBM&feature=related
(at 2:52 the hero has the same eyes as our Capt. Twain)
also, was on the Hudson today: calm waters, good day for the Lorelei. bad day for sailboats
Thanks, Claudia! Are you the Claudia from Rhinecliff? What do you sail?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-jPVknNy4w
TJ at 4.:37, who does resemble Twain a little.
Just did a freeze-frame at 4:36. It’s quite striking, actually; and he might grow into it. I think that’s kinda cool, Phili!