Bodies of Water: Ain’t Life a Brook

Ferron: Ain‘t Life a Brook

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When I first heard the music of Ferron, the first two songs to catch my ear were Ain’t Life a Brook and Misty Mountain. (Maybe one day, we’ll do a week of geographical features...) Ain’t Life a Brook is a perfect description of the stages one goes though when a relationship ends. Ferron chose the metaphor of a running stream, noting.

“Life don’t clickety-clack, down a one line track. It comes together and it comes apart.”

By now, everyone knows that I love train songs too, but Ferron chose the perfect metaphor for what she wanted to say.

Update:

My wife insisted that this post would not be complete without Lucie Blue Tremblay’s version of the song. Tremblay arranges the melody for just voice and guitar, and she sings in a language I don’t understand, French. This highlights the beauty of the melody.

As I said, I don’t speak French. But I believe that Tremblay’s title translates as Our Beautiful Years. And that has me wondering if the French lyrics are the same, or is this perhaps an answer song? If anyone can translate the lyrics Tremblay sings, please leave the answer in a comment. Thanks.

Lucie Blue Tremblay: Nos Belles Annes

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Announcement:

When we covered 1989 a few weeks ago, I posted Wendy Wall’s song The Proving Ground. I noted that Wall had a new album coming out, and I would let everyone no more when I did. My review of the new album is now up at Oliver di Place. Come have a look and a listen, and let me know what you think.