She was slightly over thirty years of age (31) when she died and as of today she is gone exactly thirty years. Her voice sounds as haunting to me today as it did the first time I heard it circa 1969.
Sandy Denny continues to be one of those singer-songwriters whose music I return to most often. She could sing a song with heartbreaking vulnerability or punch a musical phrase with the unexpected ferocity of a hurricane. Even today, when there is a plethora of talented female artists, to my ears there is no one whose voice can immediately assault one's emotions upon recognition.
What should not be lost in all this is that she was also an incredibly evocative lyricist:
Then came the question and it was about time.
The answer came back and it was long.
The house it was built by some man in a rhyme,
But whatever came of his talented son?
Who wrote me a dialogue set to a tune?
Always you told me of being alone,
Except for the stories about God and you,
And do you still live there in Buffalo?
They put up the walls with no more to say,
Nobody stopped to ask why it was done.
The stream was too far and the rain was too high,
So into the city the river did run.
Because of the architect the buildings fell down,
Smothered or drowned all the seeds which were sown.
I wish I were somewhere, but not in this town.
Maybe the ocean next time around.
I seem to remember the face and the name,
But if it's not you I won't care.
I know of changes, but nothing would change you
To Theo the sailor who sings in his lair.
And then I'll turn and he won't be there,
Dusky black windows to light the dark stair,
Candles all gnarled in the musty air
All without flames for many's the year.
From "Next Time Around" (Warlock Music)
The answer came back and it was long.
The house it was built by some man in a rhyme,
But whatever came of his talented son?
Who wrote me a dialogue set to a tune?
Always you told me of being alone,
Except for the stories about God and you,
And do you still live there in Buffalo?
They put up the walls with no more to say,
Nobody stopped to ask why it was done.
The stream was too far and the rain was too high,
So into the city the river did run.
Because of the architect the buildings fell down,
Smothered or drowned all the seeds which were sown.
I wish I were somewhere, but not in this town.
Maybe the ocean next time around.
I seem to remember the face and the name,
But if it's not you I won't care.
I know of changes, but nothing would change you
To Theo the sailor who sings in his lair.
And then I'll turn and he won't be there,
Dusky black windows to light the dark stair,
Candles all gnarled in the musty air
All without flames for many's the year.
From "Next Time Around" (Warlock Music)
A link to an overview of her musical legacy with accompanying sound samples is included below:
http://www.informatik.uni-hamburg.de/~zierke/sandy.denny/records/albums.html
Photo courtesy of Fledg'ling Record's website for the five cd Sandy Dennny compilation, "A Boxful of Treasures."
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