There’s so much to learn and say about Joni songs, I just feel I want to wax lyrical about them here.
A Case Of You is probably one of my desert island discs. I know so many cracking musicians who also feel that strongly about it, which makes me feel validated in my love of its beauty.
Musically, for Joni, is relatively simple, being in good old C major in standard tuning in guitar. Much of her stuff around this period on the ‘Blue’ album is in a variety of the open tunings that Joni invented herself. Clever stick. But not A Case Of You.
Oh how many ways do I love thee Case Of You? Firstly, lyrically and musically it is sublime – that almost goes without saying – but I love how I get an overwhelming feeling of devotional, romantic love amongst such painful and sad lyrics.
“Just before our love got lost you said ‘I am as constant as the northern star”
What an amazing sentiment. I wish I’d thought of that to say to the loves in my life. It’s a lovely thing to write in a Valentine’s card…But the opening line; you have the knowledge that this devotional love has existed, and you already know how it’s going to end. Just before our love got lost….
She replies
“Constantly in the darkness, where’s that at? If you want me I’ll be in the bar…”
An equally poetic and banal reply. Such an eloquent quashing of his declaration of love. I weirdly relate to this, having drowned many a sorrow and broken heart in drink in the past. It touched that part of me – it doesn’t matter what you say, it’s actually already too late, I know you’ll always be in the darkness to me.
The story goes on until we reach the chorus…
“I could drink a case of you and I would still be on my feet”
A beautiful metaphor; bittersweet because these two people clearly love each other despite the hurt they’re feeling because of each other.
Verse two always chokes me up if I think too much about it, and makes it incredibly difficult to sing. Rumour has it that the mystery man in this song is Leonard Cohen…
“I remember the time you told me ‘love is touching souls’ (something I have written in a Valentine’s card), surely you touched mine, coz part of you pours out of me in these lines from time to time”
There’s a 9 or 10 note vocal run at the end of that second chorus that is nyon impossible to get right with a lump in your throat 😆
I feel we leave the characters in the story circling around their love and regrets, but recognising they can’t get enough of each other.
Perhaps that’s not really an ending…
But it’s intoxicating …. I can’t get enough…
#JoniChat
#ACaseOfYou
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