Soup Or Art?

Dear Carly,

There is a recurring theme in Jane Wagner's The Search For Signs Of Intelligent Life In The Universe. In an attempt to help her space chums understand the thought process of the average human being, Trudy, the bag lady, shows them a picture of a can of Campbell's Tomato Soup, and says, "This is soup." She then shows them a picture of Andy Warhol's painting of a can of Campbell's Tomato Soup and says, "This is art." Alternating between the two, "This is soup. This is art. Soup. Art." She then shuffles the two behind her back, then brandishes one and asks, "What's this?"

Two seemingly identical things, and yet, one can be purchased for less than a dollar in just about every grocery store across America. The other is priceless.

I apologize for opening my letter in such an unorthodox method, but eventually everything will fall into place and hopefully, being the astute person that you are, it will all make sense.

Last December I had the privilege of seeing you in concert (twice) at The Apollo. While sitting in the theater prior to both concerts, I picked up on a recurring theme there as well. Everybody sitting around me talked about you and your kids and your siblings and your friends as though they had been a part of your life forever. I felt as though I had crashed a family reunion! As a "fan," I felt really out of the loop. The amazing thing about the whole thing was that I was sitting in the nosebleed section! Those people didn't come for the music, Carly. That's soup, and we can buy it---in perfect condition---every day of the week. No, those people, as well as myself, came for the art. And just in case you haven't figured it out, that's you.

"Two Little Sisters?" To tell the truth, I can't think of a better opening number for your upcoming series of "family reunions." If you miss a chord or two on the guitar or forget some of the words to a song, it really won't matter. We are all one big family out there. If you falter, if you fall, if you fail . . . our love will be your remedy. See you in Atlantic City (twice) . . .

Debbie Kemp - Gurley, Louisiana

How interesting. The soup idea. Ideal. I actually was going to do "Two Little Sisters" in the show, but there may not be enough time and my husband kind of talked me out of it.

It's one of my favorite songs I've written and maybe if you DEMAND it. Although it would be a strange demand in that no one will ever have heard of it. It's not exactly like Warhols Tomato soup can.
So I will think about your idea and probably ponder it for quite a while.
Love, Carly - 10/29/05

NOTE: You can listen to Two Little Sisters by clicking here > LISTEN

Creative Passions

Dear Carly,

I discovered your music accidentally when I bought a copy of No Secrets at a 2nd hand store. I was 18 and found your lyrics and voice captivating. I drove the people who lived below me crazy by singing your songs out loud with windows wide open - to me the world should hear beautiful things (your lyrics, not my voice). They stir a desire for action, passion, love and nuturing - they are spiritual and natural.

My 14 yr old daughter now borrows my Carly CDs and I am so happy that we can share this - it really is like passing on well loved books and stories - a tribal treasure. Touched By The Sun is inspirational and I 'want to get there' too.

My questions might seem odd but here goes. Was it easy for you to 'give in' to creative passion - did you sacrifice anything for it? Were you ever scared of it - of failing?

Are you thinking of coming to Australia any time soon?
Julie Bilbrough - Ballarat/Victoria/Australia

Julie,
What a question!
Easy to give into creative passion? I didn't have a choice. I am a circus person. I do what I have to do because it is the only way I know how to relieve a thirst and the need to tell myself in music what I need to hear. I really write songs to hear myself sing them. Then they get fed back to me through the brain to the throat, to the ear to the heart. To sooth, to inspire (as in "Touched by the Sun") to feel further the heartbreak in order to diminish it's spell over me.
So many reasons I have to do it.
Love to you Carly - 10/23/05

Letter From Carly

Dear friends of mine on my site,

I'm really starting to play guitar again. I have a new Collings guitar which is the strongest and most reliable one I think I have ever played. I also have my gorgeous Taylor guitars which sound exceptionally good thanks to my friend Flip Scipio; who does all kinds of things I don't understand to them. I also own a J-85, and a Gibson (from the days of yore - which is magnificent and I don't dare remove from it's case).

At any rate, that's not the point. The point is, I'm going on a little tour. For other people it would be just several nights of diversion and they would know their stuff already. For me, I have to practice. I'm picking out songs to do. Some will be from my new album: "Moonlight Serenade" and the rest will be of my own composition; some of them surprises even to myself. Songs I have to learn anew.

The band is amazing and the musical directors are Ben Taylor (you know him!) and Larry Ciancia. Ben and Sally (you know her) are opening for me and also singing backup. The rest of the cast of characters are alarmingly good and I don't know why they agreed to play with me. Three of our dogs are coming with us. Ben's two dogs and my one and only, Molly. Molly is likely to take to the stage.

Next subject:
Most days I tend to put myself down. I wallow in self pity and doubt (slight exaggeration!!!) but you get the idea. About a week ago, I woke up one day and I must have dreamed that I was being crowned queen of the world or something, because I started having a slight crush on myself. I thought: "Oh Lord, did I write THAT? and I liked the sound of my own voice, even when it crackled with the delightful signs of aging which I AM trying to find delightful.

I took up my guitars and played and sang "Touched by the Sun" really loud and emphatic. IT made me feel I could do anything. I played it at least ten times and in different keys. I didn't mind the higher one, even though it clearly strains my voice, but I liked it better anyway. Just more edge.

I found I wanted to sing a song on this tour that I have long loved, but was never known, called "Two Little Sisters". I wrote it for a movie called: "Marvin's Room" and Meryl Streep sang with me on. I'm doing it early in the set and it will be very stark, but I am the boss here, right? It's a song about sisters, but it could be about any siblings or a parent and a child. I hope I remember all the words when I perform it. (Of course it could be scratched off the list when we work on it (by the BOSS!).

I hope to see you at one of the concerts, but if you stay home or can't get tickets for some bizarre reason that there aren't any, do get your hands on "Two Little Sisters". If you can't, I'll make sure to put it up on the site.

For now, back to the guitar and maybe even to the piano and to my voice and my dog and my kitchen and my couch and my fireplace and my salad with yellow peppers and walnuts. I send you good wishes and urge you or remind you to donate anything possible to our world wide catastrophic incidents. They seem to tumble over each other. Just when we are on our way to the Gulf Coast, we turn our attention to Pakistan. It's disturbing enough that we could be confused and not do anything at all. Take five minutes out to decide where to give and just give. We ARE they and We need all the help WE can get.

Love, Carly

And I want to get there, I, I want to be one, one who is touched by the sun.
And of course, think of John Forte. Go to his link and tune into him.

In A Small Moment

Hi Carly!

Like most true fans, many of my favorite songs of yours are album cuts that for whatever reason didn't really receive airplay. A particular favorite of mine is "In a Small Moment." To me, it's like a perfect mini short story.

What can you share about the inspiration behind this song? Thanks!
Ross - Seminole, Florida

Dear Ross,

A tiny slip up of character can adjust the actions further along that you take. It's those small moments that you tend to sweep under the carpet and get deposited in the "do not disturb" area of your brain, that leads you to allow yourself a replay, next time maybe not so easy to sweep and so the "do not disturb" area grows larger to encompass more easy sleazy acts which demean the honesty and integrity of one's nature.

"Just a little lie"... you can't get away with it unless you are a psychopath. If you are inherently honest, the lie will sleep beside you and change you from the inside out, subtley or not so subtley. Everybody commits these little acts, it takes a good woman, a good man, to admit them.

Do I sound like I'm giving a sermon? Oh Oh. Sorry!
Love, Carly - 10/15/05

Ear or Chords?

Carly,

I've been in love with your voice since the first time I heard it in 1971. All these years, you have entertained me and taught me about the joy and (sometimes) pain that comes from loving someone. Somehow hearing that from you eases the pain and enhances the joy!

Now to my question. Considering that you and you sisters have always been talented musically, and now I see your children are making music too. I have to believe that it's genetics that stands behind some of this singing ability (although not the underlying writing talent and desire).

I guess what I'm curious about is - do you believe that it's your "ear" that gives you the ability to sing the way you do, or is it the vocal chords? Or maybe both?

I've always wondered why some are born with this incredible ability and most aren't. What do you think? Ear or vocal chords?

Julie Neighbor - San Francisco, CA

Dear Julie,

I think both. You might be born with a great ear but no vocal ability and become a great trumpet player or a composer. In turn you can be born with great vocal chords and no ear and become a howler at the moon! I guess the ear is the more important of the two now that you mention it. I'd never thought of it before!!!

Love, Carly - 10/6/05

Terra Nova

Dear Carly,

Thank you so much for sharing your musical and artistic talent, as well as your life, with the public for so many years. Your music and message transcend space and time, and will truly endure as artistic achievement for generations to come. Your lyrics really struck a chord with me, and often captured my emotions better than I could have done myself. Now as a 30-year old mother of two young girls (4 yrs. & 9 mos.), listening to your music often gives me the same feeling as having a cup of coffee with my best friends. It's fun, comforting, inspirational, and provides great emotional release!

I'm wondering if you could share your feelings about Ben's new album. How did Ben and Sally's lovely rendition of your lyrics from Terra Nova come about?

Sincerely,
Sarah Elisabeth Staples - Columbia, MD

Dear Sarah,

It was simply an honoring of their Mom. At least that is how I take it.

It's a song that WAS a lullabye that I sang to Sally when I put her to sleep in her little swing. It had no lyrics and then I made up lyrics to it and then James and I sang it and it became the ending to Terra Nova. I love the way Ben has made it an introduction of his song: "You'd Think A Man Would Know".
Love Carly - 10/2/05