Today, 6/2/2019, is my Mum’s birthday. She would have been 83. I wrote this song for her.
A quick back story for anyone who’s interested. A few years ago I had one of those song writer moments where a lyric and melody pops into your head from nowhere, “Joni was a rebel but she never grew her hair to long”. It stuck around for a bit before I shelved it in my brain and mostly forgot about it. After Mum died my Dad found some letters to my Mum from people he couldn’t remember, but asked if I wanted them. They were just ordinary day to day correspondence between two friends in the early 1960’s, but to me they were fascinating. In 1962 my mum was a young woman, just married to my Dad (or just about to be), with her life ahead of her which turned out to include my sister and I, and half a life raising us on the other side of the world in Australia. She just didn’t know it then. Anyway, one of the letters from 1962 from a lady called Margaret said, “Have you heard about Joni? Joni was going home for good at the end of March but she ran away last Tuesday. She’s spoiled her chances altogether. Did you know that I had my hair cut....” Not exactly spooky, but it did make me think of those words again. And now they had a premise. When I got home from my Dad’s I sat down with the letter and wrote what turned out to be the first and third verses. And then I got stuck for over a year and a half until a few months ago when, in one of my wonderful bouts of insomnia, I sat up, opened up the memo app in my phone and wrote the rest in about 20 minutes. I wanted to write a song in which my mum was a character in a story that wasn’t just about her. I didn’t want it to be maudlin or saccharine. And I wanted it to be something she would dance along to in the cute way she did when she thought no one was watching.
So this is for you, Patricia Jean (Jeanie). Happy birthday!
Play it loud and dance like no one’s watching!
lyrics
Joni was a rebel
But she never grew her hair too long
She said come back to me someday
When we've found a place where we belong
Well Jeanie I hope you write
And tell me what's on your mind
And Joni was a rebel but she never stayed away to long
Did you know then, Jeanie
Of the story Joni would become?
In the words unspoken
From a letter hidden for so long
Do you think that she ever knew
Of the friend she could have had in you?
And Joni was a rebel
But she never knew when she was home
With a fierce heart
Came a spirit in light
And your chapter in this world
was such a beautiful ride
Now your moment's passed
But nothing is lost
Even as your light was fading
Still we knew we were loved
Now there's only one thing from the letter I didn't learn...
Did Joni return?
Well I lost you in the city
But Jeanie we'll meet up someday
Did you know Kathy got married
On the day that Joni ran away
Well she ran away to the sea
On a ticket that told her she's free
And though she was a rebel
She found a place where she belonged
Found a place where she belonged
She found a place where she belonged
Joni was a rebel
Joni was a rebel
Goodnight, Jeannie from a heartbroken world
Know there's nothing but love
From the ones who you loved
And..
Life is for living and you made it your own
And remember you saw the birth of rock n roll!
credits
from Joni Was A Rebel,
track released February 6, 2019
All music written, arranged and produced by Jamie Gash.
All Instruments played by Jamie Gash
Mixed by Jamie Gash
Mastered by James Savage
supported by 4 fans who also own “Joni Was A Rebel”
Just find it so uplifting and really soundtracks my place in life at the moment. Strength of the songs was only magnified seeing them played live at Shiiine On Weekender in 2021. niggle66
supported by 4 fans who also own “Joni Was A Rebel”
This is music that softly, gently, melodically improves the atmosphere. I first heard Rachel via The Dolly Mixture. That music helped me find beauty while living in a rough childhood home. I later ran away, taking my Dolly Mixture cassette with me. Many decades on, life's difficult, the world is troubled, but Rachel's music once again adds an element of beauty. Her music is something to cherish. Cheers, Rachel. Andy Waltzer