#127 – Defying Gravity
#127 – Defying Gravity
-by Stacy Garwood-
The last week has been full of challenges, such as a freak winter weather storm, resulting in two power outages within ten hours, the second of which lasted three days. And when things like that happen, all you can do is the best you can within the circumstances you have to work with and move forward despite the challenges. And afterward, you can look back and appreciate what was accomplished and what was overcome. Defying gravity is a term that means overcoming, resisting, or rising above limitations or challenges, even defying constraints and breaking boundaries, and soaring up and above, against all odds, and is tied to empowerment and personal freedom. Considering the lead up circumstances to this post, Defying Gravity seems like the perfect Jimmy Buffett song to focus on.
“I live on a big round ball, I never do dream I may fall, And even one day if I do, Well I’ll jump off and smile back at you…”
Defying Gravity was released in 1976 on JB’s album Havana Daydreamin’. It was produced by Don Gant, who managed to help Jimmy capture a lifestyle and create an image that Jimmy carried forward into his entire career thereafter. This was the last of four albums that were produced by Don Gant, before Norbert Putnam took over studio production duties for Jimmy. The album was recorded in studios in Nashville and Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and was released on ABC records.
As I have mentioned in other posts that focus on this album, Havana Daydreamin’ is probably my favorite album cover, artistically capturing both the man and the era in a graphic representation featuring a leisure suit and flowery, large lapelled shirt, with the ocean drifting forever in the background. It also features Jimmy’s mustache at its finest!
Havana Daydreamin’ was a bit of a departure for Jimmy, as it included three songs that Jimmy did not write or cowrite. Defying Gravity was one of those songs, and it was written by a colleague and friend of Jimmy’s in the singer-songwriting field, Jesse Winchester. This was the first, but not last song of Jesse Winchester’s that Jimmy recorded on an album. Seven times that I am aware of, Jimmy put Winchester’s songs on studio albums, and that, it seems, is quite an acknowledgement of Jimmy’s appreciation of Jesse Winchester as a songwriter and musical artist. Just for keeping track, those songs are Defying Gravity, Biloxi, L’Air De La Louisiane, Nothing But A Breeze, Rhumba Man, Gentleman Of Leisure, and I Wave Bye Bye. Gentleman Of Leisure was Jimmy’s offering to the 2012 tribute album honoring the life and music of Jesse Winchester. (If I have missed any, please drop me a comment or email and let me know)
Who was Jesse Winchester? Like Jimmy, Jesse was southern born and bred, and only a couple years older. He was born in Louisiana and raised in Mississippi. He went to college in several places, including studying abroad in Europe before graduating with a degree in German from Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts in 1966. He admitted he wasn’t a good student and did not have much interest in a college education, but he enjoyed the student lifestyle, and it kept him out of the military draft process.
After graduation, Jesse received a draft notice from Uncle Sam and relocated to Canada to avoid a military career that was not his choice. In an interview, Winchester said this about being drafted, “I was so offended by someone’s coming up to me and presuming to tell me who I should kill and what my life was worth.” In Canada, he started playing guitar, and then piano, joined a band and started writing songs. His first solo album came out in 1970. He released multiple albums while living in Canada.
Even though he could have returned to living in the United States in 1977, when Jimmy Carter awarded amnesty to many who had fled the country in protest of their draft notifications and the Vietnam War, Jesse Winchester remained in Canada.
As a matter of fact, Jesse Winchester spent more than thirty years living in Canada, settling in Montreal, Quebec, marrying there and raising a family, adapting to French as his primary language. And he continued to make music. One could describe him an exile from his home country, but his formative years in the southern United States ring through in quiet nostalgia in many of his songs, certainly in the poignant Biloxi, another favorite of mine.
In 1974, Jesse Winchester became a Canadian citizen, and in this same year, he released his fourth studio album, titled Learn To Love It, which included two songs that Jimmy Buffett would later record, and perform, Defying Gravity, and L’air De La Louisiane, which also became part of Jimmy’s live tributes to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.
Eventually, his children were raised, he was divorced and met his second wife, a friend of his high school sweetheart, who happened to live in Memphis. She was his catalyst for returning stateside. After returning to the United States in 2002, Jesse Winchester continued to write songs and record albums, and continuing to garnish quiet praise from his colleagues in the music industry. In 2011, he was diagnosed with esophageal cancer, had surgery, was told he was in remission, but the following year, he was diagnosed with bladder cancer.
“I don’t even know where we are, They tell you we’re circling a star, Well I’ll take their word, I don’t know, But I’m dizzy so it may be so…”
It wasn’t just Jimmy Buffett that recognized and appreciated Jesse Winchester’s gift as a song writer. Winchester’s songs have been covered by artists such as Wilson Pickett, Allen Toussaint, Lyle Lovett, Reba McEntire, the Everly Brothers, Little Feat, Dobie Gray, Joan Baez, Don Henley, Rosanne Cash, Wynonna Judd, Michael Martin Murphy, Don Williams, Bonnie Raitt, James Taylor, Jerry Garcia, Elvis Costello, Ed Bruce, Jim Ed Brown, Crystal Gayle, Jonathon Edwards, Emmy Lou Harris, Waylon Jennings, Kathy Mattea, Vince Gill, Brenda Lee, Jerry Jeff Walker, Rodney Crowell, Lucinda Williams and even Mac McAnally. This is only portion of the artists who have covered songs written by Jesse Winchester. And if that isn’t enough to get one’s attention, perhaps the greatest songwriter of all time, Bob Dylan, who stated in general about music, “If a song moves you, that´s all that´s important. I don´t have to know what a song means,” and who stated specifically about Jesse Winchester, “Have you talked to Jesse Winchester? You can’t talk about the best songwriters and not include him.”
In 2010, when the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill devastated the gulf coast, Jimmy Buffett organized a concert to raise awareness and money to help many people who had been affected by the disaster. Jesse Winchester was one of the people Jimmy called on to help entertain and raise awareness, and Jesse Winchester joined Jimmy on stage along with Allen Toussaint and Will Kimbrough.
In 2011, when Jesse Winchester was diagnosed with cancer, a group of friends and artists decided to record a tribute album. This tribute included Winchester songs covered by Jimmy Buffet, James Taylor, Rosanne Cash, Allen Toussaint, Vince Gill, Mac McAnally, Lyle Lovett, Lucinda Williams, Rodney Crowell, Little Feat and Elvis Costello. It is titled Quiet About It: A tribute To Jesse Winchester, and was available in 2012 from Mailboat Records. It was Jimmy who contacted Jesse after the songs were recorded to let him know the album was soon to be released. Winchester is said to have been quite honored, and at that time, he was in remission, so things looked promising on all fronts. Unfortunately, two years after the album was released, Jesse Winchester passed on. Blessedly, he left ten solo albums and plethora of songs to remember him by.
Jesse Winchester was said to be quiet, modest, and quite eloquent, which fits his songs perfectly. All of that with gentle, almost hypnotic melodies created quite an impression, from early in his career, until his death, and now, long afterwards. His is music that most definitely stands the test of time.
Defying Gravity, as a song, is poignant, gentle, and really reminds us that we are an exceedingly small part of this planet, the solar system, and the universe, and reminds us to enjoy the ride, and when it’s over, depart with grace and joy for the time we had.
“I’m riding a big round ball, I never do dream I may fall, But one day the high must lay low, So when I do fall, I’ll be happy to go…
Yeah, when I do fall I’ll be glad to go…”
As much as I knew that Jimmy greatly admired Jesse Winchester as a songwriter, and I am quite familiar with his songs that Jimmy recorded over the years, I didn’t know much about who Jesse Winchester was as a person. I found that researching this song has been an enjoyable way to learn about the man who wrote it, and perhaps get to know him a little bit, not just by his music, but by his story and life choices. After all, life really is about the people that fill it, and whom we have connections to. In that same way, while never being lucky enough to meet Jimmy Buffett, I can say without pausing that I have a strong connection to him, as a person, as an artist and to the music that he gave to us.
The linemen who worked unbelievably long hours in terrible weather conditions who sacrificed time away from home, their families, and their lives to restore power to people in need, are also an important part of our lives. Not just because of their occupation, but because of how they are part of a greater community. And the linemen in general really tie to the concept of “defying gravity.” Not only with the pole and line work they do, high above terra firma, but also in accomplishing what seems impossible in view of the damage they had to repair and the large service area that was affected. So, those linemen, and the support services that help them, were also “defying gravity” this week, and their dedication and work ethic is appreciated by many. That is not a career for the faint of heart, for certain, especially when Mother Nature decides to raise her hand and grab our attention.
In many ways, one could argue that Jimmy Buffett “defied gravity” his whole career, working against the odds of success in a difficult industry, overcoming and succeeding in creating his own music genre of Gulf and Western, creating an army of fans who dress up like a circus side show, recording and touring for almost fifty years and turning his net worth into over a billion dollars. And he honored and promoted many fellow musicians along the way.
“Yeah, when I do fall I’ll be glad to go…”
Stacy
Please enjoy Defying Gravity. I have included the links below. Enjoy!
1976 Studio Version:
2010 Live Version:
The links are from Jimmy’s official YouTube channel, which I have no personal affiliation with.
More links that may be of interest:
Defying Gravity. About Jesse Winchester. | Johnny B.
For Jesse: Defying Gravity – That’s How The Light Gets In
Song: Defying Gravity written by Jesse Winchester | SecondHandSongs
Just Backdated: DEFYING GRAVITY by Emmylou Harris
James Taylor and Jimmy Buffet Featured on New Jesse Winchester Tribute Album : JamesTaylor.com
Jesse Winchester – An Appreciation – No Depression
Jesse Winchester: A Reasonable Amount Of Trouble – American Songwriter
Jesse Winchester Passes – Sing Out!
Critics At Large : Jesse Winchester, You’re On My Mind
Microsoft Word – Jesse – Bankrate
