Tune Tuesday

Jackson C. Frank is an old spirit. My mental image of him is something of a wheat plant covered in snow. Jack's life was full of hurdles to over come and even survive...

"When Jackson Frank was 11, a furnace exploded at his school, sending a ball of flames down corridors until it ended up in Frank's music classroom in the Cleveland Hill Elementary School in Cheektowaga, New York. The fire killed fifteen of his fellow students and hospitalized him for seven months. It was during his time in the hospital that he was first introduced to playing music, when a teacher, Charlie Castelli, brought in an acoustic guitar to keep Frank occupied during his recovery. When he was 21, he was awarded an insurance check of $100,000 for his injuries, giving him enough to "catch a boat to England."

He died in 1999 of pneumonia and all though he did not receive the fame he wanted his songs have lived on. For those who don't know Nick Drake, counting crows, and Daft Punk re-did some of his songs or incorporated him in their lyrics. My heart swells when I hear his song "Milk & Honey". You can listen to the song below and I hope you enjoy it.



Lyrics...

old and silver is the autumn
Soft and tender are her skies
Yes and no are the answers
Written in my true love's eyes

Autumn's leaving and winter's coming
I think that I'll be moving along
I've got to leave her and find another
I've got to sing my heart's true song

Round and round the burning circle
All the seasons: one, two, and three
Autumn comes and then the winter
Spring is born and wanders free

Gold and silver burn my autumns
All too soon they'd fade and die
And then, oh there are no others
Milk and honey were their lies