A Long Overdue Joan Armatrading Thread

[Lisnaholic]

LOVE is the constant topic of Joan Armatrading´s songs, but she has never received much love from Music Banter: just a handful of mentions as far as I can judge.

That's weird, given her popularity back in the 1980's. Like Carol King before her, who famously tapped into a young woman's dilemma with the song, "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?" - like her, Joan Armatrading became the voice of independently-minded single women, at least in London; there seemed to be a JA album in every girl's apartment back in the day. And with good reason, frankly, as she had a couple of stella albums under her belt: a self-titled one recorded in 1976 and my personal favourite, Me Myself I(1980).

If one song reps JA at her best, I think I'd choose Turn Out The Light from that same 1980 album; it shows how she can write great, honest lyrics, and sing with a voice that can swing from sweet and delicate to deep and heart-felt, sounding perfectly natural, perfectly clear, at both extremes. She had a folky start to her career, but didn't shy away from solid elec guitar either. On this track she has Chris Spedding helping her out, while Adrian Belew played on her later album, The Key.

Anyone else want to Show Some Emotion for Joan Armatrading?

[rubber soul]

I never really got into Joan Armatrading. She certainly has a following in the States but I don't think she's ever been more than a curiosity here. The only song I even remember from her is Drop the Pilot in fact.

Having said that, I wouldn't mind listening to her. Did like the track you posted, Lisna. Are you planning to do a discog on her like Trolls does (maybe a little too often) and I keep saying I'm going to do with Phil Ochs? I'd certainly look.

[Lisnaholic]

Hey, I'm glad you like that track rubber soul
Me Myself I is the best place to start if you want to hear more songs of a similar calibre.
Not sure if I'd have the time or discipline to do a proper discography, TH-style, tbh, but I might post some other recs here, depending how much interest there is.

In the meantime, I'll wait for your Phil Ochs discography to show me how it's done

[Marie Monday]

Oh hell yes
I only know Show Some Emotion so far but should check out some other albums. I really adore her voice

[Trollheart]

Can't say I'm a fan really; her music did nothing for me. Give me Tracy any day, though I expect there's some influence there from Joan. I do like this one:



I remember one wag DJ calling her Joan Armour-Plating. That was funny.

[rubber soul]

Joan Armatrading and Tracy Chapman don't really sound all that different and both came from folk influences. I'd argue that Chapman might have been more commercial, or at least more commercially successful though.

[Lisnaholic]

Joan Armour-Plating!

One problem with JA is that she has 20 studio albums, 4 live albums and a bewildering 12 compilation albums too, so I feel I must politely decline the invitation to do her discography.

Also, I only know a few of her albums, but perhaps I can pass on a couple of tips to total beginners to JA. (The albums with no comment = I don't know anything about them.)
In italics: best (or best known) tracks from various albums

1972 Whatever's for Us - unexceptional folky singer/songwriter stuff
1975 Back to the Night
1976 Joan Armatrading - first real demonstration of her moody power; Love And Affection, Down To Zero
1977 Show Some Emotion title track, Willow
1978 To the Limit - good but not great; Am I Blue For You
1980 Me Myself I - most accessible pop rock album; title track, Feeling In My Heart, All The Way From America
1981 Walk Under Ladders - similar to previous but with weaker songs; No Love, Weakness in Me
1983 The Key - big change of sound with new producer and harder rock backing; Call Me Names, Drop The Pilot
1985 Secret Secrets
1986 Sleight of Hand
1988 The Shouting Stage - she dials back the hard rock sound that lost her some fans: instead Mark Knopfler contributes that poignant solo guitar sound of his; The Shouting Stage
1990 Hearts and Flowers
1992 Square the Circle
1995 What's Inside
2003 Lovers Speak - wonderful title track! Just now getting into this album which may well be a return to earlier form
2007 Into the Blues - too much back-to-basics blues, not enough original JA spark; Mama Papa
2010 This Charming Life
2012 Starlight
2018 Not Too Far Away
2021 Consequences

[Lisnaholic]

A couple of notable tracks that can get overlooked:

1.A really good song, typical of JA's ballads, but only released on a compilation album or as a single:-



2. Touching auto-biographical song that perhaps explains why reggae elements turn up in her songs:-



3.In 2016 she came out with a surprising project, which includes her only (afaik) instrumentals, and writing credits shared with William Shakespeare:

[Trollheart]

Will.I.Am Shakespeare? God, not another new up and coming artist who thinks he's the business.

[rubber soul]

It is a lot of work to do a thorough discography. When Trolls and I were on the writing forum, I did a very extensive review of the Rolling Stones discography. I can't tell you the exact number of live albums, but they had quite a few. Also figure in the singles and B-sides that never appeared on an album and it definitely becomes something of a time consumer.

So, yeah, I get it. You have to be really into an artist to do something so detailed. Maybe you can just go through the material you like best about Joan.