The Grace Scandal
A slap in Jeff Buckley's face
Webmaster :: This is an article I received from one of Jeff's fans. I was not aware that Columbia Records was now releasing Grace with an additional eleventh track. I also found this change offensive for various reasons, so with permission I've posted his article here for everyone to read. If you visit his site there's some interesting info in the comments.
Why is Jeff Buckley's Grace album now eleven tracks long
instead of ten?
Why is a track Jeff Buckley personally despised -
"if I hear it again, I'll throw up" - now the eleventh track on
the Grace album? Jeff Buckley never wanted '"Forget Her"' on the album
and got his way despite Columbia's numerous attempts to persuade him
otherwise. However, now that Jeff has passed on
it seems the record company has achieved what they initially set out
to accomplish.
"if I hear it again, I'll throw up"
In fact, not only did Jeff not want "Forget Her" to be part of his
first and only completed album he didn't want the song to be released
to the public at all. What a double whammy!
Nevertheless,
it must be made clear here the issue this article is purely concerned with
is the fact that "Forget Her" is now listed as a Grace track. Not a bonus
track an actual track!
I feel this time they have gone too far and that
"Forget Her" must be removed from the album Grace.
Grace is a piece of art that is valued and highly regarded by fans and
musicians alike. The artist always intended for the album to be ten tracks
long. Now an individual who is introduced to Grace for the first will
time will judge Grace on it's eleven tracks. The tenth track 'dream brother'
beautifully closes the album in my opinion. But now the album closes
with the tacked on track "Forget Her". It alters the entire ambience and
structure of the album. If the track was listed as a bonus track it would help.
"Grace was, and still remains upon repeat listens, a beginning and an
end, a departure and a return home, a journey outward and a heartbreakingly
humble trip to the center of one's own soul, a prayer and a proclamation,
a generous gift and an expression of gratitude." - Daphne A. Brooks
You can see why Columbia always wanted Jeff to release "Forget Her" as the
first single on the Grace album. It was more accessible to any listener
with simple lyrics and a simple blues structure. Jeff however, wanted Grace
to stretch people. He wanted the album to show originality and depth and
reward on repeated listens. "Forget Her" didn't fit in with this ideology
and the experienced listener can pick up on this when they listen to Grace. That
is why Jeff was delighted when Michael Tighe his band guitarist shared
with him a riff which he used and developed into a new track 'so real'.
Jeff stated 'my album is saved' and quickly removed "Forget Her" from the
album in favour of the better track 'So real'. There has also been rumours
that suggested Jeff didn't want to release "Forget Her" because of personal
reasons. I find this the least plausible explanation. Either way Jeff never
wanted "Forget Her" to be on Grace.
Therefore I feel it is with a form of respect that we treat
Jeff's wishes rather than trample on his grave. To mess with
somebodies art in the way Columbia has done I find very unsettling. It is
the artist and the artist alone who is the person who determines what should
or should not be part of their own piece of art. Not some plastic
suit man who has little respect for anything other than money.
Source: The Grace Scandal
Webmaster :: And here's one of the comments taken from the original site that sums up my thoughts perfectly.
Grace is the most beautiful, serene album that has ever been written. It's a gem from start to finish and with the addition of Forget Her, it completely throes off the flow and sequence. Dream Brother, which I think is the greatest song he ever wrote is irreplacable as the album's closing track. What better way to end an album with a song such as that that makes you ponder in awe. - Steven Bodrug
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