Joanna Newsom - Cosmia (11.16.06)

[Yoursaffectionately]

She's so awesome, they should make her and her harp a bit louder

[123456789diez]

Amazing, i love this song

[thatartzygirl]

I don't believe that anything human can produce anything so wonderful as this.

[pope1982]

Help me cosmia, I'm grievin'.

[dmucci100]

The bit from 1:27 to 1:42 is one of the most beautiful passages in music

[TheTribeliker]

Great capture...The acoustics well done and video is ...well...perfect to me. I wish I could get a copy for my children. I miss...I miss...I miss your precious heart.

[SsCardenal]

I love how it seems she squats the sound of the harp at 4:08... and leaves space for the tambura

[moaosen]

@SsCardenal Isn't that a bouzaki, not a tambura?

[MzSonicjinn]

In this live bootleg, everybody applauses so eargerly in the end.

After about 2-minute applause, Joanna says, " Thanks, guys" in a quite intimidated voice and it always makes me smile.

I do love the Bulgarian tambura which begins at 4:09.

This is one of the few truly perfect gig!!!

[dragonflyshards]

This is my favorite JN song & favorite instrumentation for it. I got the crappy mp3 of Ys street band ep to hold me over till i can afford it of quality sound.So i have no info for it.....I was hoping that was a saw!..My 2nd guess was theramin,which would be cool too but...A fuckin saw! They were ALL right on.

[ianwilcox808]

Love the mandolin..4:00, and Joanna.

[surgerryy]

thank goddd for creative people

[constructkhaos]

just me or is the drummer not wearing shoes? is he playing something with his feet? amazing voice, i love her. she touches my insides with every word

[jacob7207]

@constructkhaos That sounds so hot.

[gnitleinad]

@constructkhaos yup, he isn't wearing shoes. he doesn't like to wear 'em, from what I know.

[jesseenriquez]

this is efing amazballs!!!! this is blowing my mind!!!

[JIIIAIIIIMIIIIEIIIS]

this and sawdust and diamonds are my favorite of her songs.

[musicalchild12]

Hauntingly beautiful.

[p0ul3nc]

this song always makes me feel better about my day and life. I seriously don't know how I would have made it throughout highschool without her.

[jwalkernyc812]

@p0ul3nc Wow, I'm so glad you said this, I feel the same exact way. I just got through a rough time and I'm about to be finished with HS she definitely helped. Glad someone else feels this way

[ammicconicco]

What is he playing like a violin?

[beaconstreet546]

@ammicconicco i believe the musical saw. i also believe that's what caused the eerie whistle sound is as well.

[ammicconicco]

what is he playing like violin?

[Aeschylus]

I like the bouzouki (or whatever it is that guy has), but he needs to turn it down. Joanna and her harp are the really important thing(s).

[Sprtschk]

@Aeschylus it's a banjo. It doesn't bother me that much really, though I agree with you about the harp and the singing being more important.

[subgerocallidus]

@Aeschylus He has a banjo and a bouzouki and a guitar to. And while her voice and harp are the focus of the song, the contrast between the power of his playing and the soft tock of the harp means his elaborate motifs and solos come through.

[spritenite]

When she sings "moths surround me" and the acordian does that little climbing sound, I could envision a woman being swept into the night sky by a cyclone of moths.

[pedroernias]

damnit!, y hate her voice!=S makes me wanna crap

[subgerocallidus]

My favourite of hers.

[Moupsi123]

I heard the wind too.... CREEPY. Anyway, great singer.

[Rosapsico]

I saw her live (not there, here Lisbon 2007), I listened to that, i listen today, any day I still get the creeps :)

[dembu5]

absolutely stunning!

[Reznor1313]

This song is so beautiful. Everytime i listen to it gives me chills on my back

[openuplosers]

get rid of the band

[Legeon86]

She sounds like a chicken.

[UncleBubba]

@Legeon86

I love Joanna Newsom and I love this song but, in amongst all this praise, this comment made me literally laugh out loud.

[Travmann777]

@UncleBubba I know what you mean, my sister says that in peach, plumb, pear she sounds like an army of cats when she uses that chorus effect. I like her music but her voice is funny sometimes

[catseatingclouds]

@Travmann777 i like your sisters analogy, haha

[bamlaflamme]

You haven't completely appreciated this song until you've really listened to the lyrics. Which is crazy, because I was already absolutely enthralled by this song beforehand and now I visit a shrine of Ys once a week. Kudos Joanna.

[djdtpacker]

The section where she goes "and i sleep through the rest of my days " gets me every time...so does the "down by the river" part. It just reminds me of warmness, home...idk i cant even describe it. Joanna, keep up the good work (:

[MaryJoMcCormic]

such a lovely fairy..*__*

[philipsmog]

this is wonderful, ok?

[JansRox]

she's, a real artist, a real fashion icon, a real angel, a real lovely person.

Love you joanna

[xXxRav3rRawrBabyxXx]

Absolutely! couldn't agree more. <3 This performance is unbelievably exquisite, one of my favourite songs by her.

[fouramhq]

A dose of heaven.

[arthurspooner60]

what. i mean...what...how...seriously.­.. this is... not human surely. i could just weep at how good this is

[HiResDez]

it's unbelievable that any human being could elicit such effervescent, wondrous sounds.

[MoreThanMutual]

If wish they carried the ending on into infinity like on the Ys street band EP. Still, sooo perfect.

[mysticalsoul55]

I love her....

[helloimnickk]

-drops jaw-

true musician*

[2Feet1Wheel]

those of you that like hip hop, check out Fashawn- When she calls. The song samples this one...

[helloimnickk]

ugh that fashawn song sampled this terribly, it's all grainy and shit. what ever, joanna > fashawn.

[wrlix]

@2Feet1Wheel

it was alright. couldve been sampled a little better.

[CREETreet]

Not my cup of tea, but i appreciate the musical arrangement Mrs. Newsom has put together. I believe that is a Dahu the man on the left is playing with the bow.

[HardcoreCowLip]

:)) amazing.

[CloverDealman]

So magical and so different - wonderful!

[x1mastershake1x]

and though i tried so hard, my little darling, i couldnt keep the night from comin in

[ammicconicco]

And i miss your precious heart

[jamesbarber4]

One of my favourite lines from a song...ever!

[augenbaer]

no matter how many times i watch this, it makes me speechless

[dlafrentz]

what was that guy playing at the end??? a bow? or a saw?

seriously.

[underlinedluke]

@dlafrentz A... bowed saw! haha

[JoeyMcChipmunk]

singing saw <3

[SleepyHunterPL]

Her music is good

[sentient07]

if god is a woman, he would maybe sound like her.

[jacob7207]

@sentient07 How do you know God is he? Did he show you his willy underneath the altar?

[zednash]

@sentient07 I prefer...if there is a god, maybe SHE sounds like Joanna.

[W0RTHLESSMAN]

best mess i've ever heard

[thenerocomplex]

does anyone else notice the eerie whistle of wind the second before she starts playing?

[Kitty8elle]

oh yes

[Resilience1983]

Hehe, you're right!

[bababu7]

@thenerocomplex

thats just people whispering silly.

[tlrmcknnn]

@bababu7 no it's the accordion player releasing air from his accordion, trust me i play one.

[k0vert]

@thenerocomplex that's the vacuum of the universe opening in order for her voice to fill it

[bassface17]

There is no convention to the way she writes her songs, yet all of them just happen to be the best song I've ever heard. I don't know if I'm making sense. What I am trying to say is that she does not follow any formulas but her songs are so great.

[feliponsh]

<3<3<3 all songs of this lady are so beautiful

[biggabob]

Beautiful performance. I love listening to this when I am out doing astrophotography.

[Bucketchico]

what does Cosmia means?

[Bucketchico]

are you sure???

well, thanks^^

[kosma1337]

It's a moth. See the Wikipedia article.

[SILinchesVER]

She's so special. I really like her music :)

[QberryZinc09]

so i'm pretty much in love with this woman...

[raouiband]

hahaha me too <333

[nerdboi456]

How could anyone not be in love with her!?!

[scottanthonydotorg]

she is so blessed. to be able to funnel such painful moments into such timeless, elegiac prose is amazing. by the way, if anyone who reads this has not researched the backstory, it gives the song such another dimension. she wrote it for one of her best friends who passed away while she was touring. even for someone rather atheistic in nature, i can't help but be moved by lyrics like, "if you've seen true light, then this is my prayer: will you call me when you get there?"

[QberryZinc09]

who's rather atheistic in nature, you or her?

[alwayspoppies]

I feel the same way.. I'm an atheist but when I listen to this song, I turn in to one of those crying gospel folk.

[alwayspoppies]

I definitely don't think it has anything to do with religion but I do get a sense it is about death and the afterlife.

[jacob7207]

This is rad.

[Stregapez7]

Joanna Newsom's music = bliss

[Thestralsxxx]

I've read many a disrespektful [sic]comment about this talented artist. I don't get it. She is simpy fantastic. The imagery and lyrics she comes up with is amazing.

[rajerino]

i wouldn't even feel worthy to clap. would that she tour

[biggabob]

Only 914 views, how? It is just amazing<3<3

[aftergloworangina]

and i miss your precious heart

[danceolotOBDA13]

i love love love love love love love love this song!! she is amazing!!!!♥♥♥

[strangelittleboy]

i wish she'd release a new album anytime soon.