Joanna Newsom - Peach Plum Pear (11.16.06)

[AmIFreeYet]

omg I've fallen in love with this

[leschatsmusicale]

I can't believe it now, but the first time I listened to her, I didn't like her voice. now I think she's one of the greatest singers I've ever heard.

[juliedalessandrosing]

me too.

[lovelylobsters]

I love this performance. I could watch it all day

[bgeisler63]

I wish I could go back and hear her for the first time again and watch myself as, in less than three minutes, I went from thinking she was a bad singer to thinking she is an incredibly, amazing singer.

[xanfus]

i miss her old crazy voice. she's still super awesome though

[sorcervs]

n my repeated playbacks of milk eyed mender i would skip peach plum because i knew it so well after a few listens and the vocals are so piercing i was hesitant to repeat the grating yet gratifying exposure to its impact. a couple days ago i decided to like it most from the album. and there was much rejoicing

[gallezzo]

Just goes to show you, if your good looking you can poop on a plate and call it steak.

[AleXMdN1]

look up the lyrics to this song. it's like a poem, if you take away the na na na na, na na na na, na na, na na na na, na na na na, na na, na na na na na na na na's.

[FanofDawn]

I can't quite describe it, but, listening to her the first time, I feel like I've heard this before...

[PaulDavisify]

she is so interesting and i love that harp it is the greatest and the way she sings is like no other

[xanfus]

i love her live performances more than the studio ones. it's like a million little icy needles penetrate me at once.... no homo....

[JinkesKoala]

i like her voice here. the studio is great, but here, she sounds so.. idk. i love it

[Mysticalili]

she´s incredible!

[whotookaegir]

I don't like how she says "I was blue and unwell" instead of "I am blue and unwell". that was my favorite line in the song.

[sorcervs]

@whotookaegir totally with you on that but thats just the contrast between an artist evolving and the audience fixating. let it go. believe in her

[sorcervs]

@sorcervs i have an illustration that includes those lines

[DocCereal]

I come to this song, listen to it and ignore the hipsters and trolls. ..

I enjoy laughing at them both, rather than ever trying to argue with anyone. ..

[ICONiac2323]

my dance studio danced to this song :)

[Eyepiercings]

so good i actually clapped

[FlipCube]

2:46...fuck ya!!! Harp solo!!!

[FLAMMABLEsquids]

I love her music, and think she's incredibly beautiful...but the faces she makes while singing are just odd. Sometimes they're endearing, but other times I can't help but laugh from how absurd she looks.

[axespeed]

I can't imagine I once couldn't bear her voice, when now all it does is penetrate my heart.

[JoRdAnIsRaDiCaL27]

@axespeed I feel the exact same way. I could not stand it, but then I finally HEARD her. She's amazing.

[PorroFirst]

@axespeed We're always resistant against things we're not used to.

[grandexandi]

@axespeed but she did change her way of singing, it got much softer

[chinchinrevolution]

Um...her voice is horrid.

[YesImACunt]

@chinchinrevolution Um, so is Chris Brown. LOL YOU LIKE CHRIS BROWN.

[chinchinrevolution]

@YesImACunt I don't like Chris Brown. I like one of his songs because one of my favourite singers did a cover of it. Calm down.

[YesImACunt]

@chinchinrevolution Your music taste is abysmal either way.

[elliotnicklin]

@YesImACunt Taste is opinion, as is your description of abysmal; as such it can and will only ever be abysmal to you and you alone.

[chunkypuff91]

There's something about her music that's just.. hypnotizing.. I love it!!

[lyghtsalt]

I thought this was a joke...then I read the comments. Bahahaha! This is different to say the least!

[sakamamoto]

Beautiful style, she is like a breeze of fresh air... thank you Joanna

[PaigeMDawkins]

I am not sure I like her voice but I love the lyrics and the harp playing :) check out Owen Pallett's version

[serenadescandal]

@PaigeMDawkins why check out "owen whatshisfaces" when the original is perfect as it is? the oddness of her voice is part of the charm, you need to listen to more of her music.

[Aiyana25]

Amazing! Inspiring! Heavenly!

[mekkaroniable]

WOW... speechless

[BirdofSaxony]

@IKSEJIMZ At the very least, listening to this song is the equivalent of having an extremely long orgasm.

[Lilyfloss]

well. i don't know if it's ordinary for a 12 year old to listen to this. but i like it :)

[msdeb41]

is it possible to comment on something without using the ugliest word possible to describe something as beautiful as music from the heart?

[hazard19]

@msdeb41 How is 'fucking' the ugliest word possible? It's a word that means a lot of different things and in this case it is simply a synonym for 'extremely'.

[blithium]

@msdeb41 I think telling somebody what words they should use to express their love of art like this is fucking silly.

[YesImACunt]

@msdeb41 Excuse me, but I believe "cunt" is the ugliest word possible.

[pshimcoolstfu]

God, this is fucking beautiful

[Aveluss]

She's spectacular. It's overwhelming.

[derpinator1]

i love the juxtaposition of the two top rated comments

classic

[PaulDavisify]

@derpinator1 creative word choice

[bludg30n]

love, love, love.....

[mockcannibalism]

this is one of the most beautiful people i have ever seen. i love the way that she doesn't seem to be able to control herself, she feels it so deeply.

[xincubusx]

This blew my mind!

[elbubbles0869]

i get chills everytime i hear this song. it almost brings me to tears! this is truely a masterpeice and probably one of the greatest songs of all time. absolutely beautiful!

[CheerJaja]

When she doesn't say "pear" the last time, it's just heartbreaking..

[ItsFizikal]

Best song of all time.

[MrChaos401]

Stunning and charming in equal measure. A complete and wonderful surprise! She is amazing. Truly.

[winnerACE1109]

here u can notice her voice is not as bad as it sounds

[FreshTiki]

her voice sounds like dave matthews but feminine LOVE IT

[luistar207]

Tear. Bravo brava.

[RainbowOfLiberty]

MGMT-Kids videoclip brought me here... She starred there as the kid mom!

She is soooooo awesome, love her <3

[matthewtyler92]

You can say what ever you want about her voice, but this is music with true expression. You can feel she means every word.

[gradaria]

@Tuberstar08 ALLRIGHT Tuberstar!! It's all I ever wanted, AWESOME!! YES, I WANT TO INCREASE MY HEART!

[MsChatfield]

I've always preferred this live to how it is on the CD- it always seems so harsh on there, but like this, it's utterly beautiful.

[IMTreble]

she's friggin rockin that Harp honey!

[ReanaCarr]

Chill talent...

[bubblegumprincess22]

First song I ever heard from her. I've been in love since.♥

[SausageForce]

I'm not really even sure how to comment on this. I think it could be one of the most hauntingly beautiful things I have ever heard. That being said, I can understand how some people might not be into her voice - But I'm not one of them. This is incredible.

[shrwnt]

can't get this song out of my head.

[Seiketsuuu]

love it when it starts at 2:47 <3

[806TO713]

Wonder what an orgasm sounds like from her.

[djxrg]

@806TO713 lol



[djxrg]

@806TO713 lol

[CarojinWarrior]

@806TO713 NANANANANANANANANANA

[letsdothisnow101]

@806TO713 Ask Andy Samberg.

[IKSEJIMZ]

@806TO713 i think this song is actually her having an extremely long orgasm...

[gtguglielmi]

@806TO713

Like a dolphin after you stick your thumb up its ass.

[elfenlied199]

@806TO713 why would you say that

[Welihy]

@806TO713 A cat giving birth....to a cow.....with fully developed horns....on a bed of needles....

[josephjdann]

Joanna Newsom is brilliant. So much talent.

[LuizinhaN]

god, it sounds like cats mating...

[Abstractionant]

I love that accomplished smile at the end. <3

[maryannkohl]

Strange and wonderful.

[y3k23k]

when she sings "i was riding its back when it used to ride me" all i could think about is riding joanna newsroom BOOM SEX JOKE

[AbstractNumbers]

Thank you for capturing such a beauty playing such mesmerizing music. She's absolutely stunning in all aspects.

[oHeide]

14 people who watched this where deaf-blind...

[PartyBoy64]

I want to ride her.

[oHeide]

wow.



[supravista]

Ok, this is a proper art work... we can stamp this one 'Human Made' and proudly send it off into the cosmos.

[monorobot23]

@supravista yeeeeeah, sooo right, im not that kind of artist, but i hope one day reach that level.

[dundeecake]

@supravista And we and our planet are long gone before it would be ever found by another intelligent lifeform. Such beautiful sadness.

[GodDamnAliens]

@supravista this comment made me cringe more than her voice.

[supravista]

@GodDamnAliens XOXO

[pehtraq]

shes such a good harp player! please let someone else do the vocals so your neck doesnt explode from overstraining ^____^

[psychicsandwich7]

This is my favorite version of this song.

[gluntford]

such a sad song

[Mutt709]

Indie music at it's best. :D

[LoserBabyLuna]

@Mutt709 Please never called Joanna's music 'indie' ever again. -___-

[lakejautman]

@LoserBabyLuna it is....

[JamesMLeo]

@LoserBabyLuna I'm curious why you don't consider her music 'indie'.  It's a very ambiguous term that applies more to a creative process and a break from mainstream music than any real sort of being "independent" from record labels or money or whatever. It's basically a bullshit word that can be applied to about 80% of music that isn't on the radio/MTV/whatever the kids watch these days.

[JamesMLeo]

@wipers86 I agree with you, mostly, but the fact of the matter is that the word 'indie' doesn't really mean anything any more and it's no use arguing about it's definition. And the argument about punk... you can keep going with "there's be no punk without X" and "there'd be no X without Y."  It's all semantics. Just enjoy the music.

[lakejautman]

@wipers86 'indie' means released on an independent record label. its not a set genre. y'all piss me off a lot. that being said, this song hits hard. i mean it is too fucking beautiful, it hurts.

[wipers86]

@lakejautman very true man it's a shame she isn't that known of I just know I could mention her name to anyone and they wouldn't have a clue of her when she's better than all that commercial shit going now anything is better than that shit saying that lol

[wipers86]

@lakejautman since you like good music have a listen to (selah sue) songs /Raggamuffin/This world

[MapleStoryShowsLive]

This song really makes me happy :]

[KneezBees]

i want to learn to play this on the harp

[MrSatoshiKon]

truly amazing....silence...tears....­thank you joanna

[IbarraVeronica321]

my cousin showed me this song and i just fell in love, he once said that i would really hate it or really love it, thanks CARLOS! i love it. its so amazing :D

[drillbitdave]

im thunderstuck. amazing.

[Peps97100]

отлично играет и поет еще лучше

[ojosdeweber]

Seems like she has learned to sing in a normal voice

[mnmsocca96]

This is amazing... and what she can do with her harp. Oh my god, it just blows me away.<3

[Pikadono]

oh my god

I love this so much, like I don't even know

[Kaileyiskewl]

Just wow.

[Vikkilewis]

Sung beautifully and look at the smile at the end! ^_^

[WeMustBeStopped]

I am a fan, and have been for about five years now, and in glancing at the comments about her voice, I wanna put in my two cents: The first time my buddy made me, and I do mean made me, listen to Milk-Eyed Mender, I hated the screechy tone and awkward timbre. HATED. But, holy hannah, how does a human come up with those words? AMAZING SONGS...I ended up not taking it out of my cd player in my car for WEEKS. And the grating quality became gorgeous to me. Give her a week. (I still skip 3 Babes)

[xXpandibearXx]

That was pretty good.

[jojobleh]

my god.

[nyreewaters]

her hands baffle and amaze me.

[artemisgreenberg]

i love her faces and her jerking motions. i love them the most. hahaha.

[0saraphina0]

I will never know the true significance of this song, or why it affects me so, but I will always know that Joanna is a heaven-sent angel. She saves my life.

[thenoodletheory]

She is absolutely gorgeous, and amazing playing ability and voice, but as a classically trained singer, I can not stand to watch her sing. I am more than happy to listen, but can't watch at all.

[KingForToday]

I've really tried, but i just can't get past her voice. it's a shame because she is a great songwriter.

[Kao108]

I'm glad because I can now actually manage to play this part on my harp :) sad thing is I don't know how to sing :( I have to find someone to accompany me on the song otherwise the harp part alone sounds a bit bland :(

[3kadosh]

perhaps one of the most beautiful people currently walking the planet.

[HeyStephenEffer]

i'd like it but her faces scare me

[Maggotcorp10]

OMG!!! Speechless

[shizzle31]

You all must have bad ears, her singing voice is beautiful..

[goleshgolesh]

I like this.

[38robtime]

I just don't think most people understand her. Unconventional is a good word but I don't think it's accurate for someone of her caliber, just beyond comprehension for some folk. That being said, this is my favorite live version of this song, perfect is an understatement.

[k0vert]

@38robtime Couldn't have said it better. She is a gift to this generation.

[behindtonsils]

This is my favourite version of this song, so beautiful.

[0saraphina0]

So much emotion!!!!!! I LOVE HER!!!! oh, Joanna!

[HumanAccount]

harp looks really hard to play

[koojean]

i hate that i had to buy the album on itunes because i couldnt find it anywhere:( I WANT THE TANGIBLE ALBUM!

[jesseenriquez]

its as off the wall as bjork... but way better

[beccahoo]

Oh you people, with your comfortably accustomed ears. Broaden your minds. Joanna is technically correct in her singing, and her tone, whilst not easy, is remarkable; evocative, emotional, like nothing I've ever heard before. Her songs--and her delivery of them--take me to places I've never been before.

Why do we consider hers a grating tone? Why is the unfamiliar automatically bad?

She's not easy. But she is rewarding!!

[blahuga]

LOL

[laterdaz2]

if you dont like her voice then dont listen to her music and trashing her how do you that makes her feel

[concretestars]

Peach Plum Pear. Oh enlightened being..

[hannahxftw]

@Evangeline30575 Probably the AT&T commercial. It plays Bridges and Balloons

[Jonathanflutist]

I love that in this performance she sings "and I was blue" instead of "and I am blue" like in the recording on the album. Her attitude and musical style totally reflect it too! She seems so completely renewed and optimistic. And the run at the end... So happy! Fantastic.

[googelbear]

She looks best with this hair

[jazzandmint]

I am so in love with this. Joanna blows me away. She's just incredible.

[Panzer4mk]

Love it ! Something very magical/story book about her voice.

[thatsabigmanatee]

She is absolutely amazing... Fact. 

[ConsiderableGravity]

OHMYGOD! i heard joanna on a commercial and i almost died of pure joy! =D way to go, Joanna!

[Evangeline30575]

@ConsiderableGravity what commercial?

[drunkentar]

I heard a song by her on a commercial. Her voice alone was the reason i got on youtube and tracked her down. There are plenty of singers who sound the same. It's the unusual or unique sounding voices that are always remembered. Whether you like her sound or not you will always be able to identify it. Bob Dylan and Janis Joplin also had/have a strange way of singing but i don't see anyone talking bad about them. Try and enjoy what is unique and life will never be dull. Just my opinion though.

[thetomatoelement]

@drunkentar i couldn't agree with you more

[drunkentar]

I heard a song by her on a commercial. Her voice alone was the reason i got on youtube and tracked her down. There are plenty of singers who sound the same. It's the unusual or unique sounding voices that are always remembered. Whether you like her sound or not you will always be able to identify it. Bob Dylan and Janis Joplin also had/have a strange way of singing but i don't see anyone talking bad about them. Try and enjoy what is unique and life will never be dull. Just my opinion though.

[bxr782]

Unusual. An acquired taste for sure.

At least she's better than Yoko Ono.

[xTheOxx]

You know what kills me? It's the fact that she wrote and recorded this song beautifully on a harpsichord, then REVERSED the part played by her right hand to play it on the harp. She's like Rain Man or something, that kind of talent is not normal.

[TikTakSambo]

@xTheOxx What are you talking about? Reversed? I play this on harp and I wouldn't refer to that as reversed unless theres something about Piano playing I'm not understanding. They are the same part it's just a different instrument

[xTheOxx]

@TikTakSambo

On the piano, the thumb on your right hand generally plays lower notes than the little finger. On the harp, it's the opposite.

The left hand, of course, stays the same.

[TikTakSambo]

@xTheOxx Ahhh I see that makes sense. But they're just two very different instruments, so the transfer really doesn't matter. It's still musically the same thing. Unless you play piano and think you could easily start playing the harp.

No real point in arguing though, we're both just huge fans clearly and understand music theory :)

[theone10203040]

@xTheOxx im not sure what all that means but it sounds difficult

[teddanson62]

@xTheOxx

Thats retarded shes really good but the harp is an open instrument and she could play either part on whatever hand she chose to

[teddanson62]

@xTheOxx

Thats retarded shes really good but the harp is an open instrument and she could play either part on whatever hand she chose to

[xTheOxx]

@teddanson62

... I guess she could if she really wanted to but...

Notice her right hand plays most of the higher notes? Notice that the thumb plays the highest notes of all? The high notes on a piano or harpsichord aren't usually played with the right thumb. That's all I'm saying.

[nelson3300]

@xTheOxx yes, yes and she often makes devil horns with her hand to play certain chords... Dear lord, is she a demon?! NOOO!!!!!!! :D

[Cryptopsy34]

@xTheOxx What do you mean? Her right hand is still playing the chords while the left hand plays the melody, just as on the harpsichord.