We are huge fans of Neko Case, whether solo or as a part of super-pop-group, New Pornographers.  She is amongst our most evocative singer-songwriters (lyrics being her particular strength), and a brilliant live performer (our fave instance being her show in the early millennium at the small ole Brown Derby in LA).  We’ll write more about her another day, but on her birthday check out two videos of one of her mini-masterpieces, I Wish I Was the Moon.  Happy Belated Birthday Neko (yesterday, Sept 8th).

Below the two Neko videos is a repeat of Jesse Winchester drawing tears (at 3:12) from Neko in a performance of Winchester’s love song, Sham-A-Ling-Dong-Ding, on Costello’s spectacular Spectacle show.  As she confesses in I Wish I Was The Moon, those tears evince that she carries her “heart in [her] lap.”  You can see Costello also fighting it off throughout the song until he too is “finished.”  The performance is proof positive of Jesse Winchester’s soulful ways.  Sadly, in July Winchester posted the following to his website:  “I have been diagnosed with cancer of the esophagus, and will have to undergo treatment for the next couple of months. I’m very sorry if any plans have been disrupted; I do hope to see you again soon, and we’ll pick up where we left off.”  According to CaringBridge, Jesse is in the middle of “chemo, radiation, and neupogen shots” while surrounded by family.  Our prayers for healing, Jesse.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fhur6g8_BM&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4op5mUtyIw&feature=related