It always brings me back when I hear "Ooh, Child"

I can't remember the first time I heard the song. I'd like to imagine it was on an orange AM radio my grandfather gave me back when AM radio wasn't synonymous with talk radio, and FM was as unfamiliar to me as the Five Stairsteps. It wasn't until Jim McKay's film Our Song used the song that it was brought back to me, and I searched out a greatest hits album so I could spin it whenever I wanted. It was then that I realized what the Beasties were talking about.

Last night I saw Beth Orton at Webster Hall. We arrived at 8 to learn that Orton wouldn't appear until 10, and so we went to Veniero's for some pre-concert coffee and dessert. Sitting in the cafe was much preferrable to standing for two hours and listening to an opening act of whom none of us had ever heard. C joked that six months from now he'd blow up and we would have missed our chance to see the next Beck.

At 9.30, we went back to Webster Hall; the concert started a bit past 10.

Orton was excitable, speaking quickly between songs. I was surprised she had so much energy. Y said she was nervous. The concert was thoroughly enjoyable.

At one point, the band left the stage and Orton took requests from the audience. She played two songs solo on her guitar and then the band came back. Someone shouted out "Ooh, Child," from the audience. "It's a little late for that," she joked, and continued with her set.

For her second encore, she reappeared without the band and asked for requests. She played one song, and then while other people shouted out other songs, she began playing a figure on her acoustic guitar. And then the words came. "Oooooh, child, things are gonna get easier," she sang. "Oooooh, child things'll get briiiighter." In my mind, I remembered sitting in a darkened theater watching Our Song and also, even if it wasn't true, sitting in my room dialing my orange AM radio to the oldies station (before I knew what oldies meant) and hearing the strains of the same song. Posted by eku at April 12, 2006 9:59 AM