Something in the way she moves
This woman's name is Pattie Boyd. Her name was once Patty Boyd Harrison, as in, the wife or George Harrison. Her name was also once Patty Boyd Clapton, as in, the wife of Eric Clapton.She inspired, among others, these songs:
- Something (George Harrison whilst he was in the Beatles)
- For you blue (George Harrison, Solo)
- Layla (Eric Clapton, Derek and the Dominos)
- Wonderful Tonight (Clapton, Solo)
- Pretty Girl (Clapton, Solo)
Something...Layla ...Layla! Have you listened to that song recently (the original, not the awful acoustic version)?!? Do you hear the pain in Clapton's voice when he is "begging darling please/ won't you ease my worried mind"?
How do you become a woman like this? I really want to know! She also had a torrid affair with Ronnie Wood of the Stones and Jagger was all over her for years. Huh? Tell me, please, how does a woman who can certainly be characterized as pretty, even beautiful, but not soul-destroyingly so, become the muse of some of the most talented musicians and song-writers?
What qualities does a woman have to possess to drive a man to steal his best friend's wife? Maybe it runs in the family. According to the article I read, Pattie's sister was the inspiration for Donovan Leech's Jennifer Juniper but ended up with Mick Fleetwood. Uh, not quite Layla but seeing as how no man has written a song with me in mind, I will hold back from being critical. And I do not forget the irony of Pattie's situation that she never could bear a child so, it is as if her being remembered in song, disallowed her to continue in the fruit of her loins. Hmmm.
All I know is that I would love to know the secret that captures the male imagination to such an extent that it brings out his best. Sure, hearing Layla on the radio and knowing it is yours would be a dream come true but it doesn't have to be a rock star that finds inspiration in my aura. Will someone paint me please? Capture my je ne sais quoi on canvas forever ... I can be the next Mona Lisa, can't I? If I shave off my eyebrows? No, apparently not because no one is asking me to sit for them. Ok, if I am not oil painting material, can't I appear as a heroine in some novel? Explore the complexities of my character, the depths of my personality and whilst describing my age defining beauty. Scarlett O'Hara? Listen, I am not getting any younger - I will settle for Madame Bovery as long as you don't bump me off with arsenic at the end. That is not my style.
The point is, I think there is some power in the Feminine which is beyond beauty, and I wish I knew what it was. I wish I had it - who knows, maybe I do. I have broken some hearts, have had inspired some pretty heartfelt love letters, but, even if I possess a whiff of it, I am just touching on the precipice of the Power of the Female and if I could trade my knowledge of another area for it, I would in a heartbeat. For instance, I would easily give up my knowledge of how to make a decent spaghetti sauce for it (and for you other Italians, you know that is a value-packed trade!) Everything I know about technology - gone! For half of what Pattie Boyd knows! Would I trade the ability to have a child? I don't know having never had a child.
Guys - are you aware of this intangible "Something" (as Harrison so beautifully put it) that some women possess? Do all women possess it? Some knowingly enough to capitalize on it? Girls - would we recognize this in ourselves?
Maybe I am just with the wrong guy? Maybe I am inspiring but I don't have an artist for a honey? I mean, Pattie ended up with a property developer for 15 years. I am with a property developer... I suppose we couldn't inspire them to build a house ... or could we? Hmmm.
I suppose it only matters if you are that "something" for one person in a lifetime and damn the immortalization in song, paint or story. But take note all you musicians, you artists, you writers - I am available.
posted by pog mo thoin @ 12:51 AM
11 comments
11 Comments:
I loved this post!
I also often wonder what it is about certain women that inspires such passion. I'll be interested in what the men have to say.
all i can give is my own paltry opinion.
1st, i think it's totally intangible. you can point to a woman and say, she's beautiful, or her skin glows, or her hair shimmers in the light, but the appeal of all this varies from one guy to the next.
and it's not just about beauty. how a woman carries herself, her personality, her scent -- all these are powerful factors. does she show interest in the guy? does she make him feel like he's the only person in the world when she gazes at him?
also, and just as important - is the guy capable of great passion? some men just don't have the internal stuff to allow themselves to be carried away by an ideal. i'd say in the equation of inspiration, it's 50% woman, 50% the creative passion of the man.
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This is easy. And to recycle an old comment:
She gives good craic.
Great post again, Pog. I'm languishing in the depths of a dry spell and am envious of your plethora of good posts!
- D.
OK, I decided to stop being a wise-ass for two seconds and give this some thought, as someone who has written things for women in the past.
Now, I don't know Pattie Boyd, but from looking at her, I wouldn't write her a great rock song. Steven Stills wrote "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes" for Judy Collins, who isn't exactly Rachel Hunter, so, it's not universal beauty that does it.
Ms. Boyd seemed to go with whoever gave her the most attention at the time, so being a person with a lot of integrity and being loyal and monogamous certainly isn't the criteria either.
I've come to the conclusion that the thing is what I scientifically call "it".
I've been hopelessly messed up over women that most of my friends didn't find attractive. These women had "it".
Oh, and the funny thing about "it" is that it is variable. The "it" that does it for me is probably different than the "it" that does it for Sage. For example, I don't necessarily need a woman who sweats pineapple juice.
A lot of the creation of songs, poems, sonnets, things like that come from unrequited love. It's that thing in the pit of your stomach when you are not around the person. When you imagine them with someone else. That's "it". Usually, it happens with unrequited love. Which also explains a lot of these heartfelt expressions never pan out.
From looking at it, Pattie Boyd should have stayed with Clapton, right? I mean, he wrote LAYLA for her, for crying out loud. The only thing he ever wrote for me was "Lay Down Sally". Bastard. I like Jack Bruce better anyway.
Anyway, the romance inherent in writing someone a song and being so helplessly and foolishly in love with someone that you would steal your best friend's woman is way too much for any relationship to take. It buckles under that pressure. Especially when she finds out that the same guy who inspired "Clapton is God" is the same guy who won't put the toilet seat down.
Pain and being lovelorn breeds more creativity than happiness. At least for me. Which explains why I haven't written a poem in ages. But I can understand people who do this thing still, but the subject of one's writings of these things can rarely fulfill the expectations and dreams once that love is reciprocated.
And Pog, don't be so sure no one has ever written you anything like Layla. A lot of the times, I kept the things I wrote for people to myself. Besides, I didn't have a great record deal by which to share it. I'm sure other people kept their writings secret too.
Reading this back, I realize it makes no sense, so I'm sorry for the terribly long and stupid comment.
I'm off to listen to some Metallica. I don't think Hetfield wrote "Creeping Death" for Edie Brickell.
- D.
oh, i agree with dim about the unrequited love part. great point.
but imagine a woman that sweated pineapple juice?
Dim - I don't think Hetfield wrote "Creeping Death" for Edie Brickell. - excellent! I real joy that one given the context and you made sense
I don't think Hetfield wrote "Creeping Death" for Edie Brickell.
No dry spell there my friend...
Sage - is the guy capable of great passion? some men just don't have the internal stuff to allow themselves to be carried away by an ideal. i'd say in the equation of inspiration, it's 50% woman, 50% the creative passion of the man. Oh my! Good Point! What if they just aren't or, and maybe more to the point, they are put it burns low and steady like, the fact that they would rather come home to you instead of going to the pub every night is because you have the power of inspiration like Ms.Boyd.
I now feel oddly better and worse at the same time.
Dim - I actually meant to quote this line
Especially when she finds out that the same guy who inspired "Clapton is God" is the same guy who won't put the toilet seat down
V. good.
Ok, Fresh, did you get all that? Basically they are saying they don't have a clue...
I got it. Makes me feel better cause I don't have a clue either.
great post. perhaps all women 'have it' but only for a few men. i know i have been completely inspired by a few women that would not be classified a drop dead gorgeous but were very pretty and had some type of magnetism that i fell for.
dim and sage, the craic and pineapple lines were a nice touch.
also pog, i'm no painter, but i'll draw you!!
You spend enough time with someone you will fall in love...
If they are unavailable you're really screwed....
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