#joanni

The causal, tension releasing, sex relationship they have is absolutely ripe for a 100 chapter slow burn romance fic.

The silence comes over Thousands of soldiers

from the album Aerial

The last time I wrote about Kate Bush, it was regarding her guest vocal appearance on Big Country’s ‘The Seer’, a song inspired by a 17th century legend. On her solo work, Kate also regularly reaches back in time, tackling a story or a figure from history or literature, and often blurring the lines between reality and fiction. From ‘Wuthering Heights’ to ‘Heads We’re Dancing’ to ‘Wild Man’, fantastical stories consistently seem to capture her attention, and on ‘Joanni’, she takes on one of history’s most toweringly famous women, Joan Of Arc.

Since she was burned at the stake in the 15th century, there have been endless Joan Of Arc depictions in high art and popular culture, and it seems like there wouldn’t be much left to say about her life and legend. On ‘Joanni’, Kate doesn’t attempt to deconstruct her actions or place in history, but instead constructs a musical epic around a retelling of some landmark moments of Saint Joan’s story, namely her religious visions and her part in French military campaigns. 

With a few short scenes, Kate translates Joan’s power into song, and depicts these key events with a suitable level of drama and mystery, effortlessly combining the verifiable aspects of the tale with the more speculative, culminating in Kate calling for Saints Catherine and Margaret (the stars of Joan’s alleged visions) in French, as the music swells to a climax. Many of the other songs on Aerial, a comeback album for Kate at the time, were personal reflections on the events of her own life out of the spotlight, but on ‘Joanni’, she proved that she could still take a story or figure with a vast legacy, even one as celebrated as Joan Of Arc, and make it feel just as intimate and compelling.

‘Joanni’ audio:

Glumper invites Joanni and Luke over to see his nose trick. Both of them were impressed.

For three friends with great art who are a big inspiration, you should check them all out!

koopaklownkartexpress‘s characters Joanni and Luke.

actual-drawings‘s characters Imik and Ghost Dog.