From The Desk Of The Waterboys’ Mike Scott: Discovering Elizabeth

Mike Scott is pop’s only literate lyricist who would dare take on the stately iconography of William Butler Yeats. Forget about the living proof provided by his band the Waterboys as they tackle the Irishman’s prickly poems through a series of 14 daringly diverse arrangements on the new An Appointment With Mr. Yeats (Proper American). You’d know that if you’ve listened to Scott’s richly robust catalog of Waterboys albums made since 1983, or even read his recently released book, Adventures Of A Waterboy. Though imbued with an intellectual curiosity beyond that of the most wizened scholar, Scott has long found himself inspired by Yeats’ vivid world-weary lyrical textures and smartly grammatical manner. On the other hand, he’s a big Twitter fan. Go figure. Scott will also be guest editing magnetmagazine.com all week. Read our new Q&A with him.

Last February I was in a New York club to see some friends perform. After their set finished, the next act took the stage: a floppy-hatted solo girl. She sat behind the piano and played, full of nuance and colour and delicacy. And then she sang. Her voice was exquisite: a rich silken rich shot through with pain, rebellion and a wisdom beyond the 25 or 30 years I guessed she’d lived. I stood, pinned to the spot, as her song unfolded. She never looked up, just sang, heartbreakingly, floppy hat covering her face. When the song was over, I whispered to someone close to me “Who is that?” “That’s Elizabeth Ziman” came the answer, “from the band Elizabeth And The Catapult.” Elizabeth and the what? But then, as the applause died down, without a word, Elizabeth started her second number, still alone at the piano, a song of exquisite sad beauty. Titled “Thankyou For Nothing”, its melodies undid me, its lyric unravelled my resistance, pierced my heart, sang to my soul and turned me into a lifelong fan. And by the miracle of YouTube, I can share that very song with you.

Video after the jump.