![cover image](/brain/images/babydeeabookofsongsforannemarie2010.jpg)
Drag City (US) / Tin Angel Records (Europe)
The bawdier side of Dee’s songwriting is absent from A Book of Songs for Anne Marie, instead here she opts for some of her more introspective pieces. It is easy on her other albums to get caught up in the fun of albinos and a mother-bashing Jesus but with such tender beauties as “Love’s Small Song” and “Unheard of Hope,” it is a joy to be reacquainted with Dee’s serious side. “Who writes a song must love to hear it sung and gentle hope has my song a reckless one” she sings on “Endless Night” and this sentiment rings true throughout A Book of Songs for Anne Marie; Dee always sounds like she is approaching a song for the first time, full of a joyous trepidation like a fawn taking its first steps.
“Black But Comely” is one of Baby Dee’s defining songs, biblical allusions and mystical romance colliding in an elegant dance. Its latest incarnation sees her dream-like harp drifting on a bed of violins like a cloud under a cupid. From here, it would be easy to falter but Dee never wavers; each song is crafted masterfully. The new songs not originally included on the first version of A Book of Songs for Anne Marie are not mere off-cuts included to get die hard fans to buy the album again. Each of these new songs capture the same warmth as the songs from the original set. “As Morning Holds a Star” in particular stands out as being another classic.
If A Book of Songs for Anne Marie was just a regular reissue of the original album, it would be a welcome release for sure as that short album contains some of Dee’s finest songs. With its polish and its renovation, the album now does the songs more justice and makes it sound like the music has matured in the last six years. Unfortunately the book included with the original has not been replicated but I appreciate the efforts made on the music much more in any case.
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