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Hold Back

from Little Light by Allison Crowe

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“Cinema changed him and he changed cinema,” Agnès Varda, the great Ixelles (Brussels)-born French photographer and film director, says of cultural confrère, French-Swiss director/screenwriter/critic, Jean-Luc Godard.

JLG’s short “Une femme coquette” is filmed in Geneva with credits to Hans Lucas (a nom de guerre the ground-breaking iconoclast used also for writings in ‘Cahier du Cinéma’). It’s rarely exhibited and seen until its recent sharing online with the world by Australian cinéaste and critic Dave Hesler. (Gracias, Nina, for flagging the original now available in full via YouTube @ www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzpFi0uBmzs and elsewhere.)

This early (1955) creation of Godard, as excerpted here, finds its images meeting new sound – from Canadian musician Allison Crowe. “Hold Back” is recorded by Crowe herself at home in Corner Brook, NL. The ciné song’s lyricism reveals “an heart of mystery and some fears faced”.

lyrics

Hold Back

Words & Music by Allison Crowe

A collection of truths
strategically placed
a horde of mysteries
and some fears faced

A raging battle under
calm and serene
often saying what I think
but not often what I mean

'cause, I need to see
reality
so I, I know
that it's not just a dream

And I lay my cards out
for anyone
but I'm still never what I seem
I hold back

Take hold of dares
as though you're almost done
as if it's the last thing you'll ever do
and I will always run
because

A misguided guide I am
an ignorant lead
I never know what I want
but I'll tell you what I need

I need to see
reality
so I, I know
it's not just a dream

I hold my cards out
to everyone
but I still am never what I seem

And I see you smile
and it makes me nervous
and while I laugh the truth is
I don't know how to do this

I have no idea of what's okay
no matter who you are
but you'll never get to know
because I'll never get that far

'cause, I need to see
reality
so I, I know
that it's not just a dream

I lay my cards out
I lay my cards out for you, but
I'm still never what I seem

I hold back

I
hold
back

credits

from Little Light, released May 2, 2008

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all rights reserved

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Allison Crowe image

Allison Crowe Corner Brook, Newfoundland and Labrador

"Why music?" "Why breathing?"

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