Natalie Merchant - The Living - 1999-01-06

Solo performance of a song from Ophelia, the second album by Natalie Merchant. Live at a very well remembered show about books mostly, broadcasted by US public television on the nineties and later years.
The credits on this footage goes to ten@ci0usly pr0cr@stine old channel.

[@mykeonthemove]

A voice with an eternal echo that transcends sound.. The piano transports Natalie's voice to a place where hiding from truth is simply impossible and facing it is inevitable. An incredible song that truly capture the power of Natalie Merchant's talent.

[@Slippin22]

"Masterpiece" and those of who you can relate to this song... I feel for you...

[@Exposetheluciferianagenda]

The depth of this song is unimaginable.....

[@christopherpatterson7391]

The best female singer/songwriter of all time Imo She sits at a piano, writes and sings about real shit, like ur supposed to, incredibly perfect voice & range,absolutely Love her..

[@TheKavvz]

@@christopherpatterson7391 Agree, Natalie doesn't get enough credit in the mainstream for her amazing and wide ranging repertoire of work. I'm not sure why, but most people and media outlets don't know what they're missing. She is literally one of the most talented singer/songwriters of all time.

[@jaholmes2]

@@christopherpatterson7391 you might want to Google “Joni Mitchell”

[@Tooke2]

She’s the female Jim Morrison IMO

[@Exposetheluciferianagenda]

@@Tooke2 I was actually thinking of Sandy Denny on Tam Lin sounding juts like the doors lol

[@natfan]

I could watch this 1000 times.

[@davidsciuto6656]

An amazing and beautiful song from my favorite Natalie Merchant album, “Ophelia.” That album is filled with gems like this from start to completion

[@ginacastner9033]

Such a wonderful unique voice.

[@szemingseng673]

Anyone who has seriously contemplated suicide will relate to this song

[@portcullis5622]

@@szemingseng673 It isn't actually a suicide song. It is more about a slow, lifetime of self-destruction. It is written from the perspective of her former neighbour, an old man who had wrecked his health and life through drinking.

[@chrisgeorge4429]

She is a goddess!

[@Tooke2]

This song makes me cry

[@missusmac1]

Why have I never heard of you… beautiful x

[@TheKavvz]

Sweet jesus, that is amazing! Natalie and a piano is my happy place.

[@tomliebau694]

Just WOW!

[@Thecoutch]

Saw her do this song live at Lilith fair- it was breathtaking!

[@annmckie6850]

So did I

[@johndistaso6353]

Perfection.

[@philochristos]

This is just an amazing song.

[@brianwatson1211]

This voice has my forever vote

[@julioacosta7285]

What a voice!

[@maoxian]

Powerful stuff ... loneliness, alcoholism, suicide ... mainstream radio never carried it

[@portcullis5622]

I concur about mainstream radio, but from what Natalie wrote in the booklet that accompanied her 2005 'Retrospective' album, this song (about a former near neighbour) was more about a slow death due to drinking, rather than suicide. Admittedly, the end result is the same, sadly.

[@maoxian]

@@portcullis5622 Thanks for the insight... I always took the line "Oh, come tomorrow You won't find me here" to mean that he was finally going to pull the trigger, so to speak....

[@portcullis5622]

@@maoxian I know. It does sound that way. I would have thought the same if I hadn't read the notes in the 2005 album booklet.

[@timshoemaker.9752]

I don’t think I’ll remain with the living🙌🏻

[@jseebold100]

Beautiful! XX:-D

[@LibertyOrBust]

Wow. What a gift this upload is. Thank you!

[@steelygray]

Thank you for your comment.

[@NovaSpec]

The ending silence 👌

[@philipmcc5265]

Thank you for uploading. What a treasure.

[@steelygray]

Thank you, my pleasure.

[@timshoemaker.9752]

Oh my gOSH 😭💔… gotta meet her Before I die 🤦‍♂️

[@portcullis5622]

Thank you for uploading this. I have never seen a video of her performing this song. Apparently it was about an old man that used to live near her. He was a former musician and his life had been wrecked by alcohol.

[@steelygray]

I don't remember really. One time she said that Beloved Wife from Tigerlilly was inpired also by old people. She used to wrote about different themes than usual in the period. Thank you for your comment. You're welcome.

[@portcullis5622]

'Beloved Wife' was written from the viewpoint of her grandfather, after he lost his wife. Apparently he died just a few days later. Very sad indeed, but such a beautiful song.

[@steelygray]

That's right. And i think the same, one of the best songs from Tigerlily.

[@dragonlady2264]

💜🙏🏼😭🙏🏼💜

[@brianwatson1211]

I wanna be the guy getting a ride into town 😁

[@rocklobzter]

fucking a' right