Biography:
Elizabeth Eaton Converse was born in Laconia, New Hampshire in 1924, the middle child of three siblings. She was bookish, the valedictorian her class at Concord High School, and described by most who knew her to be a polymath. She attended Mt. Holyoke College on an academic scholarship beginning in 1942, studied French, and wrote for several campus publications. By 1944 she decided to leave college, at which point the records of her whereabouts are sparse until about 1949, when she made her way to New York City.
There were two major developments during Elizabeth’s time in New York. The first was her procurement of her nickname “Connie.” It is unclear how or why or when exactly, but the name stuck. The second was Connie’s burgeoning interest in playing and writing music, first for guitar and later for piano. No doubt this stemmed from her love of poetry, as many of her earliest songs were poems that she had written and then set to music. The songs became instant hits with her family, and also attracted the attention of animator and amateur recordist Gene Deitch. Beginning around 1954, Connie would make visits to Deitch’s home in Hastings-on-Hudson to record almost 40 songs.
At first listen, Connie’s music seems to keep close company with the female folk artists who were her contemporaries. The knack for plaintive storytelling shares much with Peggy Seeger and Susan Reed. Reed knew Connie’s music well, and performed a set of her songs in 1961 at the Kaufmann Concert Hall in New York. But Connie’s music stands out from that of the American folk revival of the 1950’s. Her fluid and disarmingly intelligent poetry reflects an urban perspective, that of a new New Yorker becoming disenchanted by the bucolic tropes of folk music. She is at once a maverick and a romantic, intellectual and spiritual, a staunch independent and a tender, pining lover.
Over the years Deitch, along with his colleague Bill Bernal, worked to promote Connie’s music, but despite their efforts, the songs remained unheard to all but a few dozen of Connie’s acquaintances. In 1961 Connie tired of New York and left for Ann Arbor, where her brother was a professor at the University of Michigan.
Having dropped out of college seventeen years prior, it came as something of a surprise that, within months of her arrival in Ann Arbor, Connie had implanted herself firmly in the academic community of U-Mich. She began as a secretary at the Center for Research on Conflict Resolution, eventually working her way to Managing Editor and Co-Editor of CRCR’s Journal of Conflict Resolution.
Connie’s work in Ann Arbor left little time for music and, while she still happily played at family gatherings, there is little evidence that she wrote new material. She did, however, continue her attempts to promote her music already extant. Susan Reed, the folk harpist, took an interest in Connie’s work and performed a set of her songs in New York. There were a handful of scores for commercials and some work on a short film. But never the kind of widespread success she had hoped for her music.
Connie became increasingly despondent in the 1970’s, a period she described as her Blue Funk, although her family and friends say they could not detect any outward change in her character. In 1971, she requested an extended leave of absence from CRCR, citing what she saw as her poor performance at work and unspecified medical problems. Her employer responded by organizing a group of Connie’s friends and colleagues to contribute to a pool of money that would allow her to take a six-month sabbatical in England, which she would later describe as one of the only times in her life that she allowed herself to enjoy “unproductive fun.”
In August of 1974, after waiting for the resignation of Richard Nixon, Connie wrote a series of farewell letters to friends and family. She packed up her Volkswagen and disappeared, her whereabouts unknown to this day.
Film maker Andrea Kannes is currently working on a documentary about Connie. More info here: http://connieconversedoc.com/
Johnny's Brother
Connie Converse Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
about Johnny McClory:
that's how my story was begun.
I'll tell you another
about Johnny's brother,
and now you may think my story is done...
I could see he was bonny,
and when he looked at me how we did glow.
But just as we were gazing at each other,
Johnny's brother was down in Mexico.
I went to a party
with Johnny my hearty;
I never felt to happy and so gay.
But just as we were drinking to each other,
Johnny's brother was down in Santa Fe.
And down in the garden
my heart would not harden;
how well I can recall those tender scenes.
But just as we were kissing one another,
Johnny's brother was down in New Orleans.
I didn't want to tarry
my Johnny to marry,
and so I got myself a wedding gown.
But just as we were wedded to each other,
Johnny's brother came riding into town.
The years have been merry,
oh, very, very, very.
I love my Johnny well and he loves me.
But all the while we're lovin' up each other,
Johnny's brother holds the baby on his knee.
I've told you a story
about Johnny McClory:
that's how my story was begun.
I've told you another
about Johnny's brother,
and now my story is done.
Connie Converse's song "Johnny's Brother" tells the story of a love triangle involving Johnny McClory, his unnamed love interest, and Johnny's brother who is constantly absent from their moments of intimacy. The song is structured as a series of episodes in which the singer tells about her experiences with Johnny and their growing relationship, only to have them cut short by Johnny's brother's appearances in various cities across the country. From Mexico to Santa Fe to New Orleans, the brother continually interrupts any chance of uninterrupted love between the two.
The song's ambiguous nature creates a sense of mystery as it is unclear what role Johnny's brother plays in the story. Whether he is an unwanted intruder or a tragic figure, his consistent presence serves to thwart the development of the singer's relationship with Johnny. Despite this, the singer proclaims her love for Johnny and their happy life together, although these moments are always tempered by the knowledge that Johnny's brother is somewhere else in the world, holding their baby on his knee.
Overall, "Johnny's Brother" is a poignant and bittersweet tale of love and loss, told through an intriguing and cryptic narrative structure that leaves the listener with more questions than answers.
Line by Line Meaning
I'll tell you a story
I want to recount an experience I had that involves a man named Johnny McClory.
about Johnny McClory:
This account involves a particular individual named Johnny McClory.
that's how my story was begun.
This account marks the beginning of my story.
I'll tell you another
I have another account to share.
about Johnny's brother,
This tale concerns the brother of Johnny McClory.
and now you may think my story is done...
This statement acknowledges the possibility of an assumption that the account has reached its conclusion.
The first time I met Johnny
At an earlier occasion, I encountered Johnny McClory for the first time.
I could see he was bonny,
It was evident to me that Johnny was handsome.
and when he looked at me how we did glow.
I recall the way we looked at each other and how our attraction radiated.
But just as we were gazing at each other,
Precisely at the moment we were intensely engrossed in one another,
Johnny's brother was down in Mexico.
Johnny McClory’s brother was in Mexico at the same time.
I went to a party
I attended a celebration.
with Johnny my hearty;
Accompanied by Johnny McClory - my dear one.
I never felt too happy and so gay.
I recall being extremely euphoric and content during this festivity.
But just as we were drinking to each other,
Exactly when we were toasting to our future together,
Johnny's brother was down in Santa Fe.
Johnny McClory's brother was in Santa Fe meanwhile.
And down in the garden,
At another place, which was a garden,
my heart would not harden;
I was feeling vulnerable and tender.
how well I can recall those tender scenes.
I still have vivid memories of those moments of intimacy.
But just as we were kissing one another,
Precisely as we were kissing each other,
Johnny's brother was down in New Orleans.
Johnny McClory's brother was in New Orleans around the same time.
I didn't want to tarry
I did not wish to delay unnecessarily,
my Johnny to marry,
I wanted to get married to Johnny McClory.
and so I got myself a wedding gown.
Therefore, I procured myself attire suited for a wedding.
But just as we were wedded to each other,
Precisely as we were tying the knot,
Johnny's brother came riding into town.
Johnny McClory's brother arrived in town at the time of our marriage.
The years have been merry,
Over the years, life has been jovial,
oh, very, very, very.
I strongly emphasize how jubilant our lives have been.
I love my Johnny well and he loves me.
Johnny McClory and I love each other deeply.
But all the while we're lovin' up each other,
Although we are devoted to each other,
Johnny's brother holds the baby on his knee.
Johnny McClory's brother is sometimes taking care of our child.
I've told you a story
This is the story I wanted to share with you.
about Johnny McClory:
A man named Johnny McClory plays a central role in the account.
that's how my story was begun.
This is how my story begins and ends.
Contributed by Gavin A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Nick Sloan
I love that twist at the end.
Brandon Garcia
Nick Sloan this one still makes me feel like I am missing something.
A Dog Named Handsome
Thanks for posting.
pelodelperro
My pleasure.
Wild Bear
Is this song about a women who gets married to a man and then when the brother comes into the picture she falls in love with him and has a baby with him?