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Peter and Henry Elkind: Where Are Paul Newman’s Grandkids Now?

With HBO Max’s ‘The Last Movie Stars’ shining a light upon Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward from every conceivable angle, it’s undeniable they led a good life despite their fair share of troubles. That’s because the complex start to their romance, their blended family, as well as their conflicts only pushed them to be better, making their partnership last right until his 2008 demise. Amongst those contributing to this beautiful 5-decade journey were, of course, their grandchildren Peter and Henry Elkind, so if you wish to learn more about them, we’ve got the details for you.

Who Are Peter and Henry Elkind?

Born to Paul and Joanne’s middle daughter Melissa “Lissy” Stewart and her husband Raphael Elkind, Peter Elkind and Henry Elkind are the Hollywood golden couple’s only grandchildren. Their presence thus turned the actors into even more doting figures, especially considering the fact they were the only boys in the family since Paul’s son Scott died from a drug overdose in 1978. This much is evident in the way the first time grandfather spoke of 20-month-old Peter in 1998, “He has an extraordinary disposition. He’s got a generous personality – – I got him to play the guitar.”

“I understood he was famous,” Peter candidly revealed in the docuseries. “I knew about the movies, and I thought it was really cool, but it was more that he was my grandfather. The movies where he’s older are the movies where I really see him as my grandfather, like ‘Road to Perdition’ or like um – – ‘Cars’ [where Paul voiced Doc Hudson] came out when I was nine or 10 years old.” Henry then said, “what I remember is like him coming over and flipping burgers” before his brother added they saw their grandparents all the time; an arrangement they both are now genuinely grateful for.

“It was really difficult when he passed away because he was such a big part of my life,” Peter conceded, referring to Paul dying from lung cancer in 2008. “I looked up to him so much and loved him so much that it was really hard to see, in the same way it’s hard for anyone to see someone they view as really strong becoming so weak.” He further admitted that it has been equally tough to go through a similar situation with their grandmother Joanne but at a much slower pace owing to her Alzheimer’s — “In one sense, I lost her a long time ago, but in another sense, I haven’t lost her yet.

Peter and Henry Elkind Are Focusing on Their Respective Life

Starting with Peter Elkind, although he largely prefers to lead a quiet life away from the limelight these days, his online presence does suggest he currently resides in either Cambridge, Massachusetts or New York. The cross country, track, and field athlete graduated with a Bachelor’s in Psychology from Middlebury College in Vermont in 2018, and he has since been pursuing a career as an educator or political/non-profit organizer. In other words, it appears as if he’s not just following his genuine passion but also carrying on the legacy of his maternal family to the best of his abilities.

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Coming to Henry Elkind, he’s a New York-based musician who likes to go by the name Henny the Artist in his professional endeavors. He actually obtained a Bachelor’s in Environmental Studies (2021) from Hamilton College in Clinton before earning his Master’s in Creative Media/Technology and Songwriting and Production (2022) from Berklee College of Music-New York City campus. We should mention you can listen to his original work on all standard streaming services at the moment, whether Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, or iTunes — his latest single is entitled “Wanna Dance.”

Read More: Where Are Paul Newman’s Daughters Now?

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When Grandma Can’t Be Bothered

By JOANNE KAUFMAN

• March 4, 2009

FOR every Marian Robinson, who retired from her job to take full-time care of her grandchildren, Malia and Sasha Obama, while their parents were busy with other things last year, there is a Judy Connors, who loves her two grandchildren but has no interest in Candy Land, peekaboo or bedtime stories.

“When I heard about the Obama grandmother, I thought I might like to move into the White House, too,” said Ms. Connors, who is 67. “But I’d hire someone to look after the kids.”

Her daughter, Catherine Connors, a 38-year-old writer in Toronto, is well aware of her mother’s attitude. Whenever she hears about families in which the grandparents love to pitch in, she has only one thought: “This is so not my life.”

It is not new for young mothers to be surprised and hurt, perhaps unjustifiably, at how little their own mothers rush over to baby-sit. Still, stories of intergenerational care like the ones coming from the White House can bring those feelings to the surface — and to a boil.

“There are some parents who probably don’t have a realistic expectation of how invested their parents should be in the grandchildren,” said Dr. Gail Saltz, a Manhattan psychiatrist. “But because this generation’s children are the center of their universe, it’s hard not to take the grandparents’ ‘why should I be bothered?’ attitude personally.”

On the Web site Urban Baby , complaints about uninvolved grandparents are a recurring theme, said Justine Reese, the site’s senior product manager. They are also a theme among certain of Dr. Saltz’s patients.

“This generation does the helicopter parenting so they’re omni-available, omnipresent and omni-facilitating compared to the previous generation,” said Dr. Saltz, who is the mental health correspondent for the “Today” show. “I often hear from grandparents that their children are overindulgent with time and attention.”

Indeed, for some resentful, cash-strapped adult children, time and money are fungible commodities. For them, the attitude may be “ ‘give us the money and we’ll understand that you have limited time,’ ” Dr. Saltz said.

Susan Shapiro Barash, who teaches gender studies at Marymount Manhattan College, said women with young children are looking for guidance from their mother or mother-in-law, but these days they are often looking in vain. (For whatever reason, they seem to have no such great expectation of their father or father-in-law.)

Thoroughly modern grandmothers, so-called glam-mas, “feel they’ve put in their time,” Ms. Barash said. “They were devoted to children to the exclusion of their own freedom, and they’re not looking to repeat the mothering process with their grandchildren.”

In other words, it may take a village to raise a child, but these days the village may be more heavily populated with nannies than nanas.

As for Catherine Connors, before she had her first child, Emilia, three years ago, “My mother put me on notice,” she said. “She told me she was not interested in baby-sitting. She said she’d come to visit but that she didn’t like newborns.”

True to her word, Judy Connors flew to Toronto from her home in British Columbia a week after her granddaughter’s birth. “It was clear she was bored,” her daughter said. “There was a lot of sitting in the living room while I struggled to figure out how to nurse. She said, ‘I don’t know why you don’t just give her a bottle,’ and then repaired to the veranda for a cigarette.”

The elder Ms. Connors, the retired director of a residential treatment program for adolescents, had a few words to say in her defense. “I raised two children whom I love dearly,” she said. “I was a stay-at-home mom. Then I discovered when I started my own career that there was a whole other world out there.”

Many young parents, of course, complain of smothering attention from grandparents who won’t leave them or their children alone. Lorraine R., 49, a lawyer in Teaneck, N.J., does not place herself in this category.

“My mother-in-law seemed supportive when we were going through in vitro,” she said. But after her twins were born four years ago, grandma “didn’t offer to help,” she said. “She didn’t clean or cook a meal or change diapers.” (Like some others interviewed for this article, Lorraine R. requested that her full name not be used for fear of making a difficult family situation worse.)

When Lorraine R. and her children visited her mother-in-law’s swimming club, “she wanted to show everyone she had grandchildren, but then she sat as far away from the kiddie pool as she could,” Lorraine R. said. “She has no idea what our kids are like or what they’re interested in.”

In these parlous economic times, attitudes like that can have far greater consequences than hurt feelings. If a grandparent cannot or will not baby-sit for a working parent, day care or a nanny may be the only option, and may also be a financial hardship.

“It’s very expensive here, but we stayed on Long Island to be near my parents,” said a 43-year-old public relations consultant who lives in Syosset, N.Y., with her husband and three children, 7, 9 and 11. “My expectation was that my parents would be very hands-on.”

That has not happened, she said. Her parents, who are healthy and retired, live a mile away but keep their distance. “I’ll see three generations of families on vacation or at Splish Splash,” the Long Island water park, “and I’m amazed,” this woman said. “I’m in awe that there are grandparents there with the grandchildren, because it hasn’t been my experience.”

Kathy Sachs, a stay-at-home mother in Manhattan, has similar unhappiness about her in-laws, who live in the Midwest and seldom come to visit.

When her family visits them, “They’re completely hands-off,” said Ms. Sachs, 38, who has a son in kindergarten and a toddler daughter. “They never changed a diaper. They’ve made no effort to introduce our children to the children in their neighborhood. Nothing special is planned for them. My mother-in-law goes about her business. It’s like my children are a TV show in the background.”

There are many reasons grandparents may choose to minimize their roles. Some “may be nervous about handling your newborn, but don’t want to admit it,” said Susan Newman, a psychologist who writes books about relationships and parenting. “They may not feel comfortable driving your precious cargo to a practice or a lesson.”

Or they may simply have other priorities. “A lot of these women are widows or divorcees and may be dating and want to put their romantic lives ahead of their grandchildren,” said Ms. Barash, the gender studies teacher.

Judy Connors said her hands-off behavior “doesn’t equate to not loving my grandchildren — it just means I have a life that doesn’t revolve around them.”

Ms. Connors is married for the third time and said her husband is exceedingly fond of his step-grandchildren. “A couple of weeks ago,” she recalled, “he said to me, ‘Don’t you think it’s time we saw them again?’

“And I said, ‘Yeah — soon.’ ”

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How befriending Mister Rogers’ widow allowed me to learn the true meaning of his legacy

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Fred Rogers proposed to Sara Joanne Byrd in a letter. A letter she lost almost immediately in a flurry of excitement as she rushed to a pay phone to give him her answer: “Yes, yes, yes!”

Both 24, she just 11 days his senior, they were friends but not yet lovers. It was 1952 and they were in the midst of a long-distance courtship that began at Rollins College in Florida. She recalls being attracted to Fred, but they weren’t particularly physical with each other outside of the sorority and fraternity dances they attended together. Joanne — she dropped “Sara” early on, deeming it too stuffy — was raised in a Puritan home, and she was repulsed by her schoolmates who talked about “sucking face.” Any kissing she said she and Fred did was “pretty unpracticed.”

When Fred headed to New York after graduation for an apprenticeship at NBC — the first stop on his way to “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” — she stayed in Florida to get her master’s degree in music. They kept in touch through the mail, though they weren’t very good writers, Joanne says. Fred told Joanne about his hopes for the future — about the kind of people he wanted the two of them to become. Even though she didn’t know him all that well by the time he proposed, that’s what she clung to — the idea that this was a man with a strong moral center.

She still has most of the letters from their early courtship. They’re tucked in a tote bag that hangs by her favorite chair, so she can grab one when she wants to feel close to him. In the 16 years since Fred’s 2003 death, they’re the only token of his that she’s kept for herself.

Joanne is one of the primary stewards of Fred’s legacy. At 91, she is the chair emerita of Fred Rogers Productions and the Honorary Chair of the Fred Rogers Center for Early Learning & Children’s Media on the Saint Vincent College campus. Last year, the 50th anniversary of his seminal kids program, she participated in a PBS special about Fred, helped to promote a commemorative postage stamp with his face on it and was also part of Morgan Neville’s hit documentary “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” She was also a key figure in the development of “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood,” the Marielle Heller-directed film that was released over the weekend in which Tom Hanks plays Mister Rogers.

“When Fred died, she wasn’t going to step in to be Mister Rogers, but she was going to step in,” said Bill Isler, who served as the president and CEO of Fred’s company for nearly three decades and is so close to the family that he named his two springer spaniels “Fred” and “Joanne.” “I think she is incredibly comfortable with it. They were married for over 50 years and raised two sons. Fred relied on Joanne. He would often say that if it wasn’t for Sara Joanne Byrd Rogers, the ‘Neighborhood’ probably would have never happened.”

A showcase for compelling storytelling from the Los Angeles Times.

Yet when the filmmakers behind “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” approached Joanne to get her blessing on the project, Micah Fitzerman-Blue, who wrote the film with Noah Harpster, said, “She really only had one request: that we not treat her husband as a saint.”

She was keener on imparting to the writers just how funny Fred was. If the couple was out at an event that turned out to be bland, he had a go-to way of making her laugh: passing gas.

“He would just raise one cheek and he would look at me and smile,” she said, cracking herself up.

The movie tells the story of Fred’s relationship with Tom Junod, a journalist who was assigned to profile the television host for Esquire magazine in 1998. As a cynical investigative writer, Junod was initially hoping to uncover the dark side of the cheery public figure. But as Junod spent more time with him, Fred started to turn the questions on the writer himself, more interested in learning what made the journalist tick than revealing his own inner workings. In the years following the publication of the cover story, Fred and Junod kept in touch — migrating from written correspondence to email as he typed away on a lightweight laptop that Joanne had given him one Christmas.

It was over email that I developed my own relationship with Joanne. Our virtual pen pal communication began last summer, just after the release of Neville’s documentary. I’d done a brief phone interview with her, no more than 20 minutes. Less than a week later, a message popped up in my inbox. She’d tracked down my email address and sent a note to tell me that she’d enjoyed the story I had written .

I wrote back, and so our correspondence commenced. She called me by pet names: Dear, dearie, dearest, honeybun. Her notes — always bookended with the “Sent from my iPhone” tag — were animated with red and pink heart emojis. Sometimes, if we communicated via text message, she’d include her Memoji — a customizable avatar she’d created replete with her curly gray mop of hair, glasses and tooth gap.

She wrote about the weather, her health, her visits to see live music. When a new line of Mister Rogers sweaters came out, she told me she thought they sounded comfortable, but she didn’t want one: “I’m very warm-natured and sweaters make me too hot and itchy.”

Sometimes her emails would arrive in the middle of the night. Like me, Joanne was a night owl. She usually went to her bedroom around midnight, she said, “where I put on sleeping gear and then read until I begin to yawn seriously.” She often dozed off around 2:30 a.m., she said, making sure her friends never phoned her before 10 a.m.

“That is an almost 91-year-old’s kind of sleep schedule, I think,” she wrote last February, “though most of my peers seem to be morning people … hmmm.”

That winter, she wrote to me saying she hoped to meet me in L.A. — “your neighborhood,” as she called it — where she was planning to fly if “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” was nominated for an Academy Award. When the documentary was snubbed she sent an update, noting the news was “disappointing and surprising,” but that “we just need to concentrate on the doc’s created mission — Fred’s legacy — and be grateful that can continue well beyond [the Oscars].”

Opinion: Mister Rogers was a Thanksgiving heretic

Fred Rogers was anything but a glutton; his Thanksgiving shows were about hunger not just bounty, and he refused “to eat anything that had a mother.”

Nov. 22, 2019

But there was still “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood.” The November premiere was planned for Fred’s native Pittsburgh, where much of Heller’s film was shot. I finally had a reason to meet Joanne.

“Be on the watch as you come from the airport to look at the city when you come out of the tunnel!!” she advised in her last message to me before my plane departed for Pennsylvania. “Spectacular even if it should be raining!!”

I had been told by many how integral Fred’s legacy was to the city. Stores at the airport sell T-shirts and baby onesies with his face on them, and a 7,000-pound, 11-foot bronze statue of him sitting and tying his sneakers rests next to the Allegheny River. During a film shoot last year, Tom Hanks told me, locals were quick to impart how important Fred was to the area — in other words: Don’t screw this up.

“One day I was taking the elevator in the hotel and a guy got on and said, ‘Mr. Hanks, how is filming going? Are you enjoying your time here in Pittsburgh?’” the actor said. “I said, ‘Very much, and I must say, Pittsburgh is a great city.’ He said, ‘Thank you, I have to agree.’ And then before I got off at my floor, he said to me, ‘You know, we take Mister Rogers very seriously in Pittsburgh.’ I said, ‘I am aware of that.’ That was not a fan saying ‘Oh, my gosh’ or anything like that. The entire town knew we were there filming a movie about Mister Rogers. I think we got a proper amount of props from the people of the city — as well as some expectations.”

Joanne lives in an apartment building at the edge of the 456-acre Schenley Park, filled with a canopy of trees, an ice skating rink and botanical gardens. It’s the same apartment she moved into with Fred 38 years ago — after raising their kids in a nearby Squirrel Hill home — and she has lived there alone since he died.

A doorman took me up in the elevator to her residence, and seconds after knocking Joanne swung the heavy wooden door open.

“I’ve been looking forward to this so much!” she said, throwing her arms around me. “Let’s sit down and chat.”

Reminders of Fred abounded: magazine covers bearing his image, framed and faded family photographs, and so many awards that she couldn’t remember what they were all for.

She showed few signs of her age, save for her hearing aids. She exercises regularly with a personal trainer and drives a Lexus around town. Until a couple of years ago, she insisted on making an annual 15-hour pilgrimage to Florida on her own, preferring to drive alone because it allowed her to concentrate on the road.

“She’s understanding of the fact that she is 91 — she doesn’t drive at night or drive to Florida anymore,” said Isler, who had come to Joanne’s apartment to greet me. “But we go on road trips, and she’s great in a car — a lot of fun. Most of Joanne’s friends are younger than she is — not that she doesn’t have friends her own age. I have not noticed her slow down.”

Settling into the living room couch, I noticed Joanne’s gold jewelry — a chain bracelet that once belonged to her mother and two bands still tucked around her ring finger. One ring, designed in the pattern of a castle battlement, had been given to her by Fred in honor of Queen Sara — the “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” character he’d named after her. The other, her second wedding ring, was one he’d given her many years into their marriage because she’d found the first “big, fat” diamond too “dressy.”

She gave me another hug and told me how much she loved hugging.

“I’m a hugger,” she explained. “I felt so badly for [Joe] Biden when they were going at him about hugging. I said, ‘My gosh, I hug everybody.’ I know lots of men who hug people. He’s an old man. He’s a hugger from way back.”

Joanne still doesn’t know whom she’s going to vote for in 2020 but says she’s more political now than she’s ever been.

“Trump changed it,” she said. “And I want to vote for whoever is going to beat Trump.”

When Fred was alive, she said she felt an obligation to keep her political leanings private. He was a registered Republican. Yet “he was very independent in the way he voted,” Joanne said, “but he just didn’t talk about it because he didn’t want to lose the children.” Being impartial was important to Fred, an ordained Presbyterian minister who never talked about religion on his program even though he viewed it as his ministry.

Though Joanne was a respected professional concert duo-pianist, her husband, of course, was the one whom everyone recognized out in Pittsburgh. She never resented him for his fame, she said, focusing instead on her piano and staying out of his work at PBS. But since his death, she’s felt an obligation to continue spreading his message because of how important she feels it is.

For the recent movie, Joanne spent time with many in the production, even giving Hanks some of Fred’s old ties to wear. She had a chair on the set but didn’t use it much because she found the endless takes “dullsville.” She was also one of five to vet the screenplay, though she said she didn’t make many changes. In one scene — in which she is played by Maryann Plunkett — a line of dialogue initially had her calling someone “buster,” and she objected to that.

“Something about ‘Watch out, buster!’ And I’ve never in my life said ‘buster’ to anybody,” she said with a laugh. Her only other note? She thought Plunkett’s wig was bad.

Something that didn’t make it into the film? The fact that Fred reveled in her dirty jokes. “He was not prissy. Not at all,” she said. “He ran around the house in the droopiest drawers. They were at least three sizes too big, but they were comfortable, and he liked them. It didn’t matter if there was company here — he’d wear those and a T-shirt. He was not a modest person.”

She got up to show me around the house, making note of a painting of the couple’s “Crooked House” on Nantucket and a “143” yellow production sign from the Hanks film. She kept her MacBook Air at a desk in the kitchen, where she wrote most of her emails.

“It keeps me in touch,” she said. “I can’t follow everything that’s going on. The movie stars all look alike to me now. I can remember their names — Aniston and this one and that one. I still haven’t figured out what it is that Kardashian does. What I’ve enjoyed most is Lady Gaga and what she’s done with her talent. How she can do anything she wants by just being crazy, funny-looking in outfits, you know? I think that is really smart.”

It was almost time for Joanne’s own Hollywood moment, so I left her to prepare for the evening’s premiere. Later, when we met up at the SouthSide Works Cinema, she had changed into a floral top and was carrying a gold Coach bag a friend had sent her specifically for movie-related events. As a Sony publicist tried to bring her toward the red carpet, she was besieged by guests wanting to greet her: her personal trainer, the local film commissioner and former Steelers running back Franco Harris. Nearly every reporter asked to pose for a photograph with her after their interview. Pam Surano, with CBS Pittsburgh’s KDKA News, started crying as Joanne walked away.

“I remember doing my live shot during the Tree of Life tragedy, and then someone pointed out that I was standing right in front of Fred’s old church,” a teary Surano told me, referring to the Sixth Presbyterian Church he attended a few blocks from the synagogue where 11 were killed during the deadliest mass shooting against Jews in the U.S. “There was something about that moment — needing him in that moment — that was so overwhelming and beautiful. Mrs. Rogers is right — he’s with everyone here all the time. It’s the truth. We carry him with us.”

As Joanne entered the auditorium, the audience rose to its feet to give her a standing ovation. She sat through the screening — her third time seeing it — next to one of her sons, Jim, who had yet to see the movie. A row behind them, I watched as Jim wiped away tears throughout the movie.

“Spot on,” he said as the credits rolled. “I don’t know how Tom did it.”

Before she became too overwhelmed by well-wishers — even Mayor Bill Peduto crouched down next to Joanne’s movie seat — her Sony escort returned to bring her to a waiting car. I followed behind, not ready to say goodbye.

More on Mr. and Mrs. Rogers

• Review: Tom Hanks becomes Mister Rogers in the stealthily moving ‘A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood’
• What Tom Hanks and Matthew Rhys learned from Mister Rogers for ‘A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood’
• Review: ‘Won’t You Be My Neighbor?’: The documentary that shows how Mister Rogers made goodness desirable
• Marielle Heller’s Mister Rogers film ‘A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood’ asks you to check your cynicism at the door

“I love you,” she said, as we hugged again. “Bless your heart.”

On the flight home, I became oddly emotional thinking about Fred and Joanne — about how much they’d affected so many simply by expressing genuine care and kindness toward their neighbors. As she told the moviemakers, Fred wasn’t a saint. Since his death, she feels as if he’s been placed on an even higher pedestal. And she doesn’t like it.

“He’s out there now as somebody who’s somehow way above all the rest of us,” she said. “People invariably say, ‘Well, I can’t do that, but I sure do admire him. I would love to do it.’ Well, you can do it. I’m convinced there are lots of Fred Rogerses out there.”

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Amy Kaufman is a columnist at the Los Angeles Times, where she writes a monthly A-1 column, “For Real With Amy Kaufman.” The series examines the lives of icons, underdogs and rising stars to find out who the people are shaping our culture — for real. Since joining The Times in 2009, she has profiled hundreds of influential figures, including Stevie Nicks, Kevin Hart, Joan Rivers, Michael B. Jordan and Lady Gaga. She also works on investigations and was part of the 2022 Pulitzer Prize finalist team that covered the tragic shooting on the “Rust” film set. Her work often shines a light on the darker side of the entertainment business, and she has uncovered misconduct allegations against Randall Emmett, Russell Simmons and Chris D’Elia. In 2018, her book “Bachelor Nation: Inside the World of America’s Favorite Guilty Pleasure” became a New York Times bestseller.

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The Meaning Behind The Song: Joanne by Michael Nesmith

The Meaning Behind The Song: “Joanne” by Michael Nesmith

As a fan of Michael Nesmith, “Joanne” has always held a special place in my heart. Its poignant lyrics and beautiful melody have a way of resonating with listeners, evoking a sense of nostalgia and melancholy. Through this article, let’s explore the meaning behind the song and how it has touched the lives of many.

Table of Contents

The Story Behind “Joanne”

“Joanne” tells the story of a woman named Joanne, who lived in a meadow by a pond. The speaker, presumably someone who had a romantic connection with Joanne, reflects on their encounter and the impact she had on their life. The song captures the profound effect Joanne had on the speaker, while simultaneously recognizing the hopelessness of their situation.

The first verse describes Joanne’s enchanting presence, how she briefly touched the speaker’s life with a look that conveyed her love. However, it becomes clear that Joanne’s circumstances and inner struggles forced her to leave. The second verse acknowledges the speaker’s realization that the hold Joanne had on them was stronger than the love she felt in return.

The bridge offers insight into the speaker’s emotions towards Joanne. Despite the essence of their connection being gone, they maintain a kind-hearted perspective and have no tears left to cry. The final verse reiterates Joanne’s name and her situation, emphasizing the hopelessness that forced both her and the speaker to run away.

The Emotional Impact

“Joanne” intricately captures the nuances of unrequited love and the bittersweet moments shared between two individuals. Nesmith’s enchanting lyrics and emotional delivery make the song deeply relatable, touching hearts across generations.

Perhaps what draws listeners to “Joanne” is the universal nature of its theme. Many of us have experienced the pain of loving someone who is unable or unwilling to reciprocate our feelings fully. The song allows us to reflect on our own personal experiences of unfulfilled love and the complexities that come with it.

Moreover, the timeless quality of “Joanne” makes it an enduring piece of music that continues to resonate with new listeners. Nesmith’s ability to articulate and evoke emotions through his music is a testament to his songwriting prowess.

Personal Connection to “Joanne”

Like many people, I have my own personal connection to “Joanne.” The first time I heard this song was during a road trip with close friends. We were driving along a scenic route, surrounded by lush greenery, and this melodious tune came on the radio. As we listened to the haunting lyrics, a sense of shared nostalgia washed over us.

Whenever I hear “Joanne” now, it transports me back to that moment, evoking a flood of memories and emotions. It serves as a reminder of the precious connections we make in our lives and the fleeting nature of those moments.

In Conclusion

“Joanne” by Michael Nesmith is a timeless ballad that explores the complexities of love, loss, and the human experience. Its emotional impact transcends generations, resonating with listeners on a deeply personal level. Whether you have your own connection to the song or simply appreciate its beautiful melody, “Joanne” remains a powerful testament to Nesmith’s talent as a songwriter.

So, next time you listen to “Joanne,” take a moment to reflect on the profound meaning behind the lyrics and the emotions it stirs within you. Allow the song to transport you to a place of introspection and appreciation for the connections we forge along life’s journey.

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Lady Gaga's "Joanne" Tells An Unfortunate Story

Naturally, there are tons of question coursing through your Little Monster wired brain now that Lady Gaga's new album, Joanne , has been released . Fourteen songs is a lot to digest, especially after three years without a new album from the artist. So, while you're in Lady Gaga overload you may want to know some very important factoids not just about the singer, but about her very special muse, who the album is named after, and which include a song of the same name. So, what and who is Gaga's "Joanne" about ? Well, I should forewarn you that it's not a story with a happy ending, but it's a story worth telling, nonetheless.

The first verse of "Joanne" pulls no punches. The lyrics get right into the heart of the matter, which unfortunately centers on the subjects of the song's untimely and tragic death. The verse goes like this:

Take my hand, stay JoanneHeaven's notReady for youEvery partOf my aching heartNeeds you moreThan the angels do

The lyrics are goosebumps-inducing because of how affecting they are. And that's because they're real. "Joanne" is a song about Gaga's aunt, who died as a teenager, and her family's subsequent struggle with the unfathomable loss. As E! Online reported , Gaga dedicated the song to her father at her album release show in NYC, and told the audience this of Joanne's death due to Lupus: "She was a victim of sexual assault who was so traumatized by her experience that it flared up her existing disease. She died very quickly after that. This tragedy stayed with my family a very long time." With that knowledge in mind, it only makes the second verse of the song and the bridge that much tougher to get through, emotionally.

The second verse speaks to the family that was reluctant to let go of Joanne, but was forced to be accepting of her fate:

If you couldI know that you'd stayWe both knowThings don't work that wayI promised IWouldn't say goodbyeSo I grinAnd my voice gets thin

And, ultimately, to further the bittersweet message of letting go and the belief that our loved ones move on to a better place, Gaga sings:

Honestly, I know where you're goin'And baby, you're just movin' onAnd I'll still love you even if I can'tSee you anymoreCan't wait to see you soar

MTV News explained that she almost didn't name the album Joanne , but that in spite of it being almost too "personal" to Gaga, she and Mark Ronson went with it anyway, because they thought her aunt deserved it. And you can sense just how personal this was to Gaga through the lyrics and emotions that were poured out into the song about the late teenager. "Joanne" is about loss, but it's also about life, and Gaga's familial connection to her.

Michael Nesmith – Joanne lyrics

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Joanne meanings Post my meaning

• b + 15 broncovet 2022-03-14 12:09:23 Joanne was much younger, and, altho they loved each other, both knew it was a "hopeless situation" because neither Joanne's family or Mike's family would accept the marriage, because Joanne was too young. And, Mike knew that Joanne loved "the man" (her father), and her father disapproved of him. Mike understood why, he probably has a daughter that HE loves, also. And, he also wants the best for her. Her father wanted Joanne to find a man more her age. It's a "Foster Harris 1 plus 1", where Joanne was forced to choose between 2 very good things: the love of her father, and the love for Michael. She chose her father, and Michael respected her for her choice, because "her father's hold on her was stronger than her love for him". Mike knew it was a hopeless situation, and, even tho they keep on loving each other, they both moved on, and forgave, so that love would bloom for others. Joanne's love for her father, above all else, made Michael love her even more. And, Mike's respect for Joanne even when she broke his heart, made Joanne love Michal more. Even tho this "love that can never be" wont be happening, its musical and spiritual beauty is here for the rest of us to behold. Add your reply
• U + 13 Unregistered 2019-03-10 16:22:14 I thought maybe Joanne was his (Mike's) love affair - she was younger than him & still needed to find herself. They loved each other, but he knew she needed to experience her life on her own. He understood this so he let her go. He will never forget her & thinks of her with kindness & longing as he will always have that moment in time. Love the words to this song. Mike is a prolific song writer & singer. Add your reply
• j + 12 Joanne Doyle Kuzborski 2015-02-16 01:21:55 Yes, there was a girl named Joanne and she was in a desperate situation and it is good that the person that she cared for and loved with all her heart and soul was able to forgive her, even though not understand the situation she fell into. Joanne made a mistake. The girl was able to overcome her hopeless situation and after years of not understanding why she had to run is now at peace and wishes to let the love of her life know that she survived this hopeless situation and went on to walk in a path of joy and love. Joanne will never forget the man she ran from and he will always hold a special place in her heart and soul. Joanne prays that the man she ran from was able to catch his share of joy and love in this world. Joanne made a mistake by running but she was so overcome by her own emotions that she had to run away and in doing so hold a pain that still is tender through the years. Joanne and the man she ran from will meet again in a heavenly place. God bless that man who cared and who filled her heart with a joy she never realized until she met him. Add your reply
• U + 10 Unregistered 2011-10-27 01:55:27 I think its about a cow that has lived her life in a meadow by a pond, the catch of her eye so innocent and loving, at the end the man was chasing her onto a truck and taken away to be slaughtered, her essence is gone, but he still thinks kind of her, he understands what has happened, a little upset about the whole situation in someway the cow has affected him. 1 reply
• U + 4 Unregistered 2012-01-05 02:16:08 Adoption. The story of an unwed mother as sung by her son, who, although adopted, still has kind thoughts of the woman who bore him. Holding her son only briefly was easier than dealing with the emotional weight and strain as a single parent, and he was too little to help, or put another way, the tune he couldn't sing. Joanne and the man became parents at a time when neither could handle it. The child was better for it as a result, but the pain of regret still lingers on both mother and son. A painfully touching, yet bittersweet song so beautifully crafted and underrated. Add your reply
• U + 2 Unregistered 2022-07-20 23:18:17 Some people say it was written about a cow and I’ve also read about a horse. This is my favorite opinion of the meaning. For it to be about a horse in a meadow by a pond, with a sweet gaze, only to be distracted by the stud she longed for in a nearby pasture, separated by a fence . Finally, they broke through & ran off together to mate Add your reply
• U + 2 Unregistered 2019-09-01 06:25:11 She was only a girl but she touched the man with love. He said no. And the woman's desire too have him drove her on in a most desperate situation to have him. He could see that as she went "flirted" with him it was a hopeless situation for he could not resist her desire and advances. Joanne and the man and the time "law"of underage girls made them both run. She was only a girl but he was in love with her and she had a hold on him that was much stronger than her feelings of love towards him. But staying with her was showing his little bit of wisdom. "he should of know better" He knew it was wrong but he loved her. He slept with her and broke down her desire like a light through a prism of yellows and blues. Broke down her desire. Sexual desires was fulfilled and the tune that he could not of sung. " describe " was the music song that they made together that moment was mind blowing. And his thoughts of her are kind as he must remember that it was only a young girls desires nothing more to her. So no tears does he cry. Add your reply
• U + 1 Unregistered 2015-12-31 14:56:54 The song is about Michael Nesmith growing up in a single parent family. He never really knew his Dad, "the man". His mother had Michael when she was 17 and his father was away in the service overseas. His parents divorced when he was 3, after his father returned from the war. The "essence" was the marriage and Michael loves his caring mother. Add your reply
• j + 1 JenEm 2015-03-26 00:43:10 The era this song was written was one filled with change, hippies, drugs, free sh-t, breaking down the past. Radical thoughts. One thought I have is that this song is about drug use and drug addiction. The meadow by a pond being a hallucination, a beautiful feeling that the drug provides. The singer has tried it and loved it but his "little bit of wisdom" saved him "like a light through a prism" and he discovered he would not take the addiction road "a tune that I could not have sung". During the sojourn his mate becomes addicted "a most hopeless situation". The singer still remembers the feelings the drug provided "my only thoughts of her are kind" but will never walk the path again. I also like with the adoption story. Add your reply
• j + 1 Joanne Doyle Kuzborski 2015-02-16 01:32:29 In desperation Joanne ran because she was scared of her emotions. Joanne's heart and soul became entwined with things beyond her imagination and she ran and ran and ran from what would have given Joanne the greatest joy but she just couldn't understand what was happening and made a major mistake by running. The love and joy Joanne ran from took years to understand and put her in a situation that only God could understand. Joanne prays that the person she ran from has peace, love and joy in his life. His love lives on with Joanne every day of her life. His memory will never abandon Joanne. Add your reply
• U + 1 Unregistered 2012-07-18 08:36:30 A very confusing song, to say the least. Who "the man" is never explained at all. I remember this song from when it came out in the early 70s, and I remember liking it a lot. The odd thing is, I don't remember noticing the glaring ambiguity about the identity of "the man". I guess I just assumed he was the man that joanne chose to go with instead of the singer. That still seems the likeliest explanation. She was torn for a while between the two of them, because each gave her a part of what she needed, but only a part. That would be the meaning of "broke down her desires like a light through a prism". Add your reply
• U 0 Unregistered 2022-10-02 00:05:39 I think this is about a young woman who was in love with a man who had passed away. Michael had gotten enough of her attention to break down her desires but her love for the man made it impossible for Michael and her to have a solid long term relationship. Add your reply
• U - 2 Unregistered 2021-03-28 20:23:16 Joanne was a super hot chick who was always getting guys to go to bed with her for money.... She would get laid by the pond and when she came, she would make a high pitched sound...just like in the song.... She was a hooker and a looker and a booker who didn't know her own strength Add your reply
• U - 3 Unregistered 2012-06-14 22:19:33 This is a song from the 60s so it is obviously in reference to the drug use and environmental movement. The line at the end of the second verse should read "of her sweet lawn," to vaguely rhyme with "by a pond" at the end of the first verse. The singer is obviously an itinerant worker wandering through the neighborhood offering to mow peoples' yards, and he falls in love with joanne's, um, lush lawn while she's skinny-dipping in her backyard pool - the "pond. " the "yellows and blues" are references to the blue sky and sunshine filtering through the prism of the weed he's smokin' as he's "mowing joanne's lawn," if you catch my drift. "joanne and the man on the run" clarify that this is a threesome we're talking about, and her desperation is in reference to her worrying about what if her husband finds out about her two boyfriends? Add your reply

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Top meanings Post my meaning

• b + 15 broncovet Joanne was much younger, and, altho they loved each other, both knew it was a "hopeless situation"... Read more →
• U + 13 Unregistered I thought maybe Joanne was his (Mike's) love affair - she was younger than him & still needed to... Read more →

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I visited Joanne Trattoria, Lady Gaga's family's restaurant, and had the best Italian meal I've ever eaten in New York City

• I had dinner at Joanne Trattoria, an Italian restaurant in NYC that's owned by Lady Gaga's parents.
• I tried a few popular dishes, including Joanne's spaghetti and meatballs and chicken Parmesan.
• The meal was pricey, but I had one of the best Italian dinners I've ever eaten.

Joanne Trattoria is located on the Upper West Side in Manhattan. The small Italian restaurant is owned by Lady Gaga's parents, Joe and Cynthia Germanotta, and cookbook author Art Smith.

As a major Lady Gaga fan and a lover of Italian food, I decided to see what it was like to dine at Joanne Trattoria at peak hours on a Friday night. I was interested to see whether the restaurant, which is named after Lady Gaga's aunt Joanne, would pay homage to Lady Gaga or simply offer a nice meal out. 

After leaving my apartment in Bushwick, Brooklyn, which was about an hour away from the restaurant, I arrived outside Joanne Trattoria. 

The exterior of Joanne Trattoria was warm and inviting, with a large red awning bearing the restaurant's name.

A chalkboard announced the restaurant's happy hour, which I thought implied that I wasn't necessarily in for a fine-dining experience, but rather a homey, family-owned-restaurant feel. I was excited to step through the doors.

When I walked in the restaurant, I noticed there was a stack of pride-themed T-shirts and Joanne Trattoria hats for sale.

Lady Gaga is an advocate of the LGBTQ+ community, so I liked that the restaurant was celebrating pride, even though I visited in late April. 

There were also a few photos scattered around the restaurant's entry, including one of "Broad City" star Ilana Glazer when she visited.

I half expected to see a shrine dedicated to Lady Gaga herself, but I didn't quite get that.

However, there were some other photos and a signed Lady Gaga poster.

This let me know I was in the right place.

I was seated at a table in the back dining room.

While the front of the restaurant was relatively quiet when I arrived for my 7:30 p.m. reservation, the back was completely filled.

There was a wide variety of diners there, from two people that appeared to be on a date to an entire family eating at a large table in the back. One woman was eating alone, and didn't appear even slightly out of place.

While my two friends and I were probably the youngest patrons in the restaurant — and presumably the only die-hard Lady Gaga fans — the restaurant was nevertheless buzzy and full of energy, without being too loud to have a conversation. The decor wasn't fancy per se, but the restaurant would definitely be suitable for a special occasion.

The table was dressed with a white tablecloth and red napkins. Each table also had a fresh basil plant in the center.

I wondered if this was solely for decoration, or if you were encouraged to add fresh basil to the meal. 

The menu at Joanne Trattoria was digital but easy enough to navigate.

There was a large selection of wines, including some private-label wines inspired by Gaga and her aunt Joanne.

I opted for a glass of the house red. It was rich and tasted similar to Malbec. I definitely enjoyed it and thought it started the night off on a good note. My friends each ordered a Limoncello martini, which tasted like a perfect blend of sweet and sour. 

A basket full of bread was swiftly brought to our table, along with pats of butter and olive oil.

The bread was crusty on the outside and perfectly soft on the inside. I thought it could have been warmed up a little, but it was nevertheless pretty good for free bread.

The first dish we ordered was the fried calamari.

It came with a large lemon wedge and a small pot of marinara sauce. The appetizer cost $27.95, which I thought was a little expensive. However, it was more than enough to feed four people.

While the price was a little steep, I thought it was worth it. This was the best calamari I've ever had in my life.

It was perfectly crispy without being overly fried, and the squid itself was juicy and full of flavor. It tasted delicious with and without the marinara sauce, a feat not every plate of calamari can claim.

We all agreed the calamari was amazing, with one of my friends saying the only calamari she's had that's topped it was when she was actually in Italy.

My one critique was that there were no tentacles in the calamari, just large rings. My friends and I, who refer to the tentacles as "squiddies," were slightly disappointed that there weren't any on the plate.

We ordered three of the restaurant's popular dishes to share, family-style.

You can also order individual entreés, of course, but we like to share food and try as many things as possible, especially with Italian food.

We ordered two of Joanne's signature dishes, the spaghetti and meatballs and chicken Parmesan, as well as the gnocchi with white-truffle Alfredo, which was a chef specialty. 

I started by trying Joanne's spaghetti and meatballs.

The dish cost $28.95, which I thought was reasonable considering the size of the entrée. I'm used to paying prices like that in restaurants in New York City, but I imagine that might seem a little pricey for an out-of-towner. 

I admittedly thought the meatballs were just OK.

They were good, but nothing to call home about, in my opinion. They were a little on the tougher side, like they had been cooked too long and weren't super moist. I didn't actively dislike the dish by any stretch of the imagination, but compared to the other dishes I tried, the meatballs simply weren't a must-order item for me.

Next, I tried the chicken Parmesan.

The large chicken cutlet arrived on the plate topped with a layer of perfectly melted cheese and fresh basil. The dish cost $28.95, which I thought was fair considering it also came with a side of linguine pasta with marinara sauce. The portions overall at Joanne Trattoria were quite generous.

The chicken was moist and very flavorful.

The cheese was cooked perfectly and the marinara sauce had a lot of flavor as well. The dish was well-balanced and would have definitely filled me up completely had I only ordered it for myself. The chicken was crispy, without being overly fried or hard to bite into — overall, I was very impressed.

Lastly, we tried the white-truffle gnocchi.

This dish was the smallest, but packed the most flavor by far. It cost $23.95. 

The truffle gnocchi was my favorite dish out of the ones we tried at Joanne Trattoria.

The sauce was creamy and decadent, with the truffle enveloping my taste buds. The gnocchi itself held its shape, but it was soft on the outside and practically melted in my mouth. I was truly blown away by this dish, and I thought the mushrooms added a perfect amount of earthiness to the otherwise rich meal.

To end our meal, we each ordered a Big Monster cocktail. The name is inspired by Lady Gaga's many fans.

The cocktail, which contained coconut rum, orange juice, pineapple juice, and grenadine, was super fruity and tropical-tasting. It tasted like being on vacation — and it was definitely a great starting-off point to our night on the town. 

After paying the bill, we left the restaurant stuffed but very content.

The meal was very rich, and I was definitely feeling a little more full than I would have liked to be. Nevertheless, Joanne Trattoria was hands-down one of the best Italian-food experiences I've ever had in the city, and I would definitely go back. 

Our meal, which included six drinks, an appetizer, and three main courses, came to $261.03, including a nice tip for our waiter. The meal was a little expensive for three people, but in my opinion, it was worth it. In my experience, that's also a pretty standard cost for three people to go out to a nice dinner in New York City.

I will definitely be back to Joanne Trattoria, and I'd order almost all of the things I tried again.

However, I'm definitely excited to try more items on the menu. While we went because of the Lady Gaga connection, I'll definitely be back for the genuinely delicious food, good drinks, and cozy, homey atmosphere and service.

• Main content

An Unfiltered Look at the Private Lives of Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward

Melissa Newman's gorgeous, fascinating new book is a visual love letter to her parents.

Every item on this page was chosen by a Town & Country editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy.

“How strange is it to grow up around all of these pictures,” Melissa Newman says. “They aren’t your run-of-the-mill family photos, there are shots of my father in a top hat and cane on a set somewhere, or my mother dressed up like a stripper. I understood that my parents were in the movies, but it was still odd to live with these images of them as other incarnations of themselves.”

As the child of two of the world’s most recognizable stars, Newman got used to seeing her mother, Joanne Woodward, and father, Paul Newman, playing characters who weren’t themselves, but those photos and their impact would stay with her and inspire her new book, Head Over Heels: Joanne Woodward and Paul Newman: A Love Affair in Words and Pictures , out now.

It wasn’t just the people in the photos that spoke to Newman, however, but also the person behind the camera. “Stewart Stern was a screenwriter who wrote Rebel Without a Cause , Sybil and various other projects,” she explains. “He met my dad 12 days before my dad met my mom, and I think Stewart was incredibly jealous, but then he and my mother became best friends until his last moment on the planet. He was really important to my family; my middle name is Stewart, he was my sister’s godfather and my son’s godfather, too… He was such an important part of my life and my children’s lives, and he took the most intimate pictures of my parents, so early in fact that he actually chronicled their illicit affair.”

Here, Newman shares a selection of Stern’s images from the book and explains what makes each unique and important in its depiction of her family’s life outside the public eye. “This book celebrates the beauty and intimacy of what they had,” she says. “You come away feeling immersed in their relationship, and that was an unexpected joy of making this. Every time I go back and look at the book, I’m delighted.”

"This is a picture of my father singing to a cow, (or possibly reciting some compelling lines from a Tennesee Williams play). This serendipitous pairing was documented by screenwriter Stewart Stern who loved my parents almost as much as he loved… cows. Stewart happened to be, among numerous other things, a brilliant photographer."

"Stewart met and became enamored of my father 12 days before my father met and became enamored of my mother. After Stewart got over his initial jealousy, he also became one of my mother’s best friends. Their shared frustration with the complexity of loving my father was the glue that held them together. Stewart took some of the most stunning photographs of my mother, and I think this is one of them."

"My mother had natural childbirth and nursed all of her babies in the 1960s, against the conventions of the day. Thank you, Mom. She was also an early adopter of health food, and we grew up being fed handfuls of vitamins and spoonfuls of wheat germ and cod liver oil. That part was traumatic, but we have mostly recovered. I raised my own children on chicken nuggets and pizza, and they both became strapping young men—and excellent cooks. Go figure."

"Lovely little mementoes continue to pop up in the house. I recently found a handful of stunning candid shots in my mother’s office. They were spread out on a desk as though someone had been looking at them. We have no idea where they came from. This is one that made it into the book. The swing, with its 45 layers of spray paint and distinctive creak, still hangs on the porch. My mother was Picasso with a spray paint can."

"This photo is entitled 'Women I Like to Sleep With.' I know this because my father put a brass plaque on the frame that said exactly that."

"Back in the day, we used to put on our party tights to get on a plane. Here my parents are 'on holiday' in Greece. They look so elegant with their sunglasses and cameras. Like movie stars."

"My mother in Greece."

"Self explanatory if you have ever had a wedding–and maybe even if you haven’t."

"There exists a bizarre number of images of my father shaving. One of life's great mysteries. This one is from a series taken by Stewart Stern. There also happens to be a picture of Philippe Halsman (or his reflection, anyhow), jammed into a bathroom with both of my parents, as he photographs my father trimming his beard. Ever the goofball, I can only imagine it was my father’s idea."

Adam Rathe is Town & Country 's Deputy Features Director, covering arts and culture and a range of other subjects. 

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Joanne by Lady Gaga

Songfacts®:

• Joanne was Gaga's aunt, who was just 19 when she died of lupus in 1974, before the singer was born. She explained to People magazine why she titled her fifth studio album after her father's late sister. "I always wanted to be a good girl," she said. "And Joanne was such a good girl. "But I have such a rebellious spirit, and my father was always very angry. He drank because of his sister's death. I was trying to understand him through making this record, and in that, also trying to understand why I love men that are cowboys." "I'm figuring out all of those relationships in my life through the music, and going very deeply into it. But in a totally beautiful way," Gaga added. "It's not a sad album. It's an album that is very revealing of me as a woman."
• Gaga told The Sunday Times about the background of this acoustic ballad. "My whole life, I never understood why my father was so sad, drank so much or was wild. I thought it was my fault, and it was painful for the family. I'd witness year after year that feeling of loss within my father and grandparents. There's something so powerful and deep to lose a child."
• Joanne is Gaga's middle name too, and as she was named after her late aunt, the singer has used her as a muse throughout her career. She explained to the New York Times how the death of her father's sister informed the musical direction of the album. "This album, it doesn't lean necessarily in a particular direction, which is why the album title is Joanne. This is my middle name. This is the middle and the center of me and Joanne, my father's sister who died when she was 19. That was the year that I decided I really was gonna go for it." "I used to leave my apartment and I just had my white boots on and my little shorts and a T-shirt and I would just walk down the street on the Lower East Side totally free," Gaga continued. "And I had the whole world - the whole unknown of music - and where it could take me ahead of me. And this song ['Joanne'] in a lot of ways I realized even today is me looking back on Joanne and saying 'Where do you think you're going?' You know, I had no idea where I was going."
• This features singer-songwriter Harper Simon (son of Paul Simon) on guitar.
• When Gaga performed the song during her show at The Satellite in Los Angeles on October 27, 2016 she told the audience how it has helped her father to finally come to terms with the loss of his sister after all these years. "When we made this song we just thought it was a beautiful song and an honest song, but after this record came out and everybody heard this music and came to my father's restaurant in New York, Joanne (Trattoria), to celebrate, I saw a look in my dad's eyes that I've never seen in my whole life, because when my dad was really young he lost his sister, Joanne," she explained. "Sometimes I used to wonder if I ever got to meet my real dad, you know, because sometimes things happen in your life that are so bad that you die, or a part of you dies, and after this record came out, I swear that part of my dad came back to life," Gaga added. "I hope that when you hear it when you're with your families and you think of the loss that you've had or the pending loss... I hope this song can heal you like it healed my family."
• Lady Gaga dropped a stripped-back piano version of the tune on January 26, 2018. The singer donated all proceeds from the single release to the Lupus Research Alliance in honor of her late aunt.
• Accompanied by the song's co-producer Mark Ronson, Gaga performed this in the first segment of the Grammy Awards in 2018, introducing the song with a dedication to Joanne. She went with an angel theme; her grand piano was covered with wings. The following year, the song won a Grammy: Best Pop Solo Performance.
• Bradley Cooper originally wanted "Joanne" for his and Gaga's A Star Is Born movie. "We were working on Gaga's album Joanne and Bradley Cooper stopped by the studio one afternoon. I like his films. He showed up looking like a movie star. So, we hung out," Mark Ronson told NME . "He was really sweet, talking about this new script that they were both doing," Ronson added. "I played him the song called 'Joanne' and he's like, 'That's great, can I have it?'. I know he's a big star and everything, but I really liked that song. And I kind of needed it for Gaga's record." Although Cooper couldn't secure "Joanne" for the movie, fate had other plans. He, Gaga and Ronson collaborated on the film's Oscar-winning song " Shallow ."
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• Lyrics to Joanne
• Lady Gaga Artistfacts

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Who Is Joanne? Behind Lady Gaga’s New Album Title

Lady Gaga revealed the title and cover of her new album 'Joanne' during a Beats 1 Radio interview Thursday. But who is Joanne, anyway?

By Dominique Redfearn

Dominique Redfearn

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Lady Gaga revealed the title and cover of her new album Joanne during a Beats 1 Radio interview Thursday (Sep. 15).

With the announcement of the album title comes questions of who Joanne is and how she may be significant to Gaga.

Lady Gaga’s ‘Joanne’: Get to Know the Collaborators, From Beck to BloodPop

While Joanne is one of Gaga’s middle names (Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta) it is also the name of her late aunt and one of her biggest influences.

See latest videos, charts and news

Although Gaga was born almost 12 years after Joanne’s death, her influence has been a running theme in Gaga’s career. She has made many references to her late aunt from including one of Joanne’s unpublished poems in her first album, a tattoo and having involvement in the restaurant that her parents own.

After Four Year Hiatus, the DJ Awards Return With Nominees in House, Trance & More

Joanne Stefani Germanotta was born on March 12, 1955, and died from lupus December 18, 1974.

Gaga has stated that her aunt was a poet and a painter. Since she never had the chance of being published while she was alive, Gaga included one of her aunt’s poems entitled “For a Moment” in the booklet of her 2008 debut, The Fame.

Trending on Billboard

Lady Gaga Reveals ‘Joanne’ Album Cover

“Yesterday, I took a walk in the rain/ The cool refreshing droplets splashed on my cheeks./ I walked, And walked, And walked,/ Not knowing where I was going./ The trees swayed as a chilly spring/ Gently caressed their branches./ A cute white rabbit scampered/ Across a wide open field./ He stopped in front of me in a/ Patch of emerald./ He had a quizzical look on his furry little face./ He wiggled his ears,/ Crinkled his nose,/ And scratched his whiskers like/ An old man./ I started to laugh./ He ran off into the distance/ Looking like a pearl in a patch of seaweed./ The cool refreshing droplets splashed/ On my cheeks./ I walked,/ And walked, And walked,/ Not knowing where I was going./ I saw a family of ducks on a lake,/ I stopped to look,/ Mama Duck first,/ And all the little ducklings gliding/ Behind her in a single file./ They were dancing to the music/ of the rain tapping on water./ And then I was my reflection on/ the mirror-like surface of the lake/ And for a moment…/ I was the only living creature around./ The cool refreshing droplets splashed/ On my cheeks. I turned,/ And walked, And walked,/ Knowing where I was going.”

In the thank you section of the same album, Gaga wrote “A poem for Joanne.”

“For all the words you could not say/ I promise they’ll be mine,/ The one you meant to marry J/ I promise I will find/ And when your brother calls for me/ I promise I will come,/ Cause when I feel that I may break/ You heart, it makes mine strong”

Lady Gaga Announces Album Title & Release Date

Gaga cites her aunt for helping her kick a dangerous drug addiction toward the beginning of her career. In a 2011 interview said that she felt that she had to “finish (Joanne’s) business” in being an artist.

Gaga dedicated her Fame Ball Tour to her. Her creative team, Haus of Gaga, also nicknamed the tour Joanne in homage to her.

The pop star also has the date of Joanne’s passing tattooed on her left bicep in between lines of a verse from a poem by Rainer Maria Rilke.

One of the most recent dedications to her aunt was when Gaga’s parents Joe and Cynthia Germanotta also opened an Italian restaurant called Joanne’s Trattoria in February 2012.

With the release of  Joanne  in the horizon one can only expect more references to her aunt.

“I never met her, but she’s been one of the most important figures in my life,” said Gaga in 2011.

Joanne is set to be released on Oct. 21.

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Song Meanings and Facts

• Michael Nesmith / The First National Band

“Joanne” by Michael Nesmith (ft. The First National Band)

by Amanda London · Published December 12, 2021 · Updated December 12, 2021

It’s very easy to fall into the temptation of overanalyzing a song like Michael Nesmith’s “Joanne”. But sometimes, the presentation of a piece may be more complex than the idea it is intended to relay. And it seems as if underneath all of the poetic language, Nesmith is relaying a very fundamental idea/narrative. 

Sometimes artists do things like that. They shroud a basic concept, when said concept is perhaps something they do not want to state forthrightly.

So with all of that in mind, it would appear that this is akin to a love song, with the singer’s romantic interest being the titular “Joanne”. And most simply put, the two of them fall in love. However, as time progresses, a less-than-ideal aspect of Joanne’s personality begins to emerge, one that is the direct result of her prior romantic history. And that ultimately causes her relationship with the vocalist to fall apart.

And again, that is a rudimentary outline of the featured narrative. The inference would be that this is based on one of Michael’s personal experiences. That basically means that all of this poetic language is actually founded in fact. 

And at the end of the day, no one is going to know those facts besides for the vocalist, Joanne and maybe also “the man” that is also mentioned. So in a way, that even makes the intricacies of the lyrics more open to interpretation than a piece that is based on fiction. 

And in reality, losing a woman he loved due to compatibility issues is something Michael Nesmith could have easily relayed utilizing more straightforward language. But obviously he didn’t want to just reveal a very personal and emotional experience from his life to the public like that.

Michael Nesmith

Michael Nesmith (1942-2021) was a musician who made a name for himself as part of The Monkees, a band that originally started off as a fictional entity. However, Nesmith actually had musical pursuits and talents even prior to joining that crew, so when they went defunct he proceeded to drop solo albums, all the way up until 2015. 

That said, Michael experienced limited solo success and perhaps will always be best known as a Monkee. And  his most-successful single  was in fact “Joanne”.

The song just missed breaking the top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100. However, it fared more impressively on the  Adult Contemporary  chart. Accordingly it was a regular part of Nesmith’s setlists and has been included on a number of his live albums.

More Facts about “Joanne”

This song is from Nesmith’s first official album as a solo artist, “Magnetic South”. RCA Records made it public during June of 1970.

Felton Jarvis (1934-1981), a producer that worked heavily with Elvis Presley (1935-1977), also served said role on “Joanne”. And Nesmith authored the piece himself.

Of all the musicians who have covered Joanne, the most notable currently on the list would be Andy Williams (1927-2012). Andy also dropped his rendition in 1970.

The First National Band is officially featured on this song. This band was actually a group Nesmith co-founded promptly after leaving The Monkees in 1970.

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7 Responses

• Pingbacks 0

Pretty, yet sad song. As a kid I loved the Monkees. Music and their antics were great! Hope Michael enjoys playing in his new band! He sure has a great group of musicians to play with up there👼🏻🎸!!! God bless you Michael.

I am so impressed with this one star-in-a-galaxy human bean. how totally groovy cool he was. thanx, nez’. you were truly the sh*t+

Oh Nes, how could you know you were part of the fabric that is my life. Your genius was never truly appreciated here on earth, by many, save perhaps those like souls sharing my totally broken heart. God speed. You were deeply loved.

That’s so beautiful 🥰

Why make the font so light against a white background? Makes it difficult to read.

always loved him, was so sad when he died. R i P (we both went to the same campus in N Dallas as Meatloaf, Thomas Jefferson HS

Nez spent his time on Earth with talent on loan from the “gods”. Wish he had greater support while here. But that’s a long list of players.

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Tags: Joanne Magnetic South Michael Nesmith The First National Band The Monkees

Song Meanings & Facts

• Terms and Conditions

THE CONCLUDING CHAPTER OF CRAWFORD

About mamacita.

Life In Germany

Augustine Anna Karoline Hoffmann was born on July 26th,1898 in Striese Trebnitz Schlesien Germany (Note: which is now Poland) to August and Pauline Pelz Hoffmann. On April 16th, 1919, Anna married Alois Brinke, who was 16 years her senior, in Breslau, Germany. Anna had nine children - - two of which died young; a son, Rüdiger, who died in a glider crash; and a daughter who committed suicide by drowning in a bathtub (Note: Anna's grandson, Harold, says he mother was a diabetic, and died from complications from her illness, and not from suicide). After Anna's daughter's death in the 1950s, her grandson, Harold Brinke (later taking the name Flatman), came to live with Anna and her husband.

In 1945, Anna and her family fled Breslau when the area was occupied by the Nazi party, and the town was half destroyed during fighting conflict with the Solvent Red Army. Anna and her family became refuges to Werdohl, Germany. During this time, Anna lost contact with two of her brothers. She spent a considerable amount of time and money attempting to find them, however, never saw them again. In 1957, Anna's husband passed away from a heart attack, and she moved from Werdohl, Germany to Long Island, New York to live with her daughter, Erna, son-in-law Earl Flatman (who was a sergeant in the U.S. Air Force) and children.

Employment with Joan

In summer of 1961, Joan was vacationing in Westhampton, New York and inquired to her neighbor's maid as to who would be a reliable maid for herself. The maid referred Joan to her own mother, Anna, who was a very good housekeeper. Anna became Joan's live-in housekeeper, and lived in Joan's apartment on Fifth Avenue, and in Joan's Imperial House apartment. When Joan moved into apartment 22G in Imperial House, she gave Anna the second largest bedroom, refusing to place Anna in the apartment's small maid's room, and turned the apartment's designated "maid's room" into a closet. Anna knew very little English, and was not always able to communicate or understand English. However, when Joan had parties at her apartment, Anna was always chatted up by celebrities such as Cesar Romero, who would joke with Anna in the kitchen. Because Anna knew little English, to be polite, she would laugh and smile when the guest would laugh, taking cues from their expressions.

An excerpt regarding Mamacita from Joan's 1971 autobiography, "My Way of Life" "I think it's time to explain that Mamacita isn't a Spanish girl, she's a German lady who raised nine children and has many grandchildren. I took a house in Westhampton nine or ten years ago - a place to take the children for the summer. I had no one to help me and I didn't want to spend two months making beds and scrubbing bathrooms. I called a neighbor who put his maid on the phone. "I know someone for you," she said. "But I don't know whether you can put up with her. She's never heard of a bucket and a mop." "Handsies, kneesies?" I asked. "Yep," she replied. "Bring her over tomorrow morning. That's just my cup of tea. I never did think you could get into corners with any mop - Who is it?" "My mother," she said. "I'll bring her."

The next morning I was on the phone when they arrived. I turned for a moment and said "Start in my bedroom and then down here," and then I went back to the phone. When I hung up I wanted to call her to come quickly to take the dogs out but I realized I hadn't asked her name, I had just returned from Rio Janerio, where all I had heard was mamacita, papacita, cousincita, everythingcita, so without thinking I called out "Mamacita!" Back she cried "Ya, Ich coming!" The name has stuck ever since. In all the countries we have traveled together, in all languages, everyone calls her Mamacita.

We had language problems for a while, and it gave me the best exercise I've ever had in pantomime. I had to act out everything I wanted her to do, speaking slowly and distinctly about each action, each idea. I'd say, "Guest lady, this room. One bed only." She'd watch mu mouth carefully, then watch my elaborate little scene. Finally a beautiful smile of comprehension would spread over her face and she'd say, "Oh, ya! Ya! Ich do!" Inevitably, when we're traveling, she's referred to as my mother. "What would your mother like to drink, Miss Crawford?" "Gin and tonic, please." She'll giggle and nudge me, very pleased. "He thinks I'm your mama!" I let it go. I don't know what I'd do without Mamacita. No new situation ever flusters her. And new situations turn up every day."

During her thirteen year employment with Joan, Anna usually took a once per month weekend-long visit to the home of her daughter, Erna, and her family, who lived on Long Island, New York. One of Anna's favorite foods was potatoes, however, Joan would not allow potatoes in her home due to dietary restrictions. Therefore, during these weekend visits, Anna would start the visit by boiling several pounds of potatoes, and preparing them in various ways for each meal throughout the weekend.

According to Anna's grandchildren, (who referred to Anna as "Oma") Joan and Anna were very close, worked well together and shared a close companionship. However, Anna did become frustrated with Joan's behavior on a number of occasions by the early 1970s, and threatened to leave Joan's employment several times, and would call her family to retrieve her. On July 26th, 1973, Joan gave Anna a very lavish 75th birthday party; which Anna remembered very fondly, calling it one of the best days of her life. In early 1974, Anna gave Joan a resignation letter indicating that she was returning to Germany for some dental work, and to address other health issues. However, Anna cited in the letter that she would return later if her services were needed. Ultimately, Anna never returned to work for Joan. According to Anna's family, she left Joan's service because she was "tired of things being thrown at her," and that Anna left following Joan having had thrown objects at her twice around the end of 1973.

Final Years

Following leaving Joan's employment, Anna returned to Germany to live, and later returned to the United States to live with her daughter Erna, and Erna's second husband, Benjamin Niederkorn, and family in Wichita Falls, Texas. Joan and Anna never lost communication with each other, sending holiday and birthday greetings to one another. The last communication from Joan being dated March 28th, 1977, only six weeks before Joan's death. Anna passed away while living with her daughter in Wichita Falls, Texas on May 2nd, 1979 at the age of 80. She had been in the hospital for several weeks prior to her death. Anna's official cause of death was liver cancer. Anna is buried at Crestview Memorial Park in Wichita Falls, Texas.

In 2017, Anna was memorialized in the FX television show "Feud: Bette & Joan." She was portrayed by actress Jackie Hoffman (no relation), who received a Golden Globe nomination for her performance. Anna's family was happy with the portrayal, and felt Hoffman did a great job.

Joan and Anna in Joan's Imperial House apartment (June 1970)

Anna demonstrating her daily tasks for Joan. (June 1970)

A June 29th, 1963 German newspaper article highlighting Anna as Joan's maid

Anna Brinke's grave at the Crestview Memorial Park Cemetery in Wichita Falls, Texas (May 2017) (A special thanks to "The Concluding Chapter of Crawford" reader Kelly Gregg for volunteering these photos to the website)

A signed photo Joan gave to Anna. "For Mama with love Joan Crawford" The original is now in the personal collection of this Webmaster

Two garment items which belonged to Anna that are now in the personal collection of this Webmaster

In 2017, FX premiered the series "Feud: Bette & Joan," which presented a fictionalized version of Anna, portrayed by Jackie Hoffman.

Anna's 1979 death certificate

Stories are the foundation of a community, a nonprofit, a business, adding meaning to our history.

Authentic. trusted. your story matters..

• Aug 29, 2023
• 17 min read

Joanne Quam

Interview by Teresa Nguyen

November, 2023

Author’s note:

Joanne is the mother of local Janesville resident, Suzanne Hamilton. Suzanne is quite involved in our community and in her church community. You might often see Suzanne and her husband, Stuart, supporting and attending local events.

What a beautiful gift for one’s mother, to share her life story! It is both remarkable and inspiring.

The Early Years

I was born to Fred and Grace (Bennett) Bookhout on August 31, 1931, during the depression. We were unaware that times were so hard and just got used to things. My brother, Bobby, and I grew up on a farm, just north of Morrisonville, Wisconsin.

All the farmers in the area were in the same boat, and clothes weren’t a big thing back then. We didn’t think of ourselves as being poor. Most people had big gardens and seemed to do okay. Farmers helped each other.

Early Role Models

My mother's sisters, Aunt Blanche, Aunt Myrtle and Aunt Hazel were my early role models. They were known as “The Bennett Sisters”. They were my mother’s sisters and influenced me a lot. Blanche and Myrtle were instrumental in raising me when I was young, because my mother had died when I was six years old.

Both my mother and her sister, Blanche taught grades 1-8 in a one-room country school. This was well before I came along.

Their parents didn’t have money, so they sold cucumbers and buttons to help pay for schooling to become teachers. My mother graduated from the two-year Normal School (teacher training college) and started teaching near Lodi, Wisconsin. Teachers were not allowed to be married and lived with local families.

At that time, my grandfather told my mother that she couldn’t marry until Blanche went to school, because it was money out the window if she spent it on an education and did not use it. Her fiancé, my dad, raised and sold piglets to help finance college for his future sister-in-law, Blanche. After Aunt Blanche became a teacher, my parents married.

Aunt Blanche lived on the farm with my family and taught school at a nearby country schoolhouse where she had to start the fire in the stove and get water from the well, in addition to her teaching duties. For the commute, she would ride a horse to and from the schoolhouse.

Tragedy Strikes the Family

I was six and my brother was eight when our mother passed away. It was really a sad thing…my grandpa (Levi Bookhout) had died and we were leaving the cemetery in Madison when we suddenly had a car accident. I can remember them taking us to St. Mary’s Hospital. And it just so happened that my Aunt Blanche was in the hospital at that time having her baby, my cousin, Barbara. My Aunt Myrtle and Uncle Gordon Stewart were also there at the hospital visiting them when we came in from this accident!

I can remember my Aunt Myrtle holding me in the waiting room. They kept my dad a while because he needed stitches. My mother had a severe head injury, a brain concussion and went into a coma. She stayed there for weeks and never fully recovered from it.

My Uncle, Bruce Morrison, whose wife, Blanche had just had the baby, took my brother and me home in his old Model A car back to their farm and we stayed overnight with him. I don’t remember much of what happened after that. At Christmas time, my dad took me to visit my mother in the hospital. She was still in a coma.

It was very hard for my dad. I often stayed with my aunts and uncles. They had a lot to do with raising me in those early years.

At the time of my mother’s death, I was so young that I didn’t have a lot of memories of her. One memory I have of my mother was when she would take meals to my Grandpa Bookhout and feed him. I would tag along up the stairs to his room. He had been ill and stayed at our home prior to his passing.

I remember my mother died in March of 1938.

I can still see the coffin in the farmhouse living room and the chairs all set up for the visitation. There were all those visitors and I remember the neighbors were there. At the funeral, my dad said to me and Bobby, “You go up now (to the coffin), because this is the last time you’ll see your mother.” The funeral was held at the Lutheran church in Morrisonville.

I would sometimes find myself crying, but then realized it didn’t do me a lot of good. You just learn to deal with things.

I only have a few things that belonged to my mother, just a few papers and some jewelry. My daughter, Suzanne, used to look at my mother Grace’s ring in the jewelry box and admire it. When Suzanne was to be married, she wanted to have her grandmother’s ring. Her fiancé, Stuart, asked my father if he could give it to her. He agreed to it, so my mother’s wedding ring was passed down to my daughter, Suzanne, who also resembles her grandmother, Grace.

Stepmother Ruby

Our family was fortunate to have Ruby Hatlem, a young woman in her twenties, who lived nearby, come to help when my mother was ill. There was so much work to do in the home on a farm. Women helped with farm chores, cared for children, made meals for the family and the hired help, did laundry, and grew and preserved food for the winter.

Eventually my father married Ruby. Ruby embraced our family and her role in it. She became the “glue” of our family and passed along her Lutheran faith and Norwegian traditions, as well.

My father and Ruby had a daughter, Carol, together. She is nine years younger than I.

Life on the Farm

I grew up on a 300 acre farm on the Arlington Prairie. It was located in Columbia County near Morrisonville, Wisconsin. It was a pretty big farm, at that time, so we always had hired help. Sometimes they lived with us in the big farmhouse. We had cows, pigs, chickens and crops. We had a lot of chores, as farm kids do. I had to wash the separator (a manual device in farming of the past used for separating the milk into cream and skimmed milk) . I also collected the eggs from the chickens. We had a big garden and a lot to do on the farm.

Early in the 1950’s the University of Wisconsin bought our farm to be part of the Arlington Research Farm. They eventually burned down the farmhouse, replacing it with a newer, smaller one to save energy. It certainly didn’t take the place of the old house and it was sad to see it go.

When I was young, my father paid tuition to send us over to Morrisonville to go to school for grades one through eight, which wasn’t too far, as we lived about a mile north of town. We would either walk or take a bicycle. My brother, who is two years older, would give me a ride on his bike, until I got my own. Sometimes the neighbor boy would give me a ride, as well.

After World War II, you couldn’t find a bike. They finally found one for me, which was second hand.

I remember when we entered World War II. That day we were out at my Aunt Blanche’s farm on the hill and she came out of the house to tell us, “We’re at war!” They had heard the news of the bombing of Pearl Harbor on the radio.

Once the war started, farm help was hard to get. Gasoline, flour, sugar and so much more was rationed at the time. I remember they sold war bonds. We collected milkweed pods to help in the war effort. ( During the height of World War II, milkweed was valued for its floss. It was naturally buoyant and water-repellant. The military used the fibers to fill life jackets for soldiers. It took two 20-pound bags of milkweed pods to make one life preserver. Government ads encouraged school children to collect the pods to help our American soldiers . )

High School Years

Our elementary and middle school years were combined,1st through 8th grades, in Morrisonville. We had to go to DeForest for High School, which was just three miles away. There were 35 students in my high school class. I graduated in 1949.

At that time, there weren’t school busses, so my dad bought a car for my brother. He would pick up several of our neighbor kids, all boys. They would go practice football after school. Back then, they had six-man football. Soon after, they changed it.

I would have to wait with the other girls until our brothers were done with their practice. We girls would sit on a terrace and study or just talk. We had a good group of friends who remained lifetime friends.

In high school, I attended the DeForest football games. Sometimes we’d catch the train to come home to Morrisonvile after the game. We wouldn’t get home sometimes until 10:30 at night! I’d either stay over at my girlfriend’s home or with my Aunt Blanche, who lived near the train station.

Sometimes, we’d take the Greyhound bus into Madison to go shopping. We could walk out to Hwy 51, about a mile, and the bus driver would know to pick us up and take us to the capitol square. It was just a half hour ride into the city.

No one worried about us in those days. As long as you showed up when it was time to eat, that was just fine.

In high school, there weren’t any sports for girls. I was involved with the newspaper as a writer and then as the editor during my senior year. I kind of liked that.

It was expected that as soon as I graduated, I would get a job. Most people did not go on to college. The expectation, especially for women, was that they would marry soon after high school and start a family. That’s just the way it was. My ambitions after school were to do something in business, clerical work or something similar.

I took a job working in the office at Oscar Mayer (a food processing business) in Madison. I used to do keypunching, when the sales orders came in.

My friend and I roomed together. In those days, it was common to rent a bedroom in a family home. We shared the kitchen and bathroom and we took turns using the washing machine, etc. They rented to a few of us. We took the bus to work. We liked the city life and our independence.

I worked at Oscar Mayer from 1949 up to 1959. I left briefly to work on an Army base in Georgia, typing lesson plans for soldiers, while my husband did his training before going to Korea for his military service.

Meeting Don

I met my future husband, Don Quam, while I was in high school. My brother would stop and pick him up on his way to school, because he had to walk quite a way.

Dating in the 1940’s meant going to dances in different towns or meeting friends after football games at a small diner on East Washington Avenue in Madison. That’s what you did in those days, it was your entertainment. They always had live bands at the dances.

Don and I were engaged to marry in 1951. We were planning to get married in the summer of 1952. Our plans changed when the Korean War broke out and Don was drafted and sent to boot camp at Camp Gordon near Augusta, Georgia. They were told that they would only have a few days to return home to Wisconsin before being sent overseas.

Determined to Marry

My best friend, Luella, and her husband Bob Pitcel, decided that we would all take a trip down to Georgia so that Don and I could get married down there while he was still stateside! It was a stressful trip. Luella and I drove Don’s car and Bob followed us in their car. The car kept breaking down until we realized that we needed a new battery.

There was a law in Georgia that you had to be 21 to get married and I was still 20. We learned that we could get married in South Carolina without being 21. We wanted to be married in a Lutheran church and it seemed that in the South, one was hard to find. Most churches were Baptist or Methodist. Eventually, we found a Lutheran church over the border in South Carolina, but the pastor at that church was on vacation. We had to find yet another church!

As luck would have it, just before we were going to get married, the car stopped again! I remember, Don was outside the car and lost his military cap on the road in the wind. We had to go back and find it. It had already been run over a few times on the road. He would’ve been in trouble if he’d lost his cap!

There were a lot of obstacles but, in the end, we married! It was a very small wedding with just our best friends there as witnesses. I borrowed a dress from a friend. The marriage lasted for 65 years until Don died in 2017.

In November of 1952, he was able to come home to Wisconsin for just a few days, before he shipped out. We had a wedding reception in my parent’s home.

The Korean War

Don boarded a flight in Madison to go to Seattle to meet the other soldiers waiting to board a ship. When his parents and I took him to his flight, I wondered if he would come back in one piece or even come home at all. You would worry about those things. As I drove away a fitting song, “Now is the Hour” by Vera Lynn played on the car radio.

Click on the link to hear the song: "Now is the Hour"

Don had no idea where he was going while on the ship and he was so seasick. When they arrived in Korea, they took a train up to Seoul and, at times, they had to lie on the floor because they were being fired upon by snipers!

He worked as a telephone operator while in Korea. He had to put the calls in to Japan for some of the officers. They had a guard that walked around his shack to protect him. He told how the weather was cold and how you really had to be careful, because you could be shot by snipers!

He wrote to me nearly every night, though the mail was kind of slow back then. We wrote back and forth. I’d wait for those letters! I lived with my parents while he was gone overseas and had returned to my work at Oscar Mayer.

I have a photo from Korea of Don lying on his military cot in Seoul with a picture of me on the wall behind him.

He was gone for 16 months and was discharged close to when the war ended. We went to the Edgewater hotel in Madison, after I picked him up. I had to pack some civilian clothes for him to wear, but I had forgotten his shoes, so he had to walk around in his army boots.

He didn’t talk about the war a whole lot. He didn’t like being in service. He wouldn’t watch any war movies or shows on TV. He would say, “War is a terrible thing. I don’t want to have anything to do with it.” He wouldn’t even get involved with the veterans’ groups or anything like that.

He would say, “I’m no hero. I’m just lucky I came back.”

Post Military Service

Don didn’t want to go back to the farm. His older brother had stayed on the farm and he decided to get into carpentry. He signed up for an apprenticeship through the veterans’ organization and went to school. He would go to class some days and worked on the job the other days. We shared an apartment in Madison and I was still working at Oscar Mayer.

In 1954 we bought land from My Aunt Blanche and Uncle Bruce Morrison who farmed on the edge of Morrisonville and we began building our home. Don and I would work on the house on weekends and evenings. We finished it and moved into it in 1955. I have lived there since we built it.

Don finished his training and received his Journeyman’s Certificate for Carpenters and Joiners in 1958. For a while, he was working for other builders and then decided to start his own business, Quam Builders.

The Woman Behind the Business

I took on the bookkeeping for Quam Builders. Don built many homes in the DeForest Area. He also built some apartments that we kept and maintained as income property. During the summer the building business was very busy in anticipation of having inside work ready for the winter.

Sometimes I would take our family dinner to the job site. We would set up saw horses and have a picnic so Don could keep working.

The Children

In February of 1959, our first child, Suzanne, was born. I was 27 when I had our first child. Most women had a few by then so I was an “older mother”.

In those days, when you were pregnant, you had to quit your job once the employer knew of the pregnancy. Pregnant women were not allowed to continue working. Your pay would end without any compensation or severance pay. I had to quit my job with Oscar Mayer and became a stay-at-home mom. About three years later, we had our second child, Mark.

Not many women worked outside of the home when I was a young mother. I was happy being home with the kids and was part of a strong community of women. Many of our activities were school or church-centered. I was involved with the school PTA, taught Sunday school and involved in the kids’ activities. We were also quite involved with our church.

In 1977 our family hosted a young woman from Sweden through the AFS program. Helen Ringstrom became a “bonus” daughter. Over the years, she has come back to Wisconsin to visit several times. I also visited her in Sweden. I don’t see her very often but the connection remains strong.

I liked having cultural experiences, so I made sure to take the kids to Madison to see plays and musical performances. We also went to the Madison library frequently. I took Suzanne to dance lessons and would take Mark to Rennebohm’s to eat, while she had her lesson.

Suzanne recalls, “I remember we were different. None of my other friends were doing those things, and I really believe that my exposure to those experiences positively influenced who I am as an adult.”

Don and Flying

Don’s true passion was flying. He loved planes and eventually got a pilot’s license. He was a safe pilot and we often traveled together as a family in the small plane.

He owned and safely flew many planes through the years. He even refurbished an old plane in our old church building in Morrisonville! Don won an award in 1986 at the EAA Oshkosh Air Show (Best of Type) for the 1949 Aeronca Champ he rebuilt. He flew as often as he could. Sometimes he would buzz the house and tip the wings, saying ‘hello’ to me as I was hanging up clothes. The kids would run out and wave to the plane. They knew it was their dad.

We flew to other states, including Ohio, Texas and Florida. However, if the weather wasn’t good, he would just land it wherever we were. On one of the trips, we were stranded somewhere in Tennessee. It was fun for him because he could visit with all the other pilots. For him, it was like it was seventh heaven! I just wanted to get home! He was very safe about flying in poor conditions, though. He would go up, take a pass and then return to say, “Nope. It’s not good, we’re not leaving.”

He continued to fly well into his 80s and wanted his grandson, Riley, to fly, too. Riley took some flying lessons, but didn’t pursue the hobby because he didn’t have the time with a job and a young family. You have to be dedicated and fly often to keep the skills up. It’s too dangerous, otherwise. After Don’s death, we sold the plane and the hangar to a friend of Don’s.

Mark remembers, “Dad made little benches to fit in the back of the plane and let me and Suzanne sit on the benches in the plane.”

A New Career

When Mark was a junior in high school and Suzanne was in college, I was talking to my friend about going back to work part time (outside of our building business). Don wanted to retire and, if I got a job, I could get the insurance we needed.

My friend, Betty Bader, was the office manager at Clack Corporation near Windsor and she said there were no part-time positions. But, she said there was a full-time job available. She told me, “If you want it, it’s yours!” They were in the water softening business and are still going today.

This was in 1978 and they were just getting into computers. I worked in data and accounting, entering the inventory. We had big computers, I had to put big rolls of tape in them and do the back up every morning. Nowadays, things are automatically backed up and computers are so much smaller.

They had a plant in Arkansas and sometimes I flew along in the company plane to help them get set up and learn the ropes.

During those years, I worked and carried the insurance for the family. At one point, I was ready to quit working, but they talked me into going part time. I stayed on and finally retired in 2002. I worked until I was 70! I loved the work and working with such nice people. I really enjoyed it.

In our retirement, Don and I would travel often. We went to Florida, took a trip to Arizona with another couple, traveled to Hawaii, Mexico, Switzerland, Sweden, Norway and New Zealand. In New Zealand we visited our son-in-law’s family.

Don didn’t like Midwest winters and he didn’t like Arizona because there was no green. We went to visit friends in Texas and they talked us into finding a place down there. The location was near a small airport…ideal for him but not very appealing to me, so we kept looking for something we would both like.

We then visited other friends, down near the border in Harlingen, Texas. This was more of an urban area and we settled there. It was a great community. There was a nice clubhouse and events going on there. It was also near a small airport, so we would fly down there and Don was happy to keep his plane there for the winter.

My friends and I would volunteer in the Harlingen schools. We enjoyed working with the kids. By that time, I was old, especially to the kids, probably their great grandmother’s age!

There were a lot of people down there from the Midwest and Canada. We had a lot of things in common and had time to be socially active. We would go to church together, go out for meals and dancing at the local VFW hall, do crafts and play bridge. We had a bridge club. None of us were very good at it, still we’d play often. I’m in touch with some of those friends. There are only a couple left. We wintered there until 2017.

Don’s health began to fail when he was in his 80’s. I took care of Don when his health was failing. It was challenging to be a caregiver. The kids were very worried about me and wanted me to have a break from caregiving so Suzanne and I took a nice Alaskan cruise, while Stuart and my son, Mark, took care of Don. While we were away, Stuart took Don on a long drive to see the places where he had grown up. That was his last trip out of the house.

Even before we came home from Alaska, the kids told me to be prepared because they believed it was too much for me to continue caring for Don. He went to the Waunakee Manor Care Center for just a couple of weeks before he passed away in July of 2017. It was almost his 87th birthday. We were all with him.

We had a wonderful life together, married for 65 years!

Life as a Senior

I am 92 years old and still live independently in my own home. I am thankful for my health.

Very few of my friends are left. Some are in nursing homes. Some of them don’t even know who they are. My brother passed away last year. My sister, Carol Gumbinger and her husband, Keith, live in Kenosha. I have many nieces and nephews.

I have friends and neighbors and many connections at the church in Morrisonville. We do have a wonderful community center in DeForest. I take exercise classes to keep my balance and strength and I go down there for various activities. They have entertainment quite often, too.

I’m still able, thank the Lord, to drive to do errands and get groceries in DeForest. But I don’t go much farther than that. I still do some traveling with the help of my family.

I feel very fortunate that I have a loving family. My son, Mark and his husband, Jeff, live in Eau Claire and visit often. My daughter, Suzanne and her husband, Stuart, live nearby in Janesville. We were fortunate to live close to our two grandchildren, Sarah and Riley, when they were growing up. We were able to spend time with them and enjoy their school and church activities, including their college graduations.

Our grandson, Riley and his wife, Katy also live in Janesville. They have two sons, Jack and William. Our granddaughter, Sarah, and her husband, Danny live in Colorado. They have a son named Sam. I didn’t think I would see the day that I would be a great grandmother!

Looking Back and Life Advice

Looking back in my lifetime there have been so many changes: indoor plumbing, automobiles, TV, landing on the moon and computers. I’d say the computer has been one of the most impactful.

My advice from living a long life is that you just have to deal with what comes along and make the best of it. Look for the good things and don’t dwell on the bad things. Put them in the past. I also believe that I couldn’t have made it through without my strong faith.

Additional photos from Joanne's life through the years. Click on a photo to enlarge and see description.

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Chapter 1 . Joanne's Case: "I Can't Even Get a Diagnosis"

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Author: Taryn A. Myers, Virginia Wesleyan College

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Please note: Clinical Choices allows you to enhance and test your understanding of the disorders and treatments covered in your textbook, in a simulated case study environment. It is not intended to replicate an actual intake interview or therapy session or provide training on therapeutic techniques. Clinical Choices is for educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for clinical training.

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The receptionist hands you the intake paperwork prior to your intake interview with your new client, Joanne, and mentions that she seems somewhat impatient. Joanne has also requested that her husband, Jack, come into the interview with her. Although this request is a little unusual for adult clients, you know from past experience that getting information from someone close to the patient can be invaluable. Click on the button below to review the paperwork before you begin the interview.

New Client Joanne: Case #10110

Psychological Clinic

Intake Paperwork

Client Name: Joanne

Age: 53 years old

Gender: Female

Ethnicity: Caucasian

Occupation: Retired, used to own a boutique

Current living situation: I live with my husband on a farm

Why are you seeking services at our clinic?

I have a lot of pain, muscle aches, and no energy. I've consulted many doctors, but no one can tell me what is wrong with me. My husband was diagnosed with a chronic heart condition, and it's very stressful to have to worry about his health in addition to my own.

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You will now ask Joanne and Jack a number of questions you would typically ask during the intake interview. As you conduct the interview with Joanne and Jack, begin to think about Joanne's symptoms, what her diagnosis might be, and later, what type of treatment might be most helpful to her. Click the "play" button below the illustration to hear Joanne's and her husband's responses to your questions. To read the transcript for these answers, click on the "transcript" button. Take notes in the box provided as you listen to Joanne and Jack's responses.

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"Hi Joanne. It's good to meet you. Jack, thank you for coming in with Joanne today. What we are doing today is called an intake interview. I'm going to have you tell me what brought you here today and ask you some questions that I ask everyone who comes to the clinic. This information will tell me how best to help you. This may mean continuing to see me for therapy at this clinic, or it may involve referring you to another mental health professional or facility. Let's start. Tell me about what brought you to the clinic today."

Joanne: The last doctor I saw, the neurologist, referred me to your office. This doesn't make any sense [sounding annoyed] – my problems are physical [emphasis], not in my head ! [sighs] But I guess I shouldn't be surprised – the doctors keep passing me from person to person. You're the sixth specialist I've seen this year, and that's not even counting the chiropractor, massage therapist, and the acupuncturist. And nothing any of them has tried has helped for more than a day or so. [exasperated] The chiropractor worked on my hip and it felt okay for a day, but then it was so sore I couldn't move my leg at all! Jack: [quietly] I'm really getting tired of going to all these appointments with her. Joanne: But we need to get to the bottom of this and figure out what's wrong.

Question 1.1

Check Your Notes

What brought you in? Joanne - Referred by a neurologist for therapy - Seems annoyed that she has been referred to a therapist - Believes her problems are physical, not psychological - Has been to 6 medical specialists and a host of alternative medicine professionals this year - She is determined to figure out what's wrong Jack - Tired of going to appointments

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“That sounds very frustrating, Joanne. Tell me about your physical symptoms. What’s been going on?”

Joanne: The biggest thing is that I feel really, really tired all the time. I have absolutely no energy... sometimes I just spend the whole day in bed. I have muscle aches all over ... in my arms and legs and ... [groans] ugh, my shoulders just really hurt most of the time. And the headaches... I've always had headaches, but not this frequently for a long time. Now I get headaches just about every day, so I take Ibuprofen every day. And ... in a new development [sarcastically] ... I have a pain in my right hip. Periodically, my hip will buckle under me. But the orthopedist I saw a month ago "claims" [with disbelief] that there is "nothing wrong." [incredulous, even a bit angrily] C'mon. How can there be "nothing wrong?" Jack: I'm very worried about Joanne, but I'm getting really tired of going to all her doctors' appointments. It's a full-time job! What's more, it's exhausting and stressful, and I shouldn't be that stressed right now.

Question 1.2

Physical symptoms: Joanne - Feels tired all the time - Muscle aches all over her body - Headaches every day → medicates with Ibuprofen everyday - Pain in right hip Jack - Worried, but exhausted and stressed by doctors' appointments

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"Oh my goodness, that is a lot to deal with every day, Joanne. And I can certainly understand your frustration, Jack. What have the doctors you have consulted been able to tell you?"

Joanne: [annoyed and exasperated] They aren't telling me anything! I'm having to do all the work myself. I spend hours and hours on the internet looking up my symptoms. I can't find any answers on Web MD ... that site is useless... so I have to dig deeper and really look at blogs and message boards and whatnot. I've found all kinds of possible explanations, but whenever I go to see one of these doctors, they rule out my theories! Let me give you an example. I was really worried about my hip, so I did a lot of digging around on that. I had a hysterectomy a few years ago, and I take estrogen for hormone replacement. Well, I found a link ! I found a website that said that estrogen can affect your muscles. So I went to my OBGYN and asked if it could be affecting my hip muscle. She said that this muscle problem is very rare and dismissed it.

Question 1.3

What doctors have said: Joanne - No answers from medical professionals - Spends a lot of time online looking for explanations - She had a hysterectomy a few years ago - Thought hip pain might be linked to hormone replacement therapy - OBGYN ruled it out

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"Joanne, I can hear how frustrating and painful all of your symptoms are, not to mention the challenges you face in figuring out what is going on. Have you noticed any patterns – that is are there particular times or situations when your symptoms are worse?"

Joanne: I feel like it's worse when things are stressful at home. We live on Jack's farm, which is in the middle of nowhere. Honestly it's completely isolated. It's beautiful, but I feel like I'm suffocating at times. Before we got married ... that was 10 years ago... I'd always lived in the city. Life on the farm can be boring and sometimes I feel really alone – I'm not close to anyone in the area ... well, except for Jack, of course. And Jack has just been diagnosed with a chronic heart condition. It's been completely overwhelming. Jack: Not just overwhelming for you. And the farm is my sanctuary. [sadly] I didn't realize how much you didn't like living there.

Question 1.4

Pattern of symptoms: Joanne - Her symptoms are worse with stress - Lives on remote farm, feels bored and isolated → raised in the city - Jack recently diagnosed with chronic heart condition Jack - Also overwhelmed - Farm is his sanctuary → didn't realize Joanne doesn't like living there

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"Jack, I'm so sorry to hear about your diagnosis. Do you all have any other family that can help you as you both deal with your medical conditions?"

Jack: I'm ok. My condition isn't life-threatening. Joanne: When he first started having problems, he was in the hospital for several days. Because where we live is so isolated, the closest hospital is 50 miles away. So I did visit him, but that kind of drive really does a number on me, so I couldn't stay long due to my soreness and feeling so tired. Then I'd have to drive another 50 miles home... I'd be exhausted when I got back with no one there to help me. Jack: To answer your question, I was married twice before, and I have three children. They are still resentful of me for divorcing their mom ... my first wife. They're adults now. Joanne: I never had kids. But I really wanted to get close to Jack's kids. Jack: [with empathy] Joanne has really gone out of her way to try get close to them. But they just don't seem interested... Makes for some lonely holidays. Joanne: That's been hard for me and for Jack ... I had really hoped we could be a close family, but they just don't seem interested. Now that Jack is home, I have to take care of him. He is so focused on all his medications, what he's eating, exercising ... and well... he doesn't seem to be concerned about me at all anymore. What about me ? [frustrated] I have this debilitating illness and can't even get a diagnosis!

Question 1.5

Support from friends and family: Jack - Medical condition isn't life-threatening - Married 2x before, 3 adult kids → they are still resentful about the divorce Joanne - Difficult to visit Jack in hospital - 100 mile round trip drive exhausting for her - No one at home to care for her - Never had children - Wanted to be close to Jack's kids, but they are not interested - Feels she has to take care of Jack - Seems more concerned about her own symptoms and lack of diagnosis

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"Jack, what has this been like for you? Sounds like you have been overwhelmed and frustrated, dealing with Joanne's condition as well as your own."

Jack: [sounding fed up] Well... let me be blunt here... when she says stuff like that, I sometimes wonder if she's jealous of the medical attention I'm getting with my heart condition. Believe me, this is no walk in the park! Joanne: [incredulous] What? How dare you – I never! Jack: [conciliatory] Joanne, I have a lot of sympathy for you, but now I'm running out of patience. I was hoping that when I retired, we could do projects around the farm and go antiquing together. You used to love doing stuff like that. Joanne: [sorry for herself, whining a bit] I've been feeling weak. You know that. I don't want to overwhelm myself. Even just unloading the dishwasher makes me exhausted. Jack: [breaking in] And then a couple weeks ago, she reached for a vase on a high shelf, and ever since, she's been complaining that she can't use her right arm because it's sore. Joanne: [indignant, defensive] Well, it is! Jack: [sad] I miss doing things together. I go shopping and antiquing alone now. You don't even grocery shop any more. And when the neighbors stop by to say hi, you go hide in the bedroom. Joanne: [defensively] I'm just too tired to talk. Jack: Doc, I don't know much about psychology, but I worked in human resources before I retired. I know that sometimes when people say they have physical problems, they aren't aware that these problems could be in their heads, instead. Joanne: [with an edge] So now I'm a liar, too?

Question 1.6

Jack, what has this been like for you? Jack - Wonders if Joanne is jealous of his medical attention - Misses being able to do things with Joanne - Running out of patience - Wonders if Joanne's problems are psychological Joanne - Feels weak, exhausted by small tasks - Thinks Jack is accusing her of lying

Question 1.7

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"Whoa! If you don't mind, I'll step in here. Joanne, I don't hear Jack calling you a liar. Let's hear him out a little bit, consider what he's saying as a hypothesis to be tested. Jack, can you explain what you mean a little bit more?"

Jack: Well, her headaches and fatigue always seem to come at a "convenient" time. Joanne: [jumping in] What? Like when? Jack: Like I just said, when the neighbors come over. Or when your sister came for a visit, or one of the few times one of the kids comes to visit. Joanne: I get headaches when I'm overwhelmed or stressed. [with mock patience] You know that. These have been going on for well over a year. And they're like migraines, so I have to go lay down in a dark room. Jack: Well...That can make it tough on me, because I have to entertain our guests alone. I don't mind cooking or going out with the guests alone, but I would prefer it if you could socialize with all of us. [tenderly] I feel like you are missing out. Joanne: [Tearful] I feel like I'm missing out, too.

Question 1.8

Jack, can you explain what you mean? Jack - Joanne's headaches come at "convenient" times - When they have visitors - When her sister visits - When his children visit - Then he has to entertain people on his own Joanne - Gets headaches when overwhelmed or stressed - Feels like she is missing out

Question 1.9

Think about the results of Joanne's symptoms beyond just her pain..

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"Despite this rough patch, it seems like the two of you really have a strong relationship. A supportive relationship can really help while we try to figure out what is going on, Joanne. Tell me more about your relationship."

Jack: Joanne is the love of my life. Joanne: [choking up] I feel the same way about you, Jack. Jack: I was still married to my second wife when I met Joanne. I just couldn't stay away from her. We had an affair, and it ended that marriage. Joanne: Even though he's 12 years older, I was completely bowled over by him. Jack: We got married, and I retired pretty soon after. We moved out to the farm and... apparently Joanne hates it. I didn't realize that until today. Joanne: I ... I don't necessarily hate it. It's just that it's your dream, not mine. And when it's not doing well, it's so stressful. It's your dream, not mine. I never lived in the country before we got married. And... I never thought I'd end up on a farm.

Question 1.10

Tell me about your relationship Jack & Joanne - Love each other → love of my life - Had an affair which ended Jack's second marriage - Jack is 12 years older - Farm is Jack's dream - Joanne doesn't like living in country

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"Joanne, you said the farm isn't your dream, but Jack's. What is your dream?"

Joanne: You know, I used to feel like I knew, but now, I'm not so sure. I have a B.A. in performing arts from a prestigious school. When I lived in the city, I did some acting – I was on a couple TV shows, you know ... dead body #2 and that kind of thing, and I also did some commercials. I used to own a sophisticated women's clothing boutique downtown. I tried to channel some of that creative energy when we first got married into decorating our home. I miss being creative. I miss running the boutique and going on buying trips to New York. I miss my friends and doing things in the city, like going to the theater, to movies or out for drinks. I've talked to Jack about moving to a small city so I can work in a shop or maybe even own one again, but this farm is his life ... he's not interested. Jack: This is my dream. I've always wanted a farm. I worked for the state government, in HR, for years. I was tired of the ugliness and bleakness of the city. I grew up in the country and I went to college in a rural setting. I missed working on the land. Moving to the farm has allowed me to do that. Joanne: Sometimes I wonder if this move was the right choice... Jack: [gasps] Do you mean – do you wonder if you should have married me? Joanne: You know I love you, Jack. It's just that, I feel so isolated on the farm. I'm not sure how I can find my creative side there.

Question 1.11

What is your dream? Joanne - Graduated with a degree in performing arts from prestigious college - Acted on TV shows and in commercials - Owned a women's clothing boutique - Decorated their house when first married - Misses her city life and seeing her friends Jack - The farm is his dream - Worked for the state government in HR - Tired of the city - Grew up and went to college in a rural setting Joanne → wonders if moving to the farm was the right choice

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"Joanne, it sounds like being artistic and creative is really important to you. Did you grow up in an artistic household?"

Joanne: [Laughs] No, not at all! My dad was an engineer for a large manufacturing company in the city, and my mom was a stay-at-home mom. Actually ... [as if just remembering] my older sister, Julia ... she's artistic, too. She's a professor of performing arts at the university back home. We were pretty competitive growing up. She's 5 years older, and she had this crazy idea that my parents loved me more than her. I don't know where she got that idea! She's married, too, to a lawyer. [quieter] I worry about her sometimes. I think she's an alcoholic. I've tried to get her help, but Julia doesn't think she has a problem.

Question 1.12

Joanne, growing up: - Dad was an engineer - Mom was a homemaker - Older sister, Julia → professor of performing arts

• Competitive with each other
• Julia thought parents loved Joanne more
• Joanne thinks Julia is an alcoholic
• Julia doesn't think she has a drinking problem

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Question 1.13.

Think about what previous experiences might have influenced Joanne's disorder.

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"Joanne, have you or anyone in your family ever experienced a protracted illness when you were growing up? Something that would have resulted in repeated doctors' visits or many hospital stays?"

Jack: Your dad, right hon? And more recently your mom, too. Joanne: Yeah, Jack's right. My dad died of colon cancer when I was in my teens. He was in and out of the hospital a lot until the very end. And after he died, my mom was really afraid that something awful would happen to Julia or me. If we got a sniffle or fell and scraped our knees, she would freak out. She called us daily even when we were adults. She'd panic if we didn't call her back right away. She'd even call my friends to check on me if I didn't call her back fast enough! I felt like something was wrong with me that she knew about and I didn't. I'd tell her I was doing fine, but she would say "Are you sure? Maybe we should take you to the doctor!" So I'd end up going to the doctor for all kinds of silly things, like a cold. Jack: That's kind of ironic, given how she died. Joanne: I never thought of it that way before, but yeah. My mom ended up getting leukemia late in life, and she died of it 12 years before I met Jack, so it's been awhile now. Jack: From what you've told me, it tore you and Julia apart. Joanne: Mom saw that Julia was having problems before I did – her paranoia finally came in handy, I guess. So she made me executor of the estate. I think I did a good job taking care of the estate ... I even gave Julia more money than mom left her. But [sighs] Julia didn't see it that way – she saw this as proof that mom loved me more than her. She'll call me, even now, 22 years later, drunk and blame me for everything. Jack: Those calls are horrible. Julia blames Joanne for everything. I've started just letting it go to voicemail if I see it's Julia calling so Joanne doesn't have to hear that. Joanne: [sighs] I always get a massive headache after she calls.

Question 1.14

Any protracted illness in Joanne's family? Jack & Joanne - Joanne's dad died of colon cancer when she was in her teens - Joanne's mom was very anxious about her daughters' health and safety afterwards

• Daily phone calls when Joanne and Julia were adults
• Encouraged Joanne to go to the doctor even when not necessary
• Died of leukemia

- Left Joanne as executor of estate - Julia felt that her mother loved Joanne more

• Calls Joanne to berate her
• Jack has started not picking up the phone
• Joanne gets headaches after Julia calls

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Question 1.15.

Which of the following symptoms is Joanne currently experiencing? Check all that apply. Use your interview notes to help you remember!

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From the File. You remember a former patient who exhibited symptoms somewhat similar to Joanne's following an accident. You review this case to help you diagnose Joanne.

Question 1.16

1.19 screen 19, question 1.17.

Think about the severity of Joanne's symptoms and how she views them.

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Question 1.18, question 1.19, question 1.20, question 1.21.

Think about the number and variety of Joanne's symptoms.

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Question 1.22.

Think about what happened when the patient called 911 and how that affected what the patient did later.

Question 1.23

Think about how these patients express their thoughts and feelings.

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Question 1.24.

Think about what this statement is doing.

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Question 1.25, question 1.26, 1.24 screen 24.

Joanne clearly believed that her symptoms had a physical cause, so convincing her otherwise was tricky. Confrontation had not worked when her husband tried it, so as the therapist you decided to try suggestion. After building therapeutic rapport over many sessions, you gently suggested to Joanne that her symptoms would soon disappear, saying: "You know, sometimes people who are experiencing all of the physical symptoms that you report will find that they just go away on their own, out of the blue, one day." Joanne was initially skeptical, but after several sessions of your suggestions, Joanne came back claiming that her pain, fatigue, and headaches were largely gone. Because you had built the therapeutic relationship over time, Joanne was willing to stay in therapy to work on some of her other issues. In particular, she expressed sadness about her isolation and lack of direction living on the farm. She also confided that she was very worried about Jack's health, particularly in light of how stressful managing the farm could be. You helped her role-play how she might broach this issue with Jack. Later, she reported that the two of them had had a very sincere conversation where he revealed his fears about the stress the farm was causing. He also admitted that he missed the activities they had done when they first met, such as going to the theater or nice restaurants. They agreed to move to the city to be closer to Jack's children and where Joanne could get a job in a boutique to satisfy her artistic drive. Their move meant Joanne was no longer your patient, but she called a few months later to let you know she had spent Thanksgiving with Jack's children and that she hoped to reconcile with Julia in the future, although Julia still was not open to getting help for her drinking. Joanne had found a job in a boutique and was planning on taking it over when the owner retired at the end of the year.

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Real World Application

Watch the following video about teenage high school girls in Le Roy, N. Y., who all exhibit unexplained tic-like symptoms and answer the questions below.

Question 1.27

Question 1.28.

• Artists add

Michael Nesmith

Joanne lyrics.

Ask specific questions and get answers to unlock more indepth meanings & facts.

Add your song meanings, interpretations, facts, memories & more to the community.

Isn't this guy a Monkee?!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Cool.

Yes, he is! Very cool. Can't wait to see him Nov 5.

It's not "for Joanne and the man and the time that made them both wrong", it's "the time that made them both RUN". You can hear it plain as day, on the original recording, but especially here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBQUvL0RQY8

It was inspired by Joanne Woodward, but it's not necessarily about her. He turned into something more universal.

Hmmm...I was under the impression that it was a cow, as a girl would not live "in a meadow by a pond". I could be wrong. If it was a cow, indeed, I am immeasurably touched. I mean, how many people write an ode to these deserving, gentle, docile beings who we literally milk dry and then, sadly, slaughter. :-(

@harry s.10 maybe their friendship turned sour and so he then said it was about a cow ????

With a look that spoke to me Of her sweet love While staying with her

The lyrics are a bit wrong, here...

..."And she TOUCHED me for a moment" (why "touch'd", here? pretty, but. . .)... ..."With a look that spoke to me of her sweet LONG"... ..."For Joanne and the man and the time that made them both RUN" (every time it's this line, it's "RUN"; the word "wrong" does not appear in these lyrics at all)... ..."light THROUGH a prism" ("thru" is kind of not respecting the poet, Michael Nesmith, to me, anyways)... ..."THOUGH the essence is gone. . .no TEARS to cry for her. . .my only THOUGHTS of her ARE kind"...

I am a peaceful, romantic soul, and am therefore very sorry if I seem like an unnecessary stickler, today. Still, I truly love Michael Nesmith's way with poetry, and must help it to be properly preserved through the ages. --One's duty indeed, in return for the joy of foraying into his (therefore one's very own) World, is to recognize how lovingly & meticulously he chooses his words, and to therefore make every effort to preserve his intention--and well.

[Even songs such as "Different Drum" (which he wrote & gave to The Stone Poneys--you know, Linda Ronstadt singing?) have original, often-surprising lyrics. These are meant to paint vivid pictures on the surfaces of open minds--pictures reminiscent & echoing enough to sink into our secret hearts and "bring us back". He woos, speaks to, remembers with us in quiet tones and terms that are masterfully open-ended for all their specificity. Those gentle hues, both precise and subtle--he's simply a Great in his skill at leaving the emotion up to listeners' imaginations, thereby & magically calling up "strangers'" personal experiences and, in turn, arousing chords of human relate-ability between all of us. I've always believed that Michael Nesmith's poetry-in-rhythm, if you will, has the deft power to leave indelible impressions and revived memories within the breasts of every person who hears it.]

So you see, I can't quite leave a Michael Nesmith song uncorrected. I just can't --hey, you better quit laughin' at me! =D

It is a simple, timeless picture of Beauty we find in Joanne (and the song, too)--an important story, lesson, and gift for every Heart who was ever young. This's how young love goes; the kind of poignant young-heart's story not easily represented or expressed in pop-radio. A stormy (perhaps torrid? yay!) turmoil-turned, in reflection of many years, -blessing. This is what a heart can say when the pain is gone, the lover is longer-gone, the youth fades... it can finally sit back and smile about that sad time in gratitude. Finally.

So, for meaning?... well, I suppose it's just that man looking back on a love affair, like happens to all of us, in his long-ago, hormone- and heart-charged young life... =). (You must see that he is very creative with his expressions! Do read about the man, sometime, and you will almost certainly be surprised at the many innovative things he has done for our world, artistically speaking [at the very least]!)

You're Welcome in Advance, If I've Helped--Only, ENJOY!, "Jaxxy"... =).

P.S.... BOY, I hope this is readable. Michael Nesmith gets me floaty.

Floaty and long-winded, but at least this one was a more enjoyable read.

Is floaty even a word??????????

Definition for floaty: Web definitions: buoyant: tending to float on a liquid or rise in air or gas; "buoyant balloons"; "buoyant balsawood boats"; etc. OK, you can be 'floaty." I'll allow it :) Just glad I'm not the one with the rise in gas...

This song is actually about a cow named Joanne (hence living in a meadow by a pond) that wandered off from Nesmiths ranch to that of Jack Nicholson. Jack Nicholson being "the man" in the lyrics

LOL...glad I read all the comments before commenting on the word "floaty." Still makes me chuckle, which is always good.

im not sure which way you're trying to say it goes but "sweet long" doesn't make sense.. i just watched him sing it live in a video and it was clearly "love".

Sweet long makes perfect sense - think of it in terms of yearning or longing for something. "Her sweet long" means that for which she sweetly yearns. It was probably not for the singer, because he follows by describing her as being driven in desperation, possibly for someone else. I always interpreted this as a song about a love triangle, "Joanne and the man and the time that made them both run." "The hold that she had (on the other man) was much stronger than the love she had for me" Seems like the singer was taken with Joanne, who...

Sweet long makes perfect sense - think of it in terms of yearning or longing for something. "Her sweet long" means that for which she sweetly yearns. It was probably not for the singer, because he follows by describing her as being driven in desperation, possibly for someone else. I always interpreted this as a song about a love triangle, "Joanne and the man and the time that made them both run." "The hold that she had (on the other man) was much stronger than the love she had for me" Seems like the singer was taken with Joanne, who was in turn obsessed with someone else, probably someone unobtainable to her. The singer could never be that man to her, as he came to realize having broken down her desires "like a light through a prism" -to discover "a tune that he could not have sung."

This may be all wrong, but it feels right. Overall I hear this song (which has haunted me of late) as a sweet reminiscense of a relationship that briefly but permantly marked the singer, and was doomed from the outset. Have we not all had some such experience along the way? I know I have, and 30 or more years later my mind goes sweetly back to what might have been, but never was. No regrets and no anger - "my only thoughts of her are kind" - and also a wise realization that it all worked out for the best in the end. Still, we are touched and changed in a way that can only find expression through this kind of poetry. It is a lovely little song, and I only regret that Nesmith did not pen many more like this one, and that very few folks write this kind of poetic music any more.

Beautiful interpretation. Just wonderful. On a personal note, I read where inaction is the number one reason for doomed relationships. I believe the stats show 48% ;)

Was this song written about a cow? I heard that recently.

Slight correction here:

"Then the woman that she was Drove her on with desperation"

@GordianPiusIII that sure makes a lot more sense . . .

One of the prettiest most poetic songs ever