Musically Speaking

PREFACE: THIS WAS ORIGINALLY WRITTEN A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO AND HAS BEEN RESIDING AS PART OF MY PROFILE OVER ON EONS. READING ANOTHER PERSON'S MUSICAL THOUGHTS REMINDED ME OF THIS AND I RE-READ IT AND DECIDED TO BRING IT OVER HERE. MUCH MORE NEW MUSIC ON THE IPOD BUT DON'T THINK THIS NEEDS MUCH OF AN UPDATE. WHAT DO YOU THINK?

I’ve really been enjoying my Ipod - coming up to 3,000 tunes in the palm of my hand! Who would have thunk it? In the car, I mostly keep it on Shuffle mode; one surprise after another going, for example, from cumbawamba’s "Tubthumping" (‘I get brought down but I get up again, you’re never going to keep me down.....’) to Akiko Yano singing about "Sake in a Jar" backed up by The Chieftains.The other night I was celebrating the lack of a need to be sad while feeling reflective all the same; paper and pen at hand - along with a decent bottle of Merlot. The music of the moment was "Forever Young" with Bob Dylan from his appearance with The Band in ‘The Last Waltz’.What to do, what to do....First up; more music. And take notes.Coldplay’s "We Never Change"; think not but like the ‘I wanta fly and never come down....’ bit.Decided to approach this venture alphabetically, more or less, by artist; with an emphasis on "message music"."When I’m Gone" by 3 Doors Down can be enjoyed on a number of levels - better for you to experience it (if you haven’t) rather than my trying to explain it.Andrea Bocelli; I remember when I first heard him and thought; "hey, thought I didn’t like opera?" And so I mentioned him to a friend who was a devotee of that genre; "Bocelli? No, he’s not opera, doesn’t have a strong enough voice." Who knew? Just about everyone who likes opera it seems. I do have to say that I prefer Russell Watson’s version of "I Believe". And still don’t like opera.Billie Holiday’s "God Bless the Child" should be required listening for everyone. (‘Papa may have, Momma may have; but God Bless the Child who has his own.’)I suspect that most people listening to Bob Marley singing about "Buffalo Soldiers" have no idea what he’s talking about; ‘tis a shame.Have to mention Boz Scaggs’ CD "But Beautiful" in passing; liked him as a rocker but of all those rockers who went back to do the old standards (Nilsson, Linda Ronsdat[sp?]), Boz sounds in his element.This is not going as quickly as I’d hoped; going to have to do some serious skipping ahead. Creed’s "Never Die" or "Young Grow Old" (...’with arms wide open...’) - hum, do we have a theme here? Quick pause for Dave Matthews’ "Stay(Wasting Time)"; move past Bowie; linger a moment with Krall on "Pick yourself Up".Pay attention to Dido on "My Life" - a most excellent attitude.Avoid going down with The Doors on "The End" but looking for the source of a Morrison line that goes something like: "So, how goes your life; would they make a movie of it?" Thought it was this cut but perhaps it’s only on the live video. Oh well.‘Who can say where the road goes, where the day flows; "Only Time"’; Ah, Enya; fond memories of when I first heard her in Ireland. Never mind, none of your concern. Move on. Going to skip out of order briefly to introduce George Harrison’s "Any Road"; just love the message of: ‘If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there.’ (Remember the scene in Dr. Doolittle when they’re on the boat, about to cast of and he sticks a pin in the map saying; "We should decide where we’re going, otherwise when we get there, we won’t know we’ve arrived!")Change of mood; listen to Ernesto Lecuona for a while (Cuba’s greatest classical musician; gave it up when Castro came along).Are you familiar with Eva Cassidy? You should be. Is "Easy Street Dream" a promise for what tomorrow will bring when the Merlot is gone?Speaking of downers: for all you guys out there, try "A Man Alone" by Frank Sinatra. I say "guys" but the first time I heard the album, many years ago, it was with a young lady I had just met in a club. Had that new album with me and offered to share the experience. Don’t think we were two songs into it when she began crying. Loudly. Uncontrollably. Kinda ruined whatever plans I may have had for that evening but I kept replacing the album with whatever new technology it became available on.We’ve already mentioned Nilsson; hum, yes, good goal for all of us in Ilona Knopfler’s "I’m Going to Live the Life I Sing About...".Give Jack Johnson a listen on "Bubbly Toes" just for the fun ot it.I find James Taylor’s advise on "Never Die Young" to be better than the title.Another instrumental pause: Jean-Pierre Rampale’s "Sakura - Japanese Melodies for Flute & Harp"."Whatever Gets You Through the Night", Lennon, is worth consideration.Groban’s words to "So She Dances" brings back a memory or three. Not all good; but that is life.The distaff response to the aforementioned "A Man Alone" might be Laura Nyro’s "Lonely Women".You know how some groups have picked great word combinations for their name? Lifehouse is one I like; not sure what the hell it means but like it. Also like the title of one of their songs: "Hanging by a Moment". The content of the lyrics doesn’t quite live up to those efforts but the music is loud, has a nice beat....think you know how that goes.And now we have Larry Kravitz’s "It Ain’t Over Till it’s Over" - a worthy thought.Speaking of bringing back some memories, here’s Mario Lanza; no, never mind; before my time, really.Along with Neil Diamond, "I Believe in Happy Endings"; my reasons may not be the same as his; still, I insist.Nina Simone offers up some useful advice in "Don’t Explain". We’re all familiar with the cliche: "Never excuse, Never Explain". Or, as we learned in Boot Camp: "No excuse Sir!"Have to give the "prize" for the greatest number of meaningful titles (in the context of the present mood) to Phil Collins for "Both Sides".But than again as Phoebe Snow puts it: "There ain’t no music I can’t use." from :Drink Up the Melody".There is always Queen to remind us that "We Are The Champions".And Queen Latifah had something to say but I forget what. (Hum, how far into that Merlot are we?)And what can we say about Richard Harris (or "Dickie" as he is less than affectionately known in his hometown of Limrick, Ireland). A very long time ago, a friend and I went to a concert of his. I was impressed enough to go out the next day and buy some of his albums. Took them home to play and what I heard did not resemble at all what I had heard the night before. Went back out; bought the most expensive stereo system I could afford at the time. Hooked it up; put on Richard and thought: "now that is what it’s supposed to sound like!"We’re into the Sarahs; Brightman, Mclachlan and even Vaughn. Too much to choose from and it is getting late. But not quitting before listening to Sheryl Crow; maybe someone could explain what I hear as a contradiction in "Strong Enough". Really like "I Shall Believe".Here’s a timely reminder: "Up all Night" by Slaughter.It must be the hour. The title of Sophie B. Hawkins’ "As I Lay Me Down" reminds me of something from my childhood. A cowboy movie (not a very good one) which had a scene that made a strong impression on me; the too young bad guy lies dying in the street and we hear him repeat his version of that famous prayer; "Now I lay me down to sleep and if I cry before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take."Okay, time for me to give it a rest. A few quick notes: try Stone Temple Pilots ("Big Empty"); the early Tom Waits (you won’t believe his rendition of "Jersey Girl"; it was written by him and covered by that other guy who did it exactly as did Waits).Try out Tracy Chapman’s "Remember the Times" - more real now than ever. And Van Morrison: "These Are The Days". Close it out with Dylan’s boy on The Wallflower’s "How Far You’ve Come".