Category Archives: Music

Hidden

Hidden

The parts of us that we conceal
as well as parts that we reveal
make up who we really are.
Our eye fixed on that distant star
in dark of night that no one sees
and what we think while at our ease––

these hidden aspects of our lives
that we tell neither friends nor wives
might be more of our history
than what you hear and what you see.
We recognize that special sense
that some let slip when feeling tense––

an energy that goes unseen
during life’s banal routine.
It hints perhaps at inner life
divided from the roil and strife
of doing what the whole world does
from day to day simply because

it’s what moves our world along––
the business, be it bread or song
that we produce to fuel each other––
what we provide to give our brother
in trade for what he gives to us––
the “stuff” of life––the trade and fuss.

Our inner gardens we keep inside,
their harvests richer if we hide
them deep within to grow and thrive.
They are what keep our souls alive
to grow more bountiful day by day
until we choose to give away

all we’ve grown there in the shade––
theorems and the sonnets made––
all those thoughts and sounds and seeings
that seem to come from other beings
living somewhere deep inside
where they have chosen to live and hide.

These hidden parts that we conceal––
that through our art we may reveal––
these parts reached by our daily delves
into what feel like other selves––
these places that produce the yield
are treasure houses we’ve concealed.

So at those times we break the seal
and let out how we really feel––
sing the song we’ve kept inside,
paint truths from our inner guide?
It is not God, muses or elves.
We’ve simply shared our hidden selves.

(Click on photos to enlarge)

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/conceal/

Last Open Mike of the Season at Palapa Joe’s

(Click on first photo to enlarge all photos, then click on arrows to proceed through gallery.)

Palapa Joe’s was pulsing with the heartbeat of its last open mike of the season last night as poets and musicians held  a jam-packed house in thrall.  It’s rare that a bar crowd stays quiet for 2 1/2 hours while entertainment is being staged, but that was the case as act after act wowed us.  Emcee Betty held it all together with her easy repartee and humor. (If you noticed that one of these photos doesn’t belong here, you caught me!  None of the photos of Ron Stock turned out, so I used one of him taken earlier in the day at our writer’s group. )

Wednesday Afternoon Music Circle

Wednesday Afternoon Music Circle

I was so lucky to be invited to the Wednesday Afternoon Music Circle at Yellow Bear’s place in La Manzanilla.  I am going to let the photos tell the story for once and will let those who recognize the participants add to the story if they wish, so if you recognize yourself or a friend, please identify the photos and if you were there, give a bit of information about the afternoon in comments.  I had a wonderful time!!!

(Click on first photo to enlarge, then click on arrows to move through gallery.)

IMG_1055

 

                                             “If Only”–Third Time Around
DSC09670
It has gotten sort of intiguing to see how many times the same prompt will come around.  This is #3 for this one.  To see the poem “If Only I Could Play Guitar,” go HERE.

(To see what others wrote on the same topic, go HERE.)

Sounds of Mexico!!!Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Hearing

Sounds of Mexico

(click photos to enlarge)

IMG_4470 (1)IMG_3324IMG_4467

http://ceenphotography.com/2015/09/15/cees-fun-foto-challenge-sense-of-hearing/

Biographical Mixed Tape Play List, Now with Links!!!

IMG_1164 (1)

A Testimonial from Morrie (Pictured) the newest in the pack around here:  “Wouldn’t you believe a face like this? I have this to say about Judy’s music mix.  There’s not a dog in the bunch! Go ahead–give them a listen!!! Her taste in music is as good as her taste in dogs. “

First of all, I want to thank Morrie for his endorsement of my musical taste.  When he first came to live here, just a few short weeks ago, his musical taste was no more refined than a fondness for”How Much is That Doggie in the Window” and an ability to sing along on the chorus with “The Singing Dogs.” But he seems to be a clever little dog.  He learned to sit and stay very quickly.  Also how to break into my bedroom through the bars on the grill work at the door.  But it never occurred to me that he was absorbing the culture of the house as well.  So thanks, Morrie, for your vote of confidence.

Now, on to the matter at hand. When I published my list of songs for my mixed tape yesterday, I didn’t have the links attached.  I now have links for all but one, so if you’d like an easy way to listen to a lot of good music, please go back to yesterday’s post  HERE.

While you are waiting, or if you aren’t interested in backtracking EVEN FOR THE REWARD OF SOME REALLY GOOD MUSIC, here’s a song I love (with link)  that didn’t exactly suit my biography. The dog mentioned at the beginning is Morrie, though!!!

Silent All These Years
Tori Amos

 

 

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/mix-tape-masterpiece/
https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/the-golden-hour/

Mix Tape Autobiography

                                                     Mix Tape Autobiography

These are all songs that I love that have a special significance–either to my present or past life.  Most can be found on YouTube or iTunes.  I hope you enjoy them.  They are in no particular order, although the first song is probably from the most distant past.  You might guess where “Little Bird” fits in, and “Buckets of Rain.”

I Can’t Get Over You–Linda Ronstadt & Ann Savoy
Passenger–Lisa Hannigan
Only a Woman’s Heart Can Know–Eleanor McAvoy & Mary Black
Little Bird–Laura Marling
Buckets of Rain–Neko Case
Don’t Get Around Much Anymore–Lina Romay
Life Ain’t Easy–Dr. Hook
Up on the Mountain–Dr. Hook
The One Who Loves You the Most–Brett Dennen
Take the Night Off–Laura Marling
Long Way Home–Tom Waits
Breathe–Laura Marling
Better than Love–Griffin House
Try (Just a Little Bit Harder)–Janis Joplin
Where Can I Go?–Laura Marling
How to Love–Christina Grimmie
Looking for Someone–Sarah Slean
Somewhere in Mexico–The Tall Boys
Keep Me in Your Heart–Warren Zevon
Faithfully–Clem Snide
Goin’ Down Slow–Blinddog Smokin’
Hold On–Alabama Shakes
One of the Brightest Stars–James Blunt

In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “Mix Tape Masterpiece.” You make a new friend. Make them a mix tape (or playlist, for the younger folks) that tells them who you are through song.

Duck and Cover

Duck and Cover

DSC09671

Little Duck heard Big Duck trying to cover a new Tom Waits song and he was rattling at the door to get out.

DSC09661

Little Duck couldn’t help vamping it up a bit as he joined in the chorus

DSC09665

As if magnetized, Little Duck was drawn to Big Duck’s riffs, but when, his enthusiasm overwhelming him, he attempted to join in, he ruined the chord.

DSC09666

He attempted to straighten out Big Duck’s fingering, but they could both tell this wasn’t going to work.

DSC09664

So, once Little Duck was able to overcome Big Duck’s slight annoyance, they were able to talk it over and come to a compromise.

DSC09667

And together, they discovered they could take the “Long Way Home” together. THE END

 

 

http://ceenphotography.com/2015/03/19/cees-black-white-photo-challenge-music-people-instruments-sheet-music-audio-devices/?blogsub=confirming#blog_subscription-2

Take Me Back

 Take Me Back

I was born and raised in South Dakota, and every summer both of my older sisters went to MYF camp in the Black Hills. For as long as I could remember, I would ride along as my parents drove them to camp and always, at our first sighting of the Black Hills peeking up from the flat Dakota prairie, we would sing this song. Eventually, it was my turn to go to camp from age 11 to 18 and into my early twenties, when I became a camp counselor. To this day, long after we’ve moved away, my sister and I still sing this song every time I cross the state line back into South Dakota:

The Prompt: Cue the Violins—If your life were a movie, what would its soundtrack be like? What songs, instrumental pieces, and other sound effects would be featured on the official soundtrack album?

 

You’ve Got Mail

lead pencils in metal cup isolated on white(stock photo)

The Prompt: Fourth Wall—You get to spend a day inside your favorite movie. Tell us which one it is — and what happens to you while you’re there.


You’ve Got Mail

That bouquet of sharpened pencils? They had me from the start.
Who knew that Mr. Hanks had that effect upon my heart?
I know it was the writers. I’m a writer. I’m not dim!
And it was just a role he played—it really wasn’t him!
Nor was it his main character that penned those words so fine.
It was his alter ego that he only used on-line!

Suspending disbelief is what we writers count upon.
In another lingo, we might call it a fine con.
We take our readers from themselves into a new dimension,
where we create a world that’s purely of our own invention;
and there we spin a fantasy that catches them within it—
offering a prize so rare that readers want to win it.

And films use music, too, to try to capture our emotions,
wiping out our common sense and filling us with notions.
The track to “You’ve Got Mail” was as romantic as could be!
If little birds fly oe’r the rainbow, why, indeed, can’t we?
We all identified and put ourselves into the tale,
and when it ended happily, we all read, “You’ve Got Male!”