The topic for Song Lyric Sunday is “Heaven or Hell.” Given a choice, it will always be heaven for me, and my mind immediately settled on “My Blue Heaven,” my favorite version of which was recorded by Leon Redbone. The lyrics are pretty simple, but if you need to see them after you listen to the song, you can find the lyrics HERE.
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
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
Little Duck heard Big Duck trying to cover a new Tom Waits song and he was rattling at the door to get out.
Little Duck couldn’t help vamping it up a bit as he joined in the chorus
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.
He attempted to straighten out Big Duck’s fingering, but they could both tell this wasn’t going to work.
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.
And together, they discovered they could take the “Long Way Home” together. THE END
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?
For our day 9 post, we were to post a poem that incorporated at least 5 song titles. I incorporated more and offered a prize for the person who could find the most and promised to publish the solution later. Well, I failed to do that but I am remedying it today. Below is the poem with song titles in boldface. If you count them, you will see there are 50!!!
The winner was “forgottenman,” who didn’t find all of them but found more than most. He says no fair to use one-word titles, but I wrote the poem and I make the rules. You won anyway, Forgottenman! (See his blog at okcforgottenman.wordpress.com.)
I’ll Leave the Light On
This is a world for the knowing,
and everybody knows
that if we would try just a little bit harder
that we wouldn’t feel so trapped.
yet still we cry baby, cry.
You think he’s gonna carry you home
to China?
It’s not like that, darlin’.
It’s more likely
that you’re walkin’ blind.
You will be two marionettes
on the Twickeham Ferry.
Where can I go?
you ask,
trapped,
a woman left lonely
in winter.
What you gonna do––
let your wedding dress
carry you home
to the cold mountains?
Run, baby, run.
Let the black ladder
be your museum of flight.
At heart you were always
a circus girl,
anyway––
that woman on the tier
far above desolation row.
When were you happy?
I know you keep me in your heart,
the one who loves you the most.
I am in your mind,
in the wind.
The memory of me
is better than love.
This is a call—
a broken man’s lament.
I hope it will
carry you home.
Walk away, Renée.
Walk away
You’ll accompany me.
We can take the long way home
(There are 50 song titles. If you came up one short, Cry Baby and Cry are two separate titles)
lifelessons - a blog by Judy Dykstra-Brown 