Gold petals amid the lace of purple lavender whimsy dabble the lush spring grass while the sunβs resplendent rays herald the start of summer days as birds and bees and bugs gently laze Gold petals amid the lace of purple as birds and bees and bugs gently laze herald the start of summer days while the sun’s resplendent rays dabble the lush spring grass lavender whimsy lace of purple amid the petals gold
A Reverse Dectina Refrain is written as follows: 1st line is 1 syllable, 2nd line is 2 syllables, 3rd line is 3 syllables, and so on for 9 lines; the 10th line is comprised of the first four lines as one stand-alone thought. Repeat in reverse starting with line 9. Rhyming is optional.
My husband is as easy going as can be, so when he makes a request, I try my best to oblige. Last night he asked for Sunday pasta with meatballs. How could I refuse?
Homemade pasta with all the trimmings is something I can do with my eyes closed but when I first started out in the kitchen as a new bride, I had no idea what I was doing. Sure, I had watched my mother cook for years but itβs a whole different ballgame when youβre on your own.
Iβll never forget the first time I tried to make Sunday pasta. Reading my motherβs recipe was no help. This is exactly what she wrote:
For your pasta dough mix flour and eggs, water when you need, pinch salt, oil maybe.
Thatβs it. No measurements, no amounts, nothing definitive. Her meatball recipe was no better:
Chopped meat, eggs, some salt & pepper, handful parmigiano, another handful breadcrumbs, dice onion, parsley, oregano, glass of water.
A GLASS OF WATER! Which glass? What size? At this point my eyes were frantically scanning the kitchen for a glass! I didnβt know if I should laugh or cry. Iβm sure my mother never referred to a recipe in her life so she had no idea how to write one!
Just then it hit me and I had a vision of my mother in her kitchen. She always used a Flintstoneβs Jelly Jar as her water glass when cooking; she said it was the perfect size. All I had to do was find an equivalent measure and Iβd be good.
I eventually mastered the art of Sunday pasta with meatballs but I sure do wish I had my momβs jelly jar .β¦ for old timesβ sake, you know?
Todayβs theme at Song Lyric Sunday is all about songs with the lyrics βeerie, ghost, haunting, paranormal or spookyβ as suggested by Di of pensitivity101.
There are any number of songs along these lines .β¦ the pop hit βSpookyβ by the Classic IV, the golden standard βGhost Of A Chanceβ by Ella Fitzgerald or the classic cowboy legend βGhost Riders In The Skyβ by Johnny Cash, just to name three. However, I remembered a song from just four years ago and had it simmering on the back burner.
Today seemed like the right day to serve it up.
Since 2017, the Rolling Stones had been on the No Filter Tour but had to stop touring in 2020 due to the COVID 19 pandemic. They remotely performed at Global Citizen’s Together At Home concert on April 18, 2020, helping raise money for healthcare workers and the World Health Organization during the crisis.
The Stones had been working on new music in the recording studio before lockdown and one particular track really resonated with what we were all living through. On April 23, 2020, the band released “Living In A Ghost Town” online as a single for digital download and streaming. It was based on 2019 recording sessions and finished remotely, making this their first original material since 2012 and their first release since the 2016 cover album Blue & Lonesome. The band fast-tracked releasing the song due to its relevance to social distancing. While the original storyline of the song was about being a ghost after a plague, Jagger changed some of the lyrics to refer to the pandemic.
On July 3, 2020, “Living In A Ghost Town” topped the German singles chart; this made the Rolling Stones the oldest artists ever to reach #1 on the chart! It also signified the longest gap between two #1 singles in Germany since “Jumpinβ Jack Flash” made it to the top slot in 1968. The song only reached #61 on the UKsingleschart but fared much better in the US, peaking at #6 on Billboard’s Bubbling Under Hot 100 singles and #3 on Billboard’s Hot Rock & Alternative songs.
Recorded in Los Angeles, London and in isolation, my feature song today is βLiving In A Ghost Townβ by the Rolling Stones.
Lyrics
Whoa, oh Whoa, oh
I’m the ghost Living in a ghost town I’m a ghost Living in a ghost town
You can look for me But I can’t be found You can search for me I had to go underground
Life was so beautiful Then we all got locked down Feel a like ghost Living in a ghost town, yeah
Once this place was humming And the air was full of drumming The sound of cymbals crashing Glasses were all smashing Trumpets were all screaming Saxophones were blaring Nobody was caring if it’s day or night (Whoa, oh) Whoa, oh
I’m a ghost Living in a ghost town I’m going nowhere Shut up all alone So much time to lose Just staring at my phone
Every night I am dreaming That you’ll come and creep in my bed Please let this be over Not stuck in a world without end
Whoa, oh Whoa, oh Whoa, oh Whoa, oh
Preachers were all preaching Charities beseeching Politicians dealing Thieves were happy stealing Widows were all weeping No beds for us to sleep in Always had the feeling It will all come tumbling down
I’m a ghost Living in a ghost town You can look for me But I can’t be found
Whoa, oh We’re all living in a ghost town (Whoa, oh) Oh, living in a ghost town (Whoa, oh) We were so beautiful (Whoa, oh) I was your man about town (Whoa, oh)
Living in this ghost town (Whoa, oh) Ain’t having any fun (Whoa, oh) If I want a party (Whoa, oh) It’s a party of one Whoa, oh Whoa, oh
Source: Musixmatch Songwriters: Michael Phillip Jagger/Keith Richards
Written for The Unicorn Challenge where we are asked to get creative in 250 words or less, using the photo prompt as inspiration. This is my 250-word story.
Fiona was late for Mass. Seeing an unfamiliar man leaning against the wall outside Sullyβs Bar, she quickened her pace. As she passed she heard him chuckle and say βWhatβs yer hurry, Irish?β She walked even faster, opening the side door to St. Brigidβs.
An hour later Fiona exited the church and noticed the same man from the bar standing at the corner. Had he been waiting for her all this time? Wary, she stepped backwards, teetering on the curb and losing her shoe in the process.
Suddenly the man was by her side. She was taken aback as he reached around her waist and stopped her fall.
βNameβs Harvey Rubin and yer one fine lookinβ dish. Ya need somebody like me to drive ya home, Irish. It can be dangerous for a good Catholic girl like yerself walkin’ alone in this neck o’ the woods.β
βKeep your thoughts …. and hands …. to yourself, buster!β Fiona snapped. βBesides, how do you know Iβm a good Catholic girl?β
βWell, I ainβt no Albert Einstein but I seen ya practically racinβ to St. Brigidβs like yer panties was on fire and Iβm guessinβ yaainβt no altar boy β not withthem gorgeousgams.β Harvey replied in an unhurried way.
Glancing down, he smiled at her missing shoe; his tough βBogieβ persona became surprisingly charming. Fiona found it difficult to resist this rough-hewn stranger and she shocked herself by allowing him to escort her home.
Written for Friday Fictioneers where we are encouraged to write something creative in 100 words or less using the photo below as inspiration. This is my 100-word story.
Uncle Bobby had this irrational fear of spiders. Well, it was irrational to his family; for him it was very real.
So when the new amusement park ride Spiders From Mars opened, Uncle Bobby wouldnβt go near it.
Everyone tried convincing him the ride wasnβt jinxed or dangerous but he wasnβt buying it. All their urging and encouragement fell on deaf ears. Uncle Bobby watched from the shadows as his nieces and nephews went for a spin.
That night the ride malfunctioned; several family members were killed, unceremoniously hurled out of the park.
Guess Uncle Bobby’s fear wasn’t so irrational. π·οΈ
Welcome to Birthday Thursdays! Each week I will feature someone from the world of music whose birthday falls on this day. There wonβt be any chit chat from me, no facts and figures β just some great tunes (and an occasional surprise). Check it out right here every Thursday and enjoy the music.
Happy Birthday to Lenny Davidson Born May 30, 1944 in Enfield, UK
Written for Six Sentence Story where we are given a word, in this case ‘lift’, and asked to incorporate it into a story of no more than six sentences. This is my true story of family.
βMangia il cibo sul tuo piatto, Concetta, o lo mangerai dal pavimentoβ β (βEat the food on your plate, Concetta, or you will eat it off the floor.β)
Without changing her expression or taking her huge brown eyes off her father Domenicoβs face, three year old Concetta picked up a meatball, extended her arm over the side of her highchair and very calmly let it drop to the floor.
Silence.
Everyone sat in suspended animation as Domenico deliberately put down his knife and fork and removed the napkin which was tucked into the neck of his shirt; slowly he stood up, walked behind Concettaβs chair, grabbed the back of her dress and lifted her up.
Holding her feet with his other hand, Domenico lowered Concettaβs face to the floor until her mouth touched the meatball; she tried to turn away, but Domenico pushed her face into the food, forcing her to take the meatball into her mouth, then, satisfied, he sat her back in her highchair, returned to his seat and resumed eating while Concetta languidly chewed what was in her mouth.
Hesitantly, self-consciously, everyone resumed eating and talking except Concettaβs mother Rosa who sat watching her daughter closely; at the end of the meal as the women cleared the table, Rosa placed a napkin over her defiant daughterβs mouth so she could spit out the uneaten meatball and whispered in her ear βMai piΓΉ, Concetta; obbedisci a tuo padre!β β (βNever again, Concetta; obey your father!β)
Written for Glynβs Mixed Music Bag week #22 where we are asked to write about a song by a group or solo singer beginning with the letter I or J.
There is only one band in the history of American music that had a proven influence on both The Beatles and the rapper Ice Cube and had a hit in six straight decades, from the β50s to the β00s. That band is the mighty Isley Brothers, one the most influential bands in American musical history.
Formed in the mid-β50s as a teenage gospel quartet by the four eldest Isley Brothers (OβKelly, Rudolph, Ronald and Vernon), the original group quit performing when Vernon was tragically killed at age 13 while riding his bike. In 1957, at the urging of their parents, the remaining three brothers moved to New York City to make it as a R&R band. The first song they wrote together was something calledΒ βShout!ββ a massive smash that had multiple lives thanks to its inclusion on theΒ Animal HouseΒ soundtrack β and is probably playing at an event near you, right now.
From that first single and album in 1959, the Isley Brothers repeatedly redefined what their music was and what it was called; they dominated the black music charts like no band before or since. The Isley Brothers can count bothΒ Jimi HendrixΒ (who toured with them in the early β60s) andΒ Elton JohnΒ (whose band backed the Isleys up in the UK) as backing musicians. They have arguably the most legendary run of albums in R&B history. After early R&R success (and an incredible detour withΒ Motown), the band released all of their albums independently on their ownΒ T-Neck Records, reinventing R&B over and over again in the process.
In 1973, the younger brothers Ernie and Marvin joined the band alongside their brother in law, Chris Jasper. Ernie Isley is one of the most well-known and respected guitarists and song writers in the history of the business and together the brothers wrote and produced many of the hits that we know and love today.
The Isley Brothers were inducted into theRock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1992, in a class with their old backing guitarist, Jimi Hendrix. The band received a lifetime achievement Grammy in 2014 and have sold millions of records the world over; 16 of their albums hit the Top 40 and all of them are powerhouses on the R&B charts. They have bridged cultural differences by blending Soul and R&B with Funk, bringing a new style of music to the mainstream and having a lasting impact on countless artists to follow. Their music has transcended through generations and their reach has extended to the modern day where their music is frequently sampled all throughout hip hop and modern pop. They are, in many respects, the most important and influential band in the history of American music, the only band who could be sampled by Notorious B.I.G. and covered by The Yardbirds! What a career!
Released in 1959, “Shout!” is an electrifying anthem that broke the mold of R&R and R&B, becoming an enduring symbol of musical joy and freedom. The song’s inception, inspired by a liveΒ improvisation on Jackie Wilson’s “Lonely Teardrops,” captured a spontaneous burst of energy and emotion. The studio recording, characterized by its gospel-infused harmonies and a simple yet profound chorus urged listeners to release their inhibitions and “shout a little bit louder nowβ.
Though “Shout” didn’t immediately climb the charts, its influence and popularity grew over time, becoming a live performance staple for the Isley Brothers. Covered by numerous artists across a variety of genres, “Shout” has demonstrated its versatile appeal and enduring legacy. It’s more than just a song β¦. it’s an anthem of liberation and celebration.
Here now are the Isley Brothers with their iconic recording of βShout!β
Come in, little one. Youβve nothing to fear from me. Donβt be shy now. Come away from the door where you are peeking and step inside. This is my enchanted place, my special magic space.
Thatβs it, child, one step at a time. Look around to your heartβs content. Thereβs nothing bad here. But I must caution you not to touch anything. The time will come for that and you must be patient.
Ah, I see youβve noticed my book. Itβs lovely, isnβt it? I donβt suppose youβve ever seen one quite like it, have you? You have many questions, little one. Theyβre in you eyes, in the slight tilt of your head and the almost imperceptible upturn of your lips. Itβs pleasing, is it not, this little book of mine?
Itβs magic, you know. But then again, in the right hands, all books are magic. Yes itβs true. You hold the key, child. Not in your pocket or inside your shoe but in your mind and in your heart.
Come closer, child. Read from the book, listen to what it tells you. Enchanting, isnβt it? No need to touch, my dear. The pages will turn themselves.
I know what youβre thinking. Where can you get such a wondrous book? Am I right? I knew it! Theyβre all around you, child! Everywhere! But I have something special to share with you. Come close to hear my secret. Let me whisper in your ear.
My dear, not only can you read these beguiling pages. You can write them! Imagine the places you will visit, child.
Thereβs nothing to fear, little one. Simply step inside the blue bubble and all will become clear to you. Thatβs it, child. Step inside the magic land of books and dreams and amazing ideas. Itβs a captivating place. Enchanting, isnβt it?
Dedicated to my 7th grade teacher, Mrs. Romana Paschal, who encouraged me to write and whispered in my ear to reach for the all the dreams, little and big.
Taking a music blogging break for the summer but I won’t be MIA! I’ll be popping in and out randomly as the mood strikes and also checking out your posts as usual.
I’m changing things up here on Mondays at The Trunk, focusing on a new topic which I’m very excited about …. something near and dear to me from my hometown of New York City!
Join me here in September with my all new theme! I’m looking forward to welcoming you back!
Here it is …. the so-called unofficial start of summer …. and we’re celebrating Memorial Day once again in my neck of the woods β Southern Westchester County in New York. In case youβre not familiar with the area, Manhattan is about a 45-minute drive south β far enough away for us to be in the suburbs but close enough to get into NYC for a show or dinner if we want to. Weβre approximately an hour from Jones Beach heading east out to Long Island and 2 hours from the Catskill Mountains up north.
Weβre in a nice spot and weβve loved living here for 45+ years but we often bring up the topic of making a move. And why would we do that if itβs so nice here? Two big reasons: stupid-high property taxes and ever-increasing congestion.
Our little village was exactly that when we moved here; now the population has exploded and every family member old enough to drive has a car. We live on a very quiet cul de sac and never think about the congestion in town until we actually have to go to town. What used to be a 5 minute drive to the supermarket or post office is now triple that (or more) because of the number of cars, trucks and school buses on the move .β¦ and letβs not even start talking about road work! Thereβs construction everywhere we look and some of it takes years to accomplish. By then, itβs time to start repairs again! Move it!
So, if we did decide to leave New York, the big question is β¦. where would we move to? I have no idea! It seems like everyone complains about the same problems of high taxes and too much congestion no matter where they live. Besides, the physical act of clearing out the house, packing up, moving and relocating at this stage of our lives is daunting; I can barely manage packing for vacation!
Things to think about, for sure. For now, I think Iβll move out onto the deck, sit in my lounge chair, drink my iced tea and listen to the birds. Bill will light the grill around 2PM; now that you know where I live, cβmon over!
It’s time to roll out some Nat King Cole and “Those Lazy Hazy Crazy Days of Summer”!
Written for Jim’s Song Lyric Sunday where the theme this week is all about songs that incorporate whistling
βI didnβt mean to hurt you; Iβm just a jealous guy.β
For all his jokes, frenetic antics and mugging for the camera, John Lennon was a quiet and insecure man, an ardent peace-lover whose young life was filled with much sadness, great depth and many demons. He was brilliant, an extraordinary talent and, all too often, he demonstrated a sharp-tongued mean spirit and jealous streak.
According to George Harrison, his friend John could be a “saint or a total bastard”.
With a sea-faring, mostly AWOL father and a free-spirited mother whose accidental death traumatized him for years, John was raised by his Aunt Mimi and Uncle George. His motherβs memory would later serve as a major creative inspiration.
John Lennon met Cynthia Powell in 1957, when they were students at the Liverpool College of Art. Although Powell was intimidated by Lennon’s attitude and appearance, she heard that he was obsessed with the French actress Brigitte Bardot, so she dyed her hair blonde. Lennon asked her out, but when she said that she was engaged, he shouted, “I didn’t ask you to fuckin’ marry me, did I?” She often accompanied him to Quarrymen gigs and travelled to Hamburg with Paul McCartney’s girlfriend to visit him. Recalling his reaction when he learned that Cynthia was pregnant, Lennon said, “There’s only one thing for it Cyn. We’ll have to get married.” And they did; their son Julian was born a few months later.
Cynthia attributed the start of the marriage breakdown to John’s use of LSD and she felt that he slowly lost interest in her. When the group travelled by train to Wales in 1967, a policeman did not recognize Cynthia and stopped her from boarding. I guess no one .β¦ including John β¦. bothered to ID her! She later recalled how the incident seemed to symbolize the end of their marriage.Β After spending a holiday in Greece, Cynthia arrived home to find John sitting on the floor with Yoko Ono in bathrobes; she left the house to stay with friends, feeling shocked and humiliated.Β A few weeks later, she received notice that Lennon was seeking a divorce on the grounds of adultery while she was away in Greece and he wanted custody of Julian. After negotiations, Lennon capitulated and agreed to let Cynthia divorce him.
John and Yoko were married and they became even more inseparable; to the surprise and consternation of everyone within the Beatles’ organization, Yoko accompanied John to the recording studio …. an undeniable first. She was a quiet but constant presence and John only had eyes for her.
After a couple of years, May Pang entered their lives as their personal assistant. About three years later, Ono confided in Pang that her marriage to Lennon had become strained and she suggested Pang reach out to John as a “sexual distraction” for him. Pang agreed; she and John soon left for Los Angeles, beginning an 18-month period John later called his βlost weekendβ. ” Pang encouraged Lennon to develop regular contact with Julian, whom he had not seen for two years, as well as his former bandmates and friends.
Much to Yoko Ono’s chagrin, the “diversion” turned into a relationship. John and May Pang considered buying a house together and he refused to accept Yoko’s telephone calls. He finally agreed to meet Yoko, who claimed she had found a cure for smoking. After the meeting with Yoko, John failed to return home or call Pang. When Pang telephoned the next day, Ono told her that Lennon was unavailable because he was exhausted after a hypnotherapy session. Two days later, Lennon told Pang that his separation from Ono was now over, causing Pang to speculate that Lennon had been brainwashed (!) as a result of his hypnotherapy.
What a convoluted mess among such allegedly forward-thinking people! John and Yoko remained married until his death in 1980; they are the parents of musician Sean Lennon. Yoko Ono never remarried.
“I didn’t want to hurt you, I’m just a jealous guy.”
Those haunting lyrics from John Lennonβs timeless song, “Jealous Guy”, uncover the darker side of his iconic relationship with Yoko Ono. They are words that have rung true to anybody with insecurities and obsessions …. likely why it’s one of Lennon’s most enduring tracks. Itβs also my favorite Lennon solo piece.
John Lennon began writing the song in 1968 as “Child of Nature” while with the Beatles during their spiritual retreat in India. The demo of “Child of Nature” featured Lennon’s double-tracked vocal and an acoustic guitar. Early the following year, he revisited the song as “On the Road to Rishikesh” during the Get Backsessions. Eventually,Β the lyrics were scrapped and replaced by the now well-known “Jealous Guy” lyrics for Imagine.
In βJealous Guyβ, John sings of his envious streak that would often result in tumult between him and Yoko; he admitted that jealousy would regularly dictate how irrational he’d behave either around her or without her. The song was never released as a single during John’s lifetime. It became an international hit in a version by Roxy Music in early 1981, the year after John’s death.
“Jealous Guy” is one of the most commonly recorded Lennon songs, with at least 92 cover versions. In November 1988, the single peaked in the United States at #22 on the Hot Adult Christian chart and reached #80 on the Billboard Hot 100 in conjunction with the release of the documentary film “Imagine: John Lennonβ.
This is βJealous Guyβ by John Lennon
Lyrics
β¦ I was dreaming of the past And my heart was beating fast I began to lose control I began to lose control
β¦ I didn’t mean to hurt you I’m sorry that I made you cry Oh no, I didn’t want to hurt you I’m just a jealous guy
β¦ I was feeling insecure
β¦ You might not love me anymore
β¦ I was shivering inside I was shivering inside
β¦ I didn’t mean to hurt you I’m sorry that I made you cry Oh no, I didn’t want to hurt you I’m just a jealous guy
β¦ I didn’t mean to hurt you I’m sorry that I made you cry Oh no, I didn’t want to hurt you I’m just a jealous guy
β¦ I was trying to catch your eyes Thought that you was trying to hide
β¦ I was swallowing my pain I was swallowing my pain
β¦ I didn’t mean to hurt you I’m sorry that I made you cry Oh no, I didn’t want to hurt you I’m just a jealous guy I’m just a jealous guy I’m just a jealous guy
Bonus track. This is “Child of Nature” (Esher Demo) by The Beatles. (Esher is the town in England where George Harrison’s home Kinfauns was located and where the demos were recorded.)
Released November 22, 1968 Composer/Lyricist: John Lennon Producer(s): George Harrison, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr Studio Personnel: Giles Martin, Mixer
Written for The Unicorn Challenge where we are encouraged to be creative in 250 words or less using the photo prompt below. Originally written in 2022 as a 750-word story, this is my revamped submission.
I stood at the bedroom window staring at the devastation caused by the previous nightβs storm. My wife Dianna is going to be crushed when she sees what happened during the night β Mother Nature at her fiercest. I heard Dianna stirring in bed.
βMike, itβs so early. Whatβs wrong?β she asked sleepily.
βWe had a pretty bad storm last night. Itβs not good, hon. We lost some treesβ I replied.
She threw off the covers and sat on the edge of the bed, feet skimming the floor searching for discarded slippers. βNot Red. Please donβt say we lost Red!β
Dianna gasped loudly at the sight before her, then the tears came. She cried for a long time. I held her and let her cry; this was not something carelessly brushed aside or easily forgotten.
Finally her sobs lessened and with a broken heart and a weakened voice she sighed,Β βPoor Red! How I loved that beautiful old tree. Look at him now, a fallen soldier.β
We sat on the bed side by side; I spoke tenderly. βThereβs no shame in mourning the loss of a tree. Itβs not silly. It is, after all, a living thing. Does it feel pain when a leaf is plucked or a branch broken? Does it thirstily lap the rain after a dry spell? Does it feel your heartbeat as you rest a weary back against its old, sturdy trunk? How can we presume such things are not possible? No, it’s not silly at all.“
“Rodeo – Hoe-Down” Written by:Β Aaron Copland Composed:Β 1942 Release Date:Β October 16, 1942
Available on: America, The Dream Goes On (1985) Conductor: John Williams Producer: John McClure Arranger: John Williams
Personnel: Boston Pops Orchestra
Composed by Aaron Copland in 1942 for the ballet Rodeo, the βHoe-Downβ features two American square dance tunes and fuses evocative music and dance. Rodeo takes us to the exciting, dramatic world of cowboys, cowgirls and the American West. A hoedown is a dance competition that is often described as noisy and riotous. The music is full of vigor and energy as the cowgirls and boys pair off.
The commission forΒ RodeoΒ came, surprisingly enough, from the classically oriented Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, with the music by Copland and the choreography and scenario by Agnes de Mille. The ballet was precedent-setting; the audience demanded 22 curtain calls at its premiere at the Metropolitan Opera House on October 16, 1942. The success of this ballet ensured that dance would thrive as an integral part of American musical theater.
Aaron Copland (1900-1990) was possibly the most famous American composer of the 20th century. He was one of the first serious American composers to carve out his own path amongst the much more famous songwriters and jazz musicians of the 1920s. His music is said to βsound like Americaβ and often features a large, open sound (like the vast American prairies), and complex rhythms (like cowboys on horseback). Copland was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, the youngest of 5 children all living above their fatherβs grocery shop. Copland learned piano Β and started writing down ideas at the age of 8. By the age of 15 he had decided to be a composer and his love of European music led him to Paris to study with the famous music teacher Nadia Boulanger. When he returned home, he began writing music in many different styles including three symphonies, four ballets and several film scores. He also became a great teacher and supporter of young composers. Upon his death, most of his fortune was left to the Aaron Copland Fund for Composers which supports young composers and performing groups. The fund is so large, it will continue to support young musicians for decades.
The music of βHoe-Downβ is about real people β¦. their folk tunes and customs; itβs full of open plains, a sense of adventure and the American pioneering spirit.
This is Aaron Coplandβs βHoe-Downβ from Rodeo, performed by the Boston Pops Orchestra under the baton of John Williams.
May your Saturday be smooth and easy. Thanks for stopping by.
Written for The Unicorn Challenge where we are encouraged to get creative in 250 words or less using the photo below as inspiration. This is my story
Dear God in heaven! How the hell Iβm supposed to get through this book is beyond me!
Iβve been at it now for hours and Iβm bored stiff. I donβt know who this guy thinks he is but Iβll tell you what heβs not β¦. a good writer! Iβve read menus more interesting than this rot!
Jeez Louise! Iβve come across some real clunkers in my day but this one is totally b-o-r-i-n-g. Haul out the woodchipper!
The owner of the small publishing business behind me, Miss Willow Everwood, is my boss; I work there as a proofreader and I really like my job but reading this book is torture. Miss Everwood spotted me dozing off on the chair and demanded I sit on the hard pavement to keep from getting too comfortable and falling asleep. She even said she didnβt want me rooting around inside until I was done with my job.
Well, now my limbs are as stiff as an old hickory stick, my noggin feels like itβs full of sawdust and my buttβs as hard as a slab of redwood. I swear if I have to keep reading this, Iβm going to nod off right here in the middle of the sidewalk and start sawing wood.
If I had a rope Iβd hang myself from the nearest tree! But Iβm not about to get all sappy.
Well, good luck to this Tolkien guy if he thinks heβs going to make it with these creepy Ent people!
Itβs true that Miley Cyrus has become a huge musical star, but did you know she has quite the talented family? Weβre all familiar with her famous father, Billy Ray Cyrus, her legendary godmother, Dolly Parton β but what of her four talented siblings?
The youngest child in the Cyrus clan is 24-year-old Noah who has carved out quite an impressive career of her own. In terms of fame, Noah is probably second only to Miley. Her breakout hit, βMake Me (Cry)β earned her a spot on the Billboard Hot 100 right out of the gate at the age of 16. Since that time, her career has only grown. Her unique brand of thoughtful pop has made her one of the most enticing young acts in the game today.
In an interview with American fashion magazine V, Noah Cyrus said this about βMake Me (Cry)β and her video co-performer, Labrinth: “It was really conversational. Labrinthhad a chorus, and we started just going back and forth writing lyrics together. It turned into being about a toxic love.β Teen Vogue described the song as “a gut-wrenching power-ballad that will resonate with anyone who has suffered a broken heart, reinforcing the idea that it’s possible to be lonely even when in a relationship and that being with someone can create more pain than being alone.β
The video depicts the two singers waking up in their respective beds with their partners who are seemingly disinterested in their affection. In alternating shots, we see Noah’s sadness, and then Labrinth’s, and back again as they sing about their significant others. As the song reaches its climax, we can see the duo at the same time in split screen; their raging words give off major βwrecking ballβ vibes …. deep thoughts from the mind (and pen) of such a young artist.
This is βMake Me (Cry)β by Noah Cyrus featuring Labrinth
Thanks for stopping by and playing a tune with me.
Written for Friday Fictioneers where we’re given a photo and asked to let it inspire us to create something magical in 100 words or less. This is my 100-word inspired creation.
βUngrateful β¦ bastard β¦ son-of-a-bitch β¦ always telling me what to do β¦ when to do it β¦ waiting on him like a motherless child β¦ picking up after him β¦ cooking three meals a day β¦ seven days a week β¦ cleaning β¦ cleaning β¦ cleaning β¦ and whatβs my reward β¦ an unwelcome fuck at 3 AM β¦ pig β¦ I β¦ have β¦ had β¦ enough!β
Carlaβs thoughts raced through her head like a locomotive engulfed in flames.
βYou gonna cook that pizza or beat it to death?β he snarled.
Welcome to Birthday Thursdays! Each week I will feature someone from the world of music whose birthday falls on this day. There wonβt be any chit chat from me, no facts and figures β just some great tunes (and an occasional surprise). Check it out right here every Thursday and enjoy the music.
Happy Birthday to Rosemary Clooney Born May 23, 1928 in Maysville, Kentucky
Written for Six Sentence Story where we are asked to be creative in no more than six sentences using the word “light”. This is my story.
Colette, typically looking away the second I snap a photo! Eyeroll!
We got a late start with spring cleaning in our yard, especially along the side of the house where our attached garage is located; even though the gardeners had cleared a lot of old shrubbery away for some new plants and bushes, it was just not meant to be after we were derailed by the sudden death of my husbandβs twin brother on April 2 and me being sidelined since the first week of May by a major sinus infection (the heavy-duty antibiotics have left me “out of commission” and able to eat only extremely light meals or, at times, nothing at all).
In mid-May, we put in a couple of small white azaleas, relocated a baby rhododendron which wasnβt doing well in the far back corner of the yard and planted a bit of Blue Bugle and Lilies of the Valley for lightground cover (along the side of the house, not visible in this pic), but thatβs as far as our broken spirits and depleted bodies would allow us go.
When Colette is here with us (Tuesdays, Thursdays and the occasional Saturday or Sunday) and the weather is good, she wants to be outside; hell, even if the weather isnβt good, she wants to be outside β a phenomenon about most children that escapes me as they (well, she definitely) seem to be impervious to heat or cold or rain or snow or wind β all the elements, times when Bill and I would prefer being inside nestled in our recliners with a lightweight blanket.
Speaking of nestled, we discovered that sparrows had made their nest in an old watering can in the corner of Coletteβs playhouse; the mama and papa birds are very resourceful, building the new home in a location almost invisible to us, one which I discovered quite by accident when I heard a faint chirping noise coming from the playhouse and β¦. with my trusty flashlight in hand β¦. I went to take a peek but was immediately dive-bombed by a wildly protective kamikaze sparrow which, when it sped just inches by my head, had me believing it was a small bat …. terrifying!
Tuesday the temps soared to a scorching 86ΒΊF β a leap from the mild low-70s of just the day before β so it was, according to Colette, the βperfect day for planting!β β¦. a concept I did not agree with thinking it was too hot and we would be in direct blazing sunlightfor the entire time β¦. but I did not object (mainly because the child could not be dissuaded and it was far less taxing than yet another round of the Disney edition of Monopoly); armed with our faithful spades, Bill with his macho shovel and pitchfork, we planted another azalea along the side of the house, then Colette and I pulled all the weeds and detritus from the two ancient cement planters on either side of the bench you see in the above photo, replacing all of what was growing in them as haphazardly as Albert Einstein’s hair with two bright pink kalanchoe plants, then stood back to proudly bask in the glory of our gardening prowess.
Of course, manual labor such as that demands a reward and certainly not a monetary one which would be looked upon with disdain and confusion by a 4-year-old whose idea of recompense consists solely of instant gratification in the form of ice cream β the I-don’t-give-a-hoot-how-messy-I-get kind β and after getting Colette situated in her pink fairy chair, pinning up her waist-length hair and snapping on the 15-year-old bib we originally used for our first grandchild, Mckenna, I disappeared into the kitchen and returned with fudge-covered vanilla ice cream pops for Colette and Bill and a lemon ice for me; judging by the look on her face and the twinkling, totally satisfied lightin her eyes (photo below), Colette was over the moon with her sweet, sloppy treat and …. you know β¦. she was right after all about it being the βperfect day for planting!”
Written for Glynβs Mixed Music Bag week #21 where we are asked to write about a song by a group or solo singer beginning with the letter I or J.
There was a lot was happening in music in May of 1968 with people making headline news. Gary Puckett and the Union Gap came out with “Young Girl”. Janis Joplin went solo. The Throggs released “Love Is All Around” in the US. Jane Asher reported on a live TV interview that she was breaking up with her boyfriend, Paul McCartney. Hugh Masekela was at #1 on the U.S. singles chart with βGrazing In The Grassβ and Cream started a four-week run at #1 on the album chart with Wheels On Fire.
A little further down the listings, the second album from a heavy-and-hard-rocking band out of San Diego, California entered the album chart for the first time β with a bullet at #117! Ok, not the highest of chart debuts, I admit, but some would say this now-legendary set of tunes became the first heavy metal album to hit the charts and opened the floodgates for many a longhaired, guitar-wielding group to blast us with some serious riffs and overlong guitar solos.
The band was Iron Butterfly and the album was called βIn-A-Gadda-Da-Vidaβ, baby.
The track was recorded on May 27, 1968 at Ultrasonic Studios in Hempstead, Long Island, New York. The story goes that the recording which is heard on the album was meant to be a soundcheck for the engineer. However, the engineer had rolled the tape and when the rehearsal was completed, it was agreed that the performance was of sufficient quality that another take was not needed.
According to legend, the group members were so stoned when they recorded the track that they could neither pronounce the title βIn the Garden of Edenβ nor end the track, so it ended up filling the whole side of the album, coming in at a full 17 minutes of psychedelic rock.
However, another side of the recording story says that the drummer was listening to the track through headphones and could not clearly distinguish what the vocalist was singing. He wrote down the name according to what he heard and in the end they went with βIn-A-Gadda-Da-Vidaβ.
I donβt know about you but I think the first explanation is much more interesting .β¦ and plausible! Well, either way, it didnβt matter. The album that contained the 17-minute title track went on to sell over four million copies in the US alone, with another one million shipped abroad. Not bad for a stoned jam in the afternoon.
The 2-minute, 52 second 45-rpm version of βIn-A-Gadda-Da-Vidaβ was Iron Butterflyβs only song to hit the top 40, reaching #30. The original βIn-A-Gadda-Da-Vidaβ album has the distinction of being the first album to go Platinum in the US, when the Platinum Award was instituted in 1976. In 2009 the song was named the 24th greatest hard rock song of all time by VH1.
Here is Iron Butterfly with βIn-A-Gadda-Da-Vidaβ.
Originally released by The Everly Brothers, “Love Hurts“, written in 1960 by Boudleaux Bryant, is a song that delves into the pain and anguish experienced when love goes wrong. The emotional depth conveyed through the lyrics and the haunting melody have made it a beloved and enduring piece of music.
The song’s popularity can be attributed to its universal theme of heartbreak. Love is usually portrayed as a beautiful and uplifting experience, but “Love Hurts” acknowledges the dark side of love, where heartache and emotional turmoil take center stage. This raw honesty has struck a chord with listeners of all generations. βLove Hurtsβ was never released by the Everlyβs as a single and can be found on their album A Date With The Everly Brothers.
The song has been recorded as a duet by Greg Parsons and Emmylou Harris, by Roy Obison in 1961 as the B side to βRunning Scaredβ, by English singer-songwriter Jim Capaldi whose version reached #4 in the UK charts and by the Scottish hard rock band, Nazareth.
Performed as a ballad by Nazareth, βLove Hurtsβ became the most popular version of the song and the only rendition to become a big hit single, reaching #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 in early 1976.
Iβd love to play all the versions of this great song but it is Twofer Tuesday and we canβt have pandemonium erupting on WordPress. After all this time together on The Elephant’s Trunk, I think you can guess which cover I chose to feature today.
This is the wondrous original version of βLove Hurtsβ by the Everly Brothers.
And this is what it sounded like when Nazareth recorded it:
Sheβs four now and it seems like yesterday she was barely walking, crawling sideways like a huge pink crab with her undeveloped knees brushing the floor in lightning speed. Her golden blonde hair is loose, flowing almost to the tops of her thighs like the fragrant flowers trailing from a Maypole. We laugh when we worried that these glorious tresses would never grow out and she would forever be the source of jokes by the mean girls in school. But that was not to be as this indescribably beautiful child standing before us with all the presence and attitude of Xena the Warrior Princess will stake her claim and win against any goddess wannabees. No more baby bubble pipes for this one; she has moved into the power bubble zone. She is a force of nature.
intergalactic shifts bound from planet to planet hail the bubble queen
Another popular Motown sound from the team of Holland-Dozier-Holland is Marvin Gayeβs βYouβre A Wonderful Oneβ, recorded and released in 1964 on the Tamla label.
In the song, the narrator praises his “wonderful one” for loving him and for “always (being) around”. Gaye is helped along on this song by The Supremes on background. The great group of session musicians known as The Funk Brothers provided the backing on this number; they incorporated elements of Chuck Berryβs βMemphisβ into the intro of this song. “Wonderful One” charted at #15 on the pop charts and #3 on the R&B singles chart.
From February 1964, this is Marvin Gaye with βYouβre A Wonderful Oneβ.
And this is what was on the B side β βWhen Iβm Alone I Cryβ (a very different sound for Marvin Gaye).
Thanks for joining me today for a little Monday Motown Magic.
Growing up, it was just me and my sister β two girls doing girl things. And while we werenβt always best of friends, it was just the two of us. It wasnβt my fault that my mother went into labor smack in the middle of my sisterβs 4th birthday party; after making a hasty departure for the hospital, my mother arrived just in time for me to be born β¦. on my sisterβs birthday β¦. and sheβs never really forgiven me. I mean, she says she has but deep down thereβs resentment. But I digress.
Bitterness for being born on her birthday aside, we managed to get along ok. And we both had a bunch of little girlfriends whoβd come over the house to play and swim in our pool. Thereβs a definite advantage to having the only pool on the block β even if it was inflatable and barely three feet deep. We always had lots of friends over but there were never any boys around and, if an interloper did show up, he was quickly shown the way out before he had a chance to dip his you-know-what in our pool!
For the first six years of my life, I had very little contact with boys .β¦ except for my cousins and they didnβt count. In elementary school boys were just tolerated; they were looked upon as excess baggage. Of course, that all changed when I hit my teen years and realized boys had potential. I had a couple of crushes early on but nothing earth-shattering. Then, at the ripe old age of 17, I went on a blind date with a guy named Bill and together we learned all about boys and girls, how they were so wondrously different and incredibly well-made for each other. I was stunned by how much I didn’t know about boys.
So, wouldnβt you just know it! God, in his infinite humorous nature, decided to bless me with only boy babies. All those years of playing with my baby girl dolls, changing their diapers fashioned from paper napkins, powdering their petite girlie bottoms, all that didnβt come close to what these boys were packing! It didnβt matter how well I knew Billβs anatomy; he didnβt wear a diaper and I had never changed one β¦. at least not a boyβs. Talk about a rude awakening!
Let me just explain something very quickly here. When infant girls are getting their diapers changed, sometimes they pee but itβs a dainty little trickle that gently disappears into the absorbent pad under them. When infant boys are getting their diapers changed, parents put on a hazmat suit because that nozzle has a mind of its own and it is gonna spray wherever it wants.
Oh sure, parents can buy little wee-wee teepees to hold over the wee-wee while their baby boy giggles at them, but most times that thing is flying around like an errant garden hose and the pee goes everywhere. And, of course, thatβs where men first learn to pee with no hands β yawning and stretching and placing their hands behind their heads in a very satisfied βlook-what-I-can-doβ sort of way. Usually in those situations, there will be spillage. I have found, for the most part, the male species is not very discriminating and is quite happy to just βhitsomething“.
Which brings me to the heart of this story.
I love my boys and, in all humility, Bill and I did a good job raising them. BUT, nature will take its course no matter what we do. And let me tell you, there is nothing β¦. and I mean NOTHING β¦. like the overwhelming musky, barn-like odor that punches you in the face when you open the door to a boyβs bedroom. For the love of all things holy, what is going on in there? How is it possible for boys β¦. little or big β¦. to ravage so many briefs, boxers or tighty-whities in one day, not to mention the now-fossilized face cloths (and sometimes my good hand towels)?
Weβre all adults here and you know exactly what Iβm talking about.
Well, I finally reached the end of my rope. It became unbearable for me to do my teen sons’ laundry, let alone keep up with it, so I threw down the gauntlet. I led the boys to the laundry room where I proceeded to write on my washing machine with a Sharpie. In all the corresponding receptacles were the words βDETERGENT GOES HERE.β βBLEACH GOES HERE.β βSOFTENER GOES HERE.β Iβm sure they didnβt believe me when I said I was done doing their wash. After two weeks of their laundry piling up and them running out of clean clothes and their sheets desperate enough to literally walk off the bed and leap into the washing machine, they finally got the message!
As the old saying goes, boys will be boys, and I never had a problem with what was going on in my sons’ bedrooms β¦. within reason; if I thought something dangerous was happening, Iβd be in there in a flash. Iβd just had enough of cleaning up their messes. Now theyβre grown men, good men, married with children, and they get to deal with their own kids’ smells, sprays, spills and secretions.
And when I see them lugging a basketful of laundry to their washing machines, I chuckle and know I did them a huge favor.
