Now that everyone is crashing from the sugar high and endorphins from last week’s love fest, it’s time to share some songs that express the opposite emotion.
Visit Amanda, Xmas Dolly and Hairbows & Guitar Picks for more Music Monday fun.
It’s February and love is in the air thanks to Hallmark, Hershey’s and florists. Years ago, my husband and I decided to stop spending money on cheesy Valentine’s Day gifts and challenge each other to be more creative and thoughtful (and more frugal) when demonstrating our affection and admiration of each other.
One year, I loaded Allan’s MP3 player with a bunch of love songs and other tunes that made me think of him when I heard them. I think I may do this again, but with some of my more recent favorite love songs, like Guster’s Do You Love Me?
Hubby isn’t a huge Guster fan, but this song always puts a smile on my face and a little pep in my step. It’s a feel good song that sounds much like a sunshiny song from the 60s, reminiscent of something by Herman’s Hermits.So although he’s not a huge Guster fan, he’ll think of me bouncing around happily to the tune when he hears it.
I’d also add the soulful sound of James Morrison’s Precious Love. It’s another song reminiscent of the 60′s. I love the Ottis Redding sound and style of James Morrison’s demonstrates.
And since my hubbie is learning to play this song on the guitar, I would also add the acoustic version Train’s Marry Me. I couldn’t find any videos that weren’t blocked by Sony and the video is so lovely. I highly urge to follow the link and watch it on YouTube.
What love songs on your playlist?
Visit Amanda, Xmas Dolly and Hairbows & Guitar Picks for more Music Monday fun.
I hate war, but I respect and admire a soldier’s sacrifice to protect my freedoms.
Because I fear guns, I support stricter gun laws, but I also understand the 2nd Amendment will never be abolished. However, in light of the Tucson shootings, something must be done so that mentally unstable people can never possess a handgun.
I may disagree with a person’s political views, but I would never use the term Nazi or any other ethnic epithet, racial slur or hateful imagery to emphasize my point.
I love this country just as much as any conservative or libertarian even though I adopt a different belief system.
I’m not trying to destroy America. I just want this great land to be even better than our forefathers envisioned.
By sharing my wealth, I feel I demonstrate loving thy neighbors.
Supporting social programs doesn’t make me un-American, a socialist or a communist, but suppressing or silencing my ideals would be un-American.
So I ask you,
“What’s so funny about Peace, Love and Understanding?”
As I walk through
This wicked world
Searchin’ for light in the darkness of insanity.
I ask myself
Is all hope lost?
Is there only pain and hatred, and misery?
And each time I feel like this inside,
There’s one thing I wanna know:
What’s so funny ’bout peace love & understanding? Ohhhh
What’s so funny ’bout peace love & understanding?
And as I walked on
Through troubled times
My spirit gets so downhearted sometimes
So where are the strong
And who are the trusted?
And where is the harmony?
Sweet harmony.
‘Cause each time I feel it slippin’ away, just makes me wanna cry.
What’s so funny ’bout peace love & understanding? Ohhhh
What’s so funny ’bout peace love & understanding?
So where are the strong?
And who are the trusted?
And where is the harmony?
Sweet harmony.
‘Cause each time I feel it slippin away, just makes me wanna cry.
What’s so funny ’bout peace love & understanding? Ohhhh
What’s so funny ’bout peace love & understanding? Ohhhh
What’s so funny ’bout peace love & understanding?
I’d also like to share another classic because its lyrics and meaning also ring true in today’s world.
Visit Amanda, Xmas Dolly and Hairbows & Guitar Picks for more Music Monday fun.
Despite our polar opposite political views, my friend, John, and I share a common love for random trivia facts. In any given conversation, we can offer a lesser-known bit of knowledge related to the topic at hand, like the time when John gave a brief history lesson behind the music of U2’s Pride (In the Name of Love).
Like many starched conservatives, John is a huge Ronald Reagan fan and prides himself with all historical facts related to President Reagan. Remarkably, John is a walking World Book Encyclopedia when it comes to anything historical, American or World. Wikipedia has nothing on him. Therefore, I rarely ever challenge him on anything historical, particularly after I’ve had a few drinks.
But this one night about a month ago, I called bullshit balderdash to his Bono story. According to John, Bono originally wrote Pride (In the Name of Love) about Ronald Reagan’s love for America.
Being a huge U2 fan and having always admired Bono’s humanitarian efforts, this information struck me as odd and I gave him a glance reflecting my disbelief since it sounded like an urban legend. And just to annoy him, I told him I would consult Wikipedia and Snopes later.
After extensive research, John was somewhat right much to my chagrin. I hate it when that happens.
Upon my research, I discovered that Bono indeed write Pride (In the Name of Love) about Ronald Reagan’s desire for America to become a nuclear power. However after reading, Let the Trumpet Sound: A Life of Martin Luther King, Jr. by Stephen B. Oates, Bono decided to dedicate the song to Dr. King.
“I originally wrote Pride about Ronald Reagan,” Bono explained. “Reagan and the ambivalent attitude in America. It was originally meant as the sort of pride that won’t back down, that wants to build nuclear arsenals. But that wasn’t working. I remember a wise old man said to me, “Don’t try and fight darkness with light, just make the light shine brighter.” I was giving Reagan too much importance. Then I thought of Martin Luther King; there’s a man. We build the positive rather than fighting with the finger.” (1001 Songs: The Great Songs of All Time, the Artists, Stories and Secrets Behind Them, Tony Creswell 2006)
With pressure from the producers to finish the album The Unforgettable Fire, the lyrics for Pride were overlooked and one historical fact left uncorrected. In Pride, Bono sings “early morning, April 4,” but Dr. King was assassinated in the evening. When U2 performs the song live, Bono acknowledges the mistake and sings it as “early evening, April 4.”
Despite being one of U2’s most popular and acclaimed hits, Bono felt the song never truly developed to its potential in his mind.
“I looked at how glorious that song was and thought: ‘What the fuck is that all about?’ It’s just a load of vowel sounds ganging up on a great man. It is emotionally very articulate – if you didn’t speak English. – Bono
With Bono’s guttural sounds and a brief history lesson, I had been schooled.
Visit Amanda, Xmas Dolly and Hairbows & Guitar Picks for more Music Monday fun.
I have a confession. I love Music Monday because it’s so much fun discovering what songs people connect with and why. But also, this meme introduces or re-introduces me to music that I may have overlooked otherwise. Since I’m always on a mission to find new songs or classic songs to add to my running playlist, this meme offers the means to do just that. So, thank you for playing along and sharing the music that moves you.
With that, let me introduce you to a song that always gets me up on my sugarfoot. I love the James Brown sound that Black Joe Lewis brings in this song.
What makes your Sugarfoot move these days?
Visit Amanda, Xmas Dolly and Hairbows & Guitar Picks for more Music Monday fun.
With all the craziness of Christmas finally behind us and the year coming to a close, Dog Days Are Over by Florence and the Machine seemed like very fitting song.
Next week, share a song that captures your motto for the New Year. Will 2011 be more of the same or are you taking on new endeavors? Tell us your thoughts with a tune.
Visit Amanda, Xmas Dolly and Hairbows & Guitar Picks for more Music Monday fun.
I suspect that this may be the last year Allana believes in Santa Claus. She may have already let go of the idea ages ago, but she hasn’t shared that knowledge with anyone especially her little sister. Honestly, I think she hasn’t shared her doubt with me because she knows I still believe.
For four years in a row, Allana has asked for a stuffed polka dot elephant from the Island of Misfit Toys featured in the animated classic, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. Each Christmas, Santa sent an apology letter explaining how the elves couldn’t make enough toys to fulfill every child’s request. It broke my heart to see the disappointment in her face but our Santa wasn’t willing to pay hundreds of dollars for a small collector’s toy on eBay.
This Christmas, both girls have asked for the stuffed polka dot toy, but thankfully Santa has teamed up with the elves at Build-a-Bear and he will finally be able to fulfill this long awaited request.
I hope this small stuffed toy delivers another year for Allana believing in Santa Claus.
Powered by Linky Tools
Click here to enter your link and view this Linky Tools list…
Visit Amanda, Xmas Dolly and Hairbows & Guitar Picks for more Music Monday fun.
Although I’m not Jewish, I own a menorah. My Italian decent mother grew up in a predominately Jewish neighborhood in NYC. As a young woman living in Forest Hills, NY, my mom learned to embrace and appreciate Jewish customs. That love and admiration trickled down to my sister and me. As a teacher and a parent, I have always understood the importance for my children to embrace and appreciate other cultures, particularly Jewish celebrations such as Hanukkah.
This Wednesday, my children and I will light our menorah and play dreidel on the first night of Hanukkah. We’ll also sing songs to celebrate the Festival of Lights, but these are far from the songs my sister and I sang as kids.
Over the years as I have taught my children some of the Jewish customs, there has been a resurgence of Jewish music, but these traditional Jewish songs have been modernized.
From New Line Records:
“Songs In The Key Of Hanukkah is a record that takes Hanukkah music to a place it’s never been before. It’s a musical voyage that bears repeated listening both for adults and kids who will love to hear the re-workings of the songs they already know as well as the new, original tracks,” says Baron Cohen. “Hanukkah has always been a kid-focused holiday so the challenge was how to transform the music so that it was cool and interesting for adults and yet something that the whole family could enjoy.”
While searching YouTube to find songs spotlighting the Jewish culture in honor of Hanukkah this week, I discovered one of my favorite artists, Matisyahu, released a Hanukkah album, entitled Miracle.
Matisyahu is a reggae artist who combines beatbox with traditional Jewish themes. His music and the message behind it all truly moves me.
To really understand Matisyahu and his music, I highly recommend you watch One Day, which is only available to view on You Tube here.
For the next three weeks, I will be sharing my favorite holiday tunes. It would make me very jolly if you shared your favorite holiday tunes, too.
Visit Amanda, Xmas Dolly and Hairbows & Guitar Picks for more Music Monday fun.
You left just when our relationship had been restored, but you’ve been talking about leaving since the day I met you. Now you’re living your dream, although you’ve found it less than fulfilling and my heart aches for you.
I may be the last person you would ever think of confiding in, but you have been on my mind every day since I heard the news of your disappointment, loneliness and sorrow. My heart goes out to you and I wanted to take a moment to send you some comforting thoughts to let you know that I’m here for you. We all are.
When times are tough, remember comfort is closer than you think.
Visit Amanda, Xmas Dolly and Hairbows & Guitar Picks for more Music Monday fun.
For the next four weeks, I will be sharing my favorite holiday tunes. It would make me very jolly if you shared your favorite holiday tunes, too.
When I first heard Kid Rock sing this live along with Sheryl Crow, The Roots and T.I. at the Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear, it gave me goose bumps and moved me to tears. Hard to believe a Kid Rock song could ever impact me like that, but it did.
I searched the Internet for a better video of this song, but this is the best I could find. The message is still loud and clear no matter how poor quality the video. It seemed very fitting as we move into the holiday season.
The least that I can do is CARE.
Care is featured on Kid Rock’s new album Born Free, which will be released tomorrow, Tuesday, November 16.
Visit Amanda, Xmas Dolly and Hairbows & Guitar Picks for more Music Monday fun.
This week, I’ve been chosen for the spotlight dance over at Xmas Dolly’s Monday’s Music Moves Me Blog Hop. Link up here and join the fun.
Powered by Linky Tools
Click here to enter your link and view this Linky Tools list…
