Soothing the Soul

I was going to tell you a tale of woe involving an incident at my daughter’s school choral concert last night, but I dallied too much with other stuff so there really there isn’t time to tell it.  Let’s just say that the whole thing kept me tossing and turning last night, so I really need to get a good night’s sleep (I almost fell asleep looking at my e-mail with my cell phone!)

What am I going to do instead?  Well, I feel a song coming on, so I will follow septetembermom’s lead whenever she needs a pick-me-up and offer you a peaceful end, or beginning, to your day.(Plus I could really use a big dose of calm this evening because my nerves are still a little raw because of “the incident”-curious aren’t you?)


Well, without any more delay, I offer you:

“Sailing…that takes me away to where I've always heard it could be.
Just a dream and the wind to carry me and soon I will be free.”

There is nothing like the melody of Christopher Cross’s Sailing song for total relaxation.  I haven’t heard this song in ages, but cranked it in the car ride home this afternoon and it still has the same effect-that haunting melody makes me think of the ocean and instantly I’m at peace! I wonder whatever happened to him? Just look at the beautiful pictures, then close your eyes and allow the music to float around you...I hope you enjoy it!

Let's look back

I needed music today-I had a pretty stressful day at work because students are still trying to turn in projects for this marking period and grades are due tomorrow, I had to drag two kids through the grocery store and my daughter insisted on being the only person to put items in the cart, I had to rush home to get dinner together, and hubby wasn’t going to be home until after 8. I had a phone call in the midst of my kid time, and my little angels decided to run around like banshees while the dog barked. Let’s just say that when my husband called at 8:15 I was in no mood to chat-I needed some tunes, and not just any tunes. I needed something to remind me of my youth, so America was my band of choice. And, since I haven’t done Tuesday tunes for a while, I thought you might enjoy reminiscing too. I couldn’t stop at one so here’s America with “Ventura Highway,” “You can do Magic,” “Horse with No Name,” “I need you,” and "Sister Golden Hair." Hopefully I have something for everybody...

And, 30 years later they still sound good...

Tunes for Tuesday

Tonight we are going to travel back in time to 1975 when this song was sung. The country had just been through the Vietnam War and Watergate and former Vice President Gerald Ford was now our President.

The first time I heard this song wasn't on the radio-I heard it at school in 1976. My not-so-ordinary English teacher, Mr. Farmer, played it us to on a (cough) record player as a way to explain narrative poetry, and I remember thinking that I had never heard a song so beautiful. Of course, I had an insane crush on my very young (he wasn't more than 24), long haired/mustached English teacher, partly because of his look, partly because of his avant-garde approach to teaching literary works, (I mean, we were listening to popular music in English class!) but mostly because he was the first person to tell me that I could write, and I loved him for that.

When I started substitute teaching I wanted to thank Mr. Farmer, but I found out he took a job with another school district a few years after I left middle school, so this song goes out to all of you and to Mr. Farmer, wherever he may be-thanks for your support. Now close your eyes and enjoy Wildfire, by Michael Martin Murphey.

Tunes for Tuesday

It's time now for the second installment of Tuesday Tunes.  I traveled back in time for today's tune choice. You will see George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Eric Clapton, Phil Collins, Elton John and Jeff Lyne all on the same stage. This song has always been a favorite of mine and since this was one of the last performances by the late George Harrison, it makes it all the more special. So take a moment and hear how George's guitar cries out in "While My Guitar Gently Weeps".

Tunes for Tuesday

It's such an unexpected surprise when I go to some of your blogs and there's music playing (like at Christine's blog, Christine's Corner), or when your post centers around a forgotten song by a favorite artist (like September Mom at My Voice, My View -jump on over to her site to hear an oldy but goody by Annie Lenox ). I sit back, relax, and just breathe-remember,

"Music hath charms to soothe a savage breast,
To soften rocks, or bend a knotted oak." (William Congreve)

This may be what you need to help calm your nerves in an otherwise hectic day, so because of this and the sites of these two ladies, I have decided to make this a weekly addition to my blog. Every Tuesday I will try to provide you with a little musical relaxation, and I will start things off tonight with a heartwarming number by Rascal Flatts. Close your eyes and listen to the words of My Wish, and have a good evening.