The Ramblings of my Disorganised Mind

Great News and Songs As Life Stuff

I had some great news yesterday: my second son has been accepted into a Writer's camp for kids. Woooohooo! Nice to see one following mum's footsteps... Seriously, he's a good writer for his age and I hope he continues with it, if that's what he wants to do.

Also, thankyou Jen, my archnemesis-in-law, for posting both blog links yesterday. I will visit yours soon. Meanwhile, for anyone else who wants to pop by, Jen's blog is here, and Stu's is here.

Like John Cusack in a movie he was in that I actually really liked but can't for the life of me remember the name of (Scott??), I decided to make a compilation that spoke of my life. It's a bit silly, actually, but I know I'm not the only one who does that. I've found that compilations really help me write. I've done a few. One was about a book I wanted to write: music and songs that parallelled the scenes (for example, I have a scene in the book where a battle between Romans and Bretagnions in the Celtic era, so I chose Enya's Pax Deorum to represent that).

I've bought a lot of new CD's lately, and I noticed a lot of the songs seem to parallel important moments in my life, so I figured I'd try putting together a "My Life So Far As I See It" compilation. Fun, anyway. Not a list of favourite songs, but songs that exemplify those "defining moments", as Dr. Phil calls them.

Choice was limited by being on a CD that could be burned from, that I own (not big on piracy), so they weren't always the first choice. I could only go with 80 minutes, too, or there would have been a few others.

They are:

Footloose -- Yeah, no real defining moments in my life before 1984 ;-)

Hello, by Evanescence (not Lionel Richie, although I like that song too)

The Old Ways, Loreena McKennitt -- still in my late high school years here and this one has so many layered meanings I couldn't even start to explain it!

If I Could, 1927 -- This is, in fact, one of my favourite all-time songs. Will tell you why in a sec. Love song.

Never Be You, Maria McKee, from the movie Streets of Fire.

Going Under, Evanescence. This is from my married years.

Someone Else's Story -- From the new (final) version of the musical "Chess".

My Immortal, Evanescence, but with the lyrics changed a bit. Still married here. Yeah, angry years.

Everybody Hurts, the Corrs version. PND sucks.

Na Laethe Bhi, Clannad -- represents an extremely significant point in my life early last year, while I was doing the first EnVision.

Hunter, Dido -- 'nuff said.

Whisper, Evanescence. Been an interesting year!

Cymbeline, Loreena McKennitt. This is a song she wrote using some Shakespeare lyrics. It's about acceptance and knowing that everyone's in the same spot, no matter where we are: we live, then we die. Whatever. It's actually a positive thing, knowing that. Frees one from worrying so you can get on with it.

"Fear no more the heat 'o the sun,
or the winter's furious rages;
Thou thy worldly task hast done,
Home art gone and ta'en thy wages:
Golden lads and girls all must,
As chimney sweepers come to dust..."

Cymbeline was written near the end of his life, so I guess he'd given this subject some thought. It's also the name of a very pretty David Austin rose. :-)

Bring Me To Life, Evanescence. Was in the movie Daredevil for a bit too. Horrible movie, btw.

Here With Me, Dido. Theme song to Roswell.

The Mystic's Dream, Loreena McKennitt.

Never, Moving Pictures, from the movie Footloose. Nice little round-off-er.

As you can see, my taste in music is fairly eclectic. I own a lot of soundtracks, I noticed going through my collection. I have Dirty Dancing, Gladiator, The Karate Kid, Soul Man, St Elmo's Fire, LOTR, Robin of Sherwood, The Karate Kid, Young Guns II, Labyrinth, Crossroads (the one with the Ry Cooder music not that awful more recent effort)... oh, and Footloose. And Spaceballs. On LP. Shocking music, but I bought it as a reminder of a very important and happy night I had once. My 17th birthday -- the last truly lovely birthday I had, actually. I've been looking for the film on DVD too, even though it's a truly dumb film that I wouldn't normally buy. What can I say? I'm silly like that.

Favourite artists include 1927, Vivaldi, Clannad, Enya, Loreena McKennitt, Bon Jovi, Dead Can Dance, The Corrs, Duran Duran, Dido, Rogers & Hammerstein, Human Nature, Icehouse, Mr Mister (remember them?), Rice & Lloyd-Webber, Queen, Debussy, mediaeval music (secular and sacred). I tend, though, to like individual songs rather than follow artists in general. Example: I like Santana & Rob Morrison's dual effort but find Santana a bit full on for my taste; I like Daniel Bedingfield's "If You're Not The One", but can't stand his stuff in general--hiphop & club musack drive me nuts.

This exercise, of course, led me to wonder what my favourite all-time song is. My "favourite" tends to change with my mood, life, whatever, but one song I loved when it came out, and am not sick of yet, is the song "If I Could" by 1927. For anyone o/s, this band was actually one of the highest-selling Aussie bands for a bit in the late 80s/early 90s. Their first album "...ish" was a phenomenal seller, their second "The Other Side" was so-so and the third flopped rather badly.

Anyone who knows me in RL knows that I officially deplore "mush". But favourites seem to always be on the mushy side. What can I say, I'm a girl. I mean, my second choice is "Anything I Do" from Prince of Thieves, for crying out loud. That one missed out because I got sick of it for a bit, and the whole "I'll die for you" line is just a bit over the top. I'd rather someone lived, if you get my drift. And the guy singing it is just a bit too "perfect", you know? We may be Holding Out For A Hero but that's just a wee bit cloying.

I'd like the LOML, whoever he may be and wherever he may dwell, to be, you know, human.

Don't even get me started on that "Titanic" theme. Sheesh.

Consider:

If I Could (copyright 1927)

If I could paint, I'd paint a portrait of you
The sunlight in your eyes and that's the face of truth
And a single tear, like a silent prayer
That's shining so much brighter than a diamond ever dared
If I could do anything at all, I'd do it for you.

If I could write, I'd write a book for you,
A tale of hidden treasures with an IOU,
But a million words wouldn't say a thing
That won't be said in three words, where love's the central theme,
If I could do anything at all, I'd do it for you.

(Chorus):
Darling can't you see what you mean to me?
Anything I could do I'd do it for you
Darling don't you know just how far I'd go?
Anything I could do I'd do it for you

Sometimes I feel so second-rate
Seems loving you was my greatest mistake
I know I'm insecure and love don't keep score
But I wish I could give you more

If I could play, I'd play up a storm for you
A raging sea of passion that you never knew
Every whispered sound would touch your heart
And maybe for a moment I could be your favourite star
If I could do anything at all
If I could, I'd give you more
If I could do anything at all...
I'd do it for you.

Darling can't you see what you mean to me?
Anything I could do I'd do it for you
Darling don't you know just how far I'd go?
Anything I could do I'd do it for you

Darling can't you see you mean the world to me?
Anything I could do I'd do it for you
Darling don't you know just how far I'd go?
Anything I could do I'd do it, do it for you
I'd do it, do it for you.

See? Human. He's imperfect, real life, with his own insecurities, but wants to do the best he can by the woman he loves, even if he does have (he thinks) no talent at all. No overly ridiculous declarations of impending death. This is the sort of guy who doesn't necessarily say the right thing at the right time, but he'll bring you flowers every so often for no reason at all, as in, just to see you smile, not just because you've argued, or it's your birthday, or he feels like getting lucky tonight. Someone who is actually half scared about how he feels but who's willing to take that risk anyway, because, who knows?

Ya gotta love that.

posted by Heather @ 8:18 pm