Freedom Friday: Mockingbird -Carly Simon/James Taylor

Another road trip standard growing up.

Throwback Thursday: Handyman -James Taylor

Listening to James Taylor is like taking a trip to my childhood home. I can't return home in the physical sense, this will do.

What's New Wednesday: Star Wars Ep 7 March of the Resistance -John Williams

Another great theme from John Williams:

Traditional Tuesday: Spring (Allegro) -Vivaldi

One of our first pieces this semester for HS music appreciation, this piece was written for strings and solo violin. I like this arrangement with various winds. Smalin's  illustrations let the eyes aid the ears in deeper observation.

My Monday: One Bottle of Pop etc.

As far as I know I learned this song on a long car ride to my grandmother's house when I was in 1st grade. A standard, I have used it in my past years with young choirs I've led in order to encourage multi-voice singing. This year my colleague revived it with the JH choir.

Freedom Friday: The Prodigal Son -Keith Green (Luke 15)

 I have always loved the parable of the lost coin, sheep, and son since we sung about it in Children's Choir (see older post for Story Tellin' Man, August 21, 2015). Keith Green was a rare person of faith, who composed and performed songs like this that portray deep meanings from scripture. Keith Green is greatly missed, thankfully his unique way of telling the Gospel message lives on in many recordings.

 I often wonder, when pondering Luke 15, which son is the prodigal: the one who leaves and comes back or the jealous one who stays?

Throwback Thursday: Take It Easy -Eagles

So many great songs from the Eagles, thank you and RIP Glen Frey.

What's New Wednesday: Rey's Theme (Star Wars Episode 7) -John Williams

I love this newest character from Star Wars, I'm so glad John Williams has been nominated for an Academy Award for Best Soundtrack.

Traditional Tuesday: Sonata in F Major -Handel

My private student from another school/town is working on this piece for her solo contest this year. I'm excited for her as she is a very dedicated young artist.

My Monday: Can't Turn Me 'Round' -The Roots

This post contains a powerful message in song and video to remember an important leader of the Civil Rights Movement, Martin Luther King Jr.

Freedom Friday: O Danny Boy -Frederic Weatherly

This is one of the songs the choir students are trying out as suggested by my colleague for a suitable contest piece. The students really like it. Some suggest meanings of the lyrics are that Danny is being sent off to war and this is being sung by his parents.

Throwback Thursday: Changes -David Bowie

RIP --

What's New Wednesday: I Will Wait -Mumford & Sons

Thankfully, one of my students mentioned this was a group/type of music she liked.

Traditional Tuesday: Asturias -Isaac Albeniz/John Williams

John Williams is the name of (at least) two very important musicians, this is the guitarist.

My Monday: I Love -Tom T. Hall

My sister reminded me of this song recently as a gratitude post, a cassette tape copy of this album was a staple for our family on long trips. A wonderful tribute to some of the many underrated finer things in this world.

Freedom Friday: Surf City -Jan & Dean

We are singing a Surfer medley in chorus and this song is my latest earworm.

Throwback Thursday: You Light Up My Life -Joe Brooks/Debby Boone

This song laid a foundation of music appreciation in me when I was young. I knew all the lyrics as I had sung it in school chorus. Whenever I couldn't sleep (and sometimes still today) I would go through the entire song in my head as a sort of self lullaby. I heard once in an interview that Debby Boone considers the 'You' to be God.

What's New Wednesday: Photograph -Ed Sheeran

If you think there are no real musicians writing real music I would challenge you to look for it. Ed Sheeran is a fresh sound with transparent lyrics I admire.

Loving can hurt, loving can hurt sometimes
But it's the only thing that I know
When it gets hard, you know it can get hard sometimes
It is the only thing that makes us feel alive

We keep this love in a photograph
We made these memories for ourselves
Where our eyes are never closing
Hearts are never broken
And time's forever frozen still

So you can keep me
Inside the pocket of your ripped jeans
Holding me closer 'til our eyes meet
You won't ever be alone, wait for me to come home

Loving can heal, loving can mend your soul
And it's the only thing that I know, know
I swear it will get easier,
Remember that with every piece of you
Hm, and it's the only thing we take with us when we die

Hm, we keep this love in this photograph
We made these memories for ourselves
Where our eyes are never closing
Hearts were never broken
And time's forever frozen still

So you can keep me
Inside the pocket of your ripped jeans
Holding me closer 'til our eyes meet
You won't ever be alone

And if you hurt me
That's okay baby, only words bleed
Inside these pages you just hold me
And I won't ever let you go
Wait for me to come home
Wait for me to come home
Wait for me to come home
Wait for me to come home

You can fit me
Inside the necklace you got when you were sixteen
Next to your heartbeat where I should be
Keep it deep within your soul

And if you hurt me
Well, that's okay baby, only words bleed

Inside these pages you just hold me
And I won't ever let you go

When I'm away, I will remember how you kissed me
Under the lamppost back on Sixth street
Hearing you whisper through the phone,
"Wait for me to come home."

Traditional Tuesday: Der Erlkönig -Schubert/Goethe

I studied this piece in my young college years and I loved it right away. The poem Schubert used has the vocalist express 4 characters: Narrator, Father, Son, and Erlking (a mythical boogeyman). You can tell 'who' is singing by the range of the voice, words that are spoken, and style used. In this video the lyrics are written in italics when the alluring Erlking speaks to the boy. The piano represents the horse that is the setting of the story. For some fun facts look up how old Schubert was when he wrote this piece and how long it took him to compose it?

My Monday - Working in the Coalmine -Allen Toussaint

Today's post is a tribute to this musical performer songwriter from Louisiana who is greatly missed.

Freedom Friday: Wild Thing -Tone Lōc (Mature Content)

Since I referenced this song yesterday, here it is in all its 1980's rap glory:

Let's do it

Workin' all week
9 to 5 for my money
So when the weekend comes
I go get live with the honeys

Rollin' down the street
I saw this girl and she was pumpin'
I winked my eye, she got into the ride
Went to a club was jumpin'

Introduce myself as Loc
She said, "You're a liar"
I said, "I got it goin' on baby doll
And I'm on fire"

Took her to the hotel she said
"You're the king"
I said, "Be my queen if you know what I mean
And let's do the wild thing

Wild thing
Wild thing

Shoppin' at the mall
Looking for some gear to buy
I saw this girl she cool rocked my world
And I had to adjust my fly

She looked at me and smiled and said
"You have plans for the night"
I said, "Hopefully if things go
Well, I'll be with you tonight"

So we journeyed to her house
One thing led to an other
I keyed the door, I cold hit the floor
Looked up and it was her mother

I didn't know what to say
I was hanging by a string
She said, "Hey, you two, I was once like you
And I liked to do the wild thing"

Wild thing
She loved to do the wild thing
Wild thing
Please, baby, please

Posse in effect
Hangin' out is always hype
And when me and the crew leave the shindig
I want a girl who's just my type

Saw this luscious little frame
I ain't lyin' fellas she was fine
The sweet young miss go gave me a kiss
And I knew that she was mine

Took her to the limousine
Still parked outside
I tipped the chauffeur when it was over
And I gave her my own ride

Couldn't get her off my jock
She was like static cling
But that's what happens
When bodies start slappin' from doin' the wild thing

Wild thing
She like to do the wild thing
Please, baby, please

Wild thing

Doin' a little show at the local discotheque
This fine young chick was on my jock so I say what the heck
She want to come on stage and do her little dance
So I said, "Chill for now but maybe later, you'll get your chance"

So when the show was finished I took her around the way
And what do you know she was good to go without a word to say
We was all alone and she said, "Tone, let me tell you one thing
I need 50 dollars to make you holler, I get paid to do the wild thing"

Say what
Yo love you must be kidding
You're walkin' babe
Just break out of here
Hasta la vista baby

Wild thing