Stand By Me

This video, a cover of Stand by Me by Ben E. King brings both tears to my eyes and a smile to my face.

Musicians, literally from all over the world came together to produce this memorable tune and videos.  The organization, Playing for Change, is a “group of artists and inspired people who have come together to connect the world through music.”

Waiting

Waiting on the World to Change.

If you haven’t heard this John Mayer tune, you need to.  The video, from youtube is below.

I gave the CD from which the song originated, Continuum, to my daughter, Sarah, last Christmas.  I hadn’t heard it, but after listening to it with her, it was “ripped” to my iTunes directory for my listening pleasure.

Listening to the first song, Waiting for the World to Change, reminds me of words I would have used 40 years ago.  Those same words also bring tears to my eyes, as I see the dreams of my children.  I can’t help but see my daughter, Sarah, and feel hopeful, when I hear this verse of the song.

One day our generation
Is gonna rule the population
So we keep on waiting (waiting)
Waiting on the world to change

For What It’s Worth

On this historic evening while they count the votes for Election Day, 2008 in the United States, I’m reminded of this song from 1967 by The Buffalo Springfield.

The lyrics for For What It’s Worth follow:

There’s something happening here
What it is ain’t exactly clear
There’s a man with a gun over there
Telling me I got to beware
I think it’s time we stop, children, what’s that sound
Everybody look what’s going down

There’s battle lines being drawn
Nobody’s right if everybody’s wrong
Young people speaking their minds
Getting so much resistance from behind
I think it’s time we stop, hey, what’s that sound
Everybody look what’s going down

What a field-day for the heat
A thousand people in the street
Singing songs and carrying signs
Mostly say, hooray for our side
It’s time we stop, hey, what’s that sound
Everybody look what’s going down

Paranoia strikes deep
Into your life it will creep
It starts when you’re always afraid
You step out of line, the man come and take you away

We better stop, hey, what’s that sound
Everybody look what’s going down
Stop, hey, what’s that sound
Everybody look what’s going down
Stop, now, what’s that sound
Everybody look what’s going down
Stop, children, what’s that sound
Everybody look what’s going down

See Ya. Goodbye.

Ok.  It’s not pretty, this video.  It’s poorly lip synched, but I think you’ll get the idea.  The band is Steam, and they did the original version back in 1969.  Which would be the year after I graduated high school.

Yunz (that’s Pittsburgh talk) can sing it Tuesday night as we wave “bye bye” to the Republicans and that joker of a President they call “Boosh.”

And no, I don’t think I’m getting ahead of myself here.

It’s A New World

Back in July 2008, about 100 of us singers in the community joined together to create the video below.  The song, It’s a New World, was written by two guys incarcerated in Warren Correctional Institute near Lebanon, Ohio.

The video, which is a little over 9 minutes in length, features a diverse group of Cincinnati singers; children and adults, from various ethnic backgrounds, lifestyles, and beliefs.  We came together to make beautiful music to help bring needed change in this country.  The video contains words from Barack Obama, but regardless of your political choices, enjoy the music.

Oh, by the way, you can find me in some of the footage from 2:10 to 3:12.  That’s me, wearing a black t-shirt with Voices of Freedom (my choir) singing away and clapping my hands.

It’s a new world!

Alienation

“This conversation the alienation in your tone
I’ve got no fucking clue from your point of view and your time zone”

National Steel by Kathleen Edwards

Yeah.  Sometimes I feel like that.

Sunrise Sunset

After writing yesterdays’ post, Time, I am reminded of the song, Sunrise Sunset from the musical Fiddler on the Roof.

(Tevye)
Is this the little girl I carried?
Is this the little boy at play?

(Golde)
I don’t remember growing older
When did they?

(Tevye)
When did she get to be a beauty?
When did he get to be so tall?

(Golde)
Wasn’t it yesterday
When they were small?

(Men)
Sunrise, sunset
Sunrise, sunset
Swiftly flow the days
Seedlings turn overnight to sunflowers
Blossoming even as we gaze

(Women)
Sunrise, sunset
Sunrise, sunset
Swiftly fly the years
One season following another
Laden with happiness and tears

No Derby Picks Yet

OK. It’s the start of Derby Week. I’m supposed to have “expert picks” for this race on The First Saturday in May. I’m mean, I am a horse racing fan. So I should have Derby Picks.

To appease my dear readers for the next several days, let me offer up this Rolling Stones video of their song, Dead Flowers instead.

And I promise, later on in the week. Derby Picks.

Now, back to you Chet…or Quinella Queen. David?

Tune of the Day

I Make the Money, You Get the Glory is written and performed by Kathleen Edwards, a Canadian songwriter. I love the lyrics. Here is the chorus:

You’re cool and cred like Fogerty
I’m Elvis Presley in the 70’s
You’re Chateauneuf, I’m Yellow Label
You’re the buffet I’m just the table
I’m a Ford Tempo you’re a Maserati
You’re the Great One, I’m Marty McSorley
You’re the Concorde, I’m economy
I make the dough but you get the glory

Would you like to hear this tune? Here’s the link where it can be played on Songza. Or you can take a look at the video below, apparently made by someone in the front rows at one of her concerts.

For a Dancer

Dedicated to my daughter, Sarah. Since a young girl, she found her passion in dance. For her, life is a dance of beauty, grace, style, and passion.

Jackson Browne has always moved me with his music and song writing. One of my favorite albums is Late for the Sky, and the song on that album, For a Dancer. The song is one of hope, yet sung with much sadness.

Here are the lyrics:

Keep a fire burning in your eye
Pay attention to the open sky
You never know what will be coming down
I don’t remember losing track of you
You were always dancing in and out of view
I must have thought you’d always be around
Always keeping things real by playing the clown
Now you’re nowhere to be found

I don’t know what happens when people die
Can’t seem to grasp it as hard as I try
It’s like a song I can hear playing right in my ear
That I can’t sing
I can’t help listening
And I can’t help feeling stupid standing ’round
Crying as they ease you down
’cause I know that you’d rather we were dancing
Dancing our sorrow away
(right on dancing)
No matter what fate chooses to play
(there’s nothing you can do about it anyway)

Just do the steps that you’ve been shown
By everyone you’ve ever known
Until the dance becomes your very own
No matter how close to yours
Another’s steps have grown
In the end there is one dance you’ll do alone

Keep a fire for the human race
Let your prayers go drifting into space
You never know what will be coming down
Perhaps a better world is drawing near
And just as easily it could all disappear
Along with whatever meaning you might have found
Don’t let the uncertainty turn you around
(the world keeps turning around and around)
Go on and make a joyful sound

Into a dancer you have grown
From a seed somebody else has thrown
Go on ahead and throw some seeds of your own
And somewhere between the time you arrive
And the time you go
May lie a reason you were alive
But you’ll never know

— Jackson Browne

I’ll end with a video of Jackson Browne performing this song, apparently recorded back in 1976: