Friday, June 29, 2012

Stop and smell the smoke

Song recommendation: Smoke by Ben Folds Five



(I was unable to find a video that worked, read the lyrics anyway.
I'll try to find a video after the long weekend.)

Leaf by Leaf page by page
Throw this book away
All the sadness all the rage
Throw this book away
Rip out the binding, tear the glue
All of the grief we never ever knew
We had it all along

Now its smoke
The things we've written in it
Never really happened
All of the people come and gone
Never really lived
All of the people have come have gone

No one to forgive smoke
We will never write a new one
There will not be a new one
Another one, another one
Here's an evening dark with shame
Throw it on the fire
here's the time I took the blame
Throw it on the fire
Here's the time we didn't speak
it seemed for years and years
Here's a secret
No one will ever know the
realsons for the tears
They are smoke

Where do all the secrets live
They travel in the air
You can smell them when they burn
They travel
Those who say the past is not dead
Stop and smell the smoke
You keep on saying the past is not dead
Come on and smell the smoke
You keep saying the past is not even past
You keep saying
We are, smoke

And in her eyes you see nothing

Song recommendation: For No One by the Beatles




Your day breaks, your mind aches
You find that all the words of kindness linger on
When she no longer needs you

She wakes up, she makes up
She takes her time and doesn't feel she has to hurry
She no longer needs you

And in her eyes you see nothing
No sign of love behind the tears
Cried for no one
A love that should have lasted years

You want her, you need her
And yet you don't believe her when she said her love is dead
You think she needs you

And in her eyes you see nothing
No sign of love behind the tears
Cried for no one
A love that should have lasted years

You stay home, she goes out
She says that long ago she knew someone but now he's gone
She doesn't need him

Your day breaks, your mind aches
There will be time when all the things she said will fill your head
You won't forget her

And in her eyes you see nothing
No sign of love behind the tears
Cried for no one
A love that should have lasted years

What is the color, when black is burned?

I won't be able to post at all this long weekend, maybe even longer.  I'm moving down south for the summer for the job I wanted.  There'll be free Wi-Fi once I'm at my residence, but it'll be awhile until I get to my there.  I'll post a few extra song recommendations today to make up for it.

Song recommendation: I Am a Child by Neil Young




I am a child, I'll last a while.
You can't conceive
of the pleasure in my smile.
You hold my hand,
rough up my hair,
It's lots of fun
to have you there.

God gave to you,
now, you give to me,
I'd like to know
what you learned.
The sky is blue
and so is the sea.
What is the color,
when black is burned?
What is the color?

You are a man, you understand.
You pick me up
and you lay me down again.
You make the rules,
you say what's fair,
It's lots of fun
to have you there.

God gave to you,
now, you give to me,
I'd like to know
what you learned.
The sky is blue
and so is the sea.
What is the color,
when black is burned?
What is the color?

I am a child, I'll last a while.
You can't conceive
of the pleasure in my smile.

A place you can hide ’til the war has begun

Song recommendation: Native Son by John Hiatt


(sorry for the low quality video!!!!)


You finally found the mainstream
In the middle of your life
You tapped into a vein
Of endless gold chains
Now you’re locked up tight
Tearing down the middle of it
Splitting it right in half
Bobbing up and down the waves
Like a runaway slave
On a huck finn raft

[Chorus:]
Take your wife
Take your family
Take your gun
Running through the woods
And the burned out neighborhoods
Looking for someone
A member of your tribe
A place you can hide
’til the war has begun
’cause in the fields before the flood
You’ll be spilling blood
Like a native son

Where you gonna run to
There ain’t no underground
If only you could fly
You’d cut across the sky
Like a rifle round
Oh, who are your people
And where is your homeland
’cause they’re dying side by side
At the river of pride
Where we tried to take a stand

[Chorus twice]

In the fields before the flood
You’ll be spilling blood
Like a native son

Thursday, June 28, 2012

I need to protect you, keep you from harm

Song recommendation: Porcelain Doll by Chatham County Line



Unfortunately I couldn't find the lyrics for this beautiful song.  I urge you to spend a few minutes of your time to listen to this song.  I love this song a lot, I am so disappointed that I couldn't find a web site with the lyrics.  I do not believe it would be a waste of your time to take a moment to listen, to lose yourself in this song.

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Please beware the quiet front yard

Song recommendation: She's a Jar by Wilco




She's a jar
With a heavy lid
My pop quiz kid
A sleepy kisser
A pretty war
With feelings hid
She begs me not to miss her

She says forever
To light a fuse
We could use
A hand full of wheel
And a day off
And a bruised road
However you might feel
Tonight is real

When I forget how to talk, I sing
Wont you please
Bring that flash to shine
And turn my eyes red
Unless they close
When you click
And my face gets sick
Stuck
Like a question unposed

Just climb aboard
The tracks of a trains arm
In my fragile family tree
And watch me floating inches above
The people under me

Please beware the quiet front yard
I warned you
Before there were water skies
I warned you not to drive
Dry your eyes, you poor devil

Are there really ones like these?
The ones I dream
Float like leaves
And freeze to spread skeleton wings
I passed through before I knew you

I believe it's just because
Daddy's payday is not enough
Oh, I believe it's all because
Daddy's payday is not enough

Just climb aboard
The tracks of a trains arm
In my fragile family tree
And watch me floating inches above
The people under me

She's a jar
With a heavy lid
My pop quiz kid
A sleepy kisser
A pretty war
With feelings hid
You know she begs me not to hit her

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Well exactly who or what would I be?

Song Recommendation: Mora (Blackberry) by Corb Lund




What if I wound up spending most my whole day through
Talking over coffee, leftist politics with you
And my face lit up with Che Guevera
Hero of all of South America
Challenging the yanquis of America
Well exactly who or what would I be?

And if because of prison beatings and corrupt police
I had to flee beloved Chile in the seventies
Come to seek asylum in your embassies
Well exactly who or what would I be?

CHORUS:
My name would be Jose Alberto Mora (Blackberry)
And I would be a good man
His name would be Jose Alberto Mora (Blackberries)
And he would be a good man

What if I lost my arm as a younger lad
When I broke it at the shoulder in the hilly lowlands
North to Santiago by the quickest route
Because we didn't have good medicine or medics in the south
Hurrying to try to keep infection out
Well exactly who or what would I be?

If we arrived too late and it was all gangrene
And the doctor said it was the worst case he had seen
We'll have to cut the arm and the extremities
Well exactly who or what would I be?

CHORUS

What if wound up marrying a gringa who
Gave me one young son with the eyes like hers, of blue
And we named him well for Simon Bolivar
Handsome as a Latin silent movie star
How could we have known that we'd have come this far
Well exactly who or what would I be?

And if I not so good with English much when I arrive
But I sent for my old father to come start a brand new life
If you come close but don't quite sing my accent right
Well exactly who or what would I be?

CHORUS

Ai!

Thursday, June 21, 2012

No one's sorry, you did it yourself

Song recommendation: Bandit by Neil Young



Turning the pages in this old book
Seems familiar, might be worth a second look.

Wrapping up dope in a paper bag.
Talking to yourself taking a drag.
Who you kidding, is what you say.
Does it matter? They’ll never hear it any way.

Gotta get past the negative things.
Lawyers and business, you get what you bring.
No one's sorry, you did it yourself.
It's time to relax now and then give it hell.

Someday you'll find what you're looking for.
Someday you'll find what you're looking for.

You didn't bet on the Dodgers to beat the Giants.
Then David came on,
Now you gotta pay up.
You didn't count on that.

Gee, half the money's gone
The month is still young.
Where are you gonna go now?
Things are closing in.

Gotta trust someone.
Trust someone.
Someone one you trust.
Gotta be careful, careful.

Can't go to your brother
That money's all gone
Can't go to your friends.

Someday you'll find everything you're looking for.
Someday you'll find everything you're looking for.
Someday you'll find everything you're looking for.
Someday you'll find everything you're looking for, yeah.

Made out like a bandit for so many years.
What are you working for?
One more big score?
What are you trying to prove?

Try to get closer, but not too close.
Try to get through, but not be through.
No one can touch you now.
I can touch you now.

You're invisible, you've got too many secrets.
Bob Dylan said that.
Or some’in’ like that.

Someday you'll find everything you're looking for
Someday you'll find everything you're looking for
Someday you'll find everything you're looking for
Someday you'll find everything you're looking for, yeah

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Future outcasts and they don't last

Song recommendation: Androgynous by Crash Test Dummies


an·drog·y·nous[an-droj-uh-nuhs]
adjective
1.
being both male and female; hermaphroditic.
2.
having both masculine and feminine characteristics.
3.
having an ambiguous sexual identity.
4.
neither clearly masculine nor clearly feminine in appearance:the androgynous look of many rock stars.
5.
Botany having staminate and pistillate flowers in the sameinflorescence.



Here comes Dick, he's wearing a skirt
Here comes Jane you know she's sportin' a chain
Same hair, a revolution
Same build, evolution
Tomorrow who's gonna fuss?
And they love each other so, androgynous
Closer than you know, love each other so, androgynous

We'll don't get him wrong, and don't get him mad
He might be a father but he sure aint a dad
And she don't need the advice that is sent to her
She's happy the way she looks, she's happy with her gender
And they love each other so, androgynous
Closer than you know, love each other so, androgynous

Mirror image, see no damage, see no evil at all
Cupie dolls and urine stalls will be laughed at
The way you're laughed at now

Something meets boy and something meets girl
They both look the same they're overjoyed in this world
Same hair revolution
Unisex evolution
Tomorrow who's gonna fuss?

And tomorrow Dick is wearing pants,
Tomorrow Jane is wearing a dress
Future outcasts and they don't last
And today people dress the way that they please
The way they tried to do in the last centuries

And they love each other so, androgynous
Closer than you know, love each other so, androgynous

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Fame puts you there where things are hollow

I'm going to start recommending songs, they'll be shorter posts with just the song and its lyrics.

Song recommendation: Fame by David Bowie



Fame, (fame) makes a man take things over
Fame, (fame) lets him loose, hard to swallow
Fame, (fame) puts you there where things are hollow
Fame (fame)

Fame, it's not your brain, it's just the flame
That burns your change to keep you insane (sane)
Fame (fame)

Fame, (fame) what you like is in the limo
Fame, (fame) what you get is no tomorrow
Fame, (fame) what you need you have to borrow
Fame (fame)

Fame, "Nein! It's mine!" is just his line
To bind your time, it drives you to, crime
Fame (fame)

Could it be the best, could it be?
Really be, really, babe?
Could it be, my babe, could it, babe?
Could it, babe? Could it, babe?

Is it any wonder, I reject you first?
Fame, fame, fame, fame
Is it any wonder you are too cool to fool
Fame (fame)

Fame, bully for you, chilly for me
Got to get a rain check on pain (pain)
(Fame)

Fame, fame, fame, fame, fame, fame, fame, fame, fame, fame, fame, fame, fame,
fame, fame, fame, fame, fame, fame, fame, fame, fame, fame
Fame
What's your name? 

Feeling so gay, feeling gay

ESJFHS Concert Band 2012

I know that I said that I'd post soon... BUT I GOT THE SUMMER JOB I WANTED!!!!!!  You probably have no idea what I'm talking about... I never did mention it on my blog... There was a lot of paper work involved and I have final exams starting this Friday.  You could say I been busy.  Also, I walked for 4 hours this weekend for relay for life!!!!  It's for an amazing cause, I highly recommend you all participate in at least one relay.  Help the fight against cancer!

I guess I ought to keep to some promises... I'm gonna talk about my concert from last month.  I'll start with concert band.

We started the concert with a powerful piece: Toccata.  It was a relatively easy piece Mr. P gave it to us a few months before the concert.  Unlike our other pieces, he wanted to conduct a lot of our entries rather than following the music - and it had a great effect.  Having just started the Baritone BC, I didn't have much of a hard time learning this piece.  It is simple, but powerful.

We received Tanglewood at the same time as Toccata.  It was also an easy piece, but I had a bit more difficulty learning to play this song.  It has a very fluid introduction with the woodwinds, then later the trumpets bring out a faster punchy (?) rhythm.  I had a bit more trouble with this part - more precisely, when the tenor sax and I had our soli in the middle (the midevil sounding part, let me try to dah this out: dah-- dah-- dah- da da da- dah-- dah--).  In the end, the song turned out really good.

Two years ago we did a piece called Music for a Darkened Theatre and Mr. P brought it back a few months ago so we could preform it for this concert.  It is one of my favourite arrangements to play: it has excerpts from Tales from the Crypt, Nightmare Before Christmas, Edward Scissor HandsBeetle Juice and Spiderman (the movie, not the original theme).  This arrangement is a tribute to Danny Elfman.  Having played this song before (on the Base Clarinet, a slightly different and better part - especially for the Beetle Juice part) I didn't have much trouble learning this part (however, the notes in both Edward Scissor Hands and Spiderman were crazily high above the scale).

Finally, there was Hounds of Spring.  I believe that it was a grade 3 song... maybe it was 2.5... No matter the grade, it was hard.  We had been working on this song since Christmas time.  I didn't even know it well enough on the Bari Sax when I was switched to the Baritone.  I learnt with lots of difficulty; many people who been playing their instruments for years were having trouble playing the song.  Also, another soli had me good (if I remember correctly it was at bar 38).  We (Tenor Sax and I) were playing behind the French Horn during her amazing solo (She is an amazing musician, she won one of the music awards this year.  Not just a regular award, but formally at the academic awards ceremony. Congratulation P@!&3!!!!)

Those were the Concert band songs.  I did mention the regular music awards, there was one for very member.  Because I don't want to post my name, I put my user name on the award.  Also, I wanted to protect Mr. P's privacy and I hid his signature.  THIS IS MY AWARD.  I DID NOT FIND IT ON-LINE!!!!!!