Something to Believe In

"Now I'm waitin' at the gate
For my bag to be inspected
For some crazy reason
I am always suspected
Of smugglin' somethin' thru
Like smoke or dope or airplane glue"

Shawn Mullins, Something to Believe In (featuring Shawn Colvin)

Shawn is the best singer-songwriter in the ATL so I’m certain you'll see his good lines on this blog more times than Donald Trump has said "You're Fired". Or more times than Donald Trump will probably call Rosie O'Donnell a slob in the days to come.

I first saw Shawn in the early 90’s at Trackside Tavern when Eddie still ran the place (before he opened Eddie's Attic, sold Eddie's Attic, and eventually returned to manage Eddie's Attic). I’ve followed Shawn’s music ever since and was lucky enough to be introduced to him by Mrs. T. As you might recall from a prior post on blue mailbox, I consider this my one and only brush with fame; unless you count the time I let Emily Saliers' guitar tech cut in front of me in the line for the bathroom? Shawn went to Bandelier National Monument with Mrs. T., our friend GM,and me when we were visiting Santa Fe, New Mexico. That's where this photo was taken.

Confidence

"I Have Confidence", from "The Sound of Music", Rodgers and Hammerstein

"Oh I must stop these doubts all these worries
If I don't I just know I'll turn back
I must dream of the things I am seeking
I am seeking the courage I lack"

Doc B. and I watched a bit of "The Sound of Music" on Christmas day. We both realized that it had been forever since we watched it in its entirety because neither one of us immediately recognized the above song. Since worrying is one of my (many) issues, this is making the blog as I begin to compile my 2007 resolutions.

White Christmas

Photo courtesy of Frazer Harrison/AMA, Getty Images North America

"I'm dreaming of a white Christmas,
With every Christmas card I write,
May your days be merry and bright,
And may all your Christmases be white."

"White Christmas", written by Irving Berlin in 1942, the year my mom was born.

The song was made famous by Bing Crosby in the movie of the same name. Bing starred in the movie with Danny Kaye and Rosemary Clooney, the latter now known to today’s youth only as "that singer that’s George’s aunt".

I heard this famous Christmas carol on the piped in music at work. This occurred during a rare moment when my iPod headphones were not inserted deeply into my ears to drown out Clay Aiken’s very gay (as in happy of course) version of "The First Noel". "White Christmas" resonated with me a bit stronger than normal after experiencing temperatures in the 70’s for several days now - just less than a week before Christmas. While I’ll be dreaming of a white Christmas, my parents will probably be hoping the 70 degree weather sticks around Atlanta through at least New Year’s Eve - since they’ll be visiting from the great "white" north.

Merry Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza, and winter solstice to all and to all a good night…

Chelsea Morning

I was jogging Saturday in the 75 degree weather while Doc. B. was attending a yoga class. I was all set to go to the gym for a good sweat until I stepped outside and felt the sun smile on my face (this is not to be confused with the prior Saturday when our friend did the Oakhurst 5K without us - we just couldn't see joging in the 20 degree weather we had last weekend). So I grabbed my iPod mini, programmed it to shuffle the 1000 or so songs that are on it, and set out on my standard three mile route. The first song that popped up in the random play mode was Joni Mitchell's "Chelsea Morning". I've always loved the creative lyrics in this song and love her even more. But it got me thinking about how important music is to me, what a role it's played in my life, how some songs remind me of the past (some pleasant memories and others not so much so), and how just "one good line" from a song writer's head can make my day.

So, here's the newest blog idea..."one good line" from a song every day that I hear one. An excellent challenge for 2007 I'd say. We'll see how far I get. But in the meantime, here are the full lyrics to "Chelsea Morning".

Oh, and maybe Mary Cheney will name her baby "Chelsea", after this song, just like Hillary and Bill did?

"Woke up, it was a chelsea morning, and the first thing that I heard
Was a song outside my window, and the traffic wrote the words
It came a-reeling up like christmas bells, and rapping up like pipes and drums

Oh, won't you stay
We'll put on the day
And we'll wear it till the night comes

Woke up, it was a chelsea morning, and the first thing that I saw
Was the sun through yellow curtains, and a rainbow on the wall
Blue, red, green and gold to welcome you, crimson crystal beads to beckon

Oh, won't you stay
We'll put on the day
There's a sun show every second

Now the curtain opens on a portrait of today
And the streets are paved with passersby
And pigeons fly
And papers lie
Waiting to blow away

Woke up, it was a chelsea morning, and the first thing that I knew
There was milk and toast and honey and a bowl of oranges, too
And the sun poured in like butterscotch and stuck to all my senses

Oh, won't you stay
We'll put on the day
And we'll talk in present tenses

When the curtain closes and the rainbow runs away
I will bring you incense owls by night
By candlelight
By jewel-light
If only you will stay
Pretty baby, won't you
Wake up, its a chelsea morning"