I'm a little bit Country

This should have posted a few weeks ago after we saw the Rider's in the Sky, but I have been too sick/distracted/tired/depressed/busy to post it. It's up now so enjoy this weeks selection.

 

Wyoming Wind

    Bar J Wranglers

 

Wyoming Wind

Silver Spurs
The Old Chisholm Trail
Whoopi Ti Yi Yo
Cool Water
Pinin' for the Pines
Timber Trail
Fiddlin' Man
The Cowboy Song
A Fathers' Love
Lulabelle

A Wind in My Face

 

I first encountered the Bar J Wranglers many years ago when I accompanied my parents on a trip to Jackson Hole, WY for one of dad's Credit Union Board meetings. The Board Members all got to go to dinner at the Bar J Chuckwagon where we got to eat delicious steak and have a old western kind of show... and I loved it. I have been a cowgirl at heart for most of my life, but I didn't have a lot of cowboy music in my repertoire... until then.

I can't say that this is the first Bar J CD that I bought because I made my mom buy me a few that first night, but this is the one I think I have listened to the most over the years.

This music reminds me of my Grandpa Mc. Sure, he never made me listen to this, and I really mostly only remember his as the old guy, but I hear stories of his days as a cowboy and I remember thinking how awesome that would be. (that, and a lot of hard work.) Grandpa always wanted to have the song "Strawberry Roan" sung at his funeral... it wasn't, but I wanted it there too. Sure, that song isn't on THIS CD, but it is on others. In my heart I'm and old west cowgirl who would have rode the range and herded cattle with the best of them, but that's not my lot in this life so I will settle with listening to the music that talks about those days.

This CD includes songs like Silver Spurs that talks of bull riding no matter the cost, and The Cowboy Song that speaks of the hard days on the trail. Both of which often bring a tear to my eye. I think my favorite song on this CD is A Father's Love it makes me cry every time. And you can never go wrong with some cowboy poetry with A Wind In My Face.

If you're looking for some good old country without looking at the Rider's in the Sky, Marty Robbins or Son's of the Pioneers I suggest looking up and listening to The Bar J Wranglers for some yodeling, dancing, and cowboy fun.

Yee Haa!

 

"Let me tell you a secret, about a father's love. It's a secret that my Daddy said was just between us. Daddies don't just love their children every now and then. It's a love without end, amen."

And I was like, Hey Girl, can I get your number?

What's my CD for the week ... well, this has been playing in my car for the last few days, (well, this and all of the other NKOTB albums on an MP3 disk that I like to torture my husband with,) and I was surprised to see that I hadn't put this up yet since it is one of my recent favorites in the "CD's I Love" category. Are you ready for this?

The Block [Deluxe Edition]

    The New Kids on the Block

1. Click Click Click

2. Single (featuring Ne-Yo)

3. Big Girl Now (featuring Lady Gaga)

4. Summertime

5. 2 In The Morning

6. Grown Man (featuring Pussycat Dolls & Teddy Riley)

7. Dirty Dancing

8. Sexify My Love

9. Twisted

10. Full Service (featuring New Edition)

11. Lights, Camera, Action

12. Put It On My Tab (featuring Akon)

13. Stare At You

14. One Song

15. Don't Cry

16. Officially Over

17. Looking Like Danger

I LOVE this Band, and I don't care who knows it! There were times as a teenager that I tried to deny that I was a New Kids fan, and I refused to be a fan while they were popular, but even after all these years I have been a New Kids girl. From the first time I ever saw adorable Joey-Joe and listened to him sing "Please Don't Go Girl" he's had that giddy little girl part of my heart. The new Kids on the Block have been around since 1985 nut in 1995 they dropped off the face of the earth as a group for about 15 years but now they're back... And we're all grown up now.

I'll admit, when I first bought the album I didn't really like it, and it took a few times listening to it until it really grew on me, and now I can't imagine not loving it. I just love listening to my Joey belt out the songs. His voice makes me smile. The Block album was released in 2008 preceding their reunion tour. And yes, I did pre-order the Album, and Yes, I did attend the Concert when they came to Salt Lake.

The Block is full of some very mature songs. They've gone from 80's/90's Pop Band to Dirty Adult Band. I'm pretty sure that there is a sexual reference in every song on this album. I have listened and listened to this album several times trying to decide if there is any one song on it that is purely innocent, and though I keep telling myself that there is one, I can never seem to decide if that's true or not.

Maybe there are two that aren't so bad: "Stare At You" is the song I have picked as my song for John, because "I could just stare at you forever, if forever you were staring at me." I think it's probably the cheesiest song on this CD, but I don't care, I love it. "Don't Cry" talks about showing your love because I one of us might be gone tomorrow. These two songs choke me up a little. Sniffle sniffle. "I'll be trippin' can't wait 'til the next time,  but if there isn't a next time... Maybe just, don't cry, don't cry."

I love every song on this album. Musically the album is fantastic, lyrically it's just dirty. (I'm one of those people you hear about at church all the time who listens to inappropriate music.) You can tell just how inappropriate some of the songs are just by their titles "Grown Man", Sexify My Love" (is that a real word??), "Dirty Dancing" but other's are more subtly deceiving in their titles, but they're just as dirty: "Lights, Camera, Action", "Full Service", "Big Girl Now"... Sadly, these are some of the best songs to belt out while you're driving in the car. Just know that when you listen to this CD it's probably not one to listen to with impressionable children around.

This Album successfully covers all the basses of a relationship:

Meeting = "Single" "Put It On My Tab" "Twisted" "Full Service"

Falling in Love = "Summertime" "One Song"

Being in Love = "Click, Click, Click" "Stare At You" "Don't Cry"

Lust = "Big Girl Now" "Grown Man" "Sexify My Love" "Lights, Camera, Action"

Fighting = "2 In The Morning"

Being unfaithful = "Dirty Dancing" "Looking Like Danger"

Breaking up = "Officially Over"

On a side note: Donnie Wahlberg recently got divorced.

Tribal Spaceman and all that's in between

SpiceWorld 

     Spice Girls

 

 1. Spice Up Your Life

 2. Stop

 3. Too Much

 4. Saturday Night Divas

 5. Never Give Up On The Good Times

 6. Move Over

 7. Do It

 8. Denying

 9. Viva Forever

10. The Lady Is A Vamp

 

 

Release date: November 1997

John and I get a lot f flak for loving the Spice Girls, but really how can you not love them. This isn't even a "guilty pleasure" there is no guilt about loving this. This album was released following the movie with the same title. (Which is completely fabulous! It's the best band movie since The Beatles HELP! I thoroughly suggest you watch it at least once.) Scary, Posh, Baby, Ginger, and Sporty were some of the most entertaining pop artists that were around back in the 90's.

I remember "TheBox" channel on TV, that played requested music videos 24/7, would always play "Wannabe" (from their 1996 album Spice which is also great to listen too) over and over and over again (between music videos of Bone Thugs in Harmony and The Blood Hound Gang) and I loved them from the first "Tell me what you want!"

This CD is full of so many great songs: Spice Up Your Lives, Stop, Saturday Night Diva, Never Give Up On The Good Times, Move Over, The Lady Is A Vamp... I pretty much love all of them. I can live without hearing Viva Forever: it's not a favorite of mine.

 

My favorite spice was Scary. (She's just awesome.) John's favorite was Ginger. And my oldest brother liked Posh.

 

Who's your favorite Spice Girl?

 

There's only one thing that I know how to do well

Today's Musical Selection:

 

      Flood

They Might Be Giants

 

1. Theme From Flood

2. Birdhouse In Your Soul

3. Lucky Ball And Chain

4. Istanbul

5. Dead

6. Your Racist Friend

7. Particle Man

8. Twisting

9. We Want A Rock

10. Someone Keeps Moving My Chair

11. Hearing Aid

12. Minimum Wage

13. Letterbox

14. Whistling In The Dark

15. Hot Cha

16. Women & Men

17. Sapphire Bullets Of Pure Love

18. They Might Be Giants

19. Road Movie To Berlin

 

For starters, I am not a fan of They Might be Giants. I tried at one time to like their other stuff, but I really just can't stand most everything else they have done. (Granted: there is a song here or there that I admit that I like and even have on my iPod, but it's not very many.) We have several CD's by TMBG but this is the only one I listen to. This album was released in 1990 so it was already pretty old when I got it, but the songs were all new to me. I bought this CD for three songs specifically. Song #1 Particle Man and Song #2 Bird House in Your Soul and Song #3 Istanbul. These three songs got a lot of radio play when I was a youth, and I loved them, so I bought the disk when I joined the Columbia Record Club when I was 16. (Yes, the Columbia Record Club - I had money and I wanted my own music... can you blame me?)

Turns out that I love every song on this album. I have memories of the kid in Graphic Arts Class who sat near me singing Whistling in the Dark all the time, and another kid who was a supervisor at Lagoon doing the "Minimum Wage... hi-yah!" to the money people behind the glass. And even now, thinking about this album since my iPod battery died this morning the only song that pops into my head is Road Movie to Berlin ... why? I have no idea.

So what it boils down to, is that if you want a fun album to listen to this one isn't a bad choice. The music is fun and a little addicting. The lyrics are catchy and enjoyable.

This is how I buy the sun... and it feeds me

I've been too busy to blog this week, but I decided that I would get the CD of the week up. You should all be very proud of me for making the effort.

 

    Firecracker

           Lisa Loeb

1. I Do
2. Falling In Love
3. Truthfully
4. Let's Forget About It
5. How
6. Furious Rose
7. Wishing Heart
8. Dance With The Angels
9. Jake
10. This
11. Split Second
12. Firecracker

Okay, I'm just a sucker for Lisa Loeb. I love everything about this woman. Her hair, her glasses, her smile... but most of all I love her music. She is totally cute and I have a slight girl crush on her... which is weird since for the most part she reminds me of my sister Jessica.

Firecracker was released on November 11, 1997, that's the year I graduated from High School. What was I doing in November 1997?? …. I have no idea. Working at ZCMI and killing time, enjoying the fact that I never had to go to school again… but what else? Probably listening to music.

 

NOTE: I think I stated on one of these music reviews that I didn't really grow into my love of music until I was much older and had a car and the freedom to listen to whatever I wanted, and the money to buy it. Well, Lisa Loeb was among those first loves of music.

TANGENT: Jessica and I used to listen to the Lisa Loeb CD Tails all the time while going to sleep at night (on our Sony stereo/boom box with the dual tape decks and single disk CD player that sat between our beds.) There was a long time with that CD that I never heard anything beyond the first four songs on the CD.

 

So many songs on this CD are great. I don't think there are any songs on this album that I don't like listening to, but here are my top 5 on this disc:

 

Dance With The Angels -- "But you want to fall, Fashionably in love with a woman, In love with a life you'll adore, In love with a woman you'll adore."

I Do -- "I will be ignored and I will be denied, And I could be erased, I could be brushed aside, And I will get scared and I will get shoved down, But I feel like I do because you push me around."

Furious Rose -- "Bring me wild plums, wild plums and acrimony, I bet you don't even know what that means."

Jake -- "Going as far as I can go, Away from here, Away from you Jake, And the hole you've sunk me into."

This --  I love the acapella opening to this song; "In an open room that echoes well this is where I can tell you everything... Ba da da..."

 

I find it terribly hard to listen to Lisa Loeb music at work because I just want to sing along. I have loved all of her music, new and old.

Patriotism swells in the heart of the American Bear

Today's musical selection is one of my most favorite soundtracks of all time... keep reading for my reasons why:

   

    The Muppet Movie:

Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

 

Rainbow Connection

Movin' Right Along

Never Before, Never Again!

Never Before, Never Again! [Instrumental]

I Hope That Somethin' Better Comes Along!

Can You Picture That?

I Hope That Somethin' Better Comes Along! [Instrumental]

I'm Going to Go Back There Someday

America

Animal...Come Back Animal

Finale: The Magic Store

 

 

I can't even begin to guess when it was that I first listened to this album. Was it on a record the first time, or cassette? Was I old enough to appreciate it, or even old enough walk? The Muppet Movie was released into theaters June 22, 1979. I wasn't even six months old. I remember having this soundtrack on Cassette my whole life. My sister Jessica and I listened to that thing to death. I'm still in possession of this cassette, but I'm not sure it would work if I tried it. I have spent many years wishing I had this on CD, wishing I could listen to the fantastic songs. To hear Rowlf the Dog sing "I Hope That Somethin' Better Comes Along." I longed for Miss Piggy's love ballad "Never Before, Never Again!" When ever I think of "Can You Picture That" I just hear Animal's voice in my head repeating the name of the song. I seriously tear up whenever I hear "I'm Going to Go Back There Someday."

My favorite song on this entire soundtrack is "America" with Fozzie the Bear and his version of 'America the Beautiful." John has asked me several times over the last little while: "Why is that your favorite?" And my answer is simply: "It just is." I'm a softie and a Patriot at heart. (Heck, the Star Spangled Banner makes me cry.) So this song just gets me. I think that out of all the versions I have ever hears THIS one is my favorite.

There are so many great songs on this short little album there are only 9 songs with lyrics, but they are all memorable. Ah! the wonders of this album ... and I have gone so many years without it. The album was released on to CD in 1993 and is no longer in print. I have looked, (not very hard apparently) for this album to buy for years, but every copy I had been finding was priced $65 and up. recently I was searching some of my favorite MP3 download sites and found a couple of songs from this movie that inspired me to look for this CD again. Call me crazy, but I like having physical copies of my music. I love the feeling of having a solid possession in my hands. Eventually after searching I found a Canadian who would sell me the CD for $16... Really? $16? I was shocked, but I bought it because I could. (I've found it elsewhere since my purchase: see below) It came in the mail pretty darn quick, and I'm sure my face was a site upon opening it. I could feel the smile from ear to ear as I pulled it out of the envelope. Who knew something so simple could make me so happy.

This album reminds me of being a kid and running free in the field behind my house, of summer time bike rides, tree trolls, Barbie soap operas, playing outside until dark, snow caves, mud fights, purple carpet, giant's toes, cassette players, camcorder documentaries, and thousands of other childhood memories.

 

You can find it to buy HERE ... Or to Download (for free) HERE. (I can't vouch for either of these links/providers...) Or... you can just talk to me, maybe I can hook you up. :)

Random Friday Stuff ...

First of all ... Z and Not-Your-Sister had their baby boy this morning.

 

Secondly: I just wanted to reiterate my life philosophy incase there is any one out there who may have forgotten it -- "Hurt and Alienate others so they can't hurt and alienate you first."

 

And lastly:  Today's Musical Selection

 

Jagged Little Pill

    Alanis Morrissette

 

All I Really Want

You Oughta Know

Perfect

Hand In My Pocket

Right Through You

Forgiven

You Learn

Head Over Feet

Mary Jane

Ironic

Not The Doctor

Wake Up

You Oughta Know (Hidden LP Remix + Additional Hidden Track)

 

This CD was given to me by my dad. He worked at a little mall that was quickly dying and in that mall there was a music store that would toss out old CD's that had broken covers or lost jewel cases and what-not and one day he discovered this gem in his trash and brought it home to me.

What can I say about this album... That's a loaded question. This album was released June 15, 1995.  I'm going to start off by saying that I have been a closet Alanis fan since the first time I heard her music on the radio. I remember so many nights riding home from Lagoon in Tom's little white Toyota truck at one or two in the morning smooshed in the middle between Tom driving and Jessica listening to Ironic and loving it. I remember listing to You Oughta Know when I was so bitter and angry at Ben for choosing someone else instead of me. I remember hearing Wake Up not to long after Richard rejected me as well. I remember hearing Head Over Feet for the first time on the radio and loving it and putting it on my list of "Songs I'll cover when I have my own band." I remember hearing One Hand in My Pocket and thinking what an absurd song it was, but I constantly reference it and I sing it periodically when I put my hand in my pocket. I remember hearing You Learn and deeming that "my song" after I hit some rough patches that I just needed to hear someone say to me "You live, you learn. You love, you learn. You cry, you learn. You lose, you learn. You bleed you learn. You scream you learn."

This CD reminds me of everything high school and the life of a lonely teenager was to me. It's angry, it's loud, but it teaches you life lessons that you need to know. Jagged Little Pill is all about self-empowerment, standing up and believing in yourself, living life with both eyes open and a undying sense of hope.

So what is  my opinion of this album 15 years later... I still love it. (If you'd like to love it too you can buy it HERE.) I still love the bitterness that practically bleeds from the lyrics of this album. And yet ... just in case you're over your bitter streak, but still love Alanis I suggest you listen to her more recent albums as well. (You can buy my other favorite Alanis album HERE.) It seems that as she got older she got less bitter.

The warrior kings lived by the sword

It's back... CD Fridays. August has been a crazy month, but since no one really reads my blog it's okay if I fail to post like I say I will. And now for something completely different (or not)...

 

SONS OF SOMERLED

    Steve McDonald

 

1. Sons of Somerled

2. Live On My Warrior Son

3. All You Can Know

4. Loch Lomond

5. Soldier's Lament

6. Come to the Isle of Skye

7. Scotland the Brave

8. Celtic Warrior

9. I Will Return

10. Wild Mountain Thyme

11. Per Mare, Per Terras

12. Lordship of the Isles

13. Journey of the Warrior Soul

14. Lordship of the Isles

15. Journey of the Warrior Soul

 

 

This CD was purchased at a store called Glyphix that no longer exists at the Layton Hills Mall. I think impart it was run out of town because it offered weekly Tarot Readings and other things of the like. I personally loved that store. It had that Sandalwood and incense smell that I just fell in love with. (That everyone around me seems to hate.) I have a lot of memories that smells in that store triggered, and even now, just thinking of that store I can remember the smell so clearly and a flood of other sent-memories follow along behind. Oh well, this blog isn't about smells that make me remember things, this post is about Sons of Somerled.

 

(The Original copy of this CD actually belongs to my sister Jessica, this one and another called Stone of Destiny, that is equally as nice... I just chose this one as my selection today because I heard it on my iPod while deciding what to do for today's post.)

 

Through his music Steve McDonald tells stories of Scotland, of it's history and it's traditions. This CD is about the "Sons of Somerled" which is a history of the McDonald Clan. All of his music reflects on some historic event. There have been several times while listening to the music of Steve McDonald that I have had to stop whatever I was doing and Google something I heard in one of his songs.

This CD is full of emotion that seems to fuel the soul into Scottish pride. This is the music to bring out the best of who we are and where we have come from. There are beautiful sweeping arrangements that use bagpipes and drums that pull at your heart strings. The arrangement of Loch Lomond on this CD is one of my favorites ever. However the Scotland the Brave arrangement here I could take or leave, I'd rather just go to my Black Watch CD for that song. Some of the arrangements could fit into that New Age category with the keyboards and guitar, but it's not distracting in anyway and gives the music a modern yet historic feel to it.

I know I'm not true Scottish decent, there is some Scottish in my, I love the sound of this music and my heart beats to the drums of the homeland. I long to go to the Highlands and to feel the winds of history. I would love to pack up and move to the Isle of Skye and live out my life in a simpler world and just be... (but I know in my rational heart that no matter where I move or run to I'll always have to have a job and face modern life because that's just the way of the world... besides, I'm too lazy to be a farmer.)

I have ALWAYS wanted to go "home" whether that be to the rolling hills of Ireland, The Highlands of Scotland, or the Moors of England... I just want to go there and be there... To live there and experience life there. (Some day ... maybe.)

 

Personal favorites on this Disc ...

Live On My Warrior Son

All You Can Know

Loch Lomond

I Will Return

Lordship of the Isles

 

I do love this album with a passion that is a little silly at times, but if you love Scottish/Celtic music this is a must have for your collection. I whole heartedly recommend it to those who are willing to listen. (I also hear that this CD is enhanced for your PC with extra features. I may have to finally buy my own copy just so I can have that too.) You can buy it HERE for $20. It is also available in MP3 for less $$ HERE.

I know you don't understand why my heart is sorry now...

Fairweather Johnson

    Hootie & the Blowfish

 

Be the One

Sad Caper

Tucker's Town

She Crawls Away

So Strange

Old Man & Me

Earth Stopped Cold at Dawn

Fairweather Johnson

Honeyscrew

Let It Breathe

Silly Little Pop Song

Fool

Tootie

When I'm Lonely

 

 

Release Date: April 23, 1996

Hootie & the Blowfish was quintessential listening for the preppy girl back while I was in high school. although I wasn't a preppy, I did enjoy listening to Hootie. I love Hootie & the Blowfish, I usually end up listening to this when I'm in one of those reflective moods that needs a soft backbeat. When I listen to this CD now days it reminds me of a lot of high school experiences. Most good, some bad, and a large majority of them involving Lagoon, boys and my sister. They all make me smile now that I'm older.  I choose Fairweather Johnson as my favorite Hootie CD because it has the songs I love, that I listen to the most. I also own Cracked Rear View, but I don't listen to that one as much.

I saw them live once, at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City. I don't remember the year, but I was with Norm and Jessica, and we were on the floor, all they way at the back on the right side. Live is always the best (unless a band sucks live.)

 

My most favorite song on this disk is Tootie. Why do I love this song so much? I'm not really sure, I love the music. I love the mournful tone of Darius Rucker's voice. I love the sound of the cello. And when preformed live it is played on a silver guitar.

 

Other favorites on this album:
Tucker's Town

She Crawls Away

Earth Stopped Cold at Dawn

Let It Breathe

When I'm Lonely

 

I hate to admit that this is the last CD I bought from this band, even though my Googling today showed me that there were a few others that came out after and that I missed. It's one of my short comings, I love something, and I obsess over it for a few days or a few years, and then I move on and fall short on my follow-up even though I love something so much.

I hear Darius is a country singer now... I may have to give him a listen.

Old Memories

Olde English Madrigals and Folk Songs At Ely Cathedral

John Rutter & Cambridge Singers

Come Away, Sweet Love

Weep, O Mine Eyes
Fair Phyllis I Saw
Now Is The Month Of Maying
Fairwell, Dear Love
April Is In My Mistress' Face
Draw On, Sweet Night
Sing We At Pleasure
My Bonny Lass She Smileth
The Silver Swan
Mother, I Will Have A Husband
Dainty Fine Bird
As Vesta Was From Latmos Hill Descending
I Love My Love
My Sweetheart's Like Venus
Bushes And Briars
The Turtle Dove
The Three Ravens
Dashing Away With The Smoothing Iron
O Waly, Waly
Greensleeves

I sang a lot of John Rutter music in my high school choirs. I grew to love his music and it some how defines my teenage years. Oddly enough. My years as a youth were not filled with loud music and fast times, it was sweet and calm and a little classical.

I had always wanted to be a Madrigal, the elite choir of Davis High School, but I never made it. However, my love of this genre of music is still my favorite. I love old music. Elizabethan, Madrigals, anything from the Renaissance era. This collection of songs is one of my favorite from beginning to end.

Just a few of my favorites on this disk are:

Weep, O Mine Eyes - I sang this in Choir one year

Now Is The month Of Maying - I didn't sing this in choir, but I know all the words from listening to others sing it.

April Is In My Mistress' Face - Another one I sang in my old days.

Mother, I Will Have A Husband - Never sang this one and never knew of it until this CD, and I love it.

Greensleeves - Always a favorite of mine ... which leads to a silly story:

Greensleeves came up on iTunes the other day and John said to me, "What is this?" and I responded that it was Greensleeves and the name of the album and then suddenly I was laughing so hard that I nearly choked to death on my dinner because it was "John Rutter." Long ago in the past when I still sang in a choir as a senior in high school my friend Carrie and I created the lie that John Rutter was our father.

Needless to say, we were a couple of silly girls... but what do you expect?

After all, John Rutter is my father.

I miss the Mississippi... and You.

This album was released back in August 1997 (I was 18 years old) and I just barely added it to my collection last week. The songs on the album are older then my grandma yet pleasantly pleasing to even modern music lovers.

 

The Songs of Jimmie Rodgers - A Tribute

 

Dreaming With Tears In My Eyes - Bono

Any Old Time - Alison Krauss & Union Station

Waiting For A Train - Dickey Betts

Somewhere Down Below The Mason Dixon Line - Mary Chapin Carpenter

Miss The Mississippi And You – David Bell

My Blue Eyed Jane – Bob Dylan

Peach Pickin' Time Down In Georgia – Willie Nelson

In The Jailhouse Now – Steve Earle & The V-Roys

Blue Yodel # 9 - Jerry Garcia, John Kahn, David Grisman

Hobo Bill's Last Ride - Iris Dement

Gambling Bar Room Blues - John Mellencamp

Mule Skinner Blues - Van Morrison

Why Should I Be Lonely - Aaron Neville

T For Texas - Dwight Yoakam

 

Did you know that Jimmie Rodgers (1897 - 1933) is considered "The Father of Country Music" and that he was one of the first three people elected into the Country Music Hall of Fame? I didn't know anything about this man until I stumbled upon this album.

I'll admit, the reason I bought this album is because Bono's cover of "Dreaming With Tears in My Eyes" is so hauntingly beautiful and poignant that I had to have it. I had a :38 second clip of it on my computer for years and had forgotten about it until I was cleaning the junk out of iTunes. So I searched out this song.. it was a little difficult because the little file in iTunes was only named "dream" but after looking a bit I found this album...

I almost didn't buy the whole thing because I could just get the one MP3 on Amazon if that was what I wanted... but I was in a buying mood, and I'm sure glad I did.

from what I have read Jimmie is listed as country music, although I would really place the songs on this album in the rhythm and blues category or maybe ragtime. there are songs on this album that remind me very much of the music from "The Princess and the Frog" (the Disney movie that came out recently) but then again, since this came first I guess I have to say that the music from the princess and the frog reminds me of this music. Either way - I love it. It's got that southern feel to it that makes you just want to grab your banjo and join in the fun, or put on your flapper dress and do the Charleston.

Some of my favorites:

"Dreaming With Tears in My Eyes" is my favorite song on this album, not just because Bono sings it, but because it really is just that good. It is the song of lost love and how losing that took his sunshine away. Sweet and sad, and very nice.

"Blue Yodel No. 9" was selected as one of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.

"Somewhere Down Below The Mason Dixon Line" this song is just fun.

"Miss The Mississippi And You" next to Dreaming with tears in my eyes, this is my 2nd favorite song on the album. This is the one that reminds me the most of the princess and the frog – so much so, that I was sure it was in the movie, but it's not, just another song like it. 

"Hobo Bill's Last Ride" This is a sad little song about Hobo bill who died on the train, but he had a smile on his face. I also love the voice of Iris Dement on this song, it's very fitting to the era it was written in.

 

And for today's selection ....

Especially for Youth 2000: Forward with Faith

 

1. Forward With Faith -Kim Bracken
2. A Call I Hear - Peter Breinholt
3. The Olive Tree - Felicia Sorenson
4. Memory Lane - Jake White
5. Any Other Boy - Peter Brienholt
6. Her Garden - Tammy Simister Robinson
7. I Know That My Redeemer Lives - Linda Rowberry
8. What About - Peter Brienholt
9. Waterfall - Jon Schmidt
10. Amazing Things - Julie de Azevedo
11. Safe Inside - Nancy Hanson & Kevin Corbett
12. A Quiet Prayer - Nancy Hanson

Today's album is one of my favorite religious music albums. This CD was sent to my by my sister Jessica while I was serving in the Washington DC South Mission in Northern Virginia. It's a CD that has been listened to multiple times both on and off my mission, and makes me cry almost every time.

Now most people will talk about their missions and tell you that it was the greatest experience in their lives, but my mission was the hardest thing I have ever done. I learned to love more and hate more there than I think I have ever done my entire life, or will ever do again. I learned about death and loss, and joy and pain in those short 18 months. However, You will never hear me say that I wish I was a missionary again. There is not enough money in the entire world to bribe me into ever re-living THAT experience...

But at the same time it was a good experience for me. I learned about others. I learned to love people who I would never give the time of day to before. I learned that some people might seem nice from a distance, but I would never want to live with them or even speak of them ever again. I learned that God doesn't always answer your prayers. I learned that life is hard and some days I just didn't want to be a part of it anymore.

And yet, I found some of my best friends in Virginia, companions and members and converts and other missionaries. People that I discovered lived within a 40 mile radius from the home I grew up in, but never knew they existed. I wouldn't trade those people for the world. I look back on my mission and think that maybe I didn't go out for "them" maybe I went out for "me". I learned more as a individual to be more tolerant of people and more open to change. I had my testimony shaken to the core and rebuilt to be something I could be proud of. I became a better person because of my personal experiences within the walls of my own body, and not out on the streets knocking on doors. Over the years I have forgotten a lot of that, my trials and experiences have made me doubt, and I grown depressed and bitter and though I don't think I've lost my way, I've have definitely just been walking along side the iron rod instead of hanging on.

So if my mission was sot bad, why is this CD one of my favorites, and why did I have to tell you all that before I could get into the reasons why I love this??

Today I had lunch with my supervisor. It was a "working lunch" so we spent 10 minutes talking about work and the other 50 minutes becoming friends. In the middle of the conversations she asked me a personal question "Are you LDS?" and of course my answer is yes. She told me that she is a convert and used to be a Baptist and that right now she is struggling with the church. I heard myself telling her that I also haven't been to church for over a year, and that I struggle everyday with "The People" of Mormonism. I told her that the church is true, and that people fail but you need to hang on to the gospel and do it for yourself and not for others. (I think I needed this lecture just as much as she did.) I know I am right, but sometimes it is so hard to go and be with people that say they're supporting their fellow man, but ignore their neighbors in their times of need.

As we spent our hour talking I shared with her my life and my dreams, my fears and anger and my begrudged faith in God... and she understood me and knew how I felt. Then something happened that hasn't happened in years. She said to me "Inside me, I know it's true. I can feel it," and she placed her hand on her heart, "right here. When you said the gospel is true and that people mess up, I feel it here, and I know."

And you know what happened next? ... I felt it too.

 

All the songs on this collection are amazing. Thank You for giving this to me Jessica I truly do love it. This album represents all "those" feelings to me. Because I KNOW that my Redeemer Lives, Joseph Smith was NOT just Any Other Boy,  and Faith the size of a seed CAN do Amazing Things.

 

After my conversation today I had this song in my head:

 

Amazing Things - Julie de Azevedo

 

What would it be like
To have faith to move a mountain
Faith to walk on water
Such faith I've never known
What would it be like
To ride a chariot of fire
Or to see God's very finger
Write upon a stone

What would it be like
To sleep among the lions
Or to build an ark
While laughter floods my ears
What would it be like
Facing death to save my nation
Or be betrayed by my own brothers
And not harbor it for years

Faith the size of a seed
Can do amazing things
Amazing things

What would it be like
To defeat a mighty giant
Or see the belly of a whale
And live to tell
What would it be like
Stripped of every last possession
To remain a true and faithful servant still

Faith the size of a seed
Can do amazing things
Amazing things

What would it be like
To behold the son and father
Or see visions of what was and what will be
What will it be like
If I drink from heaven's fountain
Having faith to move a mountain

Faith the size of a seed
Can do amazing things
Amazing things

 

With faith the size of a seed
What will He do through me?