Dark clouds may hang on me sometimes

Well, it's been a while since I posted about a favorite out of my collection. Recently John and I have moved all the music on our computer to an external hard drive and as I've been going through, deleting duplicates, I have been reminded about how much music I have that I love so very much. Here is a CD that played a lot during my high school years.

 

 

   Under the Table and Dreaming

             Dave Matthews Band

 

The Best of What's Around

What Would You Say

Satellite

Rhyme & Reason

Typical Situation

Dancing Nancies

Ants Marching

Lover Lay Down

Jimi Thing

Warehouse

Pay For What You Get

#34

 

 

Under the Table and Dreaming was released September 1994. I don't think I really thought much about the album until the summer of 1995 when there was a boy I worked with at Lagoon named Eric Clark. I used to call him Jack for fun. He was a sweet quiet kid from Bountiful, but very funny and a good friend. He asked me to go to the HORDE festival with him that summer where Dave Matthews was performing, of course I said yes because I wasn't often asked out on dates. Jack also took me to another DMB concert the next year. He was a great guy, and the Dave Matthews concerts were totally awesome. Thus began my love affair with the Dave Matthews Band. This CD is the first studio release for the band, and it contains a lot of great music.

This was one of the first albums I bought for my budding CD collection... and sadly enough it's also one of the first Albums that my nephews helped destroy with little shoes full of sand. I still have my original copy, it's been smeared with CD repair cream so many times over the years, but it skips and sounds terrible when listened to in a player. I haven't bought a new copy yet, but one day maybe I will.

 

A few of my favorites off this album are:

The Best of What's Around

What Would You Say

Satellite

Ants Marching

and my favorite off the entire album is Dancing Nancies

 

Why is Dancing Nancies my favorite you ask? Well, I think it is because it is the first song I heard off this album. I heard it sung by the band Colors, at a concert in the Davis High auditorium (probably back in 1994.) I fell in love with the song back then and decided that I needed it for my own. It's always been a favorite of mine.

I would definitely recommend this album for you if you enjoy some good jazzy, funk-rock, southern cookin' music to listen to. They're great.

Stomp your feet and clap your hands

I have only owned this album for a short time, but I dare say that I LOVE IT.

 

           Vices & Virtue

        Panic! at the Disco

(Digital Deluxe Album from iTunes)

 

The Ballad of Mona Lisa
Let’s Kill Tonight
Hurricane
Memories
Trade Mistakes
Ready to Go (Get Me Out of My Mind)
Always
The Calendar
Sarah Smiles
Nearly Witches (Ever Since We Met…)

 

Bonus Tracks:

Oh, Glory (Demo)

Stall Me

The Ballad of Mona Lisa Music Video

 

This album was released 3/22/2011 so it is pretty new. We were first introduced to this fun little group (or so I thought) by the iTunes download of the single: The Ballad of Mona Lisa. I loved the song. It's up beat and catchy and just a little bizarre. John was perusing iTunes one night and came across the music video for Mona Lisa and was intrigued enough to say to me that I'd like this band. He was right. Turns out that Mona Lisa isn't the first time I'd heard their music. There is a song on the Jennifer's Body soundtrack by Panic! at the Disco. One I had liked before, but didn't look much further into the band. I think John picking out the video for them was my go ahead to look more seriously at the band and the music that I would probably like... The music video for The Ballad of Mona Lisa is quite bizarre. It is a bit steampunk and confusing, but I love the weirdness of it.

 

What songs on this album do I love the most:

The Ballad of Mona Lisa

Let's Kill Tonight

Memories

Sara Smiles - This one gets stuck in my head frequently.

Oh, Glory (Demo)

 

After looking just a little more, it looks like there are 2 more Panic! at the Disco albums out there I'll have to look into.

 

Other bands that Panic! at the Disco remind me of:

Neon Trees

Paramore

Secondhand Serenade

The Beautiful South

Secret stair case running high.

This weeks CD... Just because I love it.

 

Indigo Girls - Indigo Girls Closer to Fine Secure Yourself Kid Fears Prince Of Darkness Blood And Fire Tried To Be True Love's Recovery Land Of Canaan Center Stage History Of Us

 

This album was released in 1989, but I didn't find it until I was in High School nearly 7 years later. Initially I bought the album for the song Closer to Fine because it was the one that I heard people playing on the radio or in the halls at school. I bought the cassette and found that I loved all the songs on it. The harmonies are beautiful, and the words are so poetic. After a few years cassettes went the way of the dinosaurs and I went a different direction with my life. Sometime last year I heard Closer to Fine on the radio again and it reminded me of how much I had loved this album. I bought it from iTunes. ( I hate buying MP3's I'm always afraid my computer will crash taking it all away.) I added it to my iPod, and now every time I hear the songs I just want to sing along. Loudly. but I'm often listening to them while at work and that doesn't go over to well. It's also a little embarrassing. O_o

What are my favorite songs on this album?

Closer to Fine

Kid Fears

Blood and Fire

Land of Canaan

Stay the Same

Oh my! I'm back with my CD selection of the week... and yes, I realize that today isn't Friday, but I realized that I have a ton of half started, unfinished blog posts in my out box that need a little attention. So lets get back to this without further ado:

 

Stay The Same

   Joey McIntyre

 

All I Wanna Do

Because Of You

Couldn't Stay Away

Give It Up

I Can't Do It Without You

I Cried

I Love You Came Too Late

Let Me Take You For A Ride

One Night

Stay The Same

The Way (that I Loved You)

We Can Get Down

Without Your Love

 

 

I think this album came to me as a bit of a joke. My eldest brother bought me the single of stay the same on a whim because he knew how much I loved the New Kids on the Block... and especially Joey. Stay the Same is Joey McIntyre's first solo debut album, released on March 16, 1999. The single for this album was the song "Stay the Same" it's a bit of an inspirational ballad that talks about how you're perfect just the way you are.... I'm sure Norm didn't know it at the time, but I really needed to hear this song. At the time all my friends were moving, going on missions, getting married... and I wasn't doing anything. I desperately wanted to be different. I wanted to be doing something with my life but I felt like it was all just on hold for no reason. I wasn't sure I liked who I was and I was pretty sure that no one loved me back. Then, one day, out of the blue my brother gave me this single and it changed everything. I listened to it, and I cried, and I listened to it some more and loved it. And I think Joey taught me a lesson that I really needed to hear at that time in my life. Believe in yourself. You are special just the way you are. Don't change. You're perfect just the way you are. I know the CD was non-regulation mission music, but I took this single with me when I went to serve in the Washington DC South Mission, and I'm glad I did. There were times, and companions that ripped me to shreds and made me think that I wasn't worth spit, and when I'd feel low and unworthy, I'd turn on this little off the plan song and I'd be okay again.

Eventually I did buy they entire album. I don't recall if that purchase was made before, or after the mission, because the rest of the music didn't have as big of an impact on my soul. The album is made up mostly of 90's Pop love ballads. (Which I do love.) Joe McIntyre has a great voice for belting out this type of tune. The rest of the songs on the album are great and worth listening to. Some of my favorites on the album are: I Cried, The Way (that I Loved You), Because of You, and I Love You Came to Late. I realized that I only have a few of them on my iPod and may need to reshuffle some music to add Joey back into my listening library... but Stay the Same is on there. I don't think I'll ever not love this song.

Thanks for bringing Joe back into my life Norm. You really have no idea how much it changed me for the better and how those words, and that song have helped me through the hard times. Thank you for being such a great brother.

 

Stay the Same – Joe McIntyre

 

Don't you ever wish you were someone else,
You were meant to be the way you are exactly.
Don't you ever say you don't like the way you are.

When you learn to love yourself, you're better off by far.
And I hope you always stay the same, cuz there’s nothin' 'bout you I would change.

I think that you could be whatever you wanted to be
If you could realize, all the dreams you have inside.
Don't be afraid if you've got something to say,
Just open up your heart and let it show you the way.

Don't you ever wish you were someone else,
You were meant to be the way you are exactly.
Don't you ever say you don't like the way you are.

When you learn to love yourself, you're better off by far.
And I hope you always stay the same, cuz there's nothin' 'bout you I would change.

Believe in yourself.
Reach down inside.
The love you find will set you free.
Believe in yourself, you will come alive.
Have faith in what you do.
You'll make it through.

 

Don't you ever wish you were someone else,
You were meant to be the way you are exactly.
Don't you ever say you don't like the way you are.

When you learn to love yourself, you're better off by far.
And I hope you always stay the same, cuz there's nothin' 'bout you I would change.

 

Don't change.

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."

Happy Trails to You

Last night was fun.

It was the first "date night" we have had in a while. We've spent the last two months of  date nights home watching horror movies, so it was nice to get out again and get ourselves some culture.Well, our evening started when John and I went to The Desert Edge Brewery for dinner. Yumm. It's in Trolley Square and it is always good food. After dinner it was off to Abravanel Hall for some musical entertainment.

This week is the Heber City Cowboy Poetry Gathering and Buckaroo Fair up in Heber City, UT (if you couldn't guess from the name) and the Riders in the Sky kicked off the week of events with a concert at Abravanel Hall in Salt Lake City with the Utah Symphony. Let me just say that it was awesome.

I love the Rider's in the Sky. (They are almost as high in my book of Cowboy Singers as the Bar J Wranglers.) Remember back in the early 90's (1991 - 1992) they had a short run of Saturday morning TV. After Pee-wee Herman went off the air in 1990 the Riders got his set. I remember watching them. I enjoyed them back then, and I enjoy them now.

They had a couple of opening acts with Sourdough Slim who plays the accordion and sings cowboy songs, and also there was Waddie Mitchell who tells Cowboy poetry. I wasn't too impressed with Sourdough, but I do love some cowboy Poetry.

They sang some songs I knew, and some songs I didn't. They also did a few songs from Disney since they wrote a lot of the music for Toy Story 2, and they preformed the music while we watched the Pixar short film called "For The Birds" that was included with "Monsters, Inc" when it was in theaters. Yeah, they wrote that music.

So the show was good and we were glad we went even though John complained all the way to there. Yes, he enjoyed it to once it started. He says he prefers the Riders in the Sky to all the other Cowboy music I listen to.

Perhaps next summer I can drag myself out of my cool house in the middle of July to see the Riders in the Sky for free. (They usually perform at the Layton Park in the summer time)

 

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. :)

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.