Upside Down Cats

Here's what we were up to...

Continue reading "What Were You Doing 15 Years ... »

Sunny Spot...

Here comes the sun...finally!!!

Here's Abbey and Cooper worshiping the Sun King!

And while we're on the subject, (what subject was that, exactly?) let us take a moment to enjoy a very cool musical interlude...

Continue reading "Happiness Is A Warm..." »

I am usually a bit insecure about expressing my musical opinions. My Sweetie, Scott, at his blog, My Thermos, posts about music on a regular basis and with well-deserved confidence. As for myself, I lack the brand of conviction he possesses in his musical knowledge and taste.

The truth be known, I am probably every bit as opinionated as he when it comes to music...I just don't feel I have the "cred" to back it up, so I generally keep my mouth shut...

Today all that changes.

I have - for the first time in my life - mustered the nerve to proclaim my own choice for...

The Greatest Song Ever Written...

Continue reading "While My Ukulele Gently Weeps" »

It's been a while since any of my daycare children said anything that cracked me up, but our funny-drought ended this morning, so my Too Cute! feature returneth...

A little girl who will turn three years old next month was singing The Farmer in the Dell and this is what I heard...

"The farmer takes a life...!"

We've got to stop watching Law and Order at quiet time...!!!

The daycare kids and I are dancing away our post-holiday stress at our Friday Afternoon Dance Party.

Yippee!

(The word "Yippee" in response to the words "Dance Party" is a Jack's Big Music Show reference, in case you are interested...)

But even if you're not, you may like to join us as we get down and get funky...

Continue reading "Shall We Dance?" »

I need an energetic push to get me through to the end of the week..

Let's try this lively selection from my Life Is Good Songs list...



I feel much better now...was it good for you, too?

I'm just about sick to death of the Christmas music I've been hearing since September, anyway!

This is the next-to-last day of NaBloPoMo! I'm almost finished with my month of posts on the topic of things for which I am thankful. When I originally made my list of 30+ things for which I am thankful to blog about, today's was one of the first I committed to writing. Since I'm choosing my topics - for the most part - at random from that list, I've been looking for daily inspiration as to which one to choose. I've been waiting, and waiting, and waiting...I'd nearly given up on this one altogether!

I'm happy to say, however, that the inspiration arrived last night, from the unlikely source of Law and Order: Criminal Intent... It was just a snippet of a song, but it was exactly the example for which I'd been waiting!

I wanted to include a clip illustrating precisely what I mean when I say I am thankful for soulful saxophone!

Continue reading "There's Nothing Better Than ... »

In the interest of keeping the world apprised of the most depressing songs ever performed, I have added a couple more to my list:

6. Life's Been Good (Despite its title, not one of my Life Is Good Songs)

7. Dust in the Wind

Since I do want to get the day off to a good start, however, I'm also sharing a clip of one of the funky, fabulous songs from my opposite list, Life Is Good Songs.

Enjoy this example of feel-good music...Pick Up the Pieces, by Average White Band.

“Words make you think a thought. Music makes you feel a feeling. A song makes you feel a thought.” - E. Y. (Yip) Harburg, lyricist of ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’

Recently I was reading Malvina Reynolds' daughter, Nancy Schimmel's blog, Writing Malvina and I discovered this quote. It struck me as the perfect answer to a question Scott and I often ponder and discuss, "Are song lyrics poetry? Can they stand alone and convey the same meaning as they do when accompanied by their music?"

Our consensus was (usually) that although lyrics often can stand up to analysis in much the same way as a poem, there is some indefinable difference between the two.

I think this quote colorfully illustrates why, as far as a song is concerned, in order to convey the entire experience, the words and music are inseparable.

My Bitchin' Broad for today is Malvina Reynolds. I first heard of Malvina when I looked up information about the theme song from the television show Weeds, titled "Little Boxes," which, it turns out, she wrote and performed. Click the arrow below to hear her perform the song.



What a stroke of serendipity that was for me! Not only did I quench my thirst for obscure television trivia, but I was introduced to a truly inspirational woman! Sometimes my tedious curiosity pays off...It is my pleasure to share with you why Malvina Reynolds meets (and exceeds) my definition of a Bitchin' Broad ...

Continue reading "Bitchin' Broads - Malvina ... »