I created my soundtrack a while back ("Sing the Changes") and have decided to add the following two songs:
"Open" by Mike Scott
I actually have a live version of this from "Karma to Burn" in my playlist (as well as Long Way to the Light). There is such joy in the live versions...
If you love the life you live
Then you'll get a lot more done
Be more inclined to take the reins
Than turn away and run
it's very rare it seems to get a lifetime guarantee,
So I suppose self satisfaction be the key
My father is a wealthy, self made man
But his wealth does not consist of
riches or acres of land
Instead he has a family who are
His biggest fans
that's something that I one day hope to have
So I'll cherish the simple things
The easy took for granted things
Like going round my Mum's house for my tea
And argue with my sister,
Only God knows how I missed her
it's the simple things that mean the most to me
Argh, he gets up each day at five
Starts the car and makes the drive
Shutters up, starts the fryers
Serves out food to all the buyers in the town
As they stand there in the same old line
Get there every day at the same old time
No, you never hear him grumble and groan
Cause they're the people in the
line that he built it on
And like me he cherished the simple things
The easy took for granted things
Like going round his Mum's house for my tea
And argue with his sister,
Only God knows how he missed her
it's the simple things tha mean the most to... him
This week's Creative Dreaming assignment was to create a soundtrack that best illustrates our life the way we dream it to be.
I found this pretty interesting because I normally get drawn to music that illustrates how I'm feeling now...which I suppose could contribute to feeling "stuck."
So here are some songs from my iPod, in no particular order, that make up my soundtrack. The funny thing is that with the exception of Paul McCartney and Mike Scott, all these songs are the only ones by these artists in my collection. The energy of them stuck with me and I had to download them!
I love it when songs "find" us...
I've made a separate playlist with them that I will add to and subtract from as I see fit. It's good to switch to in between the Glee soundtracks, The Waterboys, and Paolo Nutini... :)
XO
Satisfying. This is the paltry sounding word that came to mind...and I was later teased for...while watching The Waterboys make magic with the poems of W.B. Yeats in the Abbey Theatre, Dublin.
I also had the thought that often runs through my head when listening to them on my iPod..."I Effing LOVE THEM!" :)
But I WAS! I was SO satisfied by this concert. Maybe satiated is a more emotional word? I was satisfied like having a really amazing meal and the dessert was the encore which included "The Stolen Child," "Don't Bang the Drum," and "The Whole of the Moon." Delicious.
"An Appointment With Mr. Yeats" was beautiful on so many different levels: musically, visually, energetically. There was so much to absorb! Jet lag had put me into a mildly fuzzy-headed state so I was oddly observant. I remember being transfixed by the way the flautist stood on one foot while she played, how all the guys seemed to be wearing pointy-toed shoes (Mike Scott's were black velvet?), Steve Wickham sang along when he wasn't playing his violin and closed his eyes when he was...
In fact, I loved watching Steve Wickham play so much, I found myself looking for him when he wasn't on stage. I suppose my years with the violin makes me partial :)
It's such a gift to watch artists, such as The Waterboys, so IN their music and clearly doing what they were meant to do. It captivates you.
The incredible Mike Scott!*
The amazing Steve Wickham
The magical W.B. Yeats
This concert was the catalyst for my Ireland getaway. Back in July, when the box office opened, I thought I was slightly out of my mind to even consider purchasing concert tickets for a show in Ireland. After all, I had a two week trip to Scotland coming up! But the more I thought about it, the more it seemed like the right thing to do (all be it a little crazy). So I bought 3 tickets and was put in row "L.":)
But wait! It gets better! The friend who introduced me to the band was going to take one of those three tickets! So I flew from America to Ireland to meet my English friend who lives in Scotland to see a band with a Scottish leader and an Irish fiddler put the work of W. B. Yeats (an Irish poet) to music.
I was a little frustrated at myself because afterward, jet lag was robbing me of recall! It was like when I wake up in the morning and know I dreamed but I can't quite clearly remember. It took me a few days leafing through my Yeats book and the help of a fellow blogger Alison Ní Dhorchaidhe (and her wonderful review) to piece things together. It was a delightful little puzzle. Some of my favorites: The Song of Wandering Aengus, The White Birds, Mad as the Mist and Snow, Sweet Dancer, News for the Delphic Oracle, A Full Moon in March, The Lake Isle of Innisfree, Politics, and a shimmery version of Down by the Salley Gardens.
"An Appointment With Mr. Yeats" keeps getting clearer upon reflection and I realize now that I was really forced to be in the moment during the show...and what wonderful moments!
I've been honored to share my space with her since I was about 12 years old. She's French, just like me...and at this point, pushing 100 years old. A true beauty to behold.
I began my stringed journey when I was 8 or 9. My family is very musical and it wasn't a question of "if" you'd play an instrument, it was "which one you would choose." Sports were never on the TV when I was growing up.
My Dad and Brother played the Saxophone (my Brother is now a music teacher) and my Sister played the flute. At a young age I took a few piano lessons and my Dad showed me how to play a few notes on the Sax but they didn't capture my heart. For years I thought I'd be like my Sis and play the flute...and then Mrs. Brown (our School's Orchestra teacher) brought a violin into my class. I was intrigued.
Being the stubborn Leo that I am...I chose the violin. It was partially because no one else in the family played it, so they couldn't tell me what to do, and also because it's SO pretty. Looking back I guess it sort of chose me. The warmth of the wood...the resonance of the strings...the way you have to hold it to you like a love.
I don't play much these days, though I keep Myrtle close. While writing this I took her out, tuned her up and practiced a bit. There's something about playing that feeds the heart and soul. I feel very lucky to have experienced playing in big orchestras and small chamber groups. I can't even explain the feeling. All that power and being surrounded by the music. The sounds coming off the strings and right into my heart, infusing me with wonder...nourishing me in ways I didn't even realize at the time.
Music is an amazing thing in that way. My Dad played in bands most of his life and even when very sick, music was one of the things that kept him strong. It really does have a mystical power that transcends reality. Whether you're producing or absorbing it. I'm in a much better mood when I put on music and sing along while getting ready to go out. It makes me feel more balanced, creatively and spiritually.
Lee Ann Monat is a photographer, cook, and writer who uses her life experiences as fuel and inspiration.
She began "The Lion's Share" after her 30th birthday trip to Scotland in 2008. It combines all her creative interests and allows her to share what she loves with others.
Using cooking and travel as creative outlets for the senses, "The Lion's Share" serves as a public diary and photo-journal of one woman's search for herself and her dreams.
Lee Ann hopes that sharing her journey in her unique way might inspire her readers to follow their bliss as well. Continue to follow along at The Lion's Share Blog's new home: http://www.lion-art.com
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