Greetings,
It is amazing that it has taken me this long to make this particular list. I mean, you may not know this, but I would consider Amy Grant to be my favorite female singer. She has been there for my entire life and was one of the few good memories I have where my childhood is concerned. So, I have always seen her as a source of comfort for me, and she was one of the reasons why I fell in love with music. Well, it was really her and Jem and the Holograms, but that's a discussion for another day. To be honest, Amy Grant has had an immense effect on my life.
So, I have, on a few occasions, used my writing as a way of thanking her for all she has done to make my life a bit better, and thus, I thought I could do that today by sharing my favorite songs by her. Trust, this was a difficult list to make. I love so much of her music, but quite a few songs hold a very special place in my heart for many reasons. Here are the ones that I hold the closest.
#10. "That's What Love Is For" - I once had a friend who thought that Heart In Motion was Amy's first album. I suggested we see other people after that. Anyway, quite a few songs from this album did very well and pushed Amy right into the mainstream, even more than she already had been. But being a hopeless romantic, I guess, of course, I had to pick the power ballad love song as my favorite. I am so predictable.
#9. "El Shaddai" - I know that when people say that a song sounds beautiful, they tend to be talking about the music half. But this song has some exquisitely sounding words in it, and most of them are in another language, as you can tell from the title. Yes, all those names that we can call God certainly have a lovely ring to them.
#8. "Saved By Love" - Is it just me, or do we not have nearly enough songs about the love that one feels for their family? Of course, we have a million songs about romantic love, which is easily the most fleeting. But when it comes to the more, hopefully, strong and lasting love between family members, we are lacking. Thank God for songs like this. Also, I may have named one of my books after a lyric in this song. Just like I did with a lyric from my Number One song. I am not a thief. I hope.
#7. "Lead Me On" - I hate to use the word "epic" as it has been so overused in recent years, but I just have to do it in this case. This song is rather epic. From the bigness of the music production to the strength of the message, this might be considered something of a masterpiece for Amy. Well, considering how long her career has lasted, it was bound to happen some time.
#6. "Everywhere I Go" - The synth sound can really go either way with me, to be honest. And as this song comes from an album released smack dab in the middle of the 80's, I am not surprised to find it here. But there is just something about this song that always makes me smile. Maybe it is just the joyful sound of it all. Or maybe it's because my mother was never the biggest fan of it. Oh, I am so bad.
#5. "Thy Word" - Every now and then, a song from the Contemporary Christian Music genre trickles down into the songs that people sing during worship services at church, or even school, as it happened in my case. This is one of those songs. Now, whilst I think it is beautiful, I also think it should be sung by one person at a time. Maybe because of my own personal "group sing" experiences, where everyone always messes up the note on the "to the end" line. Just saying. But whatever. This song is still brilliant.
#4. "Doubly Good To You" - Time for me to get a little sad here. This wonderful song was written by one of Amy's good friends, Rich Mullins. He is kind of a legend in the world of Christian music, and he is responsible for my favorite album of all time. Sadly, for us anyway, he passed away nearly twenty years ago. But he did leave a vast legacy of great music, including this incredible love song.
#3. "The Prodigal" - Spoilers, this may have been inspired by a certain parable. However, due to the lyrical content, I think it can be used to express the longing for anyone you love to return. There's something so bittersweet about it, yet there is some hope lying in there. As always.
#2. "All I Ever Have To Be" - So, for a very long time, this was actually my favorite song by Amy. Obviously, that changed, but I still love it dearly. Something in those lyrics about doubting yourself and what have to give the world, but being reminded that you are made by God and that He has a plan in mind. It is such a comfort. Always has been and always will be.
#1. "After the Fire" - I remember seeing Amy on the Oprah show singing this song to her mother and her sisters a long time ago. It was rather emotional, in the best way. One thing I have always said about Amy is that she puts intricate beauty into simple things, and this song is, in fact, a simple one. At least, it seems that way. But in the ease of the notes and the words, she tells a story that can travel far and last a lifetime. It will for me, of that I am sure.
And there are my favorite songs by my favorite singer. I could go on and on about what an impact that Amy Grant has made on my life, even more than I already have, but even for a writer like myself, there will never be enough words. So, the most I can ever really say to her that could sum it all up is "Thank You".
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Wednesday, December 7, 2016
Sunday, November 27, 2016
Top 50 Beatles Songs: 10 - 1
Greetings,
This is it. We have finally reached the last leg in the race to find out what the greatest Beatles song of all time is...according to me. I know, I know, but try and keep calm. If you read my other installments, you won't be surprised to find some obvious choices mixed in with a few obscure ones. In fact, I don't doubt that my #1 choice will be very unexpected. Don't you dare look yet! You have to read the whole list first. That's the rule. Well, enough rambling from me. Let's get to the Top Ten of my Top Fifty favorite songs by The Beatles.
#10. "Yer Blues" - This song...is awesome! I just love how gritty it is and how, for lack of a better word, bluesy it is. Funny thing though, it was written to be almost an exaggeration of British blues, being a bit satirical, but honest, nonetheless. Now that takes some serious talent.
#9. "Paperback Writer" - No, I did not put his on the list just because I am also a paperback writer. Although, that fact did give it a few extra points. And apparently, this song came to be after someone asked Paul if all he could write were love songs. I guess not. Also, those vocals at the beginning are excellent.
#8. "Hey, Jude" - Here's an obvious choice. I don't think anyone can deny that it's one of their best. And it also contained one of the best lines that Paul ever wrote: "The movement you need is on your shoulder." Can you believe he almost cut it out? Good thing John told him to keep it. Always listen to your best friend.
#7. "It's Only Love" - I heard the working title of this song was "That's a Nice Hat". I guess that could have worked. They've had weirder titles. Also, it seemed that John Lennon himself was not a fan of this one. Well, too bad. I think it's fantastic, and I sound great singing it. So there.
#6. "Free As a Bird" - I bet a lot of people didn't expect to see this one at all, much less so high on the list. But there's just something about it that makes me feel, you know? Maybe because this, along with "Real Love", gave us new Beatles music that we never thought we would get. Also, the video for this song is my favorite music video of all time.
#5. "Dear Prudence" - That bass line. Do I even have to say anything more about this song to justify its position on this list? NO! So, I'm not gonna!
#4. "If I Fell" - Whilst I do find myself far more attracted overall to the second half of the Beatles career, I must say this is one of the most perfect love songs I have ever heard. I love how its simple and complex all at the same time, creating this rather magical piece of music.
#3. "Across the Universe" - As I've said before, I am a lyric snob. I have no idea what the lyrics in this song mean. I don't think John did either. And yet, I find it something of a masterpiece. Sometimes just stringing a bunch of beautiful words together, whether it all makes sense or not, is enough to make something very special.
#2. "In My Life" - Some people consider this the greatest song by The Beatles. Darn close. I do love how the melody and the lyrics fit each other so perfectly. Not all songs can do that. And I heard that John said it was really the first time he got very personal about his own life with his lyrics. Any time a writer can do that, they are already ahead.
#1. "Cry, Baby, Cry" - SURPRISE!! Yeah, I bet a lot of you did not see this one coming. In fact, I doubt that this is anyone's favorite Beatles song, besides me. But I cannot help it. I am a person who loves songs that I can see. By that, I mean that the lyrics here paint such a vivid picture, and it is a picture that has always reminded me of some kind of fantasy world in the vein of Alice in Wonderland. That kind of makes sense, actually, since it was apparently inspired by a nursery rhyme. Sounds like it. I don't know. I just hear something new every time I hear this song. And that is something I love and always want in the music to which I listen.
And there you have it. It has been a long trip, but now you know the FIFTY Beatles songs that I consider their best, my personal favorites. I hope you enjoyed all these lists and if you haven't gone through your Beatles collection in a while, I hope I inspired you to go back and listen to some of this amazing music.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
This is it. We have finally reached the last leg in the race to find out what the greatest Beatles song of all time is...according to me. I know, I know, but try and keep calm. If you read my other installments, you won't be surprised to find some obvious choices mixed in with a few obscure ones. In fact, I don't doubt that my #1 choice will be very unexpected. Don't you dare look yet! You have to read the whole list first. That's the rule. Well, enough rambling from me. Let's get to the Top Ten of my Top Fifty favorite songs by The Beatles.
#10. "Yer Blues" - This song...is awesome! I just love how gritty it is and how, for lack of a better word, bluesy it is. Funny thing though, it was written to be almost an exaggeration of British blues, being a bit satirical, but honest, nonetheless. Now that takes some serious talent.
#9. "Paperback Writer" - No, I did not put his on the list just because I am also a paperback writer. Although, that fact did give it a few extra points. And apparently, this song came to be after someone asked Paul if all he could write were love songs. I guess not. Also, those vocals at the beginning are excellent.
#8. "Hey, Jude" - Here's an obvious choice. I don't think anyone can deny that it's one of their best. And it also contained one of the best lines that Paul ever wrote: "The movement you need is on your shoulder." Can you believe he almost cut it out? Good thing John told him to keep it. Always listen to your best friend.
#7. "It's Only Love" - I heard the working title of this song was "That's a Nice Hat". I guess that could have worked. They've had weirder titles. Also, it seemed that John Lennon himself was not a fan of this one. Well, too bad. I think it's fantastic, and I sound great singing it. So there.
#6. "Free As a Bird" - I bet a lot of people didn't expect to see this one at all, much less so high on the list. But there's just something about it that makes me feel, you know? Maybe because this, along with "Real Love", gave us new Beatles music that we never thought we would get. Also, the video for this song is my favorite music video of all time.
#5. "Dear Prudence" - That bass line. Do I even have to say anything more about this song to justify its position on this list? NO! So, I'm not gonna!
#4. "If I Fell" - Whilst I do find myself far more attracted overall to the second half of the Beatles career, I must say this is one of the most perfect love songs I have ever heard. I love how its simple and complex all at the same time, creating this rather magical piece of music.
#3. "Across the Universe" - As I've said before, I am a lyric snob. I have no idea what the lyrics in this song mean. I don't think John did either. And yet, I find it something of a masterpiece. Sometimes just stringing a bunch of beautiful words together, whether it all makes sense or not, is enough to make something very special.
#2. "In My Life" - Some people consider this the greatest song by The Beatles. Darn close. I do love how the melody and the lyrics fit each other so perfectly. Not all songs can do that. And I heard that John said it was really the first time he got very personal about his own life with his lyrics. Any time a writer can do that, they are already ahead.
#1. "Cry, Baby, Cry" - SURPRISE!! Yeah, I bet a lot of you did not see this one coming. In fact, I doubt that this is anyone's favorite Beatles song, besides me. But I cannot help it. I am a person who loves songs that I can see. By that, I mean that the lyrics here paint such a vivid picture, and it is a picture that has always reminded me of some kind of fantasy world in the vein of Alice in Wonderland. That kind of makes sense, actually, since it was apparently inspired by a nursery rhyme. Sounds like it. I don't know. I just hear something new every time I hear this song. And that is something I love and always want in the music to which I listen.
And there you have it. It has been a long trip, but now you know the FIFTY Beatles songs that I consider their best, my personal favorites. I hope you enjoyed all these lists and if you haven't gone through your Beatles collection in a while, I hope I inspired you to go back and listen to some of this amazing music.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Monday, November 21, 2016
Top 50 Beatles Songs: 20 -11
Greetings,
Oh, look at that! We are getting closer and closer to revealing the Number One spot and the best Beatles song of all time, according to me! But not today, so you're gonna have to be little more patient. Off we go!
#20. "I Am the Walrus" - So...I'm weird. It's a thing I have, my weirdness. And I have accepted it fully. It is songs like this that helped me do that, because it is WEIRD! But it's also cool. So, I figured if it can be weird and cool, then so can I. Throw in a bit of creepiness at the end there, and you've got yourself a bizarro classic.
#19. "Here, There and Everywhere" - And now for the other end of the spectrum. This a pretty normal song, but it's also quite beautiful. Sometimes all you need is a simple love song to get the point across. And Paul does quite a fine job with the vocals here, very different from his work on "Oh, Darlin'" that I mentioned, but still effective. Well, done.
#18. "This Boy" - The first time I heard this song was, once again, on that show Just the Ten of Us, where the four daughters were singing it. And they were singing it as "This Girl". And all I can remember was my mom saying that they were singing it wrong. Technically, she was correct, but if you get a chance to sing this song, even altered, take it!
#17. "Misery" - For me, this was the high point of the first album by The Beatles, and I heard they actually wrote it for a young singer, but her manager or something thought it was too much of a downer. No, not that kind of downer. Those came later. I cannot pinpoint any detailed reason as to why I love this song so much, but I do. Oh, wait. It's because "the world is treating me bad". #Misery
#16. "Tomorrow Never Knows" - So...I'm still weird. But this time, I'm also existential...apparently. Yeah, I assume that there is some deep meaning to the lyrics here, but heck if I know what it is. I just know that it sounds different. And different can be very good.
#15. "Rain" - I love rain! It is my favorite kind of weather. And wasn't it so nice of the guys to write this song about it for me...many years before I was born, but still. Actually, I heard they wrote it after visiting Australia and running into some inclement weather there. And John also called it their first great psychedelic song. Sure, why not?
#14. "Yes, It Is" - For some reason, I always think this is one of the more lesser known Beatles songs. It shouldn't be, but it might be. Fun Fact, which is totally true, because Wikipedia: This song was John's attempt to rewrite the aforementioned "This Boy". Well, that didn't work out. Or did it?
#13. "All My Loving" - Another "letter" song. What do you know? Hey, I'm not complaining. I love handwritten letters! This better be about a handwritten letter. But even if it isn't, I can be forgiving. Because listen to that guitar work. Excellent!
#12. "The Long and Winding Road" - Okay, apparently, there is some controversy around the recording of this song. Something about overdubs and Phil Spector and Paul getting mad about something. Hang on a minute. Phil Spector got mad about something? Phil Spector maybe lost his cool? Phil Spector? Of all people? Surely, you jest. But let's put all that aside, because who cares? Whatever happened, we got this amazing song out of it.
#11. "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)" - So, this song is about an affair. Totes not cool, man. However, I cannot help but love this song from a purely musical standpoint. It's got a great rhythm, and the use of that sitar is done quite perfectly. Not too much, not too little, just right. And it helped to make it stand out on what is one of the best albums The Beatles ever made.
Well, thank you for joining me for the penultimate list. Soon, I will reveal my top picks for the best Beatles songs ever in the history of life. Not that I would ever want to build it up too much.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Oh, look at that! We are getting closer and closer to revealing the Number One spot and the best Beatles song of all time, according to me! But not today, so you're gonna have to be little more patient. Off we go!
#20. "I Am the Walrus" - So...I'm weird. It's a thing I have, my weirdness. And I have accepted it fully. It is songs like this that helped me do that, because it is WEIRD! But it's also cool. So, I figured if it can be weird and cool, then so can I. Throw in a bit of creepiness at the end there, and you've got yourself a bizarro classic.
#19. "Here, There and Everywhere" - And now for the other end of the spectrum. This a pretty normal song, but it's also quite beautiful. Sometimes all you need is a simple love song to get the point across. And Paul does quite a fine job with the vocals here, very different from his work on "Oh, Darlin'" that I mentioned, but still effective. Well, done.
#18. "This Boy" - The first time I heard this song was, once again, on that show Just the Ten of Us, where the four daughters were singing it. And they were singing it as "This Girl". And all I can remember was my mom saying that they were singing it wrong. Technically, she was correct, but if you get a chance to sing this song, even altered, take it!
#17. "Misery" - For me, this was the high point of the first album by The Beatles, and I heard they actually wrote it for a young singer, but her manager or something thought it was too much of a downer. No, not that kind of downer. Those came later. I cannot pinpoint any detailed reason as to why I love this song so much, but I do. Oh, wait. It's because "the world is treating me bad". #Misery
#16. "Tomorrow Never Knows" - So...I'm still weird. But this time, I'm also existential...apparently. Yeah, I assume that there is some deep meaning to the lyrics here, but heck if I know what it is. I just know that it sounds different. And different can be very good.
#15. "Rain" - I love rain! It is my favorite kind of weather. And wasn't it so nice of the guys to write this song about it for me...many years before I was born, but still. Actually, I heard they wrote it after visiting Australia and running into some inclement weather there. And John also called it their first great psychedelic song. Sure, why not?
#14. "Yes, It Is" - For some reason, I always think this is one of the more lesser known Beatles songs. It shouldn't be, but it might be. Fun Fact, which is totally true, because Wikipedia: This song was John's attempt to rewrite the aforementioned "This Boy". Well, that didn't work out. Or did it?
#13. "All My Loving" - Another "letter" song. What do you know? Hey, I'm not complaining. I love handwritten letters! This better be about a handwritten letter. But even if it isn't, I can be forgiving. Because listen to that guitar work. Excellent!
#12. "The Long and Winding Road" - Okay, apparently, there is some controversy around the recording of this song. Something about overdubs and Phil Spector and Paul getting mad about something. Hang on a minute. Phil Spector got mad about something? Phil Spector maybe lost his cool? Phil Spector? Of all people? Surely, you jest. But let's put all that aside, because who cares? Whatever happened, we got this amazing song out of it.
#11. "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)" - So, this song is about an affair. Totes not cool, man. However, I cannot help but love this song from a purely musical standpoint. It's got a great rhythm, and the use of that sitar is done quite perfectly. Not too much, not too little, just right. And it helped to make it stand out on what is one of the best albums The Beatles ever made.
Well, thank you for joining me for the penultimate list. Soon, I will reveal my top picks for the best Beatles songs ever in the history of life. Not that I would ever want to build it up too much.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Wednesday, November 16, 2016
Top 50 Beatles Songs: 30 - 21
Greetings,
Welcome back! Time for the third installment in out Top 50 Beatles countdown. You know the drill. Let's just get started.
#30. "And I Love Her" - And this is when we all began disobeying the rule about conjunctions at the start of a sentence. And I just did it...twice. For real, though, is there a better way to lead us into this world of grammar misbehaving than with a beautiful love song? No. The answer is no. Also, LOVE that acoustic guitar riff thing.
#29. "Oh, Darling" - Some of us may enjoying gettin' down with this song by way of our own personal karaoke machine. Not me. But some people. I'm sure of it. Anyway, I consider this one of Paul's best vocal performances, because he really went for it, and I'm like 90% sure he had a soar throat after that recording session. Or possibly before.
#28. "Penny Lane" - No, I'm not talking about the character in Almost Famous. Ha! Moving on. It is written about an actual road, though, one near where John lived when he was a little boy. See, inspiration is everywhere. Good thing he didn't live near, I don't know, a Fourth Street or something, because that would not be a very good title. No offense to people who live on a Fourth Street.
#27. "I Will" - This was one of those songs that they wrote over in India. It's just a nice, simple love song. Or maybe not, because I heard it took 67 takes to record. That seems like a bit much. Although, I always felt like Paul may have been a perfectionist. No judgment. It's just an observation.
#26. "Nowhere Man" - I so enjoy when a writer can lay their emotions out for the whole world to see. Whether it's about love or love gone wrong or trying to figure out where you're meant to go in life, which is what this about, it's so nice. It takes a gift...and some courage.
#25. "Real Love" - Here's something I bet you didn't think you'd see. A Beatles song from the 90's! Well...ish. This was a song that John was working on around '79 and '80, but it was revived for The Beatles Anthology in 1995. Paul, George and Ringo got together to make it happen, giving us the closest thing we ever got to a reunion, along with another song, which we may or may not get to later.
#24. "I've Just Seen a Face" - I dare you to listen to this song without bouncing back and forth and keeping with that awesome rhythm. You won't be able to do it. It's just too jovial. Seriously, I still can't believe that this was on the Help! album, but not in the movie. It would have been good for a chase scene or something.
#23. "From Me To You" - Not as good as From Justin To Kelly, but what are you gonna do? Wow, my jokes are on fire today or something. Anyway...this is some early music from the guys, and they got the idea/title from the letters section from something called New Musical Express. It was called "From You To Us". See what they did there?
#22. "Fool on the Hill" - This is was definitely one of the more calm and...let's say, normal moments from the Magical Mystery Tour album. But that makes it very necessary. Sometimes, you need a quiet moment within all the craziness. It served its purpose well.
#21. "No Reply" - She's cheating on you! I'm telling you right now, person in this song. She's cheating on you. Once again, this was a time before call waiting and voice mail, so getting in touch with someone wasn't as easy back then. So, perhaps, I can give this young lady in the song the benefit of the doubt, but..yeah, no. She's cheating.
And there is yet another group of fantastic songs that I love. More on the way! Stay tuned.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Welcome back! Time for the third installment in out Top 50 Beatles countdown. You know the drill. Let's just get started.
#30. "And I Love Her" - And this is when we all began disobeying the rule about conjunctions at the start of a sentence. And I just did it...twice. For real, though, is there a better way to lead us into this world of grammar misbehaving than with a beautiful love song? No. The answer is no. Also, LOVE that acoustic guitar riff thing.
#29. "Oh, Darling" - Some of us may enjoying gettin' down with this song by way of our own personal karaoke machine. Not me. But some people. I'm sure of it. Anyway, I consider this one of Paul's best vocal performances, because he really went for it, and I'm like 90% sure he had a soar throat after that recording session. Or possibly before.
#28. "Penny Lane" - No, I'm not talking about the character in Almost Famous. Ha! Moving on. It is written about an actual road, though, one near where John lived when he was a little boy. See, inspiration is everywhere. Good thing he didn't live near, I don't know, a Fourth Street or something, because that would not be a very good title. No offense to people who live on a Fourth Street.
#27. "I Will" - This was one of those songs that they wrote over in India. It's just a nice, simple love song. Or maybe not, because I heard it took 67 takes to record. That seems like a bit much. Although, I always felt like Paul may have been a perfectionist. No judgment. It's just an observation.
#26. "Nowhere Man" - I so enjoy when a writer can lay their emotions out for the whole world to see. Whether it's about love or love gone wrong or trying to figure out where you're meant to go in life, which is what this about, it's so nice. It takes a gift...and some courage.
#25. "Real Love" - Here's something I bet you didn't think you'd see. A Beatles song from the 90's! Well...ish. This was a song that John was working on around '79 and '80, but it was revived for The Beatles Anthology in 1995. Paul, George and Ringo got together to make it happen, giving us the closest thing we ever got to a reunion, along with another song, which we may or may not get to later.
#24. "I've Just Seen a Face" - I dare you to listen to this song without bouncing back and forth and keeping with that awesome rhythm. You won't be able to do it. It's just too jovial. Seriously, I still can't believe that this was on the Help! album, but not in the movie. It would have been good for a chase scene or something.
#23. "From Me To You" - Not as good as From Justin To Kelly, but what are you gonna do? Wow, my jokes are on fire today or something. Anyway...this is some early music from the guys, and they got the idea/title from the letters section from something called New Musical Express. It was called "From You To Us". See what they did there?
#22. "Fool on the Hill" - This is was definitely one of the more calm and...let's say, normal moments from the Magical Mystery Tour album. But that makes it very necessary. Sometimes, you need a quiet moment within all the craziness. It served its purpose well.
#21. "No Reply" - She's cheating on you! I'm telling you right now, person in this song. She's cheating on you. Once again, this was a time before call waiting and voice mail, so getting in touch with someone wasn't as easy back then. So, perhaps, I can give this young lady in the song the benefit of the doubt, but..yeah, no. She's cheating.
And there is yet another group of fantastic songs that I love. More on the way! Stay tuned.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Saturday, November 12, 2016
Farewell and Many Thanks, Mr. Leonard Cohen
Greetings,
As you all know, I had may plans for this blog in November, ones that I still promise to carry out. I even had something fun planned to share for this weekend. Sadly, though, I have to forego that one in particular, due to some very heartbreaking news that we got. The incomparable Leonard Cohen has passed away at the age of 82.
I have mentioned before how much I admire this man as an artist. He is what I strive to be as a writer, what many of us strive to be as writers, someone who can effect people deeply through words, someone who can create unimaginable beauty by stringing the right letters together, someone who can make music from the silence. Strangely enough, while I can honor and thank this man who inspired me as a writer, I am finding it difficult to come up with the right words in this moment. Some grief is beyond what can be spoken, but the same can be said for gratitude. So, I'm just going to leave you with something that I wrote years ago about Leonard Cohen, something that expresses how I felt and still feel about what he gave the world.
Thank you, dear sir, for your legacy. You will be missed forever.
SPEAK LIKE A SONG
They are strung together like priceless pearls
That make us gaze and sigh,
Wanting to possess them all,
Trying to reach that high.
You release them like a melody,
Though it doesn't always exist.
You shape them well and hit the target
While all the others have missed.
I could listen to you talk for days,
And, with each turn, I find something new.
And all the posers with their futile attempts,
None could ever share like you.
There is a truth that lies within your air
That makes us able to trust.
When the rest pour out hollow phrases,
You speak like a song to us.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
As you all know, I had may plans for this blog in November, ones that I still promise to carry out. I even had something fun planned to share for this weekend. Sadly, though, I have to forego that one in particular, due to some very heartbreaking news that we got. The incomparable Leonard Cohen has passed away at the age of 82.
I have mentioned before how much I admire this man as an artist. He is what I strive to be as a writer, what many of us strive to be as writers, someone who can effect people deeply through words, someone who can create unimaginable beauty by stringing the right letters together, someone who can make music from the silence. Strangely enough, while I can honor and thank this man who inspired me as a writer, I am finding it difficult to come up with the right words in this moment. Some grief is beyond what can be spoken, but the same can be said for gratitude. So, I'm just going to leave you with something that I wrote years ago about Leonard Cohen, something that expresses how I felt and still feel about what he gave the world.
Thank you, dear sir, for your legacy. You will be missed forever.
SPEAK LIKE A SONG
They are strung together like priceless pearls
That make us gaze and sigh,
Wanting to possess them all,
Trying to reach that high.
You release them like a melody,
Though it doesn't always exist.
You shape them well and hit the target
While all the others have missed.
I could listen to you talk for days,
And, with each turn, I find something new.
And all the posers with their futile attempts,
None could ever share like you.
There is a truth that lies within your air
That makes us able to trust.
When the rest pour out hollow phrases,
You speak like a song to us.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Thursday, November 10, 2016
Top 50 Beatles Songs: 40- 31
Greetings,
Welcome back to my Top 50 Beatles countdown. Now let's continue on with Numbers 40 to 31. I can barely contain my excitement. I'm sure you feel the same. Onward!
#40. "Octopus's Garden" - There you go, Ringo. I gave you a spot. To be fair, I do find this song enjoyable. It sounds like a children's book. It should be a children's book. Is it already a children's book? I don't know.
#39. "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da - I still say that this song sounds better sung by the cast of Life Goes On. What? They had Patti LuPone! I don't know what this title means. I don't know who these people are in the lyrics. But that is a seriously catchy melody they got there. And I'm sure that Desmond and Molly are somebody's OTP.
#38. "I'll Follow the Sun" - Now, if I knew that it was going to rain tomorrow, I would not follow the sun. I would stay put, as I am a person who loves rain. And funny enough, I find this to be a great song to listen to on a rainy day. Go figure. I must really be into the whole contrast thing.
#37. "I'm Happy Just to Dance With You" - Would you judge me if I said the first time I heard this song was on a show called Just the Ten of Us whilst it was being sung by the four girls playing the teenage daughters? I hope not. Because it's not my fault that I saw that show before I saw A Hard Day's Night. But wasn't that nice of John and Paul to give George one of their songs to sing?
#36. "I Need You" - And, speaking of George, here's another one of his songs. I could use the excuse that every song sounds better when it's being played in a field with tanks surrounding you, but it actually sounds good on the album, not just in that one scene in Help!
#35. "A Day In the Life" - As a writer, I get inspired by so many things in the world. Music and movies and people and places...and occasionally a newspaper. Nice to see that I'm not the only one. But, as much as I love this song, I'm still not sure about that little insert of a Paul song near the end. You know what I'm talking about. For real, what was up with that? Found my way upstairs and had a smoke, indeed.
#34. "I Should Have Known Better" - I love trains and I love harmonicas. Well, I saw The Beatles sing this on a train and there was, in fact, a harmonica in there somewhere. And they shout "Hey, hey, hey!" THAT...is awesome.
#33. "Strawberry Fields Forever" - I remember seeing a clip from American Bandstand where they showed a promotional video for this song to the youngsters. It was right after they had been out of sight for a while, and were coming back a changed band. Not all the kids liked it; some did. I would have been in the latter group. And thank God for this song, because if it didn't exist, people would have to come up with some other name to call their strawberry flavored and/or scented whatnots. Serious eye roll.
#32. "I'm Only Sleeping" - Apparently, sleeping is the best thing ever. It might even be better than the drugs. Or at least, that's what some people's interpretation of these lyrics are. What I do know is that John wrote them on the back of a letter? See, if emails were a thing back then, he couldn't have written it. Thus, actual paper letters are better than email. Boom.
#31. "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" - What's this? A THIRD song sung by George in this installment? Well, then. But let's be honest, this is only good because of the Eric Clapton on it. Okay, that's not the ONLY reason, but it's a big reason. Although, as a lyric snob, I must admit, it's got some darn good words there. Credit where it's due.
And that's my second set of favorites. The third is on its way. Remember. Patience is a virtue.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Welcome back to my Top 50 Beatles countdown. Now let's continue on with Numbers 40 to 31. I can barely contain my excitement. I'm sure you feel the same. Onward!
#40. "Octopus's Garden" - There you go, Ringo. I gave you a spot. To be fair, I do find this song enjoyable. It sounds like a children's book. It should be a children's book. Is it already a children's book? I don't know.
#39. "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da - I still say that this song sounds better sung by the cast of Life Goes On. What? They had Patti LuPone! I don't know what this title means. I don't know who these people are in the lyrics. But that is a seriously catchy melody they got there. And I'm sure that Desmond and Molly are somebody's OTP.
#38. "I'll Follow the Sun" - Now, if I knew that it was going to rain tomorrow, I would not follow the sun. I would stay put, as I am a person who loves rain. And funny enough, I find this to be a great song to listen to on a rainy day. Go figure. I must really be into the whole contrast thing.
#37. "I'm Happy Just to Dance With You" - Would you judge me if I said the first time I heard this song was on a show called Just the Ten of Us whilst it was being sung by the four girls playing the teenage daughters? I hope not. Because it's not my fault that I saw that show before I saw A Hard Day's Night. But wasn't that nice of John and Paul to give George one of their songs to sing?
#36. "I Need You" - And, speaking of George, here's another one of his songs. I could use the excuse that every song sounds better when it's being played in a field with tanks surrounding you, but it actually sounds good on the album, not just in that one scene in Help!
#35. "A Day In the Life" - As a writer, I get inspired by so many things in the world. Music and movies and people and places...and occasionally a newspaper. Nice to see that I'm not the only one. But, as much as I love this song, I'm still not sure about that little insert of a Paul song near the end. You know what I'm talking about. For real, what was up with that? Found my way upstairs and had a smoke, indeed.
#34. "I Should Have Known Better" - I love trains and I love harmonicas. Well, I saw The Beatles sing this on a train and there was, in fact, a harmonica in there somewhere. And they shout "Hey, hey, hey!" THAT...is awesome.
#33. "Strawberry Fields Forever" - I remember seeing a clip from American Bandstand where they showed a promotional video for this song to the youngsters. It was right after they had been out of sight for a while, and were coming back a changed band. Not all the kids liked it; some did. I would have been in the latter group. And thank God for this song, because if it didn't exist, people would have to come up with some other name to call their strawberry flavored and/or scented whatnots. Serious eye roll.
#32. "I'm Only Sleeping" - Apparently, sleeping is the best thing ever. It might even be better than the drugs. Or at least, that's what some people's interpretation of these lyrics are. What I do know is that John wrote them on the back of a letter? See, if emails were a thing back then, he couldn't have written it. Thus, actual paper letters are better than email. Boom.
#31. "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" - What's this? A THIRD song sung by George in this installment? Well, then. But let's be honest, this is only good because of the Eric Clapton on it. Okay, that's not the ONLY reason, but it's a big reason. Although, as a lyric snob, I must admit, it's got some darn good words there. Credit where it's due.
And that's my second set of favorites. The third is on its way. Remember. Patience is a virtue.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Friday, November 4, 2016
Top 50 Beatles Songs: 50-41
Greetings,
I have done a lot of top ten lists during my time on this blog. Some have been easy; some, not so much. This one might be the most difficult one of all. Or maybe second most difficult after my Top 100 Law & Order Episodes series. See, I have decided to not do a Top Ten list but rather a Top Fifty list. I am doing this, because we're talking about what is arguably the most influential band of all time, The Beatles. There are just way too many good songs from this band to narrow it down to just ten. Yes, I could have gone above ten on other artists, but, for now, this is the only time when I think going all the way up to fifty would be appropriate. And yet, it was still difficult to narrow it down. Go figure.
So, starting today and continuing throughout the month of November, I will be counting down my Top Fifty favorite Beatles songs. Why November? Well, it was actually this month, several years ago, in which I became a full fledged admirer of this group. Indeed, I remember it that specifically. And if your personal favorites aren't on this list, don't judge me. It's The Beatles! Almost everything is good, but not everything can make it. Anyway, let's kick things off with Numbers 50 to 41. Off we go.
#50. "Something" - I heard someone once say that this was the best love song ever. Obviously, I disagree, but it is a pretty good song. Now, I'm not a huge fan of George's music. Credit where it's due, though, when he was on, he was very on. And you can't not like a song that uses the word "woos".
#49. "P.S. I Love You" - Hey, they stole this title from that Gerard Butler movie. Okay, no, they didn't. The song came first, in case you didn't know. This is just a sweet little tune with a sweet little premise about letter writing. Which I love, by the way. Oh, and it might be about being in love a little.
#48. "Don't Let Me Down" - I know The Beatles were very much influenced by a lot of different genres. Seems they went a bit bluesy with this one. Maybe. Look, I'm not great with identifying genres that aren't super obvious. All I know is that this is great. Great enough to be played on a rooftop. What does that tell you?
#47. "All I've Got To Do" - This seems like such a simple song, but I happen to think it holds an important message. Something about mutual respect and feelings and being there for your significant other. How nice. It sucks when one person has to do all the work. Trust me. I know.
#46. "Good Day Sunshine" - I first heard this in a Sun Chips commercial. I hate you, Michael Jackson! What? He owned it; he sold it. He sucks. Moving on. Whatever commercialization has been thrust upon this tune, it's still some superb songwriting at work. And the fact that I like it, even though I love rainy days, says a lot.
#45. "You Won't See Me" - Communication is such an important thing in relationships. Imagine how much more that was true in the days before call waiting and voice mail, when communication was so much more difficult. Or so I've been told. This is a little something to remind us of that.
#44. "Every Little Thing" - Okay, this seems to be a song about a guy who really appreciates his girlfriend...because "every little thing" she does, she does for him. Really? EVERY little thing? I mean, doing things for the one you love is nice and all, but that might be a bit much.
#43. "Only a Northern Song" - I have no idea what this song is about (you might hear that a lot with this countdown), but it's the only one I included from the Yellow Submarine soundtrack. I must have thought it was the best. And it's another George song. Interesting.
#42. "Lucy In the Sky With Diamonds" - Okay, everyone who thinks this song is about LSD, you get on the left sidewalk. Everyone who thinks it was inspired by a picture that John's son drew, you get on the right sidewalk. And everyone who has no idea what I'm talking about can get off the street entirely and just go home.
#41. "Lovely Rita" - I must say, what I love most about this song is the unique rhythm and beat. It just makes me really happy. And that end part where they sing "Lovely Rita, meter maid"? Sweet! And it's about a career woman, so there you go.
And there you have the first installment of my Top 50 from The Beatles series. Stay tuned. The next one will be posted shortly. So, if you haven't seen your favorite yet, be patient. You never know.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
I have done a lot of top ten lists during my time on this blog. Some have been easy; some, not so much. This one might be the most difficult one of all. Or maybe second most difficult after my Top 100 Law & Order Episodes series. See, I have decided to not do a Top Ten list but rather a Top Fifty list. I am doing this, because we're talking about what is arguably the most influential band of all time, The Beatles. There are just way too many good songs from this band to narrow it down to just ten. Yes, I could have gone above ten on other artists, but, for now, this is the only time when I think going all the way up to fifty would be appropriate. And yet, it was still difficult to narrow it down. Go figure.
So, starting today and continuing throughout the month of November, I will be counting down my Top Fifty favorite Beatles songs. Why November? Well, it was actually this month, several years ago, in which I became a full fledged admirer of this group. Indeed, I remember it that specifically. And if your personal favorites aren't on this list, don't judge me. It's The Beatles! Almost everything is good, but not everything can make it. Anyway, let's kick things off with Numbers 50 to 41. Off we go.
#50. "Something" - I heard someone once say that this was the best love song ever. Obviously, I disagree, but it is a pretty good song. Now, I'm not a huge fan of George's music. Credit where it's due, though, when he was on, he was very on. And you can't not like a song that uses the word "woos".
#49. "P.S. I Love You" - Hey, they stole this title from that Gerard Butler movie. Okay, no, they didn't. The song came first, in case you didn't know. This is just a sweet little tune with a sweet little premise about letter writing. Which I love, by the way. Oh, and it might be about being in love a little.
#48. "Don't Let Me Down" - I know The Beatles were very much influenced by a lot of different genres. Seems they went a bit bluesy with this one. Maybe. Look, I'm not great with identifying genres that aren't super obvious. All I know is that this is great. Great enough to be played on a rooftop. What does that tell you?
#47. "All I've Got To Do" - This seems like such a simple song, but I happen to think it holds an important message. Something about mutual respect and feelings and being there for your significant other. How nice. It sucks when one person has to do all the work. Trust me. I know.
#46. "Good Day Sunshine" - I first heard this in a Sun Chips commercial. I hate you, Michael Jackson! What? He owned it; he sold it. He sucks. Moving on. Whatever commercialization has been thrust upon this tune, it's still some superb songwriting at work. And the fact that I like it, even though I love rainy days, says a lot.
#45. "You Won't See Me" - Communication is such an important thing in relationships. Imagine how much more that was true in the days before call waiting and voice mail, when communication was so much more difficult. Or so I've been told. This is a little something to remind us of that.
#44. "Every Little Thing" - Okay, this seems to be a song about a guy who really appreciates his girlfriend...because "every little thing" she does, she does for him. Really? EVERY little thing? I mean, doing things for the one you love is nice and all, but that might be a bit much.
#43. "Only a Northern Song" - I have no idea what this song is about (you might hear that a lot with this countdown), but it's the only one I included from the Yellow Submarine soundtrack. I must have thought it was the best. And it's another George song. Interesting.
#42. "Lucy In the Sky With Diamonds" - Okay, everyone who thinks this song is about LSD, you get on the left sidewalk. Everyone who thinks it was inspired by a picture that John's son drew, you get on the right sidewalk. And everyone who has no idea what I'm talking about can get off the street entirely and just go home.
#41. "Lovely Rita" - I must say, what I love most about this song is the unique rhythm and beat. It just makes me really happy. And that end part where they sing "Lovely Rita, meter maid"? Sweet! And it's about a career woman, so there you go.
And there you have the first installment of my Top 50 from The Beatles series. Stay tuned. The next one will be posted shortly. So, if you haven't seen your favorite yet, be patient. You never know.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
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