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Lisa, Thanks for your suggestion of listening to the whole ninth symphony. I have just done so twice in order to try to get the full story of what Beethoven had to say. I know I should look at it as a whole but I really enjoyed the mostly adagio etc third movement. I would probably never have found that out so that’s a good thing you’ve done for me. One thing I must say is that when I heard clearly that solo French horn playing, I immediately thought of our past fellow forum member, Linda Sturgess who used to play it in some top USA orchestras. I do think of her often these days.

And hello to you too, Diane! Hope things are OK up there in your part of the world.

Diane wrote: ↑Wed May 20, 2020 9:34 am

LisaLCFan wrote: Beethoven's Ninth Symphony...I find to be endlessly fascinating, brilliant and sublime beyond compare. For me, it reflects the power of the human spirit, and it fills me with joy and hope!

Thank you for the reminder, Lisa! I am listening as I write .

Diane, quite a few years ago wrote: Maybe the best concert I ever attended was Beethoven's 9th by the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Simon Rattle. Out of this world.

Well, hello, after all this time! Oh, I would love to have heard Simon Rattle and the BSO play that -- I can imagine how magnificent it must have been -- absolutely spectacular, I'm sure! The very thought sends shivers up my spine!

I hope that you are well!

B4real wrote: ↑Wed May 20, 2020 3:23 pm Lisa, Thanks for your suggestion of listening to the whole ninth symphony. I have just done so twice in order to try to get the full story of what Beethoven had to say. I know I should look at it as a whole but I really enjoyed the mostly adagio etc third movement. I would probably never have found that out so that’s a good thing you’ve done for me...

I had a feeling that you'd like the Adagio, and I am very glad to have enabled you to discover it! That is, indeed, one of the joys in hearing these pieces in their entirety, rather than just listening to the fragments of "greatest hits" chosen by somebody else -- one can often find wonderful musical treasures for themselves that others have overlooked.

Thank you for putting in the effort -- two listens of the mighty Ninth is a laudable commitment! Cheers!

I cannot ever imagine life without music – I would rather lose a limb than my hearing! I’ll never know how on earth Beethoven was able to write his Ninth symphony, which you know I’ve just listened to, when he was almost deaf plus have that awful tinnitus continuously ringing in his ears. The latter I can relate to and listening to music can be a mask for it.

Seeing that we are discussing all shades of music here at the moment I thought I would list my personal compilation of individual songs selected from the albums I’ve had over many years. I’ve inadvertently turned these songs into “album orphans” and some other songs have previously lived their lives alone as a single but now they have found a new family here Like most diversified families with numerous siblings, they have varying ways of communicating and seeing things from their own point of view. I have fond and/or sad memories of these songs. It’s truly magical how they have the power to instantly transport you back to that exact place and time with all those memories and senses so vivid in your mind. I play most of these songs on my violin but not so much lately – must remedy that!

There are a few songs I’ve added that generous forum members have made me aware of as well. So, to be reciprocal, I thought it might be a good idea for anyone who is interested in discovering or rediscovering songs or artists to check out this list. Because there are so many, I haven’t added any links. There are 108 songs. I hope you have fun with this and it makes your isolation a little easier to cope with.

• A Lonely Violin - The Bee Gees
  A Satisfied Mind - Jeff Buckley
  A Taste Of Honey - The Beatles
  A Thousand Winds - Hayley Westenra (based on the poem Do Not Stand At My Grave And Weep)
  A Thousand Years - Christina Perri (The Twilight Saga – Breaking Dawn, Pt 1 film)
  A Whiter Shade Of Pale - Procol Harum
  Abraham, Martin and John - Dion
  All Of Your Stories - Jesse Winchester
  Amoureuse - Kiki Dee
  And So It Goes - Billy Joel
  Angel - Sarah McLaughlin
  Angel Of Lyon - Tom Russell
  Angel Of The Morning - Merrile Rush & The Turnabouts
  Are You A Conspirator - Kieran Ryan
  Back Where You Belong - Sinead O'Connor (The Water Horse film)
  Baker Street - Gerry Rafferty
  Bob Dylan's Dream - Judy Collins
  Bohemian Rhapsody – Queen
  Bright Eyes – Art Garfunkel (Watership Downs film)
  Brothers In Arms - Mark Knopfler
  Can I Get There By Candlelight - David McWilliams
  Chasing Cars - Snow Patrol
  Christmas Lights – Coldplay
  Colours Of The Wind - Vanessa Williams (Pocahantas film)
  Comes A Time - Neil Young
  Cootamundra Wattle - John Williamson
  Crow On The Cradle - Judy Collins
  Different Drum - Linda Ronstadt and The Stone Poneys
  Dream Lover - Bobby Darin
  Edmonton - Rose Cousins
  Father And Son - Cat Stevens
  Feels Like Home - Linda Ronstadt
  First Of May - The Bee Gees
  Forever Autumn - Justin Hayward (War of the Worlds film)
  Four Strong Winds - Neil Young
  Goin' Back - Dusty Springfield
  Hasten Down The Wind - Warren Zevon
  He Ain't Heavy He's My Brother -The Hollies
  Heart Of Gold - Neil Young
  Hero - Family of the Year
  Home - Michael Buble
  House Of The Rising Sun - Eric Burdon and The Animals
  I Can't Make You Love Me - Bonnie Raitt
  I Fall To Pieces - Patsy Cline
  If – Bread
  If You Go Away (Ne Me Quitte Pas) – Julio Iglesias
  In My Life - The Beatles
  Leader Of The Band - Dan Fogelberg
  Memory – Elaine Paige (Cats musical)
  Mona Lisa – Nat King Cole
  Morning Of My Life – Bee Gees
  Mull Of Kintyre - Paul McCartney & Wings
  My Father - Judy Collins
  Nights In White Satin - The Moody Blues
  On The Turning Away - Pink Floyd
  One Safe Place - Marc Cohn
  Rise - Eddie Vedder
  Run For The Roses – Dan Fogelberg
  Shannondah - Jo Stafford
  She's Got You - Patsy Cline
  Somebody To Love – Queen
  Something - The Beatles
  Somewhere Over The Rainbow – Judy Garland (Wizard Of Oz film)
  Southern Pacific - Neil Young
  Stay With Me - Sam Smith
  Stille Nacht (Silent Night in German) - Moon Sun
  Streets Of London - Ralph McTell
  Such A Simple Thing - Ray LaMontagne
  Tar And Cement - Verdelle Smith
  Tenterfield Saddler - Peter Allen
  The Great Pretender – The Platters
  The Hardest Part - Leslie Mendelson
  The Highwayman – Nelson, Kristofferson, Jennings & Cash
  The Last Farewell – Roger Whittaker
  The Last Unicorn - America (The Last Unicorn film)
  The Long And Winding Road – The Beatles
  The Music Of The Night - Graham Bickley (The Phantom of the Opera musical)
  The Mystery Of Your Gift - Josh Groban (Boychoir film)
  The Pretty Bird Tree - LJ Hill
  The Rose - Bette Midler (The Rose film)
  The Special Two - Missy Higgins
  The Water's Edge - k.d. lang
  The Twelfth Of Never – Johnny Mathis
  The Way We Were – Barbara Streisand (The Way We Were film)
  The Wind Beneath My Wings - Bette Midler (Beaches film)
  The World I Used To Know - Jimmie Rodgers
  The Years - The Acfields
  There Is A Star That Shines Tonight - Sheryl Crow
  Time In A Bottle - Jim Croce
  Time Of Your Life (Good Riddance) - Green Day
  Tomorrow Is A Long Time - Nickel Creek
  Touch Me In The Morning - Diana Ross
  Turn Turn Turn - The Byrds
  Unchained Melody – Righteous Brothers
  Universal Soldier – Donovan
  Vincent - Don McLean
  What A Wonderful World – Louis Armstrong
  What Colour Is The Wind - Charlie Landsborough
  When A Man Loves A Woman – Percy Sledge
  Where The Cane Fires Burn - Penny Davies
  Why Walk When You Can Fly - Mary Chapin Carpenter
  Wish You Were Here - Pink Floyd
  Without You - Harry Nilson
  Wonderful! Wonderful! – Johnny Mathis
  Yesterday – The Beatles
  Yesterday When I Was Young - Charles Aznavour
  You Belong To Me - Jo Stafford
  You Raise Me Up - Josh Groban

B4real wrote: ↑Sat May 23, 2020 2:43 am Can I Get There By Candlelight - David McWilliams

Hi Bev,
While scrutinising your list intensely (with an intense scroot), I came upon this song.
Where did you come across David McWilliams? In Oz or elsewhere?
I am a fan of his music and have long felt there were some similarities with Leonard.
He sang from the heart, probably more musically than Leonard, and was underappreciated for far too long.
Sadly he died before he could achieve the fame Leonard eventually did.
I have quite a few of his songs on my play list, but I hadn't encountered this one before.
Also getting there by candlelight reminds me of your Babylon Candle. Good song for you to sing while you travel!
I enjoy a fair number of the other songs on your list and while I now realise you are not a big fan of Dusty Springfield, she does a lovely version of If You Go Away (Ne Me Quitte Pas), as does Scott Walker.
Also Elvis does a great version of Tomorrow is a Long Time.
My favourite Jimmie Rodgers song is Child of Clay.

Alan

Hi Alan, nice to see you’re paying close attention to my list, ha!
As regards David McWilliams, you must have ESP because my desire for a Babylon Candle did indirectly lead me to his song! From watching the Stardust movie to knowing a part of the book quoting that historical line which is the title of his song, I was gathering more info on the net about the candle when all of a sudden his song appeared. I listened to it and I liked it straight away – maybe I was under incandescent influence I never investigated his music any further, sounds like maybe I should.

Btw - my above list is no way a list of my favourite songs (none of the 5-6 digits are here) although there are some I really do love in it. As I said, its more about gathering some scattered songs together that I already had and giving them a home.

You know, it’s not that I don’t like Dusty’s voice, I do - she’s a good singer – it’s just that I like others more so. I have a good version of her singing If You Go Away on a double CD called “Gold”. Goin’ Back is also on it (of course) as is a good version of Windmills of Your Mind. I do like Scott Walker’s version of If You Go Away as well. I don’t know much about Julio Iglesias' singing, but in this case, I just liked his version best – maybe it’s his accent

To my knowledge, I have every, single, song in the whole wide world, that Elvis has sung on tape or record etc including Tomorrow Is A Long Time. Elvis was my first love – I grew up with his voice in my ear!
EDIT: And a bonus - some of my original EP LP's, 45's and singles are now worth a bit of money; certainly a lot more than I paid for them! One LP in particular is considered maybe the rarest Elvis LP ever. It sold a few years ago for $1195.95. Quote - "One of the rarest Elvis LPs in the world....'Easy Come, Easy Go' was released in Australia and New Zealand. A real rarity, issued in 12" format only in Australia and New Zealand back in 1966."

Thanks for the reminder about Child of Clay. I’ve just listened to it and I only recalled the chorus!
And that's what this list is about - remembering old and/or finding new songs for all of us.

PS. I don't know how cold you are down there - ah yes I do, I just checked and it's 15 degrees so you are warmer than here! Unbelievable! It hasn't got above 13 degrees all day! I can't remember ever being this cold in the day time here!

EDIT: Looking at my list I now realise I could have given 13 songs with a common theme a home of their own -
Film & Musical soundtracks.
Also, Jailhouse Rock is on TV here today (Sunday) and of course, for the umpteenth time, I'll be watching it
What a shame that LC didn't continue his acting career after that short stint in Miami Vice. I know I would've watched his movies over and over again too! But I'm not complaining, look at all those videos we already have and he gets to play himself in them. So in retrospect, what more does a person want or need

Two terrific live albums I have been listening to...



Almost Cut My Hair
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVsbqVJLFow

Deja Vu
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FL-xI_nmr64



Deja Vu
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6Mg2IVmb6U

Rusty and Blue
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGzDQQHfIcY

Just listening to “you want it darker” flip I miss Leonard Cohen inhabiting the sane world as me 😢

As everyone may have noticed I've been going through all my old vinyl records, CD's and cassette tapes. I’ve found some forgotten gems but also wondered why on earth I bought some of the other songs I did! Maybe it was fashionable then to do so, like wearing platform shoes, bell bottom trousers and hot pants, ha! But all in all, what a trip down memory lane!

I’ve now taken my own advice as above, and sorted and converted (big job) the individual songs I want to keep handy (plus others I’ve remembered) into 3 categories – Assorted, Films and Musicals.

While doing this, I thought maybe people could be looking for something old and different – some rockers, some crooners. If so, here are a few Australian artists and songs from some years ago. I’m not counting the Bee Gees who were born in England but did grow up and live in Queensland. There are 7 Aussie songs in the first big list. Here are 8 more with links:

Burn For You – John Farnham https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDJMgANjLwk
Flame Trees – Cold Chisel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8KgP2aOXcA
Forever Now – Cold Chisel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGVNADxyU8E
Great Southern Land – Icehouse https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZ4NuX0qWuY
I Am Australian – The Seekers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pL_JvhfQjms
I Still Call Australia Home – Peter Allen https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30NIQIGlHdw
I Was Only 19 (A Walk In The Light Green) – Redgum https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGDhzVi1bqU
Winter in America (Leave Love Enough Alone) – Doug Ashdown https://www.youtube.com/watchv=AiegKW5UKgc

Here's a great version from across the ditch by New Zealander, Haley Westenra of Somewhere – (West Side Story) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQCRZNr1AqA
She has a beautiful voice. I posted her version (in my big list) of A Thousand Winds (based on the poem Do Not Stand At My Grave And Weep) here on the forum when I first heard that Leonard had passed away. Such sadness but filled with hope and it made me feel he was still with us.

Still talking about life and living, I watched a great version of Who Wants To Live Forever being sung on Monday night TV by Adam Lambert with Queen. Here’s the original with Freddy Mercury and Queen - Who Wants To Live Forever (A Kind Of Magic) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Jtpf8N5IDE

Also, in the Music Section, at the end of the “Partisan and more” link we were talking about Casablanca. After I posted the link for Leonard singing that timeless song from it “As Times Goes By”, I chanced across an excellent version sung by Harry Nilsson - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHox1frzKXs
Some of you will remember him singing Everybody's Talking from the film Midnight Cowboy. I have that song on a CD called The Best Singles Of All Time - The Sixties. btw - Save The Last Dance For Me by The Drifters is on it too. Yeah, and we know that's the last song LC ever sang in concert.

And another singer who I never realised sang in a similar manner. I have close to all the songs he and his band, The Eagles sang from the days of my youth. I had absolutely no idea that he could sing like this - The Shadow Of Your Smile – Glenn Frey (The Sandpiper) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lN1-r4cvts

Now that I’ve finally sorted out my orphan songs and given them new companionable family homes to dwell in, I’m happily back to LC and continuing my book re him with his words and my artwork.

B4real wrote: ↑Fri May 29, 2020 4:50 am ... Maybe it was fashionable then to do so, like wearing platform shoes, bell bottom trousers and hot pants, ha! ...

You mean, they're not fashionable any more? There goes my wardrobe...

LisaLCFan wrote: ↑Fri May 29, 2020 7:36 pm You mean, they're not fashionable any more? There goes my wardrobe...

HeHe, Lisa, Actually I've seen some ads around lately for male and female bell bottoms so methinks they are making a comeback and you are still in fashion with them
Now, I never mentioned the jumpsuit Remember trying to go to the loo in a hurry when wearing that! An engineering masterclass in disrobing!
But as they say, regarding fashion or other things - what goes around, comes around. It's just a question of time.
Music being the perfect example here!

This is all Bob Dylan’s fault! Actually, it’s a combination of a few circumstances. Talking about Dylan recently has inadvertently reminded me that Peter, Paul and Mary covered quite a few of his songs. When I was sorting out my old vinyl records last month, I came across two of their LP’s – the very first one, PP&M and the fifth one, A Song Will Rise. That made me remember as a child, I studied piano and had lessons for some years learning set pieces from classical to folk music, the latter similar to those PP&M recorded years later.

Currently, I’m checking out their discography and I’ve rediscovered some great songs plus some I can’t remember hearing before. I find the down to earth messages and melodies of folk songs bring into focus the basic things that really count for living in the world yesterday, today and yes, tomorrow.

I’ve only checked up to their eighth album so far and here are some songs I really like, not including those on my original vinyl albums or any other Dylan or Denver songs they covered. I prefer the slower more melodious songs and those that tell a story, whether lyrically or musically. The first song below is my favourite so far - so much can be read into the lyrics written by Paul Stookey and sung beautifully by Mary Travers.

NO OTHER NAME
Know me by the light of a fire shinin' bright,
Know me by your bed where I've lain
Know me, and you might, if just for a night
You'll know me by no other name.

Some girls will bring you silver
Some will bring you fine Spanish lace
Some will say "I love you"
Some will have my face.

Some will bring you gold, babies to hold,
I'll bring you only pain.
You can know me, if you will, by the wind on the hill
You'll know me by no other name.

Some girls will die for money,
Some will die as they're born,
Some will swear they'd die for love,
Some die ev'ry morn.

I'll die alone, away from my home
Nobody knows where I came.
The stone at my head will say I am dead,
It knows me by no other name.
It knows me by no other name.

(Sincerely, B4real)

No Other Name https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GdB3oWRS04
Tiny Sparrow https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17z05HEHPVc
There is a Ship https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUx4qqO34dk
The Rising of the Moon https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwuwCHgLZTE
Early Mornin’ Rain https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1DQDevGS5Y
The Last Thing on my Mind https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax0fuldygMQ
Le Déserteur https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZz709yrJNg
Mon Vrai Destin https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-8T_JHoQNY

Now on with more discoveries

A bit of opera this week -- not my usual choice, as instrumental music is more my thing, but I'm branching out! (Geoffrey would be so proud!)

Ah Lisa, one guess tells me that the motivation for listening to that opera wouldn’t have anything to do with your favourite classical composer, now would it

I find it interesting how one song can lead the way to another song or artist
I’m still slowly checking out PP&M songs and I really like this one called “Delivery Delayed” plus I love the violin featured throughout it. Also, the title and lyrics seem to come from an unusual (but common to all of us) initial point of view so I had to investigate who wrote them. It turns out to be another Canadian a folk singer by the name of Stan Rogers, born in Hamilton, Ontario.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8s0dcLq5GUc
DELIVERY DELAYED
How early is beginning?
From when is there a soul?
Do we discover living,
Or somehow are we told?
In sudden pain, in empty cold
In blinding light of day
We're given breath and it takes our breath away
How cruel to unformed fancy,
The way in which we come
Overwhelmed by feelings
And sudden loss of love
And what price dark confining
The heart is to forgive
When all at once we're called upon to live
Then by giant hands we're taken
From the shelter of the womb
That dreaded first horizon
The endless empty room
Where communion is lost forever
When a heart first beats alone
Still it remembers no matter how it's grown
We grow, but grow apart
We live, but more alone
The more to be, the more to see
To cry aloud that we are free
To hide the ancient fear of being alone
And now we live in darkness
Embracing spiteful holds
Refusing any answers
For no man can be told
That delivery is delayed
Until at last we're made aware
And first reach for love
To find t'was always there ....
Always there.

Stan Rogers also wrote "Northwest Passage". It is said that when CBC's Peter Gzowski asked Canadians to pick an alternate national anthem, it was the overwhelming choice. It’s an a cappella song –
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMRpYtAhGAo

B4real wrote: ↑Sat Jul 04, 2020 5:47 am Ah Lisa, one guess tells me that the motivation for listening to that opera wouldn’t have anything to do with your favourite classical composer, now would it ...

I suppose that may have had something to do with it!

Thanks for the link to Stan Rogers' "Northwest Passage" -- I hadn't heard my "alternate national anthem" for awhile -- it's almost guaranteed to make a Canadian feel patriotic!

For another song full of lovely vocal harmonies, how about this little gem from Beethoven's "Fidelio": a quartet with the music written as a four-part canon, while the singers all sing different lyrics (and express rather different sentiments). It's called "Mir ist so wunderbar" ("I feel so wonderful") -- (the music starts at 39 seconds)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6noAkg_GP4

(And no, I am not the one who posted it to YouTube, despite my agreeing with its superlatives!)