Independence Day Playlist

I bought a great set of speakers for my mp3 player so I’m ready for the patio picnic.  A nice set of oldies, classical, and cuts  that always make me smile.  Sorry, I am so not a country music fan, so none on the list.  Here are some of the tunes I’ll be playing while celebrating our collective birthday.   Let the celebration begin.

Ray Charles-America the Beautiful

Betty and Jon-A Change is Gonna Come

U2-4th of July

Elliott Smith-Independence Day

James Taylor-On the 4th of July

Simon and Garfunkel-America

Williams-Liberty Fanfare

Sousa-Stars and Stripes Forever

Copland-Fanfare for the Common Man

Copland-Simple Gifts

Neil Diamond-America

Grand Funk Railroad-American Band

James Brown-Living in America

Tom Petty-American Girl

Fifth Dimension-Save the Country

Jimi Hendrix-Star Spangled Banner

The Day After Labor Day

Happy Day after Labor Day to all of America’s workers. 

Hurricane Gustav has done his worst.  Having been in NOLA only six months after Katrina, I feared for the city and the people in the path of yet another storm. I remember so vividly the faces of the teenage kids.  Lots of  old eyes in those fresh faces.  It was reassuring to see that all of the governments cooperated this time. 

Lots of email from friends about the choice of Sarah Palin as McCain’s vice president.  Usually  I don’t get too worked up about vice presidential choices, but….Sarah Palin?  It boggles the mind.  I guess John is a fan of the Broadway show, Gypsy.  “You gotta have a gimmick if you wanna have a chance!”  I wonder if Palin knows how to play the trumpet?

   It’s September and school is in….                                                

http://www.evolvefish.com/fish/stickers.html

Irish Songs

 For the great Gaels of Ireland
Are the men that God made mad,
For all their wars are merry
And all their songs are sad. –G. K. Chesterton

 

In honor of my Irish great grandmother and in preparation for my long awaited trip to Ireland this summer, here are my favorite Irish songs.  Links are to Youtube performances.  Some are sad, some are rowdy, and some just beautiful. 

• Whiskey in the Jar 
• Down By the Sally Gardens
• Isle of Inisfree
• Galway Bay
• Spancil Hill
• Black Velvet Band
• The Rising of the Moon
• The Wild Rover
• Wild Colonial Boy

 

Martin Luther King’s Words for Us Today

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.” — Dr. Martin Luther King jr, “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, April 1963 

I still believe that one day mankind will bow before the altars of God and be crowned triumphant over war and bloodshed, and nonviolent redemptive goodwill will proclaim the rule of the land…Most of these people will never make the headlines and their names will not appear in Who’s Who. Yet when years have rolled past and when the blazing light of truth is focused on this marvelous age in which we live — men and women will know and children will be taught that we have a finer land, a better people, a more noble civilization — because these humble children of God were willing to suffer for righteousness’ sake. Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech (Dec 1964)

We must move past indecision to action. We must find new ways to speak for peace in Vietnam and for justice throughout the developing world, a world that borders on our doors. If we do not act, we shall surely be dragged down the long, dark, and shameful corridors of time reserved for those who possess power without compassion, might without morality, and strength without sight.“Conscience and the Vietnam War” in The Trumpet of Conscience (1968)

Made in USA? I don’t think so.

So my daughter-in-law had these cute jammies on for Christmas.  Lots of Rudolphs on soft fleece.  Then you look closely at the pattern.  Why does Rudolph have a brown nose and a red tail? Made in the the USA?  I don’t think so.

Peace on Earth

Gloria in excelsis Deo. Et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis.

Glory in the highest to God. And on earth peace to men of good will.

The message has been the same for over two thousand years.  When we will listen?

Vivaldi’s Gloria:  Et in Terra Pax

Favorite Christmas Tunes

“Mary did you know that your baby boy will give sight to a blind man?  Mary did you know that your baby boy will calm the storm with his hand? Did you know that your baby boy has walked where angels trod? When you kiss your little baby you’ve kissed the face of God.”

So many wonderful Christmas songs to choose from.  I have about fifty on my MP3 playlist.  Here’s a  sample, a list of great tunes to help you pass the time on that long drive to your loved ones’ homes, wrapping packages, cooking, or anything else.  Some of pop, others are not, but they all fill me with joy and remind me of special times past and hopes for special times to come. 

•  ”All I Want for Christmas is You”-Mariah Carey
• “Please Be Home for Christmas”-Bon Jovi
• “Christmas Song”-Nat King Cole
• “Santa Claus is Coming to Town”-Bruce Springsteen
• “Silent Night”-Lou Rawls
• “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)”-Darlene Love
• “Carol of the Bells”-Robert Shaw Chorale
• “Feliz Navidad”-Jose Feliciano
• “Little St. Nick”-Beach Boys
• “This Christmas”-Donny Hathaway
• “Sleigh Ride”-Boston Pops
• “March of the Kings”-Trans Siberian Orchestra
• “Mary’s Boy Child”-Harry Belafonte
• “White Christmas”-Otis Redding
• “Blue Christmas”-Elvis Presley
• “Gesu Bambino”-Luciano Pavarotti
• “O Holy Night”-Il Divo
• “I’ll Be Home for Christmas”-Johnny Mathis
• “Mary Did You Know”-Clay Aiken
• “Hard Candy Christmas”-Dolly Parton
• “We Need a Little Christmas”-Angela Lansberry and Cast of Mame
• “Ave Maria” (any composer)-Andrea Bocelli
• “Pretty Paper”-Willie Nelson
• “River”-Sarah McLachlan
• “What are You Doing New Year’s?”-Harry Connick Jr.

Feeling like Santa

I just came back from a short trip to Tennessee.  Yesterday I had breakfast in Tennessee, lunch in St. Louis (airport), and dinner back behind the Red Door.  The weather went from downpour on the way to the Nashville Airport, to freezing sunless cold in St. Louis, to a mild, glorious sunset on the way to the Red Door.  Lots of Christmas displays and music in all three airports and cheery flight attendents. Must be what Santa feels like as he eats his cookies and drinks his milk in so many places and time zones on Christmas Eve. 

A Choral Christmas

WHAT sweeter music can we bring,
Than a Carol, for to sing
The Birth of this our heavenly King?
Awake the Voice! Awake the String! 

( Robert Herrick)

Here is the list of some of my favorite things to sing at Christmas that I found on Youtube.  Beautiful music from different times and places. 

 Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern (Bach, J.S. – BWV 1 – 1.)

Bogoroditse Devo

Gabriel’s Message

Victoria – O magnum mysterium

Nativity Carol

For Unto Us a Child is Born (from Handel’s Messiah)

Shepherds’ Farewell

Gloria (From Vivaldi’s Gloria)

Dona Nobis Pacem (Bach’s B Minor Mass)

Advent

O come, O Dayspring, come and cheer our spirits by thine advent here
And drive away the shades of night and pierce the clouds and bring us light. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee O Israel.

Advent begins on Sunday.  For all of you who want to ease away from the commercial side of Christmas, embrace Advent.  Start with the online advent calendar from Beliefnet.  It will inspire you each day of the month.  If you have never had an advent wreath, make one.  The United Methodist Church has a great resource on how to include this lovely symbol into your holiday season.  Finally, listen again to “O Come, O Come Emmanuel.”