[Vision2020] Music to my ears

[amy smoucha]

Okay, I'll play, but I'll bend the rules a little.  It's hard for me to pick 
the best all-time songs, bucause what I love to listen to changes based on 
life, and growth and times . . .

I am always glad to return to folksy, melodic beautiful songs that have an 
unsettling narrative or undertone, the ones that sound beautiful and 
comforting until you pay attention to the words--The Banks of the Ohio, You 
Are My Sunshine, Darcy Farrow, and My Opening Farwell  are some examples.

Then there are the songs that make my chest swell, because they are 
universal (to my culture), thrilling, and delicious--Copeland's Appalachian 
Spring, Amazing Grace, Will The Circle Be Unbroken, Dark As A Dungeon, and 
almost anything that allows for superb harmonizing.  Imbedded in here is 
almost anything that Emmylou Harris sings these days.

Finally, there are those songs by songwriters who are so gifted at narrative 
or cleverness of language--Cole Porter, Bruce Cockburn, Woody Guthrie, Lucy 
Kaplansky, John Gorka, Cliff Eberhardt (I think), Joni Mitchell, Jackson 
Browne, The Indigo Girls, almost anything by Traditional.

I can't find my Sing Out!, thus can't check my memory.  But I have a serious 
request.  I just ordered a Peggy Seeger songbook that is probably to die 
for.  Who plays string and other instruments, and when can we have a 
hootenany?

Good topic change, Rose.  Though I am a fan of all your contributions and 
challenges posted on V2020.

Amy Smoucha
----Original Message Follows----
From: DonaldH675@aol.com
To: vision2020@moscow.com
Subject: [Vision2020] Music to my ears
Date: Sat, 6 Mar 2004 00:19:10 EST

Visionaries:

Allegedly I have only one song.  Well, actually, not quite.  But it did 
cause
me to wonder what members of our Internet community liked to listen to (and
sing along with). We can reliability predict certain responses to topics on
V2020, but I imagine our musical tastes might prove surprising.  My baby 
brother
once told me that the music I liked best was a reflection of my personality 
-
an abiding affection for lost causes songs, songs about revolutions, and
glorious Protestant hymns. He is right.  At any rate, would anyone care to 
share
their top three or four songs of-all-time list?  I'm willing to go first, in 
no
particular order.  The lyrics (if anyone is interested) follow the list.  I
would guess that most of them are available on Amazon.  Drum roll please for 
:
Simple Gifts, Lachin Y Gair, (Blakes) Jerusalem, and The Internationale, .

Simple Gifts
'Tis the gift to be simple,
Tis the gift to be free,
Tis the gift to come down
where we ought to be,
And when we find ourselves
in the place just right,
It will be in the valley
of love and delight.
When true simplicity is gained,
to bow and to bend ,
we will not be ashamed.
To turn, turn, will be our delight,
'Til by turning, turning, we come round right.

Lachin Y Gair
(John McDermott performs my favorite version of Lord Byron’s poem)
“Away, ye gay landscapes, ye gardens of roses!
In you the minions of luxury rove;
Restore me the rocks where the snow-flake reposes,
Though still they are sacred to freedom and love;
Yet, Caledonia; beloved are thy mountains,
Round their white summits though elements war;
Though cataracts foam ‘stead of smooth-flowing fountains,
I sigh for the valley of dark Loch Nagar.

Ah! There my young footsteps in infancy wandered:
My cap was the bonnet, my cloak was the plaid;
On chieftains long perished my memory pondered
As daily I strode through the pine covered glade;
I sought not my home, till the day’s dying glory
Gave praise to the rays of the bright polar star;
For fancy was cheered by traditional glory,
Disclosed by the natives of dark Loch Nagar.

Shades of the dead, have I not heard your voices
Rise on the night-rolling breath of the gale
Surely the soul of the hero rejoices
And rides on the wind, o’er his own Highland vale.
Round Loch Nagar while the stormy mist gathers,
Winter presides in his cold icy car;
Clouds then encircle the forms of my fathers;
They dwell in the tempests of dark Loch Nagar.

Yet, Caledonia; beloved are thy mountains,
I sigh for the valley of dark Loch Nagar.

Ill-starred, though brave, did no visions foreboding
Tell you that fate had forsaken your cause?
Ah, were you destined to die at Culloden,
Victory crown’ed not your fall with applause;
Still were you happy in death’s earthly slumber,
You rest with your clan in the Caves of Braemar;
The pibroch resounds, the piper’s loud number,
Your deeds on the echoes of dark Lock Nagar.

Years have rolled on, Loch Nagar, since I left you,
Years must elapse ere I tread you again:
Nature of verdure and flowers has bereft you.
Yet still are you dearer than Albion’s plain.
England! Thy beauties are tame and domestic
To one who has roved on the mountains afar:
Oh for the crags that are wild and majestic!
The steep frowning glories of dark  Loch Nagar!

Yet, Caledonia; beloved are thy mountains,
I sigh for the valley of dark Loch Nagar.”

Blake's Jerusalem
And did those feet in ancient time
Walk upon England's mountains green?
And was the Holy Lamb of God
On England's pleasant pastures seen?
And did the Countenance Divine
Shine forth upon our clouded hills?
And was Jerusalem builded here
Amongst these dark satanic mills?

Bring me my bow of burning gold
Bring me my arrows of desire
Bring me my spear: O clouds unfold!
Bring me my Chariot of Fire.
I will not cease from mental fight
Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand
Till we have built Jerusalem
In England's green and pleasant land.


The Internationale (Billy Bragg’s version is superb)
Stand up, all victims of oppression for the tyrants fear your might
Don't cling so hard to your possessions for you have nothing, if you have no
rights
Let racist ignorance be ended for respect makes the empires fall
Freedom is merely privilege extended unless enjoyed by one and all

Chorus:
So come brothers and sisters for the struggle carries on
The Internationale unites the world in song
So comrades come rally for this is the time and place
The international ideal unites the human race

Let no one build walls to divide us walls of hatred nor walls of stone
Come greet the dawn and stand beside us we'll live together or we'll die
alone
In our world poisoned by exploitation those who have taken, now they must 
give
And end the vanity of nations we've but one Earth on which to live

And so begins the final drama in the streets and in the fields
We stand unbowed before their armour we defy their guns and shields
When we fight, provoked by their aggression let us be inspired by like and
love
For though they offer us concessions change will not come from above


(It goes with out saying that my favorite first is the first one.)

Rose Huskey
Once you lose integrity everything else is easy.

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