Jim Adams’ Song Lyric Sunday gives us the chance to share familiar, and sometimes not so familiar, songs.
This week the title or lyrics of the song must contain a colour. (For my American friends that is one of the many words where you took out the U for some reason!)
If you fancy sharing one of your favourite songs you can find out how to participate, and also listen to all the great entries, here.
The video for this is really rather clever. It is other worldly, dreamlike, with a generous smattering of childhood magic. The lyrics include a bit of Latin so I hope that you paid attention at school.
Eurus Afer Ventus – South African Wind
Boreus Zephyrus Africus – Northern West and Southwest
Jim Adams’ Song Lyric Sunday gives us the chance to share familiar, and sometimes not so familiar, songs. This week the title or lyrics of the song must contain one of the words Even, or Odd.
If you fancy sharing one of your favourite songs you can find out how to participate, and also listen to all the great entries, here.
I’ve chosen a song this week off the album Dark Sky Island, by Enya. I used a song off this album in October 2020, when Jim gave us a free choice. “The Humming” can be found here.
Eithne Pádraigín Ní Bhraonáin, known professionally as Enya, is an Irish singer, songwriter, record producer and musician. Born into a musical family and raised in an Irish speaking area in County Donegal, Enya began her music career when she joined her family’s Celtic folk band Clannad in 1980 on keyboards and backing vocals. She left in 1982 with their manager and producer Nicky Ryan to pursue a solo career, with Ryan’s wife Roma Ryan as her lyricist. She has sung in ten languages.
In 2008 Enya took a three-year break from music and spent time travelling, including visits to Ireland, Australia, and France, where she bought a new home, on its southern coast, and renovated it. Eventually, she caught up with her long-time collaborators, Nicky and Roma Ryan, to discuss ideas on the next album and when to start work. At one meeting, Roma presented Enya with a collection of poems she had written about islands, one of which was about Sark in the English Channel, and they spoke about its designation as the first island to become a dark-sky preserve in 2011.
I’ve chosen to offer you “Even in the Shadows”. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
Even in the shadows I turn around To find you walk away And even when I whisper The winds will come To steal the words I say
I could fall and keep on falling I could call and keep on calling Wonder why this love is over Wonder why it’s not forever more
Even in the silence I hear my heart It’s still a part of you And even in the morning When light has come I don’t know what to do
I could fall and keep on falling I could call and keep on calling (Love may come…) Wonder why this love is over (…and love may go) Wonder why it’s not forever
I could fall and keep on falling I could call and keep on calling (Love may come…) Wonder why this love is over (…and love may go) Wonder why it’s not forever more
I could fall and keep on falling I could call and keep on calling (Love may come…) Wonder why this love is over (…and love may go) Wonder why it’s not forever
I could fall and keep on falling I could call and keep on calling (Love may come…) Wonder why this love is over (…and love may go) Wonder why it’s not forever more
Jim Adams’ Song Lyric Sunday gives us the chance to share familiar, and sometimes not so familiar, songs. This week the title or lyrics of the song must contain one of the words Chat, Laugh, Rant, Scream, or Talk.
If you fancy sharing one of your favourite songs you can find out how to participate, and also listen to all the great entries, here.
Last week I had a Smokie link to my thoughts and I’m going the same way this week.
The song I’ve chosen is one that I have in my music collection – by Smokie. It’s a song that that I always believed was written by Rod Stewart, but I find was actually written by Danny Whitten.
Danny was best known for his work with Neil Young’s backing band Crazy Horse and is sadly one of the many musicians who died tragically young, in Danny’s case at the age of 29, reportedly “engulfed” by Mandrax.
The song he’s best remembered for is “I Don’t Want to Talk About It” and the featured version is by Rod Stewart with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, recorded in 2019. The video has some tremendous flashbacks which I think are a marvellous tribute to Rod’s history with this great song. I hope you agree.
I can tell by your eyes that you’ve probably been cryin’ forever And the stars in the sky don’t mean nothin’ to you, they’re a mirror I don’t want to talk about it, how you broke my heart If I stay here just a little bit longer If I stay here, won’t you listen to my heart, whoa, heart?
If I stand all alone, will the shadow hide the color of my heart Blue for the tears, black for the night’s fears The star in the sky don’t mean nothin’ to you, they’re a mirror I don’t want to talk about it, how you broke my heart If I stay here just a little bit longer If I stay here, won’t you listen to my heart, whoa, heart? I don’t want to talk about it, how you broke this old heart
If I stay here just a little bit longer If I stay here, won’t you listen to my heart, whoa, heart? My heart, whoa, heart
Jim Adams’ Song Lyric Sunday gives us the chance to share familiar, and sometimes not so familiar, songs. This week the title of the song must start with D or J.
If you fancy sharing one of your favourite songs you can find out how to participate, and also listen to all the great entries, here.
I have this song amongst my collection, recorded by Smokie, and I had no idea who had written it or recorded it. That version can be found down at the bottom.
The original was written and recorded by Randy VanWarmer, an American singer-songwriter who was inspired to write “Just When I Needed You Most” by two events: his old car, that
he loved and used for years, broke down on his way to work in Denver, Colorado, and he experienced a “devastating” breakup with a girlfriend. He wrote the song six months after that breakup, co-writing it with Tony Wilson of the group Hot Chocolate two years before it became a hit.
It was released as a single in February 1979 and reached No, 8 in the UK charts in September after peaking at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No.1 on Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks earlier that year
Sadly, Randy died on 12th January 2004, from leukemia, at the aged of 48.
I’ve included the studio recording, a “live” version, the Smokie version, and, finally Dolly Parton singing the song live. I hope you enjoy at least one of them!
You packed in the morning, I stared out the window And I struggled for something to say You left in the rain without closing the door I didn’t stand in your way Now I miss you more than I missed you before And now where I’ll find comfort, God knows ‘Cause you left me just when I needed you most Left me just when I needed you most Now most every morning, I stare out the window And I think about where you might be I’ve written you letters that I’d like to send If you would just send one to me ‘Cause I need you more than I needed before And now where I’ll find comfort, God knows ‘Cause you left me just when I needed you most Left me just when I needed you most You packed in the morning, I stared out the window And I struggled for something to say You left in the rain without closing the door I didn’t stand in your way Now I love you more than I loved you before And now where I’ll find comfort, God knows ‘Cause you left me just when I needed you most Oh yeah, you left me just when I needed you most You left me just when I needed you most
Jim Adams’ Song Lyric Sunday gives us the chance to share familiar, and sometimes not so familiar, songs. This week the title of the song must start with M or A.
If you fancy sharing one of your favourite songs you can find out how to participate, and also listen to all the great entries, here.
The video I’ve chosen is a recording of two very good friends who have known each other from way back and are very comfortable together. They first got together in January 1967 when The Jeff Beck Group was formed and went on to help set up The Faces in 1969. Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood are plainly great mates. They are happy to be together and they enjoy playing music together.
Rod Stewart has stated that his goal in life is to play ‘Mandolin Wind’ and make it sound like the record. I think this, despite using the banjo in place of the mandolin for parts of the song, is a pretty good effort!
When the rain came, I thought you’d leave ‘Cause I knew how much you loved the sun But you chose to stay, stay and keep me warm Through the darkest nights, I’ve ever known If the mandolin wind, couldn’t change a thing Then I know I love ya Oh the snow fell, without a break Buffalo died, in the frozen fields you know Through the coldest winter, in almost fourteen years I couldn’t believe you kept your smile Now I can rest assured, knowing that we’ve seen the worst And I know I love ya Oh I never was good, with romantic words So the next few lines, come really hard Don’t have much, but what I’ve got is yours Except of course, my steel guitar Ha, ’cause I know you don’t play But I’ll teach you one day Because I love ya
I recall the night, we knelt and prayed Noticing, your face was thin and pale I found it hard, to hide my tears I felt ashamed, I felt I’d let you down No mandolin wind, couldn’t change a thing Couldn’t change a thing, no no Ooh-hoo-hoo
Lada-dada, la-da, lada-dada Lada-dada, da-n-dada
The coldest winter, in almost fourteen years Could never, never change your mind, yeah Ooh-hoo-ooh And I love ya Yes indeed, and I love ya And I love ya Lordy I love ya Ooh-hoo And I love ya Lord, I love ya
Jim Adams’ Song Lyric Sunday gives us the chance to share familiar, and sometimes not so familiar, songs. This week the title of the song must start with P or G.
If you fancy sharing one of your favourite songs you can find out how to participate, and also listen to all the great entries, here.
Music is a personal choice and, like any form of art, I know that some may not be to everyone’s liking. The song I’ve chosen this week probably fits that statement more than most.
“Paranoid Android” is a song by English alternative rock band Radiohead. It was released as the lead single from their album OK Computer in May 1997.
The song was originally over 14 minutes long but was reduced to just over six minutes. It has four distinct sections and was written by singer Thom Yorke following an unpleasant experience in a Los Angeles bar during which he was surrounded by strangers who were high on cocaine.
In particular, Yorke was frightened by a woman who became violent after someone spilled a drink on her. Yorke characterised the woman as “inhuman” and said “There was a look in this woman’s eyes that I’d never seen before anywhere…. Couldn’t sleep that night because of it.” The woman inspired the line “kicking squealing Gucci little piggy” in the song’s second section. Yorke, referring to the line “With your opinions, which are of no consequence at all”, said that “That’s just a joke. It’s actually the other way around – it’s actually my opinion that is of no consequence at all.”
The original release came in the form of an animated video and this appears at the bottom of the post, but I’m offering a live performance from 1997 on “Later with Jules Holland”, a BBC production that I never miss. I do hope that you enjoy it.
The group obviously get on tremendously well, having met at school. I love how they almost show disinterest in sections where they are not actively playing, yet they remain professional throughout. Jonathan Greenwood, the very talented lead guitarist who has written several film scores, wanders off to the back to play keyboards. His brother, Colin, beavers away, almost unnoticed, playing bass, with Philip Selway, equally busy, playing the drums. Edward O’Brien on the left, meanwhile sorts out a minor technical problem at 2.37(not shown here but, believe me, it happened), then takes a well-earned rest at 3.30 before taking over the refrain “Rain Down” from Thom Yorke at 5.00. So brilliantly done that you never even noticed it!
You may have surmised that I’ve watched this particular recording a few times. I have, and I love it. I hope that you do too!
Please could you stop the noise? I’m trying to get some rest
From all the unborn chicken Voices in my head
What’s there? (I may be paranoid, but not an android) What’s there? (I may be paranoid, but not an android)
When I am king You will be first against the wall
With your opinion Which is of no consequence at all
What’s there? (I may be paranoid, but no android) What’s there? (I may be paranoid, but no android)
Ambition makes you look pretty ugly Kicking and squealing Gucci little piggy
You don’t remember, you don’t remember Why don’t you remember my name? Off with his head, man Off with his head, man Why don’t you remember my name? I guess he does
Rain down, rain down Come on rain down on me From a great height From a great height Height Rain down, rain down Come on rain down on me From a great height From a great height Height Rain down, rain down Come on rain down on me That’s it, sir You’re leaving The crackle of pigskin The dust and the screaming The yuppies networking The panic, the vomit The panic, the vomit God loves his children God loves his children, yeah
Jim Adams’ Song Lyric Sunday gives us the chance to share familiar, and sometimes not so familiar, songs. Jim has given us Odor /Scent /Smell /Taste this week to be included in the title or lyrics.
If you fancy sharing one of your favourite songs you can find out how to participate, and also listen to all the great entries, here.
This week I’m pondering on the final concert, and the final public performance, of The Beatles, Paul and Linda McCartney’s move to the Mull of Kintyre, and the beauty of that part of the world. I was fortunate to live in the Outer Hebrides for two years, based in Ballivanich, on the Isle of Benbecula. Wild, sparsely populated, enduring some tremendously strong winds and wild weather but beautiful, captivating, and instilling a sort of desert fever in those who are lucky enough to experience it.
The Beatles’ final paid concert of their career took place on 29 August 1966 at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, California. The band played to an audience of 25,000, leaving 7,000 tickets unsold. They had become disillusioned with live performances, singing the same songs time and again, unable to hear themselves playing. They had upset many fans with John’s statement that The Beatles were more popular than Jesus.
The Beatles’ rooftop concert on 30 January 1969 marked the end of an era for many fans. The group did record one more album, Abbey Road — on which work started the following month — but by September 1969 the Beatles had unofficially disbanded.
To save some money from the taxman and as a bolt hole from Beatlemania, Paul had, encouraged by then girlfriend Jane Asher, bought High Park Farm in Campbeltown, near Argyll’s Mull of Kintyre in 1968. But it was only when newly married to American Linda Eastman in 1969 that he decided to make it a home.
He said: “Going up to Scotland was real freedom. It was an escape – our means of finding a new direction in life and having time to think about what we really wanted to do.”
The farm, which was rustic to say the least, would become home to Linda’s daughter Heather and the couple’s first child Mary. Stella, now a top fashion designer, arrived in 1971.
But it was also the place where Paul’s next music project was born.
The new expanded editions of Wild Life and Red Rose Speedway include never-before-seen pictures of the McCartneys’ life in Campbeltown, which in time would inspire his love letter to the area – Mull of Kintyre – a 1977 Christmas No1.
They released the album ‘Ram’ together in 1971 and formed the band Wings in the same year. The couple were also nominated for an Oscar for their song ‘Live And Let Die’, the theme tune for the 1973 Bond film of the same name.
“When she came to Britain and we got to together the greatest thing about it was we both wanted to be free. We did what we wanted and she took pictures of it all.”
Linda McCartney died after a battle with breast cancer on April 17, 1998. She was 56 years old.
The video shows some great examples of the free and easy life in their dream home. A great place to raise their children, grow their own food, ride in deserted areas (UK horseriders may note they use American style saddles and tack), and generally enjoy life.
The song aint bad either!
If you want to see more then there is some lovely pics, and music, at the bottom of the lyrics.
Jim Adams’ Song Lyric Sunday gives us the chance to share familiar, and sometimes not so familiar, songs. Jim has given us Circle /Polygon /Square /Triangle this week to be included in the title or lyrics.
If you fancy sharing one of your favourite songs you can find out how to participate, and also listen to all the great entries, here.
This week I didn’t have to go round in endless circles to find a song and I shall not even begin to tell you the joke about the missing parrot. Instead, I’ll just get on with telling you that I have chosen what I consider to be a captivating song from a film that first aired in 1968, starring Steve McQueen and German actress Astrid Heeren. The title song was performed by Noel Harrison who took the song to #8 in the UK Singles Chart. It won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1968.
A version by Sting was used in the 1999 remake of the film which, this time, starred Pierce Brosnan and Rene Russo. The trailer can be viewed here.
Round like a circle in a spiral, like a wheel within a wheel Never ending or beginning on an ever spinning reel Like a snowball down a mountain, or a carnival balloon Like a carousel that’s turning running rings around the moon Like a clock whose hands are sweeping past the minutes of its face And the world is like an apple whirling silently in space Like the circles that you find in the windmills of your mind! Like a tunnel that you follow to a tunnel of its own Down a hollow to a cavern where the sun has never shone Like a door that keeps revolving in a half forgotten dream Or the ripples from a pebble someone tosses in a stream Like a clock whose hands are sweeping past the minutes of its face And the world is like an apple whirling silently in space Like the circles that you find in the windmills of your mind! Keys that jingle in your pocket, words that jangle in your head Why did summer go so quickly, was it something that you said? Lovers walking along a shore and leave their footprints in the sand Is the sound of distant drumming just the fingers of your hand? Pictures hanging in a hallway and the fragment of a song Half remembered names and faces, but to whom do they belong? When you knew that it was over you were suddenly aware That the autumn leaves were turning to the color of her hair! Like a circle in a spiral, like a wheel within a wheel Never ending or beginning on an ever spinning reel As the images unwind, like the circles that you find In the windmills of your mind!
Jim Adams’ Song Lyric Sunday gives us the chance to share familiar, and sometimes not so familiar, songs. Jim has given us Apple /Banana /Cherry /Olive /Orange /Strawberry this week to be included in the title or lyrics.
If you fancy sharing one of your favourite songs you can find out how to participate, and also listen to all the great entries, here.
The band I’m featuring this week is R.E.M. an American rock band from Athens, Georgia. The band was formed in 1980 by drummer Bill Berry, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills, and lead singer Michael Stipe, all of whom were students at the University of Georgia. They disbanded, amicably, in 2011.
“Orange Crush“ was released as the first single from the band’s sixth studio album, “Green”, in 1988. It was not commercially released in the U.S. despite reaching number one as a promotional single It peaked at number 28 on the UK Singles Chart, making it the band’s then-highest chart hit in Britain.
The song’s title is a reference to the chemical defoliant Agent Orange used in the Vietnam War. Stipe opened the song during The Green World Tour by singing the U.S. Army recruiting slogan, “Be all you can be… in the Army.” Stipe’s father served in the Vietnam War.
I think R.E.M. were best when performing live. Here is a recording from a 2003 performance in Germany.
….and here a remastered studio recorded version
The middle section of the lyrics mimics the helicopters flying over and around to disperse the defoliant Agent Orange, used to destroy the overhead cover of the Viet Cong. Little did they realise that it was also destroying the lungs, and other organs, of the civilian population, and American soldiers and airmen. That legacy continues to kill people today!
Lyrics
I’ve got my spine, I’ve got my orange crush (Collar me, don’t collar me) I’ve got my spine, I’ve got my orange crush (We are agents of the free) I’ve had my fun and now it’s time to serve your conscience overseas (Over me, not over me) Coming in fast, over me (oh, oh)
I’ve got my spine, I’ve got my orange crush (Collar me, don’t collar me) I’ve got my spine, I’ve got my orange crush (We are agents of the free) I’ve had my fun and now it’s time to serve your conscience overseas (Over me, not over me) Coming in fast, over me (oh, oh)
High on the roof, thin the blood Another one came on the waves tonight Comin’ in, you’re home
We would circle and we’d circle and we’d circle to stop and consider and centered on the pavement stacked up all the trucks jacked up and our wheels in slush and orange crush in pocket and all this here county, hell, any county, it’s just like heaven here, and I was remembering and I was just in a different county and all then this whirlybird that I headed for I had my goggles pulled off; I knew it all, I knew every back road and every truck stop
I’ve got my spine, I’ve got my orange crush (Collar me, don’t collar me) I’ve got my spine, I’ve got my orange crush (We are agents of the free) I’ve had my fun and now it’s time to serve your conscience overseas (Over me, not over me) Coming in fast, over me (oh, oh)
High on the roof, thin the blood Another one climbs on the waves tonight Comin’ in, you’re home
High on the roof, thin the blood Another one climbs on the waves tonight Comin’ in, you’re home
Jim Adams’ Song Lyric Sunday gives us the chance to share familiar, and sometimes not so familiar, songs. Jim has given us Alligator/ Crocodile/ Lizard/ Snake/ Turtle this week to be included in the title or lyrics.
If you fancy sharing one of your favourite songs you can find out how to participate, and also listen to all the great entries, here.
This week I am featuring The Snake, a song written and first recorded by civil-rights activist Oscar Brown in 1963, which became a hit single by American singer Al Wilson in 1968.
Also a great cover by Sarah Collins
and even The World’s Best Dancer
The song gained renewed attention during the campaign for the Presidential election in 2016. Donald Trump read its lyrics at several campaign rallies to illustrate his position on illegal immigration, claiming that the decision to allow people claiming refugee status to enter the United States would “come back to bite us”, as happened to the woman who took in the snake in the song. Songwriter Oscar Brown had seven children. His work has been characterized as “a celebration of black culture and a repudiation of racism”, and suggestions have been made that the snake in the song refers to a white person. Two of his seven children asked Trump to stop using their late father’s song, telling the media: “He’s perversely using ‘The Snake’ to demonize immigrants” and that Brown “never had anything against immigrants.” Despite a cease and desist letter, President Trump has continued reciting the lyrics at rallies as recently as November 2020.
However, it has also been used to show his true colours:
On her way to work one morning Down the path along side the lake A tender hearted woman saw a poor half frozen snake His pretty colored skin had been all frosted with the dew “Poor thing, ” she cried, “I’ll take you in and I’ll take care of you” “Take me in tender woman Take me in, for heaven’s sake Take me in, tender woman, ” sighed the snake
She wrapped him up all cozy in a comforter of silk And laid him by her fireside with some honey and some milk She hurried home from work that night and soon as she arrived She found that pretty snake she’d taken to had been revived “Take me in, tender woman Take me in, for heaven’s sake Take me in, tender woman, ” sighed the snake
She clutched him to her bosom, “You’re so beautiful, ” she cried “But if I hadn’t brought you in by now you might have died” She stroked his pretty skin again and kissed and held him tight Instead of saying thanks, the snake gave her a vicious bite “Take me in, tender woman Take me in, for heaven’s sake Take me in, tender woman, ” sighed the snake “I saved you, ” cried the woman “And you’ve bitten me, but why? You know your bite is poisonous and now I’m going to die” “Oh shut up, silly woman, ” said the reptile with a grin “You knew damn well I was a snake before you took me in “Take me in, tender woman Take me in, for heaven’s sake Take me in, tender woman, ” sighed the snake
"If only half of the history that has happened in Nottingham had happened in some other place, that place would be famous; but because it did happen here no one knows".
