Song Lyric Sunday – 11 October 2020 – Everybody Hurts

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Jim Adams’ Song Lyric Sunday gives us the chance to share familiar, and sometimes not so familiar, songs. Jim has given us Hold/Pause/Stop/Wait 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.

I’ve used this song before, in May 2019, but I make no apology for using it again. Firstly it fits the prompt perfectly. Secondly, it has an important message and fits in with World Mental Health Day which was Saturday 10th October, the day I’m writing this and, finally, It is a brilliant song and I love it!

There is far too much hurt in the world. Sometimes we hurt people deliberately, sometimes we hurt unintentionally. Sometimes we even hurt others without realising we have done so.

Some people suffer hurt through illness, some through loss of loved ones, others because they feel hopeless, or neglected, or useless.

Some are hurt physically, many are hurt mentally.

We all will, at some time in our lives, hurt someone in some way. For any that I have hurt, I am truly sorry. For those that are hurting now, and for those who can see no end to their hurt, I offer love, and hugs, unconditionally. Hold on, it will get better!

Sadly, there is no doubt that at times Everybody hurts. Here is REM to sing the song. The final words are what matters: “You are not alone”.

Official Video

At Glastonbury 2003

Everybody Hurts

R.E.M.

When your day is long
And the night
The night is yours alone
When you’re sure you’ve had enough
Of this life
Well hang on
Don’t let yourself go
‘Cause everybody cries
And everybody hurts sometimes

Sometimes everything is wrong
Now it’s time to sing along
When your day is night alone (hold on)
(Hold on) if you feel like letting go (hold on)
If you think you’ve had too much
Of this life
Well, hang on

‘Cause everybody hurts
Take comfort in your friends
Everybody hurts
Don’t throw your hand
Oh, no
Don’t throw your hand
If you feel like you’re alone
No, no, no, you’re not alone

If you’re on your own
In this life
The days and nights are long
When you think you’ve had too much
Of this life
To hang on

Well, everybody hurts sometimes
Everybody cries
And everybody hurts sometimes
And everybody hurts sometimes
So, hold on, hold on
Hold on, hold on
Hold on, hold on
Hold on, hold on

Everybody hurts

You are not alone

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: William Thomas Berry / Peter Lawrence Buck / Michael E. Mills / John Michael Stipe

Everybody Hurts lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

Rapid rhyme #34

It’s a bit of a bugger being dead

when I think of the things I’ve not said!

I’m not really dead. At least I don’t think I am.

However, take heed. If there is someone you love, and you haven’t told them, do it now.

If there is someone you appreciate, and you haven’t told them, do it now.

If there is someone who helped you, and you haven’t thanked them, do it now.

If you hurt someone’s feelings, and you haven’t said sorry, do it now.

Not tomorrow – NOW

Tomorrow, you, or they, may not be there!

Travelling down the Rhine on a duck

Originally published on 25/10/2017, this is part of a series that I promised may take a while to complete. I was right!

In the Summer of 1962, at the age of 14, I travelled to Germany, with the Combined Cadet Force from my school, for a Summer Camp.

It was quite an adventure to get there. We travelled by military steam train, with the carriages being loaded onto the ferry for the channel crossing. It must have been very nearly the last such journey.

We eventually arrived at 2 Division Signal Regiment, in Bünde, West Germany, a Regiment I was later to be posted to as a regular soldier.

The Crossed Keys of 2 Division

 

 

There were still National Servicemen who had been conscripted into the forces for 2 years. These were the last of a dying breed as the last National Servicemen left the armed forces in May 1963.

I well remember that the soldiers took great delight in plying us with beer, probably at our own expense. That Summer, far from home, was the first time that I became extremely drunk, and extremely unwell.

We obviously overdid the cigarettes too. When I returned home I suffered, for a few days, with what was diagnosed as nicotine poisoning!

During our 10 days there we went out on exercise with the Regiment and did all sorts of, what was to us young boys, very exciting things. We helped camouflage vehicles, laid large capacity cables, helped put up radio masts, slept in abandoned barns and spent a day with the German Army.

It was during this “exchange day” that I encountered the DUKW (duck) that was to transport us down the river. (For the technically minded, more information here)

Ten very excited teenagers squeezed into the restricted space at the back and were driven down a ramp, into the water, where we progressed at a very sedate pace for 20 minutes or so, driving back up another ramp to dry land.

To be honest it was a bit disappointing, certainly not as exciting as the next half hour when we were transported at some considerable speed back up river, sirens wailing, in a fast patrol craft.

We then experienced a German Army lunch, for many, the first ever taste of “foreign” food. Tepid cabbage soup, cold würst, sauerkraut, black bread, and a strange pudding of yogurt. A new experience that was not repeated until it became more commonplace in the UK.

Postscript

In fact the river in question may not have been the Rhine. Memory being what it is, it could have been the Mösel, or even the Wëser. I have travelled on all of these, but, at the time, it seemed to be a very wide, and busy, river.

Part of the series Some things I’ve done that you probably haven’t!

Song Lyric Sunday – 4 October 2020 – User choice

Jim Adams’ Song Lyric Sunday gives us the chance to share familiar, and sometimes not so familiar, songs. Jim has given us a free choice this week rather than a choice of words to be included in the title or lyrics. I think that a lot of regular contributors will, like me, be thrown by having to make an extra decision. But decide I must (and that is the first decision – to start a sentence with ‘But’. My primary school teacher, Mrs Slaney, would be horrified!

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 tend to ‘collect’ songs in a file that could possibly be used, at some later date, in SLS. Sometimes, I totally miss a perfect match and think later what a complete imbecile I have been. Nothing new there then!

My choice, this week, is an artist that I admire tremendously. I wish that I could write poetry such as she does.

No other explanation is needed.

The few Lyrics that are required are on the video.

Play it seven times and consume it, or let it consume you.

and if you get carried away with Enya…..try this

“So I could find my way”

I could quite happily spend all day listening to Enya.  There is something ethereal about her songs.  I do so hope that you can experience just a small portion of what I do.

Seen on my morning walk #2

I met a poorly squirrel

now what could rhyme with that

I asked what she was doing there

and then we had a chat

Suggested she move somewhere safe

and not stay on the ground

I even helped her start to climb

close by where she was found

I came back later she was there

looking much the same

I do not think that she’ll survive

it really is a shame!

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Seen on my morning walk #1

Walking through long grass this morning when I disturbed a young pleasant couple canoodling.

I don’t know who was the most shocked, me, or them!

They disappeared very quickly into nearby woodland, he swearing at the top of his voice, and she screaming loudly.

Another beautiful walk.

 

Damn autocorrect  –  “pheasant”

Some things I’ve done that you probably haven’t.

This is a reblog of a series I started in October 2017. I thought I should resurrect it in order to attempt to get it completed. Perhaps it could take the place of my Lundi limerick series.

Peter's pondering

I had this random thought that I have done a few things in my life that the average person will never experience.  I thought I would write a post entitled:

“Ten things I’ve done that you probably haven’t.” It developed a little like this:

TenElevenTwelveThirteenFourteenFifteenSixteenSeventeenEighteen Nineteen Twenty things I’ve done that you probably haven’t

I arranged them in reverse alphabetical order, just for the sake of it! Then I thought of an added one, or four. So, here we have:

Some things I’ve done that you probably haven’t

1. Travelled down the Rhine on a Duck
2. Transferred between Royal Naval ships at sea by Jackstay
3. Transferred between Royal Naval ships at sea by helicopter
4. Spent time in a prison cell
5. Sat in a Harrier Jump Jet
6. Rowed in a coxed 4 at sea
7. Regularly travelled to work by helicopter
8. Qualified as a helicopter…

View original post 174 more words

Song Lyric Sunday – 27 September 2020 – Brother /Sibling /Sister

Jim Adams’ Song Lyric Sunday gives us the chance to share familiar, and sometimes not so familiar, songs. Jim has given us Brother/Sibling/Sister 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.

I don’t know whether it makes life easier, or harder, being the child of someone famous.  Do you get an easier ride to your chosen destination, or does everyone expect you to be perfect and just as good as your parent is, or was, despite the fact that you have worked tremendously hard to just be you!

Whichever is the case it cannot be easy.  If you are successful, people will say you had everything handed to you on a plate, and you will always be compared to your parent. If unsuccessful people will say “well, you’d expect them to be better than that!”

Our artist today obviously has a very strong family background so fits in perfectly with the theme.  He is one of nine siblings,  has seven children, and started his performing career in 1979 with three of his siblings forming the band Melody Makers.

The band was named after the British weekly pop/rock music newspaper, Melody Maker and they made their recording debut with “Children Playing in the Streets“. The track was written for them by their father, who had composed the song for them four years earlier. All royalties from the single were pledged to the United Nations, to aid its efforts during the International Year of the Child.

The father was reggae icon Bob Marley.  The son is Ziggy Marley  and I hope you enjoy this newly-restored music video for “Brothers And Sisters” from Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers’ 1993 album Joy & Blues!

 

Lyrics

I am my momma’s son, you are your father’s child
Sometime we act as if we hate each other
A different fate, a different state of mind
That don’t mean we all can’t be satisfied
We are all brothers and sisters
We are all brothers and sisters
Some are black and brown, others white and light
That’s all the difference I can remember
Different face, different kind of smile
That’s what we see but this we must realize
We are all brothers and sisters
We are all brothers and sisters
Earth is my mother, there is no other
So for you, so for all of I
Don’t look me with a scorn
In time mankind was born
So for you, so for all of I
Love must live, hate must die
Don’t join a rind
Don’t you be so blind
We are all brothers and sisters
We are all brothers and sisters
I am no stranger in your town
Rasta seed is all around, yeah
Now when you’re lookin’ at me
Don’t think I am your enemy
I am my father’s son, you are your momma child
Sometime we act as if we hate each other
A different fate, a different state of mind
That don’t mean we all can’t be satisfied
Ah, brothers and sisters, we are all
Brothers and sisters, all an’ all
Brothers and sisters, we are all
Brothers and sisters, all an’ all
Brothers and sisters, whom without life
Brothers and sisters, we are all
Brothers and sisters
Brothers and sisters, we are all
Brothers and sisters, all an’ all
Brothers and sisters, we are all
Brothers and sisters, we are all
Brothers and sisters, all an’ all

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: Ziggy Marley

Rapid rhyme #33/ Melissa the mouse

I talk to them, they talk to me

in easy stages one two three

First greet them with a bright “Good Day”

and ask them if they’ve time to stay

Then if they have, ask how they are

and have they had to travel far

Are they alone or with their spouse

Do they live in a hole or house

It’s truly magic, meeting friends

the joys of walking show no ends

 

Some of you may know that I go for a walk most days.  I talk to the trees and anything else I encounter along the way.  In these days of Covid I have changed my route and now I mostly go through fields, woodland, along the river and canal.  I stay away from roads and people as much as possible!

Today I had a real bonus meeting and conversation.  Apart from the cattle, horses, swans, spiders, grasshoppers, and birds, that is.

I quite often come across a dead mouse, or vole, and that’s what I saw this morning, and then……she moved.  It was a teeny tiny mouse, and her name was Melissa.  I know that for a fact because she told me.  You may think me a little potty, nuts, crazy, or whatever.  I don’t care.

I asked Melissa if I could take a few photographs to remember her by, and she agreed.  In fact she was quite happy and so that her friends on Mousebook could see what a big girl she is she asked if I could put a Pound coin alongside her to compare with. A pound coin is 23.43mm diameter.  That is 0.922 inches in old money!

Melissa was exploring her neighbourhood for the first time but couldn’t remember how old she was.   Baby mice grow up very quickly.  After just six days, they have fur and can move and squeak.  After 18 days, they are ready to leave the nest.  Female mice can start having babies when they are just six weeks old.  They can produce 10 litters every year, with up to 12 babies in each litter.

She soon went back to the nest which was accessed by a small hole in the ground.  Another of her siblings popped his head out to say a quick hello but disappeared and didn’t want his photograph taken.

Seriously though, folks, isn’t she gorgeous.  So much so that I am not sharing her space with any other friends I met today.

How did we manage without sex education. — Broadsides – A collection of bits and pieces

I bet you spill your drink whilst reading this very serious article from John!

We didn’t know how to kiss.  No one told us how.  No one showed us what to do.  There was very little on the TV  and the kind of films we went to see on Saturday mornings didn’t have any kissing in them.  Abbott and Costello:  no kissing, Tarzan: no killing, Dean Martin and Jerry […]

How did we manage without sex education. — Broadsides – A collection of bits and pieces