Month: September 2020

# 30 Day Album Challenge day 13

/ lyncrain / Leave a comment

https://sandmanjazz.wordpress.com/2020/09/13/30-day-album-challenge-day-13/

Peter, Paul and Mary had some interesting lyrics that I feel fulfill the criteria for today’s prompt.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyQxAQZAY3U

How many roads must a man walk down
Before you call him a man?
How many seas must the white dove sail
Before she sleeps in the sand?

Yes, and how many times must the cannonballs fly
Before they are forever banned?
The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind
The answer is blowin’ in the wind

Yes, and how many years can a mountain exist
Before it is washed to the sea?
Yes, and how many years can some people exist
Before they’re allowed to be free?

Yes, and how many times can a man turn his head
And pretend that he just doesn’t see?
The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind
The answer is blowin’ in the wind

Yes, and how many times must a man look up
Before he can see the sky?
Yes, and how many ears must one man have
Before he can hear people cry?

Yes, and how many deaths will it take ’til he knows
That too many people have died?
The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind
The answer is blowin’ in the wind

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: Robert Dylan

Blowin’ in the Wind (Bonus Track) lyrics © Special Rider Music

We’re still asking this question today … how many years can some people exist before they’re allowed to be free?

George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Matianna Jefferson, Aura Rossa, Stephon Clark, Botham Jean, Philando Castille, Alton Sterling and so many more want to know.

https://interactive.aljazeera.com/aje/2020/know-their-names/index.html

Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honahlee
Little Jackie paper loved that rascal puff
And brought him strings and sealing wax and other fancy stuff

oh Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honahlee
Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honahlee

Together they would travel on a boat with billowed sail
Jackie kept a lookout perched on puff’s gigantic tail
Noble kings and princes would bow whene’er they came
Pirate ships would lower their flag when puff roared out his name

oh Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honahlee
Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honahlee

A dragon lives forever but not so little boys
Painted wings and giant rings make way for other toys
One grey night it happened, Jackie Paper came no more
And puff that mighty dragon, he ceased his fearless roar

His head was bent in sorrow, green scales fell like rain
Puff no longer went to play along the cherry lane
Without his life-long friend, puff could not be brave
So Puff that mighty dragon sadly slipped into his cave

oh Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honahlee
Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honahlee

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Leonard Lipton / Peter Yarrow

Puff (The Magic Dragon) lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc, BMG Rights Management

If you don’t know the history behind this song.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puff,_the_Magic_Dragon

# 30 Album Challenge

/ lyncrain / Leave a comment

https://sandmanjazz.wordpress.com/2020/09/12/30-day-album-challenge-day-12/

I’m playing catch up. Album that begs to be played loud. I have to go with CCR here since I already did the Rolling Stones.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMmpmHdnXK4

How can anyone play Have You Ever Seen The Rain softly? They’re not Credence fans if they do. It begs to vibrate the room like most songs on this album.

My favorites were Susie Q, Proud Mary, Bad Moon Rising, I Heard it on the Grapevine, Up Around the Bend and Looking Out My Back Door.

If you’re interested in what went down with this amazing group this article is interesting.

https://ultimateclassicrock.com/creedence-clearwater-revival-break-up/

I’ve worn out albums, and cassette tapes playing them to death. Thankfully, the cd’s hold up better.

#FOWC

/ lyncrain / 2 Comments

https://fivedotoh.com/category/one-word-challenge/

the prompt word is: ONLY

“You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.”~ Joe Lewis

Life happens if only it would happen the way we need it too be than the word would lose some of its potency as an adverb no one or nothing more besides; solely or exclusively. Adjectively, it may have a little value because it’s alone of its or their kind; single or solitary. If the English language isn’t confusing only means enough except that; but for the fact that. Sometimes I think our ancestors had better communication than us with their drawings and limited vocabulary.

Saying I love you
Is not the words I want to hear from you
It’s not that I want you
Not to say, but if you only knew
How easy it would be to show me how you feel
More than words is all you have to do to make it real
Then you wouldn’t have to say that you love me
‘Cause I’d already know
What would you do if my heart was torn in two
More than words to show you feel
That your love for me is real
What would you say if I took those words away
Then you couldn’t make things new
Just by saying I love you

More than words
La di da, da di da, di dai dai da

Now I’ve tried to talk to you and make you understand
All you have to do is close your eyes
And just reach out your hands and touch me
Hold me close don’t ever let me go
More than words is all I ever needed you to show
Then you wouldn’t have to say that you love me
‘Cause I’d already know

What would you do if my heart was torn in two
More than words to show you feel
That your love for me is real
What would you say if I took those words away
Then you couldn’t make things new
Just by saying I love you

La di da, da di da, di dai dai da
More than words
La di da, da di da, di dai dai da
More than words
La di da, da di da
La di da, da di da, more than words
La di da, da di da, di dai dai da
La di da, da di da, more than words (oh uh uh uh)
More than words

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Gary F. Cherone / Nuno Bettencourt

“There is only one success, to be able to spend your life in your own way.“~ Christopher Morley

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

The Old Barn©

A weathered, crumbling, old two storied barn on the edge of town
Barely noticed it was just one of many buildings all run down
Two old posts hold a rusty old chain with what was left of a sign
Next to the road, a grove of overgrown, neglected black pine
Only one night of the year, there’s evidence something evil goes on
Even the old owl is silent, hidden in the pine, patiently waiting for dawn
The few towns’ people left lock their doors, put down their shades
Covering their ears until the screeches of agonizing pain fade
In the morning light, the elders look for survivors of the demon fest
The lucky ones still able to moan will be medically assessed
The undertaker will deliver the dead, to the graveyard
Waiting for elders to begin a mournful service of fond regard
The owl howls at closing, grateful to be among that survived
Until next year, all will avoid the old barn where the demons reside.

If only we picked a different place to live. 🙂

#FOWC

/ lyncrain / Leave a comment

https://fivedotoh.com/category/one-word-challenge/

Today’s word is “heresy, ” a belief or opinion contrary to orthodox religious (especially Christian) doctrine.


A Heretic’s Prayer ©

Imagine having your own village ghost
Happily haunting your guest room
Joining you for a bit of wine and pot roast
But will you be safe on this night of doom

Imagine having ghouls rise from the grave
Chasing the unlucky ones until they scream
Beasties howling from a nearby cave
Joining their forces , they make a good team

Imagine hearing things go bump in the night
When you would rather be sleeping
Everyone knows Hallow’s eve is a demons delight
Come All Saints Day, will you be safe in Gods keeping

Fandango, thanks for the prompt, another great moment for poetic exposure.

Burning candles under the full moon praying to my Goddess Morrighan, she’s the Celtic Warrior Goddess I know counts as heresy by some religious zealots but then seeing some of the people who claim to be devout Christians while supporting the lunatic in office makes me want to avoid all contact. I’m happy to be heretic, definitely contrary.

And better yet, Leave it to Nine Inch Nails to have a song with the title Heresy. How cool is that?

[Verse 1]

He sewed His eyes shut because he is afraid to see

He tries to tell me what I put inside of me

He’s got the answers to ease my curiosity

He dreamed a god up and called it Christianity

[Chorus 1] God is dead and no one cares

If there is a hell, I’ll see you there

[Verse 2]

He flexed His muscles to keep his flock of sheep in line

He made a virus that would kill off all the swine

His perfect kingdom of killing, suffering, and pain

Demands devotion, atrocities done in His name

[Chorus 2] God is dead and no one cares

If there is a hell, I’ll see you there

Your god is dead and no one cares

If there is a hell, I’ll see you there

[Chorus 3]

God is dead and no one cares

If there is a hell, I’ll see you there

(Your god is dead!)

God is dead (And no one cares!)

And no one cares (Drowning in his own hypocrisy!)

If there is a hell

(Burning with your god in humility!)

I’ll see you there

(Will you die for this?!)

#30 Day Album Challenge

/ lyncrain / Leave a comment

https://sandmanjazz.wordpress.com/2020/09/09/30-day-album-challenge-day-9/

An album with a really great title… I’m going with Don’t Mess Around With Jim primarily because of the song Time in a Bottle. The way this song came together and ended up on the album is noteable.

“Time in a Bottle originially appeared on his 1972 ABC debut album You Don’t Mess Around with Jim and was featured in the 1973  made-for-television movie “She Lives!“.  But ABC originally didn’t intend to release the song as a single; but when Croce was killed in a plane crash in September 1973, its lyrics, dealing with mortality and the wish to have more time, had additional resonance.” The skeptic in me says ABC capitalized on the money aspect.

According to Wiki, ” Tommy West discovered this mix when he came in the morning and discussed it with Jim. Jim said, “The night before we were going to mix, I was watching a horror movie on TV, and something must have lodged in my brain because when I walked into the studio the next day, I saw this harpsichord sitting in a corner and got an idea. A jingle company had used it on a session and in walked a couple of guys from SIR [Studio Instruments Rental] to haul it away. I asked them to take a lunch break and told Bruce to put a couple of mics on it. He was whining that it was out of tune, but I asked him to let me try something. I added two tracks of harpsichord, told the movers they could remove it, walked into Jerry’s office and asked if I could borrow the electric bass that was sitting on his couch, played that on just the second verse and the outro, and that was that! Radio compression worked in our favor on that record. It made the harpsichord blend with the two guitars in an unusual way.” Tommy and Jim thought this arrangement would only be an album cut but it went a lot further.

You Don’t Mess Around with Jim is the third studio album by American singer-songwriter Jim Croce, released in April of 1972. It’s so hard to believe this album was rejected by 40 labels. Were they crazy? You Don’t Mess Around with Jim was the best selling album in the U.S. for five weeks in early 1974.

1.“You Don’t Mess Around with Jim“3:02
2.“Tomorrow’s Gonna Be a Brighter Day”2:57
3.“New York’s Not My Home”3:10
4.“Hard Time Losin’ Man”2:29
5.“Photographs and Memories”2:09
6.“Walkin’ Back to Georgia”2:53
7.“Operator (That’s Not the Way It Feels)“3:50
8.“Time in a Bottle“2:29
9.“Rapid Roy (The Stock Car Boy)”2:46
10.“Box No. 10”2:46
11.“A Long Time Ago”2:53
12.“Hey Tomorrow”

I owned this in vinyl originally then I replaced it with the two cd set that was re-released in 2006.

“If I could save time in a bottle
The first thing that I’d like to do
Is to save every day
‘Til eternity passes away
Just to spend them with you

If I could make days last forever
If words could make wishes come true
I’d save every day like a treasure and then
Again, I would spend them with you

But there never seems to be enough time
To do the things you want to do
Once you find them
I’ve looked around enough to know
That you’re the one I want to go
Through time with

If I had a box just for wishes
And dreams that had never come true
The box would be empty
Except for the memory
Of how they were answered by you

But there never seems to be enough time
To do the things you want to do
Once you find them
I’ve looked around enough to know
That you’re the one I want to go
Through time with”

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Jim Croce

Time in a Bottle lyrics © BMG Rights Management

Don’t we all wish we could stop time in a bottle…

#FOWC Lampoon

/ lyncrain / Leave a comment

https://fivedotoh.com/2020/09/0

Today’s word is “lampoon.” which in the verb context means to publicly criticize (someone or something) by using ridicule, irony, or sarcasm. And as a noun is a speech or text lampooning someone or something.

It doesn’t have the word lampoon in the poem but it’s a perfect example of the definition. This is one of my published poems addressing verbal abuse.

If I wanted an Opinion

You’re finally home, your lover didn’t need you.
If I really wanted an opinion…
Or you couldn’t find another man to do?

Who asked you to speak, sit there!
If I really wanted an opinion…
I would have asked the kitchen chair.

Clothes don’t improve how ugly you are.
If I really wanted an opinion…
Where did you take my car?

Who asked you to speak, sit there!
If I really wanted an opinion…
I would have asked the kitchen chair.

I own the car, the house, everything!
If I really wanted an opinion…
I fucking own you, you’re nothing!

I can rip those slutty clothes right off you!
If I really wanted an opinion…
I own you, I can do anything I want to!

Who asked you to speak, sit there!
If I really wanted an opinion…
I would have asked the kitchen chair.

STOP!
I wasn’t with anyone!
I didn’t do anything!

If I really wanted an opinion…

John, my first husband was a very difficult man and my life was all about walking on eggshells. My lampooning moment came when I handed him divorce papers. My speech was a summation of my poem when he began yelling I simply said, “I didn’t ask for your opinion.”