Shiver me timbers!Thanks to Flea, that swarthy critter, I have something to write about. In Celebration of Talk Like a Pirate Day, I smartly will be donnin' the tongue of the swabbers of the poop deck. So sit ye back as I tell about me music I favor.
When I was a wee lad, me Momma and Pappa favored the artistic life. Ole Paps played the bass fiddle and Mam tickled the ivories. They felt that as we were getting longer in the tooth we should take up the musical practice (so as to some day play in a saloon, per'aps).
Each of us slaved over the ivories and had another instrument to play. I played the Cello (the "middle fiddle" as we pirates like to call it). Now I strum the guitar to wile away the hours on the sea.
Okay, I have had enough of the pirate stuff. You get the point. Happy Talk Like a Pirate Day!
Given the fact that I have had music as such an integral part of my life (I even started in college as a voice major), I have very eclectic tastes. In each musical style I could probably list 7 songs I like a lot. I cycle through different artists regularly on my I-Pod (one of the best purchases I have ever made, by the way). So, I do this with great pains in that I am leaving many wonderful songs out. Here goes:
- Classical - The Moldau - by Smetena. This was a piece of music my father played often, and tells the story of a river in the Czech Republic that starts as a small mountain stream and eventually goes to the ocean. I remember on Captain Kangaroo they had this with pictures. It is just beautiful and also carries lots of childhood emotions.
- Hymn - Rock of Ages - I did not really pay much attention to the lyrics until I heard it with a different melody. The original melody is very unimaginative and plodding. It tells of our unworthiness and the goodness of God.
- Folk - When You Say Nothing at All - Alison Krauss and Union Station. This is one of the best love songs I have heard. I also just love to hear her sing.
- Classic Rock - The Dangling Conversation - Simon and Garfunkel. Just incredible lyrics. Extremely poetic and creative with great melody, etc.
- Jazz - Take Five - Dave Brubeck. This was a groundbreaking song done in the 5/4 meter. To those who don't know, that is 5 beats to a measure and is very unconventional. He, however, got this to sing so smoothly it just captures you. He had a hard time getting it published due to this odd meter.
- Instrumental - Mombasa - Tommy Emmanuel. I saw him perform this on the PBS show Mountain Stage, which was my first exposure to this Australian artist. He is absolutely mind-bogglingly good at the guitar. On the TV version he does a long interlude where he uses his guitar as a percussion instrument.
- My Fa
vorite Artist, Bruce Cockburn - All the Diamonds in this World. My wife is always asking me to play this on my guitar. It is just a wonderful melodic song about his personal voyage. Whenever I play it for someone they comment on how beautiful it is.
So now I give a big "Ahoy" to my Mateys I tag: Laundress, Skye, Enoch, Clark, TheTundraPA, Kim, and of course, Spooner. I hope they don't make me walk the plank!
