W: Wellerman by Nathan Evans

 

 

Welcome AtoZ-ers and other blog friends! This month I'm participating in the AtoZ blogging challenge, and you'll see a post every day (except Sundays) about one of the Songs of my Heart. Today's edition: Wellerman by Nathan Evans.  (If my embedded video won't work, you can listen at this link).

 

There was a minute during the pandemic when everyone was into Sea Shanties. Anyone remember that? Well, I still have this one on my "get stuff done" playlist. The rhythm of it is GREAT for working, which was the point. I feel like groups of men singing together don't get enough notice. It can be amazing to listen to. So sign me up for more sea shanties and more dwarven ballads from the Hobbit!

Lyrics from AtoZ: 

There once was a ship that put to sea
The name of the ship was the Billy of Tea
The winds blew up, her bow dipped down
O blow, my bully boys, blow (Huh!)

Soon may the Wellerman come
To bring us sugar and tea and rum
One day, when the tonguin' is done
We'll take our leave and go

She'd not been two weeks from shore
When down on her, a right whale bore
The captain called all hands and swore
He'd take that whale in tow (Huh!)

Soon may the Wellerman come
To bring us sugar and tea and rum
One day, when the tonguin' is done
We'll take our leave and go

Da-da, da-da-da-da
Da-da-da-da, da-da-da-da-da
Da-da, da-da-da-da
Da-da-da-da-da-da

Before the boat had hit the water
The whale's tail came up and caught her
All hands to the side, harpooned and fought her
When she dived down low (Huh!)

Soon may the Wellerman come
To bring us sugar and tea and rum
One day, when the tonguin' is done
We'll take our leave and go

No line was cut, no whale was freed
The Captain's mind was not of greed
But he belonged to the whaleman's creed
She took that ship in tow (Huh!)

Soon may the Wellerman come
To bring us sugar and tea and rum
One day, when the tonguin' is done
We'll take our leave and go

Da-da, da-da-da-da
Da-da-da-da, da-da-da-da-da
Da-da, da-da-da-da
Da-da-da-da-da-da

For forty days, or even more
The line went slack, then tight once more
All boats were lost, there were only four
But still that whale did go (Huh!)

Soon may the Wellerman come
To bring us sugar and tea and rum
One day, when the tonguin' is done
We'll take our leave and go

As far as I've heard, the fight's still on
The line's not cut and the whale's not gone
The Wellerman makes his regular call
To encourage the Captain, crew, and all (Huh!)

Soon may the Wellerman come
To bring us sugar and tea and rum
One day, when the tonguin' is done
We'll take our leave and go
Soon may the Wellerman come
To bring us sugar and tea and rum
One day, when the tonguin' is done
We'll take our leave and go  

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V: Veronica by Elvis Costello

 Welcome AtoZ-ers and other blog friends! This month I'm participating in the AtoZ blogging challenge, and you'll see a post every day (except Sundays) about one of the Songs of my Heart. Today's edition: Veronica by Elvis Costello.  (If my embedded video won't work, you can listen at this link).

 

I'm a little hit and miss with Elvis Costello. When I'm in the right mood, his hipster vibe and snarky attitude work for me. When I'm not, it's less fun. But I nearly always like this song when I hear it. 

The height of my enjoyment of Costello's music was his Mighty Like a Rose album, smack dab in the middle of my college years. This one was recorded in the later 1980s, so a bit before that album. 

Revisiting it now, especially with the video, it strikes me very differently, with commentary on aging and losing you used to be. But at least the singer remembers who she was and misses her (even if he's a little patronizing about it with that "pretty little head" nonsense). 

 Lyrics from Elvis Costello Wiki:

Is it all in that pretty little head of yours?
What goes on in that place in the dark?
Well, I used to know a girl and I would have sworn that her name was Veronica
Well, she used to have a carefree mind of her own and a delicate look in her eye
These days I'm afraid she's not even sure if her name is Veronica

(Chorus:)
Do you suppose that waiting hands on eyes, Veronica has gone to hide?
And all the time she laughs at those who shout her name and steal her clothes
Veronica
Veronica
Veronica

Did the days drag by? Did the favours wane?
Did he roam down the town all the time?
Will you wake from your dream with a wolf at the door, reaching out for Veronica?
Well it was all of sixty-five years ago
When the world was the street where she lived
And a young man sailed on a ship in the sea with a picture of Veronica

On the "Empress of India"
And as she closed her eyes upon the world
And picked upon the bones of last week's news
She spoke his name out loud again

(Repeat Chorus)

Veronica sits in her favourite chair, she sits very quiet and still
And they call her a name that they never get right
And if they don't, then nobody else will
But she used to have a carefree mind of her own, with a devilish look in her eye
Saying "You can call me anything you like, but my name is Veronica"

(Repeat Chorus)

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U: U-Mass by the Pixies

 Welcome AtoZ-ers and other blog friends! This month I'm participating in the AtoZ blogging challenge, and you'll see a post every day (except Sundays) about one of the Songs of my Heart. Today's edition: U-Mass by the Pixies.  (If my embed doesn't work, listen at this link).

 

I can't remember how I found the Pixies. It was the early 90s and I was a college student, so new music was always landing in my lap without any effort on my part. I know I had this one on CD: Trompe le Monde. I also remember that my then-boyfriend, later-husband, later-ex-husband HATED it. 

I mean, I get it. The Pixies are not…melodic. They scream rather than sing in a traditional sense. But they do it with verve and style and sometimes screaming is just what's in my heart. Every once in a while, I'm walking around here, more than 30 years later and I just randomly say "University. Of. Massachusetts. Please." in just the cadence you hear in the song because something about it tickled my brain all those years ago and hasn't stopped. 

 I also love screaming "IT'S EDUCATIONAL" when I've had a rough life lesson I'd rather not have been forced to learn. Life is mean that way sometimes. 

 Lyrics from AtoZ: 

In the sleepy west of the woody east
Is a valley full, full o' pioneer
We're not just kids to say the least
We got ideas to us that's dear
Like capitalist, like communist
Like lots of things you've heard about
And redneckers, they get us pissed
And stupid stuff, it makes us shout
Oh, dance with me, oh, don't be shy
Oh, kiss me, cunt, oh, kiss me, cock
Oh, kiss the world, oh, kiss the sky
Oh, kiss my ass, oh, let it rock
Of the April birds and the May bee
Oh baby

It's educational!
It's educational!
It's educational!
It's educational!
It's educational!
It's educational!
It's educational!
It's educational!

University
Of Massachusetts, please
And here's the last five

It's educational!
It's educational!
It's educational!
It's educational!

It's!
It's educational!  

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T: Tank! by Yoko Kanno and Seatbelts

 Welcome AtoZ-ers and other blog friends! This month I'm participating in the AtoZ blogging challenge, and you'll see a post every day (except Sundays) about one of the Songs of my Heart. Today's edition: Tank! by Yoko Kanno and Seatbelts.  (If my embed doesn't work, listen at this link).

 

When my husband and I were first dating, he wooed me in part with music from Cowboy Bebop. It's an anime series from the late 90s about a group of bounty hunters in outer space. I highly recommend both that anime and the more recent live action version. Part of what makes both of them work is the music. Yoko Kanno creates across genres, conventions, and time periods to make exciting, unique, and gorgeous music. 

Tank! in particular remains on my "pump you up" playlist, when I need a jolt to get me going. It's mostly instrumental, so no lyrics to quote for you today. 

When Sweetman and I are facing a hard day, we still quote the opening lyric to each other: "I think it's time to blow this scene. Get everybody and the stuff together. Okay, 3-2-1, let's jam!" And then, it's all jazzy action music, drums and brass and style. LOVE IT. 

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S: Someone Keeps Moving my Chair by They Might be Giants

Welcome AtoZ-ers and other blog friends! This month I'm participating in the AtoZ blogging challenge, and you'll see a post every day (except Sundays) about one of the Songs of my Heart. Today's edition: Someone Keeps Moving my Chair by They Might be Giants.  (If my embed doesn't work, listen at this link).

 

I'm trying to remember how I first ran across They Might be Giants, and…I can't remember. I do remember calling their "Dial-a-Song" hotline as a college student (early 1990s), so I've known about them at least that long. I enjoy a LOT of their music: quirky, weird little songs about anything and everything. Usually peppy and catchy and fun. Their album Flood is one I have completely memorized. 

This particular song helps me laugh at myself when I find I'm getting all worked up about something relatively minor. I mean, jut use a different chair, right? Or move it back? 

Lyrics from this might be a wiki:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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R: Respect by Aretha Franklin

 Welcome AtoZ-ers and other blog friends! This month I'm participating in the AtoZ blogging challenge, and you'll see a post every day (except Sundays) about one of the Songs of my Heart. Today's edition: Respect by Aretha Franklin.  (If my embedded video won't work, you can listen at this link).

 

From time to time, you just need a woman power anthem, and this song delivers. Empowerment in a loud and proud demand to be treated well by your partner, or just in general. Amazing how a gender flip took a song about traditional patriarchy and completely revised it. I mean, does anyone even ever listen to the Otis Redding version anymore? For a long time, I didn't even know it existed. 

Lyrics from AtoZ: 

What you want
Baby, I got it
What you need
Do you know I got it?

All I'm askin'
Is for a little respect
When you come home
(just a little bit)
Hey, baby
(just a little bit)
When you get home
(just a little bit)
Mister
(just a little bit)

I ain't gonna do you wrong
While you're gone
Ain't gonna do you wrong
'Cause I don't wanna

All I'm askin'
Is for a little respect
When you come home
(just a little bit)
Baby
(just a little bit)
When you get home
(just a little bit)
Yeah
(just a little bit)

I'm about to give you all of my money
And all I'm askin' in return, honey
Is to give me my propers
When you get home

(just a, just a, just a, just a)
Yeah, baby
(just a, just a, just a, just a)
When you get home
(just a little bit)
Yeah
(just a little bit)

Ooh, your kisses
Sweeter than honey
And guess what?
So is my money

All I want you to do for me
Is give it to me when you get home
(re, re, re ,re)
Yeah, baby
(re, re, re ,re)
Whip it to me
(respect, just a little bit)
When you get home, now
(just a little bit)

R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Find out what it means to me
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Take care, TCB

Oh (sock it to me, sock it to me
Sock it to me, sock it to me)
A little respect
(sock it to me, sock it to me, sock it to me, sock it to me)
Whoa, babe
(just a little bit)
A little respect
(just a little bit)

I get tired
(just a little bit)
Keep on tryin'
(just a little bit)
You're runnin' out of foolin'
(just a little bit)
And I ain't lyin'
(just a little bit)

(re, re, re, re) 'spect
When you come home
(re, re, re, re)
Or you might walk in
(respect, just a little bit)
And find out I'm gone
(just a little bit)
I got to have
(just a little bit)  

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Q: Qué será será by Doris Day

 Welcome AtoZ-ers and other blog friends! This month I'm participating in the AtoZ blogging challenge, and you'll see a post every day (except Sundays) about one of the Songs of my Heart. Today's edition: Qué será será by Doris Day.  (If my embedded video won't work, you can listen at this link).

 

Doris Day was quite a performer, an actress/singer whose work I enjoyed with my mother when I was young and have turned back to more recently, and this is a song that became strongly associated with her. Usually, it's a somewhat wistful ditty (listen to that version here), but when she sang it as part of her role in The Man Who Knew Too Much, it became embued with so much more--desperation, anger, fear, pressure to seem to be doing one thing while actually doing another. It's an amazing bit of acting through song, so this is now my favorite version of the song. 

Lyrics from lyrics.com: 

When I was just a little girl

I asked my mother, what will I be

Will I be pretty

Will I be rich

Here's what she said to me

Que será, será

Whatever will be, will be

The future's not ours to see

Que será, será

What will be, will be

When I grew up and fell in love

I asked my sweetheart, what lies ahead

Will we have rainbows

Day after day

Here's what my sweetheart said

Que será, será

Whatever will be, will be

The future's not ours to see

Que será, será

What will be, will be

Now I have children of my own

They ask their mother, what will I be

Will I be handsome

Will I be rich

I tell them tenderly

Que será, será

Whatever will be, will be

The future's not ours to see

Que será, será

What will be, will be

Que será, será

 

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P: Pa Pa Ya! by Baby Metal

 

Welcome AtoZ-ers and other blog friends! This month I'm participating in the AtoZ blogging challenge, and you'll see a post every day (except Sundays) about one of the Songs of my Heart. Today's edition: Pa Pa Ya! by Baby Metal.  (If my embedded video won't work, you can listen at this link).

 

Overall, I'm more punk than heavy metal, but there are moods, you know. And sometimes only metal will do. Baby Metal is one of my favorites because they intermix cute femininity and bad ass anger in a way that sometimes is just exactly what my brain needed.

Recently I got to go to one of their concerts with the youngest kiddo and damn, but they put on a good stage show, too! It was a really great night.

Since I don't speak any Japanese, it's all just feels and vibe for me. But in case you want to know what the song's words mean, this is what I found:

romanized Japanese lyrics from Genius:  Papa papaya Papa papaya Papa papaya Papa papaya Papa papa papa papaya Papa papa papa papaya Papa papa papa papaya Papa papa papa papaya [Verse 1: Su-Metal, F.HERO] Saikyou de saikou tte sainou ka? You know what? (Papa papa papa papaya) Zenshin to zenrei de onore wo kogase (Papa papa papa papaya) [Pre-Chorus: Su-Metal, F.HERO] Bring it on bring it! (Papa papaya) Bring it on bring it! (Papa papaya) Bring bring bring bring it! (Papa papaya) Bring bring bring bring it! [Chorus: Su-Metal, Moa-Metal] Matsuri da! Matsuri da! SPICY SUMMER SONG SONG Matsuri da! Matsuri da! CRAZY SUMMER DANCE DANCE Sawage! Sawage! Sawage! YO! PA PA YA BOYS Odore! Odore! Odore! PA! PA! PA PA YA GIRLS PAPAYA!! PAPAYA!!

English translation from lyricstranslate:  Is your talent the best yet strongest? You know what? Let yourself lit on fire, all through your body and soul!   Bring it on bring it! Bring it on bring it! Bring bring bring bring it! Bring bring bring bring it!   It's the festival! It's the festival! SPICY SUMMER SONG SONG It's the festival! It's the festival! CRAZY SUMMER DANCE DANCE Make it loud! Make it loud! Make it loud! YO! PA PA YA BOYS Dance! Dance! Dance! PA! PA! PA PA YA GIRLS PAPAYA!! PAPAYA!! Best yet strongest, bring them on! You know what? Let themselves lit on fire, all through its desperate situation!   Bring it on bring it! Bring it on bring it! Bring bring bring bring it! Bring bring bring bring it! It's the festival! It's the festival! CRAZY SUMMER BOY BOYS! It's the festival! It's the festival! SPICY SUMMER GIRL GIRLS! Make it loud! Make it loud! Make it loud! YO! PA PA YA SONG Dance! Dance! Dance! PA! PA! PA PA YA DANCE PAPAYA!! PAPAYA!! Rap, Rap, Molam, Rock, Rock Let the fortunes bring something to us, knock, knock! Life is like a Chocolate Box Box Mix and mash up like Papaya-Pok-Pok Knock, knock, knock, struggling Pound our lives with some happiness and sadness Papaya needs to be pound hard So it can be yummy, crispy and delicious Live your life fast like Thailand rider. Make your life feels hot and spicy cause this is summer! “I was Lightning Before the Thunder Som-tam and Sashimi we’re gonna have some fun. Baby, girls, Hanaka Go order your bikinis from Lazada Jumpin' in the Pool La La La Let the sunburn. We’re gonna PAPAYA Bring it on bring it! Bring it on bring it! Bring bring bring bring it! It's the festival! It's the festival! SPICY SUMMER SONG SONG It's the festival! It's the festival! CRAZY SUMMER DANCE DANCE Dance! Make it loud! Dance! Make it loud! Dance! Make it loud! Make it loud! PA! PA! PARTY TIME! PAPAYA!! PAPAYA!! PAPAYA!! PAPAYA!!

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O: Over and Over by Rio Romeo

 

Welcome AtoZ-ers and other blog friends! This month I'm participating in the AtoZ blogging challenge, and you'll see a post every day (except Sundays) about one of the Songs of my Heart. Today's edition: Over and Over by Rio Romeo.  (If my embedded video won't work, you can listen at this link).

 

The youngest Bryant is fond of songs where there's a contrast between the sound and the content and it's a vibe that has really grown on me after all these years of letting them DJ when we're in the car together. 

This one sounds very cheerful on the surface with all those bouncy "boom ba da"s at the outset, but there's a rough edge to the voice and the strain begins to show. It appeals to the dark humor side of me. The one that thinks ya gotta laugh or you'll cry.

Lyrics from AtoZ:

Boom ba da
Doom ba da
Boom ba da
Doom ba da
Boom ba da
Doom ba da
Boom ba da
Doom ba da

Aaaaaaaaaaa

Over and over and
Over and over and
Over and over

Over and over
I f*ck myself over
And under and under
I do it again

Morning and evening
I felt I was grieving
Until I said f*ck you
And never again

Daytime or night time I feel I'm on my time
But my time is fickle
Just like a friend

And with my departure
From the pain I harbor
I feel I am sinking
And sailing to swim

Over and over and
Over and over and
Over and over and
Over and

Over and over and
Over and over and
Over and over and
Over and over and

Over and over and
Over and over and
Over and over and
Over and over and

Over and over and
Over and over and
Over and over and
Over and over

Over and over and
Over and over and
Over and over and
Over and over and

And with my departure
From the pain I harbor
I feel I am sinking
And sailing to swim  

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N: Nowhere Fast from Streets of Fire

 

Welcome AtoZ-ers and other blog friends! This month I'm participating in the AtoZ blogging challenge, and you'll see a post every day (except Sundays) about one of the Songs of my Heart. Today's edition: Nowhere Fast as included in the movie soundtrack for Streets of Fire.  (If my embed doesn't work, listen at this link).

 

Streets of Fire: A Rock-n-Roll Fable is a wonderful, weird 1980s film featuring Michael Paré as our reluctant hero, Tom Cody,  called back to town by his sister because his ex-girlfriend, Ellen Aim, played by Diane Lane is in trouble. It's very stylized, with a Retro look, but including contemporary-at-the-time elements (80s styles) that have since become a whole 'nother kind of Retro, so it's this 50s-80s mix that I adore!

Ellen Aim is a popular singer in the movie, so of course there's a soundtrack, and I love several of the songs. It's hard to choose a favorite, but this one definitely makes the list. It captures that frenetic energy that some of us had when we were young to just get out there and do something, feeling held back by whatever our ordinary lives are and dreaming of something amazing.

Lyrics: 

Lying in your bed and on a Saturday night
You're sweatin' buckets and it's not even hot
But your brain has got the message
And it's sending it out
To every nerve and every muscle you've got

You've got so many dreams
That you don't know where to put 'em
So you'd better turn a few of 'em loose
Your body's got a feeling that it's starting to rust
You'd better rev it up and put it to use

And I don't know how I ever thought that I could make it all alone
When you only make it better
And it better be tonight
And we'll fly away on those angel wings of chrome in your daddy's car
Waiting there for you tonight
I'll be there for you tonight

Even if you don't have anywhere to go
You go down on the pedal and you're ready to roll
And even if you don't have anywhere to go
You go down on the pedal and you're ready to roll
And your speed
Is all you'll ever need
All you'll ever need to know
Darlin', Darlin'

You and me we're goin' nowhere slowly
And we've gotta get away from the past
There's nothin' wrong with goin' nowhere, baby
But we should be goin' nowhere fast

Everybody's goin' nowhere slowly
They're only fighting for the chance to be last
There's nothin' wrong with goin' nowhere, baby
But we should be goin' nowhere fast
It's so much better goin' nowhere fast

Stalkin' in the shadows by the light of the moon
It's like a prison and the night is a cell
Goin' anywhere has gotta be heaven tonight
'Cause stayin' here has gotta be hell
Dyin' in the city like a fire on the water
Let's go runnin' on the back of the wind
There's gotta' be some action on the face of the earth
And I've gotta see your face once again

And I don' know where I ever got the bright idea that I was cool
So alone and independent
But I'm depending on you now
And you'll always be the only thing that I just can't be without
And I'm out for you tonight
I'm comin' out for you tonight

Even if you don't have anywhere to go
You go down on the pedal and you're ready to roll (ready to roll)
Even if you don't have anywhere to go
You go down on the pedal and you're ready to roll
And your speed
Is all you'll ever need
All you'll ever need to know
Darlin', Darlin'

You and me we're goin' nowhere slowly
And we've gotta get away from the past
There's nothin' wrong with goin' nowhere, baby
But we should be goin' nowhere fast

Everybody's goin' nowhere slowly
They're only fighting for the chance to be last
There's nothin' wrong with goin' nowhere, baby
But we should be goin' nowhere fast
It's so much better goin' nowhere fast

Godspeed
Godspeed
Godspeed
Speed us away!

Godspeed
Godspeed
Godspeed
Speed us away!

Godspeed
Godspeed
Godspeed
Speed us away! We're goin' nowhere fast!

 

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