Category: Music

We speak different languages

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We are a three-guitar (and one organ, one keyboard and one banjo) household.

Big Brother is trying hard to teach himself electric guitar by downloading tablature from the internet. Since I have a 12-string Ovation, I generally only play “by the chords” so I can’t be much help to him.

Now he’s thinking about playing with the choir at church. I had offered to write out a few simple bass lines for him. But he wants me to write them in tabs, not notes. I read music; he doesn’t. So I don’t do tabs.

I tried what I thought was a brilliant parting shot: “I bet Andres Segovia doesn’t play by tabs!”

He didn’t know who Andres Segovia is.

“Only the Best Guitarist Of All Time,” I told him.

He disagreed.

“He is SO better than Jimi Hendrix,” I said.

“But what about Jimmy Page?” he countered.

We need to get Nintendo to put some Segovia into Guitar Hero. Maybe that would convince him.

New Twist on a Classic Song

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Yesterday Big Brother was telling me about this great song he heard by one of his favorite bands. He said it was different from their usual sound, with only a few instruments as accompaniment, and a song about World War I and a cemetery.

I immediately knew he was talking about the song my dad always called “Willy MacBride” — the real title is “The Green Fields of France.” I don’t remember who sang the one Dad always listened to, but the Dropkick Murphys have really nailed this one. And the video is an incredible tribute.

Big Brother was suprised to hear that this wasn’t a new song. I’d ask him to download this for my mp3 player, but I can’t listen without crying, so maybe it’s better that I don’t.

My New Favorite Song

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The lyrics are strange, but the sound is fantastic! Enjoy! I’m driving the kids bananas, listening to it over and over and over and over and over….

How Long Lyrics

The Song in My Head

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This comes to you courtesy of Big Brother’s mythology teacher (yes, Big Brother is taking a mythology class at school. It’s really a neat curriculum she has designed.)

“Did you know that the real name of the ‘Can-Can’ is Orpheus in the Underworld?”

So, now it’s stuck in your head too, because I’m nice that way. Just spreading the agony sharing the joy.

I’m seriously hoping I get rid of this earworm before I head out to my Secular Franciscans meeting, since we’ll be having Adoration and Evening Prayer tonight and I’m leading the music.

Today’s music for Mass

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One thing I really miss, now that I am no longer a choir leader, is choosing music for Mass. It was a responsibility I always took seriously, as the music helps set the tone for worship.

Occasionally I do get to choose the music, and today is one of those days. The choir leader is traveling with her family so I will stand in. We’re a mixed-voice group accompanied by guitar.

So what will you hear if you show up at Mass at our church this noon?
Glory in the Cross
Taste and See (Hurd) for the psalm, done by our wonderful young cantor
Shepherd Me, O God
Jesus the Lord
Alleluia! Sing to Jesus

Mass of Creation acclamations
Celtic Alleluia

The Song in My Head

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Thanks to Michelle, the song in my head is “The Bunny Song.” I’m going to be singing this ALL. DAY. LONG. I just know it. I am powerless over “The Bunny Song” though I must say, I like the “New & Improved Bunny Song” much better.

And contrary to that old wives’ tale, singing the song in your head out loud to clear it out does not work. It just annoys the people around you or spurs them to sing along.

If it weren’t Lent, I might have to seek revenge by mentioning some of my most pestiferous earworms as:
“Think” by Aretha Franklin, as performed in “The Blues Brothers”
“Walk Like an Egyptian” (The Bangles)
“Bad, Bad Leroy Brown” (Jim Croce)
And that song about the three little fishies and the mama fishie too, who swam and swam right over the dam. (Boop boop diddum daddum waddum, choo!)

But it’s Lent, so I wouldn’t do such a thing.

What song’s in YOUR head?

Musical Distractions

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Yesterday in church I was sitting with my family and the Secular Franciscans. Usually I sit with the choir, so I was enjoying the opportunity to be near my husband.

That is, until he leaned over during the Responsorial Psalm and whispered, “This song sounds just like something out of Willy Wonka.”

Don’t even think about asking me what the Second Reading was about. I spent the entire time running through the score of the movie in my head, having psychedelic Gene Wilder flashbacks, until I figured out what song he was thinking of: “Pure Imagination.”

He was right, too. I’ll never hear that Dameans tune (“Remember Your Love”) the same way again.