Hello, It's Me; Twisted MixTape Gets Heavy Man

What music defines you?

Over at Jen's Twisted MixTape, we've gone through the decades and found songs which we feel define decades, or our lives in those decades. But what songs define you or your life? That is the question we need to answer this week. Whose idea is this anyway? Well, that would be Troy from As Long As I'm Singing, one fine writer and man of complex musical tastes. So that's how we got here. Now to look in the mirror and try to identify what, and who I am.

While it's not the first song I remember giving me the feeling of "Hell Yeah," I always recall thinking of this song when I needed a little boost of self-confidence.

"When I'm out in the street

I walk the way I wanna walk

When I'm out in the street

I talk the way I wanna talk"

That's Jersey attitude all the way and no surprise, it's the Boss.

"Out In The Street"

Pretty much for me, it's always been about the lyrics. One of the first songs I can remember actually trying to analyze what the words meant and the message the poet was trying to make was by Paul Simon. His songs would always speak to me. The man is brilliant. I think we knew that as soon as we first heard this.

"The Sounds of Silence"

When I was a young woman, things that are now taken for granted, were the changes we tried to achieve. We were making our own rules and learning about ourselves in the process. Hearing this song made me think of what was, and what could be. It was a coming of age anthem for me. Judy Collins had the hit, but I'll take the writers version for its purity. Joni Mitchell.

"Both Sides Now"

I grew up during a time of conflicts: Vietnam, Civil Rights, Women's Rights, it was a big pile of shit. Protest songs were everywhere and some damn fine ones at that. But the first song that made me think "well what the hell is really going on?" was this one by Buffalo Springfield.

"For What It's Worth"

I'm not a religious person, don't send emails. I know who I am, I believe in the greater good of people and in turn myself. That being said, I'm not a prayer. So I find it somewhat amusing that one of the songs that made a difference in my life is a psalm. Written by Pete Seeger, and taken from the Book of Ecclesiastes, the version by The Byrds was a huge hit. The song speaks of the balance of life... for everything there is a season.

"Turn, Turn, Turn"

Now I've used this song, ok, several times over the life of this blog. It all started with this song and to not include it here would be wrong. It is me. And Dobie Gray.

"And when my mind is free

You know a melody can move me

And when I'm feelin' blue

The guitar's comin' through to soothe me

Thanks for the joy that you've given me

I want you to know I believe in your song

And rhythm and rhyme and harmony

You've helped me along

Makin' me strong

Oh, give me the beat boys and free my soul

I wanna get lost in your rock and roll and drift away"

So that's what brought me here. Yeah, there were a few other twists and turns, but they only rounded out the edges. Or maybe not.

Mother, Mother: There's Too Many Of You Crying

It's a rainy day. Right now there's a storm coming through as we wait for the remnants of Hurricane Andrea to drench us with around four inches later today. Let's just say, in a sunny mood...  I am not.

I haven't had time to play the 100 Word Song Challenge in a few weeks, which kinda pissed me off because there were some good song choices to work with. So being today is gloomy, in more ways than one, it's time to go over to my dark side, though not too dark this week.

This week's tune was picked by Lance himself, all inspired and shit from his recent vacation to D.C., and who could argue with the greatness and political importance of the tune. From the genius that was Marvin Gaye, this week's song is "What's Going On?"

Released in 1971, it was the title track from Marvin Gaye's eleventh studio album, and it showed a different side of his writing. The concept album dealt with the Vietnam War; those coming home from it and those who never returned. It showed Gaye moving into an area of social consciousness, and it is ranked as one of the greatest albums of all time. The title track sets the tone.

The task of the 100 Word Song is to write something inspired by the title, lyrics or feel of the song, in exactly 100 words.

"What's Going On"

He was the center of the vortex, with flashes of his life spinning around. Slowing… he would catch a glimpse: Rielle in the sunshine, twin brother Tom in his cap and gown, the training, the desert, the explosions. Matt saw it all in vivid color.

His mind told him he was asleep; Matt knew it was something else. A place somewhere between heaven and hell. A place where your soul protects you from reality.

Aware of the bed beneath him, and the beeping sound of the machine taking his vitals; Tom opened his eyes and saw nothing.

“What’s Going On?”

Snow And Peace: A Night To Remember

1972.  While I had been a music junkie from the 60s, seeing my first live show always seemed like my rebirth.  No other passion has consumed me more.  In a previous post "A Chestnut from The Byrds,"   I talked about my first concert and mentioned that my second show was two weeks later.

Now in 1972, the Vietnam War was still an ever present factor, though starting to wind down.  Across the street from my house, two next door neighbors...one black and one white (the war knew no color lines) came home in caskets, forever changing the touch football games that were played on the street.  One of my brother's friends had the same fate.  Luckily my brother's number in the draft lottery was high (remember the draft) and he never had to serve. And as always, there was the music. Protest songs were everywhere.

"We were so close, there was no room
We bled inside each others wounds
We all had caught the same disease
And we all sang the songs of peace."


An unlikely protest song came from the singer Melanie. Now on February 19, 1972, I had four tickets to see Melanie, again at the Capitol Theatre.  It snowed all day and into the evening. I didn't have a drivers license yet, and the girls I was going with, were not gonna get their parent's car that night..no way, no how. Determined to go, it was less than three miles away, I needed to come up with Plan B.
Call Up The Crush.


As a junior in high school, I was mad for one tall, long blond haired, big mustached, drop dead gorgeous, dumb as a doorpost senior, who lived a few blocks away...and he loved Melanie and he had his own car. We were good friends, that's all we would ever be, but that one night is still a memory I treasure.  Great seats, down front, great friends and great music. One night I was on top of the world.

"Some came to sing, some came to pray
Some came to keep the dark away."

A song that was heard everywhere in the early 70's, one we all sang along with every time it was on  the radio...float back in time for "Lay Down."

"Let your white bird smile up at the ones who stand and frown."