Meaningful songs #17 - CHARLES AZNAVOUR (again)

This is the seventeenth in an occasional series of songs from my collection, with the intent of introducing music to younger readers that they may gain appreciation of music from the classic years, 1957-1990. 

I have lived long enough to hear the "popular" music industry become ever-more formulaic, lazy, uninspiring and cynical; delivering "units" and "artistes" as interesting and memorable as polished mud.

Meaningful songs that eloquently convey a story, sentiment, or social comment and make it to national consciousness are rare these days. If you agree this song is meaningful, please introduce it to someone young; they might enjoy becoming "musical archaeologists".

Todays song, titled "Yesterday When I Was Young", released in 1971, is by a French singer called CHARLES AZVAVOUR.

Charles Aznavour

Hear the song here

Originally called "Hier Encore" when written and recorded in French by Charles Aznavour, in 1964, this classic "Chanson" was re-titled and re-recoded into English in 1971. This song is a lament to the speed at which time passes, from youth to old age, with regretful memories of a life of foolish and selfish ways, without regard to future relationships. At the age of 66 I relate to this song, though thankfully I have been redeemed in later life. To read about his life start here.

YESTERDAY WHEN I WAS YOUNG
    
Yesterday when I was young

The taste of life was sweet as rain upon my tongue

I teased at life as if it were a foolish game

The way an evening breeze may tease a candle flame

The thousand dreams I dreamed, the splendid things I planned

I always built, alas, on weak and shifting sand

I lived by night and shunned the naked light of day

And only now I see how the years ran away

Yesterday when I was young

So many drinking songs were waiting to be sung

So many wayward pleasures laid in store for me

And so much pain my dazzled eyes refused to see

I ran so fast that time and youth at last ran out

I never stopped to think what life was all about

And every conversation I can now recall

Concerned itself with me, me and nothing else at all

Yesterday the moon was blue

And every crazy day brought something new to do

I used my magic age as if it were a wand

And never saw the waste and emptiness beyond

The game of love I played with arrogance and pride

And every flame I lit too quickly, quickly died

The fiends I made all seemed somehow, to drift away

And only I am left on stage to end the play

There are so many songs in me that won't be sung

I feel the bitter taste of tears upon my tongue

The time has come for me to pay for yesterday

When I was young

Young

There is another Charles Aznavour song in this series.

Return to the first article in this series or hear the first song in this series.

Read the next article in this series or hear the next song in the series.

For the index of all songs in this blog click here.

Meaningful songs #16 - PETULA CLARK

This is the sixteenth in an occasional series of songs from my collection, with the intent of introducing music to younger readers that they may gain appreciation of music from the classic years, 1957-1990. 

I have lived long enough to hear the "popular" music industry become ever-more formulaic, lazy, uninspiring and cynical; delivering "units" and "artistes" as interesting and memorable as polished mud.

Meaningful songs that eloquently convey a story, sentiment, or social comment and make it to national consciousness are rare these days. If you agree this song is meaningful, please introduce it to someone young; they might enjoy becoming "musical archaeologists".

Todays song, titled "Downtown", released in 1964, is by a singer called PETULA CLARK.

Petula Clark

Hear the song here

This song was written by Tony Hatch and first recorded in 1964 by Petula Clarks, becoming the definitive version. To understand her life and musical output start here.

DOWNTOWN
    
When you're alone and life is making you lonely

You can always go

Downtown

When you've got worries all the noise and the hurry

Seem to help I know

Downtown

Just listen to the music of the traffic in the city

Linger on the sidewalk where the neon signs are pretty

How can you lose?

The light's so much brighter there

You can forget all your troubles

Forget all your cares

So go downtown

Things will be great when you're

Downtown

No finer place for sure

Downtown

Everthing's waiting for you

Downtown, downtown

Don't hang around and let you problems surround you

There are movie shows

Downtown

Maybe you know some little places to go to

Where they never close

Downtown

Just listen for the rhythm of a gentle bossa nova

You'll be dancing with 'em too before the night is over

Happy again

The light's so much brighter there

You can forget all your troubles,

Forget all your cares

So go downtown

Where all the lights are bright

Downtown

Waiting for you tonight

Downtown

You're gonna be alright now

Downtown

Downtown ....

And you may find somebody kind to help and understand you

Someone who is just like you and needs a gentle hand

To guide them along

So maybe I'll see you there

We can forget all our troubles,

Forget all our cares

So go downtown

Things will be great when you're

Downtown

Don't wait a minute more

Downtown

Everything's waiting for you 

Downtown

Downtown ....

Return to the first article in this series or hear the first song in this series.

Read the next article in the series or hear the next song in the series.

For the index of all songs in this blog click here.

Word of the day - FULMINATING

The word today is Fulminating 

Fulminating is an adjective and means the following:

- To be furiously angry and explosively expressing criticism(s)

- To be hurling denunciations/menaces toward others as a reprimand

- To be undergoing a violent chemical or biological transformation

- First recorded in 1624!

                                   Fulminating is explosive stuff

If you are said to have a fulminating character you are an angry person

To fulminate is to be fulminating, concluding with total fulmination

If you need more start here or here.

There is an index of words of the day.

Meaningful songs #15 - CARLY SIMON

This is the fifteenth in an occasional series of songs from my collection, with the intent of introducing music to younger readers that they may gain appreciation of music from the classic years, 1957-1990. 

I have lived long enough to hear the "popular" music industry become ever-more formulaic, lazy, uninspiring and cynical; delivering "units" and "artistes" as interesting and memorable as polished mud.

Meaningful songs that eloquently convey a story, sentiment, or social comment and make it to national consciousness are rare these days. If you agree this song is meaningful, please introduce it to someone young; they might enjoy becoming "musical archaeologists".

Todays song, titled "You're So Vain", released in 1972, is by a singer called CARLY SIMON.

Carly Simon

Hear the song here

This song is a story about a (showbiz) personality who singer/songwriter Carly Simon has steadfastly refused to identify, merely giving rather nebulous clues over the years since its release. The song narrates the failing of its subject. To understand her life and musical output start here.

YOU'RE SO VAIN

    

You walked into the party like you were walking onto a yacht

Your hat strategically dipped below one eye

Your scarf it was apricot

You had one eye in the mirror, as you watched yourself gavotte

And all the girls dreamed that they'd be your partner

They'd be your partner and

 

You're so vain

You probably think this song is about you

You're so vain (so vain)

I bet you think this song is about you

Don't you don't you?

You had me several years ago when I was still quite naive

Well you said that we made such a pretty pair

and that you would never leave

But you gave away the things you loved

And one of them was me

I had some dreams they were clouds in my coffee

clouds in my coffee and

 

You're so vain

You probably think this song is about you

You're so vain (you're so vain)

I bet you think this song is about you

Don't you don't you don't you?

 

I had some dreams they were clouds in my coffee

clouds in my coffee and

You're so vain

You probably think this song is about you

You're so vain (so vain)

I bet you think this song is about you

Don't you don't you?

Well he hear you went up to Saratoga

And your horse naturally won

Then you flew your Lear jet up to Nova Scotia

To see the total eclipse of the sun

Well you're where you should be all the time

And when you're not you're with some underworld spy

Or the wife of a close friend wife of a close friend and

 

You're so vain

You probably think this song is about you

You're so vain (so vain)

I bet you think this song is about you

Don't you don't you don't you?

You're so vain

You probably think this song is about you

You're so vain

Probably think this song is about you

You're so vain

Return to the first article in this series or hear the first song in this series.

Read the next article in the series or hear the next song in the series.

For the index of all songs in this blog click here.

DAUGHTER OF THE DEEP

This is Article is one of a pair inspired by a storm. 

Read that story and the other poem here.

On her bed of sand

never seen,

she rocks and sways

cries and screams.

The world she travelled

but now to rest,

she's now to sleep

past her best.

They fought for her

and she for them,

then all lost out

drowned and fell.

Men have faded

back to bone,

her body a shell

lies alone.

But currents pass

to rock her soul,

and cargo slips

and her body moans.

Through sea and sand

she sings her plea,

Raise me up.

Let me be free.

ODE TO DAWN (Bransholme '76)

You may recall an earlier poem, A DAY AT SCHOOL (Bransholme '76), discovered in the trunk I've been dumping stuff since finishing my state education at Bransholme High (and this) (and this) transitioned me into adulthood.

I wrote a lot of stuff then, for my own pleasure and the challenge of writing odes and poems "to order"; one of which I present now. If you happen to be the original recipient of "your order" and wish me to remove it, please drop me line.

ODE TO DAWN (Bransholme '76)

In the sixth form Dawn's a must.

Is she a girl or a woman of lust?

Who cares, as long as she's there.

This woman of beauty, so fine and so fair.

Dawn has a hobby, have you heard?

Well I never, it's most absurd.

She I suppose could be called a glutton,

but all she's after is a fair sized button.

The trouble arises when it's your turn,

you submit to Dawn, you begin to burn.

With passion in her hands she rips at your shirt;

mission completed and you're in the dirt.

Dawn loons off, buttons and all,

she thinks it's lovely, a zany ball.

"With a hobby like that she'll be on parole",

but don't worry chaps, she'll be back to console.

With Dawn around just watch your shirt,

your P's and Q's; she's not just "skirt"!

Dawn's a ruthless but modest girl,

to us the sixth form; a mother of pearl.

The surname of Dawn eludes my now (50 years later Bellfield or French rings a bell, but not sure) and compared to earlier odes this ode is a bit twee and clunky, maybe because I was doing so many; the girls wanted a memento of our last year at school. Happy days!

Want another Bransholme ode?

Meaningful songs #14 - SINEAD O'CONNOR

This is the fourteenth in an occasional series of songs from my collection, with the intent of introducing music to younger readers that they may gain appreciation of music from the classic years, 1957-1990. 

I have lived long enough to hear the "popular" music industry become ever-more formulaic, lazy, uninspiring and cynical; delivering "units" and "artistes" as interesting and memorable as polished mud.

Meaningful songs that eloquently convey a story, sentiment, or social comment and make it to national consciousness are rare these days. If you agree this song is meaningful, please introduce it to someone young; they might enjoy becoming "musical archaeologists".

Todays song, titled "Nothing Compares To You", released in 1990, is by a singer called SINEAD O'CONNOR.

Sinead O'Connor

Hear the song here

Sinead O'Connor will forever be known for this mesmeric cover version, possibly the best of all cover versions, originally composed and released by Prince. A controversial figure throughout her public life, attributed to her terrible early life and later resentment(s) it fostered. To understand her life and musical output, this is a good place to start, though a more intimate article about her is here.  

N.B. Does the word mama, in the lyric, suggest someone is missing a mother?

NOTHING COMPARES TO YOU

It's been seven hours and fifteen days

Since you took your love away

I go out every night and sleep all day

Since you took your love away

Since you've been gone, I can do whatever I want

I can see whomever I choose

I can eat my dinner in a fancy restaurant

But nothing

I said nothing can take away these blues

'Cause nothing compares

Nothing compares to you

It's been so lonely without you here

Like a bird without a song

Nothing can stop these lonely tears from falling

Tell me baby, where did I go wrong?

I could put my arms around every boy I see

But they'd only remind me of you

I went to the doctors, guess what he told me

Guess what he told me

He said, "Girl you better try to have fun, no matter what you do"

But he's a fool

'Cause nothing compares

Nothing compares to you

All the flowers that you planted mama

In the back yard

All died when you went away

I know that living with you baby was sometimes hard

But I'm willing to give it another try

Nothing compares

Nothing compares to you

Nothing compares

Nothing compares to you

Nothing compares

Nothing compares to you

 

Return to the first article in this series or hear the first song in this series.

Read the next article in the series or hear the next song in the series.

For the index of all songs in this blog click here.

Truism (to recognise the power of love)

Love is a fearsome master

Personal thought - For anyone (un)lucky enough to experience the earliest of the stages of love, especially when unrequited, the debilitating and destabilising side-effects that multiply into a full-blown crush must be recognised and tempered, for love may indeed become a fearsome master, taking from a person any rationality and sense enough to not over-step what is acceptable between people.

When the longing is so strong that to merely be near "your love" is a life driver, stronger and stranger than anything felt before (usually strongest for the first desirous love), only then will you understand the fearsome master and its controlling strength.

Meaningful songs #13 - MARK AUTOMATON

This is the thirteenth in an occasional series of songs from my collection, with the intent of introducing music to younger readers that they may gain appreciation of music from the classic years, 1957-1990. 

I have lived long enough to hear the "popular" music industry become ever-more formulaic, lazy, uninspiring and cynical; delivering "units" and "artistes" as interesting and memorable as polished mud.

Meaningful songs that eloquently convey a story, sentiment, or social comment and make it to national consciousness are rare these days. If you agree this song is meaningful, please introduce it to someone young; they might enjoy becoming "musical archaeologists".

Todays song, titled "Harriet's Nurse", released in 1990, is by a singer called MARK AUTOMATON.

Hear the song here

Mark Automaton, founding member of The Instant Automatons band and famous in the UK DIY scene of the 70s, reminds us here of the blinding trust we place in doctors and nurses (in this story), which can be misplaced, as exemplified by the notorious crimes in the UK of Dr Harold Shipman, nurses Beverley Allitt and Lucy Letby and others. I know of no other song that explores this topic.

HARRIET'S NURSE

Harriet's dreaming

As the drugs drift through her veins

Harriet's screaming

In a silent world of pain

No one can hear

No one's aware

No one except

Harriet's nurse

She closes the curtains

That shroud the hospital bed

She knows for certain

What's going on in Harriet's head

The needle slides in

Just under the skin

The relief tastes so sweet

To Harriet's nurse

She writes in the drug book

With a smile on her face

Decimal points are so small

They're easy to erase

Just the stroke of a pen

And one becomes ten

And her fate is sealed

By Harriet's nurse

Now the ward is in silence

Except for the monitor's beep

There's no need to use to use violence

To harm a child while she sleeps

And the doctors she charms

Will raise no alarms

On one will suspect

Harriet's nurse.

She thinks she's the hero

The goddess of her own little world

Now she'll have the attention

That was denied as a girl

Another patience will die

Another family will cry

That's of no concern

To Harriet's nurse

 

Return to the first article in this series or hear the first song in this series.

Read the next article in the seriesnext article in the series or hear the next song in the series.

For the index of all songs in this blog click here.

Word of the day - GAWPING

The word today is Gawping 

This world is odd because it can be verb, an adjective and a noun

As a verb it is the present participle of gawp

As an adjective someone that gawps or seen to gawp

As a noun when doing a gawp

Gawping means the following:

- The act of staring engrossed at anything, perhaps in wonderment

- To gawp is to stare at something

If you gawp at something/someone you are said to be gawping

You are being "gawped at" if you see someone gawping at you

"Who are you gawping at?" is a phrase saying you're being nosey

Gawping may be replaced by using the word looking

If you need more start here or here

There is an index of words of the day.

NONSENSE

I've been rummaging again in the trunk I've been chucking stuff into since I left school, and I came across this piece of nonsense.  I cannot remember where or why I wrote this and can only think I was inebriated. What the hell was I thinking about?

The wide mouthed speaker

swallowed my soul

as the light spoke to the wall

casting shadows on a chair

that spoke in raindrops,

and wept for the mythical king

who lost a throat and his farting

on a wager of lights.

The flippant rubber

rang softly across the lounge prairie

and the hallowed

womb of the room

was stillborn,

death had erupted

from the gawping TV

and my tongue

held breath on my mind.

The cat curled to death,

the budgie sang to pieces

and the world of the womb room

died!

ODE TO TWO PESTS (Bransholme '76)

You may recall an earlier poem, A DAY AT SCHOOL (Bransholme '76), discovered in the trunk I've been dumping stuff since finishing my state education at Bransholme High (and this) (and this) transitioned me into adulthood.

I wrote a lot of stuff then, for my own pleasure and the challenge of writing odes and poems "to order"; one of which I present now. If you happen to be the original recipient of "your order" and wish me to remove it, please drop me line.

ODE TO TWO PESTS (Bransholme '76)

I know two girls who have a thing about odes,

they want me to write some - loads and loads.

This for them though is a time to think,

as to where I get money for all this ink.

My God you fools - you thought it came free,

wait 'till you see me by the Christmas tree.

I'll be there - so all beware,

With my begging bowl and innocent stare.

Now listen here you girls of stature,

what ya try'na be - official ode catcher?

I can't stand here ranting all day,

for one thing I'm knackered and I don't get paid.

So with this verse it's time to go.

I'm leaving you now - time to blow.

Before I go though I've to name a name,

I'm being worked to death by Carolyn Graham.

Not forgetting of course one certain sidekick,

Who contrary to belief is not at all "trick".

I'll have to end now, I'm tired and numb,

t'is all the work of Alison Lumb.

I remember these two as being musical, beyond my intellect and really good Backgammon players. Happy days!

Want another Bransholme ode?

ODE TO SUZANNE (Bransholme '76)

You may recall an earlier poem, A DAY AT SCHOOL (Bransholme '76), discovered in the trunk I've been dumping stuff since finishing my state education at Bransholme High (and this) (and this) transitioned me into adulthood.

I wrote a lot of stuff then, for my own pleasure and the challenge of writing odes and poems "to order"; one of which I present now. If you happen to be the original recipient of "your order" and wish me to remove it, please drop me line.

ODE TO SUZANNE (Bransholme '76)

Suzanne is a bit of a chore

or so some people say,

but let them say that to me I say

and they wont see the light of day.

She may be silly

ruthless and mad,

but after all, 

that's not that bad?

She's honest and open,

that's all you need,

who says she's crazy?

Madness indeed.

Our Su's not mad

and not at all bad,

quite delectable

in her own kind of way.

"We love you Su" .......

If Suzanne left we'd have nothing to do,

no-one to strangle - "your shoe's in the loo!"

We'd be so bored, have a life so dull,

but give us Suzanne and the place packs full.

With this tale told I want your thanks.

So a round of applause for fantastic Su,

Our loving eccentric,

who's NEVER a chore.

The maw I think of this girl now, I realise she was the big light in the room. She made everyone happy. Happy days!

Want another Bransholme ode?

Word of the day - CIRCUMSPECTION

The word today is Circumspection 

Circumspection is a noun and means the following:

- To exhibit a desire to avoid speculation, lies and "spun" information

- To speak only of facts & true circumstances to correctly summarise

- To be vigilant to falsehoods by watchfulness and investigative rigour

- To form a safe course of action or to avoid undesirable results.

1. 
   

To exhibit circumspection you must be circumspect in your actions

To be circumspect in behaviour or character people think you cautious

Acting with circumspection, people may think shrewdness and probity

An alterative phrase for circumspection is cautious vigilance

If you need more start here or here.

There is an index of words of the day.