Laura’s Music Challenge 18

Evening everyone. Still feeling the Dad’s Day vibe, so it’s nice to find Laura’s song challenge themed for the day. Play along with us! 💕🎶🙂

1. Post a video of a song that makes you think about unconditional love.

Okay, now this may strike you as weird, but I’m choosing “Jackson” in honor of my parents. My mother loved Johnny Cash, and this song reminds me of how they bickered all the time, but yet loved each other and stayed together 50 years.

2. Post a video of a song that reminds you of your dad.

My dad loved the Doors, and he especially enjoyed “Light My Fire.”

3. Post a video of a song about being a good man.

Welp. There are many aspects to being a good person, which apply to everyone. Not gonna list all that now. But for a man, in the context of being with me (what else?), this song gets close to how I’ve imagined it might be, ideally. Two people who’ve been hurt and confused, learn how to love from each other and take cautious steps to create something new and lasting. This man is not an arrogant bully like so many, demanding this and that, dictating how Things Should Be, but is willing to roll with the newness of something that hasn’t existed before. To me, that’s a good man, someone I could trust to be kind and loving and supportive, and vice versa.

Song Lyric Sunday: Daddy

Jim gives us some nice choices for Father’s Day today. I picked an old favorite: “Daddy Don’t You Walk So Fast,” written by Peter Callander and Geoff Stevens, and originally recorded by Wayne Newton in 1972.

The love between the two of us was dying
And it got so bad I knew I had to leave
But halfway down that highway when I turned around I saw
My little daughter running after me
Crying

Daddy, don’t you walk so fast
Daddy, don’t you walk so fast
Daddy, slow down some ’cause you’re makin’ me run
Daddy, don’t you walk so fast

Now, it broke my heart to tell my little daughter
That her daddy had to run to catch a train
She had no way of knowin’ I was leavin’ home for good
I turned around and there she was again
As she said to me

Daddy, don’t you walk so fast
Daddy, don’t you walk so fast
Daddy, slow down some ’cause you’re makin’ me run
Daddy, don’t you walk so fast

If only for the sake of my sweet daughter
I just had to turn back home right there and then
And try to start a new life with the mother of my child
I couldn’t bear to hear those words again
She cried and said

Daddy, don’t you walk so fast
(My daughter cried)
Daddy, don’t you walk so fast
Daddy, slow down some ’cause you’re makin’ me run
Daddy, don’t you walk so fast

Daddy, slow down some ’cause you’re makin’ me run
Oh, daddy, don’t you walk so fast

Thursday Inspiration 8

Welcome to Thursday Inspiration! This is my weekly prompt post and hopefully it will inspire you to write something creative, perhaps a poem or a piece of flash fiction. If you’d like to share your writing with the community, please indulge me and tag your post with #p0eticlicense and/or #lightm0tifs, and of course link back if you wish. I will try to visit everyone who participates. 🙂

This week’s theme is stranger and the picture is below. Here is the song snippet from “The Stranger” written by Billy Joel in 1977:

Why were you so surprised
That you never saw the stranger
Did you ever let your lover
See the stranger in yourself

Photo found on Pixabay

Laura’s Music Challenge 17

Hurrah! More music! Join Laura’s weekly tuneful challenge and have some fun. I tag you and you!

1. Post a video of a song that makes you think of your youth.

2. Post a video of a song about having had your fill of bs. (This should be interesting)

3. Post a video of a song about being unapologetic for standing your ground.

So, all these songs are by men. I wanted to have songs by female artists, but the only one I really liked (that I could think of tonight) was Nancy Sinatra’s “These Boots Are Made For Walking,” which I’ve already posted a bunch of other times. It could fit in category 2 or 3, I guess. But even so, all the women look super sexy in that video, which dilutes the message. I mean, that is how the videos are by women. They sing these songs about how they are just done and so over it/him, and they sound sincere, but they still look like they very much care about attracting him or some other him/s.

Because they’re just songs. They don’t necessarily reflect the singer’s state of mind, attitude toward life, relationships, or any other thing. In fact, as we know, very often the person singing the song isn’t even the person who wrote the lyrics. There may be a woman singing very passionately about how horrible men are yada… and the song might have been written by a man. Maybe it was written by her husband and they’re very happy together. Why shouldn’t she look sexy in her video while she sings that she’ll never love again?

So, I just went with the men, which makes me mad, but what can you do? 🙄

(Sorry for babbling on and on, assuming anyone has read below the fold.)

Song Lyric Sunday: Desire

Once again, Jim gives us a good selection of theme words to choose from. I went with desire. A powerful song that explores this concept is Patti Smith’s “Because the Night.” I’ve always found it super intense to listen to, especially when she sings it, though I do enjoy Natalie Merchant’s cover as well.

I learned while looking up the lyrics that BTN was originally a Bruce Springsteen song for his album Darkness on the Edge of Town in 1977. But then Bruce said meh I don’t want another love song, so his producer Jimmy Iovine, who was also producing Patti’s album Easter in the studio next door, ran over there with it and Patti recorded BTN with some new lyrics of her own. They’re listed as co-writers. Apparently The Boss does sing BTN in concert occasionally.

Because The Night

Take me now baby here as I am
Pull me close try an understand
I work all day out in the hot sun
Stay with me now till the mornin’ comes
Come on now try and understand
The way I feel when I’m in your hands
Take me now as the sun descends
They can’t hurt you now
They can’t hurt you now
They can’t hurt you now

Because the night belongs to lovers
Because the night belongs to us
Because the night belongs to lovers
Because the night belongs to us

What I got I have earned
What I’m not I have learned
Desire and hunger is the fire I breathe
Just stay in my bed till the morning comes
Come on now try and understand
The way I feel when I’m in your hands
Take me now as the sun descends
They can’t hurt you now
They can’t hurt you now
They can’t hurt you now

Because the night

Your love is here and now
The vicious circle turns and burns without
Though I cannot live forgive me now
The time has come to take this moment and
They can’t hurt you now

Because the night

“Thou art a worry to thy friends” [SOCS]

Linda told us to grab the closest book, open it, and put our finger on a page ~ this would be our Stream of Consciousness Saturday prompt. Mine is the quote in the title, which is on page 64 of Tortilla Flat by John Steinbeck, a used paperback I picked up at an exchange a while back but haven’t read yet.

Honestly, I’m not really inclined to read the book now, given the annoying dialog on this page, and the names of the characters (Pilon and Pirate). I feel it well within my rights to make such an arbitrary and snap judgment because I have an enormous pile of books to read, and more come in all the time. I’ll never get through them all before I die, so why not cull them in any manner whatsoever?

May sucked as far as reading. I began a few books and lost interest, played games on my phone, read a lot of blogs and news, and was basically a scatterbrain. I need to get more focused now. Today I deleted my phone solitaire games that I play when I can’t sleep, and which probably keep me from sleeping too. Duh. I could spend that time reading. It’s less stimulating as far as keeping me awake like a game. But to be fair, I have dozed off in the middle of a card game, though not often. Maybe once.

I don’t think I’m a worry to my friends. I’m very sensible and predictable, at least that’s how I’m perceived. Reliable. Dependable. I can be counted on to do a thing if I say… which is also a curse, you know? Because unreliable people always get a break. Hey, no biggie if Joe didn’t show up… we know how he is. And oh there goes Janet again, such a wild and crazy gal! But me? If I mess up or don’t show, everyone is all but you said!!!

Eff that. Why can’t I be the wild one once in a while? But it’s not me, I know. I like plans. I schedule everything. I’m on time, or early. I reply. I’m considerate. Bla bla bla. Boring! I’ve even tried to plan my own funeral. I want one of those I Dream of Jeannie urns. I want to have coconut cupcakes and a song list. Hotel California, of course. New Kid in Town. Those Shoes. Tequila Sunrise. End of the Innocence. And a lot of Neil Diamond. Jimmy Buffett. Fleetwood Mac. Supremes. Sheryl Crow. Gordon Lightfoot. Johnny Cash and Rosanne Cash. But that’s a bit too planny.

Maybe.

Thursday Inspiration 7

Welcome to Thursday Inspiration! This is my weekly prompt post and hopefully it will inspire you to write something creative, perhaps a poem or a piece of flash fiction. If you’d like to share your writing with the community, please indulge me and tag your post with #p0eticlicense and/or #lightm0tifs, and of course link back if you wish. I will try to visit everyone who participates. 🙂

This week’s theme is ribbon and the picture is below. Here is the song snippet from “Help Me Make It Through The Night,” written by Kris Kristofferson in 1969 and covered by many artists:

Take the ribbon from your hair
Shake it loose and let it fall
Layin’ soft upon my skin
Like the shadows on the wall

Photo found on Pixabay

Conversation Overheard

At the dim sum café express.

“Did you exchange your walk-on part in a war for a lead role in a cage?”

“No.”

“What then?”

“I did the hustle.“

Time’s Up!

Another Rory Question Fest!

Today’s topic is ………….. A Question of Time

How often do you actually deep think of time as a concept?

When I have time.

When was the last time that you sat down and tried to visualise the future of the planet by 50 years? [Where are we going to be in the year 2069? Explain your thoughts]

Right now, since you asked. Doesn’t look good… increased pollution, too many humans still being greedy and selfish, extinct species of aminals. Glad I’ll be dead!

What time is it right now as in the time you are answering this question and where abouts are you in the world?

Early morning, Orange County, CA. Will schedule post to hit the feed later.

Tell me about a time when you stepped out of your comfort zone?

When I did stand-up comedy.

Last time you had a really good time was … ?

Probably yesterday.

Quote Time!!! Display two excellent quotes on the subject of horology!

“Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.” ~ Anthony G. Oettinger

“How did it get so late so soon?” ~ Dr. Seuss

Let the good times roll … please provide me with three song titles that are about the topic of time in your eyes?

“Closing Time” ~ Leonard Cohen

“Penny Lane” ~ The Beatles

“The Longest Time” ~ Billy Joel

Having a really good time means what in your world?

Seeing my family.

Time to ….. what?

Get moving!

Which term do you prefer more ?

Lost Time

Wasted Time ✅

Time Spent

Time flies

What do the following mean? [However DO NOT ANSWER the correct way but answer the incorrect way!]

Ahead of one’s time?

That would be two’s, as in having two husbands, which I believe is still illegal, not that I want even one… besides, who’s offering? Fine. You’re all jerks anyway!

Behind the times?

That would be my dad, hiding behind the NYT, and pretending to be deaf, whenever my mom asked him to mow the lawn.

In the nick of time?

How did you know about Nick? Complete wackadoo, like the rest of them. I swear to God, who picked these idiots? Oh, right.

A Race against time!

Yay, I bet on the bunny, a sure winner!

Having the time of your life?

Obviously getting hammered and going to some head-bangy concert, what else?

Bide your time?

Must be talking about good old Joe, who took his sweet time entering the Dem primary, where no Dem actually supports him… but yet… but yet… he mysteriously tops the polls. There’s a mindbendy puzzle.

Bad time for you?

Staying home with no one bugging me, snuggling with my cat, and watching romcoms all weekend while drinking tea and eating c00kies. Torture!

Having time on your hands?

Wanna buy a watch?

All in good time?

Funny TV show set in Chicago.

A Matter of time?

Billing by the hour!

Can you write a small story on the subject of Time and the Giraffe?

God was creating the Giraffe, but got distracted while playing Pyramid Solitaire on his phone. Gotta get my daily goals, God grumbled, just one more damn game! When he looked up, he realized he’d forgotten about the poor Giraffe during her neck and now it was ridonkulously long. Holy crap! God stared at the Giraffe for a minute, then shrugged, added some spots for deco, and moved on to the Baboon.

Time’s up!

Laura’s Music Challenge 16

Hey kids! Chase away Monday blues by joining the superfun Laura’s song challenge. 💙🎶🌈

1. Post a video of a song that either in the title or lyrics mentions the color blue.

2. Post a video of a song that has the word color in either the title or the lyrics.

3. Post a video of a song by an artist or band with a color as part of their name.