Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Good Riddance

Today it's short and sweet.

I'm just going to say, "Good Riddance". That's it.

Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road.
Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to do.
So make the best of this test, and don't ask why.
It's not a question, but a lesson learned in time.

It's something unpredictable, but in the end is right.
I hope you had the time of your life.

So take the photographs, and still frames in your mind.
Hang it on a shelf of good health and good time.
Tattoos of memories and dead skin on trial.
For what it's worth, it was worth all the while.
I hope you had the time of your life.

I hope you had the time of your life.


I think the last line says it all.

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

When I Grow Up

People have told me that I should grow up... but I strongly refuse. Heck, I might get old (eventually) but never grow up.

This song just makes me think of all the things we want to do, plan to do and the indestructible way we feel when so much younger. Or as I for the most part am still to this day (well okay, my feeling of self preservation is quite a bit stronger these days).

Reason I've picked this one for today, is that I was recently thinking about what would a 12 year old think of me? Have I gotten lame... or would I be my own hero ;) Ultimately I think that a much younger version of me would approve. I haven't yet joined the ranks of those that are just killing time before they die, but rather continue to do things my way. Taking anyone else along for the ride.

"When I Grow Up" by Garbage has always been a theme to my life, mostly because it's more about today... tomorrow well, that's a whole other adventure!

Cut my tongue out
I've been caught out
Like a giant juggernaut
Happy hours
Golden showers
On a cruise to freak you out

We could fly a helicopter
Nothing left to talk about
Entertain you
Celebrate you
I'll be back to frame you

When I grow up
I'll be stable
When I grow up
I'll turn the tables

Trying hard to fit among you
Floating out to wonderland
Unprotected
God I'm pregnant
Damn the consequences

When I grow up
I'll be stable
When I grow up
I'll turn the tables

Blood and blisters
On my fingers
Chaos rules when we're apart
Watch my temper
I go mental
I'll try to be gentle

When I grow up
I'll be stable
When I grow up
I'll turn the tables

When I grow up
When I grow up
When I grow up
I'll turn the tables

Don't take offense
Better make amends
Rip it all to shreds and let it go
Rip it all to shreds and let it go

I'll rip it up to shreds and let it go
I'll rip it up to shreds and let it go
I'll rip it up to shreds and let it go


Well, I just won't grow up.

Monday, June 28, 2010

Best Of You

Funny enough I make a relatively early start today, against the odds. Fantastic game yesterday and well done Durban!

Todays tune will, I think, become my anthem. Is someone getting the best of you... or me? I don't know, but I'll make it so. If I have any doubt, I'll have to just change it around and make it so.

"Best of You" by Foo Fighters I feel has many meanings. But ultimately for me this is a personal question, after much adversary, can someone still get the best of you? If you can't give your best, what can you give? If you can't offer someone your best, is that fair? To them... to you?

I've got another confession to make
I'm your fool
Everyone's got their chains to break
Holdin' you

Were you born to resist, or be abused?

Is someone getting the best
The best, the best, the best of you?
Is someone getting the best
The best, the best, the best of you?

Or are you gone and onto someone new?

I needed somewhere to hang my head
Without your noose
You gave me something that I didn't have
But had no use
I was too weak to give in
Too strong to lose

My heart is under arrest again
But I'll break loose
My head is giving me life or death
But I can't choose
I swear I'll never give in
I refuse

Is someone getting the best
The best, the best, the best of you?
Is someone getting the best
The best, the best, the best of you?

Has someone taken your faith?
It's real, the pain you feel
You trust, you must confess

Is someone getting the best
The best, the best, the best of you?

Has someone taken your faith?
It's real, the pain you feel
The life, the love
You'd die to heal
The hope that starts
The broken hearts
You trust, you must confess

Is someone getting the best
The best, the best, the best of you?
Is someone getting the best
The best, the best, the best of you?

I've got another confession my friend
I'm no fool
I'm getting tired of starting again
Somewhere new

Were you born to resist, or be abused?
I swear I'll never give in, I refuse

Is someone getting the best
The best, the best, the best of you?
Is someone getting the best
The best, the best, the best of you?
Has someone taken your faith?
It's real, the pain you feel
You trust, you must confess

Is someone getting the best
The best, the best, the best of you?


I've got a confession, my friend... I am tired... but, I'll make sure someone will get the best of me.

Sunday, June 27, 2010

This is the Time

Today is a repeat, or should that be the highlights package of a past tune.

Things haven't quite worked out the way I might have thought, hoped or even expected. But I guess fate has a way or working things out for us one way or another, but in true female style we'll never understand it!

I waited, I let got... and at the last hour opportunity knocked. With time running out all I had was slim hope... a dream... but "This is the time!" hehehe...

Watching in silence, I hesitate: It was not in the plans
All of our lives we could only wait: It was out of our hands

And every war where we took the day, it was all in our heads
And though in the dark we dream at night, they were better unsaid

But this is the time and this is the place
And these are the signs that we must embrace
The moment is now, in all history
The time has arrived and this is the one place to be

Yeah, yeah

We placed our years in the hourglass, they were never unearned
And we seemed destined to watch them pass - it was never our turn

But this is the time and this is the place
And these are the signs that we must embrace
The moment is now, in all history
The time has arrived and this is the one place to be

Yeah, yeah

This is the time and this is the place
And these are the signs that we must embrace
The moment is now, in all history
The time has arrived and this is the one place to be

Yeah, yeah


Yup... the stadium is where I'm going to be!! This is the time... I've been waiting an awful long time.

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Alice's Restaurant

Having one of those moments... where I'm feeling like I'm pretty invincible right now... yup, I finally got my tickets. But that's a whole other story, not about the tickets, but it's why I got tickets...

That pretty much sums up the song, "Alice's Restaurant" by Arlo Guthrie. It's all back and forth, but has a lot more really to tell than just the sum of its words.

This song is called Alice's Restaurant, and it's about Alice, and the
restaurant, but Alice's Restaurant is not the name of the restaurant,
that's just the name of the song, and that's why I called the song Alice's
Restaurant.

You can get anything you want at Alice's Restaurant
You can get anything you want at Alice's Restaurant
Walk right in it's around the back
Just a half a mile from the railroad track
You can get anything you want at Alice's Restaurant

Now it all started two Thanksgivings ago, was on - two years ago on
Thanksgiving, when my friend and I went up to visit Alice at the
restaurant, but Alice doesn't live in the restaurant, she lives in the
church nearby the restaurant, in the bell-tower, with her husband Ray and
Fasha the dog. And livin' in the bell tower like that, they got a lot of
room downstairs where the pews used to be in. Havin' all that room,
seein' as how they took out all the pews, they decided that they didn't
have to take out their garbage for a long time.

We got up there, we found all the garbage in there, and we decided it'd be
a friendly gesture for us to take the garbage down to the city dump. So
we took the half a ton of garbage, put it in the back of a red VW
microbus, took shovels and rakes and implements of destruction and headed
on toward the city dump.

Well we got there and there was a big sign and a chain across across the
dump saying, "Closed on Thanksgiving." And we had never heard of a dump
closed on Thanksgiving before, and with tears in our eyes we drove off
into the sunset looking for another place to put the garbage.

We didn't find one. Until we came to a side road, and off the side of the
side road there was another fifteen foot cliff and at the bottom of the
cliff there was another pile of garbage. And we decided that one big pile
is better than two little piles, and rather than bring that one up we
decided to throw our's down.

That's what we did, and drove back to the church, had a thanksgiving
dinner that couldn't be beat, went to sleep and didn't get up until the
next morning, when we got a phone call from officer Obie. He said, "Kid,
we found your name on an envelope at the bottom of a half a ton of
garbage, and just wanted to know if you had any information about it." And
I said, "Yes, sir, Officer Obie, I cannot tell a lie, I put that envelope
under that garbage."

After speaking to Obie for about fourty-five minutes on the telephone we
finally arrived at the truth of the matter and said that we had to go down
and pick up the garbage, and also had to go down and speak to him at the
police officer's station. So we got in the red VW microbus with the
shovels and rakes and implements of destruction and headed on toward the
police officer's station.

Now friends, there was only one or two things that Obie coulda done at
the police station, and the first was he could have given us a medal for
being so brave and honest on the telephone, which wasn't very likely, and
we didn't expect it, and the other thing was he could have bawled us out
and told us never to be see driving garbage around the vicinity again,
which is what we expected, but when we got to the police officer's station
there was a third possibility that we hadn't even counted upon, and we was
both immediately arrested. Handcuffed. And I said "Obie, I don't think I
can pick up the garbage with these handcuffs on." He said, "Shut up, kid.
Get in the back of the patrol car."

And that's what we did, sat in the back of the patrol car and drove to the
quote Scene of the Crime unquote. I want tell you about the town of
Stockbridge, Massachusets, where this happened here, they got three stop
signs, two police officers, and one police car, but when we got to the
Scene of the Crime there was five police officers and three police cars,
being the biggest crime of the last fifty years, and everybody wanted to
get in the newspaper story about it. And they was using up all kinds of
cop equipment that they had hanging around the police officer's station.
They was taking plaster tire tracks, foot prints, dog smelling prints, and
they took twenty seven eight-by-ten colour glossy photographs with circles
and arrows and a paragraph on the back of each one explaining what each
one was to be used as evidence against us. Took pictures of the approach,
the getaway, the northwest corner the southwest corner and that's not to
mention the aerial photography.

After the ordeal, we went back to the jail. Obie said he was going to put
us in the cell. Said, "Kid, I'm going to put you in the cell, I want your
wallet and your belt." And I said, "Obie, I can understand you wanting my
wallet so I don't have any money to spend in the cell, but what do you
want my belt for?" And he said, "Kid, we don't want any hangings." I
said, "Obie, did you think I was going to hang myself for littering?"
Obie said he was making sure, and friends Obie was, cause he took out the
toilet seat so I couldn't hit myself over the head and drown, and he took
out the toilet paper so I couldn't bend the bars roll out the - roll the
toilet paper out the window, slide down the roll and have an escape. Obie
was making sure, and it was about four or five hours later that Alice
(remember Alice? It's a song about Alice), Alice came by and with a few
nasty words to Obie on the side, bailed us out of jail, and we went back
to the church, had a another thanksgiving dinner that couldn't be beat,
and didn't get up until the next morning, when we all had to go to court.

We walked in, sat down, Obie came in with the twenty seven eight-by-ten
colour glossy pictures with circles and arrows and a paragraph on the back
of each one, sat down. Man came in said, "All rise." We all stood up,
and Obie stood up with the twenty seven eight-by-ten colour glossy
pictures, and the judge walked in sat down with a seeing eye dog, and he
sat down, we sat down. Obie looked at the seeing eye dog, and then at the
twenty seven eight-by-ten colour glossy pictures with circles and arrows
and a paragraph on the back of each one, and looked at the seeing eye dog.
And then at twenty seven eight-by-ten colour glossy pictures with circles
and arrows and a paragraph on the back of each one and began to cry,
'cause Obie came to the realization that it was a typical case of American
blind justice, and there wasn't nothing he could do about it, and the
judge wasn't going to look at the twenty seven eight-by-ten colour glossy
pictures with the circles and arrows and a paragraph on the back of each
one explaining what each one was to be used as evidence against us. And
we was fined $50 and had to pick up the garbage in the snow, but thats not
what I came to tell you about.

Came to talk about the draft.

They got a building down New York City, it's called Whitehall Street,
where you walk in, you get injected, inspected, detected, infected,
neglected and selected. I went down to get my physical examination one
day, and I walked in, I sat down, got good and drunk the night before, so
I looked and felt my best when I went in that morning. `Cause I wanted to
look like the all-American kid from New York City, man I wanted, I wanted
to feel like the all-, I wanted to be the all American kid from New York,
and I walked in, sat down, I was hung down, brung down, hung up, and all
kinds o' mean nasty ugly things. And I waked in and sat down and they gave
me a piece of paper, said, "Kid, see the phsychiatrist, room 604."

And I went up there, I said, "Shrink, I want to kill. I mean, I wanna, I
wanna kill. Kill. I wanna, I wanna see, I wanna see blood and gore and
guts and veins in my teeth. Eat dead burnt bodies. I mean kill, Kill,
KILL, KILL." And I started jumpin up and down yelling, "KILL, KILL," and
he started jumpin up and down with me and we was both jumping up and down
yelling, "KILL, KILL." And the sargent came over, pinned a medal on me,
sent me down the hall, said, "You're our boy."

Didn't feel too good about it.

Proceeded on down the hall gettin more injections, inspections,
detections, neglections and all kinds of stuff that they was doin' to me
at the thing there, and I was there for two hours, three hours, four
hours, I was there for a long time going through all kinds of mean nasty
ugly things and I was just having a tough time there, and they was
inspecting, injecting every single part of me, and they was leaving no
part untouched. Proceeded through, and when I finally came to the see the
last man, I walked in, walked in sat down after a whole big thing there,
and I walked up and said, "What do you want?" He said, "Kid, we only got
one question. Have you ever been arrested?"

And I proceeded to tell him the story of the Alice's Restaurant Massacre,
with full orchestration and five part harmony and stuff like that and all
the phenome... - and he stopped me right there and said, "Kid, did you ever
go to court?"

And I proceeded to tell him the story of the twenty seven eight-by-ten
colour glossy pictures with the circles and arrows and the paragraph on
the back of each one, and he stopped me right there and said, "Kid, I want
you to go and sit down on that bench that says Group W .... NOW kid!!"

And I, I walked over to the, to the bench there, and there is, Group W's
where they put you if you may not be moral enough to join the army after
committing your special crime, and there was all kinds of mean nasty ugly
looking people on the bench there. Mother rapers. Father stabbers. Father
rapers! Father rapers sitting right there on the bench next to me! And
they was mean and nasty and ugly and horrible crime-type guys sitting on the
bench next to me. And the meanest, ugliest, nastiest one, the meanest
father raper of them all, was coming over to me and he was mean 'n' ugly
'n' nasty 'n' horrible and all kind of things and he sat down next to me
and said, "Kid, whad'ya get?" I said, "I didn't get nothing, I had to pay
$50 and pick up the garbage." He said, "What were you arrested for, kid?"
And I said, "Littering." And they all moved away from me on the bench
there, and the hairy eyeball and all kinds of mean nasty things, till I
said, "And creating a nuisance." And they all came back, shook my hand,
and we had a great time on the bench, talkin about crime, mother stabbing,
father raping, all kinds of groovy things that we was talking about on the
bench. And everything was fine, we was smoking cigarettes and all kinds of
things, until the Sargeant came over, had some paper in his hand, held it
up and said.

"Kids, this-piece-of-paper's-got-47-words-37-sentences-58-words-we-wanna-
know-details-of-the-crime-time-of-the-crime-and-any-other-kind-of-thing-
you-gotta-say-pertaining-to-and-about-the-crime-I-want-to-know-arresting-
officer's-name-and-any-other-kind-of-thing-you-gotta-say", and talked for
forty-five minutes and nobody understood a word that he said, but we had
fun filling out the forms and playing with the pencils on the bench there,
and I filled out the massacre with the four part harmony, and wrote it
down there, just like it was, and everything was fine and I put down the
pencil, and I turned over the piece of paper, and there, there on the
other side, in the middle of the other side, away from everything else on
the other side, in parentheses, capital letters, quotated, read the
following words:

("KID, HAVE YOU REHABILITATED YOURSELF?")

I went over to the sargent, said, "Sargeant, you got a lot a damn gall to
ask me if I've rehabilitated myself, I mean, I mean, I mean that just, I'm
sittin' here on the bench, I mean I'm sittin here on the Group W bench
'cause you want to know if I'm moral enough join the army, burn women,
kids, houses and villages after bein' a litterbug." He looked at me and
said, "Kid, we don't like your kind, and we're gonna send you fingerprints
off to Washington."

And friends, somewhere in Washington enshrined in some little folder, is a
study in black and white of my fingerprints. And the only reason I'm
singing you this song now is cause you may know somebody in a similar
situation, or you may be in a similar situation, and if your in a
situation like that there's only one thing you can do and that's walk into
the shrink wherever you are ,just walk in say "Shrink, You can get
anything you want, at Alice's restaurant.". And walk out. You know, if
one person, just one person does it they may think he's really sick and
they won't take him. And if two people, two people do it, in harmony,
they may think they're both faggots and they won't take either of them.
And three people do it, three, can you imagine, three people walking in
singin a bar of Alice's Restaurant and walking out. They may think it's an
organization. And can you, can you imagine fifty people a day,I said
fifty people a day walking in singin a bar of Alice's Restaurant and
walking out. And friends they may thinks it's a movement.

And that's what it is , the Alice's Restaurant Anti-Massacre Movement, and
all you got to do to join is sing it the next time it come's around on the
guitar.

With feeling. So we'll wait for it to come around on the guitar, here and
sing it when it does. Here it comes.

You can get anything you want, at Alice's Restaurant
You can get anything you want, at Alice's Restaurant
Walk right in it's around the back
Just a half a mile from the railroad track
You can get anything you want, at Alice's Restaurant

That was horrible. If you want to end war and stuff you got to sing loud.
I've been singing this song now for twenty five minutes. I could sing it
for another twenty five minutes. I'm not proud... or tired.

So we'll wait till it comes around again, and this time with four part
harmony and feeling.

We're just waitin' for it to come around is what we're doing.

All right now.

You can get anything you want, at Alice's Restaurant
Excepting Alice
You can get anything you want, at Alice's Restaurant
Walk right in it's around the back
Just a half a mile from the railroad track
You can get anything you want, at Alice's Restaurant

Da da da da da da da dum
At Alice's Restaurant


It's time to start a movement people...

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Tears Don't Fall

For some reason I've just had this one stuck in my head the last couple of days... so in true form... I'm just telling someone!

This one from a European Rock/Metal band Bullet For My Valentine that I've really enjoyed of late. Sometime soon I'm going to have to get my MP3 player working in my car... trust me, my singing on the way into work in the mornings can be quite scary at times.

Lets go!

With blood shot eyes I watch you sleeping
The warmth I feel beside me is slowly fading
Would she hear me if I calls her name?
Would she hold me if she knew my shame?

There's always something different going wrong
The path I walk's in the wrong direction
There's always someone fucking hanging on
Can anybody help me make things better?

Your tears don't fall
They crash around me
Her conscience calls the guilty to come home
Your tears don't fall
They crash around me
Her conscience calls the guilty to come home

The moments died, I hear no screaming
The visions left inside me are slowly fading
Would she hear me if I calls her name?
Would she hold me if she knew my shame?

There's always something different going wrong
The path I walk's in the wrong direction
There's always someone fucking hanging on
Can anybody help me make things better?

Your tears don't fall
They crash around me
Her conscience calls the guilty to come home
Your tears don't fall
They crash around me
Her conscience calls the guilty to come home

Oh! Yeah!

This battered room I've seen before
The broken bones they heal no more, no more
With my last breath I'm choking
Will this ever end I'm hoping
My world is over one more time

Lets go

Would she hear me if i called her name?
Would she hold me, if she knew my shame?

There's always something to be going wrong
The path I walk's in the wrong direction
There's always someone fucking hanging on
Can anybody help me make things better?

Your tears don't fall
They crash around me
Her conscience calls the guilty to come home
Your tears don't fall [tears don't fall]
They crash around me
Her conscience calls the guilty to come
Better!

Your tears dont fall they crash around me
Her conscience calls the guilty to come home.


Funny enough, tears tend to rarely just fall... there's always something far more powerful than just that.

Monday, June 21, 2010

Dream a Little Dream

This is a classic that I just couldn't get out of my head last night or this morning. You know what they say, if you've got a song stuck in your head, tell someone! So here we go with a song that was originally recorded in 1931 (yup, the classics are timeless).

"Dream a Little Dream" was originally recorded by Ozzie Nelson and his Orchestra, but there have been far too many other artists to have added their influence over the years, so pick the version that you prefer.

Stars shining bright above you
Night breezes seem to whisper, I love you
Birds singin' in the sycamore trees
Dream a little dream of me

Say nighty-night and kiss me
Just hold me tight and tell me you'll miss me
While I'm alone and blue as can be
Dream a little dream of me

Stars fading but I linger on dear
Still craving your kiss
I'm longin' to linger till dawn dear
Just saying this

Sweet dreams till sunbeams find you
Sweet dreams that leave all worries behind you
But in your dreams whatever they be
Dream a little dream of me

Stars shining right above you
Night breezes seem to whisper, I love you
Birds singin' in the sycamore trees
Dream a little dream of me

Say nighty-night and kiss me
Just hold me tight and tell me you'll miss me
While I'm alone and blue as can be
Dream a little dream of me

Stars fading but I linger on dear
Still craving your kiss
I'm longin' to linger till dawn dear
Just saying this

Sweet dreams till sunbeams find you
Sweet dreams that leave all worries behind you
But in your dreams whatever they be
Dream a little dream of me

Dream a little dream of me
Dream a dream of me
Come on and dream come on and dream
Dream a little dream of me
I said dream, dream, dream a little dre-dre-dream
Come on and dream
Dream a little dre-dre-dream of me
What you sayin' hey baby come on and dream
Dream a little dream, dream of me
Dream
Dream
Dream
...


I guess this one just makes me happy :)

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Dreams

Ah... the world cup continues and the smaller nations keep pulling off the upsets. The bigger guys keep struggling... and who knows, a first time winner? Brazil were off to a good start although, I think fortune has favoured them so far and should that desert them they could be in a spot of bother.

This old one from a classic band, The Cranberries. This one simply titled "Dreams" covers the hopes for the little guy.

Oh, my life is changing everyday,

In every possible way.
And oh, my dreams, it's never quite as it seems,
Never quite as it seems.

I know I've felt like this before, but now I'm feeling it even more,
Because it came from you.
And then I open up and see the person falling here is me,
A different way to be.

Ah, la da ah...
La...

I want more impossible to ignore,
Impossible to ignore.
And they'll come true, impossible not to do,
Impossible not to do.

And now I tell you openly, you have my heart so don't hurt me.
You're what I couldn't find.
A totally amazing mind, so understanding and so kind;
You're everything to me.

Oh, my life,
Is changing every day,
In every possible way.

And oh, my dreams,
It's never quite as it seems,
'Cause you're a dream to me,
Dream to me.

Ah, da, da da da, da, la...


For me... I guess, not all dreams are what you expected. But then again... nothing ever is as it seems.

Thursday, June 17, 2010

When I'm Gone

Well it's Friday and I'm taking a lighter look on things. This particular one, "When I'm Gone", from Simple Plan reminds me a lot about things in my past. Places I've been... and where I simply no longer am. It makes me happy.

Every wasted day really is a wasted chance... don't wake up feeling sorry.

We're doing it.

I look around me,
But all I seem to see,
Is people going no where,
Expecting sympathy.

It's like we're going through the motions,
Of a scripted destiny.
Tell me where's our inspiration,
If life wont wait,
I guess it's up to me.

Woah!
No, we're not gonna waste another moment in this town.
Woah!
And we won't come back your world is calling out.
Woah!
We'll leave the past in the past,
Gonna find the future.
If misery loves company well,
So long, you'll miss me when I'm gone.

Ooh, ooh, ooh.
You're gonna miss me when I'm gone.
Ooh, ooh, ooh.

Procrastination, running circles in my head.
While you sit there contemplating,
You wound up left for dead (left for dead)
Life is what happens while you're busy making your excuses.
Another day, another casualty.
And that won't happen to me.

Woah!
No, we're not gonna waste another moment in this town.
Woah!
And we won't come back your world is calling out.
Woah!
We'll leave the past in the past,
Gonna find the future.
If misery loves company well,
So long, you'll miss me when I'm gone.

Ooh, ooh, ooh.
You're gonna miss me when I'm gone.
Ooh, ooh, ooh.
You're gonna miss me when I'm gone.
When I'm gone-

Let's go!

Won't look back,
When I say goodbye.
I'm gonna leave this a hole behind me,
Gonna take what's mine tonight.
Because every wasted day becomes a wasted chance.
You're gonna wake up feeling sorry,
Because life wont wait,
I guess it's up to you.

Woah!
No, we're not gonna waste another moment in this town.
Woah!
And we won't come back your world is calling out.
Woah!
We'll leave the past in the past,
Gonna find the future.
If misery loves company well,
So long, you'll miss me when I'm gone.

Ooh, ooh, ooh.
You're gonna miss me when I'm gone.
Ooh, ooh, ooh.
You're gonna miss me when I'm gone.
Ooh, ooh, ooh.
You're gonna miss me when I'm gone.
Ooh, ooh, ooh.
You're gonna miss me when I'm gone.


It may seem somewhat bizarre, but I think there are those that simply miss me because they were too busy being miserable. I won't be that company any more.

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Going to California

This has to be my favourite Led Zeppelin track of all time - and most would have picked "Stairway". Shame on them.

I have a DVD of live performances from the band and this one played by Jimmy Page just picking away on his acoustic guitar is just amazing. That's the difference between those who are good and those who are great - the space between the notes. Those that are great allow more space, because they can.

Spent my days with a woman unkind, Smoked my stuff and drank all my wine.
Made up my mind to make a new start, Going To California with an aching in my heart.
Someone told me there's a girl out there with love in her eyes and flowers in her hair.
Took my chances on a big jet plane, never let them tell you that they'all are the same.
The sea was red and the sky was grey,I wondered how tomorrow could ever follow today.
The mountains and the canyons started to tremble and shake
as the children of the sun began to awake.

Seems that the wrath of the Gods
Got a punch on the nose and it started to flow;
I think I might be sinking.
Throw me a line if I reach it in time
I'll meet you up there where the path
Runs straight and high.

To find a queen without a king,
They say she plays guitar and cries and sings... la la la la
Ride a white mare in the footsteps of dawn
Tryin' to find a woman who's never, never, never been born.
Standing on a hill in my mountain of dreams,
Telling myself it's not as hard, hard, hard as it seems.


"Made up my mind to make a new start..." that I have... now just to find the girl with flowers in her hair.

Monday, June 14, 2010

The Leaving Song

Here's one I haven't heard in quite some time. "The Leaving Song" by AFI is very mellow by their standards (very much like "Good Riddance" is to Green Day).

Every once in a while somethings have a tendency to rear their ugly heads and I'm constantly reminded of things that I'd rather let go.

Walked away, heard them say
"Poison hearts will never change,"
walk away again.
Turned away in disgrace,
felt the chill upon my face cooling from within.

Hard to notice gleaming from the sky,
when you're staring at the cracks.
Hard to notice what is passing by with eyes lowered.

You... walked away, heard them say
"Poison hearts will never change,"
walk away again.

All the cracks, they lead right to me,
and all the cracks will crawl right through me.
All the cracks, they lead right to me,
and all the cracks will crawl right through me, and I fell apart.

As I... walked away, heard them say
"Poison hearts will never change,"
walk away again,
Turned away in disgrace,
felt the chill upon my face cooling from within


You walked away, I guess poison hearts will never change.

Sunday, June 13, 2010

If I Close My Eyes Forever

I've always said that should I cease to exist, so too will the rest of the universe. Interesting concept, you reckon?

In any event, think I'm coming down with a head cold and am simply feeling sorry for myself. This is a classic duet from Ozzy and Lita Ford, "If I Close My Eyes Forever".

Baby...I get so scared inside...
and I don't really understand.
Is it love that's on my mind...
or is it fantasy?

Heaven...
Is in the palm of my hand...
and it's waiting here for you.
What am I supposed to do...
with a childhood tragedy?

If I close my eyes forever...
Will it all remain unchanged?
If I close my eyes forever...
Will it all remain the same?

Sometimes...
It's hard to hold on.
So hard...to hold on to my dreams.
It isn't always what is seems.
When you're face to face with me.

You're like a dagger...
Stick me in the heart.
Taste the blood from my blade.
And when we sleep...
Would you shelter me?
In your warm and darkened grave.

If I close my eyes forever...
Will it all remain unchanged?
If I close my eyes forever...
Will it all remain the same?

Will you ever take me?
No...I just can't take the pain.
But would you ever trust me?
No...I'll never feel the same.

Ohh...

I know I've been so hard to you.
I know I've told you lies.
If I could have just one more wish...
I'd wipe the cobwebs from my eyes.

If I close my eyes forever...
Will it all remain unchanged?
If I close my eyes forever...
Will it all remain the same.

Close your eyes...
Close your eyes...
You gotta close you eyes for me!


If I closed my eyes forever, would it all remain the same?

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Football's Coming Home

Another Friday funny... this one I remember from Euro '98 where England went out on penalties, yet again!

Yup, the biggest trophy in the world kicks off today. I'll give Mexico the kiss of death and say that they'll be the team to beat. Heck every team I've backed so far has seen a first round exit.

This crazy track "Football's Coming Home" rings a lot truer now that the cup is to be played in my backyard. Pity I don't have tickets, but that won't stop me getting excited.

We still believe, we still believe
we still believe

Its coming home,
Its coming home, its coming
Footballs coming home

Tears for heroes dressed in grey
No plans for final day
Stay in bed, drift away
It could have been all
Songs in the street
It was nearly complete
It was nearly so sweet
And now Im singing

Three lions on the shirt
Jules Rimet still gleaming
No more years of hurt
No more need for dreaming

Talk about football coming home
And then one night in Rome
We were strong, we had grown
And now I see Ince ready for war
Gazza good as before
Shearer ready to score
And Psycho screaming

Three lions on the shirt
Jules Rimet still gleaming
No more years of hurt
No more need for dreaming

We can dance Nobbys dance
We could dance it in France

Its coming home, its coming home,
Footballs coming home....


Psycho screaming... hehehe... well this one will be!

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

The Impossible Dream

Well the roller-coaster ride continues. Today... well... another chapter comes to a complete end. Sad days, but we'll not mourn our losses. We'll celebrate what has been, for this is the best way to remember those who are no longer with us.

This one was one of those that used to get started once my grandfather got drinking. In true Scot's style a little bit of alcohol and the singing started. Gotta love it... mostly because none of it made any sense. Here's to Andy Williams and "The Impossible Dream".

To dream the impossible dream
To fight the unbeatable foe
To bear with unbearable sorrow
To run where the brave dare not go

To right the unrightable wrong
To be better far than you are
To try when your arms are too weary
To reach the unreachable star

This is my quest
To follow that star
No matter how hopeless
No matter how far

To be willing to give
When there's no more to give
To be willing to die
So that honor and justice may live

And I know if I'll only be true
To this glorious quest
That my heart will lie peaceful and calm
When I'm laid to my rest

And the world will be better for this
That one man scorned and covered with scars
Still strove with his last ounce of courage
To reach the unreachable star

To dream the impossible dream
To fight the unbeatable foe
To bear with unbearable sorrow
To run where the brave dare not go

To right the unrightable wrong
To be better far than you are
To try when your arms are too weary
To reach the unreachable star

This is my quest
To follow that star
No matter how hopeless
No matter how far

To be willing to give
When there's no more to give
To be willing to die
So that honor and justice may live

And I know if I'll only be true
To this glorious quest
That my heart will lie peaceful and calm
When I'm laid to my rest

And the world will be better for this
That one man scorned and covered with scars
Still strove with his last ounce of courage
To reach the unreachable star


There are lots of stars... I'll keep following that star - someone has to.

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Captain Nemo

For some reason this one just popped into my head. One of Sarah's better songs (if you consider that god awful "Starship Trooper" video you'll know what I mean).

Looking for vengeance won't get you very far. A motto that I've pretty much always followed. I think if even Captain Nemo can learn this one (in this song), just walk away... Just go home.

Under the surface so crystal clear
Everyone was really tense
Waiting down there
He had his own world just like I had mine
We'll go separate ways 'til the next time
There are no words to say as
My friend swims away

Captain Nemo said, "okay"
(five, four, three, two, one)
Then I raised my hand and waved
Captain Nemo went away
(Love me when I'm gone)
Left me all alone, Nemo's going home

And as I watched him, police boats approached
An alien force haunting us like ghosts
"Wish I could stay here and play for a while
But I must be on my way..."
The warmest of smiles
Then he dived into the waves among the other whales

Captain Nemo said, "okay"
(five, four, three, two, one)
Then I raised my hand and waved
Captain Nemo went away
(Love me when I'm gone)
Left me all alone, Nemo's going home...


I guess sometimes it's just better to just wave and not say a word.

Monday, June 7, 2010

Man in the Mirror

Ever just looked in the mirror and wondered where the years have gone. What you were doing... or even just what?

This one from "Poets and Madmen" really hits home with me at times... guess it's because I'm no poet.

here's a man that i used to know
And sometimes he still visits with me
When it's late and the alcohol's glow
Is nearly gone
And it's time to awaken

And he looks and he laughs at the sight
And he asks what has happened to me
And i blame it all on the lights
But he smiles and says i'm mistaken

And there is no use in disguising
What the eye can so clearly see
That i've spent my whole life denying
That the man in the mirror is me

Give me one second chance
Give me one final dance
Give me one magic line
Take a minute off my time

Give me one final bow
If the moment allows
While he stares at the scars
Saying just who you are
Just who you are
Just who you are

In a child like illusion of life
He imagined the things yet to be
But they all disappeared on this night
Carry on among the foresaken

For there is no use in denying
What the eye can so clearly see
That one day i too will be dying
And the man in the mirror agrees

Give me one second chance
Give me one final dance
Give me one magic line
Take a minute off my time

Give me one final bow
If the moment allows
While he stares at the scars
Saying just who you are
Just who you are
Just who you are
Just who you ...


I wonder what the man in the mirror really would say. Would he be kind... or would he be brutally honest? Could I handle the honesty?

Wild Child

Well it's been a rough few days. Sent my car in to be put back into shape (seems people still do bump your car and just drive off)... and ended up driving a friends car into work today. She's a real cock rocker and so we were left listening to the likes of Judas Priest and any other Air Guitar track you can think of on the way in this morning.

This is possibly the most cock rock of all that I can think of right now. "Wild Child" by W.A.S.P. has to be one of the cheesiest tracks that I can think of. I love it!

I ride, I ride the winds that bring the rain
A creature of love and I can't be tamed
I want you, cause I'm gonna take your love from him
And I'll touch your face and hot burning skin
No, he'll never ever touch you like I do
So look in my eyes and burn alive the truth

I'm a wild child, come and love me I want you
My heart's in exile I need you to touch me
Cause I want what you do... I want you

Tell me, tell me the lies you're telling him
When you run away cause I wanna know
Cause I, I'm sure it's killing him to find
That you run to me when he lets you go
Cause I'm burning, burning, burning up with fire
So come turn me on and turn the flames up higher

I'm a wild child, come and love me I want you
My heart's in exile I need you to touch me
Cause I want what you do... I want you

A naked heat machine, I want your love
When the moons arise we'll feel just what it does

I'm a wild child, come and love me I want you
My heart's in exile I need you to touch me
Cause I want what you do I want you


Nothing screams of the bad 80's rock scene quite like W.A.S.P.

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Imaginary

Evanescence jumped to real fame with their hit track "Bring Me to Life" from the movie Daredevil.

I've always been a massive fan of the piano and simple vocals and Amy Lee does a fantastic job. This has to be one of the most beautiful tracks I've heard. Kinda takes me off to Neverland.

I linger in the doorway
Of alarm clocks screaming
Monsters calling my name
Let me stay
Where the wind will whisper to me
Where the raindrops as they're falling tell a story

In my fields of paper flowers
And candy clouds of lullaby
I lie inside myself for hours
And watch my purple sky fly over me

Don't say I'm out of touch
With this rampant chaos - your reality
I know well what lies beyond my sleeping refuge
The nightmare I built my own world to escape

In my fields of paper flowers
And candy clouds of lullaby
I lie inside myself for hours
And watch my purple sky fly over me

Swallowed up in the sound of my screaming
Cannot cease for the fear
Of silent nights
Oh how I long for the deep sleep dreaming
The goddess of imaginary light

In my fields of paper flowers
And candy clouds of lullaby
I lie inside myself for hours
And watch my purple sky fly over me


Deep sleeping... That's what I imagine I'll be doing this weekend.

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

The End is the Beginning is the End

Looking for a hero, look no further than Batman! Today's track was put down for the very commercial Batman & Robin movie although according to Corgan this was set more on the darker Batman of the 40's (although with the re-launch of the franchise the whole scene has gotten darker).

Batman was never a good guy... then again, doubt I am. But we can all still be a hero.

Send a heartbeat to
The void that cries through you
Relive the pictures that have come to pass
For now we stand alone
The world is lost and blown
And we are flesh and blood disintegrate
With no more to hate

Is it bright where you are
And have the people changed
Does it make you happy you're so strange
And in your darkest hour
My old secrets laid
We can watch the world devoured in its pain

Delivered from the blast
The last of a line of lasts
The pale princess of a palace cracked
And now the kingdom comes
Crashing down undone
And I am a master of a nothing place
Of recoil and grace

Is it bright where you are
And have the people changed
Does it make you happy you're so strange
And in your darkest hour
I hold secrets flame
We can watch the world devoured in its pain

Time has stopped before us
The sky cannot ignore us
No one can separate us
For we are all that is left
The echo bounces off me
The shadow lost beside me
There's no more need to pretend
Cause now I can begin again

Is it bright where you are
And have the people changed
Does it make you happy you're so strange
And in your darkest hour
my old secrets laid
We can watch the world devoured in its hate
Strange
Strange
Strange
(strange)
(strange)


It makes me happy, because I'm so strange.