Third day of the music-meme-thing, and I have decided to combine numbers 26 and 27 - and with them, perhaps, ...
... calling it a day ... so here goes ...
A song you can play on an instrument, and a song you wish you could play:
I probably would say that I have three musical instruments that I play: guitar (very, very poorly), piano (not too badly, but not that well), and my voice (I used to be a pretty good folky singer - back in the day). There are three songs that I still enjoy playing on my instruments (understanding, of course, that all three include my voice - that is to say, me singing):
The first:
With the poorly-played guitar I love to strum increasingly more and more dramatically to a version of John Baez's old folk song John Riley:
The second, I adore playing on the piano and singing along.
An old song, called Innocent Times, written by Eric Clapton, from his album No Reason to Cry, originally recorded and sung by Marcy Levy. I love to warble away at this one, hammering at the piano keys all the while:
I was a child born so free;
It seems that time has put age on me.
And when I grow old, will I once again find
All of those sweet, innocent times?
I was a child born without fear;
It seems that time has placed me here.
With no freedom to laugh, there's more reason to cry.
I really miss those innocent times.
I used to feel joy in my soul,
But now my sorrow has taken control.
As I look around I pray, Lord be kind;
Just one more taste of those innocent times.
As I look around I pray, Lord be kind;
Just one more taste of those innocent times,
Just one more taste of those innocent times.
The third song I love to sing, especially when life partner accompanies me on the guitar (and he surely plays a mean tune on his guitar!), is an old Kate Wolf ballad that I heard for the first time about 23 years ago.
I fell in love with this song because the lyrics seemed to speak straight to my heart. And, they have remained there to this day - the lyrics in my heart, I mean.
Here is a version sung by Nanci Griffin and Emmy Lou Harris from the album, Other Voices Other Rooms:
The song I wish I could play alone is Cyndi Lauper's Time After Time:
As it happens, though, my son sometimes accompanies me on the piano as I sing this particular song. He plays so professionally, gently, and very much respecting my rhythm and style, that I have a hard time controlling my emotions as I sing, often choking up and shedding a few tears of joy while he continues to play - until I can gain control of myself and join in again.
These are the moments I enjoy the most - being accompanied by life partner or my son. Sometimes they play together - Tom on the guitar, Gilad on the piano - and I sing my heart out.
Strangely, though, usually after a night of singing - especially one I have enjoyed very much, my voice becomes hoarse the next day. I always understood that to be a reminder to myself that too much pleasure is forbidden me. These days, I m starting to realize it is not so much that the pleasure is forbidden - it is the emotion - which, lately, I am determining is dangerous to feel. For, I experience a range of very intense emotions when I sing or play. Hm ... this might even be considered an "aha!" moment ... right here as I write this post.
Indeed, I must admit that I have always longed to be a professional singer. Perhaps one day I might write a post about all this.
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