Round Robin-The Songs of Our Lives

Wow, this was another fun altered page for the round robin!! The only difficulty that presented itself to me in this book of “The Songs of Your Life” is WHICH song to choose??? What a dilemma! I listen to music almost ALL of the time. I have no musical talent that I can claim for my own. However, I most definitely have an appreciation for other people’s musical talent. (I even catch myself listening to the songs of birds!) For example, there is one bird that visits my yard that has a song that sounds as if he is laughing. (By the way, I love that bird!)

When I am at work, I listen to music by using my ear buds all day only removing them to answer the phone and to occasionally converse with co-workers. Sometimes when I am rushing around early in the morning, I leave my music at home. Then upon arriving at work, I have to go scouting in order to borrow something from co-workers. I have found all kinds of new genres that I love by listening to those musical loans.

I went through a phase a few years back (ephemeral phases are a common trend for me if you have not noticed) in which I was going to try my hand at being a screen play writer. I was moving away to California and the whole nine yards. How many people try that though? (Too many.) Therefore, that would not be my style, would it? It is my style to take the path that no one else will take or wants to take, well, at least until I grow bored with it. What provoked my interest in the screen play writing field is because I watch a lot of movies or at least I used to watch a lot of movies when I had slightly more time. Even now, I still probably watch more movies than most people. I will FIND time to watch a movie even if it means NO sleep. But here is the point, the crux of the matter. Next time you are watching a movie, if you do not do this already, listen to the music. I mean REALLY listen to the music. The music in a movie will walk you down an emotional path. I am betting you will find that your favorite movies will have the most appealing music to your tastes. It does not even have to be a complete song but just a musical arrangement. There is a movie called “Heat” that has an amazingly synchronized bank robbery scene. What makes this scene is the percussion arrangement. Watch that scene without sound and it is nothing. It quickly loses its appeal.

From the way I have rambled on endlessly about this subject, well, you get the picture by now regarding how much music influences me. It seemed quite a coincidence that Barbara chose the Beatles and Lisa M. chose EJ for their pages. Reflecting though, it is not a coincidence. Those two options are probable ones after all. It would be ridiculous for me to choose a song for this round robin book by any other artists than EJ or the Beatles. I mean I use songs by these artists like some people use prescription medication. Having a bad day? “She Loves You” can fix almost anything. Of the two, EJ is my strongest love and this is saying A LOT. I am sure it is because as Lisa M. said, it harkens back to those teenage years. However, unlike Lisa M., I think I always knew EJ “played for the other team” so to speak. One of his and Bernie’s songs that can fix almost anything for me with its poignant innocence is “Your Song”. I did not pick either of those songs for this book because I could not begin to adequately express with my limited artistic means the depth of feeling those songs generate in me. I thought about it. I tried. I could not. So I chose instead, “Empty Garden” by EJ as it is a kind of marriage of the two. (EJ’s tribute to John.) Next time you hear the original 1982 version of “Empty Garden” by EJ, be sure to listen to his harpsichord at the very end of the song. His playing and musical writing are awe inspiring.

I used some of my jewelry making abilities as I think they are better than my paper crafting abilities to make a treble clef out of floral wire and pearls for this page. Linda, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did creating it. Peace and Love.