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What's Going On - Marvin Gaye

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May 7, 2022Liked by Steven Beschloss

"Imagine" by John Lennon

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Don't forget Billie Holiday's sister song, "Strange Fruit."

"Southern trees bear a strange fruit

Blood on the leaves and blood at the root

Black bodies swinging in the Southern breeze

Strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees..."

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author

Those words. That voice…

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May 7, 2022Liked by Steven Beschloss

James Taylor "Shower the People" or "Copper-line". Both make me burst out in tears with the first notes (along with most of the other songs listed of course).

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May 7, 2022Liked by Steven Beschloss

Bear with me - I am an oddball. "Bad Moon Rising" by Creedence Clearwater Revival. When John Fogerty wrote this song in 1969 the devastation of global warming was not even imagined. Yet this song so perfectly "fits" the climate change narrative and effects we now see today. It is especially profound at the end when he declares "One eye is taken for an eye" warning that earth would pay us back for callously "poking it in the eye". The song just gets me every time. (Not a bad melody either.)

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May 8, 2022Liked by Steven Beschloss

Louie Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World". John Lennon's "Imagine", Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah". Vangelis' "Chariots of Fire". So, so many others. Music gets us through the good times, the bad times and the in-between times.

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May 7, 2022Liked by Steven Beschloss

Four years ago, I received a mengionoma diagnosis, and had been listening to queen at the time. From that time on, We are the champions, is my mantra, it gets me up and reminds me I still have work to do.

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May 7, 2022·edited May 7, 2022Liked by Steven Beschloss

This Sam Cooke song is on my “Act Up!” playlist on Apple Music… along with “Glory” by Common and John Legend, “Freedom” by Beyoncé & Kendrick LaMar, “Where is the Love” by Back Eyed Peas, “Our Man Walter Cronkite” by Mary Chapin Carpenter, “Get Up, Stand Up” by Bob Marley & The Wailers, “Refugee” by Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, “Hurricane” by Bob Dylan, “Black & White” by Three Dog Night, “Dear Mr President” by Pink, “Strange Fruit” by Billie Holiday, plus a few other songs people mentioned here… “Imagine” by John Lennon, “What’s Going On” by Marvin Gaye. I find many reasons to listen to this playlist lately.

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author

I know what you mean.

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May 7, 2022Liked by Steven Beschloss

Valentine's Day. And My foolish heart. And Till there was you. And If Ever I would leave you. And La Vie an Rose. And Umbrellas of Cherbourg. And Berkeley Square. That song (s).

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May 7, 2022Liked by Steven Beschloss

"Alone Again, Naturally," especially the cover by Diana Krall.

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May 7, 2022Liked by Steven Beschloss

masters of war.... bob dylan

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PPM "The Times They Are 'A Changin'

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May 7, 2022Liked by Steven Beschloss

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=K7bGtR_ETJE

Lush Life, written (and sung by) Billy Strayhorn

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...and I would vote for Johnny Hartman's version, but I need to listen to Strayhorn's.

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Flipping the radio dial randomly one day and landed on this - my intro to lifelong jazz maniac.

Hartman’s version is smooth. This is raw, essential.

He wrote it when he was young, and had not even been to Paris. Perhaps it was a dream, a longing, especially since he was gay.

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May 7, 2022·edited May 7, 2022Liked by Steven Beschloss

The song you have chosen could not better express the hopes of the discriminated. Maybe America would fit in. However, I have been fortunate to never be in that circumstance. Therefore, my remembered songs are those my mother used to sing.Oddly, when not thinking of something, there is always a song playing in the background of my mind, even when I awake during the night, and they are always hers. Let Me Call You Sweetheart, It Had to be You, Blue Moon, Smoke Gets In Your Eyes, all oldies.When growing up, she sang/hummed constantly til' it drove me crazy, so I asked her to please stop. She did. It was awful. The silence was deafening. So, I begged her to begin again. Her new one was Hey, Good Lookin'.

This phenomenon makes me think of her every day. What I wouldn't give to hear her singing

Give Me A Little Kiss, Will You, Huh ? just once more.

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May 7, 2022Liked by Steven Beschloss

The Long and Winding Road - Beatles - always stops me in my tracks!

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May 7, 2022Liked by Steven Beschloss

One of my favorites always. His soulful voice takes me back to that time in my life when I was entering college and the turmoil of the late 60’s. I am reminded of the similarities to today. So much time; so little change.

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Too many to name! I’m writing a review now of Susan Cain’s “Bittersweet,” and she mentions the sadness behind songs written in C minor, so I looked into it. Fleetwood Mac’s “(Got Me) Hypnotized” is one such song, so I’ll mention that here too! Great question!

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Otis Redding: ‘I’ve been loving you too long’

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May 7, 2022Liked by Steven Beschloss

Ohio by CSNY. I was 13.. A real eye-opening time.

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May 7, 2022Liked by Steven Beschloss

That Sam Cooke song is stunning. A whole other mood is a song that gives me chills rather than being uplifting, but it’s Dylan’s “Masters of War.” It’s bleak but honest.

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May 7, 2022Liked by Steven Beschloss

"Love Train" by the O'Jays I can imagine a person from every walk of life jumping aboard.

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May 7, 2022Liked by Steven Beschloss

Sultans of Swing, Dire Straits

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May 7, 2022Liked by Steven Beschloss

You made me think of Dire Straights, Brothers in Arms

“ There's so many different worlds

So many different suns

And we have just one world

But we live in different ones”

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Solomon Burke: Don’t Give Up On Me

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Once In A Lifetime. Well, how did I get here?

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...you beat me to it!

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We just watched American Utopia on HBO max. Stellar!

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Yes, excellent! We actually had tickets for earlier this year but cancelled when covid heated back up again.

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Streisand — Memories.

Corelli — Nessum Dorma

Lanza — E lucevan le Stella

Are three that immediately come to mind.

These 3 speak of passion, triumph, longings & memories all emotional and moving in their unique ways.

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Wow..so, so many choices. The Moody Blues come to mind right away. A lot of beautiful ones by those guys..Nights in White Satin is a great one.

Another one of my favorites is THE QUESTION

"Why do we never get an answer when we're knocking at the door

With a thousand million questions about hate and death and war?

'Cause when we stop and look around us, there is nothing that we need

In a world of persecution that is burning in its greed

Why do we never get an answer when we're knocking at the door?

Because the truth, it's hard to swallow, that's what the war of love is for

It's not the way that you say it

When you do those things to me

It's more the way that you mean it

When you tell me what will be

And when you stop and think about it

You won't believe it's true

That all the love you've been giving

Has all been meant for you."

Yeah..too much selfishness going on. Too much talking and not enough listening. And just what happened to the art of a good conversation anyway? I miss that.

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You'll Never Walk Alone. From the first time I heard it in high school (1966) as we produced the show Carousel, to now as an adult, its meaning has evolved, as have I. It continues to be very relevant. No person can really live a healthy life as an island. I am grateful to have had various people during various times in my life, who assured me that I was not alone in the journey.

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The Staple Singers were on the front lines in the 60s... musically and literally (marching with Dr. King). Their songs were a beautiful blend of gospel and pop. Come Go With Me, Shake a Hand (Make a Friend), I'll Take You There, so many others. Mavis Staples is still out there doing it! Fortunate Son, by Credence Clearwater Revival, always speaks to me, now as much as when it was released.

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