Today we come to the second item in Dusty Springfield’s list. Hope is an optimistic state of mind that is based on an expectation of positive outcomes with respect to events and circumstances in one’s life or the world at large. A classic reference to hope which has entered modern language is the concept that […]
Wishing
I have decided to embark on a series based on the Dusty Sprinfield song ‘Wishin’ and Hopin’ which contains series of actions which might provide some fruitful topics for our researches. The opening lines of the song are ‘Wishin’ and hopin’ and thinkin’ and prayin’ , plannin’ and dreamin’…’ . Ignoring the lamentable contractions of […]
December
Now that December has begun it is time to reflect on a miscellany of songs that have been written by musicians over the years. This is not really a Christmas selection, that may come later, this is an opportunity to consider what the experience of December has meant to those who write songs. “December Boudoir” […]
Winter
I recently posted a collection of songs about Autumn, as I write there is snow on the ground and so it seemed appropriate to suggest that with November on it’s last day that it is time for a collection of winter songs. “Winter” is the last concerto of The Four Seasons by Italian composer Antonio […]
November
The blog makes it’s return after a fortnight of enforced absence and to celebrate this we are going to spend the morning in November. Although November is nearly at an end, I though we should mark it’s passing with a collection of songs in which it’s virtues are praised. “Rose Hip November” is a track […]
Sideways
Today we end our travels amongst the directional songs with what may well prove to be the most difficult direction of all – ‘Sideways’. I cannot imagine that there are a multitude of songs that feature sideways in the title. However I do like a challenge – so here we go. “Over Under Sideways Down” […]
Back 2
As promised yesterday, we are continuing to look at the direction ‘back’ for another day. The six songs that appeared yesterday were just the tip of the iceberg and so here we go with round two. “My Back Pages” is a song written by Bob Dylan and included on his 1964 album Another Side of […]
Back
Now in our series on directions we come to ‘back’ which will undoubtedly prove to be a rich source of songs. Indeed I am already planning for ‘Back 2’ as tomorrow’s post. So then let’s see what our researches can uncover. “Back in the U.S.A.” is a song written by Chuck Berry that was released […]
Spiegel Im Spiegel
Spiegel im Spiegel is a composition by Arvo Part written in 1978, just before his departure from Estonia. The piece is in the tintinnabular style, wherein a melodic voice, operating over diatonic scales, and tintinnabular voice, operating within a triad on the tonic, accompany each other. It is about ten minutes long. The piece was […]
Forward
Having explored left, right, up and down we are now going to explore the alternative commands forwards and back. i suspect that there will certainly be more songs associated with back than with fowards but who knows what we might discover. “Fast Forward” the title track from the 1985 dance film directed by Sidney Poitier. […]