Flyleaf – “All around me”
I was listening to a mix over on Pandora, and was introduced to Flyleaf. Wow. Fantastic stuff. I am so glad that I have a 30% off coupon for Borders – I am going to buy a CD this weekend! (who said streaming digital music was killing CD sales?)
All Around MeMy hands are searching for you This fire rising through my being I’m alive, I’m alive I can feel you all around me My hands float up above me The music makes me sway I’m alive, I’m alive I can feel you all around me And so I cry I’m alive, I’m alive, I’m alive I can feel you all around me Take my hand I can feel you all around me |
Phantom
In dreams he came
That voice which calls to me
And speaks my name
And do I dream again?
For now I find
The phantom of the opera is there,
Inside my mind
Our strange duet
My power over you
Grows stronger yet
And though you turn from me
to glance behind
The phantom of the opera is there
Inside your mind
Draw back in fear
I am the mask you wear
In one combined
The phantom of the opera is there
inside my/your mind
Is that the phantom of the opera?
Beware the phantom of the opera
That man and mystery
Where night is blind
The Phantom of the opera is here
the Phantom of the Opera . . .
Phantom
It all started in 1995. My little sister bought front-row seats at
Phantom of the Opera, at Her Majesty’s Theatre in London, as wedding presents for us.
In 1998 our software team was recognized by management, and with the bonus that was paid out I purchased tickets to see Phantom of the Opera, at The Fox Theatre in St Louis as a 3rd anniversary gift. Alison, being a math & science geek like myself, immediately asked “does this represent a mathematical progression? We saw Phantom in year zero of the marriage, now again on year three. What about year six?”
Year six came around and we celebrated our anniversary in San Antonio, TX. Chosen specifically because Phantom was playing there. And thus it was settled. Every three years.
It’s funny, looking back, because more of a special deal was made about our 9th anniversary than the “big one-zero” at 10 years: we stayed in the Hilton in New York, and saw Phantom on Broadway, to celebrate year nine.
Continuing the tradition was important – forget the passing of a mere decade, it was the full-dozen that was more of a deal. For year twelve we saw Phantom of the Opera, at The Venetian in Las Vegas.
So, what’s next?
August next year, and I am already planning. It’s year fifteen – a Phantom Year – and the options are endless. As usual the question isnt “what will you do to celebrate your anniversary?” it will be a question merely of where … and therein lies the delicious mystery!
Code Monkey
Code MonkeyWords & music by Jonathan Coulton Code Monkey get up get coffee Code Monkey like Fritos Code Monkey hang around at front desk Code Monkey have long walk back to cubicle Code Monkey like Fritos Code Monkey have every reason Code Monkey like Fritos |
… except manager’s name isn’t “Rob” and it isn’t a login screen. However, the general “code monkey” mood is there.
Take it from the other music I was listening to on the way in – Linkin Park’s “Meteora” – loving the tracks “Numb” and “Lying from you” especially. Music was blasting in the car and windows happened to be part way down … and I noticed when I pulled up at the lights that the car to the side and the car behind were noticing the music too. Hmmm.
Is it a bad sign that I went from Weird Al through Phantom of the Opera to Guns ‘N Roses and now Linkin Park (Seether, Staind and Nickelback come later today in the playlist).
When you were mine
I am still trying to track down the definitive list of the top 10 breakup songs – apparently George Michael’s “Careless Whisper” got ranked #6. Personally I think “When you were mine” would need to be in there somewhere.
First recorded by Prince, in 1980, it seems this track has been covered by a fairly large number of people.
|
When you were mine I gave you all of my money Time after time You done me wrong It was just like a dream You let all my friends come over and meet And you were so strange You didnt have the decency to change the sheets Oh girl, when you were mine I know (I know) When you were mine I know (I know) When you were mine I know (I know) When you were mine, yeah, oh no |
The version I remember best is from Cyndi Lauper’s “Shes so unusual” album. As a female singer, you’d expect her to change the pronouns throughout, but she didnt, leading to a fairly clear implication of a breakup with another woman (though it’s got to be said, Prince is pushing things with lines like “I used to let you wear all my clothes” and then later on, “When he was there / Sleeping inbetween the two of us“).
Other artists folowed and I found myself caught by a version by Tegan and Sara (that sounds like the Prince version but includes
Cyndi’s gender-bending lyrics.)
(and before you ask, no, I am not breaking up with anyone!)
Turn of the year
Bilbo’s walking song (as he is leaving Bag End, in “Fellowship of the Ring”) seems somehow appropriate:
| The Road goes ever on and on Down from the door where it began. Now far ahead the Road has gone, And I must follow, if I can, Pursuing it with eager feet, Until it joins some larger way Where many paths and errands meet. And whither then? I cannot say. |
Enjoy the Silence
I ran across Lacuna Coil’s video for “Enjoy the Silence” on Facebook earlier.
| Enjoy the Silence
Words like violence All I ever wanted Vows are spoken All I ever wanted |
Should we or shouldn’t we?
In Christianity Today there was a recent article:
Barring Yahweh
The Vatican gives orders to excise the name from worship. Do Protestants agree?
Observant Jews have traditionally not used the name Yahweh, refusing to pronounce the so-called proper name of God out of respect, or to be sure they do not misuse it. Now neither will Roman Catholics, at least in their worship services.
“Protestants should be following their lead,” said Carol Bechtel, professor of Old Testament at Western Theological Seminary in Holland, Michigan. “It’s always left me baffled and perplexed and embarrassed that we sprinkle our hymns with that name,” she said. “Whether or not there are Jewish brothers and sisters in earshot, the most obvious reason to avoid using the proper and more personal name of God in the Old Testament is simply respect for God.”
Both Yahweh and Jehovah have been removed from the Christian Reformed Church’s Psalter Hymnal, turning “Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah” into “Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer.”
The article finished by saying
Protestantism has long traditions of both using and avoiding the name Yahweh, according to John Witvliet, director of the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship. “Some people said using Yahweh emphasized for them the transcendence of God, which you might say is precisely the goal of not saying the term.”
Seems to me that people are missing the point entirely given that we are to relate to God on a personal level:
For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” (Romans 8:15)
So in honour of missing the point, I offer one of my favourite worship songs:
| He is Yawheh © 2001 Vineyard Music Who is moving on the waters? Creator God: He is Yawheh Who is He that makes me happy? Creator God: He is Yawheh You are holy and eternal |
I stand corrected
A helpful [sic] comment from Sheila pointed me to do a little more research on the song that was going through my head. Wikipedia said:
When the song “Bitch” first hit the airwaves, most call-in listeners believed the song was by Alanis Morissette due to the similar sound and Morissette’s success in rock music at the time. To this day, people still think the song is one of Morissette’s
So, yes, I stand corrected. The song in my head was by Meredith Brooks and released in 1997. It still doesn’t diminish my dislike of Alanis in any way, shape or form however!
I am…
I feel somehow dirty. See, I really dislike Alanis Morissette and will leave the room if her music is playing. It was “hate at first sight” – she appeared on the Jools Holland show back in 1995 performing “You oughta know” – I remarked at the time that she sounded like an angst-ridden little harpy. I’ve not really changed my mind since. You can imagine the reaction, then, when I was writing the “about” tagline for the blog and I thought “Im a geek and believer …” and some song lyrics came to mind:
I’m a bitch I’m a lover
I’m a child I’m a mother
I’m a sinner I’m a saint
I do not feel ashamed
I’m your hell I’m your dream
I’m nothin’ in between
You know, you wouldn’t want it any other way
The song appeared, fully formed with full backing, and her voice attached. The words rearranged themselves
I’m a geek and believer
I’m a ‘limey’ I’m a husband
I’m a sinner, I’m a saint
I do not feel ashamed
I’m a writer and I’ll dream
I’m nothin’ in between
You know, you wouldn’t want it any other way
I filked an Alanis song? Ewww.