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^^
i cant argue with any of your comments there Ruby (not that i would argue with you as your command of the English language would tie me up in verbal judo everytime LOL).
"BTO....Bachman,Turner,Overweight
They were big in the 70s....for five minutes,on a Saturday,after lunch..." - Me 2014.
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^LOL - you could be tripping up in my many typos too, I realise! Must remember to use my extra eyes. Keep forgetting that I need them.
I can think of several Jackson Browne songs that have a semi-prophetic vibe, if not downright biblical in some instances, which is kinda interesting – cautionary wisdom runs deep. Folly too, but that’s for another day. If anything, these words are even more relevant today than they were 51 years ago. Someone once said, and I’ve never forgotten it – ‘the only thing we learn from history is that we don’t’. No idea who came up with it to begin with and I am quite probably misquoting madly, but you know what I mean!
On a more pragmatic note, a deluge is what we about to have, for the next five days or so, beginning in the wee small hours of this mid-winter solstice night. It’s all downhill from here! Balm for chilly ears …
And because I like the No Nukes version ...
"The surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that it has never tried to contact us." ~ Bill Watterson
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This week’s song is a simple earworm. The result of a chance hearing, and actually, it’s a great pop song, and I don’t mind it playing in my head at all. Super uncharacteristic for me being Dolly ‘n all, but hey – life is nothing if not full of surprises. And I know it’s a bit weird, but I was wondering who this reminded of - a very distinct ‘sounds like’, in places, and it’s Eric Andersen - bizarro. Long week …
Written by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil with the ubiquitous Dean Parks on guitar and arrangements, and none other than David Lindley on slide, not to mention Jim Keltner on percussion. The mind never ceases to boggle ...
"The surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that it has never tried to contact us." ~ Bill Watterson
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One thing leads to another – that is the rationale for this week’s song which is “Wild Mountain Thyme”. I had heard a rendition on a Strawbs album recently, and have known several other versions over the years, so I decided to investigate how many covers had been made, and by whom. There are 103 entries on Wiki, which is unlikely to be absolute – there appear to be many, many in excess of that number – some more appealing than others, depending on who’s listening I guess!
It is based on a variant of the song "The Braes of Balquhither" by Scottish poet Robert Tannahill (1774–1810) and Scottish composer Robert Archibald Smith. The currently used adaptation is credited to one Francis McPeake, of Belfast, who wrote and refined it in 1947. It was first recorded in 1957, by a family member – another Francis McPeake, and McPeake, the band, continues to uphold the legacy today - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oz4ltVZ9GW0. I can’t find a clip of the 1957 recording which I would like to hear some time!
I wanted to find out why the song speaks of ‘pulling’ wild mountain thyme, specifically, and from what I can gather (pardon the pun), this speaks to a method of removing the fragrant leaves whilst allowing the plant to remain intact – probably using an implement that the end of a stalk could be threaded through and then pulled to release said leaves. It grows in between the heather, and the reason for wanting the plant to stay intact, rather than cutting it back, would be that in Celtic lore, thyme patches were the playground of the fairies, and one would not want to disturb them – that might lead to all sorts of trouble! The harvesting would also take place at the change of the seasons, which were seen to be intensely magical and the best times to pick herbs for medicinal use – they believed that the plant was more potent then, and they were not wrong. I find it completely fascinating that kernels of truths are so often hidden in folk tales and traditional practices, and that they make complete scientific sense although the people may not have known that then, i.e. harvesting or planting by the phases of the moon. Aside from its use as a flavouring, thyme is said to be a good sleep aid, to attract love, loyalty and affection, and to help ease grief and provide courage and strength.
Anyway – I found two covers that are quite enchanting to me. One by a very young Marianne Faithfull – a lovely unembellished rendition, her voice as clear as a bell. Recorded in 1966 on her 3rd album, North Country Maid, and complete with sitar, I think!
The second is by Gerry Rafferty and was produced by his daughter Martha for the posthumously released album Rest in Blue. So poignant …
PS - I recall having misgivings about Rest in Blue at the time - thought there were pieces on the album that would not have made the cut in Mr Rafferty's view - him being a stickler and all. But who am I to say?? And does it matter, in the grand scheme of things? Probably not. Here endeth today's lesson. 
"The surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that it has never tried to contact us." ~ Bill Watterson
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This week I'm choosing the newly released theme song from soundtrack of the movie, Four Letters of Love. I adored this book, which I read a long time ago and need to revisit, and I look very much forward to seeing it on film - written by Niall Williams.
Johnny Flynn, about whose other music I know nothing, except that he also sings the theme song from Detectorists, which I liked, and that he is South African born, leads the song and the other vocalist is Katherine Priddy, a newish voice on the folk scene, whose sound is just lovely and unspoilt, IMHO.
"The surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that it has never tried to contact us." ~ Bill Watterson
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^Me too.
I watched a documentary on YouTube this week - Lindisfarne’s Geordie Genius: The Alan Hull Story - it's a BBC production. It was quite intriguing, with commentary by a few luminaries in the biz (and I'm not talking about Sam Fender there! He 'narrates'). So it's simple this week - just a song that I can't remember ever not knowing, which was pretty much Alan Hull's genius - helluva songwriter.
"Run for Home"
"The surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that it has never tried to contact us." ~ Bill Watterson
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This has not been the most inspiring of weeks and there is an elusive phrase of music floating around in my head that I simply cannot pin down. Not gonna rest until I remember where it came from! Aargh!!
On a more positive note, seems Tanita Tikaram is releasing a new album in October titled LIAR (Love Isn't A Right). She too has an elusive something in the quality of her voice and phrasing and I could have put it in New and Notable, but it's going here because it piqued my interest and I quite like that it's a little off the beaten track ...
"The surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that it has never tried to contact us." ~ Bill Watterson
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Sorry for neglecting this thread. There have been several bumps in the road - unexpected happenings, some good, some not so good, and this song seems the most appropriate to kick it off again - 20 Million Things ...
"The surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that it has never tried to contact us." ~ Bill Watterson
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^^
hope all those bumps have levelled out flat again Ruby and everything is back to normal?!
nice song.
"BTO....Bachman,Turner,Overweight
They were big in the 70s....for five minutes,on a Saturday,after lunch..." - Me 2014.
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