Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Birthday Sing-Along



Happy birthday to me...

So, did you all bring me a song? I have to say, I rarely find new songs on my own. I know lots of people actively seek out the latest bands/singers/sounds, but I just don't. Never have, not even as a teenager (when we're all supposedly expressing our feelings through other people's lyrics). If I hear a song that I really like to the point of tracking it down on my own, it's usually from a movie soundtrack. Indeed, as I think back, I think the vast majority of songs I've added to our home computer's iTunes are songs from the final credits of various movies.

All of which is to say that, whatever songs I post here? You've probably heard of them before. I'd love to be able to provide horizon-broadening musical novelties, but the odds are low.

Here are some songs I've had stuck in my head this week as I turn 38. There's no hidden meaning, I just like 'em.

Otis Taylor: Ran So Hard The Sun Went Down




Adele: Rolling In The Deep




Staind: Tangled Up In You



And a song I would never have encountered except for The Serious Girl: Kingdom Dance from the movie Tangled. (Embedding disabled, dangitall.)

So. What's got you singing, humming, or tapping your feet?

And, if you know any Boston-area teens who are into writing, please let them know about my winter session workshop at Grub Street starting next January 27th...

Thanks for stopping by!

27 comments:

  1. Happy birthday to you!!!
    I'd sing, but that might not be a good thing.
    Enjoy your day.

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  2. Greetings friend,
    Thought I should pass on my wishes for you to have a peaceful, positive birthday. Like Alex, I shall keep my 'singing talents', a rather big secret :)
    Enjoy and may you continue to embrace the magic of the written word and music!
    In kindness, Gary

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  3. Happy Birthday, Carrie!

    May you have a melodious day that sings of surprise in the now and promise for the future.

    I wanted to give you a song that had something to do with writing and so I share an oldie but excellenty by one of my favorite artists, Bruce Cockburn. The song is called "Maybe the Poet"

    lyrics:

    Maybe the poet is gay
    But he'll be heard anyway

    Maybe the poet is drugged
    But he won't stay under the rug

    Maybe the voice of the spirit
    In which case you'd better hear it

    Maybe he's a woman
    Who can touch you where you're human

    Male female slave or free
    Peaceful or disorderly
    Maybe you and he will not agree
    But you need him to show you new ways to see

    Don't let the system fool you
    All it wants to do is rule you
    Pay attention to the poet
    You need him and you know it

    Put him up against the wall
    Shoot him up with pentothal

    Shoot him up with lead
    You won't call back what's been said
    Put him in the ground
    But one day you'll look around

    There'll be a face you don't know
    Voicing thoughts you've heard before

    Male female slave or free
    Peaceful or disorderly
    Maybe you and he will not agree
    But you need him to show you new ways to see

    Don't let the system fool you
    All it wants to do is rule you
    Pay attention to the poet
    You need him and you know it


    enjoy the song:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcUiOADXfsI

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  4. HAPPY BIRTHDAY. Listening to a lot of Slowdive today but that's a little emo for birthdays. xoxoxo

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  5. Happy birthday, Carrie! Miss you online....

    Not sure if you're a Vampire Diaries fan, but every episode usually ends with a great song. In a recent episode, both @trishaleighKC and I flipped over an artist named Ron Pope, whose song, "A Drop in the Ocean" made us both cry after an angsty episode.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LCBkkSdjEo

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  6. Happy birthday Carrie!

    I don't know if you'll like this, but it's Coldplay and it rocks me right now.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyMhvkC3A84

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  7. You guys rock! (In some cases, literally!)

    I'm going to have a blast sitting down and listening to all these tonight...

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  8. Happy Birthday Carrie!! I confess if it weren't for Pandora and some very music literate friends I'd still be in the same place as you. Lately it seems all my musical tastes have a weird theme as well (overly supportive or strangely depressing songs) probably due in part to my upcoming graduation.

    Hope you have a fantastic lovely musical day.

    Death Cab For Cutie I Will Follow You Into The Dark
    Florence + The Machine Dog Days Are Over
    Barcelona Please Don't Go

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  9. Happy Birthday to Carrie,
    Happy Birthday to Carrie,
    Happy Birthday dear Carrie,
    Happy Birthday to you.
    And many more!

    A little (Arlee) Bird told me today was your birthday so I came here to bring you a song. Well, two songs, actually, just in case you don’t like the first one.

    This first gift is called “Benedicite” which was the opening track on the 1999 Malibooz album titled “Living Water (The Surfer’s Mass)”.

    I only just discovered this album myself, but one of the major players in it is Walter Egan, a bloke I have been listening to ever since his Top 10 smash “Magnet And Steel” hit the airwaves in 1978. In fact, I was listening to this Malibooz album at the time I read the Bird’s blog about this being your birthday, and that’s why I decided on a song from the “Living Water” compact disc.

    This link should take you to the BENEDICITE video at YouTube, but in case it doesn’t work, here’s the URL:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_cDymVHZLc

    And in case you don’t like that one, here’s my backup gift . . .

    It’s an oldie but a goodie that, of course, you’ve heard many times – “Rocky Raccoon” by the Beatles. But in this instance, someone has put together a video for it and it’s my favorite video I’ve ever found at YouTube.

    Here are little children and an infant acting out the story of ROCKY RACCOON. I hope you like at least one, if not both, of these birthday gifts.

    Here’s the “Rocky Raccoon” URL for use if the link didn’t work:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nucSvl7VXVM

    Happy Birthday again! I sure wish I could go back to being 38.

    ~ D-FensDogg
    ‘Loyal American Underground’

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  10. Arlee says it's your birthday
    We're gonna have a good time
    I'm glad it's your birthday
    Happy birthday to you. (The Beatles...sorta) :O)

    Partial Lyrics
    Song: All Star (Smashmouth)

    So much to do so much to see
    So what's wrong with taking the back streets
    You'll never know if you don't go
    You'll never shine if you don't glow

    [Chorus:]
    Hey now you're an All Star get your game on, go play

    Hey now you're a Rock Star get the show on get paid

    And all that glitters is gold
    Only shooting stars break the mold


    Have a great day!
    Michelle
    Author of Concilium, available July 2012
    Concilium: The Departure, November 2012

    www.Michelle-Pickett.com
    www.Conciliumbooks.com

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  11. I have no song to offer except the traditional one, and you wouldn't want to hear me sing anyway, but I do wish you a very Happy Birthday. May this day be the start of your best year yer.

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  12. OK, so it's not exactly a song, but it makes me laugh every time.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bRfTS_cGsU&feature=related

    Hope you have a happy birthday!

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  13. Happy Birthday! Hope you are having a lovely day. Here is a song link for you...it's actually a triple play, but the first one, Terra Nova is one of my favorites from a long, long time ago. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_D6c6lX1ngo

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  14. Happy Birthday!!

    I'm like you when it comes to music, but I have a friend who sends me mix "tapes" once in a while to keep me up to speed. Let's see, you like STAIND, so let's try some Stone Sour Through Glass

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  15. Happy Birthday! Hope you had a great day! I've been thinking what song, but I listened to this one repeatedly today. It hink it was song of the year last year, but I liked ti before that .. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eM213aMKTHg&feature=related

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  16. How odd that I should think to google you, only to discover 1) it is your birthday and 2) my poor neglected blog is on your reading list.

    Regardless, happiest of birthdays to you, good luck with your writing, and as for tuneage... I'd recommend a little Corrinne Bailey Rae

    Happy Birthday again!

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  17. Happy Birthday. I'm popping over from Lee Bird's blog. Love Adele.

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  18. For the message.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47UplyBQK4Y

    For pure pop fun (better if you don't watch the video).

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCeOYT3NnKc

    And for sleepy harmony before bed.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=paE_WxZEJA8

    Happy Birthday!

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  19. Happy Belated Birthday Carrie! I'm whistling the Birthday Song to you at this writing. Lee sent me over, so you must be very special! Hope you had a great one! Julie

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  20. Hmmm.... It appears that the link I gave you isn't working anymore. This one will work better, I hope. It's for Put Your Records On, but all Corinne's stuff is lovely.

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  21. Happy Birthday, Carrie! Sorry I'm a day late and a blog post short, but the thought is certainly there! Love, Di

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  22. Hope you had a Happy Birthday.
    I used to sing 'Thank you for the Music' by Abba around the house at the top of my voice with a hint of irony at the lyrics about being lucky at having such a great singing voice!

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  23. Thank you SO much, everyone! All your comments made me smile, and I *love* having new songs in my playlist. Really -- thank you.

    :-)

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  24. Happy Birthday by way of Lee Bird! Look up One Day by Trading Yesterday. You can thank me later by stopping by and saying hi!

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  25. DOH! I totally forgot until RIGHT THIS SECOND.

    Here's a great, great, great artists I've just found. Lana Del Rey. She's like a hipster Brigitte Bardot.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HO1OV5B_JDw

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  26. AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CARRIE! LOTS AND LOTS OF CAPPY LETTERS.

    I love you and think you're a fab person.

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  27. Happy Birthday, Carrie! :)

    A lot of Peace and Love

    Sincerely,

    Alexandre

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