I know some beautiful disasters. I know some not so beautiful disasters. But you know what? Sometimes you just can’t help yourself. You KNOW when you shouldn’t be with someone…you know when someone is so self destructive that they will never let your relationship work…but sometimes you just have to get out of your system. And hopefully, every once in a while, those beautiful disasters turn themselves around.
Did I mention beautiful disasters don’t only occur in romantic relationships?
There are not very many artists who I am willing to listen to live because, let’s face it, most artists now a day reek like week old garbage when singing live. Alicia Keys, John Legend, Prince, Kelly Clarkson, Shakira - all have wonderful live cds out there. For most of the rest…I’ll stick to their studio albums. But this…one of the few songs I prefer the live recording to the studio one. Go on with your bad self Ms. Clarkson.
-CaliDre
Kelly Clarkson - Beautiful Disaster (Live)
He drowns in his dreams An exquisite extreme I know He’s as damned as he seems And more heaven than a heart could hold And if I try to save him My whole world would cave in It just ain’t right Lord, it just ain’t right
Oh and I don’t know I don’t know what he’s after But he’s so beautiful He’s such a beautiful disaster And if I could hold on Through the tears and the laughter Lord, would it be beautiful? Or just a beautiful disaster
He’s magic and myth As strong as what I believe A tragedy with More damage than a soul should see But do I try to change him So hard not to blame him Hold me tight Baby, hold me tight
Oh and I don’t know I don’t know what he’s after But he’s so beautiful He’s such a beautiful disaster And if I could hold on Through the tears and the laughter Would it be beautiful? Or just a beautiful disaster
I’m longing for love and the logical But he’s only happy hysterical I’m searching for some kind of miracle Waited so long Waited so long
He’s soft to the touch But frayed at the end he breaks He’s never enough And still he’s more than I can take
Oh and I don’t know I don’t know what he’s after But he’s so beautiful He’s such a beautiful disaster And if I could hold on Through the tears and the laughter Would it be beautiful? Or just a beautiful disaster
He’s beautiful Lord, he’s so beautiful He’s beautiful
As 2009 comes to a close, here’s a quick look at the Billboard Top 25 Pop songs of the year, courtesy of DJ Earworm. Check out his site for download information and a list of the 25 tracks.
The world lost another musical icon on Wednesday, September 16, 2009. Mary Travers of Peter, Paul and Mary fame passed at the age of 72, due to complications from chemotherapy associated with a bone marrow transplant, according to the New York Times.
“I was raised to believe that everybody has a responsibility to their community and I use the word very loosely,” Ms. Travers told The Times in 1999. “It’s a big community. If I get recognized in the middle of the Sinai Desert I have a big community.”
It was a faithful community. Musical fashions changed, but fans stayed loyal to the music and the political ideals of the group. Ms. Travers once told the music magazine Goldmine, “People say to us, ‘Oh, I grew up with your music,’ and we often say, sotto voce, ‘So did we.’ ”
In tribute to the musical career and political activism of Peter, Paul, and Mary, I’ve posted the video of perhaps their most infamous song, If I Had a Hammer.
I have to love this song. Why? Because the live Casa Nova Sessions performance was the song selection for my favorite So You Think You Can Dance performance last season. (You know, that ridiculously sexy one with Jason and SYTYCD Season Five champion, Jeanine. Did you miss it? Shame on you! Go watch it. Now. At the bottom of the post.) It’s also Jason Mraz - and who doesn’t love Jason Mraz? (If you don’t love him, don’t tell me, thankyouverymuch.) It has intense, well-written lyrics, which is truthfully one of the things I love about Mraz. And really, what’s not to like? Enjoy. :o) (And thanks, Calidre! Read her original comments about this song at the dailycrack post)
Hello, tell me you know Yeah, you figured me out Something gave it away It would be such a beautiful moment To see the look on your face To know that I know that you know now
And baby that’s a case of my wishful thinking You know nothing Well you and I Why, we go carrying on for hours, on and We get along much better Than you and your boyfriend
Well all I really wanna do is love you A kind much closer than friends use But I still can’t say it after all we’ve been through And all I really want from you is to feel me As the feeling inside keeps building And I will find a way to you if it kills me If it kills me
How long, can I go on like this, Wishing to kiss you, Before I rightly explode? Well this double life I lead isn’t healthy for me In fact it makes me nervous If I get caught I could be risking it all
Cause maybe there’s a lot that I miss In case I’m wrong
All I really wanna do is love you A kind much closer than friends use But still can’t say it after all we’ve been through And all I really want from you is to feel me As the feeling inside keeps building And I will find a way to you if it kills me If it kills me If it kills me
If I should be so bold I’d ask you to hold my heart in your hand I’d tell you from the start how I longed to be your man But I never said a word I guess I gonna miss my chance again
Well all I really wanna do is love you A kind much closer than friends use I still can’t say it after all we’ve been through And all I really want from you is to feel me As the feeling inside keeps building And I will find a way to you if it kills me If it kills me If it kills me Oh, I think it might kill me
And all I really want from you is to feel me It’s a feeling inside that keeps building And I will find a way to you if it kills me If it kills me If it kills me It might kill me
During the summer of 2006, I worked as an intern at Suffolk University - a small, private, urban university in the heart of Boston, which quickly became my favorite city. During a trip to the Virgin megastore on Newbury Street, I saw a poster in the window advertising India.Arie’s then-newly released third album, Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship. I recalled liking her early single, Video, and decided to pick up the album and give it a try.
The album quickly became the soundtrack of my time in Boston, each song reminding me vividly of the outstanding experiences, wonderful people, and fabulous urban environment that made the summer so fantastic. In particular, the album brings back memories of quality time spent with my co-intern and great friend, Ana.
India.Arie blends R&B, Soul, and Folk music styles, with enchanting results. The storybook quality of the album makes it hard to put down, as each song feeds into the next effortlessly, both musically and lyrically. India weaves a thread of value and self-worth throughout the album, making it hard for any listener not to crack a smile in even the worst of moods.
In picking a song to showcase, I struggled finding a favorite that I felt was truly representative of India’s style, and illustrated clearly what her music means to me. Ultimately, I decided on Wings of Forgiveness, predominately for it’s optimistic message of peace and hope.
Enjoy!
-3LeafClover
India.Arie - Wings Of Forgiveness
I just want you to know After everything that we’ve been through I just want you to know That I still love you That I still love you Had to go Across the water Just to find What was here in my heart all along Spend so much time Trying to be right That I was dead wrong If Nelson Mandela can forgive his oppressors Surely I can forgive you for your passion You’re only human Let’s shake free this gravity of resentment And fly high, and fly high You’re only human Let’s shake free this gravity of judgment And fly high on the wings of forgiveness Had to run To the arms of curiosity Just to find What was here in my life all along I had found that the art of simplicity Simply means making peace of your complexity If Gandhi can forgive persecution Surely you can forgive me for being so petty I’m only human Let’s shake free this gravity of resentment And fly high, and fly high You’re only human Let’s shake free this gravity of judgment And fly high on the wings of forgiveness I’ve searched for romance Flowers and affection What I found is a lesson Of what love really is Found the game of love is Not about how much you can take In fact authentic love is about How much you can give After everything that we’ve been through I just want you to know That I still love you I want you to know That I forgive you (thank you for teaching how to give) And I wanna let you know how much you changed my life I wanna let you know you taught me how to fly And I wrote this song to tell you this I’m better cuz you taught me how to give I took a swim In the sea of guilt and misery To find myself in an island In the middle of nowhere In my solitude I asked to know the highest truth And what I was told Is to let own self be true If Jesus can forgive crucifixion Surely we can survive and find resolution Let’s keep it moving Let’s shake free this gravity of resentment And fly high, and fly high You’re only human Let’s shake free this gravity of judgment And fly high, and fly high Let’s keep it moving Let’s shake free this gravity of commitment And fly high on the wings of forgiveness After everything that we’ve been through I just want you to know That I still love you I want you to know That I still love you And I wanna let you know how much you changed my life I wanna let you know you taught me how to fly And I wrote this song to tell you this I’m better cuz you taught me how to give I still love you I want you to know I still love you Want you to know I still love you (And I always will love you) And I wanna let you know I forgive you I wanna let you know That I still love you Want you to know I still love you I just want you to know I still love you Want you to know I still love you Want you to know I still love you And I wanna let you know I forgive you I wanna let you know I still love you
Today on Twitter, I discovered this outstanding song with gorgeous piano instrumentals, a haunting voice, and fantastic lyrics. The song is in the background of the Schweppes Premium Mineral Water outstanding marketing campaign centered around slowing down life to ‘experience a moment of Schweppervescence’. The 90 second video is so appealing to the eye, showing various scenes of water balloons exploding in slow motion, and can be seen below.
Enjoy!
-3leafclover
The Cinematic Orchestra - To Build a Home
There is a house built out of stone Wooden floors, walls and window sills Tables and chairs worn by all of the dust This is a place where I don’t feel alone This is a place where i feel at home
And I built a home For you For me
Until it disappeared From me From you And now, it’s time to leave and turn to dust
(Instrumental)
Out in the garden where we planted the seeds There is a tree that’s old as me Branches were sewn by the color of green Ground had arose and passed its knees
By the cracks of the skin I climbed to the top I climbed the tree to see the world
When the gusts came around to blow me down I held on as tightly as you held onto me I held on as tightly as you held onto me
Michael Giacchino - Married Life (from Disney/Pixar’s Original Motion Picture, UP)
This morning, I downloaded a few fantastic albums to add to my collection. Perhaps my favorite purchase is the Motion Picture Soundtrack to UP - the recent 3D movie release by Disney and Pixar. The film was outstanding and incredibly moving, with a creative and touching plot and a few dynamic characters. I strongly recommend that you check it out while it is still in theatres in 3D - I’ve seen it twice, and loved it both times!
Part of what makes UP so fantastic is the incredible score, written by the musical genius, Michael Giacchino. The downloadable iTunes soundtrack includes a brief interview with the Director, Producer, and Composer discussing the development of the various musical themes tied to each character, and sharing how they repeat throughout the film to evoke emotion and enhance the story. Director Pete Docter explains:
“Music ends up being a really powerful, and almost invisible thing to the audience like if it’s working well, they’re not conscious of it, they’re not thinking Oh there’s Ellie’s theme again, you know they’re just, watching the movie and they’re engrossed in it, and subconsciously, they know Carl’s thinking about Ellie.”
The track above is the second time in the film when we hear Ellie’s theme, and coincides with the prolific, touching, and heart-wrenching story of Carl and Ellie’s life together.
On March 23, 2009, more than 200 dancers delivered this outstanding interpretation of “Do Re Mi” from The Sound of Music in the middle of the Central Station of Antwerp in Belgium, as a promotion for a reality television program in search for the next leading lady for the musical.
What a sad day for pop culture! Farrah Fawcett passed this morning, and Michael Jackson passed this afternoon. Thank you, Chris, for sharing this video of one of Jackson’s great performances.
Check out Adam Lambert’s first single, Want, off his debut album, On With the Show - scheduled to drop this summer! I agree with Perez - not as edgy and rockstar as I’d like it to be, but still a great song!
Critically Acclaimed is an eclectic mix of musings on higher education, religion, politics, LGBT issues, inspirational quotes, book club updates, and the occasional haiku... among a host of other things equally entertaining! More info about JBrady
“To be nobody but yourself - in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else - means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting.” -e e cummings
“I was raised to believe that everybody has a responsibility to their community and I use the word very loosely,” Ms. Travers told The Times in 1999. “It’s a big community. If I get recognized in the middle of the Sinai Desert I have a big community.”
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