w.atching the w.orld unw.ind

Today's Lyric:

I've got my finger on the trigger
Tonight faith just ain't enough
And I look inside my heart
There's just devils and dust

Bruce Springsteen: "Devils and Dust"

Sorry about the temporary absence of the blog, somehow (and I don't know how he managed it) Mr.D managed to break it with a random tag in one of his picture posts (and they're only designed to make us jealous, tsk!). If you're reading this, I've hopefully managed to resolve the problem.

Bruce Springsteen

While I had known about The Boss for a few years, it was only from a few select tunes; the only one to really make any impact on me being "Streets of Philadelphia". But then one day in my final year at university (two years ago now, not really long ago) Housemate M came home with a new album: Devils & Dust. I can't say why it got to me so much, but for a few months it was virtually the only album that got any airtime in our lounge. I started to listen to the lyrics, something which it is all too easy not to do when the music is so lovely, and enjoyed the album all that much more, and I think it would probably still come somewhere in my top ten albums (a list which I don't think I'll ever have the willpower to write up).

Today's Lyric:

In my dreams I'm dying all the time
As I wake its kaleidoscopic mind
I never meant to hurt you
I never meant to lie
So this is goodbye

Moby: "Porcelain"

I was going to do one of these each day, or every two days at the very least, but time seems to have completely run away from me...there are no longer enough hours in the day. Sorry Mr.D.

Moby

I'm ashamed to admit this, but my love of Moby was entirely brought about by a television advert.

When the album "Play" came out, it was advertised quite heavily to TV, I can't remember now which particular song was the driving force of the advert but it got into my head and so I bought the album. And then I went and found as much of his older work as I could get my hands on. I was hugely suprised that I like the music as much as I did, electronic style music never having been something that I've enjoyed before, dismissing it (much to a close friends dismay) as "beepy shite".

But Moby's stuff was moody and interesting, upbeat one minute, calm and relaxed the next. It wasn't what I was expecting, but it was great and it's still something I enjoy now. Though I'm still not a fan of beepy shite.

Today's Lyric:

Take a little walk to the edge of town
Go across the tracks
Where the viaduct looms,
like a bird of doom
As it shifts and cracks.

Nick Cave: "Red Right Hand"

Nick Cave

When I was younger, I was a big fan of the X-Files. One day, in the middle of an episode, a song appeared on the radio of one of the characters: "Red Right Hand". Through the library, which was a life line for me back then, I got hold of one of the Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds albums, which I enjoyed. But apart from that one song I didn't think much about them for the next few years, until I came across the "Murder Ballads" album, and then I was converted.

When a Nick Cave song (Sweetheart Come) was used in a play I went to see last year, I was captivated. The way the music perfectly matched what was happening on stage was captivating, and I relieved the play everytime I listened to the song after that... and I listened to it many many times.

One of the things that I adore about Nick Cave songs, and this is something that I love in many different artists, is the ability for the song to tell a story. The songs don't just express an emotion, they introduce you to characters, plots, histories... each one like reading a whole book.

Today's Lyric:

There's gonna be
A certain party at the station
Satin and lace
I used to call funny face
She's gonna cry
Until I tell her that I'll never roam.

Glen Miller: "Chattanooga Choo Choo"

Hello and welcome, I'm Magpie, your host for the next two weeks. (Thank you to Mr.D for the lovely introduction) Please sit back and relax as I take you through some musical recollections and reminiscences of mine...looking at some times where new music has come into my life.


Glen Miller

My dad was 14 when the film "The Glen Miller Story" was released. It was one of the first times that he was exposed to Jazz and big band music, and it was the start of a life long love affair with Jazz music and he, in turn introduced me to the sound of Jazz and Blues and created another convert. But it wasn't until sometime last year that I sat down with Dad and watched the film, and was properly introduced to Glen Miller himself. Now though, if you are brave enough to venture into my room, you can often catch me dancing around to the sound of "In the Mood" or "That Old Black Magic". And so Glen Miller is another artist that has found a comfortable home in my CD collection.

Today's lyric:

"Wheel, gull spin and glide ... you've got no place to hide
'Cause you don't need one

All along the lee shore, shells lie scattered in the sand
Winking up like shining eyes at me

Here is one like sunrise - it's older than you know
It's still lying there, where some careless wave forgot it long ago
When I awoke this morning, I dove beneath my floating home
Down below her graceful side, in the turning tide
To watch the sea-fish roam.

And there I heard this story, from the sailors of the Sandra Marie
There's another island a day's run away from here
And it's empty and free

From here to Venezuela, there's nothing more to see
Than a hundred thousand islands, flung like jewels upon the sea.
For you and me.

Sunset smells of dinner
Women are calling at me to end my tales.
But perhaps I'll see you, the next quiet place?
I furl my sails."

Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young: "The Lee Shore"
From the album: "Four Way Street"

means that, now the whole sorry saga has virtually ended, I can send details of the event to the CGM at The Bank.

Two cheques, which we were assured 100% would be re-presented after the frst rejection, didn't, so that's 10 quid per cheque to put a stop on them. And one of the other cheque recipients charged 12 quid to represent, so a copy of that letter will also be sent to the CGM for reimbursement and a letter of apology to the firm concerned (thanks for that advice, Witchy.

I'm reckoning on asking for 1% of the value of the cheque paid in to cover phone costs, postage and general inconvenience. 80 sobs seems fair, don' it?

Now. To nicer matters, my little chickadees.

I'm off on hols, but of course wouldn't dream of leaving you without entertainment.

The gorgeous, articulate, degreed-up, artistic (well, she designed this site, didn't she), amusing, (Ok. That's enough buttering-up. Ed.) Magpie, newly of this beautiful blog has bravely been volunteered to guest in my absence. It will be interesting to see what daily lyrics she (hopefully) posts for you and what visits they engender from Mr. Goggle?

Please forgive her any typos, for she noes knot wat she duz.

Enjoy your week(s)ends, y'all.

Today's lyric:

"God knows I've tried to bridge the gap I've tried to be me and time after time
I've lied, just to say the things you wanted to hear
Look, look what I've done, look what I do
I'm starting to pull myself through
Hell could feasibly freeze, but in your eyes I'll always be
The fountainhead, the boy whose thoughts keep running away
And you know I'm right."

The Bluetones: "The Fountainhead"
From the album: "Expecting to fly"

The dive bag is almost packed. Just waiting on delivery of two of these little beauties (one for me and one for t'Missus) except that they're coming from here as I get a much better deal (ask for James or Bob, tell 'em I sent you and they'll see you right!).

Counting down...

Today's lyric:

"Lime and limpid green, a second scene, a fight between the blue you once knew.
Floating down, the sound resounds around the icy waters underground.
Jupiter and Saturn, Oberon, Miranda and Titania, Neptune, Titan
Stars can frighten..."

Pink Floyd: "Astronomy Domine"
From the album: "The Piper at the Gates of Dawn"

you crazy diamond

R.I.P. Syd Barrett 1946 - 2006

Today's lyric:

"Everyone has so much to say, they talk talk talk their lives away
Don't even hesitate, walking on down to the burial ground
It's a very old dance with a merry old sound
Looks like it's on today."

Red Hot Chilli Peppers: "Slow Cheetah"
From the album: "Stadium Arcadium"

The Beeb resurrected their "Big Cat Diary" last night and it was as fascinating as ever.

The cliffhanger ending had the pride's only male squaring up to two young upstarts and you could see the "fight or flee?" question going through his mind.

But my money's on the old feller.

Must be 'cos I'm a Leo?

After numerous declarations of "We don't know if Bin Laden is still alive," Osama himself decided to send George Bush a letter in his own handwriting to let him know that he was still in the game.

Bush opened the letter and it appeared to contain a single line of coded message - 370HSSV 0773H

Bush, as usual, was baffled, so he e-mailed it to Condi Rice.

Condi and her aides had no clue either, so they sent it to the FBI. No one could work it out at the FBI either, so it went to the CIA, and then to the NSA.

Still with no clue as to its meaning, they eventually asked Britain's MI-6 for help.

Within a minute, MI-6 cabled the White House with this reply:

"Please tell the President he's holding the message upside down."

Today's lyric:

"Does it go from east to west?
Body free and a body less
Come again just to start afresh
Once again to find a home
In the moment of the meantime."

Red Hot Chilli Peppers: "Venice Queen"
From the album: "By the way"

i.r.o. Thursday's question, despite the fact that it's 8:31 and there's no-one waiting to be served at the counter, you are politely accosted in the bank's foyer and taken to the internal hole-in-the-wall to be educated in the ways of obtaining an envelope in which to place your cheque for processing. You are also assured that it's just the same as having been served at the counter and your cheque will clear in exactly the same time.

So you gaily post off six cheques to be banked against your credit and they all bounce because the bank did not process your enveloped cheque until after the day's work had been cashed up, so it actually takes five days to clear.

It took six phone calls to get the problem sorted and the 220 quid of charges reversed out.

Beware, folks.

Today's lyric:

"Turn me on, take me for a hard ride
Burn me out, leave me on the otherside
I yell and tell it that it's not my friend
I tear it down, I tear it down.
And then it's born again."

The Red Hot Chilli Peppers: "Otherside"
From the album: "Californication"

does it take a cheque to clear in a major High Street bank, from the day that you pay it in?

in Lancing.

People ordered off trains, then back on, then off again.

If whatever British Rail call themselves today can find an excuse, they've got an almanac-full of 'em.

Today's lyric:

"We've been screaming, screaming through a jukebox
Screaming at someone that don't even care
Born on the pavement, that's where it happens
Feel like fire in the midnight air."

Graham Parker & The Rumour: "The heat in Harlem"
From the album: "Stick to me"

Latent heat leaching out of the brickwork, long after sunset..

Were it not for the fact that I have to wear a rope around my neck all day, I could really love this weather.

Today's lyric:

"If I was like you, with nothing to get around
Then everything would be beautiful, as far as I can see
You'd be sitting here with me 'til love's end."

Moby: "Signs of love"
From the album: "18"

Whizzed Number One Son and Daughter down to see f.i.l. on Saturday, warning them how frail he'd be looking, after his first dose of chemo.

But the bu99er was up, shaved, dressed and as chipper as a chippy thing. Obviously it'll all go mammaries upwards when he has the second dose, but it was so good to see him looking normal again.

Then having worked all day yesterday in the garden, we decided to stay out in it as long as possible during the evening.

Hopeless as I am at recognising flowers, I do know the scent of honeysuckle when I smell it, and as it runs in swathes through the bushes which form our natural fences, it's a scent which just makes me know it's summer.

And as bad as I am with flowers, birds are a mystery to me, too. There's a finchy type thing that nests behind the Kent-peg tiles which hang on the back wall of our house, presumably causing little damage? They've been doing it for years, so I'm not going to try and stop them now.

There were also four cocky Magpies trotting along the ridge tiles, pecking at the dried-up clumps of moss clinging to them and occasionally stopping to talk to each other, as if saying "Pickings aren't up to much here, are they?"

But the best sight for me is that of pipistrelle bats, and one was jinking low over our heads as we sat in the cooling evening, while the dusk darkened from cyan to royal blue to near-black.

Lovely.

Number One Son's now on his way back to Kernowland for the rest of the summer and Number One Daughter's apparently broken up with her partner of some three years, so a bit of sad times ahead, methinks..