2005 - It's Been A Year

Let me recap some more of the musical highlights to this year.

~ Concerts

I saw more concerts this year than ever before.

I saw Stevie Nicks and Don Henley in June. It was a wonderful show and gave me a new love and appreciation for Stevie. She's truly a talented lady who loves her fans.

3 Moody Blues shows this year and they were all a wild ride.



Especially that show in OH in October




And the best concert was by far Elvis Costello in July.




~ Musical Discoveries

Grey Eye Glances - It started with a recommendation of one song. They are now one of my favorite bands.

Cliff Richard - I blame Mistletoe and Wine. Cliff is more a rediscovery for me though, because I had heard his duets with Olivia Newton John and Sarah Brightman before. I just never really listened to any more until now.

Bridin Brennan - This is a recent discovery of mine. Seriously, I just heard her album 2 days ago. She has a beautiful voice and I hope to find the money to buy her album soon. I was gifted with some mp3s of hers the other day.

~ Songs from 2005

Paul McCartney - Fine Line
Danny Elfman - Wonka's Welcome Song (Tell me this gem didn't get stuck in your head!)
Rob Thomas - Lonely No More (I couldn't get this out of my head for months!)
The Wallflowers - The Beautiful Side Of Somewhere
Diana Krall - Count Your Blessings Instead Of Sheep (Yeah, I love this song! It makes every favorite list of mine this year!)
Andy Bell - Crazy
Jamie Cullum - Get Your Way
Burt Bacharach w/Elvis Costello - Who Are These People

~ Musical Disappointments

Not getting to see Duran Duran in Pittsburgh because of schedule conflicts.

Talking Out Of Turn getting the axe from the Moodies sad pathetic (but I still love em) setlist, in favor of a song that no one but John seems to know all the words to.
Just sing some word ending in -tion and it's all good, right?

Depeche Mode - Playing The Angel and Madonna - Confessions on a Dancefloor.
2 albums that I couldn't bring myself to buy after hearing the first single. Both are from artists that I love.

Justin Hayward's new tunic. Yeah I know wardrobe doesn't affect the music, but when you have to look at the man in that horrid thing for a few hours it affects your enjoyment of the show.

Justin, hire someone to shop for ya, cos your taste in shirts is lacking!!

David Bowie and Queen's Under Pressure getting used in jewlery commerical.

Happy Birthday Davy and Mike!

Today is Davy Jones' 60th Birthday



I hate the fact that my first crush is 60 years old. It's depressing.

Today is also Mike Nesmith's 63rd Birthday



Kinda neat that they share the same b-day.

Top 5 On Friday

It's time for another Music Memoirs meme!

Top 5 Musical Resolutions

1. Acquire more Cliff Richard CDs. I need a lot of Cliff goodness in my life. So far I have 1 CD, but I've ordered two more and I'm waiting on the 2 I ordered right before Christmas, so I'll have 5 before the end of next month! Woot!

2. To see The Moody Blues in concert one more time. Seriously, I shouldn't even spend the 100 dollars on a concert ticket, because the show never changes much, but I like to see the guys once or twice or erm...three times a year, just because.

3. To clean up my music files on my computer. There are almost 5100 songs on my computer. I think its time to find out which ones I really want on there and which ones are only taking up good hard drive space. (Or even, which ones are on my computer more than once...but that's a long story)

4. To be content with the mp3 player that I just ordered even though by the end of the year there will be a zillion upgraded versions. BTW, my Zen Micro that I ordered yesterday is on backorder. I thought I'd have it next weekend, but now I have no idea when I'm getting it. Grrr.

5. To support more CD Baby artists. I have a list of CDs a mile long from artists sold on that site and so far I've bought one of Judith Owen's CDs and a Grey Eye Glances disc. This year I vow to support my favorite indie artists!

I Want My Mp3 Player Now!

I hate when I get it into my head that I want something and I can't have it right away.

I've been pondering a new mp3 player for the last month or so and I finally think I've decided on the one I want. It's the 6GB Creative Zen Micro and I want the pink one. (Don't ask!)

I thought about getting the Ipod shuffle and even the Creative Zen Nano but then I started to look at the prices and whatnot and decided to go for the player with more storage space. I'm not fool enough to want an ipod that costs what a new PC costs or the Creative equivilant. If I'm spending that much money on something I'll buy the new PC. I use the computer more than I do the mp3 player.

I'm not even sure why I want the 6GB player in the first place. I barely get through the 32 songs my Creative Muvo holds let alone having a player that can hold at least 1000 or more songs.

Really, when I get down to it, I don't even need the damn thing, but I want one. Worse yet, since mp3 players were the stocking stuffer of choice for the holiday, you can't find one right now, or rather you can't find the one that I want.

Grrrr

And Grr at mp3 players being stocking stuffers. I wish I had the kind of money to stuff stockings with little toys that cost $90.00 and up. The stocking stuffer I want costs about $200.00. A very expensive stocking stuffer indeed!

Maybe by the time my mp3 player is back in stock, I'll have given up on the idea.

NAH!

Happy Hump Day!

It's Wednesday already. It's amazing what having a day off can do for the week. Only 2 more days of work this week and that brings me all kinds of joy.

Why?

Because this job will be done on Friday and I'll never have to go back. For that alone, I'm happy. These three months have not been good for me or my nerves. In fact, they've been so bad that I'm going back to my slightly unstable job with my old boss. I think I've mentioned that. Anything is better than constantly be worrying about making huge mistakes or not understanding something or well, just everything.

So in celebration, I bring you my favorite hunks.


Even in the 80's Cliff was gorgeous.




My two eternally beautiful Moody men.



And I can't forget Mr. Costello, who will have a new album out in the spring! Squee!

Take Me Back Tuesday - Past, Present & Future

What are a few of you favorite albums from last year?

Jamie Cullum - Catching Tales


Yes, I finally got this damn CD!!!

The Moody Blues - Lovely To See You - Live At The Greek



Best live Moodies album. This one tops Red Rocks in my book.

Paul McCartney - Chaos and Creation In The Backyard



If you thought Paul didn't have it anymore, you were wrong, very wrong!

What are a few of your current favorite songs?
These aren't exactly current songs, but these are songs that I'm loving right now.
Cliff Richard & Olivia Newton John - Had To Be
Rachel Fuller - Cigarettes and Housework
Diana Krall - Count Your Blessings Instead Of Sheep
(Bet you didnt think that one would be on this list, eh?)
Bridin Brennan - Where's Your Love
(I was just introduced to her lovely vocals yesterday)

What bands do you hope do more recording/touring in the coming year?
Well I hope Elvis Costello finishes up the new album he's supposedly working on and does a larger tour than the one that's posted on his webpage. Why? There aren't any dates anywhere that I can get to.

I would like to see hell freeze over and those Moody Blues guys go into a studio and record an album. But since hell froze over for the Eagles a few times, I don't think the devil is going to put on his winter coat for the Moodies.

I'd also be thrilled with a new Cliff Richard album, even though I have at least 20 CDs of his to buy in the coming year.

When Does It Go Away?

Well, Christmas is over, now what do I do? I'm not ready to put away my Christmas music. I'm really attached to some of the music I discovered this year, particularly Cliff at Christmas and Diana Krall's Christmas Songs.

How can I stop listening to Mistletoe and Wine? How did I go all these years without ever hearing that song? Will I survive if I don't hear it until next Christmas?

The real question is how long can I listen to Christmas music after the holiday without appearing too insane?

Mind you, I'm already insane. That's a given. But I'm not ready for Bedlam yet.

It's quite possible that Cliff at Christmas is going to become another "December" for me. And we all know that The Moodies December is one album that I listen to all year round, regardless of it being a Christmas album, especially since I don't really have anything that Cliff's recorded that isn't a Christmas album yet. (And I could go on and on about how wrong that is too)

Perhaps its just that the music keeps the spirit of Christmas alive with me just a while longer, and I need that. Or maybe it just proves I'm still pretty much like a child, clinging to whatever bits of the holiday for as long as I can. I just don't want it to be over just yet. I just want a little more Christmas. Please?

Random 10 - Merry Christmas Edition

Music Memoirs wants to know what was on my Christmas playlist. Well that's pretty easy, most of it was Christmas music, because I've felt very festive this year.

Diana Krall - Winter Wonderland
Diana Krall - Let It Snow
From this wonderful CD that I recommend to everyone



The Moody Blues - Don't Need A Reindeer
The Moody Blues - On This Christmas Day


This is the best Christmas/Winter CD ever! I command all of you to buy it and be seduced by that damn reindeer song!

Annie Haslam - We Three Kings
Annie Haslam - It Snows In Heaven Too



Annie has one of the most beautiful voices in music. To miss out on this CD is criminal.

Cliff Richard - Christmas Is Quiet
Cliff Richard - Little Town



The second best Christmas CD! Buy it because Cliff is such a cutie and because Mistletoe and Wine is "the" best song, next to that damn reindeer song Justin Hayward wrote.

Michael Crawford - Scarlet Ribbons
Michael Crawford - Mary Did You Know?



The beautiful holiday album by the only "Phantom" in my eyes. The man has a voice like an angel.

And the photo?



This is one of the trees at the front of our church. Probably one of the only good shots I got yesterday, trying to capture the beauty for my mum, who hasn't been able to attend mass in a long while.

Merry Christmas!

I can't believe it's already here. I can't believe it's raining, of all things.

Someone missed the memo, it's "I'm dreaming of a white Christmas," not "I'm dreaming of a wet Christmas."

But that's not important. What's important is that all of my family was together for the holiday and for once we weren't so very dysfunctional. Christmas Eve dinner was wonderful.

I spent the afternoon helping my mom and sister-in-law bread chicken and fish for the meal, occassionally swigging from a bottle of Arbor Mist. All was good. It's still good.

But like all good things, it must end, and because I'll be spending the rest of the day away from the computer enjoying my family and my presents I wish you one final bit of Christmas Cheer, from one of my favorite holiday CDs.

Annie Haslam - Away In A Manger

It's Christmastime....

Mistletoe and Wine....



Yes, that song is still stuck in my head, and I don't even care.

I just want to wish everyone a blessed, peaceful holiday.

Tis the season of love, peace and hope.



May everyone that stops by be filled with all of these for holiday season and into the new year.

Oh and may your holiday be filled with Christmas cheer music!

The Moody Blues - Yes, I Believe
Because every Christmas song should be about the Days Of Future Passed. (How many times can Justin use that line in a song?)

Cliff Richard - Santa's List

Davy Jones - Silver Bells

Top 5 On Friday

It's the Christmas edition of my favorite meme from Music Memoirs!

Top 5 "Festive" Songs

This is going to be my only post today, because I have so much to do that it's nutty. So you're getting a bonus with this meme, not one but 5 bits of Christmas Cheer!

1. Danny Elfman - Making Christmas
Perhaps not festive in the traditional way but still...One has to appreciate the fun that comes from the film The Nightmare Before Christmas.

2. Cliff Richard - Mary's Boy Child
Go out and buy a copy of Cliff at Christmas if you can, his album is so beautiful, and so is he. (Prettier than Mr. Hayward)

3. The Moody Blues - Don't Need A Reindeer
This is the best Christmas song ever. I was going to post it tomorrow in my Christmas Cheer post, but I think it deserves the recognition. No one's Christmas should be without this song.

4. Grey Eye Glances - On Christmas Night
The third GEG Chistmas song. All of them are beautiful but this one and Our Own Place and Time are exceptionally so.

5. Barenaked Ladies - Elf's Lament
Everyone needs some silly songs for the holiday and this one is the greatest.

The Snowman

One of the most beautiful songs of the holiday season is Annie Haslam's version of The Snowman which is also known as Walking In The Air. On Annie's album it's called The Snowman. I'm not going to argue. She does the song beautifully regardless of what you call it.



For those of you without any knowledge of Annie Haslam, she's a fantastic singer formerly fronting the progressive rock band Renaissance. She's worked with people like Steve Howe and Justin Hayward over the years, but she doesn't need to. Her voice doesn't need their help.



Annie Haslam - The Snowman

I think this song is proof enough. Annie has a distinctly beautiful voice that puts some better known female singers to shame.

Last Minute Presents For Me

Since I don't know when I'll be able to buy myself the new mp3 player, because I'm not going to be near a Best Buy, Wal-mart or Circuit City until the first of the year now, I decided to do some online shopping at Half.com.

I figured I deserved a few cheap CDs for the holidays, even though they probably won't arrive until the first of the year as well.

But I have acquired 2 new Cliff Richard CDs, one is a Christmas CD for next year.



I swear I'll be singing Mistletoe and Wine in July along with Don't Need a Reindeer. Songs like this should be illegal! Cliff needs a spanking for recording that song, and I'm just the woman to do it! And Justin can line up behind him, because he's next!



The next disc was my bargain disc. I got Real As I Want To Be for a little more than 5 bucks! Oddly this is the first non-holiday Cliff disc that I'll own.

Can you believe that until a few weeks ago the only 2 Cliff Richard songs I really knew were Suddenly with Olivia Newton John and All I Ask Of You with Sarah Brightman?

Christmas Blues?

This Holly Cole song is one of my favorites. Sadly Holly's album is one of those overpriced imports as it wasn't released in the US. It's on my Christmas list for next year. (Along with at least three or four other holiday cds)



Holly Cole - Christmas Blues

It's Hump Day - Christmas Style

Ok, maybe not completely Christmas style but hey, it's December 21. Two more work days until Christmas. Let me tell you, I'm exceedingly happy right now. I'm more than exceedingly happy, because I'm going to get some pay from my other boss tonight hopefully.

But since it's hump day, I'm not going to talk about either job. I'm going to post pictures of the men I'd like to find under my tree this year.

Elvis Costello - But please leave Diana Krall home. I feel guilty lusting after her hubby. OK, not that guilty.


Justin Hayward - He need not wear anything but a little red bow.


John Lodge - He need only wear that beautiful smile.


Sir Cliff Richard - He needs to take that awful shirt off! He could take all of it off, but I know he's a good boy, so if he'd like to show up under the tree wrapped nicely I'd be very happy.

Merry Cliff-mas

Lordy, save me from the obsession that Cliff Richard is becoming. Besides Mistletoe and Wine which is one damn catchy song that everyone should be forced to listen to over and over again for at least 25 days, my favorite Cliff Richard Christmas song is Saviour's Day.



Cliff Richard - Saviour's Days

Take Me Back Tuesday - Winter Edition

It's time for another Music Memoirs meme.

List some songs that are about wintery weather
Lorenna McKennitt - Snow
Nick Lowe - Freezing
Rod Stewart & Dolly Parton - Baby It's Cold Outside
Grey Eye Glances - Snow

These are a few of my favorites.

What artists always give you the chills when you hear them?
The Moody Blues
Cliff Richard
Grey Eye Glances
Elvis Costello

What's your favorite album with a "wintery" feel to it?



Did you expect any other answer for this question?

Gearing Up For Christmas

I'm going to be posting my absolute favorite Christmas songs for the rest of the week, with my absolute favorite song posted on Christmas Eve.

Today's song is the Paul McCartney's Wonderful Christmastime



After all, no Christmas is complete without this wonderful song. In my book it's far better than John's Happy Xmas (War Is Over), but then again I've always been more of a Paul girl.



Paul McCartney - Wonderful Christmastime

Counting My Blessings

Sometimes when life isn't treating you kindly, and let me tell you, life has been kicking me in the butt a lot lately, it's hard to see the many blessings that you have.

1. I still have my parents and my wonderful grandmother to help me when I'm not as strong as I want to be.

2. I have a sister that can always bring a smile to my face.

3. I have a brother that's very supportive and generous.

4. There is still money in the bank.

5. My old boss came through for me, giving me an opportunity to get out of the bad situation that I'm in.

6. There's a cute litte kitten who is so loving that I find it hard to believe the animal is a "cat!"

7. I have a roof over my head.

8. Bernie the Beretta still runs.

9. There's always someone to listen when I need to talk.

See that's a lot of blessings and I know there's more. I just wish I felt better about things.

Random 10 - 1 Week Til Christmas!!!!

It's been one helluva weekend. Music Memoirs wants to know what 10 songs were on my weekend playlist, so I'm going to tell ya.

Cliff Richard & Olivia Newton John - Had To Be
Cliff Richard & Olivia Newton John - Suddenly
Cliff Richard - Mistletoe and Wine (This song is worse than that damn reindeer song by the Moody Blues! It's been stuck in my head for over a month now!)

Can I just say I'm fast falling for Sir Cliff.

Diana Krall - Love Me Like A Man

The Girl In The Other Room actually trumps her hubby's album from the same year on my list of favorites.

John Lodge - Thunder Child
(Since being sent this song I've listened to it 152 times. If you don't believe me, go to my Audioscrobbler page to see for sure)
John Lodge - Street Cafe
(My favorite Lodgey song)

Diana Krall - Jingle Bells
Rob Thomas - New York Christmas
Erasure - God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

Some of the songs on my winamp and on my Muvo Mp3 player that only holds 30 songs



And Best Buy is sold out of everything!!!!!!

Ooops! I digrees, I'm not done with my playlist yet.

Elaine Paige - Father Christmas Eyes
(This song makes me think about some bloke that looks like Father Christmas)

And now for the picture....



Mmmmm Sir Cliff! Yeah I fancy older blokes, leave me alone! The only song I don't have on this playlist is Had To Be, which I discovered watching a video clip. I want this song so badly! If any of you want any of these songs, just ask and I'll send em your way.

Lifting The Spirits

To offset the rather blue mood I'm in I'm going to post a rather uplifting, ok perky, song today.

I've been meaning to get the Brian Setzer Christmas CDs. I love the rockabilly sound he made so popular in the 80's when he was with the Stray Cats.

Brian Setzer - Rocking Around The Xmas Tree

This song is guaranteed to put a spring in your step.

Missing

I've been thinking a lot lately. Too much, in fact. I miss my Sundays with my mum and dad. Not that I don't spend them with my parents, just that now as mum is 72 and dad is approaching 80 we don't do the things that we used to do.

I remember on my off days when I worked retail, that mum and I would go off to the mall or just out and about. I loved that. I've always had a great relationship with my mum and dad. For some reason, I've been thinking about stuff like this a lot lately.

I miss how things were. It's bringing me a lot more tears and I've had a lot of them in the last few months. More than my share, I would say. But I can't help feeling this way.

I hate that it's hard for my mum to just go to the supermarket or Walmart, because her health isn't as good as it should be.

I hate that I'm powerless to do anything to really help her or relieve her of any of her burdens, rather I probably add to them.

I wish I could stop feeling so melancholy. Things aren't quite as bad as they seem and everything happens for a reason, even if that reason isn't clear at the time.

Saturday Randomness

~ First I want to shout out a very Happy B-day to Copper. I hope you have a wonderful day!

And here's my favorite Lodgey for you!



~ My boss' dog Hogan passed away during the months I wasn't working for him. I was so upset not to see the big old lug last night when I went to help him with his bookkeeping. Hogan was such a sweetie. I'll miss him terribly. Oh and yes, I'll be working for him again starting the first of the year, thank heavens!

~ Tonight I'm going to Redd Dawg's to relax and unwind with about 4 Key Lime Shooters. I'm telling you these drinky poos are pretty damn good, and I deserve a few drinky poos after the 3 months I've just had.

~ I can't believe the number of Christmas CDs I own. Believe it or not, before The Moody Blues released December there weren't any Christmas CDs in my collection. I was a Scrooge when it came to holiday music. Now I've done a complete turnaround.

~ I'm still pondering the new mp3 player. The one I got last Christmas only holds a little more than a CDR worth of songs. Not that it matters, but I hate that it plays them in a specific order. I don't need a portable hard drive of music, because I'm not out and about enough to justify the cost of such a player, but I'd like a decent enough one that I could take it on long walks over the summer or when I go on a long drive. I really like the Creative Zen Nano that's about 140 dollars with 1 GB.

~ Christmas Cheer Time!

Today's song is by my Moody Men. Since it's Copper's B-day and since she said she hadn't heard this one:

The Moody Blues - What Child Is This?

I still wish Justin would have learned more than one verse

A Progressive Rock Christmas

Jethro Tull put out a Christmas album the same year as the Moody Blues. Oddly I haven't purchased this disc yet, but I have a few tracks from the CD on my hard drive. Jethro Tull just isn't a favorite of mine, but they do make some beautiful music.



The song I chose is Ring Out Solstice Bells. It's simply gorgeous and definitely worth listening to a few times this holiday.



Jethro Tull - Ring Out Solstice Bells