I am really appreciating all the wonderful initiatives and writing prompts, from the various different communities within Hive. Writing has always been a wonderful source of healing for me.
And right now, being able to write about the things I love, is helping me to move through my grief.
Music has always been a huge love of mine. I grew up in a house, where both my parents listened to music regularly. My Mother listening to folk and my Father listening to Rock music.
So today, as part of Three Tune Tuesday, I want to share three songs that my father introduced me to and that I still love to this day. I grew up in the countryside in Ireland and when I first started Secondary school I used to get teased about the music I listened to, because most of the artists had already passed away.
But who cared, when music allowed me to escape and to express myself. I am hugely influenced, by the music that I heard at home.
First up, is "The Days Of Pearly Spencer" by David McWilliams, which was released in 1967, (a little bit before my time.) I remember hearing this song for the first time and thinking how ahead of it's time it was. I love the whole arrangement, with him singing the chorus through a megaphone. The song is about a homeless man, that he met in Belfast, where he himself is from.
Nose pressed hard on frosted glass
Gazing as the swollen mass
On concrete fields where grows no grass
Stumbles blindly on
Iron trees smother the air
But withering they stand and stare
Through eyes that neither know nor care
Where the grass is gone
… The days of Pearly Spencer
Down through the years, every time I heard this song it reminded me of my father, but in a good way. This was one of the first songs we listened to on the night of his funeral with me and my sister singing along to it.
I don't think there is an Irish person that doesn't like Thin Lizzy, with Phil Lynott being a legend. So many of their songs are Irish anthems at this stage. This next song, has Phil teamed up with Gary Moore. Two Irish legends, singing about the troubles up in the North, but relevant to any war that is happening globally.
My dad was a huge Gary Moore and Thin Lizzy Fan and it felt right to choose this song as it reflects the times and also a time when musicians where not afraid to speak their minds.
It doesn't matter if you're wrong or if you're right
It makes no difference if you're black or if you're white
All men are equal till the victory is one
No color or religion ever stopped a bullet from a gun
One of my favourite Thin Lizzy songs is Dancing Tn The Moonlight, but that ones for another time.
My Dad, introduced me to all the greats, The Doors, Led Zeppelin, Rory Gallagher, Black Sabbath and Bob Marley. But Jimi, was a huge part of my teen years. The moment I heard one of his records, I fell in love. With his voice, his guitar playing and his lyrics. I listened to him everyday, for at least 4 years, no joke.
"All Along The Watch Tower" was and still is one of my favourite songs of his. Okay I know it is not actually his original song, but I love his version. That guitar solo, well the guitar sings so well. How I dreamed of being alive back in the day and getting to see him play live. As I write this, Voodoo Chile comes to me, wow oh that one is a favourite too.
It's so hard to pick just one, with Jimi, he has so many amazing songs. Now I'm thinking of "Little Wing", oh that song, it is so beautiful damn, I think that it might actually be my favourite.
Well she's walking through the clouds
With a circus mind
That's running wild
Butterflies and zebras and moonbeams
And-a fairly tales
That's all she ever thinks about
I mean he could have been writing that about me. (I wish.)
But then there is "Castles Made Of Sand". How can I only share one, I could in fact write a whole book about him, I'm wondering actually why I have never written a post about him.
Hmmmm, perhaps the best has yet to come.
Before more of his masterpieces come to me, I am going to stop. Forever grateful for the music that my father introduced to me and the music that I get to now share with you all. Cheers
