Songs of the Sea: In the Sky

This is such a beautiful song. I love it! I’ve been listening to a lot of Mark Knopfler’s music lately. I’ve bought a couple of his CDs to listen to in my truck. I can’t say there’s been even one song that I’d say I really didn’t like. That’s rare.

Check out the video. I’m not sure about those dancers that keep showing up, but I love the ending! That sky! I recognize Bali, I’ve been to those places and go back every chance I get. The scenery is so gorgeous and the people there are so sweet.

“In The Sky”

Are you home from the sea, my soul balladeer
You’ve been away roaming far away from here
Weathered a storm, your heart unafraid
Crossed every ocean in the boat that you made

Been blowing your horn, scaring the spooks
No crotchets or quavers in your books
Gone sailing all night, straight in the vein
Like a bird on his own flight in his domain in the sky

Running in on the tide with the first of the stars
The moon on the water and the sound of guitars
Glide into the homing as the night falls
To tie up in the haven by the old harbour wall

And the hard-bitten stranger as deaf as a post
Who stands at the fire where a poet’s dreams roast
He can’t know the story, he can’t feel the pain
And all of the glory falls around him like rain in the sky

You’re a light in the dark, a beacon of hope
And strong as a sea boat, strong as a rope
And the vagabond wind, whispers over the bay
And the songs and the laughter, are carried away in the sky

Songs of the Sea: Sailing to Philadelphia

I finally got my CD player in my truck the other day. For months now, I could only listen to cassette tapes and one decent radio station (KPFT) since the radio dial didn’t work anymore and neither did my 6-CD player. I bought a new radio the other day.  had to wait a few days for the installation. Sad to learn they don’t make cassette players or 6-CD players anymore. I had to settle for just a radio and 1-CD player 🙁

I  was listening to some new CD’s I’ve had for a while but haven’t been able to listen to. I really loved this song by Mark Knopfler. It’s called “Sailing to Philadelphia”. The album has the same name and the whole thing is really nice.

Check it out. It’s pretty mellow. There’s another song on it I loved, called the Last Laugh. Mark had Van Morrison join in on this song and it was fantastic. Van Morrison is another of my all time favorite musicians. You can find out more about the music at the links. Enjoy. 🙂

“Sailing to Philadelphia” as written by Mark Knopfler….

I am Jeremiah Dixon
I am a Geordie boy
A glass of wine with you, sir
And the ladies I’ll enjoy
All Durham and Northumberland
Is measured up by my own hand
It was my fate from birth
To make my mark upon the earth

He calls me Charlie Mason
A stargazer am I
It seems that I was born
To chart the evening sky
They’d cut me out for baking bread
But I had other dreams instead
This baker’s boy from the west country
Would join the Royal Society

We are sailing to Philadelphia
A world away from the coaly Tyne
Sailing to Philadelphia
To draw the line
A Mason-Dixon Line

Now you’re a good surveyor, Dixon
But I swear you’ll make me mad
The West will kill us both
You gullible Geordie lad
You talk of liberty
How can America be free
A Geordie and a baker’s boy
In the forests of the Iroquois

Now hold your head up, Mason
See America lies there
The morning tide has raised
The capes of Delaware
Come up and feel the sun
A new morning has begun
Another day will make it clear
Why your stars should guide us here

We are sailing to Philadelphia
A world away from the coaly Tyne
Sailing to Philadelphia
To draw the line
A Mason-Dixon Line

Songs of the Sea: Changes in Latitudes

I listened to Jimmy Buffett all the time when I was growing up. He used to come around and play at some of the little dive bars I used to hang out in and I loved his music and his happy go lucky style.

I was never a real ‘parrot-head’, even then, but I did totally relate to his music. He’s still one of the best songwriters for this kind of beach-centric, boat loving, party hardy, sailing lifestyle I grew up living.

I’ve been reading a lot of travel books lately. They’re making me remember all the great times I’ve had growing up in Florida and all over the world. I miss it so much! This song fits perfectly with what I’ve been feeling.

God, I wish I was sailing again! 🙂

“Changes In Latitudes, Changes In Attitudes”

I took off for a weekend last month
Just to try and recall the whole year.
All of the faces and all of the places,
wonderin’ where they all disappeared.
I didn’t ponder the question too long;
I was hungry and went out for a bite.
Ran into a chum with a bottle of rum,
and we wound up drinkin’ all night.

It’s those changes in latitudes,
changes in attitudes nothing remains quite the same.
With all of our running and all of our cunning,
If we couldn’t laugh, we would all go insane.

[Chorus:]
These changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes,
Nothing remains quite the same.
Through all of the islands and all of the highlands,
If we couldn’t laugh we would all go insane

Reading departure signs in some big airport
Reminds me of the places I’ve been.
Visions of good times that brought so much pleasure
Makes me want to go back again.
If it suddenly ended tomorrow,
I could somehow adjust to the fall.
Good times and riches and son of a bitches,
I’ve seen more than I can recall

[Chorus]

I think about Paris when I’m high on red wine,
I wish I could jump on a plane.
And so many nights I just dream of the ocean.
God, I wish I was sailin’ again.
Oh, yesterdays are over my shoulder,
So I can’t look back for too long.
There’s just too much to see waiting in front of me,
and I know that I just can’t go wrong
with these…

[Chorus]

Pink and Blue- Phoebe Hunt and the Gatherers

I stayed up late last night to watch Saturday Night Live and the Texas Music Scene. Those are 2 of the only shows I’ll turn on the TV to watch anymore. The Texas Music Scene always has really wonderful musicians on there and it’s a great way to learn about new music (the other way is to listen to KPFT on the radio).

I saw this band on the show last night and really enjoyed listening to their song. They played one called “Lint Head Gal”. Phoebe was fantastic on the violin/fiddle (I’ve been wanting to learn how to play lately). She explained how the song came to be written, about a friend’s grandmother who used to work in the textile mills back in the day.

This song is a little more mellow, but it still shows off her beautiful voice and nice work on the fiddle. The rest of the band is great too. I definitely plan to find more of their music.

PINK & BLUE- LYRICS

I like to pick at my wounds until the bleed 
Take in the moon on a bended knee 
Stare at the sky in the morning light 
Pink and Blue are the color of God’s eyes 

There’s a bell that rings when the school day ends 
That’s not the bell that rings for me 
Sitting here till I make amends 
Sitting here till I am free 
Only then will it ring for me 

The morning air so damp the dew 
I know you can feel it to 
Burning off this childish pain 
Help me see the endless change 
Running again and again I stray 
From what do I run away 
Searching for what is underneath 
Knowing here I am complete 

I like to pick at my wounds until the bleed…

Songs of the Sea: Swim

Here’s another in my Songs of the Sea series. This one’s by Madonna. I really love the video someone made to go with it. I love watching the waves roll by. It’s nice that it has the Spanish subtitles too, so all the people who speak Spanish can understand it better. Enjoy. 🙂

“Swim”

Put your head on my shoulder baby
Things can’t get any worse
Night is getting colder
Sometimes life feels like it’s a curse

[Bridge:]

I can’t carry these sins on my back
Don’t wanna carry any more
I’m gonna carry this train off the track
I’m gonna swim to the ocean floor

[Chorus:]

Mmmmm
Crash to the other shore
Mmmmm
Swim to the ocean floor

Children killing children
While the students rape their teachers
Comets fly across the sky
While the churches burn their preachers

[Bridge2:]

We can’t carry these sins on our back
Don’t wanna carry any more
We’re gonna carry this train off the track
We’re gonna swim to the ocean floor

[chorus]

Let the water wash over you
Wash it all over you
Swim to the ocean floor

So that we can begin again
Wash away all our sins
Crash to the other shore

Mmmmmm

[bridge]
[chorus]
[bridge2]

Crash to the other shore
Swim to the ocean floor
Mmmmmm

Donna The Buffalo: Positive Friction

Just for the hell of it. Here’s some good music from Donna the Buffalo. Another of my favorites. 🙂

Songs of the Sea: Sons and Daughters

One of my favorite songs by one of my favorite bands!

I’ve been listening to this CD a lot in my car lately. I’ve been driving a lot more than usual lately. Instead of working offshore, I’ve got some part time work in Houston, so I’ve got a couple of hours a day driving back and forth when they’ve got something for me to do up there. This song always gets me in a good mood while I sing along. 🙂

“Sons And Daughters”

When we arrive, sons and daughters
We’ll make our homes on the water
We’ll build our walls aluminum
We’ll fill our mouths with cinnamon now

These currents pull us ‘cross the border
Steady your boats, arms to shoulder
‘Til tides all pull our hull aground
Making this calm harbor now home

Take up your arms, sons and daughters
We will arise from the bunkers
By land, by sea, by dirigible
We’ll leave our tracks untraceable now

When we arrive, sons and daughters
We’ll make our homes on the water
We’ll build our walls aluminum
We’ll fill our mouths with cinnamon now

When we arrive, sons and daughters
We’ll make our homes on the water
We’ll build our walls aluminum
We’ll fill our mouths with cinnamon now

When we arrive, sons and daughters
We’ll make our homes on the water
We’ll build our walls aluminum
We’ll fill our mouths with cinnamon now

Hear all the bombs fade away
Hear all the bombs fade away
Hear all the bombs fade away
Hear all the bombs fade away

Hayloft- Nickel Creek

This one has really been sticking in my mind lately. I really like a lot of their music. The mandolin and fiddle are fantastic!

Check it out. Let me know how you like it. 🙂

Lucinda Williams: Essence

Something a little different. It’s not a ‘Song of the Sea”, but just plain, good music. I love all different kinds of music: blues, bluegrass, reggae, old rock and roll, classical, alternative country, pretty much everything except rap, heavy metal and opera.

I especially like music that tells a story with the lyrics. I love singers who can write a good song that means something.

Lucinda Williams is one of my favorite singer/songwriters. This whole album is great. I love this song!

Songs of the Sea: The Light and the Sea- Dar Williams

Here’s another Song of the Sea. It’s by Dar Williams. I really like her (tho to be truthful, this isn’t really one of my favorite songs by her). I like some of her other stuff a lot more, but they’re not all about the sea, so, listen to this one and then check out her other stuff! It’ll be worth it. 😉

The Light and the Sea-Dar Williams

Sitting out upon the waves, in darkness and upheaval
I was told that I alone would not know good and evil
Oh but in time but oh in time it came to me
As my shepherd fallen rise
I could turn and lift my eyes
To the light that distant light
There will always be
The light and the sea
Rolling sea the light and me
And as the days rolled by I turned my wheel toward the thunder
Taking on a challenge that I knew could take me under
Oh..and it took me down and oh it took me down
And it came to me
As I cursed the stem and sail
Because its fate that I should fail
There is a light there is a light
There will always be the light and the sea
The rolling sea the light and me
And it all comes down down to me
To feel the presence of my soul
Amid the torrents and the cold
Of the sea..
And there will always be the light and the sea
The rolling sea the light and me
The light and me

 

 

More: Bike and Blues Fest 2013

I’m glad I had most of these photos uploaded before I came out here this hitch. I really haven’t had the time to get online much and the computer situation is not the best here. I’m kind of limited in what I can do til I get back home.

So, I figured since I already had the pictures on here, I might as well add a little bit more flavor to my earlier post about the Summertime Bikes and Blues Fest.

I was actually there last summer. They usually have this event the last weekend in August. I try to go if I’m home. I usually see a few friends, it’s neat to check out all the cool bikes, and I really love the music. It’s out in the open, spread out around the old downtown area of Freeport. I like that it’s that way, it doesn’t feel very crowded. The food is good too. 🙂

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Video: Sailing

I always loved this song. 🙂 I’m going sailing this weekend so I thought this would be a good start. 😉

I remember when this song first came out. I was a teenager, still living in Florida. I was living on the beach and sailing my little sea snark just about every day.

My life was about to change in a big way. I went off on the adventure of my life on the sailing ships of the Oceanics School. We ALL loved this song there! Rod Stewart was SO hot!!

 

 

“Sailing”

I am sailing, I am sailing,

home again ‘cross the sea.
I am sailing, stormy waters,
to be near you, to be free.I am flying, I am flying,
like a bird ‘cross the sky.
I am flying, passing high clouds,
to be with you, to be free.

Can you hear me, can you hear me
thro’ the dark night, far away,
I am dying, forever trying,
to be with you, who can say.

Can you hear me, can you hear me,
thro’ the dark night far away.
I am dying, forever trying,
to be with you, who can say.

We are sailing, we are sailing,
home again ‘cross the sea.
We are sailing stormy waters,
to be near you, to be free.

Oh Lord, to be near you, to be free.
Oh Lord, to be near you, to be free,
Oh Lord.

PS- does anybody know why he’s singing about sailing while he’s cruising around on a power vessel??? 😉