Tag: rock

Saturday’s Theme Music

Got up early, fed the cats. Went back to bed because, at 7:15 AM, the light cast a feel that it was closer to five AM. Rising an hour later on this Saturday morning, I found the light much improved. Mixed with clouds, sunshine, rains, and mist, the light seemed pretty much perfect.

It couldn’t last. Clouds swarmed the local atmosphere. Rain shadowed in. But I still thought, it might be nice outside, because it was warm and cozy within, right? Papi, my ginger-furred wonder, told me otherwise. He was beating on the front door. I rushed over and opened it. Yelling, “Meow,” as he dashed in, he let me know how incensed he was. It was cold and wet outside and now he was cold and wet, which is not a preferred state. “A little fresh kibble might ameliorate my mood.” I did as I was told. Always do.

It’s 50 degrees F, November 5, 2022, and raining. We turn back the digits and clock hand tonight, if you do that sort of thing. Well, tomorrow morning, actually. as the deed is done in that nether region that’s both late night and early morning, depending on where you stand on the spectrum about when night and morning literally begin. Today’s high will be 51 F. See, that’s the day’s nature, a balance by degrees here.

“Rock Me Baby” is in my morning mental music stream. This song has been around my entire life. B.B. King’s cover was a hit in 1964 and became his signature song. A blues standard, many artists have covered and recorded it. B.B.’ version was inducted into the rock and roll hall of fame. His arrangement is what’s in my head today, but the cover is by Etta James and Stephen Stills, with the Roots. I’m a fan of all three of those entities, so when I found a recording from 1983 of them doing this song, I sat and listened. The Neurons have nothing to do with my theme music choice for a change.

Well, hope you enjoy it. Give everyone my regards. Stay positive and test negative. The coffee man (that’s me) has delivered. Time to imbibe. Cheers

1

Friday’s Theme Music

Cats woke me up before sunrise. “I want cat food,” they cried. Sleepfeeding, I did their bidding.

It’s Friday, November 4, 2022, the last Friday with Daylight Savings Time in the U.S. That requires an asterisk to note that it’s not so everywhere. Nevertheless, it’s true in my little reality slice. Reality seems to be like pizza, a little different for everyone, even though it may look the same.

The sun skimmed into our southern Oregon valley at 7:46 this morning, limning dark clouds, autumn trees, and dark green pines on snowy mountains before climbing clear of them and claiming the day. It’s 41 degrees F now but air currents, sunshine, and fronts will take us to 18 C.

The Neurons are playing “I Want Candy” in the morning mental music stream. This is a floofmage to the cats’ early morning demands for food. Mind, they made this demand with three bowls of kibble available. “It’s not the same as fresh food from the can given by your loving hands,” they purred.

Well, I know BS when I smell it, even when it’s coming from a smiling black and white furry face, and a sweet ginger and cream furred visage. Still, doing their bidding bought another hour of sleep.

“I Want Candy” has been around for sixty years. I went with a later version, by Bow Wow Wow, released in the early 1980s. A female friend of mine loved dancing to this version. Part of our gang, she’d jump up and run off to the dance floor when it came on, if we were out clubbing. If it came on at someone’s home, she curtailed whatever she was doing to dance and sing. Fun when someone enjoys a song so much. I haven’t seen her since 1984. Wonder how she’s doing?

Stay positive, test negative, get vaccines when you can. Here’s the music. The magic brewing magic has stopped its gurgling sound; coffee is ready. Interesting that in a world of pinging, beeping, buzzing, and ringing devices to notify us of important and trivial matters, something as critical as the coffee is done brewing is not announced.

Cheers

2

Sathursday’s Theme Music

Welcome to Sathursday! As sometimes happens, you come across a day which is supposed to be one, say Thursday, but feels like another, say, Saturday. Does this happen to you? Scientists and philosophers can’t quite account for this entanglement yet. Artists have a better feel for it, chiding people for thinking or even needing every day to be specific and exact. Why can’t hybrid days exist? Well, they do, sayeth the artists and poets. When they come, use them as you would any other.

Today is November 3, 2022, according to my cosmic sources. Sunshine dazzles the day in every way wherever you look. This is much different than yesterday. Yesterday’s weather declared, be ready for anything but hot and dry. Snow fell. Rain, sleet, hail. Just keep your head up, your coat on, your gloves nearby.

But now, the clouds have thinned and relaxed. Pine trees on the heights wear snow hats. Snow capes swath the mountains. Blue skies peek out past wispy dingy white and charcoal veils. Yet red flames and gold tiaras still crown many trees.

It’s 32 now, that’s degrees in Fahrenheit, and we’re looking for 46 F as the high. But the sunshine streaming through those windows, lighting up the rooms, delights my mind and causes a world of difference. Sunrise overruled the night at 7:46 AM. The sun’s presence will lord over the skies until 6:02 PM.

Now, for music. After another tumultuous night of dreams, I awoke with “Mr Bojangles” in the morning mental music stream. Don’t know if you’re familiar with the tune. It’s over fifty years old. Even though it’s been in movies, was a hit, beloved my many, and performed by several notables, I don’t hear it on radio or television these days. But since it’s in my mind, The Neurons pulled it out and put it on play. Exactly why is as clear as the clouds.

The Neurons went with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band edition, which I fully understand. This was the one which marked me when I was a young teenager. Such matters aren’t easily displaced.

Stay pozzo, test nego, protect yourself as need be. If not for yourself, do it for others. Coffee has entered the cup and is steaming by my side. That doesn’t sound as poetic in typed words as it did within my mind, but we will go with it. It is Sathursday.

Here’s the music. Sing along, even dance to it, if it moves you. Cheers

0

Wednesday’s Theme Music

Wednesday’s first light on November 2, 2022, arrived about thirty minutes before sunrise at 7:45 AM, pulling the curtain back on snow falling on autumn leaves. The whitening backdrop emboldened the full red and golden leaves dominating our area. The temperature was 1 degree C. Hopes are that the digital mercury will find 45 F. Tonight will drop to 29 F. Winter seemed to be declaring, “I’m taking November.” Summer was off and didn’t care. I haven’t heard a word out of fall.

The snow stopped by 8:15. None stayed on the ground at our elevation. Running errands yesterday, though, the hills and crests surrounding our village was rich with the stuff.

I broke out of a dream while darkness still soaked the land. Not much of the dream stuck around. Memory of it amounted to me dressing a woman, telling her to wear pink because it’ll highlight her caramel complexion and raven hair. While she was nodding and dressing, I recalled for her how I’d build a model of a Corvette when I was a boy and painted the car hot pink on a whim.

The dream naturally titillated Les Neurons about their song ideas. They fired up Prince’s 1983 song, “Little Red Corvette”. “Pink, red,” The Neurons declared, “It’s just a difference of degrees.” I’ve already used the song before and recounted that it came out while I was stationed at Kadena Air Base, so that’s all I’ll say here.

Stay posso and test negative. Nothing is guaranteed but it might help you and your family and community. Coffee, as black as the snow is white — it’s falling again — snow, not coffee — (can you imagine that? “It’s coffeeing, it’s coffeeing.” People would be out there with their mouths open, catching the coffee flakes…) — is available. You know where I’m going with this, don’tcha?

Here’s Prince (or the guy who was formerly known as Prince but that’s a whole other story) with a recording of an acoustic version done at a concert. Cheers

2

Tuesday’s Theme Music

Bellowing, “I am here,” November stomped in. Rain fell. Temperatures fell. Snow flurries fell.

Sun rise came at 7:44, but with November’s presence, the sun became a meek shadow of itself. It’s 2 degrees C now but we expect a slow battle to 48 F before the sun surrenders to the situation at 6:05 PM. With no sunlight and tenuous daylight, we’re forced, for the first time in months, to turn on houselights to see in the morning.

Clarification is needed. The two baths, one lit by a window and a solar tube, and the other illuminated by a skylight, often needs a light turned on in the morning. So, frequently, does the kitchen outside of the summer months. Situated in the west facing side — yeah, ‘the front’ would be the technical expression — the kitchen’s western window doesn’t catch any morning sunlight, either. Not in the autumn, winter, and early spring. Those rooms typically need a light turned on, as does the laundry room. Windowless, it’s in the house’s middle.

But the office, with its huge windows, doesn’t usually need added houselights. Even though it’s also on the western side, it’s just drop the blinds and let in the daylight. Not today, friends, not today. The lights are on even in the office.

This is Tuesday, November 1, 2022. Change the calendar’s page and say good-bye to October. You might catch 2023 peeking around a corner. Give her a wave if you do. She’s coming. It wouldn’t hurt to be chummy with her when she arrives.

BTW, a winter storm warning is out, snow above 5,000 feet. Chain and snow tire season has landed.

Rain songs from multiple decades deluge the morning mental music stream. But the cold wins. Many songs oriented around the cold exist but The Neurons fell back on a Tom Petty favorite, “Out in the Cold”, from 1991. They’re moved that way by memory. 1991’s start find me stationed in Germany, ending a four-year duty as part of a covert intelligence unit. February, I arrived in the SF Bay area, out in Sunnyvale, California, and my new and final duty assignment at Onizuka Air Station. It was pouring freakin’ rain that day, the end of a drought that’d been plaguing the area. It was also cold, and that was the year in which Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers had a hit with this song. It’s a rocking band. Love Mike’s shredding on lead guitar.

I’ve used this song back in June, 2021. A cool morning, I wrote, and rainy. I had three cats then. They were out there with me as I enjoyed the rain and a cup of coffee. Two stayed out while the other went back inside with me.

1991 was also when the first Gulf War was going on. Remember that?

Stay positive, test negative, drink a warm beverage if it’s a cold day, stay cool if it’s a hot one for you. That’s what was always interesting about my travels, finding the new weather of the new location after touching down. The weather announced, “You are here.”

The coffee is also here, hot, black, and ready. Here’s the tune. Cheers

3

Monday’s Theme Music

Spread the alarm. Monday has breached the walls. Save yerselves.

Dawn came in a bit before seven. Sunrise came after the way was cleared, arriving to clear blue skies at 7:42 this morning. The temperature has sprinted up to 45 degrees F and will go all the way to 62 F. The Cedar Creek fire is now in its third month but it’s 68% contained. We don’t smell the fire in our sector any longer but I’m sure others are still enduring it, and I feel for them. Sunset will be at 6:06 PM, so set your alarms. It’ll be October’s last.

We used to go trick or treating after dark when I was a child. In fact, that was one of Mom’s stipulations for when we could begin: “It’s not even dark yet.” These days, darkness is an enemy of the event. Most trick or treating is done in more controlled environments. Schools, stores, and malls have joined the Halloween proceedings. We didn’t buy any treats this year. We’ve bought in the past and generally ate it ourselves in the nights after the goblins and monsters’ cries have faded into November. So we don’t do that no more. Kind of miss it but also, c’est le vie.

After reading emails and the mail last night, The Neurons started playing “Money (That’s What I Want)” by The Flying Lizards (1979). Totally understandable. Almost every entity sending emails and missives in my direction are asking for money. Subscribe to this or that. Buy more of this. Get a new one of that, and replace that other. You need more! Donate to me — we need money to stay free. So, yeah, no surprise that Der Neurons brought up “Money (That’s What I Want)”. Les Neurons could have gone multiple directions with this. Could’ve just fired up Pink Floyd’s song, “Money.” “Money (That’s What I Want)” has been released as a Motown hit, a moneymaker by the Beatles, a cover by the Stones, and, of course, The Flying Lizards.

The Flying Lizards’ rendition is a twist against the others, throwing out a simple tune with a bald, straightforward delivery: “Give me money. That’s what I want.” They’re not truly singing it, just deadpan presenting it. That’s why it works so well for all these money requests that inundate my existence. Take Pfizer, for example. They were heroes, one of several, coming up with COVID-19 vaccines. Now they want money so shots will be over one hundred dollars each. Don’t worry, insurance will cover it. No insurance? Oh, no, that’s not good. But Prizer is a corporation. They exist to make money, right?

BTW, has anyone done a new cover of this song recently? Seems like it’s overdue.

Well, you know the routine. Holds even for Mondays, even on October’s final effort. Stay positive, test neggy, etc. Coffee is in the morning’s collection plate. I’m gonna help meself to some. That’s what I want.

Have a good one. Here’s the tune. Cheers

0

Sunday’s Theme Music

T’was the day before the last day of October and all through the yard, everyone was watching, and staying on guard. Wizards and witches and princesses were coming soon, and monsters and zombies might be around, too. Candy and treats can be offered to still their noise, but you know how it is with young girls and boys.

It’s Sunday, October 30, 2022. Gadzooks but yesterday was a beautiful prototypical autumn day. Today is using the leftovers to bake us another the same way. With the sun cracking the whip at 7:41, the cool night air – 40 F – was pleased with the sun. It’s since gone to 44, a small but welcomed increase, and will hit 64 F before sunset comes at 6:07 this evening and the temperature decrease.

Yesterday afternoon was spent at a concert. The Rogue Valley Symphonic Band always does a Halloween concert which we attend. It was another fun success this year. Many adults and all children dressed up in costumers. One of my favorites was a little girl costumed as Hermione from Harry Potter’s world. She was about perfect. I asked her as we were leaving if she knew any spells. The four-year-old looked at me like I was an idiot. Nothing else was said. Okay, message received.

I have “The Warrior” by Scandal (1984). The Neurons claim they aren’t behind the song’s rise in the morning mental music stream. It could be a series of dreams behind it. I think Dream Neurons are in a different industry than The Neurons. Not sure of The Neurons’ job description. I guess they sometimes help Memory Neurons. Don’t know if they do anything for the Goofing Around Neurons. Although I’m in my sixties, the GANs are very lively while the MNs (that’s said as mins) often decline engagements these days.

Back to the band, Scandal. I was always sorry they broke up so fast. A friend was in love with Patty Smyth. He was always talking about how great she sang and how gorgeous she looked, looking up information about her and sharing it with us. So out of character for him that it was fascinating. He was generally sort of listless and mute until he began gushing about Patty Smyth. We always worried that he had the makings of a stalker. Don’t know what happened to him, as I rotated back to the US at the end year’s end. This is one of those songs which I hear pretty regularly on classic rock stations when I tune into them.

Don your positive energy and keep it flowing. Test negative. Meanwhile, it’s coffee time. Here’s the song. Cheers

3

Saturday’s Theme Music

The end is nigh! We’re discussing October of 2022, of course. The next flotilla of days, led by November 1st, are cresting the horizon and coming our way as October’s last days pack up the gear, tidy up, and prepare to send October off.

Yes, it’s Saturday, October 29, 2022. Beautiful fall morning here, sunshine, trees sparkling with wet leaves in hues of merlots and reds, golds and lemons, salads and oranges. Sunset cut down the night at 7:40 this morning. Clouds send a fog squad in, but the sunshine quickly dispatched it. Some clouds now roam the higher reaches, calculating approaches. The temperature has perked up to 51 F and will hit 20 C later today. Sunshine will be cut off at 6:08 PM.

BTW, happy birthday to Mom! As she proudly proclaims, she’s a tough old toboggan. That’s our joke, found when her phone corrected her voice text from ‘tough old broad’ to toboggan. I also refer her to a tough old bird, which she enjoys. She’s roving her upper eighties now, and if she likes being called a tough old bird or a tough old broad, I give it to her, especially in the shadow of her September health crises.

The Neurons uploaded The Offspring and “Coming for You” from 2015 into the morning mental music stream. I haven’t heard the song in a few years but the cats were relentless this morning. They kept coming for me through the night, snuggling up for some head scratches, interrupting dreams, breaking REM, knocking on the cat door to go out and come in. I told them, “Guys, I need some sleep. You keep coming for me.” The Neurons tortured that sentiment into The Offspring lyrics, “Well no, hell no, they keep coming for you.” It’s a solid punk anthem heavy on distorted guitar sounds and in-your-visage with their lyrics and delivery.

Time to move on to coffee island, where the brew is hot, pure, and strong. Stay positive, test negative, and do what’s needed to see the pandemic’s end. Here’s the music. Never seen the video before today, but that was fascinating. I can see the song done with cats, though, eyeing you, walking and stalking the night, you know, coming for you…

Cheers

1

Friday’s Theme Music

Daylight come and Friday begin. We all know Friday began much earlier than dawn or sunrise. Sunrise staked its moment at 7:39 AM. Daylight plans to hold on until 6:10 PM. Speaking personally — I’m not sure how else to speak, unless I’m speaking for the cats — the sunlight brings warmth and light and I enjoy its presence.

It is October 28, 2022. We’ll see how this day falls out in future history books. Musk bought Twitter so this day could be one marked for the books. Inflation is falling, so that might also show up as part of history. Who knows?

It’s 39 degrees F in my world section, not as cold as some places, not as warm as others. It’ll be 61 by daylight’s end. I have “Devil Woman” by Cliff Richards (1976) in the morning mental music stream. This came about from a dream. Absolutely everything was going wrong in it. As my irritation and frustration reached epic levels in the dream, someone came about to tell me, “Don’t worry. You were under a curse so we gave you a pass.” There’s more to it but I might share the dream in another post. Don’t want to spoil things here, ha, ha.

Anyway, after awakening and going through this dream, The Neurons responded with “Devil Woman”. I don’t think I’ve heard it in a long, long time, as opposed to just a long time.

Hold on. There will be a brief break in the posting process while the Tucker gets his mouse love. He must rub his face against my hand as it sits on the mouse every morning and evening. It’ll be just a few minutes…

Okay, where was I? Reading, reading… Okay, as I was writing, I’ve not heard this song in a long time so The Neurons’ choice surprised me. I suppose that reading about the Salem witch trials a few days ago may have caused some subconscious connections. I checked out several videos of Richards performing the song. No band or backup… He doesn’t move his feet much, either, but quite expressive with his hand in his stagecraft. It represents the era, 1976, well, though. Like, love those bell bottoms.

Alright, remain positive and test negative. I have a cat beating at the door. I told Papi not to go out because it’s chilly and he no like the cold, but he insisted. Now he insists, time to get back in the house. So I’ll let him in and then get his coffee, I mean, my coffee, and eat breakfast, drink coffee, and peruse the news to see what they’ll say about Friday, October 28, 2022, in the future. Here’s the music. Cheers

0

Thursday’s Theme Music

As promised, we have Thursday, October 27, 2022, upon us. Your reality might vary.

Thin fog was the acting doorman when sunrise made their 7:38 AM entrance. The fog stole the show. It’s burned off since then, with the temperature rebounding from 38 F to its present 6 degrees C, on the way to a high mark of 62 F. Clouds have vacated the sky. Sunshine glints off yellow leaves like they’re pure gold.

The Neurons have brought up a song from 1978 called “Whenever I Call You Friend”. The song was written by Kenny Loggins and Melissa Manchester, two big names from the 1970s pop scene. Kenny recorded and released the song but the female on it was Stevie Nicks, who was uncredited, all stuff learned from American Top 40 back in the day.

All this came about because my beer group met last night. Prior to that, I’d sent the group a Youtube link of Mark Knopfler and Dire Straits performing a fantastic live rendition of “The Sultans of Swing”. Everyone enjoyed it. Discussion started with one member, who was a DJ at the time, about the music which came out then. He recalled playing songs on both 45 vinyl and CDs. That was a surprising mix to me; I remembered Sultans coming out in 1978, but I remember having the album on CD. I didn’t buy my first CD player until 1984, and knew they were being sold at least two years before, but not in the late 1970s. I realized, though, that I’d not initially purchased Dire Straits’ debut album. I was just back from the Philippines then, living in Texas, and then left the USAF and bought a restaurant and was running it. I had a juke box and listened to the music on it. I was also going to college then. Money was tight, so I didn’t buy the album until later, after I’d re-enlisted in the Air Force, having failed as a restaurant owner.

All that soon had The Neurons circling 1978 like a train set around a Christmas tree. I was thinking about my beer buddies and how I enjoyed their friendship. Hello, The Neurons replied, and began playing, “Whenever I Call You Friend”. It still resides in my morning mental music stream which brings us to now.

Stay positive, be cool, and test negative. The coffee is brewed and ready to flow into action. Here’s the music. Also, since I mentioned it, here’s the Dire Straits video, too. Have a better one, friends.

Cheers

0

Blog at WordPress.com.

Up ↑