Word Crimes

This was the best.  I am absolutely going to use this for homeschooling.

Catharsis

Everybody needs to blow off some emotional steam now and then.  My drug of choice is sad music.  We just went to see Captain America: The Winter Soldier in theaters, so we're in that genre at the moment.  Here are the best sad superhero soundtracks I could find.

Ok, so apparently Captain America and Thor have the market cornered on sad soundtracks.  Here are a few extras.

Class It Up

I used to love classical music.  I still like it, but my weary brain generally prefers pop as its drug of choice, so naturally I love a pop-classical remix.  Here's a smattering of songs which I think are improved by a touch of Old World class.

October 15

"When a child loses his parent, they are called an orphan.  When a spouse loses her or his partner, they are called a widow or widower.  When parents lose their child, there isn't a word to describe them.  This month recognizes the loss so many parents experience across the United States and around the world.  It is also meant to inform and provide resources for parents who have lost children due to miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, molar pregnancy, stillbirths, birth defects, SIDS, and other causes."  - President Ronald Reagan, 1988

 Until recently, I wasn't even aware there was an official "Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance" month or day.  Now of course I can't let it go by without posting something.  The good news is that our situation rarely upsets me anymore; it's just become a fact of our lives.  We have each other and the dog and three personal saints, and we're happy.  I do credit the dog with cheering us up until we can acquire children by other means.  However, the next best thing to fur therapy is music.

Over the years, I've been compiling a playlist of songs about loss which helped get me through some tough times.  Some are sadder than others, but I thought I'd highlight a few of the best ones today.  Someday I'll post a comprehensive list.

1. Daughtry, "Gone Too Soon"

2. Plumb, "I Want You Here"

3. RyanDan, "Tears of an Angel"

4. Canadian Tenors, "Watching Over Me" (because we don't want to end on a downer)

I Want You Here

I am always on the lookout for emotionally powerful songs to add to my collection.  I found this one randomly on YouTube while listening to another Plumb song.  Based on the title, "I Want You Here," I assumed it would be just another one of those pining love songs.  To my surprise, I eventually realized I had stumbled upon a song about child loss.  Everyone who has ever lost a child should know about this.  It isn't often we come across music specifically tailored to our situation.

The first video is Plumb's live explanation of the song's significance, and the second is the studio recording for those who prefer it to the live version.  I'll be putting this one on my miscarriage survival playlist for sure.

Our Concert Experience

Overall, it was a lot less intimidating than I expected.  Rather than a huge crowd of hard-rockers, it was a moderate crowd of assorted geeks and nerds like us.  Nobody was mugged, trampled or otherwise injured, so I call the evening a success.

I was amazed by the enthusiasm of the other fans.  We just bought tickets on a whim because the event was in the neighborhood, but some of these other people were practically modern-day camp followers, crossing state lines and some even the Atlantic just to be in Baltimore.  Some were following the tour down from Philadelphia.  There was one guy from France wearing a Delain t-shirt and at least four old concert armbands.  Somehow we felt like we weren't talking the experience seriously enough.

The venue was so small that there wasn't really a bad place to stand, but we managed to be almost right up front.  The only downside was that after waiting all night to see Kamelot and lead singer Tommy Karevik (definite eye-candy), the moment they walked out on stage a sudden thicket of camera phones sprouted overhead along with the distinct oder of at least sixty sweaty armpits.  Fortunately, that didn't last forever, and there were so many other people taking video I knew I would have several good clips to choose from on YouTube this morning.  I found this one which pretty much accurately describes our view.




Dave bought a t-shirt and I came away with a hoodie.  We got home around 1 AM and felt very irresponsible.  :)

Our Concert Adventure

We're off to see our first concert today.  So long as we're forced to live the childless life, we might as well do something crazy and fun.  On the menu tonight are Kamelot, Delain and Eklipse, three of our favorite (what I believe are called) symphonic metal bands.  Being cautious people, we're going to take to heart all the advice we get, namely to not sit too close and to bring ear plugs.

My new favorite song is a collaboration between Kamelot, the head-banging guys, and Eklipse, the lovely ladies of the string quartet.  It looks darker than it really is.  I find the lyrics grimly encouraging, and thankfully not theologically problematic.

Give me a sign.

Sing the words of innocence and broken pride.

Make my conclusions fail.

Send me a sign, heal this broken melody,

'Cause each night I die in hell.

My God has shown His sympathy for all the spirits lost.

I'll pray for salvation and peace for ages.

Standing in the summer breeze, inhaling life again.

A new day has come,

A chance to relive,

Forget and forgive.

Somehow I wasted all.

They sealed my voice and wisdom,

But my soul was born on the battleground.

Justice in blood, long awaited victory,

And tonight you die in hell.

My God has shown His sympathy for all the spirits lost.

I'll pray for salvation and peace for ages.

Standing in the summer breeze inhaling life again.

A new day has come,

A chance to relive,

Forget and forgive.

Somebody hides inside my mind.

We're bound together,

But this is my confession.

Soulmate or enemy,

A thorn in my religion.

Release my heart, unfold my tongue.

Save a place for me in heaven.  We'll meet another day.

I found forgiveness and the meaning of it all.

My fear is gone.

Gone.

My God has shown His sympathy for all the spirits lost.

I'll pray for salvation and peace for ages.

Standing in the summer breeze inhaling life again.

A new day has come,

A chance to relive,

Forget and forgive.

Too Much Hanky-Panky In the Workplace

Seriously, I work at a retail store.  I was there all night . . . with two other women . . . in different corners of the building.  You would think there would be no better environment for intense concentration and productivity.  But I reckoned without the music being piped in through the speaker system.

Personally, I prefer to have music while I work.  It usually keeps me awake and makes the time pass more pleasantly.  But, as of yesterday, they've started throwing in a few Christmas tunes with the regular pop assortment.  I don't mind Christmas music, and I have been known to play it out of season while working on Christmas projects.  A little Adeste Fidelis or First Noel gives me warm fuzzy feelings.  However, there are several selections I absolutely detest (Jingle Bell Rock, Run Run Rudolph, By Gosh By Golly, Frosty the Snowman, to name just a few), and unfortunately that seems to be all the store is going to play.  Just to make it ten times worse, they only play the jazzed-up modern covers, which frankly sound more ridiculous than the originals.

BUT, I will listen to Frosty all day long if I could tune out the "adult themed" carols.  I know practically all songs are love songs, and they usually aren't singing about having some cocoa and watching TV.  But if I have to hear the "extra sexy" version of Baby, It's Cold Outside every work day for the next six weeks, I may have to start slapping people.  It's like being trapped in a closet with two people getting hot and heavy on the other side of the door.  You don't want to listen, but you don't have much choice.  Besides that, the whole premise of the song is one selfish bastard trying to get what he wants in spite of his lady friend's better judgment (after quite possibly slipping her a rufie), and that bothers me.

Maybe I'm over-thinking it, but it made it very difficult to work.  It didn't help that the woman's voice sounded vaguely like a case of tinnitus.  I'm trying to count holes in the pegboard to set planograms, and I had to start counting out loud.  Reprieve was brief, as the musical canoodlers were soon followed by THREE (count them) different versions of Merry Christmas, Baby, which to me sounds a lot like "Thanks, babe, for buying me all this expensive stuff (and probably providing other services), and letting me crash on your couch, because I'm probably a deadbeat leach." That also bothered me.

But, the coup de grace, and probably a new low for the whole genre of Christmas music, was Backdoor Santa.  Basically, in almost as many words, this guy who considers himself some kind of sex god goes sneaking around through backdoors "when the other boys are out" pleasuring all the women of the neighborhood who love it so much they call him "Backdoor Santa."  Oh, and he bribes the children of these households with loose change to leave him and mom alone.  The sleeze meter was maxed out.

This is as fabric store!  Little old ladies shop here!  Who picks out this music, and what's wrong with them?!

Domestic Dream Team

I've been meaning to write a long and wonderfully sappy post about how awesome my husband is for quite some time, but once again my Pandora station took the initiative and picked out the perfect song for the occasion.  So, in the meantime, I made a video instead.  It basically says it all in a nutshell.  (The text was originally red, FYI, but YouTube turned it into a sort of salmon color.  I guess you can't win them all.)

I'm getting a little desperate to have him back at home.  The world can go hang for all I care, so long as we can face it together.

For All Saints and All Souls

Here's another quick musical tidbit.  During my morning prayers a few days ago I was mentally regretting that I didn't have any music that could remind me of the kids without reducing me to tears.  My Pandora station spit this out.  Who says God doesn't use the Internet?

Music Break

Ok, time out.  I've just found a brilliant new addition to my "Saddest Music of All Time" playlist.  I don't know why I gravitate toward songs that are essentially emotional wrecking balls, but their cathartic value is truly amazing.  Today's offering is Things Left Unsaid by Disciple.  Like a lot of other songs I want, it's a hidden bonus track on the special edition of the CD in question, and iTunes doesn't carry it.  Phooey.  In the meantime I'm stuck with YouTube.  I didn't make the video, so I can't be held responsible for any typos.

iTunes Highlight: David Garrett

My Pandora stations introduce me to all kinds of new artists, but I'm always a sucker for classical crossovers.  Today's highlight is David Garrett, born David Bongartz in 1980 to an American ballerina and a German lawyer.  He took his mother's maiden name for his stage persona because it was "more pronounceable."  David first took an interest in music at the age of four when his older brother was given a violin.  He was winning competitions by the age of five, and recording by thirteen.  Almost makes me sorry I gave up piano after two years.

4-Minute Retreat - Instrument of Peace

Something in English this time, so no distracting subtitles.  "Instrument of Peace," by the Canadian Tenors.

The Impossible Dream

Just because it pretty much encapsulates my mood right now.

4-Minute Retreat - La Tua Semplicitá

I'm going to start putting these up now and then.  This week, our priest suggested we all try to find some silence in this noisy world.  That's all well and good, but my mind tends to go wandering in useless directions without some kind of guidance.  So, once you've had your dose of silence for the day, I've prepared a mini musical retreat for those times when we really can't get away for a weekend and our neighborhood church doors are locked.  Relax, refocus, and then get on with the day.

Today's selection is from Plácido Domingo’s album "Amore Infinito: Songs Inspired by the Poems of John Paul II."  It is entitled "La Tua Semplicitá", a duet with Josh Groban.  Thankfully, it is available on iTunes.

These are the Italian lyrics.  The English translation may be a bit rough, and may not be exactly accurate, but you get the general gist.

Stare qui davanti a te   
guardare con questi occhi miei 
in cui convergono 
le stellari vie 


Occhi ignari di colui 
che silenzioso regna in voi 
ma se dalle stelle 
luce sconfinata prenderà 


Penso al giorno che così pieno sarà 
di stupore per la tua semplicità 
che tiene in pugno il mondo 
e in esso durerà 
fino a qui vivrà 
e al di là,
al di là 


Chiuderò le palpebre 
davanti al tremulo bagliore 
meno io saprò 
di più crederò 


Fammi aprire gli occhi chiusi 
e che tu possa avvolgere 
nel tuo vento immenso 
l'esile soffio d'anima 


Penso al giorno che così pieno sarà 
di stupore per la tua semplicità 
Che tiene in pugno il mondo 
e in esso durerà 
intatto qui per sempre vivrà 
sempre vivrà 


Penso al giorno che così pieno sarà 
di stupore per la tua semplicità 
che tiene in pugno il mondo
e in esso durerà 
fino a qui vivrà 
e al di là 

"Pop Latin"

Enough with the nonsense Latin.  I am sick of discovering epic tracks of music only to discover upon further investigation that the lyrics are gibberish.  Latin has as huge vocabulary of heroic and perfectly intelligible words one could use.  Case in point, "Conquest of Paradise" by Vangelis.


"In noreni per ipe,
In noreni cora;
Tira mine per ito,
Ne domina."


What the heck is that?  Wikipedia describes it as "pseudo-Latin."  I don't know whether reinventing the language rather than look up a few phrases can actually be called laziness, but I certainly don't appreciate it.

Of course, none of this is Rhydian's fault.  He can make even gibberish sound good.