OK, one more from my favorite Christmas album…
A Baby Just Like You

Another one of my favorite Christmas songs sung by John Denver based on a poem by Robert Bridges.

Noel - Christmas Eve, 1913

A frosty Christmas Eve when the stars were shining
Fared I forth alone where westward falls the hill,
And from many a village in the water’d valley
Distant music reach’d me peals of bells aringing:
The constellated sounds ran sprinkling on earth’s floor
As the dark vault above with stars was spangled o’er.
Then sped my thoughts to keep that first Christmas of all
When the shepherds watching by their folds ere the dawn
Heard music in the fields and marvelling could not tell
Whether it were angels or the bright stars singing.
Now blessed be the towers that crown England so fair
That stand up strong in prayer unto God for our souls
Blessed be their founders (said I) an’ our country folk
Who are ringing for Christ in the belfries tonight
With arms lifted to clutch the rattling ropes that race
Into the dark above and the mad romping din.
But to me heard afar it was starry music
Angels’ song, comforting as the comfort of Christ
When he spake tenderley to his sorrowful flock:
The old words came to me by the riches of time
Mellow’d and transfigured as I stood on the hill
Heark’ning in the aspect of th’ eternal silence.

From one of my all-time favorite Christmas Albums:

Christmas Is Coming

I remember my dad coming home from the store one night when I was about eight with a new cassette tape, popping it in the Hi-Fi and telling me and my brother that we had to hear what he had just bought. It was “Best Of… The Lovin’ Spoonful.” I was hooked right away. It was one of the many tapes we listened to while in the car. Its part of the soundtrack of my childhood.
I later became a die-hard Beatle fan but I think the foundation of that appreciation was built on that collection of Lovin’ Spoonful songs.

John Sebastion was the brains behind the band. Primary song writer and singer. I’ve gone back and listen to their music lately and have come to the conclusion that he is a much under appreciated song writer. I saw an interview with him saying that he didn’t want to try and be a second rate Bob Dylan so he went the other direction, stayed away from politics and social movements. He wanted to write “feel-good” music. And I think he did. I’ve found several videos and songs on Youtube, I’ll share a few over the next few days.
Here is his Woodstock performance:

He shakes his head as he walks off stage. I think its because he only sings half the chorus the first time through.

Back in the late 70s, Cummins Engine Company put out a promotional song called “Hummin’ Cummins.” They were cashing in on the trucker/cb-radio/country music craze of the times.
I remember when it came out, every employee got a copy of it. I think my dad still has his.
In a meeting at work the other day, someone mentioned the song so I went on a google search.

Here it is in all its cheesy Cummins marketing glory:

I’m a big dork.

Last Sunday night the church we are attending had an all music worship service with these young guys playing amped up versions of standard praise and worship songs. The guitarist played a solo on one of the songs and put his leg up on the monitor all cool like.

The church asked me to play guitar this next Sunday. During practice this week, I thought it would be funny to imitate that guy. Not to be cool but to sort of mock it in a friendly kind of way (the guy was running the sound for practice.) Only when I did it, it was on the monitor on the other end of the stage. The angled, top heavy monitor. The monitor not designed to have a foot placed on top of it. As I did, it rolled backwards… and so did I. Landed flat on my back, guitar still in hand. A loud gasp went up from the other band members and singers. I think I even heard an “oh my God! Is he ok?”
I got back up and the practice continued on but I felt pretty stupid.

Got home and told Karen. She got a pretty big kick out of it.

Elizabeth was on cloud nine yesterday.  On the way back to Little Rock from Columbus, we stopped in Tennessee.  One of Elizabeth’s very favorite movies is Coal Miner’s Daughter. It is the rags to riches story about Loretta Lynn’s life as portrayed by Sissy Spacek.  She just loves that movie (and Mr. Holland’s Opus). Whatever town it is, we went stopped by the Loretta Lynn Dude Ranch. It is quite a spread. Elizabeth was just ecstatic.  I told them they could each get a little something in one of the four gift shops. Elizabeth’s newest prized possession (that went to school in her backpack today)?  It is an 8×10 autographed photo of Loretta Lynn.

Weird Al has a new song out based on my life…

White and Nerdy