Friday, August 03, 2007


The strongest…

Sometimes, over there in the dark corner of my psyche, I sit and sulk. Feeling sorry for myself, and all the rotten things that happen to me, or worse because of me, I wander around simply feeling awful.

On the rarest of occasions, I will seek the soft and warm embrace of my one true love, and that never fails to pull me back into a more functional present. However, there are those occassions when she is absent, and I must find my own way out.

It is at those times that I turn to the strongest thing I know of, at least for raising my spirits like almost nothing else. Music.

I first discovered the power of classical music on my soul as a teenager. I could close my eyes and let Peer Gynt and “The Hall of The Mountain King” lift me to a better place. With time, Beethoven, Bach, and Vivaldi all joined in my musical therapy sessions. For years I have collected unique voices, from Israel Kamakawiwo`ole, Willie Nelson, Nina Simone (ah..Sinnerman), Andre Boccelli, the Gypsy Kings, Harlem Boys Choir, and so many more.

If there is anything that makes me give a damn about the rest of the world, them maybe it is music. Not any music, but that which requires skill, talent and soul, rather than amplification and lasers.

Cosima had a post with a wonderful fellow singing about gorilla’s and missionary postions, and all the good stuff in life. Damn! I pulled out the ol’ accordian and started dancing around the flat deck it was so good!

Put on anything by the Gypsy Kings and just try to sit still! Try to be in a bad mood when you listen to them throw a rope around the world! Try!

There is a wonderful song by Montana songwriter Stephanie Davis called “The Gift” that can bring me to tears, as can Andre Boccelli when he sings “Ave Maria”.

So all in all, if there is one good thing about this place, the juke box ain’t half bad…

Mustang