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Five Songs

Well, Dive has issued a general tag by way of Prudence, here goes:

"Here is the assignment, list five lyrics that stick out in your mind and their significance to you. It can be as zany, quirky or catchy to having had an influence or impact on some aspect of your life."

My Romance (Rogers & Hart)

My romance doesn't have to have a moon in the sky.
My romance doesn't need a blue lagoon standing by.
No month of May.
No twinkling stars.
No hide away.
No soft guitars.

My romance doesn't need a castle rising in Spain,
Nor a dance to a constantly surprising refrain.
Wide awake, I can make my most fantastic dreams come true.
My romance doesn't need a thing but you.

Well, we're approaching Valentine's Day, aren't we? The "holiday" is artificial and relatively insignificant and far from the roots of Saint Valentine, but the song is in my head nonetheless. I first learned it from a Carly Simon CD I have of show tunes.

Tempted and Tried (gospel)

Tempted and tried we're oft made to wonder
why it should be thus all the day
while there are others living about us
never molested though in the wrong.
Farther along we'll know all about it
Farther along we'll understand why
Cheer up my brother
living in the sunshine
We'll understand it all by and by.

I learned this when I was a kid, and my family sang out of little books from tent meetings my parents went to in the 30s and 40s--shaped notes and yellowed pages and all.

The Teapot Song

I'm a little teapot short and stout
Here is my handle
Here is my spout
When I get all steamed up
Hear me shout
Tip me over
Pour me out

I'm not kidding here. I'll be walking nonchalantly from the car to the front door of a store or someplace, and this song will pop into my head with no influence from the outside world. It happens often.

Suzie Q

Oh Susie Q,
Oh Susie Q,
Oh Susie Q,
baby I love you,Susie Q.

I like the way you walk,
I like the way you talk,
I like the way you walk,
I like the way you talk, Susie Q.

Well, you know the rest. Sometimes I dig out my Creedence CD and turn this up as loud as I can play it without making the speakers spit out static. It's been in my head recently because I heard a tribute to Creedence Clearwater Revival the other night on the radio.

Sons and Daughters (The Decemberists)

When we arrive
Sons & daughters
We'll make our homes on the water
We'll build our walls aluminum
We'll fill our lives with cinnamon now

These currents pull us 'cross the border
Steady your boats
Arms to shoulder
'till tides are pulled
Hold our grounds
Making this cold harbor now home

Take up your arm
Sons and daughters
We will arise from the bunkers
By land, by sea, by dirigible
We'll leave our tracks untraceable now

I have been defaulting to this on ITunes while I work lately. The minute I hear the opening beats I get happy, except then I get a little sad because it ends with "here all the bombs fade away" fading out.
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Comments

dive said…
Aha! The "Cheer up, my brother" line.
You know me and Gospel, Robyn. Great choice.
And Rogers and Hart. Excellent (if seasonally smoochy).

The Teapot Son? Woohoo! Yes! An all time classic.

Suzie Q? Robyn! You little rebel. You always manage to sneak in a surprise (like all your ear piercings … I still havent' quite got over that one).

And Decemberists. Ultracool! And the most up to date song on any of our lists so far, you hip kid!
8:29 AM
Anonymous said…
Thanks for playing along Robyn. Perfect choice on Rogers & Hart, I actually saw Credence Clearwater Revisited this past summer. It was good and I am glad that John Fogerty finally got the rights to sing his own music. Sing the Tea Pot Song skipping down the isle of Wal-Mart. It gets you some interesting stares!
8:47 AM
Sassy Sundry said…
Oh Robyn Q, I love you... Great picks.
11:06 AM
Cheltenhamdailyphoto said…
Teapot brought back memories of my little boys so thanks for that, very apt on my son's twentieth birthday (see my painting blog she said proudly. Again.). lol.
12:13 PM
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