Neil Young

           It was probably about 1970.  My dear friend Fred and I were staying with our friend Forrest in an old mobile home his parents had in some neglected resort development that was rapidly falling into a state of decay.

Image via Wikipedia

          The early morning sunlight was streaming through the windows of the room where I was sleeping.  But that's not what woke me up.  What woke me was very beautiful music.  The music was a string quartet at first and then a man singing.  I lay in bed for awhile listening to the music.  Golden particles of dust floated in the sun rays that gave me a warm feeling as I lay there listening to the melancholy music.

        On another day I was at the Hydraulic Lift, a head shop on the Cumberland Avenue strip near the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.  I was killing some time after classes.  They sold records at the Lift and I was browsing through the records.  Music was playing and a floral scent of incense filled the store.  I didn't recognize the music but it was some of the finest and most haunting music I had ever heard.  I breathed the scent of incense and became lost in the music.

         In both cases the music I was listening to was Neil Young.   In the first case it was the first album and then at the Lift it was the second album.   I was hooked.  When I was in the record store I bought a copy of Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere as soon as I found out who it was.  Soon after I bought the first album.  After that I bought every album that Neil Young released.

         Now, forty years later, Neil Young is still one of my favorite artists and I listen to his music frequently.  He can rock hard, but my favorite songs are the dreamy sounding ones.  Neil can write some great songs to dream by.

         Today's song choice--"After the Goldrush"--is about a dream.

Related articles

• Neil Young Says What I Never Could (trulytabitha.com)
• Re-issue of a Master: Furnace MFG Completes Pressing of Neil Young's Official Release Series Disc 1-4 Box Set (prweb.com)
• The Song-by-Song Diamond-or-Young Neil Challenge. (wewhoareabouttodie.com)
• Orange is Green at the University of Tennessee (1800recycling.com)

Sad Songs Are Often Dream Songs

              How could I resist this?  Diane at Spunk on a Stick is hosting a Sad Songs Blogfest so I'm in.  After all, on April First A Faraway View will begin the month long A to Z April Challenge and since my theme for April will be about dream music, this blogfest fits right in.  The way I see it, sad songs make for good dream music  I could go on and on with sad songs, but I'll stick with six sad songs to make it alliterative.

Make It All So Real        Steve Forbert gives a dynamic performance of one of the best story songs ever.  It's  not just a song about sad songs, but a song with a sad story.  Writers should take a listen to this ultimate work of flash fiction put to music.  This song always stirs me inside and gives me watery eyes.



 Lalena   Originally written and performed beautifully by Donovan, I particularly like this version from my favorite Deep Purple album.  Sometimes called the "loudest rock and roll band", Deep Purple goes jazzy, smooth, and soft with a heartbreaking song that is a character study of a woman who seems to be a prostitute.  




Pavane for a Dead Princess  -- With this title you know it's going to be sad.  This is a dreamy piece by impressionistic composer Maurice Ravel.   The video is pretty dreamy as well.  Listen to this and tell me that you don't feel a bit melancholy and wistful.



Round and Round  Neil Young is a master of writing sad songs--so many to chose from.  I chose this one because it makes me feel sad, but it's a beautiful sad.  Sad is not necessarily a bad thing, it's just a part of life.



Knowing That I Loved You So  This song may be by a group with a goofy name, but it has a hauntingly sad sound that really grabs me.



String Quintet in C Major, 2nd Movement --Perhaps not officially a song, its composer Franz Schubert is considered one of the great songwriters of the 19th century.  This movement of the quintet never fails to stir up a sad feeling within me, but it also leaves me feeling very peaceful inside.  Another one of my all time favorite pieces of music.  I think it's worth the investment of time to listen to it.



      To visit other participants in the Sad Songs Blogfest go to the Spunk on a Stick blog.  Remember--posting for the fest officially begins on Friday March 30th.

     Be here on Sunday April 1st as my musical A to Z dream journey begins.   I have some great music lined up for the month.