Discovering Natalie

One of the best things about subscribing to Sirius Radio is all of the new music you can find if you look. One of my favorite stations on Sirius is “The Coffee House” , which plays acoustic rock. I have discovered so many great artists specifically from this station it is  amazing. It is here that I first found Loudon Wainwright III, Luka Bloom, Amos Lee, David Gray, Tracy Chapman and now I add Natalie Merchant to this amazing list of talent. I have heard Natalie Merchant on Sirius several times and her haunting voice always catches my attention. Lately I have checked out a couple of her CD releases and they are peaceful, haunting and mythical in their prose. 

The first song of Natalie's that I ever heard was "Wonder". Every time I hear this song I am brought back to the birth of each of my boys.


To learn more about Natalie Merchant's music check out her webpage.

Remembering Jefferson Starship

Dedicated readers I have good news. Although this holiday weekend was filled with graduation parties and a memorial day picnic at Ian's house I still found time to complete a lot of yard work as well as finding a "double stroller" for the wife and even unintentionally re-discovering Grace Slick & Jefferson Starship. I remember first hearing Jefferson Starship in high school and for some reason being completely infatuated with Grace Slick. I also remember that Jefferson Starship even played a role during the ill-fated 1978 "Star Wars Holiday Special" which was about the only thing cool about that special.

Check out the song, "Fast Buck Freddie" from 1975's Jefferson Starship masterpiece "Red Octopus". This was one of those songs I played over and over and over again as a a teenager and here I am again playing it for all of you, my dedicated readers. I had not heard this song in years but when I stumbled upon it this weekend.... wow. Grace Slick I used to love you so.

It's hard to believe that Grace Slick is 69 years old now. When I was in high school she rocked.

"I Want To Go Back, Please Tell Me How"

I realize that one of my most popular blog entries with you, my dedicated readers was my vast insight into the world of music. As tonight began to wind down the following tune would not stop haunting me. Anyway with all this talk of Kevin heading off to college this Phil Collins song will not stop playing in my head. The song, which is from my favorite Phil Collins album, 1993's "Both Sides" talks about how we all turn into our fathers as we are also forced watch out children grow up and out of our control.






Dedicated readers, take a few minutes to listen to this song and read the incredible lyrics. If you have a father who you love and you have children growing up and moving on this song will have special meaning to you.

"We're Sons Of Our Fathers" by Phil Collins
When I grow up to be a man
like my father was when I was young
I hope i can make him so proud of me
Proud enough to call me his son

What makes these people so different now
what makes these times so strange
seems most people got most everything they need
how come we see this change

Our sons and daughters seem to be beyond our control
their smile is fading fast, they're losing their soul
when will we ever learn, yet I'm a believer

When I was a boy, did we have more respect
this world seemed a nicer place to be
but time slowly passes and one day you look around
you hardly recognize what you see

Our sons and daughters seem to be beyond our control
their smile is fading fast, they're losing their soul
now when will we ever learn, yet I'm a believer

They're beyond our control

We're all sons of our fathers
sometimes I feel like mine
and I can hear him say, the things I say
seems all things come around in time

Why these things happen we'll never know
guess that was then and this is now
we always knew that change was gonna come
but I want to go back, please tell me how

Our sons and daughters seem to be beyond our control
their smile is fading fast, they're losing their soul
when will we ever learn, yet I'm a believer