Song #21 is an interesting one: Rock and Roll, originally written and performed by Led Zeppelin, arguably one of the greatest bands ever in rock and roll. The version I put on your CD, Spike, is by Heart, possibly one of the most significant bands to be led by women--singer Ann Wilson and her sister, guitarist Nancy Wilson.
I chose the Heart version of this song because it's important for you to remember that women can rock just as well as men. Ann Wilson rips through this song with her incredible voice, while Nancy Wilson plays the guitar with sheer ferociousness.
Don't ever let anyone tell you that you can't do everything that boys can do. Remember, Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did--only she did it backwards and in high heels.
Monday, May 14, 2007
Friday, May 11, 2007
Songs for Spike, Part IV
Here are songs 16-20 (for songs 1-15, see earlier posts below).
16. Mockingbird by Carly Simon (with James Taylor). This song was written by Inez and Charlie Foxx, a rhythm and blues duo.
Now, everybody have you heard
He's gonna buy me a mockingbird
And if that mockingbird won't sing
He's gonna buy me a diamond ring
My theory about why this song is on your CD is a little complicated, Spike. Here's the thing--before I met your daddy, I was married to someone else. I got married at 22 and divorced at 27. While I was married to that man, we listened to a lot of James Taylor--he was "our" singer. After my first husband left, I banned James Taylor's music from my home because it brought back so many painful and sad feelings for me.
Since that divorce, I have had a very happy life. If I hadn't had that awful experience, I wouldn't have gotten the courage to move to L.A., start my new life, meet your daddy, and get to be pregnant with you. So that's a very, very good thing.
So what does that have to do with Mockingbird? Well, Carly Simon sings this with James Taylor. A guy I had previously banned from my home. And while I wasn't thinking about it when I chose the song--I thought I chose it because it sounded sweet--I think that I subconsciously chose a song with James Taylor on it to make a statement to myself--that, while I can never let go of the past, I can accept it and even make it a part of my future.
17. Music by Madonna. No deep meaning behind this song. I just want you to love music, to have it in your life everyday, and to always want to dance!
Don’t think of yesterday
And I don’t look at the clock
I like to boogie-woogie
It’s like riding on the wind and it never goes away
Touches everything I’m in
Got to have it everyday
Music makes the people come together
18. Only You by Yaz.
All I needed was the love you gave
All I needed for another day
And all I ever knew
Only you
I suspect this song is really a downer, but I do love that chorus.
19. Our House by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. Ok, here's the thing--everyday life is rarely like it is in this song. And if it is, it's probably too good to be true. But I'll tell you something, Spike--if you don't dream it then you'll never live it. And, even if all you get are a few fleeting moments, they are wonderful.
I'll light the fire, you put the flowers in the vase that you bought today
Staring at the fire for hours and hours while I listen to you
Play your love songs all night long for me, only for me
Come to me now and rest your head for just five minutes, everything is good
Such a cozy room, the windows are illuminated by the
Sunshine through them, fiery gems for you, only for you
Our house is a very, very fine house with two cats in the yard, life used to be so hard
Now everything is easy cause of you
Your daddy wouldn't consider himself a romantic, but I must tell you that he does bring me flowers for no reason, which I adore more than getting them on any kind of holiday. And resting my head on his shoulder is like heaven to me. I wish that for you, Spike--in every part of your life. Lots of love and comfort should fill your life.
20. Peg by Steely Dan. Much like I'm Coming Out (#13), I can imagine singing this song on the day you are born.
I've seen your picture
Your name in lights above it
This is your big debut
It's like a dream come true
And when you smile for the camera
I know they're gonna love it
Oh, I cannot wait to meet you, Spike!!!!!!!
16. Mockingbird by Carly Simon (with James Taylor). This song was written by Inez and Charlie Foxx, a rhythm and blues duo.
Now, everybody have you heard
He's gonna buy me a mockingbird
And if that mockingbird won't sing
He's gonna buy me a diamond ring
My theory about why this song is on your CD is a little complicated, Spike. Here's the thing--before I met your daddy, I was married to someone else. I got married at 22 and divorced at 27. While I was married to that man, we listened to a lot of James Taylor--he was "our" singer. After my first husband left, I banned James Taylor's music from my home because it brought back so many painful and sad feelings for me.
Since that divorce, I have had a very happy life. If I hadn't had that awful experience, I wouldn't have gotten the courage to move to L.A., start my new life, meet your daddy, and get to be pregnant with you. So that's a very, very good thing.
So what does that have to do with Mockingbird? Well, Carly Simon sings this with James Taylor. A guy I had previously banned from my home. And while I wasn't thinking about it when I chose the song--I thought I chose it because it sounded sweet--I think that I subconsciously chose a song with James Taylor on it to make a statement to myself--that, while I can never let go of the past, I can accept it and even make it a part of my future.
17. Music by Madonna. No deep meaning behind this song. I just want you to love music, to have it in your life everyday, and to always want to dance!
Don’t think of yesterday
And I don’t look at the clock
I like to boogie-woogie
It’s like riding on the wind and it never goes away
Touches everything I’m in
Got to have it everyday
Music makes the people come together
18. Only You by Yaz.
All I needed was the love you gave
All I needed for another day
And all I ever knew
Only you
I suspect this song is really a downer, but I do love that chorus.
19. Our House by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. Ok, here's the thing--everyday life is rarely like it is in this song. And if it is, it's probably too good to be true. But I'll tell you something, Spike--if you don't dream it then you'll never live it. And, even if all you get are a few fleeting moments, they are wonderful.
I'll light the fire, you put the flowers in the vase that you bought today
Staring at the fire for hours and hours while I listen to you
Play your love songs all night long for me, only for me
Come to me now and rest your head for just five minutes, everything is good
Such a cozy room, the windows are illuminated by the
Sunshine through them, fiery gems for you, only for you
Our house is a very, very fine house with two cats in the yard, life used to be so hard
Now everything is easy cause of you
Your daddy wouldn't consider himself a romantic, but I must tell you that he does bring me flowers for no reason, which I adore more than getting them on any kind of holiday. And resting my head on his shoulder is like heaven to me. I wish that for you, Spike--in every part of your life. Lots of love and comfort should fill your life.
20. Peg by Steely Dan. Much like I'm Coming Out (#13), I can imagine singing this song on the day you are born.
I've seen your picture
Your name in lights above it
This is your big debut
It's like a dream come true
And when you smile for the camera
I know they're gonna love it
Oh, I cannot wait to meet you, Spike!!!!!!!
Wednesday, May 9, 2007
Babycenter.com Update: Week 25
As you can see from the picture, I'm definitely growing. All is well this week. I'm going in for my glucose tolerance test next week. Fun!
Here's this week's update from www.babycenter.com:
How your baby's growing: Head to heels, your baby now measures about 13 1/2 inches. His weight — a pound and a half — doesn't sound like much, but he's beginning to exchange his long, lean look for some baby fat. As he does, his wrinkled skin will begin to smooth out and he'll start to look more and more like a newborn. His hair is probably recognizable now (in color and texture), although both may change after he's born.
Monday, May 7, 2007
Songs for Spike, Part III
I've been listening to my compilation CD for Spike a lot over the past week. I really like it, but I'm discovering that many of these songs are on this CD for reasons that have nothing to do with the songs, but rather with the way they have been woven into my own life.
Here are songs 11-15. (For songs 1-10, see posts below.)
11. Has Anyone Ever Written Anything for You by Stevie Nicks. First of all, Spike, I put the version of this song that was recorded at a concert in 2001. I bought the bootleg on EBay and discovered that you can actually hear Mommy shout, "We love you Stevie!" at the top of my lungs at one point during this song. (After Mommy yelled that, Stevie looked at her and smiled.) Yes, it's true--Mommy's a little nuts.
Here's the story behind this song, as told by Stevie herself. (This song was inspired by and written for Eagles' guitarist Joe Walsh.)
He seemed to be in a lot of pain, though he hid it well.
But finally, a few days later, (we were in Denver), he rented a jeep and drove me up into the snow covered hills of Colorado... for about two hours... He wouldn't tell me where we were going... but he did tell me a story of a little daughter that he had lost.
I guess I had been complaining about a lot of things going on on the road, and he decided to make me aware of how unimportant my problems were, if they were compared to worse sorrows. So he told me that he had taken his little girl to this magic park whenever he could, and the only thing she EVER complained about was that she was too little to reach up to the drinking fountain.
As we drove up to this beautiful park, (it was snowing a little bit), he came around to open my door and help me down, and when I looked up and saw the park... his baby's park, and I burst into tears saying, 'You built a drinking fountain here for her... didn't you?' I was right, under a huge beautiful hanging tree, was a tiny silver drinking fountain... I left Joe to get to it, and on it, it said, 'dedicated to HER and all others who were too small to get a drink.'
So he wrote a song for her [Emma's Song] and I wrote a song for him... 'This is your song...' I said... to the people... but it was Joe's song. Thank you, Joe, for the most committed song I ever wrote... But more than that, thank you for inspiring me in so many ways. Nothing in my life ever seems as dark anymore since we took that drive.
I guess I put this song on the CD because I hope you'll always be able to find perspective even when times are tough. And I want you to know that I'll ALWAYS help you reach the drinking fountain. Always.
12. Haven't Got Time for the Pain by Carly Simon. These lyrics speak to the difficult and triumphant journey that your daddy and I have been on for more than two years.
All those crazy nights when I cried myself to sleep
Now melodrama never makes me weep anymore
'Cause I haven't got time for the pain
I haven't got room for the pain
I haven't the need for the pain
Not since I've known you
13. I'm Coming Out by Diana Ross. Okay, this makes me laugh, but I have this vision of being in the delivery room, and they plop you on my stomach and say, "Meet your daughter," and we lock eyes and you burst into song:
I'm coming out
I want the world to know
Got to let it show
Maybe it's just funny to me. But hey, it's my CD. :-)
14. Ice Cream by Sarah McLachlan. What a wonderful love song.
Your love is better than ice cream
Better than anything else that I've tried
And your love is better than ice cream
Everyone here know how to fight
And it's a long way down to the place where we started from
There's another verse about your love being better than chocolate. Now that's some SERIOUS love.
15. Lullaby by the Dixie Chicks. I talked about this song in an earlier post. I sing it to Spike most days. What a beautiful lullaby.
How long do you want to be loved
Is forever enough, is forever enough
How long do you want to be loved
Is forever enough
Cause I'm never, never giving you up
Here are songs 11-15. (For songs 1-10, see posts below.)
11. Has Anyone Ever Written Anything for You by Stevie Nicks. First of all, Spike, I put the version of this song that was recorded at a concert in 2001. I bought the bootleg on EBay and discovered that you can actually hear Mommy shout, "We love you Stevie!" at the top of my lungs at one point during this song. (After Mommy yelled that, Stevie looked at her and smiled.) Yes, it's true--Mommy's a little nuts.
Here's the story behind this song, as told by Stevie herself. (This song was inspired by and written for Eagles' guitarist Joe Walsh.)
He seemed to be in a lot of pain, though he hid it well.
But finally, a few days later, (we were in Denver), he rented a jeep and drove me up into the snow covered hills of Colorado... for about two hours... He wouldn't tell me where we were going... but he did tell me a story of a little daughter that he had lost.
I guess I had been complaining about a lot of things going on on the road, and he decided to make me aware of how unimportant my problems were, if they were compared to worse sorrows. So he told me that he had taken his little girl to this magic park whenever he could, and the only thing she EVER complained about was that she was too little to reach up to the drinking fountain.
As we drove up to this beautiful park, (it was snowing a little bit), he came around to open my door and help me down, and when I looked up and saw the park... his baby's park, and I burst into tears saying, 'You built a drinking fountain here for her... didn't you?' I was right, under a huge beautiful hanging tree, was a tiny silver drinking fountain... I left Joe to get to it, and on it, it said, 'dedicated to HER and all others who were too small to get a drink.'
So he wrote a song for her [Emma's Song] and I wrote a song for him... 'This is your song...' I said... to the people... but it was Joe's song. Thank you, Joe, for the most committed song I ever wrote... But more than that, thank you for inspiring me in so many ways. Nothing in my life ever seems as dark anymore since we took that drive.
I guess I put this song on the CD because I hope you'll always be able to find perspective even when times are tough. And I want you to know that I'll ALWAYS help you reach the drinking fountain. Always.
12. Haven't Got Time for the Pain by Carly Simon. These lyrics speak to the difficult and triumphant journey that your daddy and I have been on for more than two years.
All those crazy nights when I cried myself to sleep
Now melodrama never makes me weep anymore
'Cause I haven't got time for the pain
I haven't got room for the pain
I haven't the need for the pain
Not since I've known you
13. I'm Coming Out by Diana Ross. Okay, this makes me laugh, but I have this vision of being in the delivery room, and they plop you on my stomach and say, "Meet your daughter," and we lock eyes and you burst into song:
I'm coming out
I want the world to know
Got to let it show
Maybe it's just funny to me. But hey, it's my CD. :-)
14. Ice Cream by Sarah McLachlan. What a wonderful love song.
Your love is better than ice cream
Better than anything else that I've tried
And your love is better than ice cream
Everyone here know how to fight
And it's a long way down to the place where we started from
There's another verse about your love being better than chocolate. Now that's some SERIOUS love.
15. Lullaby by the Dixie Chicks. I talked about this song in an earlier post. I sing it to Spike most days. What a beautiful lullaby.
How long do you want to be loved
Is forever enough, is forever enough
How long do you want to be loved
Is forever enough
Cause I'm never, never giving you up
Thursday, May 3, 2007
Songs for Spike, Part II
(Okay, no more lunch blogging explanations--if it's lunchtime, it's lunchtime!)
Here are more songs from the compilation CD I made for Spike. (For the first post, click here.)
6. Dreamboat Annie, by Heart. This song sounds like a lullaby to me. "Heading out this morning into the sun. Riding on the diamond waves, little darlin' one." Ultimately, it's not, but it has a gentle tone that I love.
7. Emotions in Motion by Billy Squier. I have no idea why I picked this one. First I thought it was because my emotions are in CONSTANT motion these days. As I look at the lyrics, though, I think the song is about drug addiction. So never mind. So, Spike, let's just say I put it on here because Billy Squier is a classic '80s artist. (And maybe, when you're older, I'll explain the lyrics to another classic Squier song, The Stroke. Or not.)
8. Everyday is a Winding Road by Sheryl Crow.
"Everyday is a winding road
I get a little bit closer
Everyday is a faded sign
I get a little bit closer to feeling fine"
This song is catchy and peppy. And a reminder that life is a journey--so enjoy the road trip.
9. Everyone by Van Morrison. A very happy song.
"By the winding stream we shall lie and dream
We'll make dreams come true if we want them to
Yes all will come play the pipes and drum
Sing a happy song and we'll sing along"
10. Glad Tidings by Van Morrison. There are three Van Morrison songs on this list.
"And they'll talk to you while you're in trances
And you'll visualize not taking any chances
But meet them halfway with love, peace and persuasion
And expect them to rise for the occasion"
So, baby girl, don't take any crap. And think positively. That whole "smile and the world smiles with you" thing has some truth to it.
Here are more songs from the compilation CD I made for Spike. (For the first post, click here.)
6. Dreamboat Annie, by Heart. This song sounds like a lullaby to me. "Heading out this morning into the sun. Riding on the diamond waves, little darlin' one." Ultimately, it's not, but it has a gentle tone that I love.
7. Emotions in Motion by Billy Squier. I have no idea why I picked this one. First I thought it was because my emotions are in CONSTANT motion these days. As I look at the lyrics, though, I think the song is about drug addiction. So never mind. So, Spike, let's just say I put it on here because Billy Squier is a classic '80s artist. (And maybe, when you're older, I'll explain the lyrics to another classic Squier song, The Stroke. Or not.)
8. Everyday is a Winding Road by Sheryl Crow.
"Everyday is a winding road
I get a little bit closer
Everyday is a faded sign
I get a little bit closer to feeling fine"
This song is catchy and peppy. And a reminder that life is a journey--so enjoy the road trip.
9. Everyone by Van Morrison. A very happy song.
"By the winding stream we shall lie and dream
We'll make dreams come true if we want them to
Yes all will come play the pipes and drum
Sing a happy song and we'll sing along"
10. Glad Tidings by Van Morrison. There are three Van Morrison songs on this list.
"And they'll talk to you while you're in trances
And you'll visualize not taking any chances
But meet them halfway with love, peace and persuasion
And expect them to rise for the occasion"
So, baby girl, don't take any crap. And think positively. That whole "smile and the world smiles with you" thing has some truth to it.
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
Babycenter.com Update: Week 24
I just got home from my doctor's appointment. Everything looks good--the heartbeat sounds wonderful and the baby's growth appears to be right on target. My blood pressure is still low, too--something like 102 over 70.
Here's this week's update from www.babycenter.com:
How your baby's growing: Your baby's growing steadily, gaining about a quarter of a pound since last week, when she was just over a pound. Since she's almost a foot long, that makes a pretty lean figure, but her body is filling out proportionally and she'll soon put on more baby fat. Your baby's skin is thin, translucent, and wrinkled, her brain is growing rapidly, and her taste buds are developing. Her lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" and cells that produce surfactant, a substance that helps the air sacs inflate easily.
Here's this week's update from www.babycenter.com:
How your baby's growing: Your baby's growing steadily, gaining about a quarter of a pound since last week, when she was just over a pound. Since she's almost a foot long, that makes a pretty lean figure, but her body is filling out proportionally and she'll soon put on more baby fat. Your baby's skin is thin, translucent, and wrinkled, her brain is growing rapidly, and her taste buds are developing. Her lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" and cells that produce surfactant, a substance that helps the air sacs inflate easily.
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
Songs for Spike, Part I
(Yes, I'm blogging at lunch again...)
Dear Spike,
As you'll learn very soon, Mommy loves music a whole, whole lot. There was even a time when she thought about pursuing music as a career. Now though, her most enjoyable connection to music is singing in the car--another thing you'll learn very soon (and it will embarrass you later in life).
Mommy (why am I writing this in the third person?) was going through her music collection last week and decided to create a "mix CD" of songs in honor of your life. So, I thought I'd explain why I picked each song on the 2-CD set. This may take awhile, because there are 32 songs. So let's just cover a few here and get to others later.
These are in track order, but in no particular chosen order:
1. Anticipation by Carly Simon. There are two lines in this song that really inspire me (back to first person!). "We may never know about the days to come--but we think about them anyway" and "These are the good old days." Carly Simon wrote this song while she was anxiously waiting for her date (singer Cat Stevens) to arrive one night.
We may not know what's coming around the corner, but as far as I'm concerned, I'm holding every memory of this pregnancy in my heart. You are my good old days--now and always.
2. At Last by Stevie Nicks. The most famous version of this song was done by Etta James.
"At last, my love has come along
My lonely days are over
And life is like a song
Oh, yeah, at last
The skies above are blue
My heart was wrapped up in clovers
The night I looked at you
I found a dream that I could speak to
A dream that I can call my own
I found a thrill to rest my cheek to
A thrill that I have never known
Oh, yeah when you smile, you smile
Oh, and then the spell was cast
And here we are in heaven
For you are mine"
I can't wait to hold you close and sing this song to you, baby girl.
3. Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy) by John Lennon. This is a love song from John Lennon to his son, Sean. I know you are a girl and not a boy, but I love the sentiment behind the song.
4. Closer to Fine by the Indigo Girls. I chose this song because I adore the Indigo Girls, and this is one of their best-known songs. The harmonies are fantastic. No other reason for including it!
5. Crazy Love by Van Morrison. "I can hear her heart beat for a thousand miles. And the heavens open every time she smiles." One of the greatest love songs ever written.
Talk to you in part 2!
Dear Spike,
As you'll learn very soon, Mommy loves music a whole, whole lot. There was even a time when she thought about pursuing music as a career. Now though, her most enjoyable connection to music is singing in the car--another thing you'll learn very soon (and it will embarrass you later in life).
Mommy (why am I writing this in the third person?) was going through her music collection last week and decided to create a "mix CD" of songs in honor of your life. So, I thought I'd explain why I picked each song on the 2-CD set. This may take awhile, because there are 32 songs. So let's just cover a few here and get to others later.
These are in track order, but in no particular chosen order:
1. Anticipation by Carly Simon. There are two lines in this song that really inspire me (back to first person!). "We may never know about the days to come--but we think about them anyway" and "These are the good old days." Carly Simon wrote this song while she was anxiously waiting for her date (singer Cat Stevens) to arrive one night.
We may not know what's coming around the corner, but as far as I'm concerned, I'm holding every memory of this pregnancy in my heart. You are my good old days--now and always.
2. At Last by Stevie Nicks. The most famous version of this song was done by Etta James.
"At last, my love has come along
My lonely days are over
And life is like a song
Oh, yeah, at last
The skies above are blue
My heart was wrapped up in clovers
The night I looked at you
I found a dream that I could speak to
A dream that I can call my own
I found a thrill to rest my cheek to
A thrill that I have never known
Oh, yeah when you smile, you smile
Oh, and then the spell was cast
And here we are in heaven
For you are mine"
I can't wait to hold you close and sing this song to you, baby girl.
3. Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy) by John Lennon. This is a love song from John Lennon to his son, Sean. I know you are a girl and not a boy, but I love the sentiment behind the song.
4. Closer to Fine by the Indigo Girls. I chose this song because I adore the Indigo Girls, and this is one of their best-known songs. The harmonies are fantastic. No other reason for including it!
5. Crazy Love by Van Morrison. "I can hear her heart beat for a thousand miles. And the heavens open every time she smiles." One of the greatest love songs ever written.
Talk to you in part 2!
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