Song of the Day - Hush, Hush, Hush

Hush Hush Hush was a song written in 1995 by Paula Cole.  It was on her "This Fire,"  album.  It was always hauntingly beautiful.  It always reminded me of winter and as I took it and made it a personal soundtrack with a different it wasn't until looking beyond myself that I was able to listen exactly to what she was saying.  


At first I thought it was about gay man who comes out "late in life,"  realizing he has missed so many chances to be himself.  It wasn't till later that I realized rather than being a deeper meaning all the time, it was right in front of my eyes; it's about a young man dying of aids.  


I've heard a couple of stories like this, especially from some of my older friends who lived through during the 1980's, finding a new and fearless sexual liberation then succumbing to a then new and relatively unknown epidemic.  In between the sexually promiscuous, were many who just wanted to finally feel what they have never felt, what was to them the right kind of love; only to all in one shot be diagnosed and die within weeks.  That was the reality.  Just talk to someone who lived through it, someone whose family would keep their distance because of the ignorance.  


I remember watching news reports when I was younger, I attribute that to my father, an emigrant who left his country at 16, had three kids before he was my current age and with a high school education level.  I would watch the news with him and without him.  Without him I would see news reports on AIDS.  Come to think of it, if you were born by 1980 your life was affected by aids because it was everywhere; it's like a pestering cousin, sibling, icon, trend, system of government, etc...


It's something to think about, especially in an affluent developed western country, where the virus that causes AIDS is now more a luxury than the epidemic that it is in Africa and most underdeveloped countries.  Why?   What would gay people from the 1980's say to the gay people of today?  Would we all get along?  Hush, Hush, Hush.





Long white arms
Losing their strength and form
Sixty year man on twenty year old skin
Skeleton, your eyes have lost their warmth
Look to your father for some support

CHORUS:

Hush hush hush

Says your daddy's touch
Sleep sleep sleep
Says the hundredth sheep
Peace peace peace
May you go in peace

Cruel joke you waited so long to show
The one that you wanted wasn't a girl
All your life you kept it hidden inside
Now when you step
You stumble
You die

Chorus

Oh maybe next time
You'll be Henry the 8th
Wake up tomorrow, alexander the great
Open your eyes in a new life again
Oh maybe next time
You'll be given a chance

Hush hush hush
Hush...

Song of the Day - Try Again

Memories!  Awe Aaliyah.  Imagine what she would have done.  It will be 10 years on the 25th. since she passed away.

this song has been in my head all morning.  This and "Walking on Broken Glass," by Annie Lennox.  I chose to share this one; this one is happier and more motivating.

:)

Training, working, editing DMW and the practice of Tonglen

Yikes!  I've neglected my blog while I've been focusing on what was a rough week.  I am officially running the NYC marathon in November after 5 years of waiting :)

I'm thinking of dedicating each training day run to a runner who is no longer with us, or runners who cannot run....

I'm overworked and need a vacation but in due time....

The only thing that has been coming to mind recently is the Tibetan word "tonglen."  It is a word taught to me by Joan Halifax in 2006 which means giving or taking.  It's a breathing practice where you visualize yourself taking in the suffering of others when you inhale and on showering happiness and success on the exhale.    It's kinda like "out with the old in with the new,"  except it's more "in with the bad, out with the good."

Song of the Day - Elephants

 A little pain today with Rachael Yamagata

SOng of the day - incoMplEte

I've always felt a closeness with Alanis I think because she is a Gemini.  Whenever I'm down I listen to her, whenever I'm happy I listen to her and it's almost like she's been through something and she knows how to articulate it well.  I rarely find myself saying, "This songs about me!"  but sometimes with Alanis you feel that way.  If she's been through a break up, you're damn right you're going to feel it in her music, all the crazy emotions, etc...  

I love her and I think the gift of Alanis that a lot of consumers will never get is that we had the privilege of watching her artistically grow in front of our eyes and that's when people stopped listening.  They preferred her to be as miserable as she sounded on her first album; almost like it makes people happier to know someone else is just as or if not more miserable than you are.  

This song is so good.  I won't say more as she can say it better, I can only offer an interpreation

My Muse for today

Today was brought to you by David and Goliath :-)

Always a fascinating story.  I remember being afraid of it when I was a kid.  

Song of the Day - Tell Me This Night is Over

I have a very special place with this group, especially this song.  I was introduced to The Ark in 2002 by the late Dino de Laurentis' nephew, Edoardo.

Edoardo De Laurentis kicked sand in
in my roomate's face while at the
Jersey Shore...lol

He came to the states to study film in Princeton and the NJ Film Commission hooked us up.  He was such a blast and had good taste in music but he was such a pain in the ass, lol.  Keep in mind this was 2002.  He must have been 18 or 19.  Also keep in mind he was Dino's nephew...Dino produced some of Hollywood's biggest movies.

I barely kept in touch with Edo and not sure if he would remember me but I did continue to follow The Ark and their music.  Fun, but dark most times.   The lead singer, as a friend points out is "very androgynous...I don't trust androgynous people...lol"  Either way his lyrics are moving.  If you haven't heard of them and you like glam rock / intelligent pop / ballads check them out.  They've been around for a minute, but of course, they are not as marketable as Adam Lambert would take more credit.

Tell Me This Night Is Over, sticks out today, it popped into my head.  I used to feel this way a lot in my mid-20's:

"I hope that someone's gonna come and tell me this night is over, cause I wanna start living my life before I get much older."

In true moments of despair it was an anthem.  I can remember feeling stuck somewhere and knowing you could do more if more was available or presented itself.  It's funny cause I never knew they made a video for it.  I'm glad they did