July 31, 2023 (Song #2039): T-3*:  Speaking of the Carpenters… “For All We Know”* sung by the Carpenters and written in 1970 by Fred Karlin, Robb Wilson (Robb Royer) and Arthur James (Jimmy Griffin). 

T-3 makes me realize how nuts it was to think that I could pick only 60 songs to celebrate my 60th birthday and that, of course, there are an infinite number of songs in the universe that can give me goosebumps (many of which I forget until I hear them again).  I am a little bit horrified to realize that I would have left the Carpenters out of my T-60 countdown altogether if their license plate at the Oakdale Theater hadn’t popped up in my memory while writing yesterday’s post.  Their records were on constant rotation in the Sherman living room at 10 Lone Pine Lane and I could’ve picked any one of their songs to highlight, but I chose this one because I love the instrumentation and the choral “la”s (and I haven’t featured it as a Sing Daily “Song of the Day” yet*).

In addition to all the songs and musicians I know I’ve left out, I am aware that there are also unborn and hidden songs that will give me brain joy once they enter my consciousness, which is why I love turning on the radio when I get in the car (I listen to WFUV 90.7 when I want something with lyrics and WSHU 90.1 when I’m in the mood for classical music).  I get a little thrill out of sensing my mood change as the first notes make their way out of the car stereo and into my brain.

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*Thanks to my Staples friend and fellow-Orphenian Robin Perry Rothman for requesting this song a few years ago; I was so happy to find it in my spreadsheet of 2500+ songs among the group of  650 songs that I haven’t posted yet. Thanks, Robin! Xo

P.S. Happy Belated Birthday to Alison Fisher and Amy Kateri Laurino who celebrated on Saturday. Xoxo

July 30, 2023 (Song #2038): T-4*:  “This Old Guitar” by John Denver. Tonight, at the end of the third day of our 9th Newport Folk Festival (which was amazing, again), I am celebrating live music.  

I remember, circa 1974, my parents telling me that they had a surprise for me.  We drove into New York City to Madison Square Garden and I distinctly remember walking in the cold cement bowels of the building, seeing cages with huge, gray elephants kicking around hay and looking very out-of-place. My only thought was “ew” and I started worrying that my parents’ “surprise” was a trip to the circus; I was not excited.

But then, suddenly, we were on the floor of Madison Square Garden and I remember noticing that people all around me were yelling the names of songs.  I was taught that you shouldn’t yell at performers – or anyone – in the middle of a concert, so I was confused.  But, then, I caught on and asked my parents if I could yell at John Denver, too. Sure, they said (of course) and helped me up on to my chair so I could yell “THIS OLD GUITAR!” at the top of my lungs over and over again, and, guess what, folks?!  HE PLAYED IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  

Can you imagine my joy at discovering the power of just asking for what you want?!   

Our next concert was the Carpenters at Oakdale Theater and we got to see their car with the license plate: SING4U (I think?!)  I’m sure the concert was great, too (I mean, it was THE CARPENTERS!) but all I remember is their license plate.

Live music is an amazing experience, and one my friends and family and I try to enjoy as much as possible.  We go to the Newport Folk Festival and Tanglewood in the Berkshires every summer and try to see as many concerts during the fall, winter and spring as we can (one of our funniest memories is our kids when they were young yelling “MEXICO” at a James Taylor Concert along with a bunch of drunk 20-year old guys who were sitting nearby). Thanks, again, to my parents for lighting that flame. 

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July 29, 2023 (Song #2037): T-5*:  “Goose Snow Cone” by Aimee Mann. T-5 brings me to 2018, a year in which I listened to Aimee Mann’s album Mental Illness on repeat. This is by far my favorite song on the album.

Sorry: there is no lyric video for this song and I wasn’t able to make one today because I spent all day at the Newport Folk Festival, my favorite musical event of the year, where Aimee Mann performed live; she did not disappoint (even though she didn’t sing this one).  LYRICS & SONGFACTS APPLE MUSIC SPOTIFY 

July 27, 2023 (Song #2035): T-7*:  “Give Yourself To Love” by Kate Wolf. I’ve sung this song in many friends’ weddings; it’s a beaut.  Thanks to my dear friend, Jo Werther, who introduced me to the songs of Kate Wolf (though, when I heard them, I recognized her “Across the Great Divide” because I’d heard Nanci Griffith sing it). LYRICS APPLE MUSIC SPOTIFY

Happy Birthday to my funny, cute, kind, smart and generous cousin Craig Sherman, Colgate friends Susie Kincaid and Jenny Banks Murray and thinking of my wonderful grandmother Rose Klayman who was born on this day in 1911.  

July 26, 2023 (T-8*): “Someone To Watch Over Me” performed by Linda Ronstadt with the Nelson Riddle Orchestra from their 1983 album “What’s New?”. The song was written in 1926 by George Gershwin with lyrics by Ira Gershwin, assisted by Howard Dietz.

This is a perfect song to celebrate today’s birthday girl Molly Barreca, friend extraordinaire, and my mother-in-law, Vera Propp, who was born on this day. Peter’s mom was an incredible woman and we are so grateful that she watched over us and we miss her every day.  Both Molly and Vera found great guys to watch over them; for this we are also incredibly grateful. xoxo  SONG HISTORY LYRICS & CHORDS APPLE MUSIC SPOTIFY

T-8 brings me to celebrate the gorgeous voice of Linda Ronstadt.  I still can not believe her talent and have always wished I could sing like her; I remember being slightly comforted when I found out that she was trained as an opera singer (I was not, so, therefore, I could never sound like her, right?).  Growing up, I memorized and sang along to every song from “Heart Like A Wheel”, “Prisoner In Disguise” and “Hasten Down The Wind”.  In 1982, when she released “Get Closer”, Ann Wriedt & I learned every word and went to see her album tour.  When Peter and I met, we realized we both loved singing and playing Lowell George’s “Willin'” though he learned it from Little Feat and I learned it from Linda.   Watch the documentary about her life and incredible voice: “Linda Ronstadt: The Sound Of My Voice”.

July 25, 2023 (Song #2033): T-9*:  “Corner of the Sky” (no lyric video, but click on this link to sing along) and the whole soundtrack from Pippin.

When we were young, our parents took us to see many, many Broadway shows and we listened to tons of Broadway Original Cast recordings.  My response every time was (1) awe and (2) complete memorization of every word to every song.

This album was one of my faves, along with Godspell, Jesus Christ Superstar, Hair, The Wiz, Chorus Line, Annie (natch), They’re Playing Our Song, The Fantasticks, and many many more, including “Sweeney Todd” of which my parents bought a small share for each of us (which we no longer benefit from but for many years it was super cool to get the checks from “The Barber Company”. Get it?).  What a thrill to attend opening night in 1979 at the Uris Theater with Len Cariou and Angela Lansbury,  even though I didn’t come to appreciate Stephen Sondheim or Sweeney Todd until much later (at the time it Freaked. Me. Out.). I’m so grateful to have been given these amazing experiences; my parents’ generosity and kindness knows no bounds. Xoxo

July 24, 2023 (Song #2032): T-10*: “Solsbury Hill” by Peter Gabriel.

This song has always killed me. I first heard it in college when a classmate suggested we add it to our Senior end-of-the-year slideshow. In the ~40 years since then, it continues to bring me intense brain joy whenever I hear it. I hope you like it as much as I do.

Happy Birthday to Suzann Redding, Aleda Santos-Warren, Laura Nigris Anderson, Christine Theiss & Katherine Bruan (with love to you all from England). xoxoxoxo

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July 23, 2023 (Song #2031): T-11*: “Mirror of Life” and “Hand Me Back Down” written by Judy Shore Stone, my camp counselor and singer/songwriter/guitar hero and performed by JoJo, Jud and me. xoxo

P.S. Camp Pembroke figures strongly in my past with respect to music, plus I love and adore my friends.  My mom, Ruthie, and her sister, my Auntie Dee and Caroline and Natascha and Rose and Maya and Sadie have all experienced Camp Pembroke and we’re all forever changed by the impact it’s had on our lives. Thanks to the Eli & Bessie Cohen Foundation. 

July 22, 2023 (Song #2030): T-12*:  Celebrating The Roches (No lyric videos today, but click on “more” in the description below or this link to their website and you can sing along)

Listen to some of our faves….

“Hammond Song”, “Hallelujah Chorus”, “Losing True”, “Mr. Sellack”, “The Troubles” and everything else by The Roches.

P.S.  As some of you know, we have fallen in love with Ireland over the past 10 days; the beautiful scenery (the ragged, rolling hills, the jutting cliffs, the Wild Atlantic Way, the flora, the fauna and the brightly painted “tidy” towns), the warm, welcoming lodging and delicious food, the fun (and sometimes challenging) driving, the Guinness and Jameson, the music, the pubs, and,  even, the weather (cool and rainy with bursts of blue sky and sunshine).

We love to plug in our phones, enter our destination and turn on the music; the Roches’ “The Troubles”,“ led us into a fabulous Spotify playlist that accompanied us on our journey.

If you loved yesterday’s www.singdaily.com Song of the Daywww.singdaily.com Song of the Day as much as I do, then you’ll love hearing our friends Suzanne Sheridan and Bob Cooper (with their friend Joe Meo) sing the songs of Leonard Cohen on Sunday, August 6th at the VFW in Westport. Doors open at 12:00 for brunch and the music starts at 12:30.  (I won’t be singing along with them, but I’ll be there in spirit!). Check it out & purchase tickets

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