#SongoftheDay Log Driver's Waltz (Kate and Anna McGarrigle)

By
This classic NFB animated short popped into my YouTube feed, and I immediately watched it because I have not seen it since I was a child. Or... hmmm... it just occurred to me that I think a TV station used to play NFB shorts as interstitials between programs, but I can't remember which station and I can't remember when. I do seem to recall seeing this one as an adult, now that I think extra-hard about it, but it's been decades.

I didn't realize until right now that the McGarrigle sisters are singing this tune by Wade Hemsworth. So much to love about it. Why did I always think it was in French, though?


If you're wondering how you can support me in bringing you songs and anecdotes, the easiest thing you can do is buy my books (most are for adults only!) or check them out from your local library. 

See you soon!

Giselle


Popular posts from this blog

#SongoftheDay Broken Wings (Mr. Mister)

By
Image
 Now that I have a chronic upper GI condition (in addition to my 8 other chronic illnesses--not joking), I have to be mindful not only of what I eat, but of how much food I eat. The hardest part of this adjustment is allowing myself to NOT finish every scrap on my plate. I try to serve myself smaller portions, but I don't always get it right.  Sometimes I know I'm full or that if I continue eating I will be uncomfortable, but there's that shaming parental voice in my head telling me to clear my plate, don't waste food, all these lessons learned in childhood that taught me not to listen to my body.  My partner and I were talking about this recently because our granddaughter is being potty trained at the moment, and I said to my partner that potty training seems like the only instance in childhood where I was actually taught to listen to my body. I don't remember being potty trained, but I do remember being full and told to eat; I remember being sick and told I was fi...
Read More! »

#SongoftheDay Drink to Me Only With Thine Eyes (Paul Robeson)

By
Image
I've been falling asleep to an episode of Midsomer Murders called The Silent Land for the past... oh, three months? (I like repetition) and that episode begins with Joyce and Cully at a music concert of what Cully refers to as "all that folky stuff."  The song we hear performed is this one.  Cully doesn't like this music and she's squirming and rolling her eyes as the performer is singing. I don't buy that a professional actor would be so rude.  I used to work in a theatre, and the actors there are the people who taught me how to be a good audience member. When I say "good" I guess I actually mean "engaged" because the actors taught me to laugh and react, to give the performers on stage energy to work with.  So I don't buy a character who is supposed to be a stage actor being sullen and rude, even if she wasn't enjoying the show.  Anyway, that's my random episode of Midsomer Murders deep dive for the day. I chose Paul Robeson to...
Read More! »

#SongoftheDay Gently Johnny from The Wicker Man

By
Image
I finally watched the 1973 folk horror film The Wicker Man last week and it was not at all what I was expecting. I thought I was walking into a horror movie, and instead it felt like an episode of Heartbeat directed by David Lynch.  But I mean that as a compliment. I enjoyed the film and I will absolutely watch it again. The version I watched the director's cut, and I have subsequently discovered that this song, sung by Paul Giovanni who did the music for the film, did not appear in the original theatrical release. I'm glad it was shoved back in, because I love it. So atmospheric. If you're wondering how you can support me in bringing you songs and anecdotes, the easiest thing you can do is buy my books (most are for adults only!) or check them out from your local library.  See you soon! Giselle
Read More! »

#SongoftheDay The Band Played On (Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians)

By
Image
This song has been bopping around my head ever since I rewatched Strangers on a Train, which was actually even better than I remembered it. Nice when that happens. As for Guy Lombardo, his is a name I hear extremely frequently now that my partner has moved back to his hometown, which also happens to have been the hometown of the big band leader. He's got a bridge named after him. I had to do some digging to find out who the vocalist is. I believe we're listening to Kenny Gardner. If you're wondering how you can support me in bringing you songs and anecdotes, the easiest thing you can do is buy my books (most are for adults only!) or check them out from your local library.  See you soon! Giselle
Read More! »

#SongoftheDay Take Me Home (Phil Collins)

By
Image
I found this post in my drafts, obviously written back when my partner still had his house: I'm sitting in the backyard at my partner's place and a cardinal lands on our patio table, which is drenched because it's been raining all day. The cardinal has something in its beak. At first, I'm not sure what. Then it sets the thing down on the tabletop, and I can see that it's a moth. The cardinal plucks off the moth's wings one by one, and they flutter around before sticking to the wet glass table. Once the moth has no wings, the cardinal takes the moth-body in its beak and flies away. This song is playing on the radio.
Read More! »

#SongoftheDay Take a Letter, Maria (R.B. Greaves)

By
Image
This song has been stuck in my head for two weeks. No idea how it got there. I probably heard it at the supermarket. That's usually how the songs creep in. Last night I rewatched The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert again. Lo and behold, this song popped up. I felt like an old friend had appeared on screen.  If you're wondering how you can support me in bringing you songs and anecdotes, the easiest thing you can do is buy my books (most are for adults only!) or check them out from your local library.  See you soon! Giselle
Read More! »

#SongoftheDay Blue Skies (Ella Fitzgerald)

By
Image
My partner took me to see Death of a Salesman at Stratford for my birthday. I think it was one of those gifts that was actually for him, since I don't need any additional encouragement to feel massively depressed, but we'll set that aside because he bought me a delicious pizza afterwards. Anyway. The production used this tune throughout the performance. It was played on a trumpet, which happens to be the instrument I learned when I took band class in middle school. Have I ever told you that? I don't think I have. I was really good at it, too. If you're wondering how you can support me in bringing you songs and anecdotes, the easiest thing you can do is buy my books (most are for adults only!) or check them out from your local library.  See you soon! Giselle
Read More! »

#SongoftheDay Run With Us (Lisa Loughead)

By
Image
A couple weeks ago I thought I had the theme song from the 80s cartoon The Raccoons stuck in my head. I was kind of right and kind of wrong, because this was actually the outro music. But I think most of us would still consider it the theme song, right? And, let me say: this song is a banger. I didn't take it for granted, watching The Raccoons as a kid. I knew this song was amazing. Gave me goosebumps.     If you're wondering how you can support me in bringing you songs and anecdotes, the easiest thing you can do is buy my books (most are for adults only!) or check them out from your local library.  See you soon! Giselle
Read More! »

#SongoftheDay Our Love Will See Us Through (Nina Simone)

By
Image
I heard this song on a TV show and it made me very emotional. My partner accompanied me to a medical appointment last week. It was the first time he'd done that. It was the first time anyone had. It was an appointment with a specialist, and it ended up lasting almost two hours. I knew I'd need his help taking notes, and also just remembering things. The chronic illness I have causes memory problems and cognitive impairments at times, and I can never predict when those times will be, exactly. So my partner came along (in fact he drove me there, which made me feel incredibly cared for. We usually take the subway to our medical appointments) and after the appointment he gave me chocolates he had bought for me in advance. I was so moved, and then I remembered the times I bought him teddy bears (he loves teddy bears) to give to him after his biopsies when his oncology team was trying to locate where, precisely, his cancer lived. I kept thanking him over and over, and he said I di...
Read More! »

#SongoftheDay Here's That Rainy Day (Wes Montgomery)

By
Image
 I was raised to be frugal, and it worked. All my life, I've been frugal beyond frugal--you could call me "cheap," even.  It would be true. I was taught to save for a rainy day, and that's what I've always done.  My annual earnings are low (consistently well below the poverty line) to the point that my tax accountant thinks I'm hiding something from him.  I'm not. But he gives me deep discounts because he says I can't afford him. He's right.   At least I can claim his services... on my taxes. But I didn't come here to talk about taxes.  I came here to talk about rainy days. When I started saving, I thought I would one day buy a house. Well, now I'm middle-aged and there are parking spots in Toronto I still couldn't afford. I realized long ago that my savings were there for that day when everything fell apart. Then Covid struck, and I realized the rainy day was here--only, it wasn't my rainy day.  I'm one of the lucky ones. I alr...
Read More! »