Wiggly Days

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqA8HaJ68P0

"Cleo" by Built to Spill

Wiggly days wiggly nights
When it's dark bring in lights so you can see
What a sound straight through my spine
Bounced off me
Makes me round
3-D sound
Push it down move it around, see I'm fine
Ain't it strange that I can dream
(You can say it's night or day
Snow or rain it's all the same)
When there's nothing I have ever seen
(In here, In here)
Ain't it strange that I can dream
(You can say it's night or day
Snow or rain it's all the same)
Ain't it strange that I have brain activity
(In here, In here)

Who brought those cameras in
Who gave who the right
Inside a sea turned from frog to freak
(Linnart Nilson shut off those lights)
To tiny, red, and meek
Strange that I'm a human being
Ain't it strange that I can dream
(You can say it's night or day
Snow or rain it's all the same)
Aint' it strange that I'm a human being
(In here, In here)
Ain't it strange that I can dream
(You can say it's night or day
Snow or rain it's all the same)
Living in the womb
Running out of room
Have to come out soon
Have to meet the sun and moon and

My husband and I had a really fun time creating this video for Lilah. Looking forward to showing her when she's old enough to realize this is her journey!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqA8HaJ68P0

Chance Encounters.

I love a WIDE RANGE of music. Literally, my iPod has songs from Neil Young to Lady Gaga, from Bon Iver to Lil Wayne...but as far as inspiration goes...there are a few bands that stick out to me as favorites. 

If you've never seen this video clip of The Flaming Lips and Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes, I would suggest you check it out. (For a better idea of who he is as a person, and why he inspires me, fast-forward to 08:12...though if you have the attention span, you really ought to watch the clip in its' entirety!) Both of these bands I really admire, but The Flaming Lips I've admired for much longer. My love for Wayne Coyne and The Flaming Lips started with Yoshimi and grew deeper while I lived in Oklahoma for five years. I lived there when "Do You Realize" was named the official rock song of Oklahoma by over 20000 votes! It beat contenders "Endless Oklahoma Sky," "Never Been to Spain," and "Oklahoma," which all included references to the state. I know that the Flaming Lips took the win because of their love and loyalty to the state of Oklahoma. Wayne Coyne grew up in Norman (one amazing town!!!!) and almost lost his life working in OKC at gunpoint! He formed his band, The Flaming Lips, in Norman, in 1983. He still lives there today.

Tonight I met Wayne Coyne. I haven't felt this starstruck in a while. I never dreamed I would meet the man in person! I've seen him in concert a few times...but tonight, speaking with him, getting my picture with him, and having him autograph the back of a Lush receipt...I felt pretty darn lucky. Fluke! Coincidence! But entirely AWESOME!!!!

I thought I was lucky to have been this close to him in 2006 at Austin City Limits. We waited for about 3 hours to save a spot near the front, hoping to touch his human-hamster ball!

This was at the same 2006 show, my first time to see The Flaming Lips, with George and Cade. 

And THIS, ladies and gents, is me with Wayne Coyne TONIGHT, at North Park Mall. He was sitting on a bench with a woman near a restaurant in the mall, and I whispered to my mom and sister, "That's Wayne Coyne. I think. It's gotta be. That hair! That's gotta be him. I'm going to ask him." I got a pen, back of a receipt, and camera phone out and ready. After the woman walked in the restaurant, I approached him. "Mr. Coyne?" I asked..."Yes, hi there." He was smiling. Warm and friendly, just as I'd hoped and expected. "I'm a huge fan, and my fiance is too. You've really inspired him musically, and I was wondering if you could sign an autograph for him, and take a picture with me?" He answered "Of course!" then asked what I was doing here (I'd also mentioned living in Norman). He said HE LIKED IT HERE! (Way to make him feel welcomed, Texans!). And after I left, about 5 seconds post-picture, my hand was still shaking. Talk about being at the RIGHT PLACE at the RIGHT TIME!!!!

I had him autograph the receipt for George. Because first of all, I'm an awesome fiance, and secondly, George was the one who told me about the band to begin with. It's only fair.

I also had the opportunity to meet Ingrid Michaelson while living in Oklahoma. In short, she was doing a live radio show one morning, and the doctor I was working under had done some advertising with the radio station. He pulled me out of work, and the two of us went to the radio station and enjoyed a live, acoustic set, with Ingrid Michaelson and a back-up singer. We were two of six people in the room. It was AWESOME. She was very down to earth, somewhat reserved and quiet, and kind. It was really incredible seeing her in casual clothing, with little to no make-up.

She played "Maybe," one of my favorites

Lastly, I had a great encounter with Doug Martsch and Jim Roth from Built to Spill. Twice. Built to Spill goes down as a top-five favorite band of ALL TIME for me. One of my favorite songs ever, "Car," I even mentioned in an old blogpost about lyrics that have inspired me. George had met them years prior to us dating in Texas, and hung out with them after a set in DFW. When George drove up to Oklahoma for a BTS show in 2008 (I think?), we waited after the performance, and he made eye contact with Jim Roth. Lucky for us, he remembered George, and invited him out to the bus to catch up. I don't know how George scores these cool points, but he seriously does. When they came back to Dallas last year, same thing! So I got to be on the bus with Built to Spill in both Oklahoma AND Texas! And what did I learn while hanging out with them? That Doug Martsch has a maltese! I kid, I kid. We had awesome conversation, actually. But I totally remember Doug talking about his little white pup and relating to him in a way that I never thought I could! 

Jim Roth, Me, Doug Martsch.

I have been really lucky! I feel like I'm on Cloud 9 tonight!!!! Thanks to Wayne Coyne for making me feel special for those 60 seconds, and thanks to the Universe for putting me in the right place at the right time, on multiple occasions!!!!!

Listening to Lyrics

I love a good melody, but sometimes, the lyrics in a song get my mind a-thinkin'. And sometimes, I feel inspired and want to share them. Lovin' the new blog addiction for this VERY REASON!!! SO I thought, I'll gradually (so as not to bombard and overwhelm) update with a new post including some of my favorite lyrics. 

Sometimes I like the vague lyrics that leave interpretation up to the listener.

Sometimes I like the lyrics that say it so crystal clear you have a vivid image that sticks with you.

Sidenote: If you are a lyrics-junkie also, you might enjoy this website: www.songmeanings.net because not only does it list the lyrics, it allows anybody to post their interpretation of the lyrics. I have used this website to obtain my lyrics and give me different perspectives many-a-times!

I have some all-time favorite lyrics, and these are a few. I realize you have to practically be a rocket scientist to learn how to comment on this thing, so feel free to message me on Facebook and let me know if any of these speak to you, or if you have any of your own! I'd be happy to upload more.

"A Case of You"

Joni Mitchell

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QZioxCg20I

I remember that time you told me you said

"Love is touching souls"
Surely you touched mine
'Cause part of you pours out of me
In these lines from time to time
Oh, you're in my blood like holy wine
You taste so bitter and so sweet

Oh I could drink a case of you darling
And I would still be on my feet
I would still be on my feet

I particularly love Joni Mitchell's emotive voice. When she sings, I feel what she's singing. And I also love how based on the title alone, you'd think this song is about typical love-sick, "I gotta case of puppy love" cliche type crap! But Joni.....she twists the words around to speak about the intoxicating feeling love can give. The ups and downs/bitter and sweet. But she can handle it. She'd "still be on her feet." Ahh! Greatness!

"Skinny Love"

Bon Iver

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssdgFoHLwnk

Come on skinny love just last the year

Pour a little salt we were never here
My, my, my, my, my, my, my, my
Staring at the sink of blood and crushed veneer

I tell my love to wreck it all
Cut out all the ropes and let me fall
My, my, my, my, my, my, my, my
Right in the moment this order's tall

And I told you to be patient
And I told you to be fine
And I told you to be balanced
And I told you to be kind
And in the morning I'll be with you
But it will be a different kind
And I'll be holding all the tickets 
And you'll be owning all the fines

And here we are at my favorite winter-song. I could listen to this song on repeat and never get sick of it. Another great example of emotion coming through his voice. I wanted to post ALL of the lyrics but didn't want to get long-winded. I think the "skinny love" represents a helpless, vulnerable, barely-surviving kind of relationship. And both parties are just begging for it to last a year. Like if there is a goal in mind, it can be achieved. There are multiple interpretations of these words, but my personal take on "pour a little salt," is the visual of pouring salt on snow/ice to have it melt and go away-as if it were never there. I have no idea what Justin Vernon (songwriter/singer) was meaning when he says, "staring at the sink of blood and crushed veneer" but it gives me the visual of an argument that got physical between a couple. I think cutting the ropes represents either giving it YOUR ALL or completely setting yourself FREE of that other person. It's better to be alone than to be strung along. I think both parties know they will be broken up, hence the "it will be a different kind," and I think the tickets/fines reference is that the "girl" in this relationship pushed all of the guilt/fault onto him, and so he might have the metaphorical "tickets" but in his mind, she is just as responsible for the demise of this love. If you haven't downloaded this song, you should, but it is kind of emo, so there is my disclaimer. Oh well, I can't help but love it. 

"Car"

Built to Spill

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6omZ5GsuGrI

You get the car
I'll get the night off
You'll get the chance to take the world apart and figure out how it works
Don't let me know what you find out

I need a car
You need a guide
Who needs a map
If I don't die or worse I'm gonna need a nap
at best I'll be asleep when you get back

I wanna see it when you find out what comets, stars and moons are all about
I wanna see their faces turn to backs of heads and slowly get smaller
I wanna see it now 

I want specifics on the general idea
I wanna think what I should know
I want you to do me what to show
I wanna see movies of my dreams
I wanna see movies of my dreams
I wanna see movies of my dreams
I wanna see movies of my dreams
I wanna see it when you get stoned on a cloudy breezy desert afternoon
I wanna see it untame itself and break its owner
I wanna see it now
I wanna see it now 

And one of my all time favorite songs EVER!!!!! This song (and this band) pulled me THROUGH some of my toughest times when George and I were broken up. I felt like this song was written about us, but I know it applies to any couple going through self-exploration and needing independence and self-sufficiency. In the first stanza, "Don't let me know what you find out," says it all. They need to learn more about themselves and the world, but can't tell eachother the answers. They can't tell eachother about comets/stars/moons; but they want to SEE IT when the other one finds out for themselves. The last stanza, I think, is poetic genius. Doug Martsch (singer/songwriter) twists the lyrics to confuse the audience while making a point. I feel like saying what these words mean to me almost cheapens the lyrics. But re-read them a few times, and think about what it means to you. Plus, who doesn't want to see movies of their dreams?! The part about getting stoned I think is more about capturing a feeling of "no rules/no longer black and white/liberation" not so much about physically smoking pot. I think it's about encouraging the other to let go of inhibitions and "untame itself/break its owner..." Figuring out life independently, and coming back to one another as two individuals. That's what the song means to ME, anyway! I'm curious to hear what it means to other people. The melody is so pleasing to my ears that even without lyrics I'd love this song. But the lyrics just DO it for me! Ahh! Doug Martsch, you rock my world. One of my other all time favorite song lyrics is a BTS song that I will save for another post.....

I really love the lyrics to, "Liar" (BTS), "When You Come Back Down" (Nickel Creek), "The General" (Dispatch), and "Sky Blue and Black" (Jackson Browne). Just 4 more of about 40 million. Music does such a great job of really putting me back in a certain time period/phase/emotion. Even the song, "Crazy" by KCi and JoJo evokes feelings of my first "love," in 8th grade. Thank GOD for these SONGS!!!