HAPPINESS IS...

Lyrimage: "Pale September"

With fall just around the corner, I thought this song would be a lovely Lyrimage. I included it on last year's Autumn Playlist, as it's always been a favorite of mine. "Pale September" was never a radio hit, but it still haunts me to this day. It's about letting down your guard in love. Some say it's about giving birth, and although I doubt that was Fiona Apple's meaning, it definitely could ring true.

But let's talk about Fiona Apple for a bit, shall we? Her debut album, Tidal, shaped my later formative years and carried me through college and beyond. As a songwriter, her lyrics and melodies are beyond comparison. I'd be lying if I said she didn't play a huge role in my own recording artist aspirations. Did Fiona effect you like she did me?

You can listen along to "Pale September" here.


{Images via: 1. Breaking Branches; 2. La_Sendi; 3. Samantha Lamb; 4. ~Bittersea; 5.Jotain Latteeta Ihanaa; 6. Be Like Water; 7. Fenandz; 8. Unknown; 9. Tina Briarah; 10. Loves Lost City; 11. Chagrin; 12. Fotografer_San; 13. Fashionising; 14. Vega Chastain; 15. Tumbler; 16. Grunge Gypsy}

Lyrimage: "Fast Car"

Do you remember this song by Tracy Chapman? Released in 1988, "Fast Car" won her a Grammy and set her career in motion. It's the ultimate escape song about getting away, leaving the past behind and starting fresh somewhere new. Every time I hear it, I want to hop into a convertible and drive off into the sunset  :)

You can listen along here.

Lyrimage: "Fields Of Gold"

It's been quite awhile since I've done a Lyrimage. They are very time consuming, but I do love creating them! I heard "Fields of Gold" sung by Eva Cassidy during Savasana (the final rest/meditation pose) of my most recent yoga class, and I floated away into a vast sea of sunny bliss.

The song was originally written and recorded by Sting, who had purchased a house near a barley field. The sunsets, the colors, and his love at the time were his lyrical inspiration. It's a chronological story of a man's courtship, marriage, and eventual death.

Eva's version touches me a little bit more, only because she has since passed away and her voice is like an angel singing me to sleep. You can listen here. Please enjoy  :)

Lyrimage: "Somewhere Over the Rainbow"

I'm feeling hopeful today.

"Somewhere Over the Rainbow" was originally written by Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg for The Wizard of Oz, which of course, Judy Garland made famous. But personally, I'm partial to Hawaii's Israel Kamakawiwo's version. You can listen along here.

Lyrimage: "Ride (This Wave)"

For today's Lyrimage, I'm featuring a song I wrote a few years back for my solo project.  It's very near and dear to my heart and  is quite personal. "Ride (This Wave)" is about how, in relationships, it's important to embrace both the ups and downs of love. To keep persevering through stormy times. Hal and I went through some difficult periods...and I wrote this song for us.

You can listen to it here. I hope you enjoy.

Lyrimage: "Feelin' Good"

This song always puts me in a cheerful mood. "Feelin' Good" was written by Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse for the 1965 musical The Roar of the Greasepaint—the Smell of the Crowd. Miss Nina Simone first covered it and the song has since been credited to her as the original artist. You can listen here.

Does it lift your spirits too?  :)

{Images TBA}

Lyrimage: "Nights in White Satin"

I recently re-fell in love with "Nights in White Satin" by The Moody Blues. So much, that Lorelei has decided to re-make the song and hopefully put it on our album as a bonus track. I'm so excited! I hope we do it justice. The big question is...what to do with that flute solo!

The tune was written by the lead singer, Justin Hayworth, in 1967. He titled it after receiving a set of white satin sheets as a gift. The song is about unrequited love and yearning from afar, however, the lyrics are fairly open to interpretation.

When it was first released, it was not a hit, since the song was 7+ minutes long. Gotta love the 60's! When it was later released in 1972, the track was cut to 4:26 in length. Then it became a gold single, which back then, was huge. Check out the original here. I'm sure you'll get a kick out of the uber-cheesy video  ;)

P.S. For the longest time, I thought the lyrics were, "knights in white satin", and I pictured knights draped with white satin galloping on horses. Ha!


{Images TBA}

Lyrimage: "Ain't No Sunshine"

Bill Whithers' Ain't No Sunshine is one of my favorite songs ever. He wrote in in 1971 while he was 31 years old and working in a factory making airplane toilets seats.

He originally intended to write more lyrics to the section of the song where he repeats "I know" 26 times, but his other musicians told him to leave it how it was. I'm glad he did because that's my favorite part. I never know when the "I knows" will end and it's like a surprise every time I listen!

Yes, the lyrics are a bit depressing, but the tune is just so soulful and delicious, I had to make a Lyrimage out of it. I'm sure you noticed that I changed all the "she's" to "he's" so us ladies could relate. Besides, my man is leaving for a week long trip...it felt appropriate  :)


{Images by: 1. In Photo Box, 2. Burak Nevruzoglu, 3. Tiny Pic 4. Be Your Own Alice, 5. We Heart It, 6. Poignant, 7. Tumblr, 8. Upon Those Stars, 9. FFFFOUND, 10. Mongrel Mind, 11. 11 Nightmares, 12. Lavender Lines, 13. Simpelt, 14. Le Love, 15. Amy Higgins, 16. Likes}

Lyrimage: "Across The Universe"

It's been awhile since my last Lyrimage because of the holidays. So this week, I chose The Beatles', "Across The Universe", written by John Lennon. The lyrics are so beautiful and visual. I really enjoyed creating this one.

P.S. If you're wondering what "Jai guru deva, om" means...it's a mantra in Sanskrit that translates loosely to "Hail to the divine guru". The Beatles were big into Transcendental Meditation in the late 1960's.


{Images TBA}

Lyrimage: "Let It Snow"

In honor of the holidays, I felt compelled to create a Lyrimage of the popular Christmas song, even though, "Let It Snow" doesn't ever mention Christmas and it was apparently written by two Jewish men, lyricist, Sammy Cahn, and composer, Jule Styne. Fun fact: they wrote it in 1945 in Hollywood on one of the hottest days on record.

To me, snow is magic. Christmas is next week and there's nothing I'd like more than to wake up to a fresh blanket of white. Last year, we had a huge and rare snow storm that lasted a few weeks. It's unlikely snow will fall like that two years in a row...but a girl can dream!


{Images via: 1. A Cup of Jo, 2. Osculations, 3. Tumblr, 4. Taste the Rainbow, 5. Silver Scents, 6. Bergman's Bear, 7. Jayxxbe, 8. Candy Hearts, 9. Olivia Bee, 10. Desire to Inspire, 11. We Heart It, 12. FFFFound, 13. 1x.com, 14. Brown Cardigan, 15. *6261, 16. Jillian Kulesa}

Lyrimage: "Dream Alive"

During last week's Lyrimage, I had a request from sweetie Eileen to do my song, "Dream Alive", for this week's Lyrimage. Eileen, I took you up on that challenge...here it is! You can listen to the song here.

My inspiration in writing this song was a t-shirt I own...it has an illustration of a hand reaching to press the snooze button on an alarm clock, with the words: "keep the dream alive". I loved that concept of two types of dreams...the literal ones you get while sleeping, and the dreams you strive to achieve in life. Because (a) I don't like to wake up, and (b) I have to constantly remind myself to not give up on my aspirations.

The music industry is a very difficult one, but there is nothing I want more than to be able to inspire others through song. And for you, whether it be blogging, writing, art, or design, I hope you never stop pursuing what you love. You just have to WANT it enough  :)


{Images via: 1. Maia Kristine, 2. Boggancs, 3. Lace and Flora, 4. Margaret Durow, 5. Tatielle, 6. Obsession MIA, 7. Lilly & Rupert, 8. Just Angel, 9. Polarnna, 10. The Drifter and the Gypsy, 11. Tumblr, 12. Depois Dos Quinze, 13. Just Forgive Me, 14. Roc 21, 15. Reverieee, 16. Darling Let Me Go}

Lyrimage: "Smile"

I had so much fun with my last Lyrimage, I felt compelled to do it again. This week's lyrics are from the classic song, "Smile"...they sang it on Glee the other night. The music was written by Charlie Chaplin and the lyrics were written by John Turner and Geoffrey Parsons. This song always cheers me up  :)

{Images via: 1. Oil and Water, 2. Island Time, 3. Rae Drake, 4. Love Bot, 5. Daydream Lily, 6. Hazel Weather Field, 7. Fotolog, 8. Lost High, 9. Colours of Chaos, 10. Lavender Days, 11. Girl in London, 12. Art Pixie}

Lyrimage: "Time In a Bottle"

 






"Time in a Bottle" by Jim Croce is a song that is very dear to my heart. My band, Lorelei, just did a re-make of the original. We wanted to keep the same beautiful lyrics and haunting vibe, but make the music a bit more modern. You can listen to it here.

P.S. Yes, I totally made up the word, Lyrimage. Hey, if Tyra Banks can do it with "smize" (smiling with your eyes), I can do it too. Lyrimage = lyrics + images together. I'm thinking about making this a reoccurring series. Yes? No?

{Images by: 1. We Heart It, 2. 666Conducer, 3. Simply Stardust, 4. Wasting, 5. DayTripper, 6. Alice & The Library, 7. Harry.Ginny.Love, 8. Peonies and Polaroids, 9. LoveyDreams, 10. Holga, 11. Good Music Good People, 12. UppercaseYYC, 13. The Unicorn Diaries, 14. Verhext, 15. Samantha Williams}