30 day meme day 30: whatever tickles your fancy
Day 30, hooray!
This is a video of Stuart Davis, one of my very favorite singers, performing one of my very favorite songs of his, at the Mill, one of my very favorite places to see music. I'm especially excited about it, because for a long time the only recording I had of this song ("Wand") was a really crackly, low-quality bootleg mp3. And now there is a studio recording of it on his latest album, but I like the way he performs it live wayyy better than I like the studio recording.
Anyway, I've been thinking about Megan a lot lately--her birthday is February 14, so of course all this Valentine's Day shit reminds me of her. But I don't mind it so much. It used to be that any time I saw something that reminded me of her was like a kick in the stomach. Now I feel a little more... detached, or a little less raw, I guess I could say.
Pain, pain is a puzzle
One look and I saw double
Fear, fear is a riddle
That made my bones brittle
Love, love is a wand
One wave and the riddle's gone
I got into Stuart because of Megan. He was a friend of her parents, and she gave me one of his CDs for Christmas I think? Or maybe she just took me to see him first? I don't remember exactly, but I do remember seeing him several times with her. We used to feel so special when he would hug us and sign our CDs, and we'd always try to write down all the funny things he said during the show to blog about them later.
So I've been a fan of Stuart's for almost ten years now, I suppose. And, naturally, his music has changed--matured--over those years, as have I. Early in his career (which is more like twenty years old) he tended more toward typical comedic/thoughtful folk-rock. Which to some extent he still creates, but over time he has picked up a decided philosophical, Buddhist bent. And some other instruments.
Since Megan got me into Stuart, it's only fitting that his music has been one of the things that has helped me feel okay again since she died. I'm going to share some Stu songs with you all too, because a) I am a trend pimp and b) perhaps they will make you feel okay, too.
(I uploaded them all to my server, so you can just right-click to download if you want them. No 60 second wait, no ads!)
This is a sort of motley selection of Stuart songs, based on, well, whatever is tickling my fancy.
The River
This song was played at Megan's memorial service.
feel a million arms around me
when i get in the river
every color of light surrounds me
when i get in the river
Wand
Like I said--I don't like the studio version as much as I like it live. But I still like it a lot.
It's All Just Because (live)
This was my first favorite Stu song. It's hilarious and catchy.
Jonah (live)
This was my second favorite Stu song. It's heartbreaking, yet catchy.
Infinity Hymn
This is one of the songs that makes me feel okay.
Wherever life appears
it’s separated by light years
but no two points can feel remote
once they have heard these notes
Hmmm...
Alison
This is a cover of an Elvis Costello song. Incidentally, Megan's little sister was named after this song.
Human Girl
Megan's blog was named Human Girl after this song. But this is a strange song for a teenage girl to relate to. I never asked her if she chose it because she did relate to it, or if she just picked it because she liked Stuart and she was, in fact, human.
Just a human girl, takes a human girl
to save a human from his self
Easter
This is a good rock & roll song about, I think, being unworthy.
Nothing in Between (live)
There is nothing in between you and I
Nothing in between blue and sky
Nothing in between us and love
Nothing in between wings and doves
♥
Click to viewThis is a video of Stuart Davis, one of my very favorite singers, performing one of my very favorite songs of his, at the Mill, one of my very favorite places to see music. I'm especially excited about it, because for a long time the only recording I had of this song ("Wand") was a really crackly, low-quality bootleg mp3. And now there is a studio recording of it on his latest album, but I like the way he performs it live wayyy better than I like the studio recording.
Anyway, I've been thinking about Megan a lot lately--her birthday is February 14, so of course all this Valentine's Day shit reminds me of her. But I don't mind it so much. It used to be that any time I saw something that reminded me of her was like a kick in the stomach. Now I feel a little more... detached, or a little less raw, I guess I could say.
Pain, pain is a puzzle
One look and I saw double
Fear, fear is a riddle
That made my bones brittle
Love, love is a wand
One wave and the riddle's gone
I got into Stuart because of Megan. He was a friend of her parents, and she gave me one of his CDs for Christmas I think? Or maybe she just took me to see him first? I don't remember exactly, but I do remember seeing him several times with her. We used to feel so special when he would hug us and sign our CDs, and we'd always try to write down all the funny things he said during the show to blog about them later.
So I've been a fan of Stuart's for almost ten years now, I suppose. And, naturally, his music has changed--matured--over those years, as have I. Early in his career (which is more like twenty years old) he tended more toward typical comedic/thoughtful folk-rock. Which to some extent he still creates, but over time he has picked up a decided philosophical, Buddhist bent. And some other instruments.
Since Megan got me into Stuart, it's only fitting that his music has been one of the things that has helped me feel okay again since she died. I'm going to share some Stu songs with you all too, because a) I am a trend pimp and b) perhaps they will make you feel okay, too.
(I uploaded them all to my server, so you can just right-click to download if you want them. No 60 second wait, no ads!)
This is a sort of motley selection of Stuart songs, based on, well, whatever is tickling my fancy.
The River
This song was played at Megan's memorial service.
feel a million arms around me
when i get in the river
every color of light surrounds me
when i get in the river
Wand
Like I said--I don't like the studio version as much as I like it live. But I still like it a lot.
It's All Just Because (live)
This was my first favorite Stu song. It's hilarious and catchy.
Jonah (live)
This was my second favorite Stu song. It's heartbreaking, yet catchy.
Infinity Hymn
This is one of the songs that makes me feel okay.
Wherever life appears
it’s separated by light years
but no two points can feel remote
once they have heard these notes
Hmmm...
Alison
This is a cover of an Elvis Costello song. Incidentally, Megan's little sister was named after this song.
Human Girl
Megan's blog was named Human Girl after this song. But this is a strange song for a teenage girl to relate to. I never asked her if she chose it because she did relate to it, or if she just picked it because she liked Stuart and she was, in fact, human.
Just a human girl, takes a human girl
to save a human from his self
Easter
This is a good rock & roll song about, I think, being unworthy.
Nothing in Between (live)
There is nothing in between you and I
Nothing in between blue and sky
Nothing in between us and love
Nothing in between wings and doves
♥