A to Z Blog Challenge -- G -- 5 on Friday -- Set 312

Welcome to Day 7 of this year's April blog event -- the A to Z Blog Challenge!

Spinning Friday tunes since 2010...

This year's challenge schedule includes five Fridays, and here at A Piece of My Mind, Fridays mean music.

For Day 5 -- E -- I wrote about my health issues and how re-establishing a gentle exercise routine with my chronic-pain body has been a powerful tool for recovery.  

Simple walking has turned out to be so instrumental to my new relationship with my body. One thing for which I've been so grateful is the greenbelt park system stretched all along the residential neighborhoods in my city. In just a few steps, anyone here can be transported to the healing energy of woods and fields.

This picture was taken on the trail system at the top of my street, only five minutes from my front door.

This week's musical set is inspired by the many restorative walks I've taken along the city's greenbelt park system.

  

1 - Walking on Broken Glass - Annie Lennox 

2 - Walking on the Moon - The Police  

3 - I'm Walkin' - Fats Domino

4 - Walking on Sunshine - Katrina and The Waves 

5 - Walk of Life - Dire Straits 

If you'd like to join in, simply choose five pieces of music and post them for other bloggers to enjoy. Then check out the set posted by the other 5 on Friday blogger -- you can sign in over at Golch Central's Rambling Stuff.

5 on Friday -- Set 221

Spinning Friday tunes since 2010...

For anyone who wants to join in, simply choose five pieces of music and post them for other bloggers to enjoy. Then check out the set posted by the other 5 on Friday blogger -- you can sign in over at Golch Central's Rambling Stuff.

It's May, and time for my monthly feature for 5 on Friday -- The Hit Makers.

Once a month I'm going to feature the songs that launched careers. I'll be looking at different musical styles and the groups or singers from those styles who I love the best.

This month, let's look ahead to Mother's Day. Here are five of my favorite female vocalists who are also moms.

1 - Why Don't You Do Right? -- Peggy Lee with Benny Goodman -- 1942

Mom to daughter Nicki

2 - Aguas de Marco (Waters of March) -- Elis Regina with Tom Jobim -- 1974

Mom to sons Joao and Pedro, and daughter Maria Rita 

3 - Sweet Dreams(Are Made of This) -- Annie Lennox of  Eurythmics -- 1983

Mom to daughters Lola and Tali

4 - Smooth Operator -- Sade -- 1985

Mom to daughter Ila

5 - Rolling in the Deep -- Adele -- 2010

Mom to son Angelo

5 on Friday -- Set 201

Spinning Friday tunes since 2010...

For anyone who wants to join in, simply choose five pieces of music and post them for other bloggers to enjoy. Then check out the sets posted by the other 5 on Friday bloggers -- you can sign in over at Golch Central's Rambling Stuff.

This week marks my final post in this year's Birthday Boy/Birthday Girl project, which ran throughout 2013. I had a lot of fun with it.

I found it fascinating to see the sorts of music created by people born in different months, for the most part displaying the characteristics of their astrological signs.

Here's a wee recap of the Birthday Boy/Birthday Girl sets:

January birthday boys -- Rod Stewart, Robert Palmer, David Bowie, Michael Hutchence (INXS) and Steve Perry (Journey)

February birthday girls -- Stockard Channing (Grease soundtrack,) Roberta Flack (with Donny Hathaway,) Natalie Cole, Leontyne Price and Patty Andrews (the Andrews Sisters)

March birthday boys -- Harry Belafonte, Adam Levine (Maroon 5,) Chris Martin (Coldplay,) Charlie Reid and Craig Reid (The Proclaimers) and Eric Idle 

April birthday girls -- Kelly Clarkson, Sheena Easton, Carnie Wilson (Wilson Phillips,) Victoria Beckham (Spice Girls) and Hayley Westenra

May birthday boys -- Steve Winwood, Lou Gramm (Foreigner,) Bono (U2,) Paul Weller (The Style Council) and Georg Wadenius (Saturday Night Live band)

June birthday girls -- Nancy Sinatra, Anne Murray, Laurie Anderson (with Peter Gabriel,) Alanis Morissette and Nicole Scherzinger (Pussycat Dolls) 

July birthday boys -- Geddy Lee (Rush,) Stewart Copeland (The Police,) Robbie Robertson, Vince Guaraldi (Vince Guaraldi Trio) and Carlos Santana

August birthday girls -- Shirley Manson (Garbage,) Shania Twain, Geri Halliwell (Spice Girls,) Florence Welch (Florence + The Machine) and Madonna

September birthday boys -- Harry Connick Jr, Michael Buble, Freddie Mercury (Queen,) Bruce Springsteen and Moby

October birthday girls -- Julie Andrews, Susan Sarandon (Rocky Horror Picture Show soundtrack,) Katy Perry, Gwen Stefani (No Doubt) and Mavis Swan Poole 

November birthday boys -- Denny Doherty (The Mamas and The Papas,) Leslie McKeown (Bay City Rollers,) Adam Ant, Billy Idol and Jimi Hendrix

And now lets say Happy Birthday to these December birthday girls.

1 - I Feel Love -- Donna Summer

2 - Sex Crime from the 1984 soundtrack -- Annie Lennox from Eurythmics

3 - Lady Marmalade -- Birthday girl Christina Aguilera with Mya, Pink, Lil' Kim and Missy Elliott  

4 - Toxic -- Britney Spears

5 - Give it To Me -- Birthday girl Nelly Furtado with Timbaland and Justin Timberlake

5 on Friday - Set 156 and Book Cover Reveal for Shawna Romkey's SPEAK OF THE DEVIL

Travis at Trav's Thoughts invites everyone to lay down a short set of music that takes their fancies for his 5 on Friday meme.

Today's tunes set the scene for SPEAK OF THE DEVIL, a Young Adult paranormal romance by brainstorming buddy Shawna Romkey. It releases on March 15th. I'll be reviewing her book on March 14th - 13 Reasons to Read SPEAK OF THE DEVIL.

Today marks the cover reveal for her debut novel - a pretty exciting moment for an author!

  

Cover design by Taria Reed 

Sword-y!

Devil-y!

Angel-y!

All my favorite things!

1 - Breakin Up the Girl - Garbage

2 -Why' - Annie Lennox

3 - Earth Angel - The Penguins



4 -Run Devil Run / The Big Guns - Jenny Lewis and The Watson Twins

5 - Until the End of the World - U2

5 on Friday - Set 151

Travis at Trav's Thoughts invites everyone to lay down a short set of music that takes their fancies for his 5 on Friday meme.

Today would have been my dog Xena's 12th birthday.

She passed away on Jan. 6th, and her loss has colored my entire year. It's taken me all of these twelve months to work myself up to this post in her honor.
Happy Birthday, my dear sweet Little Girl.

1 - Precious - Annie Lennox

2 -You're My Best Friend - Queen







3 -Xena, Warrior Princess - Joseph LoDuca

4 - I'd Do Anything For You - Oliver! soundtrack





5 - You'll Never Know - Vera Lynn

5 on Friday - Set 109

Travis at Trav's Thoughts invites everyone to lay down a short set of music that takes their fancies for his 5 on Friday meme.





Anyone hankering for some Annie Lennox? Me, too!

1 - Sex Crime - Eurythmics



2 - Love is a Stranger - Eurythmics



3 - There Must Be an Angel (Playing With My Heart) - Eurythmics



4 - Don't Ask Me Why - Eurythmics



5 - Into the West - Annie Lennox





Okay, most of these were technically Eurythmics, but whatever.

5 on Friday - Set 58

Travis at Trav's Thoughts invites everyone to lay down a short set of music that takes their fancies for his 5 on Friday meme.















Closing in on the final two decades of my look back at recorded popular music, starting with the 1920s - let's drop in on the 1990s.

The 90s were a Best of Times / Worst of Times decade for me. In the fabulous category, I married Brad, went to film school and got my degree, worked at the theatre where the National Ballet of Canada performed and lived so very happily in the bustling Big City of Toronto.

These were my late 20's and early 30's, a time when reality closed in on cherished dreams. Life plans were hijacked by health issues, and I had to dig down deep - so very, very deep - to hold onto joy.

Of course, having come through the other side of this crucible, I wish there was some way I could have told that 20's and 30's me that it would all work out eventually. But that's the whole thing about life. You have to live it, a day at a time. And there's no other way to discover what you're made of, is there?

1 - Groove is In the Heart - Deee-Lite - 1990

The chills that you spill
Up my back
Keep me filled
With satisfaction when we're done
Satisfaction of what's to come

I couldn't ask for another
No, I couldn't ask for another

Your groove
I do deeply dig
No walls, only the bridge
My supper dish
My succotash wish

- Brill / Fareed / Hancock / Kirby / Towa Tei

CLICK HERE to watch video for Groove is In the Heart











2 - Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now) - C & C Music Factory - 1990

Jump to the rhythm
Jump, jump to the rhythm, jump

And I'm here to combine
Beats and lyrics
To make you shake your pants
Take a chance
Come on and dance

Guys grab a girl
Don't wait, make the twirl
It's your world
And I'm just a squirrel
Trying to get a nut

To move your butt
To the dance floor
So yo what's up
Hands in the air
Come on say yeah
Everybody over here
Everybody over there

The crowd is live
And I pursue this groove
Party people in the house
Move

Left to right
Work me all night
Come on let's sweat
Baby
Let the music take control
Let the rhythm move you
Sweat
Sweat
Let the music take your soul
Let the rhythm move you

- Clivillés / Williams



3 - Walking on Broken Glass - Annie Lennox - 1992

The sun's still shining in the big blue sky
But it don't mean nothing to me

Oh let the rain come down
Let the wind blow through me

I'm living in an empty room
With all the windows smashed
And I've got so little left to lose
That it feels just like I'm walking on broken glass

- Annie Lennox



4 - Ex-Factor - Lauryn Hill - 1998

This is crazy
Oh this is crazy

Care for me, care for me
I know you care for me

There for me, there for me
Said you'd be there for me

Cry for me, cry for me
You said you'd die for me

Give to me, give to me
Why won't you live for me?

Is this just a silly game
that forces you to act this way?

Forces you to scream my name
then pretend that you can't stay

Tell me who I have to be
to get some reciprocity

See no one loves you more than me
and no one ever will

- Lauryn Hill



5 - Natural Blues - Moby - 1999

Oh lordy
Trouble so hard
Oh lordy
Trouble so hard

Don't nobody know my troubles but God
Don't nobody know my troubles but God

- Hall / Moby

Poetry Train Monday - 77 - Little Bird

For today's Poetry Train, I'm offering a song by one of my favorite singers - Annie Lennox, which speaks for those whose spirit feels crushed. The main character in the novel I'll be reviewing this week for Thursday Thirteen is one of those, who endured abuse at the hands of many during his young life.

Judith James' debut novel Broken Wing features a hero who endured a childhood shattered by sexual and physical abuse. Her novel takes place in the early 1800's, and Gabriel St. Croix's youth was spent as the highly-sought-after prize at a Paris brothel.

Annie Lennox's song is narrated by a someone who longs to escape the torment of emotional pain. These feelings are shared by Judith's Gabriel. In his case, there's a sinister twist to a demented relationship with an older man who wields a master/servant relationship over Gabriel's wounded heart. Dealing with the fall-out from this abuse is key to Gabriel ever having a chance at love.


Little Bird

I look up to the little bird
That glides across the sky
He sings the clearest melody
It makes me want to cry
It makes me want to sit right down
And cry, cry, cry

I walk along the city streets
So dark with rage and fear
And I, I wish that I could be that bird
And fly away from here
I wish I had the wings to fly away from here

But Mama I feel so low
Mama where do I go?
Mama what do I know?
Mama we reap what we sow

They always said that you knew best but
This little bird's fallen out of that nest now
I've got a feeling that I might have been blessed so
I've just got to put these wings to test

For I am just a troubled soul
Who's weighted...
Weighted to the ground
Give me the strength to carry on
Till I can lay my burden down
Give me the strength to lay this burden down
Down, down, yeah
Give me the strength to lay it down

But Mama I feel so low
Mama where do I go?
Mama what do I know?
Mama we reap what we sow
They always said that you knew best but
This little bird's fallen out of that nest now
I've got a feeling that I might have been blessed so
I've just got to put these wings to test

- Annie Lennox, 1992


Click Little Bird to hear the song.