5 on Friday -- Set 295

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.

As we head for my 300th set, coming up in five weeks, let's look back on some of the sets that have led to this milestone.

Normally, the first set of the month is given over to the year's musical project, which for 2015 has been Spotlight On. However, traditionally I also love to fill my December sets with Christmas music, so I end up delaying the final installment to the week between Christmas and New Year's.

Being a Christmas maniac from way back, I've been filling my Decembers at A Piece of My Mind with music since this blog began in 2007.

For my look back as we approach the next milestone set, with a lively set of traditional Christmas tunes, here is:

5 on Friday -- Set 202  

5 on Friday -- Set 262

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.

This year I'll be taking a once-a-month look at specific instruments and showcasing five songs or tunes which place that instrument front and center.

My new feature is called Spotlight On...

...and for our third installment, I continue to look at the primal body instruments. Here are five songs which shine a spotlight on vocal harmonies. 

1 - Monday, Monday - The Mamas and The Papas - 1966

2 - Because - The Beatles - 1969

3 - Suite: Judy Blue Eyes - Crosby, Stills and Nash - 1969

4 - Nights on Broadway - The Bee Gees - 1975

5 - Run Runaway - Great Big Sea - 1995

5 on Friday -- Set 213

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 March, 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 St. Patrick's Day with some celtic rock. Here in the Maritimes, we have a large cultural impact from what is known as the Celtic Diaspora -- the mass emigration of Irish and Scottish people across the globe. A quarter of all Canadians claim Celtic ancestry, and Nova Scotia is New Scotland, after all.

East Coast Canadian music is filled with celtic rock, and it's the kind of music that always makes me feel like home. 

  

1 - And if Venice is Sinking -- Spirit of the West -- 1993

This band hails from Canada's West Coast, in Vancouver, British Columbia.

2 - I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) -- The Proclaimers -- 1993

This duo is from Aulde Scotia -- Scotland.

3 - Fields of Fire -- Big Country -- 1983

Another band hailing from Bonnie Scotland.

4 - When I'm Up (I Can't Get Down) -- Great Big Sea -- 1997

Another Canadian band, this time from the East Coast and what we out here refer to as The Rock -- Newfoundland. 

5 - Salty Dog -- Flogging Molly -- 2000

Another West Coast band, this time from -- of all places -- Los Angeles, California.

5 on Friday -- Set 202

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.

At the moment, Mike and I are carrying on a tradition started four years ago by our friend Travis. Over the years we've had up to ten bloggers creating wonderful musical sets to share with one another on Fridays.

If you'd like to join in, please do! It's a lot of fun. I've discovered a ton of great new-to-me music doing this weekly feature.

This is the last set before Christmas rolls around next Wednesday. Here are five lively seasonal tunes to get your toes tapping while you get your last-minute Christmas stuff done.

1 - Riu Riu Chiu -- Kalenda Maya

2 - The Seven Joys of Mary -- Great Big Sea

3 - Christmas Jig and Mouth of the Tobique Reel -- Natalie MacMaster and Yo-Yo Ma  

4 - The King -- Loreena Mckennitt and Cedric Smith

5 - Panxolina -- Cristina Pato and Yo-Yo Ma

5 on Friday - Set 150



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.

Nothing like making it past an ancient prediction for Apocalypse to make this morning's air so very sweet, eh?

In true Canadian fashion, here's my End of the World set - enjoy today and your holidays like there's no tomorrow.

1 - Wondering Where the Lions Are - Bruce Cockburn

2 -Venice is Sinking - Spirit of the West







3 -Lovers in a Dangerous Time - Barenaked Ladies

4 - Sudbury Saturday Night - Stompin Tom Connors



5 - End of the World - Great Big Sea

 

5 on Friday - Set 82

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.


Last New Year's Eve, Brad and I spent our final night in Toronto at my brother-in-law's karaoke show at the Konrad Lounge on the Lakeshore in Etobicoke, just down the street from Brad's mom's place.

We had an absolute blast. This is Jeff at the console, smoothly easing the audience into taking up the mic, chiming in seamlessly if they get lost (easy to do once you're the singer!)

When I think about it, our all-night singing party really set the tone for this incredible year I'm having.

Jeff runs his Songsmith Karaoke show every Thursday at 10:00pm in Etobicoke, in the west end of Toronto at the Konrad Lounge. If you're in the area and want to have a great evening, pop by and tell him Julia sent you!These are some of the songs we tried on for size, either at their sister Karen's karaoke house party that Jeff DJ'ed, or on New Year's at Konrad's.

1 - Ziggy Stardust - David Bowie - a full-on singalong by everyone at Karen's



2 - Conquistador - Procol Harum - sung by Brad at Karen's

3 - Where Do the Children Play? - Cat Stevens - sung variously by Jeff and Brad


4 - Mary Mac - Great Big Sea - I was challenged to sing this by Jeff. Of course, I took it up. I did reasonably well, but the speedy ending did me in.



5 - The Galaxy Song - Eric Idle - This has become my signature karaoke song. I never end a karaoke evening without singing this one.

5 on Friday - Set 14

For today's 5 on Friday, I'm showcasing Great Big Sea in honour of lead singer Alan Doyle. His first film opens today - Robin Hood!

Great Big Sea hails from Newfoundland, Canada's easternmost province.

For more tunes, visit Travis at Trav's Thoughts.

1 - The Old Black Rum

Well I'd drink to the Father
Or the Holy Ghost
Kneeling at the altar
Of my nightly post

And I'll raise a glass
Not the first or last
Come join me in this toast

- Great Big Sea



2 - Ordinary Day

I’ve got a smile on my face, I’ve got four walls around me
The sun in the sky, the water surrounds me
I’ll win now but sometimes I’ll lose
I’ve been battered, but I’ll never bruise, it’s not so bad

And I say way-hey-hey, it’s just an ordinary day
And it’s all your state of mind
At the end of the day, you’ve just got to say
It’s all right

- Great Big Sea



3 - Run Runaway

I like black and white
Dream in black and white
You like black and white
Run runaway

See chameleon lying there in the sun
All things to everyone
Run runaway

- Slade



4 - When I'm Up (I Can't Get Down)

The night is just beginning
And then it comes on strong
It comes on strong, and I am lifted
I am lifted, I am lifted!

When I'm up I can't get down
Can't get down, can't get level
When I'm up I can't get down
Get my feet back on the ground

- Great Big Sea



5 - End of the World

It's the end of the world as we know it,
and I feel fine

- Great Big Sea



Jamie says I just love groups that know how to get an audience going. These guys are great.

Janet says Love Great Big Sea, Julia. From the moment I heard them years ago - love, love, love them!

Travis says I actually knew a couple of those tunes. This is a fun group!