Both Sides Now – Joni Mitchell

Voted the best female singer in history.  I’m proud to say my grandmother, Beatric Purdie, went to school with Joni’s mother, Myrtle, in Saskatchewan and they lived across from each other on prairie farms.  My Uncle Ray Purdie actually played with Joni with his music band the Voyageurs in the 60’s with mother Uncle Murray Wallace.  My mother always sang her music, so I grew up thinking she was my mother!

Both Sides Now – Joni Mitchell

Rows and flows of angel hair
And ice cream castles in the air
And feather canyons everywhere,
I’ve looked at clouds that way.

But now they only block the sun,
They rain and they snow on everyone
So many things I would have done,
But clouds got in my way.

I’ve looked at clouds from both sides now
From up and down and still somehow
It’s cloud illusions I recall
I really don’t know clouds at all

Moons and Junes and Ferris wheels,
The dizzy dancing way that you feel
As every fairy tale comes real,
I’ve looked at love that way.

But now it’s just another show,
You leave ’em laughing when you go
And if you care, don’t let them know,
Don’t give yourself away.

I’ve looked at love from both sides now
From give and take and still somehow
It’s love’s illusions I recall
I really don’t know love at all

Tears and fears and feeling proud,
To say “I love you” right out loud
Dreams and schemes and circus crowds,
I’ve looked at life that way.

Oh but now old friends they’re acting strange,
They shake their heads, they say I’ve changed
Well something’s lost, but something’s gained
In living every day.

I’ve looked at life from both sides now
From win and lose and still somehow
It’s life’s illusions I recall
I really don’t know life at all

I’ve looked at life from both sides now
From up and down, and still somehow
It’s life’s illusions I recall
I really don’t know life at all

It’s life’s illusions I recall
I really don’t know life
I really don’t know life at all

Suzanne – Leonard Cohen

A gorgeous, lovely song by one of Canada’s greatest poets and artists.  A very special, spiritual song to share with someone you truly love, like you my friends! 🙂

Suzanne – Leonard Cohen

Suzanne takes you down to her place near the river,
You can hear the boats go by you can spend the night beside her,
And you know that she’s half crazy but that’s why you wanna be there,
And she feeds you tea and oranges that come all the way from China,
And just when you mean to tell her that you have no love to give her,
Then she gets you on her wavelength and she lets the river answer,
That you’ve always been her lover.

[Chorus]
And you want to travel with her,
And you want to travel blind,
And you know that she will trust you,
For you’ve touched her perfect body with your mind.

And Jesus was a sailor when he walked upon the water,
And he spent a long time watching from his lonely wooden tower,
And when he knew for certain only drowning men could see him,
He said “all men will be sailors then until the sea shall free them,”
But he himself was broken, long before the sky would open
Forsaken, almost human, he sank beneath your wisdom like a stone.

[Chorus]
And you want to travel with him,
And you want to travel blind,
And you think maybe you’ll trust him,
For he’s touched your perfect body with his mind.

Now Suzanne takes your hand and she leads you to the river,
She is wearing rags and feathers from Salvation Army counters,
And the sun pours down like honey on Our Lady of the Harbour,
And she shows you where to look among the garbage and the flowers,
There are heroes in the seaweed, there are children in the morning,
They are leaning out for love and they will lean that way forever,
While Suzanne holds the mirror.

[Chorus]
And you want to travel with her,
And you want to travel blind,
And you know that you can trust her,
For she’s touched your perfect body with her mind.

Paperback Writer – Beatles

Paperback Writer – Beatles

Paperback writer, paperback writer.
Dear Sir or Madam, will you read my book?
It took me years to write, will you take a look?
It’s based on a novel by a man named Lear,
And I need a job,
So I want to be a paperback writer,
Paperback writer.

It’s a dirty story of a dirty man,
And his clinging wife doesn’t understand.
His son is working for the Daily Mail
It’s a steady job,
But he wants to be a paperback writer,
Paperback writer.
Paperback writer, paperback writer.

It’s a thousand pages, give or take a few.
I’ll be writing more in a week or two.
I could make it longer if you like the style.
I can change it ’round,
And I want to be a paperback writer,
Paperback writer.

If you really like it you can have the rights.
It could make a million for you overnight.
If you must return it you can send it here,
But I need a break,
And I want to be a paperback writer,
Paperback writer.

Paperback writer, paperback writer.
Paperback writer, paperback writer.
Paperback writer, paperback writer.
Paperback writer, paperback writer.
Paperback writer…

Hard Day’s Night – Beatles

Total Beatles Classic!

Hard Day’s Night – Beatles

It’s been a hard day’s night, and I’ve been working like a dog
It’s been a hard day’s night, I should be sleeping like a log
But when I get home to you I find the things that you do
Will make me feel alright

You know I work all day to get you money to buy you things
And it’s worth it just to hear you say you’re going to give me everything
So why on earth should I moan, ’cause when I get you alone
You know I feel OK

When I’m home everything seems to be right
When I’m home feeling you holding me tight, tight

It’s been a hard day’s night, and I been working like a dog
It’s been a hard day’s night, I should be sleeping like a log
But when I get home to you I find the things that you do
Will make me feel alright, oww

So why on earth should I moan, ’cause when I get you alone
You know I feel OK

When I’m home everything seems to be right
When I’m home feeling you holding me tight, tight

It’s been a hard day’s night, and I been working like a dog
It’s been a hard day’s night, I should be sleeping like a log
But when I get home to you I find the things that you do
Will make me feel alright
You know I feel alright
You know I feel alright

Chiquitita – ABBA

Chiquitita – ABBA

Chiquitita, tell me what’s wrong
You’re enchained by your own sorrow
In your eyes there is no hope for tomorrow
How I hate to see you like this
There is no way you can deny it
I can see that you’re oh so sad, so quiet

Chiquitita, tell me the truth
I’m a shoulder you can cry on
Your best friend, I’m the one you must rely on
You were always sure of yourself
Now I see you’ve broken a feather
I hope we can patch it up together

Chiquitita, you and I know
How the heartaches come and they go and the scars they’re leaving
You’ll be dancing once again and the pain will end
You will have no time for grieving
Chiquitita, you and I cry
But the sun is still in the sky and shining above you
Let me hear you sing once more like you did before
Sing a new song, Chiquitita
Try once more like you did before
Sing a new song, Chiquitita

So the walls came tumbling down
And your love’s a blown out candle
All is gone and it seems too hard to handle
Chiquitita, tell me the truth
There is no way you can deny it
I see that you’re oh so sad, so quiet

Chiquitita, you and I know
How the heartaches come and they go and the scars they’re leaving
You’ll be dancing once again and the pain will end
You will have no time for grieving
Chiquitita, you and I cry
But the sun is still in the sky and shining above you
Let me hear you sing once more like you did before
Sing a new song, Chiquitita
Try once more like you did before
Sing a new song, Chiquitita
Try once more like you did before
Sing a new song, Chiquitita

I have a dream – ABBA

It’s hard to describe the beauty and the energy expressed through the music of ABBA.  To me, it feels like ABBA is from another planet, (possible the Pleiades nebula) a place where the energy vibration is so high and so evolved.  I don’t believe any music group has expressed a more joyful kind of energy than ABBA in world history and for that reason their music is a truly beautiful meditation.  Just take a look at their lyrics!

 

Banana Boat – Harry Belafonte

This isn’t really a pop song, it’s more of a folk song. But it’s such a beautiful that it must be added!  Students will love it!

“Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)”

Day-o, day-o
Daylight come and me wan’ go home
Day, me say day, me say day, me say day
Me say day, me say day-o
Daylight come and me wan’ go home

Work all night on a drink of rum
Daylight come and me wan’ go home
Stack banana till de morning come
Daylight come and me wan’ go home

Come, Mister tally man, tally me banana
Daylight come and me wan’ go home
Come, Mister tally man, tally me banana
Daylight come and me wan’ go home

Lift six foot, seven foot, eight foot bunch
Daylight come and me wan’ go home
Six foot, seven foot, eight foot bunch
Daylight come and me wan’ go home

Day, me say day-o
Daylight come and me wan’ go home
Day, me say day, me say day, me say day, me say day, me say day
Daylight come and me wan’ go home

A beautiful bunch o’ ripe banana
Daylight come and me wan’ go home
Hide the deadly black tarantula
Daylight come and me wan’ go home

Lift six foot, seven foot, eight foot bunch
Daylight come and me wan’ go home
Six foot, seven foot, eight foot bunch
Daylight come and me wan’ go home

Day, me say day-o
Daylight come and me wan’ go home
Day, me say day, me say day, me say day…
Daylight come and me wan’ go home

Come, Mister tally man, tally me banana
Daylight come and me wan’ go home
Come, Mister tally man, tally me banana
Daylight come and me wan’ go home

Day-o, day-o
Daylight come and me wan’ go home
Day, me say day, me say day, me say day
Me say day, me say day-o
Daylight come and me wan’ go home

 

My Happy Ending – Avril Lavigne

“My Happy Ending” – Avril Lavigne

[2x]
Oh oh, oh oh, oh oh…
So much for my happy ending

Oh oh, oh oh, oh oh…

Let’s talk this over
It’s not like we’re dead
Was it something I did?
Was it something you said?
Don’t leave me hanging
In a city so dead
Held up so high
On such a breakable thread (breakable thread)

You were all the things I thought I knew
And I thought we could be

[Chorus:]
You were everything, everything that I wanted (that I wanted)
We were meant to be, supposed to be but we lost it (we lost it)
And all of the memories, so close to me, just fade away
All this time you were pretending
So much for my happy ending

Oh oh, oh oh, oh oh…
So much for my happy ending
Oh oh, oh oh, oh oh…

You’ve got your dumb friends
I know what they say (they say)
They tell you I’m difficult
But so are they (but so are they)
But they don’t know me
Do they even know you (even know you)?
All the things you hide from me
All the shit that you do (all the shit that you do) [CD version]
All the stuff that you do (all the stuff that you do) [radio edited version]

You were all the things I thought I knew
And I thought we could be

[Chorus]

It’s nice to know that you were there
Thanks for acting like you cared
And making me feel like I was the only one
It’s nice to know we had it all
Thanks for watching as I fall
And letting me know we were done

[Chorus:]
He was everything, everything that I wanted
We were meant to be, supposed to be but we lost it
And all of the memories, so close to me, just fade away
All this time you were pretending
So much for my happy ending

[Chorus:]
You were everything, everything that I wanted (that I wanted)
We were meant to be, supposed to be but we lost it
And all of the memories, so close to me, just fade away
All this time you were pretending
So much for my happy ending

[2x]
Oh oh, oh oh, oh oh…
So much for my happy ending

Oh oh, oh oh, oh oh…

 

Renegades – X-Ambassadors

“Renegades” – X-Ambassadors

Run away-ay with me
Lost souls in revelry
Running wild and running free
Two kids, you and me

And I said hey
Hey, hey, hey
Living like we’re renegades
Hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey
Living like we’re renegades
Renegades, renegades

Long live the pioneers
Rebels and mutineers
Go forth and have no fear
Come close and lend an ear

And I said hey
Hey, hey, hey
Living like we’re renegades
Hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey
Living like we’re renegades
Renegades, renegades

So, all hail the underdogs
All hail the new kids
All hail the outlaws
Spielbergs and Kubricks

It’s our time to make a move
It’s our time to make amends
It’s our time to break the rules
Let’s begin…

And I said hey
Hey, hey, hey
Living like we’re renegades
Hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey
Living like we’re renegades
Renegades, renegades