查看完整版本: All the songs that bring us through the years

All the songs that bring us through the years

In 1984, I got a book "100 Pop Foreign Songs" and was shown to a different world of music. I started to listen to English songs ever since. Country, Folk, Pop, Rock, Metal, Alternative, Grunge, Blues.. over 20 years, I've listened to songs of different styles. But the best music always have one thing in common: they touch your heart.

So, let me post some of the songs that touched me and lived in my memory through all the years..

Vincent (Starry Starry Night) by Don McLean

Don McLean wrote this sone in 1071 in memory of Vincent Van Gogh.  it's typical 70's folk song with soothing melody but strong lyrics. I first heard this song 20 years' ago when I was in university. I used to listen to it again and again with my best friend trying to figure out the lyrics. In those years, It hurts to think how much Vincent paid for his sanity. Well, 20 years' later, I can understand more the courage it took to face the razor-sharp reality without evasiveness.

So, this song, for my young memory of courage and freedom.

===========================================================

Starry starry night, paint your palette blue and grey
Look out on a summer’s day with eyes that know the darkness in my soul
Shadows on the hills, sketch the trees and the daffodils
Catch the breeze and the winter chills, in colors on the snowy linen land

Now I understand what you tried to say to me
How you suffered for you sanity
How you tried to set them free
They would not listen they did not know how, perhaps they’ll listen now

Starry starry night, flaming flowers that brightly blaze
Swirling clouds in violet haze reflect in Vincent’s eyes of china blue
Colors changing hue, morning fields of amber grain
Weathered faces lined in pain are soothed beneath the artist’s loving hand


Chorus:
For they could not love you, but still your love was true
And when no hope was left in sight, on that starry starry night
You took your life as lovers often do,
But I could have told you, Vincent,
This world was never meant for one as beautiful as you

Starry, starry night, portraits hung in empty halls
Frameless heads on nameless walls with eyes that watch the world and can’t forget.
Like the stranger that you’ve met, the ragged man in ragged clothes
The silver thorn of bloody rose, lie crushed and broken on the virgin snow

Now I think I know what you tried to say to me
How you suffered for you sanity How you tried to set them free
They would not listen they’re not listening still
Perhaps they never will..

deeply touched by <vincent> , too
the first edition i heard was from 齐豫.

Imagine by John Lennon

Jul-1, 1971, John Lennon cuts "Imagine" at his home studio. Dec-8, he was shot by a deranged assailant. 20 years' ago, I first heard the song and was puzzled. It decribed a dream the we all know that was never the reality, but nevertheless, I was touched deeply. I used to joke with JW, my best friend that it sounded like Bible. It called for something that for the best of all but alway is compromised for reality.

The song is getting quite popular later and the shock I felt about the song subsided with time. Couple of years ago, I was driving when the radio played a Neil Young version of "Imagine". Before I realised by myself, my eyes got wet. Afterwards, I learnt that this is the version that Neil Young performed on the broadcast 10 days after 911 attack.

Music always finds a way to strike your heart with dream and hope..

Imagine by John Lennon

Imagine there's no Heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace

You may say that I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world

You may say that I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one.

Me too,I almost listen Vincent  on every insomnia night,deeply touched..

*** 该贴被屏蔽 ***

Mad about you - Sting

This is probably not one of Sting's most famous songs, but this is definitely one of my favorite love songs.

Exotic words and mysteriuos feeling, a love that accross time and space, under the acient moon and over the distant land ... It's something beyond romantic, so deep and strong.

Sting is called by many Musical Poet. In my eyes, this song is typical Sting. Listening to the song, you can easly see a lonely barb wandering under an acient  trail singing of his lover far way ....

Mad about you - Sting

A stoness throw from jerusalem
I walked a lonely mile in the moonlight
And though a million stars were shining
My heart was lost on a distant planet
That whirls around the april moon
Whirling in an arc of sadness
I'm lost without you I'm lost without you
Though all the kingdoms turn to sand
And fall into the sea
I'm mad about you I'm mad about you

And from the dark secluded valleys
I heard the ancient songs of sadness
But every step I thought of you
Every footstep only you
And every star a grain of sand
The leavings of a dried up ocean
Tell me, how much longer? how much longer?

They say a city in the desert lies
The vanity of an ancient king
But the city lies in broken pieces
Where the wind howls and the vultures sing
These are the works of man
This is the sun of our ambition
It would make a prison of my life
If you become anothers wife
With every prison blown to dust
My enemies walk free
I'm mad about you I'm mad about you

And I have never in my life
Felt more alone than I do now
Although I claim dominations over all I see
It means nothing to me
There are no victories
In all our histories, without love

A stones throw from jerusalem
A walked a lonely mile in the moonlight
And though a million stars were shining
My heart was lost on a distant planet
That whirls around the april moon
Whirling in an arc of sadness
I'm lost without you I'm lost without you
And though you hold the keys to ruin
Of everything I see
With every prison blown to dust,
My enemies walk free
Though all the kingdoms turn to sand
And fall into the sea
I'm mad about you I'm mad about you.

Top of the world By Carpenters

Such a feelin's comin' over me
There is wonder in most everthing I see
Not a cloud in the sky got the sun in my eyes
and I won't be surprised if it's a dream
Everything I want the world to be
Is now coming true especially for me
and the reason is clear
It's because you are here
]You're the nearest thing to heaven that I've seen

I'm on the top of the world lookin' down on creation
and the only explanation I can find
Is the love that I've found
Every since  you've been around your love
Put me at the top of the world

Something in the wind has learned my name
And it's tellin' me that things are not the same
In the leaves on the trees and the touch of the breeze
There's a pleasin' sense of happiness for me
There is only one wish on my mind
When this day is through I hope that I will find
that tomorrow will be just the same for you and me
All I need will be mine if you are here

I'm on the top of the world lookin' down on creation
and the only explanation I can find
Is the love that I've found
Every since  you've been around your love
Put me at the top of the world.

Thanks 虞余妈妈. Carpenters always have the magic of soothing and healing..

No Holding Back - Rod Stewart

Contrary to Sting, Rod Stewart's lyrics are usually very colloquial. Just like a friend standing by you and chatting about his love stories.

This song has special meaning to my life. There was a time I was stuck in hesitation, not sure about whether to go ahead or holding back. This song gave me courage to face the uncertainty.

It's a choice most of us got to made some time in our life. One side of the balance there is love and committment, the other side, loneliness and frustration which you get no matter you try or not. After many years, the choice seems very clear.

So I always recommended this to my friends who were frustrated in love and told them "Is it better to lose in love than never love at all?".

No Holding Back - Rod Stewart

A friend of mine called up said "I finally had some luck
Could I have a minute of your time
I met a girl last night and try as I might
I can't get her off of my mind
She walked through the room and right then I knew I finally found somebody for me
But to tell you the truth I don't know what to do
should I go ahead or wait and see"

I said "Give it all you got no holding back
Let a light in your soul
Ain't it better to lose in love than to never love at all
than to never love at all"

Now I'm the kind of guy who's normally quite shy
On romance I don't know a thing
But when she led me to the floor I'd never danced before
Suddenly my feet had wings
I know that she wants me I want her too
but I'm so confused I can't think straight
I feel so alive but on the other side
should I go ahead or should I wait

I said "Give it all you got no holding back
Let a light in your soul
Ain't it better to lose in love than to never love at all
Ain't it better to lose in love than to never love at all
than to never love at all"

So when the music starts to flow from your hearts
like the coming of an early spring
when the river starts to flow between you soul to soul
may no man ever come between
Die in her arms if she wants you to
Be thankful for each passing day
When your eyes collide let your spirits fly
and pray to God it's here to stay

And I said "Give it all you got no holding back
Let a light in your soul
Ain't it better to lose in love than to never love at all"

Give it all you got no holding back
Let a light in your soul
Ain't it better to lose in love than to never love at all
than to never love at all
than to never, never love at all
Ain't it better to lose in love than never love at all.

Memory

one of my favourite songs.

waiting for your next post:-).

回复 15#minwh 的帖子

Thanks. I'm travelling right now. Will continue when settle down..

Starry Starry Night,  this brings me back to 20 years ago. The first time I heard this song was from a radio program, I recorded that program and played it many times trying to understand and remember the lyrics..

[quote]原帖由 [i]pp_dream[/i] 于 2009-5-29 00:55 发表 [url=http://ww123.net/baby/redirect.php?goto=findpost&pid=5161545&ptid=4635736][img]http://ww123.net/baby/images/common/back.gif[/img][/url]
Starry Starry Night,  this brings me back to 20 years ago. The first time I heard this song was from a radio program, I recorded that program and played it many times trying to understand and remember ... [/quote]

When we grow older, we feel differently about the song and Vincent.

At that time, I was touched by the lines like "how you suffered for your sanity, how you try to set them free". At that time, I thought it was anger of being misunderstood. Many years later, when I looked at Vincent's paint, I start to understand, this is lonliness..

[quote]原帖由 [i]凤凰鸣兮[/i] 于 2009-4-27 04:37 发表 [url=http://ww123.net/baby/redirect.php?goto=findpost&pid=4913632&ptid=4635736][img]http://ww123.net/baby/images/common/back.gif[/img][/url]
Don McLean wrote this sone in 1071 in memory of Vincent Van Gogh.  it's typical 70's folk song with soothing melody but strong lyrics. I first heard this song 20 years' ago when I was in university. I ... [/quote]


i love this song the most.

yesterday once more  Carpenters.