On Wednesdays, I share posts, fables, songs, poems, quotations, TEDx Talks, cartoons, and books that have inspired and motivated me on my writing journey. I hope these posts will give writers, artists, and other creatives a mid-week boost.
In November 2006, Martina McBride released Anyway, a powerful song about hope, love, perseverance—and above all, faith. More than eighteen years later, its message feels even more relevant today.
Timothée Chalamet inhabits the character of Bob Dylan, providing us with an intimate look at the rock icon during his breakthrough period (1961 – 1965). Having spent the pandemic years preparing for this performance, Chalamet hits all the right notes. He does his own singing and guitar- and harmonic-playing and succeeds in channeling Dylan’s rebellious spirit and opportunism. It is not surprising that Chalamet has been nominated for a Golden Globe.
The film opens with Bob Dylan landing in New York at the age of 19 with a guitar and a rucksack. His first task was to visit his musical idol, Woody Guthrie (Scoot McNary), at Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital. We are immediately locked into the story and watch Dylan play a song to Guthrie while folk legend Pete Seeger (Edward Norton) sits nearby. What follows is a quick trajectory to fame for Dylan.
Edward Norton received a Supporting Actor nomination for his excellent portrayal of Pete Seger. Norton shines as he plays against type: an activist and soft-natured father figure to Dylan. Like Chalamet, Norton does his own singing and also plays the banjo.
The supporting cast includes Monica Barbaro as Joan Baez and Elle Fanning as Sylvie Russo, Dylan’s first girlfriend in New York. Barbaro delivers an incredible performance as Dylan’s musical rival and occasional lover. She sees through Dylan’s façade and calls him out for his rudeness. Fanning’s Sylvie evokes our sympathy as we watch her experience a rollercoaster of emotions throughout the film. A scene that tugs at the heartstrings: Joan Baez and Bob Dylan perform the tune “It Ain’t Me Babe” at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival while Sylvie watches.
Spanning over two hours, this well-paced film captivates with its seamless blend of musical performances, intimate moments, and historical context. However, I would have appreciated more insights into Dylan’s early days as Robert Zimmerman in Minnesota, beyond the glimpses offered through scrapbooks. The film has inspired me to read more about 1960s folk music and revisit the iconic tunes that became anthems for the civil rights and anti-war movements.
A strong contender in this year’s award season, A Complete Unknown is a must-see film.
Earlier today, Roger Whittaker, one of the United Kingdom’s most celebrated folk singers, died at age 87.
Born in Kenya to English parents, Roger attributed his love of music to his childhood in Nairobi. In an interview he commented, “In over 30 years of singing and playing musical sounds, the wonderful drumming and those marvellous, infectious rhythms have played a great part in everything I have ever written and sung.” His song “My Land is Kenya” is often played on television and radio during national holidays and election campaigns in that country.
A prolific artist, Roger sold close to 50 million records and received 250 platinum, gold, and silver awards. Fluent in several languages, he also achieved success in the Nordic countries, France, and Germany.
A longtime fan, I was thrilled when he visited my hometown of Sudbury, Ontario in the early 1980s. My mother (an even more avid fan) and I attended the packed concert.
Here’s the back story behind my favorite song:
In 1971, Roger Whittaker hosted a radio program in Great Britain. To increase ratings, he invited listeners to send their best poems or lyrics. Of the over one million entries received, Whittaker selected twenty-six. With the help of orchestra conductor Zack Lawrence, he recorded the songs and played them on the radio over a six-month period.
One of those poems was written by Ron A. Webster, a silversmith from Birmingham, England. Bittersweet and poignant, the lyrics became even more compelling when Lawrence added a French horn solo to the opening. The song was also featured on Whittaker’s 1971 album, “New World in the Morning,” but failed to reach the music charts.
Fast forward four years…
While traveling in Canada, the wife of a program director for a radio station in Atlanta, Georgia heard the four-year-old recording on the radio. Moved by the haunting lyrics describing a young British soldier’s anguish about going to war, she couldn’t get that song out of her head. When she returned to Atlanta, she asked her husband to play the song on the radio.
Listeners called the station for more information about the song and the recording artist. Soon after, “The Last Farewell,” made its way onto the charts. It became a Top 20 hit in 1975 and sold over 11 million copies worldwide.
More interesting facts…
In 1976, Elvis Presley included the song on his album, From Elvis Presley Boulevard, Memphis, Tennessee. When this version was released posthumously in 1984, it reached #48 in the United Kingdom.
Chet Atkins recorded an instrumental version on his 1986 album, Sweet Dreams.
AIK a Swedish sports club, adopted the music with alternate lyrics as their official anthem.
And most impressive of all, “The Last Farewell” became known as Roger Whittaker’s signature song and helped launch his career in the United States.
Legendary composer Burt Bacharach died yesterday at age 94.
His songs could fit anywhere from Hollywood to Broadway, and they have never faded away. He has often been described as the “unapologetic epitome of cool.”
During his illustrious career, he scored over 50 chart hits in the United States and the United Kingdom, with artists including Frank Sinatra, Perry Como, Dionne Warwick, Barbra Streisand, Tom Jones, Aretha Franklin, Elvis Costello, and The Beatles all recording his songs.
The winner of three Oscars, two Golden Globes, and six competitive Grammy Awards, Burt Bacharach was hailed as music’s “greatest living composer” when he accepted the Grammy Lifetime Achievement honor in 2008.
My favorite quotations from Burt Bacharach:
Music breeds its own inspiration. You can only do it by doing it. You may not feel like it, but you push yourself. It’s a work process. Or just improvise. Something will come.
Never be ashamed to write a melody that people remember.
What the world needs now is love, sweet love, It’s the only thing that there’s just too little of.
The groovy thing about pop music is that it’s wide open. Anything can happen.
For me, it’s about the peaks and valleys of where a record can take you. You can tell a story and be able to be explosive one minute, then get quiet as kind of a satisfying resolution.
It wasn’t about writing songs to dance to. It was about recording music that felt right. I wanted to make it palatable. There are no guarantees.
You shouldn’t hold on to the past too much, even the good stuff.
Knowing when to leave may be the smartest thing anyone can learn.
My favorite song:
According to the men—Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaenus—there was no elaborate plan to release an album forty years after their extraordinary first run. In a recent interview, Mr. Andersson commented, “What is there to prove? They’ll still play ‘Dancing Queen’ next year.”
To recap…
Between 1973 and 1981, the quartet released eight studio albums that generated 20 hits on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart, sold tens of millions of albums, and built a loyal fanbase. That fanbase has continued to grow across all generations and borders. At Colin Powell’s funeral service, the U.S. Army Brass Quintet played ABBA’s “Dancing Queen,” a personal favorite of the trailblazing leader and diplomat.
Considered one of Sweden’s top figures in pop music, ABBA has its own permanent museum in Stockholm.
Voyage
Their new album, Voyage, was made in secret and launched on November 5, 2021. As before, the men wrote the songs but left the singing to the ladies—Agnetha Faltskog and Anna-Frid Lyngstad.
Described as “vintage ABBA, on par with their classic 1970s run,” the 10-track CD was definitely worth the wait.
The Swedish septuagenarians have made an amazing comeback, recapturing the spirit and themes of their trademark music: love, betrayal, estrangement, and reunions. In sync with the times, they’ve included an environmental message in “Bumblebees”:
“It’s quite absurd, this summer morning/To think we could be trapped/Inside a world where all is changing/Too fast for bumblebees to adapt.”
I could easily listen to the entire CD without skipping a single track. Right now, I’m leaning toward “When You Danced with Me” as a personal favorite.
When I Googled “Songs about Mermaids,” I came up with 1,270,000 hits. While I don’t plan to visit all those sites, I will share a selection of songs over the next few months.
In today’s post, I’m featuring a group of Canadian artists, two of whom are near and dear to me.
After receiving my contract for Between Land and Sea, I asked my musically talented brothers to compose the music for the trailer. I had envisioned my brothers collaborating and composing one theme song, but that’s not how their muses worked. Each brother had his own unique interpretation of the middle-aged mermaid who was aged beyond recognition and then dumped on the fog-drenched shores of southwest England. Unable to choose between them, I decided to use both versions and hired Erin Kelly to produce the trailers.
Ernie G came up with the Yin version. Aptly titled, “It’s Your Time,” the soft, contemplative music gently skims over the heartbreak, encouraging Isabella to imagine a happier future.
Augy G delivered the Yang version in “Father Time Blinked.” Very different music with several pointed comments and questions sprinkled throughout the lyrics. Is Augy taking Isabella to task?
I couldn’t resist adding “The Mermaid” song performed by Canadian folk rock band Great Big Sea in 2005. Written and originally recorded by Shel Silverstein, this song features the lament of a whaler who has fallen in love with a mermaid but despairs over her fish parts.
Enjoy!
To celebrate the upcoming release of The Coming of Arabella, I’m offering a Rafflecopter giveaway for 5 free eBooks.
Enter here.
Joanne Guidoccio 