Like Smoke

MayDay - Like Smoke

This song has been a staple in my playlist ever since I found it a couple of years ago. The arrangements and the mysterious nature of my own feeble interpretation of the lyrics (yes it is marginally weak my command of said language) that really intrigued much and prompted to search high and low for the translations. I suppose things might get lost in translation as I thought then when I successfully find it; but mayhap so, the lyrics bounced back and it hit home that this is by far my most favorite Mayday song.
I've been keeping a mental note to post it here since then, but seemingly May itself has been a great joyride for me and I certainly woke up this morning and remembered about it.

Distant Dreamer

"Distant Dreamer"
Butler |Duffy

Although you think I cope
My head is filled with hope
Of some place other than here
Although you think I smile
Inside and all the while
I'm wondering about my destiny

I'm thinking about
All the things
I'd like to do
In my life

I'm a dreamer
A distant dreamer
Dreaming far away from today

Even when you see me frown
My heart won't let me down
Because I know there's better things to come
And when life gets tough
And I feel I've had enough
I hold on to a distant star

I'm thinking about
All the things
I'd like to do
In my life

I'm a dreamer
A distant dreamer
Dreaming far away from today
I'm a dreamer
A distant dreamer
Dreaming far away from today
Yeah I'm a dreamer

The Guitar Story

My,..I certainly have quite a huge task this month.
I agreed to help Pastor C out for this year's Christmas Caroling, since as you might need jogging your memory; Taiping Baptist Church are practically always shorthanded somehow with their almost non-existent of youths. And since I've been helping him out these few months on our fortnightly visits to the Old Folks Homes as backing guitar (and in which became main guitar) I did a Ezra Miller-esque Barry Allen and said "YES" when he asked 3 weeks ago. (oh, of course, not as eager-beaver like in that Justice League trailer)

Went for the first formal practice last Sunday, got the playlist and yeah of course with my recent round of guitar-ing activity, I find myself in increasing difficulty setting to just remember any chord transitions; I do somehow am afraid my memory ain't as good with me being over the hill age-wise; but this nasty short-term memory ain't processing as fast as they used to eh? I might deduce the fact that we somehow just might be conditioned in such as we are too easily absorbed into quick links and our attention span waned thanks to other technologies aka distractions, don't you think?
Anyhow, last Sunday went by pretty OK, and I was pretty upbeat that I can pull it off seemingly how hard could caroling be? encouraging myself; and even Harry asked me have I caroled before (he was with us as he'd stayed on after service for his baptismal class, yay) when I was a wee lad; in which I could be certain I never did play the guitar on caroling, but hazily I do remember doing it somehow or perhaps twice practically a figment of memory with no real comprehension on the when (teen years in Taiping or was it young adult with FGT)
..of course as I shifted through the few bits of both Westworlds (the 1973 movie and the new series finale and writing about it) the days counting until Wednesday when we went to Sunshine Home; I was back to square one: I can't remember the chords, nor some of the rhythm of some songs; both the Christmas hymnals and even the usual few that I alternately played on the Sunshine visits. Thus, I started to feel a bit of nagging fear around the corner that seems to be sneering at me, and spat "Are You Sure?"

I am not even a decent guitar player. Even worse at bass. I suspect I am somewhat tone-deaf in addition to me not being able to read music..but I've played for people and performed in the past. Pretty alright, I suppose, all of the time. I suppose I could carry a tune well enough (imitating-ly ~ I reckon there is no such word, man) and somehow look (half) decent performing it, whilst bandmates/members masked my instruments?
It should be about 21 years ago when I started to hold a guitar and twanged a bit of sound from it. I remember hazily and suppose it must've been some sort of glory days then to have the bunch of us musically illiterate small-town boys learning our chords and practice and jam. Sweat, parched throats, banged ear-drums, tears and blood staked into the mash-up for the simple joy and fame (and dreams, of course)
Eventually some of us went on and became better in playing music, and even 1 of us actually majored in music (I suppose) and in the music industry somewhat. But as for you, Mr Constant Backslider, you have certainly devolved as years go by, of course the bulk of the last 15 years (or so as I recall roughly) of not really touching any instruments has been because of that, although I might say I still do play a mean The Drug's Don't Work still (yeah tried it out finally the other day, albeit with a few mishit of chords; but the feel is still there)
But enough of that.
What I really want to put into scope here is this.

As Pastor C came for a 1-on-1 sesh with me; I was running through the back of my mind that I am facing a sort-of uphill battle to learn quite a bit in this short span of time. Technically in the next 10 days or so, to build up the confidence for the Caroling (should still be able to knock it off easy) and then the 'big one' on Christmas Day for the segmented medley.
But I suppose with prayers, discipline (oh no, something that I lack at times, well most of the time) and with almost all of the tv shows on their mid-season breaks (well, except these additional 5 extra episodes of Vikings Season 4) I suppose my distractions would only come from the few comics and oh, a trip to Penang this Monday; and a wedding to attend this weekend as my run-in to Christmas. Gah! Christmas Cards and gifts!
I am sort-of cramming a few of these: reading sheet music, some easy scales (fingers were forever stiff as *#$k) , remembering sheets and notes and chords, okay, I really do have in good faith the Lord will provide...and of course I've gotta be putting my hours in to getting conditioned to play the guitar.

did this moments ago (yeah took a break since fingers numb much faster) and hey,  I like this quote yo!

p/s: oh, I finally lost my months-old DIY guitar pick/spectrum on Wednesday's visit. Felt a wee bit sad when I was searching for it yet again, but alas it really has gone invisible. Serves me right, as I made it from such a clear looking material. Rested my case, and finally went about to purchase a damn pick from any store...but no! They only sell them in bulks of 4 for RM 10. Hot dang. I seriously don't remember the price of one; but I suppose, nah, forget it. It is high time for me anyways.
But Mom somehow told me there should be a box of my old spectrums lying about in my room amongst my keepsakes...and there I was thinking I lost them years ago when I lost most of my belongings. Oh well...

OJ Law - After All

OJ Law's new song came out last week (should be, I might've lost track of time somehow), I suppose it must be getting decent airtime on Malaysian-friendly music stations. Don't ask me, these few months back home and I haven't bothered to change the frequencies, it's not like I am harboring much hope to be driving the trusty junk back to KL anytime soon with my current broke-ass'ness.

Finally remembered earlier today from the subscription feed about this music video, in which with the horrendous connection, I suspended that tab almost as soon as the page was loading. (yeah, I got most of my things done in these few wee hours late into the dead of night, whereas it is going through my diminishing supply of tv series and movies during the day, or read occasionally)
Getting back to this song (finally) minutes ago, I was even so intrigued with "Starring : Patrick Teoh"

Beautiful.
Utterly beautiful tune, lyrics are, well dangerously bittersweet, yet true and the video direction, oh my ~ another video-on-loop moment.

I can't shake the mental image of Patrick Teoh's performance in Executive Spa in this video's scene of him cussing & driving

In Other Words / Fly Me To The Moon

For many years I've always thought the original artist (of the many) was Julie London. In the midst of writing this and hoarding the many versions right now, I kinda like remembered there were moments before then that I thought Sinatra, and Nat King Cole before. Or was it Dinah Washington?

Thanks to wikipedia, finally! (why didn't I think about that years ago?)
Thank you, Mr Bart Howard
It was hard enough to figure out whichever version's playing, but I am having such a jolly time grabbing as many famous covers of this fine gem.


Anyway, here's the list that I'm compiling (and stash for keeps), in not-so random order:

Kaye Ballard
Frank Sinatra
Doris Day
Tony Bennett
Julie London
Nat King Cole
April Stevens
Rod Stewart (! found out tonight)
Peggy Lee
Michael Bolton
Utada Hikaru
Marvin Gaye
Diana Krall (fondest memory)
Patrizio Buane
Olivia Ong ....(hmm, new discovery tonight)
Jason Mraz
Ella Fitzgerald
Bobby Darin
Brenda Lee
West...wait Westlife? Okay, enough internet for the day.

LMFAO - Sexy & I Know It

<<< NSFW >>>

gawky funny stuff ; of course the man in the box is in it as well 

o--kay Redfoo we get-it

Mr Wu's A Window Cleaner

Mr Wu's A Window Cleaner




source - songfacts.com
In 1932, Formby recorded "Chinese Laundry Blues" in which he introduced Mr Wu, a lovesick Chinese laundry worker from Limehouse in East London. In 1936, he recorded "When I'm Cleaning Windows". Put them together and you get "Mr Wu's A Window Cleaner Now". According to The George Formby Society, this song was recorded December 17, 1939 on the Regal Zonophone label. Written by the same team, Fred E. Cliffe, Harry Gifford and Formby himself, this is one of his more endearing novelty songs. (thanks, Alexander Baron - London, England)

The Music Videos Post

i know, lazy ol' me.
well, i should just re-name the title something along the line like - let the music(video) speak? /or a (music)picture speaks a thousand words?
corny.