You Sing Too?!?
A few months ago, I excitedly tweeted about the upcoming release of my CD. Among the many comments was one from someone who knows me solely through my writing. Her reaction?
You sing too?!?
Yes, yes I do. I have been singing throughout my entire life. I have always been surrounded by music. Sometimes internally, sometimes externally. There has been a soundtrack streaming within me since I was very young. Its presence has soothed me and comforted me. And it has accompanied my soul.
Over the years, there have been certain pieces that have grabbed hold of me and propelled my very soul into God’s very Presence. Not songs that I merely enjoy, but a select few that transfix me.
What one song moves you in a way no other piece of music can do? It can be from any genre, any artist, any one composition that delights your soul.
One lucky respondent will win an autographed copy of my new CD, Soul’s Delight. (You can take a listen here.) The giveaway, a first here at Frume Sarah’s World, ends on Monday, 14 March (8 Adar II) at 12:01am PDT (don’t forget we are “springing ahead” here in North America in the wee hours of Sunday).
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Frume Sarah's World 
Vienna Teng’s Lullaby for a Stormy Night gets to me every time.
This piece was completely unfamiliar to me. Thank you so much for sharing it with me.
John Fogerty’s “Centerfield” (“Put me in coach, I’m ready to play, today…) I’m a huge baseball fan and when I hear that song it instantly puts me in a good mood. The music, the lyrics – everything about it. Strange, but true.
I don’t know the song and don’t really understand what there is to like about baseball other than the food.
BUT — the song does brighten one’s mood. Even one like me!
I know – people say that to me a lot too – but I think it is something that you get when you are born into a family who loves baseball. It is just kind of a thing you grow up with and it sticks. Of course, I could have picked a Barry Manilow song – G-d knows my family played his s0ngs just as much as watched Phillies games. LOL! 🙂
“Sound” by James. It truly is an amazing experience; takes you to a different place, one that no other song has ever done. (On behalf of my hubby.)
Good call.
I find it very, very hard to pick. But, one piece which for me has always been extremely moving is Brahms’ Second Piano Concerto, second movement. I actually blogged about it once – http://musicalmarination.wordpress.com/2010/08/11/listen-to-this-an-a-ha-moment/
Great blog piece! And it is so true how one piece can mean so much to one person and another person doesn’t experience it the same way.
Too hard! But I’ll go with the 2nd movement of the Mozart Clarinet Concerto.
A lovely composition. Really soothing.
“All I Ask of You,” from the Phantom of the Opera. The lines,
“Say you’ll share with me one love, one liftime,
Let me lead you from your solitude…”
conjure not only images of my spouse reaching out for me but of a gentle and loving God reaching out for the fearful child I so often am.
Indeed. I love the lyrics.
(Just don’t mention this song to PC; in 1995, he had a traumatic experience with it and has never sung in public since that time.)
For a long time, I carried around with me a very depressing mental image for the Beatles song “Blackbird”. I would relate it here, but I’ve been told by enough people that it ruined their enjoyment of the song so I usually just keep it to myself.
Not that my mental image inhibited my own love of the song. I took a fond, if somewhat morbidly melancholy, pleasure in singing it and hearing it performed. But it was never a happy song.
Then, when my son Joram (who is now 10) was a baby we had this routine. He was hard to put to sleep, so we would rock in the chair and I would pat his back. With significant force. No namby-pamby girly-man taps for him. He would only settle down if you gave him room-echoing “whomps” with your whole hand. And it wasn’t that slow, heartbeat type rhythm that seems so soothing. Joram preferred a medium-to-fast beat. So there I am, pounding out a steady rhythm and rocking him to sleep when I realized:
(pat pat pat pat)
Blackbird singin’ in the dead of night
(pat pat pat pat)
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
(pat pat pat)
All your life
(pat pat pat)
You were only waiting for this moment to arrive
In that moment of discovery, several things came together for me and were resolved – my concern about having a son; the personal upheaval of that time – a job change, a country change, a new child; and so on. And above it all was the immediate and complete transformation of that song into something positive and hopeful. The lyrics took on new and very personal meaning, and I knew I would never hear it the same way again.
It is said that encounters with God (however you envision God) are transformative. Torah shows us this with the many name changes (Abram becomes Abraham, Sarai becomes Sarah, Jacob (“heel”) becomes Israel (“God wrestler”).) Upon meeting Moses, even God gets a name change (or at least the revealing of a name within the context of the Torah narrative).
What we understand from these episodes in Torah is that meeting God is transformative – once you’ve encountered the Divine, you cannot remain the same. By reverse logic, if you find yourself (inexplicably) transformed, that is evidence of an encounter with God.
In that instant of change for Joram and I, Shechinah (another name for God, meaning “her spirit which surrounds us”) came into the room.
I think Mr. McCartney would be proud.
Stunning. I will never feel that song in the same way. Thanks for sharing such a personal glimpse.
No question …..
The Star Spangled Banner …. from the time I can remember … standing … hearing … singing …. seeing our beautiful American Flag in front of me or the vision in my minds eye of our glorious flag flying in the breeze so proudly — brings a lump in my throat …. A moment too to remember and honor those that have fought and brought it honor and us freedoms beyond belief ……………… Having our beautiful flag flying at our home when 9/11 exploded on our soil brought additional pride and comfort to us and those close to us …………..
http://kids.niehs.nih.gov/lyrics/spangle.htm
American the Beautiful is pretty special too 🙂
It is especially powerful when sung with a crowd of people.
I am particularly fond of the second verse. The imagery of that morning’s first beam as it caresses the folds of the flags has stayed with me since I first sung it so many years ago.
Far too many songs move me to name them all. I must say, however, that I was inspired by the Journey anthem “Don’t Stop Believin'” long before any of my students who consider themselves to be gLeeks were ever born.
What do we get if we already own a copy of Soul’s Delight?
Isn’t that funny? Your niece and nephew are shocked when I know a song and then insist that it wasn’t originally recorded by Alvin and the Chipmunks.
Um…another copy?
What one song moves you in a way no other piece of music can do? I don’t know the song but I know that when my neighbor plays it loud the vibrations moves us around the room. Does that count. 😉
No.
I am so proud of and happy for you, lady!
The music question is a tough one for me. I adore music. And I love singing with my children. Dance parties get us through tough evenings, turning up our CDS in the car and belting songs out get us through long rides in traffic.
But my husband is a musician. He plays jazz saxophone and his experience with music is different than mine, Maybe similar to yours?
So maybe anything he plays for us?
Anyway- more importantly: CONGRATULATIONS, lady! You rock!! XO
Thanks, lady!!
I don’t think I realized that he was a musician. And yes, it truly changes how we hear music.
“Defy Gravity” from the Wicked Soundtrack. It reminds me to not hold my students back, and that being “unconventional” or outside of the norm can be a gift. Take risks. Be your true self. Some days I really need that reminder….
Me too. This is my “go-to” song when things are feeling really hard or someone has said “no” or I just need to break free. I belt it out…and end up feeling empowered.
The Piano Sonata No. 14 in C♯ minor “Quasi una fantasia”, op. 27, No. 2, by Ludwig van Beethoven, popularly known as the Moonlight Sonata.
This piece had always been a favorite of mine but gained more meaning after my father ~ a blessed memory~ departed this earth. I used to play it in my home when my father lived with me the last few years of his life. He always mimicked playing the piano and swayed to the melody….making me smile. When it played at his memorial service I held that memory close to my heart. Your question prompted me to play it, and as I hear it now I can see daddy swaying to the melody and making me smile. Thank you!
I am willing to bet that this is one of most beloved pieces for many people. It is such a stirring piece.
I am glad that it brought forward such sweet memories.
Bach’s Concerto in D Minor for two violins and orchestra. I find it incredibly soothing. I listen to it when I’m traveling and jet lagged, when I have to have dental work, or when I just want to relax.
(By the way — do you know that ITunes has the genre of your CD as “Christian and Gospel?”)
I LOVE that piece as well.
And yes, I am trying to get that corrected!
So, I have to admit I’ve had my email about this post flagged for follow up since the day you posted it. Everytime you post on FB about it I start thinking again, and each time I come up with yet more pieces which are get me to my core.
I think the top three (b/c thats as far as I can narrow) which encompass my life in emotions are:
Imagine – John Lennon (takes me to a happy idealistic place)
Only Happy When it Rains – Garbage (embrace my anger and then move on)
If I Ain’t Got You – Alicia Keys (the amazing love of my husband which is more powerful than all else)
Well, it turns out to be a darn good thing that you finally left a comment! Don’t forget to send me your mailing address so that you can begin to enjoy Soul’s Delight.
Barbra Streisand’s “Papa can you hear me?” from yentl. Brings me nearly to tears everytime I hear it.
My second most moving is “Over the Rainbow,” sung by the famous singer from Hawaii, was his nickname Izzy? I can listen to that one over and over.
Music is a funny thing. I liked that version of “Over the Rainbow” a lot more before I heard it played at a funeral (and I have a couple of pieces that are on that same “before funeral” list). Now I think of the tragic circumstances of the young man whose family had the song played during the burial.