Oldie Of The Day: Cherie Amour

You can't have a name like "Cheray" - or Cheryl, Cherry, Sherry, Cherie - and not be serenaded at some point in your life with "My Cherie Amour".  So I have a certain affinity for it.  Yet another song ripe with unrequited love that I have mirror-performed and car-performed on multiple occasions.  So here's two versions of it - the original by Stevie Wonder, and one by the latest artists added to my arsenal, Elaine Elias.  I watched a performance of her trio - and she almost makes me consider quitting piano.  The woman is seriously gifted....and plays barefoot. 

BTW, all those other names I listed above - yes I've been called that before. Major annoyance factor for me. I can give you Sherry, but Cheryl - really? Do you see an "L" anywhere in there? And Cherry - you're just not even trying.  Ugh. 

Thanks for the Laughs

Another great thing to give thanks for....humor.

A merry heart does good like a medicine.

It’s been said that a good belly laugh boosts the immune system, exercises the heart, and clears the mind.

Most of all, it just feels good.

Some studies have shown that children laugh a few hundred times a day, while adults may only laugh a dozen times a day.  Whether that’s true or not, it does seem that children find it easier to laugh than adults.  How sad. Ever since reading that I’ve made it my goal to belly laugh more.  I will even seek out a fave song, movie clip or crazy friend to instigate laughter. I already have a pretty silly sense of humor, and am determined to keep it that way.  As I told a friend long ago, it’s better to laugh than cry on any day.

Below are a couple things that make me laugh…

Psych - my latest comedy TV obsession. This clip includes their all-to-brief cover of "Ebony & Ivory". For comparison, afterwards is the original video with Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney.

A Christmas Story - one of my all-time fave movies, and I'm preparing to watch it for the umpteenth time during Thanksgiving. 

*What makes you laugh?

A Month of Thanks

I’m sure by now you’ve seen the fb status floating around - "30 days of thanks: Day x: I'm thankful for ____".  Well here it is music nerd style. I wanted to participate, but am not foolish enough to think I will remember to post something everyday this month. Cuz then I would have this crazy status: "Days 7 – 16: I’m thankful for insert hurriedly concocted list that makes no sense here".

So I decided instead to feature songs this month about thanks, or gratitude, or even Thanksgiving (are there any?).

Today's thanks - God and family, so here are songs for them, in that order. 

"Happier Than the Morning Sun" I didn't know was yet another wonderful Stevie Wonder song.  I only knew the Jon Gibson version for years. I'd encourage you to check that one out too.  Either way, it completely and eloquently captures my heart's condition since Jesus, in spite of the crazy things life has thrown me.

This clip reminds me of my family every time I watch it.  It brings back memories of us laughing til we cried at Mr. Cosby and his family...and my dad's music-nerd like observations as he explained that was a Ray Charles song that came out in 19xx, etc., etc....and my mom doing an ever-so slight rolling of the eyes. LOL. And how that would sometimes lead to both parents telling me & sis stories about their childhoods, and whatever crazy stuff they did in high school. I still remember them chanting "SOUTHEASTERN!   SOUTHEASTERN! Rah-Rah-Rah! V-I-C-T-O-R-Y!"  Good stuff.

*Do you have a favorite Cosby show scene or memory? What is it?

Daddy's Girl

Maybe it’s only in the South that a grown woman will (and is expected to) still refer to her father as Daddy, often with the same affection that she had for him as a child.  My dad’s birthday is coming up, and while I’m glad I got to see him and the rest of the family last month, I’m sad that I’m missing yet another birthday.  It’s hard to live away from family at these times. 

I am an unashamed Daddy’s girl…probably to the point of nauseating others at times.  That doesn’t mean we haven’t had our misunderstandings, arguments and times of separation. There were a number of years where things were really bumpy between us. But at the end of the day, I know that Daddy has always loved me and wanted the best for me and my sister.  I know he worked hard for his family.  I know he loved/loves being a teacher.  There came a time when – if I wanted to be mature, and be whole – I had to forgive people for real and perceived shortcomings, the offenses I suffered, and accept that person as he/she is.  This is just as true when dealing with family.  It's only then that I could work on building any kind of relationship in the present, as we are now as people.  

Both sides of my family love music and have very talented, creative people. But I think I got my music nerdiness from Daddy.  Even now, he’ll play a song and then have to share the story behind it. The general formula goes something like this: “See, this song came out in 19__.  Me, Brit (or another bff) and xxxx were [insert some action - walking, dancing, driving, whatever] and DJ xxx played this song".  Which is usually followed by some sort of little-known family, Virginia and/or Black History fact. :) And of course, there’s the occasional statement “Cheray, I need you to find this song….”  Hmmm, apparently this is what music nerdiness looks like 30 years from now - good to know. 

Anyways, even though I’ll have to read this to him long distance, or send him the link and ask Jesus to help me figure out how to help him pull it up on his computer (lol), I'm dedicating today's entry to him.  There are a few great father-child or father-daughter songs out there, I just chose 2. The other ones made me too weepy. There's one song in my arsenal that I hope to send him soon; if it goes well, maybe I'll post it here later.

 

*Is there a song that reminds you of a parent or loved one?