Mood Music

[Gunny]

This is such a diverse group of people and I  would guess I am more diverse than most. There are songs that evoke special memories to me, some make me think and some just 'mellow' me out, and no, drugs are not involved. Well, maybe a Xanax. 

I joined the service 23 May 1967, my music of choice ran the gamut, Kingston Trio and beyond. My favorite contemplative song is "Danny Boy' and Judith Durham from an old group called the Seekers had my favorite version. She has such a range in her voice.. I listen with headphones and just loud enough to envision the words of the song.

So tonight I was listening to her sing and noticed Jackie Evancho had made a version. I had watched her on the talent show and I seldom pay attention to the 'white' noise in my room, then she started to sing. There was no way in hell that voice was coming from a ten year old girl. The first and only time I watched every episode of a talent show. 

I write all this to just see if anyone would care to listen to the two versions. They are youtube videos so data hogs. 

May not be your taste in music, I get that, but the words kill me. 

 



Rob

 

[DannyB1954]

Both are nice. can't tell you how many times that song has been brought to my attention growing up. I didn't know the history of how it originated.
I think I like the second version best. First one is more like an opera.


Here is another version that you might like,

 

[BobBski]

One of my all time favorites... Lee Marvin and I Was Born Under a Wonderin Star

 

[Queen]

My dad sang Danny Boy all the time, his mom was from Ireland and though he never got to meet her, he heard it was her favorite song so he embraced it as his own.

Music is almost as evocative to me as smell is. A song will transport me right back to where I was when I heard it the first time.  If Carole Kings "You've Got a Friend" comes on the radio, I'm immediately stretched out in the back seat of my folks VW bus as we are driving through Germany, listening to armed forced radio.

 

[dr_nelson]

Oh boy, war is so sick... Can't imagine what Danny's father went through.

 

[dr_nelson]

(...)
If Carole Kings "You've Got a Friend" comes on the radio, I'm immediately stretched out in the back seat of my folks VW bus as we are driving through Germany, listening to armed forced radio.

When was that, if you don't mind me asking?
I mean, when were you in Germany?

 

[Ballenxj]

  My favorite contemplative song is "Danny Boy' and Judith Durham from an old group called the Seekers had my favorite version. She has such a range in her voice.. I listen with headphones and just loud enough to envision the words of the song.

LOVE Judith Durham! Here's my favorite from her.

 

[Queen]

When was that, if you don't mind me asking?
I mean, when were you in Germany?

We lived in Italy from 1969-1973, but had friends in Germany so went up to visit them now and then.

 

[dr_nelson]

We lived in Italy from 1969-1973, but had friends in Germany so went up to visit them now and then.

So you must have driven through my home country, then. Switzerland

 

[Queen]

So you must have driven through my home country, then. Switzerland

Many many times. My folks had very little money, but loved to travel and explore. When we got to Italy they went out and bought the VW bus and a load of surplus camping gear. We traveled constantly, camping all over Europe, I truly hope I make it back there one more time.

 

[hepcat]

I joined the service 23 May 1967, my music of choice ran the gamut, Kingston Trio and beyond. My favorite contemplative song is "Danny Boy' and Judith Durham from an old group called the Seekers had my favorite version. She has such a range in her voice.. 

Rob

Lead Belly, The Weavers, Pete Seeger and Malvena Reynolds, The Seekers, PP&M, Dylan, the Guthries: Woodie and Arlo, CSNY, Joni Mitchell, Pure Prairie League, Creedence, the Eagles... the list goes on and on.

And sprinkled in there is awesome jazz...  Manhattan Transfer, Weather Report, Dave Brubeck, and right now I'm listening to David Sanborn...

Those of us who grew up in the 50's, survived the '60s and made it long enough to appreciate not only folk rock but excellent jazz have had a great soundtrack for our lives...

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[DannyB1954]

One of my all time favorites... Lee Marvin and I Was Born Under a Wonderin Star

Watched a Youtube documentary on Lee Marvin.        That was the first time he sang in a movie. He was afraid because he could not sing. It became a hit and he got a gold record out of it.

 

[Gunny]

Lee Marvin was a genuine Bad Ass. Wounded in the battle for Saipan by machine gun fire. One of my favorite songs also. It's not so much the gruff voice, it's the lyrics if you listen to them.

Another my 'mood' music is Eve Of Destruction by Barry McGuire. The song was banned by the owner of two of the 'Pop' or Rock stations in Dallas and Ft Worth. Gorden Mc Clendon refused any station he owned to play it. And it damn sure didn't get played on AFVN , Armed Forces VietNam radio. Different mood music than the mood last night. Much different.



Rob

 

[WalkaboutTed]

Real jazz, classical, oldies, alternative, reggae, world, rock and roll, etc. I get it all from radioparadise.com. The guy that runs it was a professional DJ back in the day. My oldest son turned me on to them , I think, in 2003. No commercials, but if you want to donate, fine, if not, fine. (When I had a job, I sent them $5 a month).

They have a mobile site and an app and I think it goes all the way down to 64kbs for the bandwidth impaired. For those with bandwidth, they have beautiful graphics that goes along with the music. All uploaded by audience.

I have no commercial or other relationship with this station except that I'm a faithful listener. You can listen off-line.

Right now they're playing Leonard Cohen
Ted

 

[bullfrog]

Cheap Jeep's K D Radio !

 

[ArtW]

I listen to every form of music in the western world, from Pipe and Drum to Rock, Heavy Metal, Hip Hop, pop, all depends what I want to hear at the time
'Danny boy' always depresses me, though, so I don't much care to listen to it unless I'm already down hearted

 

[hepcat]

Lee Marvin was a genuine Bad Ass. Wounded in the battle for Saipan by machine gun fire. One of my favorite songs also. It's not so much the gruff voice, it's the lyrics if you listen to them.

Another my 'mood' music is Eve Of Destruction by Barry McGuire. The song was banned by the owner of two of the 'Pop' or Rock stations in Dallas and Ft Worth. Gorden Mc Clendon refused any station he owned to play it. And it damn sure didn't get played on AFVN , Armed Forces VietNam radio. Different mood music than the mood last night. Much different.



Rob

"Paint Your Wagon" is on my list of movies to watch at LEAST annually.  I named my sailboat the "Wand'rin' Star."

"Eve of Destruction."  And there is no song that has never been more relevant than it is at this hour.  *sigh*

 

[Gunny]

Danny 1954, I had never seen the clip you linked, thanks, it was well done.

I will give a small backstory to the song I am linking next. On 19 August I was shot in the pelvis and left thigh. My radio operator took a round to his neck. KIA instantly. Fast forward 20 years or so. I posted a small remembrance on the Virtual Wall under his name, I didn't know him well, he had only been with me for about 10 days. I was due to rotate
home in September and was avoiding making any friends, for many reasons. About ten years ago I got an email from a name that was vaguely familiar. I very seldom read anything from someone I don't know but I read this one. It was the younger brother of my radio operator. He wanted to know if I was the one who posted on his brothers name.

It took me a week to decide to answer him, it brought back many unpleasant memories but I finally emailed him back telling him yes, it was me. He wrote back wanting to know everything about Terry (my radio operators name was Terrance) and his time in Vietnam. What do you say? I just made small talk and little things I remembered, it wasn't much.

Then he asked the $64,000 question, how did he die. All I told him was that Terry did not suffer.

I met the brother a few months ago, he came thru Ft Worth specifically to meet me. My shrink told me not to do it and so did my family, but I wanted to try and help this guy.
He talked for an hour about Terry and the things they used to do, I just let him talk. Then he asked how it happened. I gave him a clean, sanitized version of that night.

I joke about Xanax and insomnia but that was a horrible day. I sometimes think my shrink was right. Sometimes life does not go on.



Rob

 

[IanC]

My dad was a British military man - he suffered greatly throughout his life from his experiences in WW2. My uncle, his brother, was captured in Italy and held in a German POW camp for the duration of the war. He was 17 when he was captured and lived his life with PTSD and severe depression, BUT, he struggled through, worked until he died and raised his family as best he could. When I look at 18 year olds, they seem like children to me - how did one so young deal with the horror they saw in WW2 Europe?

I have my dad's discharge paper following the war. One line in the brief 'thank you' reads "We know your future life will come with many challenges. We wish you well"......... That's it!

My dad was also very proud of our Scots heritage and loved military pomp and ceremony. I have watched this video countless times and it never fails to bring tears to my eyes. Dad would have been 98 this year.

 

[DannyB1954]

I was non combat during Vietnam. I took part in helping the refugees in Guam when Saigon fell in 1975.
I can't watch a video about the Wall, let alone go visit it. Now Vietnam is a place to vacation. I think 50,000
of my brothers gone for what?
Talk about a mood. Part survivors remorse, part sorrow part anger.
About the only song that makes sense is Amazing Grace. Not only saved spiritually but also physically.