First of all, I just wanted to say thank you to everyone for their kind thoughts and comments regarding last week's musical "sermon." It certainly meant a lot to me, and I hope it did for Victoria's family.
This week, I'm in something of a funk. Part of it is left over from last week. Honestly, it feels more like hungover than leftover. Part of it is that I'm currently at work today after doing more than twelve hours yesterday. I'm also dogsitting for someone (maybe a nascent side hustle?) and I kind of feel like I'm neglecting Ranger just by being at work... likely one of the many reasons why I don't have a dog of my own. Frankly, I'm feeling kind of disjointed. So this is what I do when I'm feeling disjointed and emotionally hungover--I write and I listen to music.
At times like these, my first instincts are to match the music to the mood. Brooding, sometimes dark stuff works well--Leonard Cohen, Nick Cave, Dylan, acoustic Springsteen. Blues music always works well in these situations as well--Muddy Waters, B.B. King, Little Walter. Sometimes I just dive straight into John Lee Hooker (my personal favourite) and induce a blues coma.
But I thought I'd go in a different direction this time. I initially thought I might like something kind of silly. Then I realized I was merely looking for something upbeat--possibly even, dare I say, hopeful? Perhaps even whimsical? I started scrolling through my portable jukebox (or "phone" as it's called in most social circles), looking for something that would fit that description. I got to the letter "H" and my eyes immediately latched on to this week's album and I decided to play it--because when Harry Nilsson's music plays, it's hard not to at least smile. I've always liked the album, and it features at least two of my favourite Nilsson compositions, but I didn't really know too much about the album itself. So I did a little research--mostly to check songwriting credits. Wikipedia said of this album that it "does not have a distinctive style but ranges over ballads, show tunes, nostalgic Americana, and tin pan alley-like soft shoe numbers." I have to be honest--that may be one of the best album reviews I've ever read. And while it may not necessarily have pulled me out of my funk, I enjoyed the vibe enough that I've moved on to later albums in his discography.
This was his fourth album (fifth if you count the soundtrack he recorded for the 1968 Otto Preminger film Skidoo) and features his classics "The Puppy Song" and "I Guess the Lord Must Be in New York City"--both of which were featured in the 1998 rom-com You've Got Mail--as well as covers of songs by The Beatles ("Mother Nature's Son"), Jerry Jeff Walker ("Mr. Bojangles"), and Randy Newman ("Simon Smith and the Amazing Dancing Bear"). (In fact, Nilsson was so taken with Newman's songwriting style that his follow up album was comprised entirely of his songs.)
So without further ado, I encourage you to lighten your own vibe with the great Harry Nilsson and his 1969 album Harry.
Until next week, stay safe, be good to your neighbours, and please remember that if at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
Yours in peace, love, and rock 'n' roll!
The Reverend Will the Thrill
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