The Deep Dark Secrets of Bilbopooh... (Bella4's Countdown Writeoff)

Well, after reading a number of these write-off entries, I finally decided to bite the bullet and submit one myself. I'm not so good at lists; I always wind up looking at them afterwards and saying, "Wait! I should have said this!" or "Ugh! Why did I say that?" But here goes.

***10 Bands You’ve Been Listening To Lately***
My musical tastes have remained very consistent throughout my life. For the most part, I listen to the same music my parents listen to, so a lot of it has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. There are dozens of musicians whose works I enjoy, but I guess these are my top 10, at least at the moment: Simon and Garfunkel (***love*** them), John Denver (***love*** him too), the Irish Rovers (long live Ireland!), Don McLean, the Beatles, James Taylor, Billy Joel, Elton John and a newbie, the divine Clay Aiken (***THUD***).

***9 Things I Look Forward To***
I look forward to having a steady source of income, to getting a book published (keeping my fingers crossed), seeing Simon and Garfunkel on tour with the Everly Brothers this fall (it sounds official...), receiving my Celtic harp in the mail next week, getting my Simon and Garfunkel Concert in the Park DVD in the mail this week, reaching the 500 review mark on Epinions, Wednesday pizza night with Grandma, going to the grocery store (food is fun!) and seeing my article published in the Erie Times-News this Sunday. I don't want to think too far ahead...

***8 Things I Like To Wear***
I'm not too particular about clothing, never have been. But let's see... Pooh clothes of any kind, my class rings, my glasses, my ratty old Pooh winter coat, khaki pants, shorts, novelty t-shirts, and chenille.

***7 Things That Annoy Me***

Computer sound effects!!! (My brother Nathan, conversely, is annoyed when I turn off the volume...) Others: loud noises of any kind, people making fun of my taste, people being rude to Nathan, mean-spiritedness, buzzing insects, and the sun in my eyes.

***6 Things You Touch Everyday***

My computer keyboard, my dog's fur, my cat's fur, my glasses, my hair, and food.

***5 Things You Do Everyday***

Read, write, spend quality time with my parents and Nathan, cuddle my pets, and sing.

***4 People You Want to Spend Time With***

Mom, Dad, Nathan, and Sandy.

***3 Movies You Could Watch Over and Over Again***

Mary Poppins, The Sound of Music, and Forrest Gump.

***2 of My Favorite Bands at the Moment***

Simon and Garfunkel and Clay Aiken!!!!

***1 Person That You’d Spend the Rest of Your Life With***

I've always been a homebody, and it's still hard for me to imagine spending my life with anybody other than my parents. I just want to stay close to my folks, but I won't rule out the possibility of somebody sweeping me off my feet someday...

Well, that's about it. One day I'll be especially creative and come up with my own Write-Off, but this will have to do for now! Don't forget to check out the lists of Bella4 and the other participants in this write-off too. Hope I lent a little insight into the eccentricity that is Erin!

Jane Austen Plus Emma Thompson Equals Moviemaking Brilliance

Generally, when I see a movie based on a book which I have read, I prepare myself for disappointment. It is pretty hard to pull off a film adaptation that does true justice to a great book. Sense and Sensibility does just that. I watched a portion of this film in my Canon and Its Critics class, headed by the venerable Dr. Morris. This was maybe a month and a half into the semester, my first with him as a professor, but he had quickly made his way onto my list of favorite educators. So his ecstasy over Emma Thompson and unbounded admiration for Alan Rickman’s Colonel Brandon may have influenced me. But I was impressed enough that I later rented the film and fell in love with it. Along with The Green Mile (in which case I saw the movie before reading the book), this is probably the best book-to-film adaptation I have seen.

The cast is superb, with the afore-mentioned Thompson taking the role of Elinor, the patient, practical eldest Dashwood sister. Kate Winslet portrays Marianne, Elinor’s over-emotional, romantic younger sister. (As Dr. Morris filled us in on what we would be missing before he started the movie towards the end, he said, “And then there’s this great scene where Marianne and Willoughby are standing on the bow of this ship, and she throws out her arms, and… wasn’t in the book, though.”) The dynamic between these two sisters is the heart of the film. They are diametrically opposed, each exhibiting one end of the personality spectrum. Elinor is the heroine of the film, always a perfect model of poise and manners, selfless to the point of bursting (which she eventually does in one of the film’s best scenes). Marianne is likable enough, but she is rather flighty and self-centered and possesses some very impractical ideas about romance. In the end, both girls learn from one another, moving just a bit towards the middle of the spectrum.

Hugh Grant is utterly adorable as the bumbling Edward Ferrars, the honorable gentleman who earns Elinor’s affection at the beginning of the film. He doesn’t get much air time in the film, mainly the very beginning and end, but his appearances are both riotously comical and extraordinarily tender. I’ve seen Hugh Grant in many movies, but this performance is my hands-down favorite. I’ve already noted Dr. Morris’ opinion of Rickman’s performance, and I concur. But then Rickman has blown me away in everything I’ve seen him in. Could there possibly be a more perfect Severus Snape? His Colonel Brandon is formal, reserved, honor-bound. Shrouded in melancholy, he is a tender man bewitched by Marianne. Best line: Towards the end of the film, he paces in agitation as Marianne lies sick in bed upstairs. Upon Elinor’s entrance, he pleads, “Give me an occupation or I shall run mad!” Perfect. Greg Wise turns in a good performance as the tall, dark and handsome Willoughby, to whom Marianne’s affections belong for the bulk of the film.

More minor characters shine in their respective roles. This is a comedy, and the smaller roles tend to accentuate that. Harriet Walter is deliciously conniving as the Dashwoods’ unsympathetic sister-in-law, Fanny. Another of the film’s great scenes involves Fanny reacting to a secret told to her by Lucy Steele (Imogen Stubbs), a pseudo-friend to Elinor. Robert Hardy and Elizabeth Spriggs are amusing in their roles as the grandparently Sir John Middleton and Mrs. Jennings. In addition to being affectionate, they also have a nose for gossip, which Marianne particularly resents. Imelda Staunton and Hugh Laurie sparkle as the hilariously mismatched Mr. and Mrs. Palmer. Think Farmer Hoggett and his wife, Babe. She is a cheerful chatterbox, he a silent man with an air about him that telegraphs the fact that he finds his wife exceedingly silly. Much of the humor between these two is nonverbal, but chuckles should follow whenever these two appear. Mr. Palmer regards his wife’s frivolity with apparent indifference, and while one wonders how they ever got together, they seem pretty content with their life together. Mr. Palmer also shows himself to be gentlemanly and compassionate on several occasions.

Of all the roles here, the one that really stepped this movie up a notch for me was Margaret Dashwood (Emile Francois). In the book, this poor unfortunate third Dashwood sister is rendered practically a non-entity. She certainly doesn’t show up in the book much, and when she does she doesn’t contribute much or boast much of a personality. What’s there to say about Margaret in the book? Not much. But the film, which Thompson wrote, gives Margaret a distinct personality and an important place in the affairs of the main characters. She is a tomboy who is fascinated by geography and wants to travel the high seas as the captain of a pirate ship. This spunky gal brings Elinor and Edward together for the first time, as the visiting gentleman locates her hiding under a dresser, conceals her from Fanny and cleverly draws her out later. The two become fast friends, and Edward’s kindness to her sister wins Elinor over.

I am reminded of the book The Princess Bride with this film because the book claims to be the “good parts version” of a classic written long ago. Periodically, the author fills the reader in on all the boring stuff that he skipped. This movie does that masterfully. I loved Sense and Sensibility, but I think it was a lot wordier than it needed to be. This film takes the heart of the book, pruning and fleshing out to produce an adaptation that in some ways exceeds the novel.

In addition to Margaret, the movie filled another hole that the book left me. In this case, it was the ending. The main events of the film lead up to a certain point in the novel, but when that point is reached, it gets essentially skimmed over and we don’t get to see the glorious moment when everything comes together. In the film, this scene is accomplished with comical brilliance and heart. It’s a perfect moment worthy of the build-up of tension that precedes it.

Not everyone will love this movie. It’s set in the 1800s in England, and that means a lot of fancy talk in British accents. My grandma complained that everyone sounded the same, while my dad and brother just found the film boring. If you can get into the proper mode, however, the movie is both hilarious and touching. What’s more, its setting is so prim and proper that I can’t think of much of anything that would offend someone in this PG-rated film. It’s good clean literary fun, and it’s brilliant. Nicely done, Emma Thompson.

Music Through Heartsongs: Songs Based on the Poems of Mattie J.T. Stepanek - Billy Gilman

I first heard of Mattie Stepanek a couple years ago when my grandma mentioned having seen this frail young boy sharing his inspirational poetry on a talk show. I read through his first two books the next time I visited and awoke to his message of hope on Christmas morning on Good Morning America. Here was a boy with Muscular Dystrophy who had known more pain in his 11 years than most people will in a lifetime yet approached life with a positive attitude and brought hope to thousands who heard his message. Very impressive. So when I heard that Mattie, the MDA’s Goodwill Ambassador, had collaborated with child country star Billy Gilman, the MDA’s National Youth Chairperson whose music I had been wanting to check out for quite some time, I knew I had to get the album. I picked it up the beginning of this summer but never got around to listening to it until last week. It didn’t occur to me at the time that the Jerry Lewis MDA Marathon was just around the corner and I would be bound to see him then.

I usually only catch snippets of Lewis’ marathon, but I found myself glued this year. The sight of all those amazing performers and ordinary people from all walks of life coming together for the common cause of fighting this malicious disease was a true inspiration. It didn’t hurt that Clay Aiken was given the supreme honor of closing out the telethon’s performances with the extremely appropriate Bridge Over Troubled Water, which he performed radiantly. In spite of time constraints, Jerry made a point of announcing that Clay’s fans had donated $30,000 in his name and of calling Clay over after his performance to share his affection and accolades for the 24-year-old, whom he compared to his old buddy Frank Sinatra. But Mattie got the last word in the telethon, and he and Billy were frequent presences throughout the telethon. Music Through Heartsongs formed a continuing thread through the program, with both boys speaking out in support of the MDA and Billy singing several songs from the album.

Mattie is an incredibly intelligent, articulate, compassionate 13-year-old, and through his poems, some written when he was a toddler, he gives voice to the plight of children with Muscular Dystrophy and the hope that he maintains and which drives the MDA Telethon. Who Mattie is and what he has suffered lend poignancy and urgency to his poems. He now has five books out, and the lyrics for the album’s twelve tracks were drawn from four of these. Several different musicians worked with Mattie’s words and molded them into songs. The final product is a message from two boys to the rest of the world. It’s an album giving voice to the young victims of Muscular Dystrophy, and the songs are earnest and honest. We never forget that this is a collaboration between a couple of kids. But what a couple of kids they are.

For Our World: As far as I know, Billy sang three songs during the telethon. I was half-asleep during the second song and don’t remember too clearly, but I think this was what he sang. If not, it would have been appropriate. Billy’s plaintive vocals with strong piano backing give great voice to this song pleading people to be kind to one another. I heard Mattie read this poem on television late in 2001 as a sort of response to September 11. Simple but powerful. “We need to stop, just stop, stop for a moment before anybody says or does anything that may hurt anyone else.”

About Things That Matter: This one starts out with Mattie uttering the statement “It matters that the world knows.” This guitar-driven upbeat track reminds people to appreciate the joy of life and not squander it with unkind actions. “We all have a song in our heart that inspires us in good times and hard times if we take the time to listen.”

Morning Gift: This one features the pennywhistle and follows along the same lines as the second track. This song is more specific, however, referring to the beauty of morning in particular. “Don’t you just love the morning when you’re reminded of the special gifts of life?”

I Am / Shades of Life: This is the longest track on the album and seems to be the album’s centerpiece. Billy sang this one last night on the telethon, and it seemed to go beyond the Mattie’s own identity to the many faces of children with Muscular Dystrophy. Most of Mattie’s poems are free verse, but this has a pretty regular rhyme and rhythm to it, as well as a pattern; all of the lines in the verses begin with “I am.” It’s basically a list of identifying characteristics, many of which seemingly contradict one another. The idea seems to be that he is a little bit of everything. The chorus focuses on the various colors to be found in the world, concluding, as Mattie often does, with a statement of peace. “The color of peace is people together.” This is another track on which Mattie contributes his voice, speaking several lines toward the end.

It Happened Anyway: A very sad and personal song about the time Mattie lost his brother Jamie to MD. The most downcast tune on the album. “If crying could bring him back he’d be here with me today. But then I remember... It happened anyway.”

Possession: A song about the hold that Mattie’s disease has upon him. It leaves him with a fear that never fully departs, but the song ends on the hopeful note that it can be conquered. “The less my world revolves around it then I can just live out my life without the fear of ‘it.’”

Songs of the Wind: This breezy song has a tropical feel to it and is backed by Hawaiian-sounding instruments and chanting. Another song about finding a message of peace in nature. “Listen to the wind. If you listen carefully you will hear soft notes. Listen with your mind.”

Making Real Sense of the Senses: A tribute to the different senses and what they can do for us. It starts with the most practical applications of the senses, moving on to particularly altruistic uses. “Our hands are for feeling but also for hugging and touching so gently.”

The Gift of Color: This jazzy number is a prayer of thanks for all the colors of the world and the things that they make more beautiful. “And thank you for the colors of the Heaven-in-the-earth and of the Heaven-in-the-sky.”

I Could... If They Would: Billy performed this song towards the end of the Telethon. Here, Mattie ruminates on the things he could do at various points in his life if a cure were found in time. Although he wants the chance for a normal life, he ends with the sentiment that he will be happy as long as he can help future children have a better life. “If they would find a cure when I’m alive I could live each day without pain and machines, and I could celebrate the biggest thank you of life ever.”

About Memories: This is a dramatic, rather prophetic song encouraging people to pay attention to their memories, treasuring them and learning from their lessons. This one is only slightly shorter than the longest song on the album. It also is the third and final song to feature Mattie’s speech on the track. “Memories are a gift of the past that we hold in the present to create what can be a great future.”

About Watches: This fast-paced number is a reminder of the general urgency with which Mattie lives his life, as time is not on his side; he has already beaten nearly impossible odds to live to this day. Wearing lots of watches gives him the illusion of having plenty of time when, in truth, he knows that his time could well run out very soon. “With all these watches on me it’s like having ‘all the time in the world’ and never having to think about the end of time or about dying.”

Music Through Heartsongs is a unique collaboration between two idealistic boys raising awareness and funds for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Check it out, let their message move you, and pray for a day in the near future when children like Mattie can enjoy a normal life free from pain and debilitation.

I Do Not Attempt to Deny that I Esteem Miss Austen Greatly

I was a junior in college in the fall of 2001, laboring away in a number of challenging courses required for my major. Perhaps the most difficult but also the most enjoyable was The Canon and its Critics, taught by my esteemed professor Dr. Gregory Morris. When 9-11 struck, our class had just begun to immerse itself in Paradise Lost, a sobering epic that seemed to fit the tumultuous times all too well. It was a bit of a relief to get through Milton and on to something a bit lighter. Next up? Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen.

I recall my professor asking a classmate of mine what she thought of the book so far before our first class discussion. “Well, it all seems so petty,” she remarked. True, Sense and Sensibility concerns itself with the everyday affairs of a couple young British girls, never touching much on any of the serious national or global issues of the time. And there is all that frilly language to cut through; I myself found the first hundred pages somewhat arduous. But Sense and Sensibility is about real human emotions, even if they are encased in a multitude of manners and pleasantries. And I think it was probably just what I needed at the time, to focus on the small, often amusing details of everyday life, those little moments that make us who we are. And to get my mind off the end of the world.

Sense and Sensibility was the first of two novels I studied that semester with Dr. Morris that I truly enjoyed. While I expected to love the latter, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, I didn’t know what I would have to think about Austen. It sounded a tad boring, and I found it a tad boring… at first. I found myself reminded of the novel The Princess Bride, in which the author describes a fictitious history with the book he is writing, claiming this is the “good parts version” of the S. Morgenstern classic that his father always read to him. At various times, he would interject with italicized comments indicating what he had skipped over. I figured I could use that here, and I actually managed to get it in the form of Emma Thompson’s masterful film adaptation. But first, I had to force myself to read those first few chapters.

The novel’s key players are sensible Elinor Dashwood and her headstrong younger sister Marianne. Daughters of the recently widowed Mrs. Dashwood and sisters of the elusive Margaret, they find themselves at the outset of the novel relocating to a cottage near an accommodating cousin because their older brother has been convinced by his shrewish wife to take over the Dashwood family residence and share little of the inheritance that was meant for the whole family. Young Mr. Dashwood treats his sisters politely, though without much affection; his wife’s coldness is unbearable. However, the Dashwoods do leave dear friends behind when they make their move. Most particularly, the move separates Elinor from Edward Ferrars, the awkward young gentleman whom she “esteems greatly.” Although Marianne is frustrated by what she perceives as a lack of passion in Edward, she is more frustrated by this emptiness in her own sister. Elinor refuses to admit to being in love with Edward, and Marianne wonders whether her sister is capable of true emotional investment in anyone or anything.

Once the Dashwoods are securely settled in their comfortable cottage, several secondary characters are introduced and the events of the novel begin to unfold. While Elinor manages the affairs of the household, she also waits for word from Edward. When he finally does come to visit, she senses an abrupt change in manner that befuddles her until it is accidentally explained to her by Lucy Steele, a seemingly flighty young woman close to Elinor’s age. Meanwhile, Marianne clings to her idyllic notions of the perfect romance, and it seems that they are about to be fulfilled when a dashing young stranger by the name Willoughby sweeps her quite literally off her feet after she suffers a nasty fall while fleeing a rainstorm in the field. But Willoughby is not all that he appears to be, and prior failures in character catch up to him, leaving Marianne at her over-emotional worst.

Other significant characters include Sir John, the cheerful and slightly daft cousin who invited the Dashwoods; Mrs. Jennings, a jolly old woman whose nose for gossip is especially sharp; the reticent Mr. Palmer and his chatterbox wife; and the honorable and Eeyorish (a word just added to the Oxford English Dictionary - see if you can guess the meaning…) Colonel Brandon. Each adds depth to the novel with his or her full developed characterization. One character who isn’t fully developed is poor Margaret, who probably got the short end of the stick because she was such a youngster. We never get much of a sense of who this third sister is, and she pretty much drops out of the novel altogether towards the end. (One of the questions Dr. Morris wrote on the board on the final day of discussions was “What happened to Margaret?!”) But for the most part, each of the characters has a very important role to play.

Characters such as Sir John, Mrs. Jennings, and the Palmers primarily provide comic relief. The older man and woman are charming as well as aggravating to the young Dashwoods, while the Palmers’ interactions with one another are hilarious. It’s hard to imagine a more mismatched couple, and yet they make it work. Marianne and Elinor each display an extreme of character: Marianne is too romantic, too impractical, too self-involved, while Elinor is too bound by societal rules, too practical, too selfless. While Elinor’s character is on the whole far more admirable than Marianne’s, they both can take a lesson from one another. Their character extremities cause them both unneeded heartache, but their trials lead them to a very satisfying conclusion.

I’m not sure who my favorite character would be in this novel. Elinor is quite a positive role model, a very intelligent, well-mannered, caring young woman. She is probably one of my favorite female characters in literature. I am also, due in part to the enthusiasm of Dr. Morris, partial to Colonel Brandon. His quiet dignity and melancholy elegance make him a striking foil for that handsome cad Willoughby. And sweet, bumbling Edward is just too adorable. How can you not love such a perfect gentleman?

Another positive aspect of this book: It highlights the practice of correspondence, and its sacred place in a relationship. Letter-writing seems to be a dying art, but reading this book made me more mindful of the elegance and grace with which words can be delivered to those we love, and the special significance of seeing those words put to paper. During the course of this unit, we had to give Dr. Morris our proposal for the semester-long Anthology Project, and I could not resist sending mine in the style of Jane Austen. Receiving Dr. Morris’ acceptance of my project, written in kind, was the highlight of my day.

Sense and Sensibility may be difficult to get into, but stick with it. It is moving and hilarious, and it all builds to a rather unexpected but happy ending for our heroines. I had never read Austen prior to this, and I can’t think of a better introduction. Thanks, Dr. Morris. Kindest and most humble regards, your esteemed former student, Erin McCarty. :)

Let the Dirt Band Be Unbroken

I read in the newspaper the other day that the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band had recently released its third Will the Circle Be Unbroken album. The article caught my eye because it isn’t often you see these guys mentioned in the media. Aside from a performance on Letterman earlier this year, I can’t recall the last time I saw something about the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. Nonetheless, with their unique blend of folk, bluegrass, western, country and gospel sounds, the band carved a niche for itself and earned a loyal following. Count me in that crowd. Their Greatest Hits album features some of their most popular tunes and shows their versatility. A great album to pull out on a rainy day and sing along to.

Mr. Bojangles: A big hit for them. When I was little, my family used to go through a lot of Kool-Aid, and we always collected the points in a little container, then once in a while we would take them out and count them and measure them up against the latest Kool Points catalog. One time, one of the prizes was a Kool-Aid tape player which came with a tape featuring a mix of 5 songs, selected from a choice of a hundred or so. I got the tape player and the tape, and the first song on the cassette was Mr. Bojangles. I still have it floating around somewhere. At any rate, this is a great song about a lonely old man who spent his life traveling and dancing and still brings joy to those around him with his talents, though his own life is rather depressing. Sort of a Piano Man, but in this case the performer is as old and ragged and full of as many stories as the young piano player’s regular listeners are. Great guitar and banjo work, and an interesting mix of joy and melancholy. “I knew a man, Bojangles, and he’d dance for you in worn out shoes… I heard someone ask him please, please, Mr. Bojangles, Mr. Bojangles, Mr. Bojangles, dance.”

An American Dream: This one has a very tropical feel to it and is probably my favorite song on the album, along with track 4. Very laid back, with an introduction featuring tinkly chimes setting the dreamy quality of the song. The harmonica is also used to nice effect here. The speaker is daydreaming of a nice sunny vacation spot, and he encourages his wife to daydream along with him. The result is a stellar duet with Linda Ronstadt. Reminds me of the Beach Boys’ Kokomo. This is a great take-a-long-nap-in-the-sun song. Pass the lemonade! (Wait a minute, I don’t like lemonade… oh, well, it’s the thought that counts!) “I think Jamaicain in the moonlight, sandy beaches drinking rum every night. We got no money, mama, but we can go. We’ll split the difference, go to Coconut Grove.”

Will the Circle Be Unbroken: This is the band’s signature song. Awesome banjo on this track, and really nice harmony on the choruses. I prefer the vocals on the version in the second Will the Circle Be Unbroken album, which we also own, but this version is nice as well. Whenever I hear this song I am reminded of a time many years ago when the family was watching Quantum Leap, a favorite show at the time. In this particular episode, Sam had leaped into the body of Elvis Presley, and he was up next to go onstage. First, though, a nervous young woman was giving her rendition of Will the Circle Be Unbroken, but the song was too emotionally affecting for her to get through it. In a scene similar to Captain Von Trapp’s concert performance of Eidelweiss in The Sound of Music, Sam/Elvis came out and sang with her, giving her time to recover her composure and saving her much embarrassment. “Well,” my dad remarked, “that was magnanimous of him.” That was the first time I had ever heard that word, and I soon incorporated it into my lexicon. To this day, I enjoy using it. My, that was quite a deviation. Ah, well. This is a mournful but ultimately optimistic song in which the speaker laments the loss of his or her mother (depending on the singer) but expresses the hope and expectation that they will be reunited one day. A great gospel song. “Will the circle be unbroken, by and by, Lord, by and by. There’s a better home awaitin’ in the sky, Lord, in the sky.”

House at Pooh Corner: If I recall correctly, this is actually the reason my dad got this album. We’d already had the other for quite some time, and Dad picked this one up just because he thought I’d get a kick out of this tune about my favorite bear. And the other tracks didn’t hurt, either. This is a great song, and its electric guitars make for a dramatic change from the original lullabye-like Kenny Loggins version, which I first heard many years later. They lend some urgency to the song’s lyrics: “Help me if you can, I’ve got to get back to the House at Pooh Corner by one. You’d be surprised, there’s so much to be done.” The lyrics are extremely true to the Hundred Acre Wood and its inhabitants, and I can definitely relate to Loggins’ mindset while writing this: standing on the brink of adulthood, wanting to lose himself again in the forests of childhood. The same mindset that birthed the Peter Paul and Mary classic Puff the Magic Dragon. One of these days I’ll pen the next song in this tradition! This is a rollicking version that doesn’t leave too much time for wistfulness. It seems that getting back to the Wood is entirely within the realm of possibility, if we only try hard enough. As one of Winnie-the-Pooh’s most dedicated fans, I can’t get enough of this track!

Make a Little Magic: This is kind of a pretty track, very heavy on the harmonica. It’s a duet featuring a couple trying to put some spark back into an icy relationship. Not a song I listen to a whole lot, but still very nice. “A little sleep is all we’re losing. It’s up to us to do the choosing. Let’s make a little magic before the night is through.”

All I Have to Do is Dream: This is a very countrified version of the exquisitely mellow Everly Brothers oldies standard. An extremely different take on the song. I think I prefer the Everlys, but this one is nice too. It’s yet another variation on the old I-love-you-but-I-can’t-have-you-so-I’ll-spend-my-life-daydreaming-about-you theme, and one I’ve always liked. “I can make you mine, taste your lips of wine, any time, night or day. Only trouble is, gee whiz, I’m dreaming my life away.”

Grand Ole Opry Song: A nice fiddle and banjo-filled tribute to some of the biggest names of the Grand Ole Opry. Another song I don’t listen to much, but it’s still good and provides a nice bit of history along with it. “There’ll be guitars and fiddles, Earl Scruggs and his banjo too, Bill Monroe singin’ ’em the ‘Honky Tonky Blues,’
Ernest Tubb’s number, ‘Two Wrongs Don’t Make a Right,’ at the Grand Ole Opry ev’ry Saturday night.”

Jambalaya: A Cajun tune sung in a definite dialect. It’s a fun song, sounds like the boys are cooking up quite a party. I heard a Christmas-themed parody of this song once that was pretty funny. This one just sounds like they’re having a good time, and like they want as many people to join in the fun as possible. “Pick guitar, fill fruit jar and be gay-oh. Son of a gun, we’ll have big fun on the bayou.”

Battle of New Orleans: This war song gets kinda rowdy. The guys sound rather overzealous, and there’s an awful lot of whooping and hollering going on. I’m with my dad; I prefer the parody featured on my recently reviewed Dr. Demento 20th Anniversary Collection. But it’s nice to hear the original song every once in a while, and it sounds like the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band had an awful lot of fun recording their version. “We fired our guns and the British kept a-comin’. There wasn’t ‘bout as many as there was a while ago. We fired once more and they began to runnin’ on down the Mississippi to the Lake of Mexico.”

I Saw the Light: An inspirational tune with some great banjo licks. This song attests to the power of Jesus to change people’s lives as several folks step forward to say how they came to “see the light.” “I saw the light, no more darkness, no more night. Now I’m so happy, no sorrow in sight. Praise the Lord, I saw the light.”

Buy for the Rain: An interesting song, with lyrics following a simple pattern and a neat backing of guitars, violins, and deep-voiced harmonies. Basically a song in which a husband urges his wife to help him make the most of his life and he’ll return the favor as long as he can. Concludes on a rather morbid note, but a nice track. “Buy for me the rain, my darling, buy for me the rain. Buy for me the crystal pools that fall upon the plain. And I’ll buy for you a rainbow and a million pots of gold. Buy it for me now, babe, before I am too old.”

Some of Shelley’s Blues: An upbeat tune in which a young man tries to convince his ladylove to stick with him in spite of her proclaimed misery with him. I presume that Shelley is the girl to whom he is singing; I wonder if there is any significance to the name. Pretty fast-paced and with a definite country feel. “All this talk about leaving is strictly bad news so you settle down and stay with the boy that loves you.”

Fire in the Sky: This one opens with a nice sax solo (which reappears later) before switching over to electric guitars and harmonica. The song has a very pop feel to it with a woebegone fella wishing that his girl would return to him and forgive him for his mistake in dumping her. It’s okay, but it seems a little out of place on the album and doesn’t do a whole lot for me. “Turn back the clock awhile. Things will all work out. That’s what the dream is all about.”

All in all, a great album. The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band has a great sound that’s carried them through more than 30 years in the music industry, and they’re still going strong.

Disney Classic Urges Viewers to Believe "There's an Angel With You Right Now"

I’m a Disney-holic, but in recent years I have found the quality of Disney features to be hit-or-miss, with an especially large number of misses in the live action department. Luckily, this film – part sports, part inspiration, all heart – knocks it out of the ballpark. We got this movie for Easter when I was in ninth grade. It was one which I had wanted to see and missed in the theaters, but I made up for it once it reached our communal Easter basket.

Disney has a long tradition of sports movies, most of which feature a disaster of a team that somehow, by the end of the film, pulls itself together to win the big game, or at least some self-respect. The formula has been used on just about every sport imaginable, resulting in films that are heartwarming and hilarious, if not terribly original. Angels is in a league with other Disney sports films, but its incredible warmth and inspirational qualities set it near the top of that long list. (Unfortunately, Disney’s sequel factory decided to churn out two – or is it three? – lower-quality follow-ups to this film; they fall towards the bottom.)

Roger (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is a kid with a lousy lot in life. His mother is dead and his father drifts in and out of his life, traveling cross-country and leaving the boy in foster care. At the beginning of the film, we find him living with Maggie (Brenda Fricker), a kindly middle-aged woman with a hint of an Irish brogue, and two other boys. He is especially close to J.P. (Milton Davis Jr.), a sweet, shy young boy who lived for several years in a car with his mother. In Maggie’s care, the boys are well provided for, and they have one another to lean on. Hard-luck cases themselves, they are intensely loyal to the local baseball team, the Angels, which is on a miserable losing streak. What Roger craves most is the permanent return of his father. At the end of a brief visit, he asks his dad when they will be a family again. The reply, “When the Angels win the pennant,” is intended as a sarcastic remark indicating the futility of expecting a union of father and son. Roger, however, takes the statement as a challenge: if the Angels can manage to win the Pennant, he will have a family again. That night, he prays with some uncertainty for this outcome to occur, and the events of the film are set into motion…

At its core, this is a film about faith and family. Both can be found in unlikely places, and both can work miracles. Roger and J.P. become official team mascots after an angel named Al (Christopher Lloyd) announces to Roger that his favorite team is about to get a divine boost. George Knox (Danny Glover), the manager of the Angels and possessor of an extraordinary temper, recruit them as a last resort, seeing them as a good luck charm. After all, with them in the stands, the Angels actually won their first game. It’s up to Roger to clue George in on which player has an angel with him, leading to some very unorthodox decisions in who should play. But George learns to have faith in Roger, and as his relationship with the boys blooms, so does his relationship with his team.

The cast in the movie is outstanding. Gordon-Levitt portrays Roger as a sensitive but tough kid who’s had a lot of tough breaks but isn’t willing to give up the faith. The development of his relationship with J.P. and George is especially heartwarming. Davis is adorable as J.P., shy around strangers but full of zest and optimism, which comes out in particular with his scenes with Roger. That toothy grin and mantra of “Hey, it could happen!” make him the cuddliest character in the film. Fricker brings tenderness and a certain detached gruffness to the role of Maggie, a woman who has seen many children fall through the cracks of society, and Glover takes George from cantankerous and self-centered to warm and caring in the course of an hour and a half. His is probably my favorite performance in the film, though Lloyd’s zany, madcap Al is good for a lot of laughs. More minor characters also are play an important role. Tony Danza turns in a great performance as Mel Clark, the Angels’ ailing pitcher, while Jay O. Sanders plays the obnoxious sports announcer Ranch Wilder to the hilt and Taylor Negron shines as George’s long-suffering personal assistant David. All of the Angels also carry their roles very well, creating a team whose members are distinct but work together to form a congruent whole.

The film has plenty of humor, most of which is slapstick pulled into high gear when the angels, whom no one but Roger can see, see to it that the Angels win each game. They also take the opportunity to clean up the act of some of the Angels, most especially their hot-headed manager. But the film’s real power is in the moments when a little faith and love make a big difference. Especially powerful is the moment when Roger leads an entire stadium of fans in his angel signal (flapping his arms up and down) to convince Mel that he has the strength to win the game. The sweeping cinematography, the swelling music, the mass vote of confidence by a reverent crowd… it all adds up to one of the most moving film scenes I have ever viewed.

You don’t have to like baseball to love this movie, though you may find yourself with an increased appreciation for the sport after viewing it. Angels in the Outfield is a story of how a little faith can go a long way and how families can be formed in the most unlikely of ways. Every element of this movie adds up to a dazzling whole, making it one of my all-time favorite live action Disney movies. Watch it with your family, and embrace the possibilities…

Greive May Not Provide Meaning of Life, But He Will Get You Thinking

I recently graduated from college and found myself teetering on the precipice of what is known as The Rest of My Life. In fact, I am still teetering, trying to figure out what comes next, none too eager to embrace any big changes. This book didn’t prompt me to make any life-altering decisions, but it did put a smile on my face and provide a few words of wisdom to guide me in my strange new role as college graduate. The Meaning of Life is not specifically intended for graduates; it can apply to anyone about to enter a new phase of life. Actually, it can apply to anyone at all, since finding meaning in life on some level is a continuing quest for pretty much everyone.

This is my third Bradley Trevor Greive book. I own The Blue Book and Dear Mom. My grandma owns The Incredible Truth About Motherhood, I have seen Looking for Mr. Right in stores, and I just today saw another volume, Tomorrow: Adventures in an Uncertain World, advertised. All of his books follow a similar formula. He collects an array of expressive animal photos (usually – there are a few inanimate objects and humans thrown in here and there) and fills each book with them, one to a page, black and white (except for the covers - Blue Day is blue, Dear Mom pink, and this, which features a frog on the cover, is green), with just enough white space at the bottom for some written wit. The volumes are inspirational in nature, either offering thanks or encouragement, and they provide a perfect balance of sagacity and hilarity.

The book comes with a warning in the form of a 7-page Prologue, which reads, in part, “You may have opened this little book expecting it to be filled with answers, but (surprise, surprise!) it’s actually a book about questions.” No, you won’t get the meaning of life from this book. But you may be just a bit more inspired to search for it. Through a series of witty observations and queries, this tome encourages readers to get out there and do something exciting with their lives. Essentially the same sentiments as that graduation classic Oh, the Places You’ll Go!, without the rhyme. This small square (shape, that is, not level of hipness) book packs an awful lot into its 120 pages. It is probably the wordiest of his books which I have perused, but it’s still a pretty quick read. You can take as little or as much time with it as you want.

As in my previous Greive reviews, I’ll provide a little guide to my personal favorite pages as a teaser…

Why do children believe in fairies, but “grown-ups” don’t? (14) – A cheetah cub gazes into the sky at some small flying insects as its mother lies alongside, looking bored.

Perhaps the confusion arises because life is not always what it seems. (22) – Two donkeys face each other; the head of the first is in front of the head of the other so that it appears to be a donkey with two bodies and one head.

This love of life leads us to help others simply because it feels great to contribute to those around us. (39) – Probably my favorite picture in the book, it features a primate – a baboon, I think – sitting with a puppy in its lap and grooming it.

We all know how wonderful it feels to be a rock for our family and friends (of course, there is a limit) (40) – I hope there were no animals harmed in the taking of this picture, because this looks pretty dangerous. An elephant’s foot touches the top of a chick’s head, looking like it is about to come down.

People who don’t ask themselves these questions invariably go through life wondering why it isn’t a lot more fun. (43) – A very disgruntled-looking German shepherd sits decorated with garland and wearing a hat with a star on the top.

We get caught up in an avalanche of fears and desires that propel us into a race we can’t possibly win. (49) – A blur of mice races past, while one in the front of the picture in sharp focus gazes out.

A little voice – call it your conscience, your inner self, or your internal mother-in-law – will always tell you the truth if you are prepared to hear it. (72) – A huge tortoise sits with a small tortoise on top of its head.

(Of course, one needs to remember where courage ends and stupidity begins.) (84) – A mouse scampers down the backside of an elephant.

You may well be surrounded by people who secretly want you to achieve less or even fail completely just so they don’t look bad… (96) – A cat stands in the center of a circle of piglets, which bury their noses in the cat’s fur.

This is just a sampling of the treasure trove of wit, wisdom, and photographic brilliance contained in The Meaning of Life. An especially appropriate gift for a graduate, this book is well worth its $10 price tag. Pick up a copy and leave it out where people can leaf through it. Those irresistible animals will lure them in every time, and they may well emerge better for having read it.

Lord Almighty, Jim Carrey Plays God and Grace Overcomes Groans

At the beginning of this summer, after I graduated from college and was sitting around with nothing in particular to do, my mom suggested I go to a bunch of movies this summer on opening day and submit a review to the local newspaper. My first attempt was going to be Bruce Almighty, and I went and saw it on the first night. But somehow, I never got around to reviewing it. After a year straight of frantically writing for school, I just couldn’t get up the motivation to write anything, not even a movie review. I abandoned the plan then and there. So here I am reviewing the movie three months later. Better late than never, I guess!

I first heard of Bruce Almighty when I went to see Don McLean’s free concert in Buffalo last summer. One of the opening bands, Tom Stahl and the Dangerfields, introduced a song they had written about being God for a day by claiming it would be featured in the upcoming Jim Carrey film Bruce Almighty, filmed in Buffalo and centered around an ordinary guy who becomes God. They later admitted their song wouldn’t be in the movie, but we made a mental note of the film as something that might be worth checking out.

I had my reservations about this film. My first exposure to Jim Carrey was Ace Ventura, and other films such as the sequel, Dumb and Dumber, and Liar, Liar featured a manic, gross-out Jim whose appeal was strongest among pre-teen boys. Though I have to admit that ultimately, Liar, Liar was a pretty good movie… but there was a whole lot of malarkey along the way. Jim’s recent films have, for the most part, been much calmer. I loved his performance in The Truman Show, and The Majestic was great as well. Not to mention that unexpected bit part in Simon Birch. He seems to be veering away from gross-out comedy and into everyday nice guy roles, in which he comes across as very sweet and sincere. I hope he continues in that vein. Nonetheless, this film sounded to me like an excuse for Jim to go nuts with his manic energy and leave a whole lot of blasphemy in his wake. I was pleasantly surprised.

That’s not to say there is no over-the-top or crude humor in this film, because there is. Just far less than I expected. Bruce’s (Jim Carrey) dog delights in defiling the furniture, and we get to see him do it on a number of occasions. When he gets God’s powers, Bruce uses them for such noble purposes as sending a breeze up a leggy woman’s skirt, enhancing his girlfriend Grace’s (Jennifer Anniston) chest, and reducing his rival anchor to a blithering idiot on live television. And there is, of course, some foul language. But compared to some of Carrey’s early efforts, this movie is very tame. And, surprise surprise, it manages to be reverent as well.

Bruce is a guy who feels like the world is against him. When he gets passed up for promotion in favor of the boss’ pet anchor, humiliates himself on live television as the news is broken to him, and gets beaten up by thugs when he tries to defend a homeless man, he thinks his life can’t get much worse. Grace urges him to have some patience and trust God, but Bruce counters with his theory that God’s a cruel puppet master who couldn’t care less about the well-being of his creations. After demanding a sign from God (which he receives, but fails to notice, in the form of road signs that he passes in his car), Bruce launches a tirade against the Almighty.

Next thing he knows, his phone is ringing off the hook, always from a mysterious number he has never seen before (incidentally, a real number – several people in the United States were bombarded with phone calls after moviegoers jotted down the number and called it, leaving their questions and comments for God). Finally, he calls and is directed to a building where he meets Morgan Freeman in three incarnations: a janitor, an electrician, and God. God offers Bruce the use of His powers for a while to see if he can handle it. When he realizes that he actually does have God’s powers, Bruce has a grand old time, doing fancy tricks and, for the most part, advancing his career by creating catastrophes and being the first to report on them. But being God isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, as Bruce discovers when he sees the list of unanswered prayers awaiting him. When he takes the easy way out and answers “yes” to everyone’s pleas, havoc ensues. Meanwhile, he’s too caught up in his new role as star newscaster to pay much attention to Grace, and her patience reaches its limits. By the end of the film, Bruce is in quite a mess, and getting himself out of it will require a radical change in lifestyle and a little divine assistance.

Bruce is a pretty likable character in this movie. He’s a decent guy, just down on his luck. Jim’s manic antics come into play mostly when he is trying out his powers, as well as when he does goofy features for the news. For instance, in the opening segment, he parodies Chariots of Fire (again – a similar parody appeared in The Grinch) by running down a line of people with cups in their hands and pouring milk as he goes. A pretty messy moment. (There are several other parodies in the film as well, including a scene reminiscent of the John-Coffey-spitting-out-bugs scenes in The Green Mile and several allusions to The Ten Commandments.) There’s a lot of comedy in this movie, and he is the source for much of it. But it is in his serious moments that he really shines, particularly in his life-altering conversations with God.

Jennifer Anniston is brings a lot of sweetness to the role of Grace. Unlike in the recent film of that title, she really is a “good girl.” And she loves Bruce but feels like she’s not getting much love in return. One thing that caught me off-guard – as well as several others I talked to – was the fact that the two were not married. They live as though they are married, and we don’t learn until the middle of the film that Grace is waiting for a proposal. It’s not a huge deal, certainly nothing deviating from the norm depicted in movies nowadays, but those steamy pre-marital scenes detract just a bit from the reverent feel of the film. But then the film has a lot to do with redemption, so it makes sense that not everything about the main characters’ lives would fit the perfect Judeo-Christian mold.

As God, Morgan Freeman does a fantastic job. He is distinguished but down-to-earth with a gentle sense of humor that makes Him especially endearing. I think it’s the most appealing version of God I have seen on film. At its heart, this is a religious movie, and the director, a devout Catholic, conferred with a clergyman friend of his for advice on what God should say. Freeman’s God is active and deeply concerned for the affairs of His people, but He also encourages them to take responsibility for themselves. “Be the miracle” is the film’s closing sentiment, leaving viewers with the feeling that we should put our trust in a benevolent God but not expect Him to do everything for us. We can make a positive difference in our own lives and the lives of others each and every day.

In the end, then, this is a very worthwhile and reverent movie with enough comedy and drama to keep it entertaining and enough spiritual substance to warrant a sermon or Sunday school discussion. It was much better than I expected, and its merits overcome its low points. As Bruce was so fond of saying in the film, “It’s good!”

Sing a Song Along with the Chipmunks (and Dave Seville)

This second album of the Chipmunks is another one of those taped albums that has survived my childhood, though only barely. It’s been played so many million times (including several turns through my brother’s official Home Alone 2 Talkboy to see what they boys sound like slowed down) that the Chipmunks’ side of the tape snaps and crackles more than the Rice Krispies jingles that follow it. Time to go out and find a real copy of this album. I’ve never seen it sold in stores, but I’ve never specifically looked for it either. It’s not the most exciting selection of songs the Chipmunks have ever done, but as in so many other cases, the album that introduced me to these unconventional artists is my favorite.

Sing Again With the Chipmunks - This song is just an upbeat introduction to the album, encouraging listeners to engage themselves in the performance and have a grand old time. Dave plays master of ceremonies, leading into the boys’ number, which is nicely accompanied by a saxophone. “Come on and sing again, have a fling again, sing a song along with the Chipmunks. We’ll have lots of fun with the songs you know. Join right in, be part of the show.”

Coming ‘Round the Mountain - One of several very simple traditional songs that appear on this album, probably because, as the previous song indicates, they want the listeners to sing along to a bunch of old familiar favorites. This track features a mysterious-sounding drumbeat, eventually another saxophone, and the increasing volume of the boys as the song progresses. They start out solo and whispering and wind up singing together at the top of their lungs. By the end of the song, they’re really into it and they add their own dramatic touch to the conclusion before fading out in the same style as the beginning. “Look there, comin’ ‘round the mountain. Look out, she’s my gal. Look, she made it round the mountain. Doggone her, she missed the stage.”

Home on the Range - Not a whole lot you can do with this song, or so you would think. But the Chipmunks do. In fact, they manage to make this simple little western ditty one of the most entertaining tracks on the album. How? Why, the irrepressible Alvin, of course. He’s got the lead vocals on the second line, but he just can’t seem to get the key word right. During a break in the singing, Dave lectures Alvin on the difference between an “antelope” (“a little deer”) and a “cantaloupe” (“something you eat”), attempting to impress upon Alvin the fact that the former is the correct word to use. Alvin, however, isn’t inclined to pay a whole lot of attention, and he decides he’s had it with the scolding. He doesn’t care what’s roaming around on the range, he’s in the mood for some munchies. As a distressed Dave asks the boys where they’re headed, Simon patiently explains, a la Tim Taylor after a nice conversation with Wilson, “We’re gonna get us a cantaloupe. That’s a dear little somethin’ to eat.”

I Wish I Had a Horse - This is a great song too, an upbeat western tune with which I could always identify. Hoofbeats punctuate this fanciful ditty in which the boys dream of owning their own horse, something I did myself many times! Alvin hams it up at one point by dramatically reciting the lyrics William Shatner-style. Other than that, pretty straightforward. “I wish I had a horse, a sweet and gentle horse. He’d sleep right by my side. We’d be buddies till the very end ‘cause everybody knows a horse is man’s best friend.”

Swanee River - When Dave proposes “something Southern,” the boys think he’s talking about food. But when he clarifies that he means singing something Southern, they decide that would be just fine too. The intermission includes, for no apparent reason, the “Why did the chicken cross the street?” joke. Not a whole lot to this song. “Oh, the world is sad and weary everywhere I roam. Oh, Mama, how my heart grows weary far from the old folks at home.”

When Johnny Comes Marching Home - This drum-heavy march is also pretty straightforward, other than including an order from Dave for the boys to march. There’s an instrumental intermission but no dialogue to fill it. Not too many extra touches here. “The boys will cheer and the men will shout, the ladies’ maids will all turn out, and we’ll all be gay when Johnny comes marchin’ home.”

Sing a Goofy Song - One of my favorite tracks, this is mostly Dave’s show, with the Chipmunks filling in with “ree-di-do”s and “ooh-ooh-ooh”s. This chipper song encourages the listeners to sing a goofy tune in order to make life more fun. After the intermission, which includes Alvin once again not copying instructions from Dave properly, the Chipmunks sing, and after this verse, Dave takes a moment to say what a success the song was. Trouble is, it’s not over yet, and now he’s jinxed it. The song trails out on him arguing with the boys that his part of the song was just as well done as theirs. “Even if you’re on the job, now is the time to start. If your boss will not let you sing it out, you can sing it in your heart.”

Swing Low Sweet Chariot - The Chipmunks tackle this gospel song nicely, with a little help from that sax again and some rhythmic clapping. This intermission doesn’t have any talking either, but it’s a pretty enjoyable song in spite of the lack of comedy. I guess they needed a break after the excessive goofiness of the last song! “I looked over Jordan and what did I see (comin’ for to carry me home)? A band of angels comin’ after me (comin’ for to carry me home).”

Witch Doctor - This, along with The Chipmunk Song (which is not on this album), is the Chipmunks’ signature tune. This song actually preceded the Chipmunks; the voices were there, but they did not yet have personalities. Here, the Chipmunks recall that recording history and beg to do the song themselves. Dave still gets the main vocals, with the boys restricted to the “ooh ee ooh ah ah ting tang walla walla bing bang” until the last verse. A very fun song, especially for car trips, and very distinctly a Chipmunks song. “You’ve been keepin’ love from me just like you were a miser, and I’ll admit I wasn’t very smart. So I went out and found myself a guy who’s so much wiser, and he told me the way to win your heart.”

Working on the Railroad - Another old traditional song, it begins with the boys and Dave swinging their hammers on the tracks, with Dave always winding up on the receiving end of someone’s hammer. This little shtick is repeated at the end of the song, but beyond that it’s a very straight reading of the song with few embellishments. “I’ve been workin’ on the railroad all the livelong day, I’ve been workin’ on the railroad just to pass the time away.”

Row Your Boat - After an instrumental introduction with the tune Sailing, Sailing, the boys launch into this rowing song. They also sing lyrics that seem to be verses to the song, but I’ve never heard them outside this context so perhaps they were added for this version. “It’s a joy, lot of fun. If you get a little luck you’ve got the sun to guide you. Row, row, row your boat gently down the stream…”

Alvin’s Orchestra - A great way to close out the album. This is a hilarious song that is Alvin at his best (or worst?). He’s singing a simple little song about how much fun it is to go for a ride through the countryside, and he’s decided to employ a 50-piece orchestra to help him in the effort. The ludicrously unnecessary orchestra infuriates Dave, who stews throughout the song about the money this is costing him. “Children wavin’ you a big ‘hello,’ and he’s still worryin’ about the dough!” Unfortunately for Dave, every time he tries to protest, Alvin cues the orchestra. “I absolutely cannot understand a single word you’re saying,” Alvin announces, irking him further. Poor Dave!

A great album, played to the breaking point by my family. The more traditional songs mostly allow opportunities for easy sing-alongs, while the more unusual tunes give the Chipmunks a chance to let their comedy shine. This is Alvin and company at their best.

Anne Murray Battles Driveway Dragons, Fastidious Inchworms, and the Big Bad Wolf

When I was little, my parents regularly took me to the library down the street and picked out records for me to listen to. While we had the albums out of the library, we also took the liberty of taping them. Few of those tapes have survived the past 20 years, but Anne Murray’s children’s album is one of them. The label on our tape is “Anne Murray sings for the Sesame Street Generation.” It must have been a subtitle on the record because I remember being disappointed when I realized that this album had nothing to do with the Muppets. (I had four or five Sesame Street tapes, only one of which is still intact.) Nonetheless, There’s a Hippo in My Tub got plenty of play, and I still enjoy listening to it now and then.

Hey Daddy - This is a fun song with a hint of a calypso beat that I always got a kick out of as a youngster. Basically, I waited for the chorus and ignored the verses, which seem to be aimed more at adults anyway. The speaker is a parent reflecting on all of the fantastic things her child always seems to be seeing, and the verses come across as parent-to-parent talk, as in “I don’t know where these kids get these ideas from, do you?” But it’s the kids’ ideas that are attractive to other kids, and I’m sure I’m not the only toddler who loved belting out the chorus: “Hey, Daddy, there’s a dragon in the driveway. Mama, there’s a grizzly on the lawn. Well, you better come quick ‘cause there’s a hippo in the bathtub, and he’s goin’ down the drain... oh, no, he’s gone!”

Stars are the Windows of Heaven - This quiet song’s instrumentals lend it a bit of a country-western feel. This track finds two children musing on the presence of stars in the sky. One explains to the other that “stars are the windows of Heaven where angels peep through.” I remember being surprised to hear Father Santor, my sophomore theology teacher (and the blessed man responsible for sparking my obsession with Veggie Tales), croon this tune in class one day, as I had never heard the song outside this tape before. But then, Father Santor was always full of surprises - and he never met a song (commercial jingles included) he didn’t like! At any rate, this is a nice contemplative song encouraging children to believe that there are angels watching over them. “They cry each time you are naughty. Their tears are the rain. But when you’re good they are happy, and they shine again.”

Animal Crackers - What kid doesn’t love animal crackers? I didn’t like them in my soup (I never liked soup), but I always had fun pulling out random animals and seeing whether I wound up with a monkey or a lion, a rabbit or a bear. This song is almost as classic as the snacks themselves. This track features very simple percussive accompaniment keeping the beat and is sung in the voice of a little kid who loves animal crackers. This song shows how imaginative children can be with just a bit of assistance. This youngster dreams up all sorts of things to do with the animals she pulls from the box. Some of those things are not very nice. Particularly indicative of a typical five-year-old’s violent streak is “If I get ahold of the Big Bad Wolf, I’ll push him under to drown and I’ll gobble him up in a million bits and I’ll swallow him right down.” Nonetheless, it’s a fun song, and always a childhood favorite.

Hi Lili Hi Lo - This one begins with an a cappella introduction before it launches into the main part of the song, in which Anne sings with a chorus of children. The song has a defined waltz beat to it and also a bit of a country-western feel to it. The introduction is rather slow and sad sounding, but the rest is pretty upbeat in spite of the lyrics. “A song of love is a sad song, hi lili hi lili hi lo. A song of love is a song of woe, don’t ask me how I know.”

Why Oh Why - This song, backed by the strumming of a guitar, is a back-and-forth between an inquisitive young child and an exasperated mother. During the child’s portion, Anne’s voice is high and melodic; the response, meanwhile, is spoken in a low, bored sort of voice until the final verse, when it is sung: “‘Why won’t you answer my questions? Why oh why oh why?’ ‘Cause I don’t know the answers. Goodnight, goodnight.’” A fun song, and very typical of a child who wants to know everything under the sun, including answers to questions that no one else would ever think to ask.

Teddy Bear Picnic - Always my favorite lullabye as a youngster. I collected teddy bears and had picnics with them daily, and before going to sleep (with my favorite, Big Brown Bear, in my arms) I always made Mom sing this to me. This version begins with an odd little psychadelic-sounding run on the organ and is backed by a calliope and a strange percussion instrument whose sound resembles Tupperware being burped. I’ve also noticed a great similarity between the instrumentation style in this song and the video game Banjo-Kazooie, which is ironic since I am so annoyed by that game’s soundtrack. This song is an enjoyable romp showing what those lovable cuddly bedroom residents could be doing when we’re not around. My favorite song on the album. In our childhood wisdom, my brother Benjamin and I enjoyed subverting the line “watch them catch them unawares,” making it say “watch them catch them’s underwears.” Ah, the inimitable wit of youth. But the song does paint an entertaining picture of bears playing hide and seek, eating good grub, and generally having a grand old time until they, just like the little tykes listening to the song, are all tuckered out. “At 6:00 their mommies and daddies will take them home to bed because they’re tired little teddy bears.”

Inchworm - This begins with an a cappella introduction by a chorus of children, one that recurs later in the song. This song also has a bit of a twang to it. Featured in the Danny Kaye film about the life of Hans Christian Andersen, it addresses an inchworm, encouraging it to take a break from its excessively left-brained behavior to enjoy the beauty of its surroundings. A very simple song, and a nice reminder that it’s important to find a balance between study and pure aesthetic appreciation. “Inchworm, inchworm, measuring the marigolds, you and your arithmetic will probably go far. Inchworm, inchworm, measuring the marigolds, seems to me you’d stop and see how beautiful they are.”

You Are My Sunshine / Open Up Your Heart - A couple of campfire standards with a great guitar and bassline. The former is a romantic tune, while the latter is a religious song, but both employ the idea of sunshine. In the first, the speaker tells her significant other how much she loves him, letting him know that she would be unhappy without him. “You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are gray. You’ll never know, dear, how much I love you. Please don’t take my sunshine away.” The second song is in the voice of a child, imparting the advice given her by her mother. She explains that the devil hates to see people happy, so we should smile as much as possible and keep him away. “Let the sun shine in, face it with a grin. Smilers never lose and frowners never win.” At the end, the two songs combine, each filling in the gaps in the other, to very nice effect.

Sleepytime - A nice little lullabye, it encourages the listeners to get some sleep so they can head off to dreamland, where they can do and be whatever they want. The guitar and strings on this track also give it a country feel. Quiet and imaginative, it gives children a reason to look forward to falling asleep. “Sleepytime baby, now lay down your head, ‘cause if you’re off to dreamland you’ve got to get to bed.”

Hush Little Baby - This classic progressive lullabye is accompanied by tinkly music box instrumentals. An old traditional song with many variations, this soothing tune lists all of the things a particular baby’s father might bring home as a gift; for each failed attempt, there is a backup, most of which are quite elaborate and expensive. In the end, though, the sentiment we are left with is that material possessions aren’t too important. What matters is that this baby has a father who thinks his little tyke is terrific. “Hush little baby, don’t you cry, Papa’s gonna sing you a lullabye… If that horse and cart fall down, you’ll still be the sweetest little baby in town.”

The album concludes with two short lullabyes, one a very short but sweet tune (“dream a dream to bring you through the night and linger through the day”) segueing into the very familiar Brahams’ Lullaby. She sings through this “lullabye of love” once and hums through it once again to bring the album to a perfect close that may be accompanied by a few gentle snores.

There aren’t very many female artists of whom I consider myself a fan, but Anne Murray gets my vote of confidence. We have several of her albums, but this one is particularly meaningful to me, and still apt to send me off into dreamland myself. An excellent album for children and the children at heart who love them.