sarahduckw

[sarahduckw]

Space...The Final Frontier

In case you didn’t know, this month marks the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11’s epic launch and landing on our Moon.

So, of course, I made a playlist. Enjoy!

*Spotify link is below the picture.

[sarahduckw]

Lighters Up!!

A few nights ago I was thinking about bands I’ve seen live.

Turns out it’s a weird list. I’ve put them, roughly, in the order of seeing them.

I’ve included when/where notes, some details are sketchy.

As always, a link to the Spotify playlist is at the bottom. ⬇️

*

*

These were when I was a kid. I feel like I’m probably missing a couple from my youth.

Love Crucified Arose - Michael Card

Sunday’s On The Way - Carman

Heart Of The Matter - Bob Bennett

These were all at the Ohio State Fair, with my older brothers and his friends, except VG, I think that was just me and my brother.

High Enough - Damn Yankees

I Remember You - Skid Row

Headed For A Heartache - Winger

You Better Think Twice - Vince Gill

Teen concert for Billy Graham Crusade 1993

Light A Candle - Whiteheart

She opened for either Steven Curtis Chapman or MWS, I can’t remember.

Seize The Day - Carolyn Arends

MWS was the headliner both times

Go West Young Man - Michael W. Smith (x2)

In Nashville, with my family

Independence Day - Martina McBride

Opened for MWS in the early 90’s, headliner in the late 90’s

Jesus Freak - dc Talk (x2)

Middle band 1st time, headliner 2nd

Free Ride - Audio Adrenaline (x2)

At Grace Polaris with dad

41 Lawnmowers - Billy Crockett

John The Revelator - Phil Keaggy

I’ve seen AJ twice, both at Polaris Amphitheater, once with a high school friend a few months after graduation, David Ball opened. The 2nd time with dad in the early 2000’s, Sara Evans opened.

Thinkin’ Problem - David Ball

Suds In The Bucket - Sara Evans

Chattahoochee - Alan Jackson (x2)

Punk Rawk Show - MxPx at Vineyard Columbus

Gasoline - Skillet at Vineyard Columbus

Both at Polaris Amphitheater with my younger brother

Changes In Latitudes, Changes In Attitudes - Jimmy Buffett

Fire and Rain - James Taylor

Headliner, Audio A was one of the opening bands

The Great Adventure - Steven Curtis Chapman

Did You Mean It - Third Day at Vineyard Columbus

A Flowery Song - Five Iron Frenzy probably at Vineyard Columbus

Opened for Audio A

Supertones Strike Back - The O.C. Supertones

Anna Thema - Stavesacre probably at Vineyard Columbus

Butterfly - Seven Day Jesus at Vineyard Columbus

B.C. - Plankeye probably at Vineyard Columbus

Ooklah The Punk - Ghoti Hook probably at Vineyard Columbus

At Grace Polaris with mom and Abby(?)

Lucky One - Amy Grant

Polaris Amphitheater with siblings early 2000’s

Livin’ On A Prayer - Bon Jovi

Diamond In The Rough - Jennifer Knapp at Vineyard Columbus

Overjoyed - Jars Of Clay at Vineyard Columbus

Superman - Luna Halo at Vineyard Columbus

random festival in Chillicothe 2007

Cornerstone - Day Of Fire

Son Of God Tour in 2014, Grace Polaris with mom, dad and Abby

Free To Be Me - Frances’s Battistelli

Your Great Name - Natalie Grant

You Love Me Anyway - Sidewalk Prophets

Remind Me Who I Am - Jason Gray

The Maker - Chris August

Soar - Meredith Andrews

Buckets For Bullet Wounds - House Of Heroes at Vineyard Columbus

You Alone - David Crowder Band at Vineyard Columbus

Ohio Stadium 2016

Paint It Black - The Rolling Stones

Schottenstein Center 2016

Sister Christian - Night Ranger

Head Games - Foreigner

Rock Of Ages - Def Leppard

First time opened for Foos, 2nd and 3rd headliner

Kiss This - The Struts (x3)

Best concert we’ve ever been to, hands down

Long Road To Ruin - Foo Fighters

Opener for The Struts

Set To Attack - Albert Hammond, Jr.

Headliner

Feathers So Hollow - Vesperteen

[sarahduckw]

Fog

There is no magic formula for navigating the fog of grief.

Music can certainly be a light in the darkness.

I would never presume that everyone could be comforted by the same songs. To accommodate that would make for an unending list. But I can give you a short list of songs I like.

Fire and Rain - James Taylor

Who You’d Be Today - Kenny Chesney

Supermarket Flowers - Ed Sheeran

Your Long Journey - Robert Plant & Alison Krauss

Long Ride Home - Patty Griffin

Keep Me In Your Heart - Warren Zevon

Stars - Grace Potter & The Nocturnals

Made Of Glass - KT Tunstall

Hurt - Johnny Cash

Go Rest High On That Mountain - Vince Gill

[sarahduckw]

A Short Story #3

“That Could Have Been Me,” Daniel sighed.

A Treetop Flyer buzzed Avery Island.

He had wanted to Learn To Fly for as long as he could remember.

He had been visiting his aunt, every Saturday, for a few months now. She was in the early stages of Alzheimer’s. Lately, she had been asking him to, “Take Me To Harlan.”

She wasn’t from Harlan, she’d been watching some show about a deputy marshal.

Her home health aide was Amazing. Sometimes she seemed otherworldly.

He didn’t believe in spiritual stuff, but she had an Aura he could actually see.

They were always talking about the lives they were Meant To Live.

The girl smiled, she could show him Across The Universe.

Music

[sarahduckw]

A Short Story #2

The Sky Is A Neighborhood.

The alien had chosen the name Jolene long before her first trip to the 3rd Rock From The Sun.

She had miscalculated her landing site, she meant to be Back In The USSR. She didn’t know it doesn’t exist anymore, She’d Been Away Too Long.

...Misty Mountains, the readout told her she was in Cherokee National Forest.

Time to make some Changes and Drive South.

The City Of New Orleans was a song on her Intergalactic mixtape. That’s where she would go.

Playlist, as always, is here

[sarahduckw]

A Short Story # 1

(A story with a built in playlist)

Graceland no longer held appeal for Ashton.

He was in the Wrong Place.

He wanted to Fly Away to a lonely corner of the world.

...To an Island, with a Lighthouse

He didn’t want a place Where Everybody Knows Your Name. He wanted a place Where The Streets Have No Name, he wanted a place with no streets.

He wanted a beach for his Old Blue Chair. He wanted place where you could see The Milky Way.

Listen to the songs

[sarahduckw]

Juuust A Bit Outside

Baseball is upon us. Find the Spring Training schedule Here

I remember going to Reds games at Riverfront stadium in the 80’s. We probably didn’t go as much as I remember.

Listening to Saturday games on 700 WLW with Marty Brennaman and Joe Nuxhall is as much a part of my childhood soundtrack as music is.

I still listen when I have a chance. I might tune in more this year since Marty is retiring. There is something magical about listening to baseball on AM radio. I can’t put my finger on it.

I’ve had this playlist ready to go since mid-January, I’m excited to finally make it public.

Take Me Out To The Ball Game

Say Hey (The Willie Mays Song) - The Treniers

Knock It Out Of The Park - Sam & Dave

A Dying Cub Fan’s Last Request - Steve Goodman

Glory Days - Bruce Springsteen

Centerfield - John Fogerty

The Cheap Seats - Alabama

America’s Favorite Pastime - Todd Snider

Wild Thing - The Troggs (not a baseball song, I know)

Casey At The Bat - poem by Ernest Lawrence Thayer, recorded by Mike Snider

[sarahduckw]

Sad Songs Say So Much

Found/Tonight - Lin-Manuel Miranda & Ben Platt

On The Coast of Somewhere Beautiful - Kenny Chesney

Rain - Patty Griffin

Pacing The Cage - Jimmy Buffett

Thursday - Jess Glynne

The Steward Of Gondor - Howard Shore & Billy Boyd

Go Rest High In That Mountain - Vince Gill

Anna - Antje Duvekot

Whiskey Lullaby - Brad Paisley/Alison Krauss

Hurt - Johnny Cash

[sarahduckw]

The Way

Where are my fellow 80’s church kids? 👋

CCM has always been corny and a bit behind mainstream culture. But the songs are part of the glorious soundtrack of my youth.

This list was hard, I had 60 songs at one point.

A couple notes about this list:

1. I easily could have made it all Michael Card.

2. I left Carmen off the list on purpose, no one needs that.

3. I didn’t forget Psalty and Kids Praise, they were some of the 60 that didn’t make the final cut. There are some albums on Spotify, if you need a fix.

4. A few of these songs talk about God’s Reckless Love. 🤭

Prepare Ye The Way - John Michael Talbot

You Put This Love In My Heart - Keith Green

The Sheep and The Goats - Keith Green

Not Of This World - Petra

Heart Of The Matter - Bob Bennett

Shut de Do - Randy Stonehill

Bullfrogs and Butterflies - Barry McGuire

41 Lawnmowers - Billy Crockett

To Hell With The Devil - Stryper

Leaving 99 - Audio Adrenaline

Rocketown - Michael W Smith

God’s Own Fool - Michael Card

Awesome God - Rich Mullins

Lead Me On - Amy Grant

He’s Alive - Don Francisco

Light A Candle - White Heart

Jesus Is Just Alright - dc Talk

Free At Last - dc Talk

Take Me To Your Leader - Newsboys

Breathe (Benediction) - Newsboys

[sarahduckw]

Smooth Sailing

This one is for all the Larry Dallas’s out there.

So put on your deck shoes and flowered shirts, we’re going on a Yacht Rock Cruise.

Everybody’s Talkin’ - Harry Nilsson

I Go Crazy - Paul Davis

Waking Up Alone - Paul Williams

How Much I Feel - Ambrosia

Dance With Me - Orleans

Please Come To Boston - Dave Loggins

Sailing - Christopher Cross

Devil Woman - Cliff Richard

Ventura Highway - America

Thunder Island - Jay Ferguson

Brandy (You’re A Fine Girl) - Looking Glass

Dirty Work - Steely Dan

Lido Shuffle - Boz Skaggs

Baby I’m-a Want You - Bread

Your Mama Don’t Dance - Loggins & Messina

Crazy Love - Poco

We Just Disagree - Dave Mason

Into The Night - Benny Mardones

Right Down The Line - Gerry Rafferty

Key Largo - Bertie Higgins

Celebrate Me Home - Kenny Loggins

[sarahduckw]

Do You Hear What I Hear?

“He was conscious of a thousand odours floating in the air, each one connected with a thousand thoughts, and hopes, and joys, and cares, long, long, forgotten.”

― Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol

Memory bias affects the way we remember. From the mundane to the important, the human memory is notorious for remembering things the way they didn’t happen.

Memory bias is the main plot device of National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. Clark remembers joyful family Christmas’ and wants desperately to recapture that feeling, much to the chagrin of his family.

**When memories start to fade, sadness seeps in. In my mind’s eye, faded memories sit in dense fog. Every once in a while a breeze will push back the veil a little and give you a skewed glimpse. But it’s never fully revealed.**

Some things I remember about childhood Christmas’:

-The Gingerbears’ First Christmas & The Gingerbears’ Help Santa **These 2 books fetch a pretty penny because they are out of print. I have both.**

-Candy Cane cookies that, as an adult, I can’t quite master

-Jewel Brite ornaments & plastic “sugared” candy garland

More than anything I remember music. Music is visceral. Music is unequivocally connected to my Christmas memories. I may not remember the minutiae but the music evokes deep emotions.

I grew up in a traditional church. We had a late service on Christmas Eve. What I remember most about going to church on Christmas Eve is ending with Silent Night by candlelight.

If visited, I would ask the Spirit Of Christmas Past to take me to a childhood Christmas Eve service to observe, unseen, a congregation quietly singing about the birth of a radical world-changer.

I know the world was just as complicated in the late 80’s/early 90’s but I choose to believe that was shut out for a brief moment.

The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late) - Alvin & The Chipmunks

The Sounds of Christmas - Johnny Mathis

The Eyes of a Child - Air Supply

Tennessee Christmas - Amy Grant

Good King Wenceslas- Mannheim Steamroller

Same Old Lang Syne - Dan Fogelberg

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - Vince Gill

First Snowfall - Michael W Smith

Sleigh Ride - Carpenters

Silent Night - Pentatonix

[sarahduckw]

Take This For A Spin

In Love With The Camera - The Struts

Lamu - Michael W Smith

The Flame - Cheap Trick

Bye Bye Bye - *NSYNC

Nervous - dryve

The Love I Know - PFR

Ciara - Luka Bloom

If I Say - Mumford and Sons

Immigrants (We Get The Job Done) - The Hamilton Mixtape

True Love - Phil Wickham

[sarahduckw]

Welcome To The Revolution

Did you know??

Less than 5% of the people creating the sounds, music and media in the daily soundtrack of our lives are women.

Surprisingly (or maybe not) only 17% of recording artist are females.

From 2013-2018, 899 individuals were nominated for Grammy’s. Only 9.3% were female.

While I believe that the obstacles of old (“we don’t hire women”) are less pervasive** today, I do believe that girls aren’t being encouraged when they express an interest in STEM fields or being anything other than pop-sex symbol.

**Certainly not non-existent but better.

The playlist I have for you this week features songs from albums that a woman had a hand in making.

*Let’s Go Crazy (Purple Rain) - Prince (Susan Rogers, Engineer)

*Lindy (Life On A Rock) - Kenny Chesney (Shannon Finnegan, Production Coordinator)

*Lay It On Down (Lay It On Down) - Kenny Wayne Shepherd (Angela Talley, Assistant Engineer)

*Walk (Wasting Light) - Foo Fighters (Emily Lazar, Mastering)

*Sometimes (Strange Little Birds) - Garbage (Emily Lazar, Mastering and Shirley Manson, Composer/Vocals)

*Right Here Waiting (Repeat Offender) - Richard Marx (Leslie Ann Jones, Assistant Engineer)

*Supernova Goes Pop (Tonight The Stars Revolt) - Powerman 5000 (Sylvia Massy, Engineer/Producer)

*I Need You (Unfazed) - The Waiting (Linda Perry, Composer)

*Im A Believer (More Of The Monkees) - The Monkees (Carol Kaye, Bass)

*Better Man (Vitalogy) - Pearl Jam (Trina Showmaker, Assistant Engineer)

*Fly Away (5) - Lenny Kravitz (Cindy Blackman, Drums)

[sarahduckw]

I’ve been able to remember my dreams for as long as I can remember.

I can recall dreams I had when I was a kid.

I have had recurring dreams.

I have had teenage dreams.

I have had sweet dreams (they weren’t made of cheese).

I’ve been running down (in) a dream.

I digress, we’re here for music.

*Dreams & Songs - Gov’t Mule

*Dreams - Fleetwood Mac *This song is allegedly a companion song to ‘Go Your Own Way’. Stevie and Lindsey were in the middle of a breakup while Rumours was being recorded.

*Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) - Eurythmics *This is one of the first music videos I remember seeing. The other is Land of Confusion.

*Teenage Dream - Katy Perry *Do. Not. Judge. Me. Just let it’s bubblegum goodness wash over you.

*You Make My Dreams - Hall & Oates

*Runnin’ Down a Dream - Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

*Don’t Dream It’s Over - Crowded House *I like Sixpence None The Richer’s version also, it’s included on the Spotify playlist. I wonder if there is a mash-up out there somewhere.

*All I Have To Do Is Dream - The Everly Brothers

*Dreams - Kenny Chesney

*Dreamer - Isbells *Full disclosure. I had not heard of this band until I searched “Dreams” in Spotify. I like the tune, so it gets a spot.

*Jacob’s Dream- Alison Krause

*California Dreamin’ - The Mamas & The Papas

*Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car - Billy Ocean

and last but certainly not least

*Dream On - Aerosmith *I will argue this is the best song in Aerosmith’s catalog.

[sarahduckw]

Nathan Hale Trilogy - James Curnow (you will have to hit up YouTube)

The Eagle and The Hawk - John Denver

Fire On The Mountain - Hanson

Musicbox - Peter Mayer

This Land Is Your Land - Woody Guthrie

She’s Not There - The Zombies

Blossom - James Taylor

There Is Love - Noel Paul Stokey

Church - Lyle Lovett

The Sky Is A Neighborhood - Foo Fighters

[sarahduckw]

Hi.👋

Been a bit since I last posted a playlist. Enjoy.

Prepare Ye The Way - John Michael Talbot

Full Moon Mansion - Dan Fogelberg

The Way It Is - Bruce Hornsby & The Range

Way Down We Go - Kaleo

Down At Your Feet - Anabeth Morgan

The Call (Love Song for a City - Martin Smith

Free - Zac Brown Band

Paint It Black - The Rolling Stones

The Flame - Cheap Trick

Give Me Love - George Harrison

Island - Jimmy Buffett

What’s Going On - Marvin Gaye

When Doves Cry - Prince

Zanzibar - Mac McAnally

Wrong Place - Peter Mayer, Brendan Mayer

Machine Gun Kelly - James Taylor

I Love Your Presence - Chris Lizotte

If I Had a Hammer - Pete Seeger

Daydream Believer - The Monkees

When Will I Be Loved - Linda Ronstadt

[sarahduckw]

Today is Robin Williams birthday.

I haven’t been able to watch any of his movies since his death.

He didn’t mean anything particularly special to me. I remember watching Mork and Mindy in syndication as a kid. Aladdin has a special place in my heart.

But Hook. Hook is Peter Pan.

Peter Pan guts me.

The legitimate history of Peter Pan, Barrie’s inspiration, is heart wrenching enough.

But there is fan theory out there that theorizes Peter is an escort for children who have died. Ugh.

Robin always struck as a Peter Pan, never-grow-up, figure. So it makes Hook hard to even think about watching.