So. There we all were (we music therapists, I mean) on Twitter, tweeting away, and she reminded me a couple of times, that, um, I hadn't done this yet. 

Okay, so, yes! It's true! I was resisting this exercise, because, I mean- really! Six songs? Only six? That's just cruel! Couldn't I have runner-ups? Or second sixth choices? Or something....? Oy.

Alright, so fine! I think I've finally managed to come to some agreement with myself about at least five of them. I may need to give some more consideration to song #6 because  it still freaks me out a bit to have come up with the complete list and only be 45 years old. I mean, what if it somehow implies that, "now you've come up with your list of six songs and you're done with your life now"? You know? (And yes, I do know normal people don't think that way, thank you very much.)

Here goes:

Song #1 has to be "Scarborough Fair/Canticle" (the Simon and Garfunkel version, and no other). It's my favorite song of all time, and I can't even tell you specifically why. I think it has to do with the lovely intertwining harmonies and the fact that S & G are one of two groups (the other being the Carpenters) my whole family agreed we could all happily listen to while driving across the United States one summer when my brother and I were in high school. The other thing is: in spite of being a fairly good finger-picking guitarist, I still can't play this song in a way that feels right to me. It's Simon and Garfunkel or nobody (oh, wait, I said that already)! 

Song #2 is Dan Fogelberg's "Song From Half Mountain". I know I already carried on about this song back in December (in this very blog even), but I'm saying it again. I love this song. I'm not sure I have any official connection to the song. It's just that it's so achingly beautiful. I guess in this complete mess of a world, I find a need to surround myself with beautiful sounds that evoke beautiful images and sensations. Maybe that's it- it's so sensorily lovely. 

Song #3 is, okay, I admit it, one of my own. It's "Grateful" (complete with my coughing and throat clearing and kvetching) (it would only be right), and here's the thing: I chose this one, because, for me, it represents the best of what my songwriting has been and could be. Writing songs, having the opportunity to record two CDs, and getting over myself enough to perform them (!) has been an important part of my life (and growth as a human being). This song was absolutely the easiest one I ever wrote. They should all be this easy, but...well, what can you do? They're not. 

Song #4 is "Silent Night" because it reminds me of my parents. When they were visiting this past Christmas, my Jewish mother and my Muslim father and I sang this song together. And if that isn't world peace, then I don't know what is! 

Song #5 is (in spite of it all) Lynyrd Skynyrd singing "Sweet Home Alabama". It has been brought to my attention that there's a lot wrong with this song (morally, ethically, racially), but it always makes me think of my brother and that same family trip I mentioned in Song #1. We'd all have dinner together, and then my parents would head out for a walk while my brother and I took care of the dishes and broke out the heavier music we couldn't listen to while we were all driving together, and this was one of our favorites. It still is. Go, brother Kamran!

Now. Here's where things got tricky. I couldn't decide between James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. And, er, then, even if I could pick one of them, then I'd have the insanity of trying to figure out which one song would express it all in just the right way for me, and I just haven't been able to do it.

So I'm going with this (which is completely different from the three above-mentioned contenders): Song #6 is "I Need to Be Still" (it's not a version I particularly like, but it's really about the song anyway). I spent a lot of years at Unity, and even though it's no longer my spiritual home, I learned this song there, and, if anything- I think the song has probably become like a spiritual home for me. 

Phew! So there you have it. At last! (And I'll try to not be paranoid about having finally come up with all six songs.) (Even though I may have to change one or two here and there.) (But maybe not.). 

Here are some more music therapists who kindly shared their six songs: Kimberly Sena Moore, the Music Therapy Maven herself shared hers here. Rachel Rambach tossed in her song, er, hat here. 

Feel free to throw in your two cents (or six songs, as it were), or a link to your blog if I missed yours!

In case you'd like to join me in the great obsession (in a music playing kind of way), here's a link to the tuning (yow!), tablature and lyrics. Seriously. About the tuning...it's gorgeous (first of all), but I almost broke my classical guitar at work trying it out (even modified). It only worked on the Luna (which is steel), and even that poor guitar is having a bit of stress from it. It's not that hard to play though, so if you're a guitar player and have a guitar that can handle insane tunings, I say go for it!

I'm wondering if there are any other of you out there who use classical guitars and mess around with tunings. How do you keep your guitar/strings peaceful and happy?

I mean, I'm sure it's always obvious, when we listen to various songwriters, who their beloved songwriters are because elements of the songs they've been engaged with emerge in all sorts of ways in the music they write. 

So here you have it: installment #1 of Music I Love. 

Here are a few things I've been listening to of late (and loving!):
Chicago  "(I've Been) Searching So Long" (I have them on vinyl, but not on CD, so I went and borrowed a CD from the library so I could hear them again. It has been glorious re-visiting their music.) And, while I'm at it, go listen to "Make Me Smile" as well. 

Dan Fogelberg "Song From Half Mountain" (What. A. Gorgeous. Song. And that is all I have to say about it.) It's a bit of a wobbly recording, but it's so exquisite, I decided to just live with the wobbliness. And, on my way to work on Thursday I heard "Same Old Lang Syne" (given that it's the season and such), and I was thrilled for the song all over again. Not being the type to write stories into songs, I listen to songs like this and just plain marvel. Darn it, you should probably hear "Old Tennessee" too. 

Sonya Heller (and not just to prove that I'm totally stuck a few decades behind the times either!) "Songlines" (I've met Sonya, and she's a lovely human being and an incredible singer/songwriter- and an Indiegrrl to boot. I have been enjoying her CD for the past year and a half that I've owned it. Every so often one of the songs appears while I'm listening to my iTunes library, and I'm happy all over again!) As if that wasn't enough of a cool song, here are "Love Comes Down to Love" (you will have shivers up and down your legs). I think "Justine" was one that won her a songwriting award (a well-deserved one at that). 

Okay. So now I've obsessed half the afternoon away, and I need to go do some cooking for the week. Give these fabulous songs a listen, tell me what you think, and, please, find some wonderful new/old music to share with me too. I'm always in search of new inspiration.

Here's to a peaceful and joyful new year for us all!

I've learned a few important things while I was down for the count though. One is that my neighbors are incredible! They checked in on me, ran errands for me, offered to cook for me and to just sit with me if I needed. In fact, people came out of the very woodwork to offer their help. I am humbled and most grateful (as trite and un-original as that may sound). 

The other thing I discovered is that when you recover from surgery, that's pretty much all you can do. You just...sit there...and...recover. You can't read.  You can't play guitar. You can't do much other than watch television. And I have to say I wasn't that big of a fan of television before my surgery, and I'm no bigger of a fan now. Although i do have a secret affection for Dr. Oz (even though he does get a bit too graphic to suit my stomach sometimes). Glrg!

So that's where I've been. Which is why I haven't blogged anywhere (not here or in my music therapy blog or in the Victimorious blog).  So it's actually kind of lucky I haven't had too many gigs happening until now.

I've actually been preparing for two music therapy presentations. One will be at the Mid-Atlantic Regional conference of the American Music Therapy Association (MAR-AMTA for short, thank God) in Pittsburgh, PA, and the other will be at Kardon Institute for the Arts in Philadelphia. Mercifully, I'm finally feeling well enough to function (versus sitting in a sloth-like manner recovering), so I'm getting all the preparations together for those. 

If you happen to be in Pittsburgh next Friday, I've got a gig at Club Arc. Check out the Calendar page for details and a map (we all need maps).

Onward!

Well, we all know (by now) that the biggest news is finally getting the new CD ("Look Inside") done. Can we get an "amen"? And Oasis (the good folks who printed my CD for me) just sent along the Acoustic Sampler with my song "Grateful" on it (which you can hear by fast forwarding the embedded player on my website to the second song). From what I gather, they've sent that Sampler along to various radio stations around the country who play that kind of music (hooray for them!). 

But, the even more exciting news (far more) is that Tom and Doug (surely you remember Tom and Doug) have finished mixing and producing their song, "Roia's on Tour", and it is now up (for my public humiliation and your public mirth) for all to listen to here. 

Yes, friends. Just when you thought it was safe to turn off your radios and listen to podcasts, this comes on. 

And while you're there, you can listen to Tom's brilliant song, "Seizure at the Strip Joint". One of the reasons I like it so much is that he manages to get through the entire song without being offensive or rude in any way! The whole song is completely observational. 

I'd love to hear your thoughts, so I'll just sit right here and await the love. 

Or not.