Dahlia DeWinters – Author – Page 29 – Quirky Heroines, Happy Endings

More than 28 Days

Emmett Chappelle, inductee for 2007 into the National Inventors Hall of Fame Photo Courtesy of NASA.gov — Emmett Chappelle, inductee for 2007 into the National Inventors Hall of Fame
Photo Courtesy of NASA.gov

More than 28 days is a hashtag that caught my attention on Google+ during the month of February. The poster, Kymberlyn Reed, took a unique approach to Black History Month. Instead of using the #blackhistorymonth tag, she used her tag to hammer home the fact that Black History Month should certainly be “observed” longer than twenty eight days.

Ms. Reed has the right idea. While Black History Month,(just like Women’s History Month, Hispanic Heritage Month and other months/observances I’m sure I’m missing), serves to highlight some the achievements of Black people, it shouldn’t stand out like a sore thumb. Black people helped build the United States, and often their achievements were either swept under the rug or stolen by whites.

When I had a classroom of eager to learn fourth and fifth graders, I certainly didn’t wait until February to tell them about what is basically the history of the United States. In addition, I made a distinct effort not go for the “easy” ones – Dr. King, Harriet Tubman and good old Garret Morgan and his traffic light.

Even if the history books don’t fully acknowledge it, Black people were and still are an integral part of our heritage here in the U.S. Without them, there would be no dustpans, ironing boards, printing presses, typewriters, automatic elevator doors, mops, clothes dryers, pencil sharpeners or gasp! fountain pens!! Not to mention, the various colleges and universities dotting our great country.

People ask – Why is there a Black History Month? Well, there shouldn’t be. However, if the contributions of all Americans were acknowledged fairly in American history books, there wouldn’t HAVE to be a Black History Month.

So if you’re on Google+, or even if you’re not, stop by and check out the #morethan28days tag. You might learn something. I know I did.

Learn More:

http://www.blackpast.org/

http://www.blackpast.org/aah/101-african-american-firsts

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/projects/cp/national/unpublished-black-history

http://blackinhistory.tumblr.com/

Music Mondays – Sound of Silence

Hey there! Happy Monday to all of you! I enjoy the new start of the week when I can sit down in front of the computer and get to work. Check out the new graphic! I figured if I didn’t have to create a new graphic every time I had to write this blog post, it would make things a little easier. We’ll see!

Music Monday -Cover Songs – Sound of Silence

I am always a little behind when it comes to music. I don’t really listen to the radio and depend on my Google Play library. My music library includes the American Songbook, show tunes, some almost up to the minute music and of course, a healthy dose of the eighties.
I was tooling around on youtube a week or so ago and I found this song by Disturbed. I liked their cover of Land of Confusion: it has a much darker tone and is a little less “poppy” than the original Genesis version. However, I am a bit of a folk music fan. I love my John Denver, Simon and Garfunkel, and Peter, Paul and Mary. Curious to see what they did with the song, I clicked. And was hooked.

First, however, if you haven’t heard it, take a listen to Simon and Garfunkel’s version:

When Simon and Garfunkel did the song, it was a telling commentary on society’s behavior toward one another…”People hearing without listening”….”People writing songs that voices never share” and “The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls and tenement halls.” Nice, kinda abstract statements.

Disturbed takes it and makes it personal. Way personal. The singer’s voice is gut-wrenching, giving the impression he’s given the lyrics a lot of thought and things haven’t changed so very much since the song came out over thirty years ago.

Once you add in the sparse, minimalistic images of the video, you see Disturbed has turned the song into an experience.

Listen the first time. Pay attention to David Draiman’s growl and how he attacks the words. Then, once you’ve absorbed, add the video.

What a stirring interpretation of this song.

mystic sample blog post

This is an example of a written blog post. You can create as many blog posts as you like and be as creative as you wish! This is an example of a written blog post. You can create as many blog posts as you like and be as creative as you wish! Photo Credit Kat Graham

mystic sample blog post

Music Monday – Vocalese – Moody's Mood for Love

I dug back into the archives of my music collection for my first post of the New Year. I’ve always loved this song, not only because of the fine vocal stylings of King Pleasure and Blossom Dearie, but also for the history behind the song itself. Moody’s Mood for Love is a swoon-worthy slow dance song, full of references to magic, stars, enduring love and all the stuff that romance is made of. If you want to get starry-eyed, this is one of the best songs to listen to.

That being said, here’s the story of the song.

The “original” song was “I’m in the Mood for Love” written by Jimmy McHugh and Dorothy Fields. It may be famliar to many because of the line “I’m in the mood for love/Simply because you’re near me…”. Here is Sarah Vaughn’s cover of the song.

While playing in Sweden, saxophonist James Moody improvised a solo while in concert in Sweden.

Eddie Jefferson penned words to Moody’s saxophone solo as well as , which then was made famous by King Pleasure and Blossom Dearie. And we have…

Amy WInehouse did a version of the song, and while I do love Amy, I don’t feel she captured the true contours of Moody’s sax solo. She simply put the words and melody over a reggae beat. Which is okay, I suppose, but she just made it another song, rather than a call back to the vocalese tradition.

Queen Latifah also does a version. It’s…okay, but again, is simply another interpretation of the words and melody.

There I go, there I go, there I go, there I go
Pretty baby you are the soul, who snaps my control
Such a funny thing but every time you’re near me
I never can behave
You give me a smile and then I’m wrapped up in your magic
There’s music all around me
Crazy music, music that keeps calling me so
Very close to you, turns me your slave
Come on and do with me any little thing that you want to
Anything, baby just let me get next to you

Am I insane or do I really see heaven in your eyes?
Bright as stars that shine up above you
In the clear blue skies, how I worry ’bout you
Just can’t live my life without you
Baby come here, and don’t have no fear
Oh, is there wonder why
I’m really feeling in the mood for love

So tell me why, stop to think about this weather, my dear
This little dream might fade away
There I go talking out of my head again

Oh baby won’t you
come and put our two hearts together
That would make me strong and brave
Oooo, when we are one, I’m not afraid, I’m not afraid
If there’s a cloud up above us
Go on and let it rain
I’m sure our love together will endure a hurricane
Oh my baby won’t you please let me love you
and give me relief from this awful misery.What is all this talk about loving me, my sweet
I am not afraid, not anymore, not like before
Don’t you understand me, now baby please
Pull yourself together, do it soon
My soul’s on fire, come on and take me
I’ll be what you make me, my darling, my dearOh baby, you make me feel so good
Let me take you by the hand
Come let us visit out there
In that new promised landMaybe there we can find
A good place to use a lovin’ state of mind
I’m so tired of being without
And never knew what love’s about
James Moody you can come over man
you can blow now if you want to, we’re through

Resources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moody%27s_Mood_for_Love

Music Monday -Cover Songs – Sound of Silence

EDDIE JEFFERSON MOODY´S MOOD FOR LOVE LYRICS