You make me smile Mr. Simon!

One of my fondest memories growing up was being in the car with my mom. Just me and her. Coming from a big family, this wasn't an easy feat to get some alone time with her. One of "our things" was singing in the car. She always had 60's tapes and even a few other random ones we'd go through rotation but there was one tape in particular that I always gravitated to, that was Graceland by Paul Simon.

Paul Simon had this voice you'd find on Sesame Street dancing around with all the muppets. Not one of the songs on that beloved tape was a bad one. Within a month, I memorized them all and could sing along with the best of them. I think what capivated me the most was how he intertwined this folk sound with an African sound. It made me happy, even to this day, I hear that album and I fall back to that 8 year old, bopping my head and smiling from ear to ear.

So where did this all come from? My last.FM channel of course! It really is the highlight of my day when he comes into rotation. Now because I can't place every song on this post I love (it'd be the entire album) I will just place one. Enjoy!



Happy Friday!!!

VENDOR REVIEWS!!! ...the music

I have to say if it wasn't for the amazing work of Mike, the owner of Ambassadors of Sound, I don't think I (or our guests) would have had as much fun as we did! He played everything we asked for and kept the party moving. He was an amazing MC too! If you live in Southern California, I'd HIGHLY recommend him!

Here is a photo of us dancing our first song to "Cheek to Cheek" by Sinatra



Photo from my friend Frank! :)

Grade: A++++++

Testing... 1. 2. 3...

Last night we decided to do a little test with our first dance. We locked out the pet mafia (cat & dog) outside to give us a little piece and quiet.

First we checked our the new first song (You're my Guardian Angel) and with the way my FI dances with me... it was a NO go! Then we checked out our old first dance (Just Like Heaven redone by Katie Melua) and that too was a NO go.

Figuring out that we needed just a bit more of a uptempo type of song, we pulled out some big band and jazz songs and found out its a perfect sound. So, with all this finding the prefect song with the perfect words, I was completely forgetting about the main reason for the song, the actual dance. I guess I relied too much on words to guide me when I should have looked for something that let us be us, regardless of anything else.

Now we have songs... multiple! Now we have to whittle down those five songs into one. But it is a breath of fresh air that I've finally realized this. The details are more visual than verbal when it comes to the first dance. Granted a pretty song is nice and all but when you got a guy who wants to sway a bit faster, it's all about how we look and how very happy we will be that day!

How did y'all pick your first song? Did you practice it out?

Two things...

... okay, there are two things that I just can't let go of until the day of the wedding, one, is flowers... and the second one is the music, more importantly our first dance.

My FI loves music but out of the two of us, I am more of the audiophile. When I hear certain songs, I'm time warped by to a place and can close my eyes and remember that exact feeling. And of all the moments on our wedding day, I always thought that this one dance would capture everything because of the music. So now, I'm stuck with a bit of a dilemma what song to pick. I know, I said I already found the song (my ever favorite: Just like Heaven by the Cure but adapted by another musician who slowed it down a bit) but recently we heard another song by Red Jumpsuit Apparatus (your Guardian Angel).

A portion of lyrics from Just like heaven

"Show me how you do that trick
The one that makes me scream" she said
"The one that makes me laugh" she said
And threw her arms around my neck
"Show me how you do it
And I promise you I promise that
I'll run away with you
I'll run away with you"

A portion of lyrics from Your Guardian Angel

When I see your smile, tears roll down my face. I can't replace.

And now that I'm strong, I have figured out,
How this world turns cold and it breaks through my soul.
And I know, I'll find, deep inside me, I can be the one.

I will never let you fall.
I'll stand up with you forever.
I'll be there for you through it all.
Even if saving you sends me to heaven.

Okay... with lyrics, it's a pretty easy choice, but when you listen to both songs, Just Like Heaven is more even and Your Guardian Angel is well, beautiful, until 2.5 minutes into the song and then it rocks out a bit.

So... it's either THIS:



or this:



I LOVE the second song a million times over, I'm just a bit nervous of the rocked out part. (There is an acoustic version... it's also pretty good but might be a little slow) :) If you had the choice between the two, which one would you go with?

Wedding Music...

This guy reminds me of my male friends for some reason, I think it's the geeky-ness he oozes! But this video is the best!



What type of music are you having at your wedding?

Oh WHY do you have to be soo fast paced!

If there was one song that nailed it to the T as a couple, it'd be Just like Heaven by The Cure...

Show me how you do that trick
The one that makes me scream" she said
"The one that makes me laugh" she said
And threw her arms around my neck
"Show me how you do it
And I promise you I promise that
I'll run away with you
I'll run away with you"

Spinning on that dizzy edge
I kissed her face and kissed her head
And dreamed of all the different ways I had
To make her glow
"Why are you so far away?" she said
"Why won't you ever know that I'm in love with you
That I'm in love with you"

You
Soft and only
You
Lost and lonely
You
Strange as angels
Dancing in the deepest oceans
Twisting in the water
You're just like a dream

Daylight licked me into shape
I must have been asleep for days
And moving lips to breathe her name
I opened up my eyes
And found myself alone alone
Alone above a raging sea
That stole the only girl I loved
And drowned her deep inside of me

You
Soft and only
You
Lost and lonely
You
Just like heaven

but why does it have to be soo fast? :| jitterbug anyone?

UPDATE... I found a great cover...



and the other is of Edwin Stellar. Bought both off of ITunes and will show HIM later to pick one! i love them!!!

Lyrics

On the search for the most beautiful song written to dance with my soon-to-be husband, I stumbled on words that are linked together in a way that you thought wasn't humanly possible to explain what love is...

Death Cab for Cutie are lovers... For the song Passenger Seat, the piano creates the scenery for lyrics such as these:

when you feel embarrassed then i'll be your pride
when you need directions then i'll be the guide
for all time.
for all time.

On another one of their songs, A Movie Script Ending... I started to choke up. The violin whispering in my ears while words like what is below made my heart warm up, as if they were written for just me and him.

With your hand on my shoulders, a meaningless movement... a moviescript ending,
And the patrons are leaving, leaving.

I'm a sap. I'd admit it. On your search for the right dance song, did you ever stumble onto anything that took your breath away?