22 – Lawsuit against the US Federal Government, Former Pharmaceutical Rep & Transformation of the Church

Posted on October 3, 2022 by observationblogger — Leave a comment

Welcome to Monday’s News on the March – The week that was in my digital world.

To open today’s article, I wanted to present the following image. I’ve lived a little but Brett and Heather’s latest podcast is a first for me regarding the animal kingdom and especially purveying podcasts:

This Saturday gone podcast by the husband-and-wife biological team was one of my favourites by them. There is a chucklesome moment when Heather says, ‘Maybe you can slow down the snoring a bit‘. And Brett replies, ‘It’s not me, it’s him (pointing at the dog)’.

Jay Bhattacharya: The Legal Case Against Anthony Fauci
Video interview at UnHerd

In October 2020, the Great Barrington Declaration was published by three academics – Jay Bhattacharya, Sunetra Gupta and Martin Kulldorff – who appeared on UnHerd to break the story. It marked a watershed moment in the pandemic, but the authors found their criticisms of COVID policy were increasingly censored on social media.

Now, Bhattacharya is taking his case to the courts to prove collusion between the Biden administration and Big Tech to silence skeptics like the signatories of the Great Barrington Declaration. (View video interview here)

Former Pharmaceutical Rep Details How Oxycontin Took Over
Video podcast interview at PowerfulJRE

Brigham Buhler is the founder of Way2Well, a functional and regenerative care clinic – focusing on health, wellness, and restorative medicine. (Watch video podcast interview here)

Paulo Freire and the Marxist Transformation of the Church – James Lindsay
Audio presentation at New Discourses

The churches are under attack, not just from without but also from within. Marxist subversion has been brought deeply into them, and they are already falling. The model for how this is being accomplished mirrors the model used to steal education, so it’s little surprise that the Brazilian Marxist educator Paulo Freire is at the bottom of it. In this episode of the New Discourses Podcast, host James Lindsay picks up out of the Critical Education Series. (Audio presentation here)

Tagged with: Brigham Buhler, COVID, Jay Bhattacharya, Joe Rogan, UnHerd
Posted in News

I’ll Be Faithful to You (1984) – Don Williams

Posted on October 2, 2022 by observationblogger — 2 Comments

Don Williams music has been very prevalent here lately. I don’t think I’ve heard a mediocre song by him. He was an American country singer, songwriter, and 2010 inductee into the Country Music Hall of Fame. His straightforward yet smooth bass-baritone voice, soft tones, and imposing build earned him the nickname “The Gentle Giant“. You can find more biographical information about Don in my earlier posts. Today’s song I’ll Be Faithful to You was written by English singer-songwriter Paul Kennerley. It was released on Don’s 1984 album Cafe Carolina which peaked at number 13 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart.

I can see your heart is achin’
He hurt you more than he knew
But should you ever want to love again
I’ll be faithful to you

You’ve been crying like a willow
When the night bird sings so blue
Trust was broken but hearts will heal
And I’ll be faithful to you

It’s strange that a man born and raised in England would become such a prolific composer for some of the biggest names in American Country music. Paul Kennerley composed many songs for various artists including Johnny Cash, Emmylou Harris, Waylon Jennings & Don Williams (featured below). In 1976 when he was working in advertising in London, he heard the song “Let’s All Help the Cowboys Sing the Blues” by Waylon Jennings. “It really excited me…I immediately hunted down every Waylon record I could find.”

Paul Kennerley quit his job in advertising and allowed himself three months to develop his talents as a songwriter. In 1983, he moved to Nashville, Tennessee, where he started working with Harris on her semi-autobiographical concept album, The Ballad of Sally Rose, co-writing and producing the album.

References:
1. Cafe Carolina – Wikipedia
2. Paul Kennerley – Wikipedia

Tagged with: cafe carolina, don williams, I'll be faithful to you
Posted in Music

If You Leave Me Now (1976) – Chicago

Posted on October 1, 2022 by observationblogger — 11 Comments

US rock band Chicago posing in Amsterdam, Netherlands in 1976

There weren’t many entertainment outings our family enjoyed in my youth where If You Leave Me Now wasn’t played. Actually, I didn’t like it for years and I don’t know why, but now when I hear it, I really enjoy it. Call it nostalgia, but I understand why the adults were revelling. It’s a really mature song by a band so young. It is so craftily developed and has magnificent band arrangements.

There’s a nice story communicated on You Tube by Courtney Gibson Jr about this song: ‘I remember I played this after this woman broke up with me. This old guy (my neighbor) saw me crying. He came to me and we had a long talk. I remember one thing he said, “Don’t worry about it, you’re a strong young man and you have a whole life ahead.” He was such a nice old man. He’s gone now. But I will never forget that long talk with him.‘

A love like ours is love that’s hard to find
How could we let it slip away
We’ve come too far to leave it all behind
How could we end it all this way
When tomorrow comes and we’ll both regret
The things we said today

The song was at the top of the charts in so many countries. The song was so pervasive on radio upon its release that, reportedly, those tuning in within New York could hear the song playing on four different stations. The album Chicago X sold sold 1.4 million copies in the United States alone. It was written and sung by bass player Peter Cetera and released July 30, 1976.

References:
1. If You Leave Me Now – Wikipedia

Tagged with: Chicago, Chicago X, If You Leave Me Now
Posted in Music

If You See Her, Say Hello (1974) – Bob Dylan

Posted on September 30, 2022 by observationblogger — 7 Comments

If you want to hear Dylan at the height of his singing and lyrical prowess then look no further than If You See Her, Say Hello. It is the second Bob Dylan track to appear here from his masterpiece record – Blood on the Tracks. The inflections and timbre of his voice are so striking and demonstrate in part, why he is so revered. It doesn’t sound like any other song I have ever heard. The lyrics are phenomenal, and instrumentals possess a strong Latin influence, at least to my ear.

If you get close to her, kiss her once for me
Always have respected her for doing what she did and gettin’ free
Oh, whatever makes her happy, I won’t stand in the way
Though the bitter taste still lingers on from the night I tried to make her stay

When Dylan’s divorce from Sara was imminent, he went into beast-mode in his songwriting and revived his status as the legendary singer-songwriter from the 1960’s. Prior to this he was having fun releasing albums like Nashville Skyline and Self Portrait with a crooning voice and dulcet sound. Then on Blood he went all out again, but in a 70’s mode of sound and personal topics. This revival period of Dylan between Blood ’74 and Street Legal 78 is one of the most cherished by his fans.

If You See Her, Say Hello is one of five on the album that Dylan initially recorded in New York City in September 1974 and then re-recorded in Minneapolis. The later recording, made on December 30, 1974, was produced by Dylan’s brother David Zimmerman, who was not credited. The recording later became the album track and the B-side of the “Tangled Up in Blue” single, released in February 1975.

These musicians in Minneapolis were based locally and Dylan had not met them before they started working together on December 27, 1974. But, by golly did those musicians deliver! He struck gold. In his 2004 memoir Chronicles: Volume One, Dylan says that Blood on the Tracks was “an entire album based on Chekhov short stories. Critics thought it was autobiographical – that was fine“. Dylan performed the song live 88 times up to July 2009.

References:
1. If You See Her, Say Hello – Wikipedia

Posted in Uncategorized

If You Could Read My Mind (1995) – Don Williams

Posted on September 29, 2022 by observationblogger — 11 Comments

The ‘gentle giant’ Don Williams was one heck of a country artist who would do community service when he got bored. You can read more about that in the I Recall a Gypsy Woman article. Here he covers the classic Gordon Lightfoot If You Could Read My Mind. Lightfoot wrote the lyrics while he was reflecting on his own divorce saying they came to him as he was sitting in a vacant Toronto house one summer. I have heard both versions many times, but I remain most fond of Williams’ version which appeared on his 1995 album Borrowed Tales. This is a song I have never grown tired of.

If you could read my mind love
What a tale my thoughts could tell
Just like an old time movie
‘Bout a ghost from a wishin’ well
In a castle dark or a fortress strong
With chains upon my feet
You know that ghost is me
And I will never be set free
As long as I’m a ghost you can’t see

When Don Williams covers a song, he seems to do them some serious justice! There is something so tranquil hearing his voice. It’s soothing and he seems to get to the heart of the matter without any fuss or bitterness. I can see why my father was fascinated by his voice. He is one of the best country singers I have heard. You can read more about Don William’s biography in my previous two articles on him. Don passed away in 2017, but his music will be greatly remembered. He amassed 17 number one country hits! And yet I couldn’t find one article about his rendition here or the album it came from. Maybe ’cause he kept a low profile according to my friend Max who lived in his vicinity in Nashville and had even met him!

I am into the weeds of internet searching. This CD gets its title ‘Borrowed Tales‘ because Don ‘covers’ well-known pop/country hits of others. The other thing I found was a comment ‘My cassette copy of this music melted together long ago and I’ve had trouble finding a copy of any form. I ordered a used copy in cd form and it is perfect‘. So now, that just goes to show ya how useful internet surfing can be.

References:
1. If You Could Read My Mind – Wikipedia

Tagged with: don williams, if you could read my mind
Posted in Music

Ikaw at Ako (You and I) (2019) – Tina Siuagan’s version of Moira Dela Torre, Jason Hernandez’s original

Posted on September 28, 2022 by observationblogger — 3 Comments

Today’s featured song Ikaw at Ako (You and I) is a special music entry in the Music Library Project. A Philippine lady Tina Siuagan who followed my blog sent me her rendition of Ikaw at Ako. She wrote the following description of her cover version seen at the end of this post:
‘After working from home and to use some extra time, I and my brother, Joshua, thought of singing a cover of Moira Dela Torre’s and Jason Hernandez’ “Ikaw At Ako”. We hope you like this simple rendition.‘

I was so impressed by their lovely version (which includes many funny bloopers), I wanted to track down the Philipine original. I was smitten by it as well and added it to my music project. From what I could glean in the video comments and the google translation is the original song is about someone wishing for love and after waiting so long and overcoming obstacles to find each other; thankful they now have love in their lives, and only want to love each other and nurture what they have….. But I warn you this story doesn’t end well.

A loose English translation of part of the song is below:

The fate I’ve found
In your love
Is what will cause this love
Of ours to last

And now, you’re there
I can’t explain what I feel
I’m ready for forever
I won’t lead you on
I won’t hurt you
From then (from then)
Until now
You and I

Moira Rachelle Bustamante Dela Torre is a Filipino singer-songwriter. She rose to fame for her covers of Imago’s “Sundo”, Moonstar88’s “Torete”, and the Himig Handog-winning single “Titibo-tibo”. Dela Torre is a devout Christian but has said “I don’t like imposing my convictions on other people.” She considers writing and performing worship songs her passion. In 2019, she made a wedding song for Jason Hernandez which is today’s featured song “Ikaw at Ako” (below). Jason Hernandez announced his separation with Dela Torre on May 31, 2022, admitting his unfaithfulness to her during their marriage.

References:
1. Moira Dela Torre – Wikipedia

Tagged with: Ikaw at Ako (You and I), Jason Hernandez, Moira Dela Torre, Tina Siuagan
Posted in Music

If You Belonged to Me (1990) – The Traveling Wilburys

Posted on September 28, 2022 by observationblogger — 6 Comments

If You Belonged To Me from the Traveling Wilburys’ Volume III album is a whimsical and high-spirited song. I wasn’t so enamoured with their post Orbison output, but there are some good tracks on it, like today’s featured song. Their Volume I album seemed more focused and spotlighted each songwriter’s talent. Volume III seemed less well-honed and frivolous in its endeavour. And that’s fine and considering the recent departure of Orbison, I imagine the individuals in the group were not up to making another masterpiece rather settling for ‘mixing it up a bit and see what happens’.

You say, “Let’s go to the rodeo
And see some cowboy fall”
Sometimes it seems to me you’ve
Got no sympathy at all

You keep on going on and on
About how you’re so free
You’d be happy as you could be
If you belonged to me

Traveling Wilburys Vol. 3 is the second and final studio album by the Traveling Wilburys. I always thought Vol. 2 was skipped in memory of Roy Orbison, but according to Jeff Lynne, “That was George’s idea. He said, ‘Let’s confuse the buggers‘. After Roy’s passing the remaining 4 members adopted new pseudonyms for Vol. 3 – Spike (George Harrison), Clayton (Jeff Lynne), Muddy (Tom Petty) and Boo (Bob Dylan).

The album was less positively received than Vol. 1, yet still saw a fair measure of success. In the United States, “She’s My Baby” and “Inside Out” became radio hits, charting at number 2 album rock and number 16 album rock, respectively. The album peaked at number 14 in the UK and number 11 in the US, where it was certified platinum.

References:
1. Traveling Wilburys Vol. 3 – Wikipedia

Tagged with: IF YOU BELONGED TO ME, the traveling wilburys
Posted in Music

If It Be Your Will (1984) – Leonard Cohen

Posted on September 27, 2022 by observationblogger — Leave a comment

The first time I heard this song was on the Leonard Cohen tribute music documentary – I’m Your Man. Antony singing If It Be Your Will made a great impression on me. Please view his version if you haven’t already seen it. Someone wrote: ‘Antony’s transcendent vibrato interpretation is so full of emotion that you can feel the hopeful prayer for grace that Cohen surely intended when he wrote this modern-day Psalm..’ During Antony’s version, Leonard Cohen says:

‘A lot of the songs is just the response to what struck me as beauty, whatever that curious emanation from a being or an object or a situation or a landscape. That had a very powerful effect on me as it does on everyone, and I pray to have some response to the things that were clearly so beautiful to me.‘

If it be your will, if there is a choice
Let the rivers fill, let the hills rejoice
Let your mercy spill on all these burning hearts in hell
If it be your will to make us well

And draw us near, and bind us tight
All your children herein their rags of light
In our rags of light, all dressed to kill
And end this night, if it be your will

If It Be Your Will is the second song to appear here from Leonard’s 1984 album Various Positions. As much as I hold Antony’s tribute version in high regard, I have developed over time a deep fascination for Leonard’s original below and I now listen to that more often. It seems Cohen is on his knees, humble and open and willing to serve to ease the path for the one he loves and with divine guidance. It is a song that strips away all the tangible things and leaves one bare, facing the magnitude of life and death and what love can bring.

Tagged with: if it be your will, leonard cohen, various positions
Posted in Music

If I Were a Carpenter (1966) – Bobby Darin

Posted on September 26, 2022 by observationblogger — 12 Comments

If I Were a Carpenter was written by folksinger Tim Hardin and is one of the first songs I remember hearing and being very fond of. There are many versions but Bobby Darin’s slower live version presented below is my favourite. There is also a version by Dylan with the Band on the The Bootleg Series Vol. 11: The Basement Tapes Complete which tickles my fancy. This is the second song to appear here from Bobby Darin. You can find more biographical information about Bobby Darin in my first post – Dream Lover. If I Were a Carpenter is a romantic ballad which has an alluring melody and unambiguous lyrics.

If I were a carpenter
And you were a lady,
Would you marry me anyway?
Would you have my baby?

If a tinker were my trade
Would you still find me,
Carrin’ the pots I made,
Followin’ behind me.

If I Were a Carpenter was re-recorded with commercial success not only by Darin, but also The Four Tops and Johnny Cash. It secured a return for Darin to the Top 10 after a two-year absence. He took some time to record his original ’66 version in the recording session and did not finish it until 7 o’clock in the morning. It received a Grammy nomination for Best Contemporary Rock and Roll Solo Vocal Performance at the Grammy Awards but lost to Eleanor Rigby by Paul McCartney.

The song is rumored to have been inspired by Tim Hardin’s love for actress Susan Morss, as well as the construction of Hardin’s recording studio (in the home of Lenny Bruce). Hardin started his music career in Greenwich Village which led to recording several albums in the mid- to late 1960. His song Reason to Believe was also covered by many artists, notably Rod Stewart (who had a chart hit with the song). Hardin struggled with drug abuse throughout most of his adult life, and live performances were sometimes erratic. He was planning a comeback when he died in late 1980 from a heroin overdose.

References:
1. If I Were a Carpenter (song) – Wikipedia

Tagged with: Bob Dylan, Bobby Darin, If I were a Carpenter, Tim Hardin
Posted in Music

If The World Hadn’t Gone Insane (2006) – Mike Johnson

Posted on September 25, 2022 by observationblogger — Leave a comment

If The World Hadn’t Gone Insane is from Mike Johnson’s solo album – Gone Out of Your Mind which words, I can relate to.
He starts this song ‘Maybe it’s the drugs….’ which I won’t hold against him. You won’t find fandoms or Wikipedia about this song. You have to search obscure articles, but Johnson was ahead of his time when writing this. There isn’t even a lyrics page of this song. But for me it’s a keeper.

As the reference below states (and also batters him to a pulp): ‘Johnson’s got his own worldview, both lyrically and musically, and it can be summed up in a word: Bleak‘. According to the article Johnson should have offered solutions in his music. I’m not kidding, read it.
Johnson was right on. He was so ahead of his time and the shite ‘woke’ article proves it.

References:
1. PopMatters – Mike Johnson

Tagged with: gone out of your mind, If The World Hadn't Gone Insane, Mike Johnson
Posted in Music

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