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Dusting off Xmas repertoire
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Subject: RE: Dusting off Xmas repertoire From: Rex Date: 15 Nov 99 - 10:43 AM Mbo mentioned Jeanette Isabelle, yep that's one of my favourites. Also Pat-a-pan. And there's a soft place in my head, um, heart (yeah that's it) for the Friendly Beasts. Rex |
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Subject: RE: Dusting off Xmas repertoire From: MMario Date: 15 Nov 99 - 10:21 AM we have long had a standing rule in our household (and in my parents before that) Christmas music is verboten until the day after Thanksgiving, and stops after January 6th. If it comes on the radio or tv, that goes off. And during "the season" - no album or tape can be replayed until at least two others have played.... |
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Subject: RE: Dusting off Xmas repertoire From: patty@@in-motion.net Date: 15 Nov 99 - 10:14 AM (Emily wrote) My favorite christmas songs are the originals from the john denver and the muppets christmas together album. don't laugh! they're beautiful and tender: "when the river meets the sea", "the peace carol", "it's in every one of us", etc.
//HOW could I have forgotten?! Yes, indeed, these songs are gorgeous! SO peaceful (but then, it doesn't seem that everyone desires that!
Had to laugh at SeanM's recollection of hearing Motown C-mas music "over and over again!" I reckon' my kids would have similar sentiments, but it would be about the Ruth Lyons and Doris Day Christmas albums! |
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Subject: RE: Dusting off Xmas repertoire From: Liz the Squeak Date: 15 Nov 99 - 08:28 AM Ah, but Ana, your delightful next door neighbours have that eternal son of Croydon, UK, Rolf Harris and his 'Six White Boomers', that is one reason why all Christmas songs are winter and northern hemisphere orientated!!!! And I don't really think that singing 'you're a cheap, lousy faggot' would go down to well in our church.... although the Carol of New York is one of my favourites too (just for that line).
O little Town of rising sun has got to me now, and I will probably squirrel it all afternoon whilst on the treadmill and cycle machine.... On the same line, there is an Easter hymn, 'There is a green hill far away', which goes even better, with the addition of 'he died to save us all
LTS |
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Subject: RE: Dusting off Xmas repertoire From: Micca Date: 15 Nov 99 - 05:39 AM Ana, any place that has the seasons back to front and a parrott who has forgotten how to fly(the Kakapo) and still produces very good wine and an excellent Single Malt Whisky (the name escapes me) it was wonderful!! Must rate 11 on a scale of weirdnness out of 10. Oh and be warned Liz the Squeaks sister and her Mum live in Auckland, I dont think they sing, well certainly not as good as Liz but they do laugh, and Liz's laugh contravenes at least 3 sections of the Geneva Convention. Speaking of weirdness if your sense of humour works and you have a scientific bent(optional) try Nick Kim's site here http://members.xoom.com/bacchanalia/ (I can't do blue clicky things yet) |
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Subject: RE: Dusting off Xmas repertoire From: Ana Date: 15 Nov 99 - 01:10 AM Whoa ...and what a hoot...Ha! You guys (meaning any gender) have come up with some gems. What fun,to cast the net and to pull out such plentitude. But - you poor dears having to sing songs which connect to the cold bleak clime almost upon you (gloating). I guess that's how the euphemism of "Xmas Cheer" (aka spirit as in alcohol) has come about. It's interesting how the Northern Hemisphere/European end of year Xmas has tailored and formed so many of our traditional Western songs. Meantime - down in the deepest lightest furtherest south (NZ actually) the sun is just thinking about setting. The birds are tweeting wonderfully - no doubt discussing matters of great intellectual depth with their fledglings. The leaves/flowers are sprouting wonderfully - the spirit of new life is everwhere. Now where did I put that bottle of cider. Ana |
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Subject: RE: Dusting off Xmas repertoire From: emily rain Date: 14 Nov 99 - 09:52 PM mary, our local folk jam is going to hear "o little town of the rising sun" if it's the last thing i do. all abbreviations aside, i am laughing my gawd damn ass off. my favorite christmas songs are the originals from the john denver and the muppets christmas together album. don't laugh! they're beautiful and tender: "when the river meets the sea", "the peace carol", "it's in every one of us", etc. i also like lots of those obscure ones from the oxford book of carols, like "all in the morning". my favorite instrumental hands down is "st. basil's hymn". sounds absolutely otherworldly on harp or hammered dulcimer. |
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Subject: RE: Dusting off Xmas repertoire From: SeanM Date: 14 Nov 99 - 09:37 PM First off, let me preface by saying that Christmas is the least favorite of the many holidays for me. Far too many years spent in the commercial suburban hell of Southern California listening to my stepmother listening to the Motown Holiday album OVER AND OVER AND OVER again... That out of the way, my personal favorites have always lent themselves to weird trends. A few of my friends do a Dickensian "Saloon Girl" bawdy show that includes a devastatingly obscene and hilarious "Twelve Days of Christmas"... I'm also rather fond of "Fairytale of New York", if only 'cause it's one of the least holiday oriented songs I know... But for real fun, a few friends and myself got together one year down on Balboa Pier in Newport Beach and did acapella carols to the tune of Beatles songs... it was a number of years ago, and before we'd go we would each have 5-6 beers, so the memories are hazy... I just remember having a blast before a large (and hopefully amused) crowd... Sorry for the pointless meanderings, but this seemed like the place... M |
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Subject: RE: Dusting off Xmas repertoire From: Stewie Date: 14 Nov 99 - 08:55 PM Mary, that is the Red Clay Ramblers song I mentioned. |
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Subject: RE: Dusting off Xmas repertoire From: Mary Date: 14 Nov 99 - 07:56 PM I love the one that goes "you're my sweet maple sugar honey hot buttered rum.." Don't know the name or the author but it is fairly new. I also love Mary of the Wild Moor this time of year. and if you really want to, you can sing O Little Town to the House of the Rising Sun... mg |
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Subject: RE: Dusting off Xmas repertoire From: Stewie Date: 14 Nov 99 - 06:33 PM Keen's 'Merry Christmas from the Family' is not on 'West Textures' but on 'Gringo Honeymoon'. Of the more modern Christmas songs, I like the Red Clay Ramblers' 'Hot Buttered Rum', written and performed by their banjo picker Tommy Thompson. The Texas dance band, Brave Combo, have an excellent CD, originally recorded in Japan and now on Rounder, called 'It's Christmas, Man'. |
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Subject: RE: Dusting off Xmas repertoire From: Mbo Date: 14 Nov 99 - 06:25 PM I always like to thing that "10,000 Miles" by the Pretenders is a Christmas song. It also works well in the folk idiom. --Mbo |
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Subject: RE: Dusting off Xmas repertoire From: Sam Hudson Date: 14 Nov 99 - 06:19 PM Surprised that nobody's mentioned Stan Rogers' 'First Christmas'. Or how about Alan Hull's 'Winter Song'? Nancy and I have also regaled the club with 'Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day' and 'Gaudete' every year for the past seven or eight... |
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Subject: RE: Dusting off Xmas repertoire From: Peter T. Date: 14 Nov 99 - 05:46 PM I tried a whole lot of French carols last year, and they were fine (Naxos has a couple of Quebec choir albums of Quebecois and French carols that are quite good). They are worth exploring. If I could find a good Spanish selection for this year, I would be thrilled. Anyone? Going back a bit, Joni Mitchell's version of "Urge for Going" is on her recent "Hits" Collection (complementing her "Misses" compilation. I always like "River" as a Christmas song. |
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Subject: RE: Dusting off Xmas repertoire From: Mbo Date: 14 Nov 99 - 05:02 PM Ooh, "Une Flambeau, Jeanette, Isabelle" is also fun to play. --Mbo |
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Subject: RE: Dusting off Xmas repertoire From: enelrad Date: 14 Nov 99 - 04:52 PM some more....The Cherry Tree Carol.......or all the song on the Bony M Christmas album..esp. Mary's Boy Child...also, the West Indian carol Virgin Mary Had a Baby Boy.......and the Echo Carol ( While By My Sheep) |
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Subject: RE: Dusting off Xmas repertoire From: Susan A-R Date: 14 Nov 99 - 04:14 PM There is a book of West Gallery Stuff called the Mellstock Carols, available through the Serpent Press. Anyone got an address for this outfit? There doesn't seem to be one on the book. Also, check outthe work John Roberts and Tony Barrand have done with Noell Sing We Clear (I never spell this right, but I believe there's material on Sandy Paton's Folk Legacy Website about them) Masters in this Hall is a good 'un, as is Lo How a Rose. I also have done an interesting pairing with I saw Three Ships and Bring a Torch. The tunes work well together. |
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Subject: RE: Dusting off Xmas repertoire From: Terry Allan Hall Date: 14 Nov 99 - 03:54 PM That "obscure Southern Singer" is none other than fellow Texan Robert Earl Keen...check out "West Textures". |
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Subject: RE: Dusting off Xmas repertoire From: Terry Allan Hall Date: 14 Nov 99 - 03:51 PM Here's a few "mutated" Xmas songs: (Just fixed the previous formatting prob...I hope!) Jimbob, the Red-neck Reindeer (a tacky little ditty my daughter and I made up a few years ago...you know the chords, I'd bet...)
JimBob, the Red-neck Reindeer
JimBob, he liked his Lone Star,
Then one fuzzy Christmas day,
Then all the other reindeer So, JimBob the Red-neck Reindeer Is still the toughest buck on Santa's lot! and then...
I'm Gonna Wear A Santa Suit This X-mas (from the album "Twisted Christmas, Vol. 1)
I'm anxious to be out among the living
I'm careful to be on my best behavior
Kinda get's ya in that "holiday spirit", huh? ;-)
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Subject: RE: Dusting off Xmas repertoire From: PattyG Date: 14 Nov 99 - 03:10 PM Still my all time favorite: Star of the East |
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Subject: RE: Dusting off Xmas repertoire From: Roger in Baltimore Date: 14 Nov 99 - 01:28 PM My Christmas favorite is CHRISTMAS IN THE TRENCHES by John McCutcheon, HERE. For those with a different bent there is Tom Paxton's A Box of Candy and a Piece of Fruit. Then there is Merry Christmas in the Family by a semi-obscure Southern singer (I forget his name and I'm at work). Roger in Baltimore |
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Subject: RE: Dusting off Xmas repertoire From: Will Bakker Date: 14 Nov 99 - 12:56 PM There's a really nice swinging folky song of which I only know some lines. I don't remember the singers name either. In some weeks time I will know because this song is often played at the radio in Holland round Christmas. The lines I remember: "well they came from the east and they came from the west and decided to follow that star" "The more you gonna give the more you gonna get to be a woman or a gentleman" (Doesn't make sense, must be slightly different) |
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Subject: RE: Dusting off Xmas repertoire From: Liz the Squeak Date: 14 Nov 99 - 12:03 PM The Huron Carol is so underexposed I've never heard of it - any chance of a run through?? I'm still a relative virgin at this, so if the tune has a name just send that, no way could I get a wave file out of this thing... Or if you want to send something to me privately that I might get, use liz_the_squeak@ukgateway.net and it should get to me. I visited Santa Marie among the Hurons whilst in Canada in '94, and was struck by their faith, rather than the manner of their conversion. I must be the only person more interested in the groundhog than the Jesuits there.... Down in Yonder forest is beautiful, another one I'd not heard before until Thursday, when I bought a CD 'A Garland of Carols' by Coope, Boyes and Simpson. Very haunting, very simple to learn and very definately not of Christian origin!!! LTS |
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Subject: RE: Dusting off Xmas repertoire From: Mbo Date: 14 Nov 99 - 11:53 AM I like the Czech Christmas Lullaby "Rocking," the J.J. Niles gem "Jesus Jesus Rest Your Head," all the carols from "The Bells of Dublin" by The Cheiftains. Like: The Boar's head Carol; Past 3 o'clock; Once in Royal David's City; The Holly She Bears a Berry; and especially Jackson Browne's great "The Rebel Jesus" --"They changed the nature that I worship in from a temple to a robber's den..." So true. So true. --Mbo |
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Subject: RE: Dusting off Xmas repertoire From: sophocleese Date: 14 Nov 99 - 11:33 AM My partner and I are doing a couple of small christmas things so we've been looking at seasonal stuff that doesn't require a full choir to sound really good. A lot of christmas tunes I like better when sung with a choir. However, we're doing God Rest You Merry Gentlemen as a waltz, which actually sounds quite nice, (we dropped the Russian version where you emphasize the beat between lines with a loud basso "HEY!"). One song I love is Maddy Prior's Long Shadows, its a winter song and very nice. There's a gentle song in the Oxford Books of Carols called Men from the Fields, well suited for single voice and any instrument that can carry the chords to it. A local group likes to do Good King Wencelas and head straight into Red Wing on the fiddle. |
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Subject: RE: Dusting off Xmas repertoire From: Micca Date: 14 Nov 99 - 11:15 AM Try these they had me ROTFLMAOAHMS it if is just for the craic, as LtS says tho' Sheperds watch their flocks to Ilkley moor is very effective. especially if you have good singers, Liz the Squeak, because of all this choir stuff sings wonderful descant onall kinds of stuff, You should here her when we sing "Oh my darling clementine" to the tune of "Bread of Heaven" (Sorry Bron, he says running for cover0 @parody @pagan filename[ FALSPAGN @parody @Xmas @seasonal filename[ HARIXMAS |
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Subject: RE: Dusting off Xmas repertoire From: MMario Date: 14 Nov 99 - 10:42 AM a beautiful christmas carol that hasn't had overexposure is the Huron Carol. |
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Subject: RE: Dusting off Xmas repertoire From: Liz the Squeak Date: 14 Nov 99 - 09:56 AM See, everyone needs their token Christian at some time!!! Seriously, as I think I mentioned elsewhere, I've been in a church choir for very nearly 3/4 of my life, that is nearly 27 years of singing bloody O little town, and the distressing First Nowell.... I'm sure people love them, because they are only heard once a year, but they are particularly intollerant of any other idea at the end of the year. Bit of 'testifying' here now. I became a Christian because I looked at the other 'teams' around me at the time, and decided that JC and the rest were my sort of team. However, that doesn't mean that I automatically deny every other team exists. That would be like saying I was a West Ham supporter and that Arsenal were non-exisitant (like their chances in the cup this year, snigger snigger), I still have a great deal of sympathy for some of the earlier religions, particularly that of the goddess, and of Wicca. I've been to some of their celebrations, the earth didn't swallow me up, and I didn't feel wrong, or out of place. But I do feel a bit sad, when we sing carols that are so obviously written for a different deity - the Holly and the Ivy is one prime example, a tree worship song if ever I heard one - and I get really steamed when I sing a song that maybe doesn't express the Christian view of Christmas - even the totally pagan wren hunting got twisted to a Christian perspective, and people jump up and down and say that isn't a Christmas song... What has 'White Christmas' got to do with a) the weather, who wants to spend the holidays waiting for the snowplough so you can just go to the shops, or b) with the birth of a prophet/messiah 2000 odd years ago in a sub tropical country, who was probably more than olive in skin tone.... But no-one complains when that gets played to death do they.... Incidentally, Lyngham is otherwise known as the jolly tune for 'O for a thousand tongues to sing', you know, the one that goes into different parts for the last line. And 'O little Town' can fit to 'Jerusalem', if you do a couple of wiggles..... Please can anyone suggest a new tune for 'O come all ye faithful'? Even my twisted brain can't come up with an alternative for THAT!! LTS
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Subject: RE: Dusting off Xmas repertoire From: Mark in Mass Date: 14 Nov 99 - 09:49 AM "Down in Yon Forest," in Lorraine Lee Hammond's "The Magic Dulcimer" (Yellow Moon Press, Cambridge) is a traditional English carol with a pagan feel to it: e.g. verse 3: Down under that bed there runs a flood; The bells of Paradise I heard them ring; The half it runs water, the half it runs blood. And I love my Lord Jesus above anything." The nativity takes place in a hall in a forest, rather than a manger in Bethlehem, and the mystery celebrated is that of birth itself, rather than a particular birth. |
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Subject: RE: Dusting off Xmas repertoire From: Terry Allan Hall Date: 14 Nov 99 - 09:23 AM Here's a few "mutated" Xmas songs: Jimbob, the Red-neck Reindeer (a tacky little ditty my daughter and I made up a few years ago...you know the chords, I'd bet...) JimBob, the Red-neck Reindeer Had a piss-poor attitude Stood around scratching his cojones And acting in a manner rude JimBob, her liked his Lone Star, He liked honky-tonk from dust to dawn He liked to dance to the "Cotton-eyed Joe" And hurl his guts on Santa's lawn Then one fuzzy Christmas day, Rudolf came to say "JimBob, you're just Cowtown trash!" And JimBob knocked him on his "heiney" Then all the other reindeer Were afraid they'd get what Rudolf got So, Jimbob the Red-neck Reindeer Is still the toughest buck on Santa's lot! and then... I'm Gonna Wear A Santa Suit This X-mas (from the album "Twisted Christmas, Vol. 1) A E7 A I'm gonna wear a Santa suit this Christmas A7 D As soon as I can get out on parole E7 I'll hang around your street A F#7 Your kids I'd love to meet B7 E7 As soon as I can get out of this hole A7 E7 A And I don't mind slidin' down your chimney A7 D 'Cause I just spent 15 years unloading coal D7 A F#7 I'm gonna wear a Santa suit this Christmas B7 E7 A As soon as I can get on parole I'm anxious to be out among the living And I've made a list of folks I plan to see Duded up in red and white Instead of these old stripes Can you imagine how surprised their gonna be? I know the home town folks'll be glad to see me 'Cause by now it's slipped their mind how much I stole I'm gonna... I'm careful to be on my best behavior 'Cause the warden watches everything I do I'm so glad he didn't see That fight in cell block 3 Or I'd here until I'm 92 Just a few more questions from that nice commitee And through those rusty gates I'll proudly stroll I'm gonna... Kinda get's ya in that "holiday spirit", huh? ;-)
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Subject: RE: Dusting off Xmas repertoire From: catspaw49 Date: 14 Nov 99 - 09:17 AM Well finally we've found a use for you around here Squeak!!! LMAO Great idea. Spaw |
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Subject: RE: Dusting off Xmas repertoire From: Liz the Squeak Date: 14 Nov 99 - 09:04 AM I find using different tunes to the old standards gives them a new lease of life ~ using Pentonville or Lyngham to 'While Shepherds watched' is good, but using 'Ilkely Moor bar t'at' is even better. With only a little bit of jiggling, Rudolph the red nosed reindeer goes quite nicely to 'British Grenadiers'. Try some of the old gallery carols, don't ask me where you get them, if it isn't in the Oxford Book of Carols, I have no idea, but there are some there. Doing carol tunes with different instruments in an unusual setting works well too, like taking the folk band into church, or around a hospital (hint - they don't really like bagpipes in the maternity units - it sounds like another baby yelling and sets them all off - my daughter screamed every time she heard pipes played). Or write your own celebrating your own deity/festival, I once heard the ghastliest version of 'Walking in the air', from the Raymond Briggs cartoon 'The Snowman', on the lines of: 'We're following a star....', so dreadful I forgot it instantly, but did manage to snag a copy of the words - I'll see if I can find them and annoy everyone! LTS |
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Subject: RE: Dusting off Xmas repertoire From: Gary T Date: 14 Nov 99 - 08:51 AM Gordon Lightfoot's "Circle of Steel" is partly set at Christmas, it's a bit of a downer but well crafted, makes you think. His "Song for a Winter's Night" is nice. This year I'm going to learn the "Christmas Boogie", which I have on a tape of country music Xmas songs my nephew put together for me. It's by the Davis Sisters, which I figure must be Frances Davis (real name, died in early-mid 1950's) and Skeeter Davis (stage name, had chart hit in 60's or 70's). It's uptempo and a lot of fun. Sounds great with Davis Sisters harmony. For the coming of the cold season, Joni Mitchell's "Urge for Going" is one of my favorites. Hard to find her recording (I haven't yet, been told it's only on flip side of 45 of "Big Yellow Taxi"), but Tom Rush does it on his "Circle Game" album, somebody like George Hamilton IV does a very nice version I heard a few times on a radio station playing obscure country music. Hope one of these appeals to you. |
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Subject: RE: Dusting off Xmas repertoire From: Bugsy Date: 14 Nov 99 - 06:14 AM There's a great song that John Denver wrote. (I'm sorry, my tongue is so firmly in my cheek that I find it hard to type!)Called: "Please Daddy" that starts:- Please Daddy don't get drunk this Christmas I don't want to see my momma cry,..... I must admit that whenever I have sung it, the audience falls apart laughing. It's a great ice breaker. Perhaps it has something to do with the introduction I give it or the Yodelling in the chorus. Great stuff!!!! Cheers Bugsy
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Subject: RE: Dusting off Xmas repertoire From: Llanfair Date: 14 Nov 99 - 05:46 AM Really must learn the words to "Fairy Tale of New York" I am always being asked to do it, but can only ever remember the first verse. Otherwise, "In the Bleak Midwinter", "The Wren," "White Christmas",(bet no-one else admits to that!)Stuff like that. Good thread, perhaps I'll be able to learn some more. Hwyl, Bron. |
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Subject: Xmas repertoire From: Ana Date: 14 Nov 99 - 05:27 AM OK folks - help needed. Ever dusted off the end of year song repertoire with a sense of "here we go again...same old..same old"? I would really like to hear about others choices - not necessarily religious, as I'm a vaguely pagan sort of being. Humour's good; I prefer lyrical/melodic songs though. I also guess that the speedo flipping over its zero's will make this end of year more significant than most. So what are you thinking of singing/playing/working on that would inspire me (and hopefully others!)?. Thanks - An |
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