Trilogy of Love

This post just kind of came together in my head after hearing about a father's illness, and then my thoughts about family love.

After hearing about this illness, three songs appeared to me in a clear sequence. I'm not a scriptwriter, but I saw these songs as three connected themes that could provide a treatment or outline for a story or movie.

The first song is Father and Daughter by Paul Simon. It's song is about Simon's hopes and dreams for his daughter Lulu who was seven years old at the time he wrote it. I'm a father of two daughters, two step-daughters, a daughter in law and four granddaughters. The song is an ongoing favorite of mine that keeps its relevance to me from Simon's first recording of it in 2002 for the animated film, The Wild Thornberrys Movie.

Father and Daughter

If you ever awake

In the mirror of a bad dream

And for a fraction of a second,

You can't remember where you are

Just open your window

And follow your memories

Upstream

To the meadow in the mountain

Where we counted every falling star

I believe the light that shines on you

Will shine on you forever

(Forever)

And though I can't guarantee there's nothing scary

Hidin' under your bed

I'm gonna

Stand guard

Like the postcard

Of the golden retriever

And never leave

'Til I leave you

With a sweet dream in your head

I'm gonna watch you shine

Gonna watch you grow

Gonna paint a sign

So you always know

As long as one and one is two

Ooh ooh

There could never be a father

Love his daughter more than I love you

Trust your intuition

It's just like going fishin'

You cast your line and

Hope you get a bite

But you don't need to waste your time

Worryin' about the marketplace

Trying to help the human race

Struggling to survive

It's as harsh as night

I'm gonna watch you shine

Gonna watch you grow

Gonna paint a sign

So you always know

As long as one and one is two

Ooh ooh

There could never be a father

Love his daughter more than I love you

I'm gonna watch you shine

Gonna watch you grow

Gonna paint a sign

So you always know

As long as one and one is two

Ooh ooh

There could never be a father

Love his daughter more than I love you

I picked this live version because it's done so wonderfully, but also was recorded with Paul having a few less hairs and a few more gray hairs on his head.

The second song is Blue Heron by Sarah Jarosz written in 2021 for the album, Blue Heron Suite. This album and song struck a chord with me as Sarah reflects on the many walks with her mother on the southern coast line and their sightings of blue herons. Her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2017 (now in full remission in 2021).

In a 2021 interview in Paste magazine Sarah states, “I’m very symbol-oriented, and a lot of that comes from my mom. She’s the one who believes in good omens and bad omens and all these personal things. And the blue heron has always been a good-omen symbol for her and for our family, so I kind of gravitated toward that symbol pretty naturally.”

In 2021, my wife had a new medical condition for a short time. Coincidentally, One day on a walk together through our neighborhood I spotted an actual size 3D replica of a blue heron in a front bay window of a house. I thought, "Now that's a very interesting display." I told my wife, Mary Kit that this random walk-by was a sign of fantastic good luck for her and told her about Sarah Jarosz and her mother. For the next several weeks on our walks, we made it a habit to walk by that bay window and feel the blue heron's positive vibe. Several months later, Mary Kit's condition was gone. 

Blue Heron

We were walking

On the coastline

And I wondered

If this could be the last time

Then I took your

Fragile hand into mine

And we talked of

All the good times

It was early

Morning sunrise

When we caught that

Shimmering in her eyes

And she told us

Everything would be fine

And we walked together

In the low tide

Blue heron

Flying overhead

Keeping watch over you

Blue heron

Standing on the shore

While we wandered all along

That southern coastline

We were walking

On the coastline

And you told me

It wouldn't be the last time

Then I took your strong hand into mine

And we walked together in the low tide

Blue heron

Flying overhead

Keeping watch over you

Blue heron

Standing on the shore

You never know if there'll be more

So we'll wander all along

The southern coastline

The third song is Life According to Raechel by Madison Cunningham from her 2022 album, Revealer. However, I first heard this song in January of 2021 as she put it up on YouTube as a Covid home recording. I then put it on a #NewMusicMonday post and my friend, Paul Hobbs went bonkers over this song. Needless to say, we're now both big fans of hers, but it was Paul's great ear to get me back listening to this song many times, on a much deeper level. 

Life According To Raechel is a very personal song about Madison's grandmother passing. Madison has now sung this song many times on various media outlets and TV talk shows and for me, it was my favorite song of 2022. 

Ever hear a song that makes you cry no matter how many times you've heard it, well Life According to Raechel does that to me. I can now get through the album recording and TV versions, but that first home demo is the take for me, it slays me everytime. 

It also completes a life cycle through song of this little trilogy of love.

Life According To Raechel

Once your girl

I'm always your girl

When I'm here or when I'm there

Or on a plane headed somewhere

You were staring down the cars

Hoping it would be one of ours

Children and grandchildren writing you cards

But how long were you waiting for me

To make a left down your street?

It's not if, darling it's when

Was there something left unsaid?

Were your eyes green, were they blue?

What was it that I forgot to ask you?

Busy hands, I'll set 'em down

To say I love you right out loud

I'll bet you're making heaven laugh

But it feels like tears and memories are all we have

Once I knew it

I was always a know it all

Too busy too stressed out

To take your call

Thought I would always find you there

Sitting in your TV chair

While time is in a bar having a laugh somewhere

The nurse said you were waiting for me

To let go, to let it be

It's not if, darling it's when

There's always something left unsaid

Were your eyes green, were they blue?

What was it that I forgot to ask you?

Busy hands, I'll set 'em down

To say I love you here and now

Did God need a new lead in his band?

When this world and its people

Are all we have

Once your girl

I'm always your girl

Happy Valentine's Day love to our families.