Fait-divers on hope by John Berger

"Hope is not a form of guarantee; it’s a form of energy (...) strongest in circumstances that are very dark." (John Berger)

Fait-divers on consciousness

"consciousnesses alters (albeit perhaps very slightly and subtly) quantum probabilities": "The strange link between the human mind and quantum physics" 

In a different perspective:  “Conscious experience happens in quantum reality. And classical reality is retroactively determined by that":"Testing A Time-Jumping, Multiverse-Killing, Consciousness-Spawning Theory Of Reality"

Fait-divers on hope by Rebecca Solnit

"Hope is an embrace of the unknown and the unknowable" (Rebecca Solnit)

Praia do Magoito, hoje, dia 20 de Maio de 2025, há poucos minutos

The Flaming Lips - my cosmic autumn rebellion, 2006

"Here’s a song that gets everything right that “It’s Summertime” got wrong on Yoshimi. The same elements are there at the outset – soothing electronic tones that come in waves, birds chirping, and a generally sunny and euphoric feel. But this song isn’t content to spend its entire duration floating in the ether with a highly insecure melody and rhythm to guide it. Midway through, the electronic buzzing gives way to a little bit of timpani, and then an aural overload of guitar fuzz. It’s obnoxiously loud, and yet somehow still very beautiful. All the while, Wayne is singing about songbirds, and the refusal of some people to see the new life inherent in death during a season where leaves fall from the trees. While it’s a much prettier take on the subject, this hints at a few explorations of the topic of mortality that are still to come."

Fait-divers on Martin Luther King and Love

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that." (Martin Luther King)

Fait-divers on Matthieu Ricard and happiness

“Selfish happiness doesn’t exist” says the happiest man on Earth.

Pink Floyd - a pillow of winds, 1971

"the song's title originates from a possible hand in the game of mahjong, with which the band had become enamoured while touring."

Spain - tangerine, 2017

"Josh Haden (born 1968 in New York City) is an American musician and singer. He is the founder, bassist and singer of the group Spain. Haden is the son of the late Charlie Haden and Ellen David."

Genesis - snowbound, 1978

"Typically when we refer to someone as being “snowbound” what we mean is that they’re shut inside their home on account of heavy snows. We conjure up images of warm hearths, hot cocoa, knit sweaters, cozy log cabins. It’s a cause for children to rejoice, as schools are temporarily shut down and they can play to their hearts’ content in the beautiful white canvas of nature."

Fait-divers on vulnerability and authenticity

"Vulnerability is the doorway to authenticity." Read this in a comment of https://aniesandyou.blogspot.com/ on my blog.

Sufjan Stevens - heirloom, 2010

"Heirloom" is an economical title for a Sufjan Stevens song, and it's the shortest tune on his surprise All Delighted People EP. Across its three minutes, a few acoustic guitars intertwine. There's a little harp on the bridge, some airy background vocals, and, at the center, Sufjan's voice and words. It's a simple song, relatively speaking. It doesn't sound like the showy, winged return of a guy who's done everything over the last five years except make a proper follow-up album to his towering Illinois. "Heirloom" is like Sufjan showing up to your apartment unannounced, saying "hi," playing a few songs, saying "thanks," and then leaving without explanation. There's a lingering effect."

Fait-divers on Mother Teresa and patience

"Without patience, we will learn less in life. We will see less. We will feel less. We will hear less. Ironically, rush and more, usually means less." (Mother Teresa)

Fait-divers on vulnerability and courage

Vulnerability is our most accurate measurement of courage.

The Moody Blues - you can never go home, 1971

"I remember what I was going through emotionally then – I was losing people and there was a lot of grief around my life. It was a difficult time for me, those early years of the Moodies. It's worth remembering to value what there is now."

The Lightning Seeds - sense, 1992

"There's a certain school of distinctly British pop music characterized by a reserved, dignified demeanor and pretty, fragile melodies. The Lightning Seeds is one exponent of the genre that also includes such groups as Beautiful South and Trashcan Sinatras. The Seeds, mainly the one-man project of Liverpool artist-producer Ian Brodie, have more of a groove than their peers. Many of the songs tend to fall in the New Order camp, except that the vocals are more upfront than the rhythm tracks."

Fait-divers on Simone Weil, attention and generosity

“Attention is the rarest and purest form of generosity.” (Simone Weil)

Fait-divers on the essential again

Nervousness: the false belief that you matter.

Fait-divers on Keynes

I would rather be vaguely right than precisely wrong. (John Maynard Keynes)

Fait-divers on Borges and Babel

"the Library contained all books"

The Beatles - another girl, 1965

"In Barry Miles’ Many Years from Now, McCartney explains that he composed the song while on vacation in Tunisia. He wrote the lyrics and music in the bathroom of a private villa, due to its optimal acoustics. “Another Girl” was not released as a single, but McCartney resisted calling it merely album “filler.” “I think they were a bit more than that, and each one of them made it past the Beatles test,” McCartney told Miles. “We all had to like it. If anyone didn’t like one of our songs it was vetoed. It could be vetoed by one person. If Ringo said, ‘I don’t like that one,’ we wouldn’t do it — or we’d have to really persuade him.”

REM - at my most beautiful, 1998

"At My Most Beautiful" is a song by the American alternative rock band R.E.M. During the song's creation, members of the group noted its similarity to the work of the Beach Boys and purposefully fashioned it to resemble that band's output. Singer Michael Stipe strove to make his lyrics the most romantic he had ever written, and the piano-driven ballad became R.E.M.'s first straightforward love song. Released on the group's 1998 album Up, it was issued as the third single from that record the following year, reaching number 10 on the UK Singles Chart."

The National - fake empire, 2007

"Fake Empire" is a commentary about a generation lost to disillusion and apathy. Vocalist Matt Berninger further explained to The Quietus that it is about "where you can't deal with the reality of what's really going on, so let's just pretend that the world's full of bluebirds and ice skating."

The Beatles - not a second time, 1963

"Not a Second Time" is a song by English rock band the Beatles. It was written by John Lennon, though credited to the Lennon–McCartney partnership. It was first released on the Beatles second British album, With the Beatles, and their second American album Meet the Beatles!. Lennon said he was "trying to write a Smokey Robinson or something at the time." The song was recorded in nine takes on 11 September 1963 at EMI Studios."

The Go-Betweens - too much of one thing, 2003

"Fans of the Go-Betweens were happily amazed when Robert Forster and Grant McLennan reunited after 12 years and began recording again. This is the second product of their hopefully long-lived reunion. Recording in its native Australia, the duo added bassist and vocalist Adele Pickvance and drummer Glenn Thompson to the band for 2003's Bright Yellow Bright Orange. All the hallmarks of a great Go-Betweens record are here: memorable melodies, wry and literate (in Forster's case, literary) lyrics, Forster's dramatic vocals, and McLennan's sweet croon."

Pink Floyd - echoes segment two, 1970

"There's something that's specifically so individual about the way that Rick and I play in that, that you can't get someone to learn it and do it just like that."

Praia Pequena, ontem, dia 17 de Maio de 2025, de manhã

Saint Etienne - mario's cafe, 1993

"Though it had been written in 1991, Mario’s Cafe became the opening track on our second album, So Tough, in March 1993. The album cover had a distinctive ‘bunny ears’ font in green and gold. Not long after it came out, me and Pete were chuffed to see that a cafe called Flapjacks had opened on Kentish Town Road which borrowed both the font and the colour scheme. It was a funny way to show you were ‘home’, but there it was."

My Morning Jacket - death is my sleezy pay, 2001

"The rawness of the song emphasising Jim's voice along with some fantastic drumming. Lovely harmonica to bookend the song too."

The Cure - lullaby, 1989

"the song is about the disturbing songs his father sung to him as a kid, and the horrible ending they would always have."

Fait-divers on lullaby

"a lullaby is wonderful because it contains everything — it is poetry, it is music, it is performance"

Outros olhares: Escócia, Glencoe, ontem, dia 17 de Maio de 2025

Genesis - a trick of the tail, 1976

"The lyrics are inspired by the 1955 novel The Inheritors by British author William Golding. Like much of the album A Trick of the Tail, the song's lyrics focus on a specific character: the "Beast" who leaves his own kingdom and enters the world of humans. He is captured and put on display in a freak show after his captors refuse to believe in his kingdom. The Beast laments his decision to leave his home, describing it as a paradise covered in gold. His captors then release him in exchange for leading them to his world. However, just as they see what appears to be a "spire of gold", they find that the Beast has vanished, though they do hear his voice."

Neil Young - powderfinger, 1979

"Powderfinger" is the first song of the second, electric, side of Rust Never Sleeps. Allmusic critic Jason Ankeny describes the song, following the album's mellower, acoustic first side, as "a sudden, almost blindsiding metamorphosis, which is entirely the point — it's the shot you never saw coming." The lyrics are the posthumous narration of a young man who attempts to protect his family against an approaching gunboat. He realizes that all of the older men are unavailable, leaving him "to do the thinking". After initial indecision, he eventually takes action, and is ultimately killed. He describes his death with the gruesome line "my face splashed in the sky."

The Moody Blues - so deep within you, 1969

"Mike Pinder's "So Deep Within You" was later recorded by the Four Tops with instrumental backing by members of the Moody Blues."

Death Cab For Cutie - everything's a ceiling, 2015

"It's a crazy mashup, '80s pop rhythms combined with vintage Death Cab for Cutie, but it works. It's a seamless transition, too, around the 2:30 mark, when the two influences blend easily into one song, and you'd never guess that opening connects to this ending. This dovetails nicely with the imagery in the lyrics, as Gibbard resolves himself to simply keep digging, since "if the Earth is as round as they say / Then I won't find another place / From where I break back through / That's farther away from you."

REM - the great beyond, 1999

"The Great Beyond" is a song by American rock band R.E.M., written for the 1999 film Man on the Moon. It was released as a single the same year for support of the film's soundtrack album. On the soundtrack, there is some dialogue from the movie at the end of the track; meanwhile, the single version is a radio edit, with the bridge omitted."

Barclay James Harvest - in memory of the martyrs, 1981

"Philip John Ireland, to whom the song is dedicated, was John’s cousin, who was tragically killed in a road accident in Germany."

Simon And Garfunkel - the boxer, 1970

"The Boxer" is a song written by Paul Simon and recorded by the American music duo Simon & Garfunkel from their fifth and final studio album, Bridge over Troubled Water (1970). Produced by the duo and Roy Halee, it was released as a standalone single on March 21, 1969, but included on the album nine months later (at the time, songs that had been released this far ahead were rarely included on the next studio album). The song is a folk rock ballad that variously takes the form of a first-person lament as well as a third-person sketch of a boxer. The lyrics are largely autobiographical and partially inspired by the Bible and were written during a time when Simon felt he was being unfairly criticized. The song's lyrics discuss poverty and loneliness. It is particularly known for its plaintive refrain, in which they sing 'lie-la-lie', accompanied by a heavily reverbed snare drum."

New Order - the perfect kiss, 1985

"The Perfect Kiss" is the ninth single by the British alternative dance and rock band New Order. It was recorded at Britannia Row Studios in London and released on 13 May 1985 by Factory Records. It is the first New Order song to be released as a single while also included on a studio album (Low-Life). The vinyl version has Factory catalogue number FAC 123 and the video has the opposite number, FAC 321."

Slade - merry xmas everybody, 1973

"Merry Xmas Everybody" (stylised as "Merry Xmaƨ Everybody") is a song by the British rock band Slade, released as a non-album single in 1973. The song was written by lead vocalist Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea, and it was produced by Chas Chandler. It was the band's sixth and final number-one single in the UK. Earning the UK Christmas number one slot in December 1973, the song beat another Christmas-themed song, Wizzard's "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday", which reached fourth place. It remained in the charts for nine weeks until February 1974."

Moby - everloving, 1999

"I just wonder why the sound in this track is so broken in the beggining, like noisy and playing only from the left, then it suddenly goes good. It kinda amplifies the drop which is good but still I can't stop wondering why"

Fait-divers on Camus and Sartre

"the dark cynicism of existential nihilism"

Camus shouldn't be put in the same level of Sartre. Camus was not an exemple of "the dark cynicism of existential nihilism".

Fait-divers on determinism and randomness

"That a deterministic system can express randomness is remarkable and has changed many areas of science"

The National - don't swallow the cap, 2013

"Don't Swallow the Cap" is a song by American indie rock band The National. Written by band members Matt Berninger, Aaron Dessner, and Bryce Dessner, it appears as the third track on the band's sixth studio album Trouble Will Find Me. "Don't Swallow the Cap" was released to United States modern rock radio as the album's second overall single on April 22, 2013."

The Lightning Seeds - you bet your life, 1996

"The Lightning Seeds’ “You Bet Your Life” has a Beach Boys feel, which I love because I’m a fan of theirs. The melody is calm and soothing, like running happily in the meadows, sort of thing. Normally, I hate songs like that, but it works well for The Lightning Seeds’ “You Bet Your Life.”

The Beatles - when i get home, 1964

"When I Get Home" is a song written by John Lennon (credited to Lennon–McCartney), and recorded by the English rock band the Beatles on 2 June 1964, during the last session for their third studio album A Hard Day's Night (1964). Its first US release was on the Something New LP. Influenced somewhat by the Shirelles, "When I Get Home" is essentially a rock and roll number, but with unusual chord progressions. Lennon liked this particular ploy, and used it on many of his songs at the time."

Saint Etienne - tomorrow never dies, 1997

"Tomorrow Never Dies" is a song by American singer-songwriter Sheryl Crow that serves as the theme song to the 1997 James Bond film of the same name and its video game adaptation. The song, included on the film's soundtrack album, was co-written by Crow and the song's producer Mitchell Froom, and became her fifth UK top-20 hit, peaking at No. 12 in December 1997. Another song, "Tomorrow Never Dies", written by the film Tomorrow Never Dies' composer David Arnold and performed by k.d. lang, was originally produced as the official theme tune. When Sheryl Crow's song became the official theme, the k.d. lang song was relegated to the end credits and renamed "Surrender". The melody of "Surrender" still remains in Arnold's score. In addition to lang's song, the James Bond producers solicited tracks from other artists, including Pulp, the Cardigans, Saint Etienne, and Swan Lee. These ultimately were rejected in favour of Crow's song."

The Mary Onettes - slow, 2007

"The Mary Onettes' eponymous debut sounds eerily familiar - there's the synthiness and jumpy new wave basslines of Echo & the Bunnymen ("Void" is a good example) and just a touch of jangly R.E.M. guitar work ("Pleasure Songs"). In this respect, the Mary Onettes could be lumped in with other Scandinavian shoegaze worshippers, and those familiar with Swedish indie pop will no doubt reach for comparisons to bands like Lane and Celestial."

Electronic - out of my league, 1996

"The acoustic frenzy of ‘Get The Message’ (the intro reminds me a bit of ‘Cemetry Gates’) is highlighted by Marr’s usual brilliant riffs, while the hopeless elegance of ‘Out Of My League’ is another example of Sumner and Marr combining their talents to create a beautiful song, enhanced by Sumner’s angelic vocals. Though the band only released three albums in their ten years of existence, Electronic is one of the many prominent marks in the two’s musical careers."

Outros olhares: Escócia, Isle of Skye, ontem, 14 de Maio de 2025

Moby - love should, 2005

"‘love should’ is a love song, a simple, little love song."

Coldplay - don't let it break your heart, 2011

"I think we wanted to do an album this time with a happy ending and I think we've actually done it, which we never thought we'd do. For whatever reason it is, it's happened and that was very late in the day and it's nice that song 'cos you just hit everything as hard as possible – which for a band like Coldplay is a very pleasurable thing."

The Moody Blues - you and me, 1972

"Seventh Sojourn was notable at the time of its release for showing the hardest-rocking sound this band had ever produced on record. It's all relative, of course, compared to their prior work, but the music is comparatively stripped down here, and on a lot of it Graeme Edge's drumming and John Lodge's bass work comprise a more forceful and assertive rhythm section than they had on earlier records, on numbers such as "Lost in a Lost World," "You and Me," and "I'm Just a Singer (In a Rock & Roll Band)."

The Shadows - dance on, 1962

"Dance On!" is an instrumental by British group the Shadows, released as a single in December 1962. It went to number 1 on the UK Singles Chart and the Irish Singles Chart. A vocal version, with lyrics by Marcel Stellman, was recorded by British female vocalist Kathy Kirby, whose version reached number 11 on the UK chart in September 1963."

Elton John - please, 1995

"The song "Please" was covered by bluegrass singer Rhonda Vincent and country singer Dolly Parton for the 2018 tribute album Restoration: Reimagining the Songs of Elton John and Bernie Taupin."

The Lightning Seeds - don't let go, 1990

"Like anyone with a parent, you get to a certain age and the roles reverse a little. The child feels more responsible. As someone who manages their dad, I certainly feel like that towards him. He now trusts me to make sure everything is right for his career. We have a good laugh on tour, and thankfully if anyone needs telling off, the tour manager can do that – not me. Dad knows that everything I do is for the best. The best for us, for the band and for his songs, which are so personal."

Death Cab For Cutie - el dorado, 2015

"Death Cab for Cutie released Kintsugi, their 8th album, on March 31, 2015. The song El Dorado, like other songs on the record, was written in the wake of the divorce between the band’s lead singer Ben Gibbard and actress Zooey Deschanel. In this episode, Ben talks about the metaphor of the city of El Dorado and how it fit the story he wanted to tell, about separation, unrealized dreams, and Culver City."

The Go-Betweens - love is a sign, 1988

"Forster’s “Love Is A Sign” is very Dylan, and a major grower."

The Mamas And The Papas - monday monday, 1966

"Monday, Monday" is a 1966 song written by John Phillips and recorded by the Mamas & the Papas, with backing music by members of the Wrecking Crew for their 1966 album If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears. Denny Doherty was the lead vocalist. It was the group's only #1 hit on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100."

The Beach Boys - surfin usa, 1963

 

"I was going with a girl named Judy Bowles, and her brother Jimmy was a surfer. He knew all the surfing spots. I started humming the melody to 'Sweet Little Sixteen' and I got fascinated with the fact of doing it, and I thought to myself, 'God! What about trying to put surf lyrics to 'Sweet Little Sixteen's melody? The concept was about, 'They are doing this in this city, and they're doing that in that city' So I said to Jimmy, 'Hey Jimmy, I want to do a song mentioning all the surf spots.' So he gave me a list."

Bob Dylan - masters of war, 1963

"I've never written anything like that before. I don't sing songs which hope people will die, but I couldn't help it with this one. The song is a sort of striking out... a feeling of what can you do?"

Fait-divers on vulnerability

If we want greater clarity in our purpose or deeper and more meaningful spiritual lives, vulnerability is the path.

Fait-divers: the beauty of "I don’t know"

1. It creates community.
2. It encourages creativity.
3. It creates leadership credibility.
4. It reduces corporate fear.
5. It helps personal development.
6. It encourages humility.
7. It encourages a culture of ethics and truth.
8. It creates meaning.

Fait-divers on breathing and meditation

Breathe in. Breathe out. Repeat as often as necessary.

Fait-divers on robotic humour

Humor requires self-awareness, spontaneity, linguistic sophistication, and empathy. Not easy for a robot.

Outros olhares: Escócia, Isle of Skye, hoje, 13 de Maio de 2025

Outros olhares: Escócia, Edinburgh, ontem, 12 de Maio de 2025

Outros olhares: Escócia, ontem, 12 de Maio de 2025

Praia das Maçãs, ontem, 12 de Maio de 2025

O Cão de Sintra entre a Praia das Maçãs e a Praia Pequena, ontem, 12 de Maio de 2025

The Beatles - baby's in black, 1964

"Musicologist Alan W. Pollack notes that the song is relatively complex in format, with a refrain, bridge, and a guitar solo. He describes the song as having "mishmash" of stylistic elements — among them, "bluesy" chords and country music — inspired vocals."

The Moody Blues - my song, 1971

"Emily's Song." "Nice to Be Here," and "My Song" are among the best work the group ever did, and "The Story in Your Eyes" is the best rock number they ever cut, with a bracing beat and the kind of lyrical complexity one more expected out of George Harrison at the time. Sad to say, the group would never be this happy with an album again - at least not for a lot of years - or with their commitment to being a group, though they would leave one more highly worthwhile album before taking a hiatus for most of the rest of the 1970s."

The Lightning Seeds - perfect, 1994

"The release of “Change” saw the Lightning Seeds return to the big time at the start of 1995, hitting number 13 and the album “Jollification” is widely regarded as one of the best albums of the 1990s. The band toured extensively, and the singles “Perfect” and “Marvellous” were also released. “Lucky You” was re-released and hit the top 20."

The Beach Boys - wouldn't it be nice, 1966

"what a glorious soundtrack it is, both musically and lyrically, in which everything works as layer upon layer of irony. From the album’s opening line of “Wouldn’t It Be Nice,” to the closing number, “Caroline No,” Wilson upends and overturns every Beach Boys cliché, exposing the hollowness at their core."

Sintra, Praia Pequena, dia 12 de Maio de 2025, há duas horas atrás

Majak Door - something good, 2025

"Majak Door are back and better than ever with their first-ever double single drop: Time and Something Good. These new tracks deliver everything you love — sun-soaked jangle guitars and dreamy vibes — while pushing into bold new territory inspired by The War on Drugs, RVG, and the lush textures of '80s new wave and post-punk."

Arcade Fire - pink elephant, 2025

"Pink Elephant feels like an album Arcade Fire "had to" make, one that addresses a very public period of the band's history without getting too deep (or deep enough at all) into the matter, like they just want everyone to forget about it and move on to the inevitable next album cycle."

Paul McCartney - so bad, 1983

"McCartney largely composed the song by improvising on the family piano with his children around him."

Fait-divers on attitude and perspective

Seeing the world from the position of the weak person is a great education.

Fait-divers on Enrico Fermi

"Never underestimate the joy people derive from hearing something they already know." (Enrico Fermi)

Pet Shop Boys - memory of the future, 2012

"this song is full of contradictions—and it's an amazingly powerful song for it. Both happy and sad, both deceptively simple and remarkably complex, its central contradiction stems from the title itself."

The Moody Blues - for my lady, 1972

"an elegant love song, almost Elizabethan, although somewhat gimmicky with a cymbal sound of ocean waves and a nautical hamonica and organ background. At one point Justin Hayward plays a guitar note that had some listeners thinking that the guitar string broke. But according to Hayward that it was not a broken string but merely an emphasized pluck to accompany the lyrics "and slowly bow her head."

Damien Jurado - exit three hundred fifty-three, 2016

"'Exit 353' was the first song I wrote for this new album, and I initially wasn't sure about it. When it came time for me to be in the studio, sitting in front of the microphone, I hesitated as to whether or not I would actually perform it once I received the signal from Richard [Swift] that we were recording. I over-counted the beginning and just sang it through. When the take was finished, Richard turned to me and said, 'I think this could be a great single.' Living in the fresh uncertainty of what I had just recorded, I just had to lean into it and trust his instinct."

REM - aftermath, 2004

"Aftermath" is a song by American alternative rock band R.E.M. It was released as the second single from their 13th studio album, Around the Sun (2004), on November 29, 2004. Upon it release, "Aftermath" peaked at number 41 on the UK Singles Chart. The single also charted in the Netherlands and Sweden, peaking at numbers 44 and 59, respectively."

The Mary Onettes - can't stop the aching, 2013

"He can make things sound huge and dramatic (as on the title track and the elegiac "How It All Ends"), but he and the band shine when they pull things back and underplay the emotion, as on "Years" and "Can't Stop the Aching."

Meltt - your melody, 2023

"Mesmerizing alternative psych-rock band Meltt, known for their evocative melodies and thought-provoking lyrics, releases their new single, “Your Melody.” The unshakable song showcases a funky guitar groove juxtaposed by a poignant, and powerful subject matter."

Divers - security, 2023

"Much has been made of the return of ‘indie sleaze’, but Divers maintain the movement’s yearning for fun and freedom while removing the lugubrious aspect; the version of hedonism that drifts through “Security” isn’t one that will lead to ruinous escapades, but rather just four friends having a good time."

The Moody Blues - lazy day, 1969

"Ray was my best pal. I met Ray when I was 14. We were two young kids from Birmingham who were reaching for the stars — and I think we got there. I'm really pleased that Ray was around to know we'd be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I spoke to Ray just before Christmas — because his birthday was after Christmas, on the 29th — and we had a long conversation. We're very close friends — or were very close friends. Very sad. Very, very sad."

The Jesus And Mary Chain - these days, 1994

"It's very rare these days, but the Mary Chain spent a fortune on ensuring everybody was as drunk as necessary."

Pet Shop Boys - the view from your balcony, 1997

"The inspiration for this lovely song—a bonus track on the U.K. "Somewhere" CD single—was, precisely as its title suggests, a view from a balcony. Neil attended a party at the twentieth floor apartment of a friend who lived in Bermondsey in South London. Its balcony offered a marvelous view of the Thames River. Neil observed the irony of how this tower-block apartment, which at one time (specifically, he notes, back at the height of "punk rock") would only have been thought of as the home of someone who had been abused by "the system," nevertheless had a breathtaking panorama that could make it the envy of far wealthier, far more powerful people. Neil appears to be pointing out that there are many wonderful things in life that cannot be denied people simply because they aren't among the elite—and that, in fact, the elite (such as maybe Neil himself?) sometimes can find themselves envying others in presumably "less fortunate" circumstances."

Bruce Springsteen - bobby jean, 1984

"Bobby Jean" was one of the last songs from the album to be recorded, and was considered a musical breakthrough for Springsteen during the recording, with its more accented rhythm and near dance groove."

Sign Crushes Motorist - i'm always here, 2023

"Liam McCay (born 28 February 2005) is an Irish musician from County Donegal, Ireland. He is best known for his project Sign Crushes Motorist, although McCay has released music under multiple other pseudonyms throughout his career, including "Birth Day" and "Take Care"."

My Morning Jacket - librarian, 2008

"this song is basically pure poetry. He describes an entire love scene, yet never truly describes the librarian. The listener can practically walk with the singer and see and feel what he does. The scene is painted perfectly for you in your mind's eye. Yet the librarian is left up to the listener."

Scotch Mist - alright, 2023

“It was the first song we wrote for this album…It has a great groove, and so many catchy little details. The lyrics are from the perspective of someone with chronic anxiety, which contrasts with the upbeat instrumental. This song feels like the most epic of the singles — it’s really dense because we tried to fit everything that we love about rock and pop music into one track.”

Echo And The Bunnymen - bombers bay, 1987

"Not sure of the meaning, but it's a happy sounding song with not so happy lyrics."

Mike Oldfield - peace, 2003

"The release of Tubular Bells 2003 took place in the year when Oldfield celebrated his 50th birthday and the 30th anniversary of the original version."

Frazier Chorus - walking on air, 1991

"Frazier Chorus may specialize in synth pop lite, but there's a certain atmospheric artiness that seduces the listener with its simplicity."

The Cure - disintegration, 1989

"Robert’s definition of “disintegration” in the context of the album: “the disgust concerning the loss of the ability to feel profound feelings when you grow older.”

Fait-divers on peace

If you yourself are at peace, then there is at least some peace in the world. (Thomas Merton)