(Photo: Sunset on Bournemouth Beach, England - 2005)Okay, so it's my turn to get a bit soppy and sentimental now. Whilst searching for and booking my holiday on the internet, a very fond tune came into my mind. The tune was from a film I watched at my late Grandparents house when I was a very young lad (just about knee high to a grasshopper).
Each time I hear this song, no matter what I am doing, I have to stop...
...closing my eyes I can smell the Sunday dinner cooking, I can hear my grandparents voices as if I was there again, sat on the floor next to my Grandad's armchair with both of us singing along to the film. Such a warm and reassuring feeling, remembering the happy times the whole family had together. It reminds me how fortunate I have been to be born into such a close and caring family. My Grandad died of cancer many years ago, and my Grandmother sadly died in a tragic accident earlier this year. I miss them both dearly.
(Photo: Lake District, England - 2004)Little did I know then, that this tune would have such a profound affect on my life and my desire to wander. It is the one tune that came to me as I canoed down the Amazon River, sat on the sand dunes in Egypt, rode the camels in Morroco and the Canary Islands, strolled through the streets of Gas Town in Vancouver, stood in the centre of Time Square NY, tried to ski down the snowy slopes of the French Alps, walked through the Harz Mountains of Germany, admired the ruins of the original Olympic buildings in Olympia Greece, stood inside the Colosseum in Rome, sailed on Loch Ness in Scotland and many many more precious moments around the world...
(Photo: 5.00am Sunsrise in the Amazon Basin - 2003) ...every where I travel this tune always goes with me, watching over me. A feeling inside of me that words could never truly describe.
So, you may be wondering what this tune is. It's from the film "Paint Your Wagon", and the singer was Lee Marvin. The song is both mesmorising and melancholy and is called:
"I was born under a wondering star".
Please be welcome to press play on the clip below and share a moment from my childhood.
Has there been a song, a film or another moment that has remained with you since your chidhood, staying with you through life
(and perhaps had a profound influence on some of the choices you have made)?
Cheerio for now!!
29 comments:
Oh, I've been influenced by so many songs, it's not even funny !
I grew up listening to Pink Floyd, Nirvana and Lou Reed. Not sure how it inspired me, but I learned the word "metaphore" really young ! As well as all the slang for drugs :D
As for traveling... well, I wrote a post about that a while ago :
Ten songs, ten traveling mindsets
Manu Chao reminds me of traveling a lot, as well as Guns and Roses, REM, U2...
I love music !
It really isn't a song for me but a little phases that helped me learn memorize words when I was young. My grandmother was very sick with Breast cancer and I would go over to her house when I was a young girl and help her cook and clean. I had a hard time spelling hospital and geography.
Hospital- "H"enry "O"lsen "S"pits "Pit"s "A"t "L"ori.
Geography' "G"eorge "E"vans "O"ld "G"randfather "R"oad "A" "P"ig "H"ome "Y"esterday.
Funny the thing we remember that remind of a loved one that has passed on. This is very silly but I still remember these little saying 30 some years later.
Wow...what a moving post, Graham! I have songs that do that same thing for me. And those moments, like with our grandparents, are the kinds of moments you just want to bottle up and save forever and ever :)
-- sebastian
Great post Graham! I love the way your blog looks. I noticed that you work at a car dealership and I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions about buying a car? I'm going to add a link to your blog on mine, since I love to travel as well!
http://joen05.blogspot.com
Zhu, wow..your selection of music is great...and you are such an interesting lady... your blog is simply amazing.
Lori, that's such a nice memory. I remember my parents testing me on my spellings when we were doing the dishes after the evening meals... no I know why I don't like doing dishes anymore - it's like I'm doing homework...LOL!!!
Sebastian, thanks for the great coment :)
Joen05, sorry I don't work at a car dealership, I am the resource manager for the European Factories. However, I would be more than glad to answer any questions that you may have :)
Thanks for the nice comment and the add.
Best wishes ~ Graham
ah young man, young man who could be my son...you made me cry this morning...really cry...and i registered the song in one of my blogs...your name is in my favorites for some time now...I was born in a time where there was no record player at home...I attended the birth of the first program for young peole on French radio..."salut les copains"...I was thirteen...my memory is very poor...my first memories sre more about the 1968 and...the hippies, and all the legends around...I was 22 in 1968...I dreamed a lot, travelled a bit...now life makes me stay home...but I do travel in books, and blogs, mine and others like yours...
thank you for this great moment...
I'll go on visiting you regularly
Mousie-Paisible
Mousie-Paisible. Thank you vey much for such warm words. Your life sounds so interesting. I too have visited your blogs and have found them all very enjoyable, full of characters and feelings and beautiful images. Your mind is so full of amazing creativity. Thank you again for your kind words and I send you many best wishes ~ Graham
That was a beautiful time Graham!
It is a bit late here in Greece so I wont write much. I am an avid U2 fan and I love a lot of their songs. My favourite all time U2 song is "Lemon" but if you talk about some tunes that I carry with me to this day and they always evoke strong emotions to me , these would be the following two songs:
"Stuck in a moment you can't get of"
"Walk on"
I attach some links so anyone that cares could listen to them:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ryr-9CuyILQ&mode=related&search=
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvBoutJsRmw
The part of "Walk On" after the 4th minute or so really hits me strong every single time, it does bring so many various memories back to mind...
Goodnight man and congrats on a beautiful and moving post!
Later...
Deadpoolite, thanx for your great comment. I agree "Walk On" is such an amazing song. Have a great week :)
What a wonderfully touching post! Beautiful pictures! I can't really pinpoint one song or one film, but I have the most wonderful memories of playing in my Gramma's attic. So much history in there! Thanks for reminding me of the memories! :P
I love the post Graham. It was very heartfelt and lovely.
Lisa, thanks for your comments. I always remember when I was younger, the curiosity about people's attics (I kind of imagined to find Narnia up there).
Daszzle, thanks :). I'm glad things are good in your life at the moment ~ G
You have a way with words and the ability to describe your feelings.
Would you be interested in a link swap? Your site would be a nice addition to my blogroll and my site may help give you direction. Check out my site http://mondaymorningpower.blogspot.com. If you like what you see and agree, then link my site to yours, leave me a comment on my blog that you have done so and I will immediately do the same.
I loved this post as well as reading everyone's comments on how music has profoundly touched them. I know that the music that moves me is what I grew up listening to: my parents' music (CCR, The Guess Who, Wings, Elvis, Kenny Rogers, etc.), and I am constantly aware that the music I play in my own house will be what emotionally moves my own kids to wax nostalgic some day. And the beat goes on...
I am pleased to announce that I have added this site to my blogroll.
Strange how songs have a way of taking us back in time to both the good and the bad.
I will have to think about your question. That's a really good one that deserves thought!
The photos in this post were gorgeous and your story was really touching. You have a unique "voice" to your writing that I really enjoy.
By the way, I'm glad you enjoyed the post on Curious Villager today. I thought of you when I posted it, actually :)
If you search "Bizarre Foods" on YouTube, you can see the other episodes. I think the foods in the Taiwan episode have been the most exotic by far!
Also - I'm familiar with Anthony Bourdain. You're right - that's another good show, (though I prefer the personality of Andrew Zimmern on Bizarre Foods.)
Monday Morning Power, thanks for the comments and the add.
Paper Fan Club, WOW! Wings, Elvis, Kenny Rogers - What a list of legends and what an era to be brought up in. Your comment is so true, can you imagine our children getting sentimental over Britney or The Spice Girls...somehow it doesn't have the same appeal does it?...Lol!!
B.Durant, isn't it so weird? I totally agree - it's amazing how the brain links sounds, sights, smells and emotions together.
Tracy,
Thanks for your kind comment - I am honoured that others are able to enjoy some of the things I write. I truly appreciate all the encouragement that I receive.
Your post on your 'Curious Villager' blog was so "up my street". I frequently pop into London, and when I am there I always try to wander down to Borough Market - I just so love the sights and smells. Your post was so enjoyable to view. I actually did have 'Bangers and Mash' for tea tonight. I'll have to do a post one day, that explains how to make it (trust me, for me to be able to make it, it must be easy..lol!).
Take Care ~ Graham :)
i've read your posts several times and my son thomas leaving in Birmingham oredered the film for me
Nic eto dream even when you're over 60
see you
all the best
Oh God, the very sound of that song brings tears to my eyes, it was one of the first songs I was aware of, and takes me right back to the late 1960's...
Hey English man :)
For my comments, I must say I've been helped... Yeah, I'm not that good with HTML ! :D
You can have a look here :
Display comments in a colorful box (down the post)
mousie, I hope you enjoy the film - I have watched it several times since writing the post - I still get emotional when the song comes on.
pg, it is such an amazing song isn't it? A true moment of nostalgia
Hey Zhu :D, Your comments are great - I love the format. I will take a look at how you did it and will definitely amend my format. Thanks for the tip. Best wishes and kindest regards as always, Graham x
Graham that's uncanny, I'm always singing that song - and hurt my throat into the bargain. No one can 'sing' it like Lee Marvin - unless you can. :)
Lovely post and lovely memories, you were one lucky little lad. x
Btw, there was room on that latest holiday for me!
Hey wfw, there's always room for you. I was a lucky young lad, and I realise it now more than ever. I have the best parents in the world, and I had the best granparents too. They all gave so much and I owe them all so much.
hey!
those pictures were absolutely beautiful! i just..completely loved them. i also love lee marvin..and especially that song..i'm actually listening to it right now =]
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and yes..my lack of writting does mean that i'm having fun! but, it also means that i have to finish a 35 page algebra II packet before school starts monday..eww.
dc, I'm glad you are having fun and good luck with your algebra (I'm sad to say that I loved doing Algebra when I was at school)... ..anywayz, don't be too long before the next installment of your story!!!!! Azzitizz and I are both waiting to read more :)
You do get around dont you!!
Lovely post though!
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