Sometimes things just fall into place. Take the gorgeous spring day Monday turned out to be after an early-morning thunderstorm: the perfect day to drive home with the windows down, followed by a walk to the Thames and back, all with my music player on random.
The drive home started with Come Sweet Audrey by Barenaked Ladies, which would have gotten my spirits up even if it hadn’t been such a great day. The rest of the short trip was to what I’ve discovered is one of the best driving songs I know: Kristin Sweetland’s O Leander.
Up next, while I swapped my third-generation company jacket for something cooler, was White & Nerdy from Weird Al Yankovic’s new CD; the line I wanna bowl with the gangstas
had me chuckling extra hard as I thought of Matt’s story.
By the time I hit the lobby Al’s song had ended and Spirit of the West’s Heavenly Angel came on. While some might consider that a case of iPod whiplash, today it worked: I walked out into the brilliant sun just as John Mann sang the words Heavenly Angel
for the first time.
As I approached Galleria, one of my favourite songs by one of my favourite singers started: Saturday Night, by Claire Jenkins. It’s a story song that resonates really strongly, although the specific situation is one that’s foreign to me. Claire’s lyrics say it all: it’s one of the tunes that makes me feel right.
Short, panting, pseudo-canine breaths quickly identified the next selection, Nellie McKay’s The Dog Song. It’s pretty safe to call me a dog person, and her song is one of those pieces I can’t hear without cracking a big dumb grin. I don’t associate the song with the dogs I had growing up — it’s not their style — but it reminds me of all the fun we had with Tags, Blackie and Sandy.
Barenaked Ladies again (Maybe Katie), and Crash Test Dummies (Here On Earth (I’ll Have My Cake)), took me the rest of the way down Dundas Street from the market at a pace to match the upbeat tempo. B.A. Baracus Band’s lo-fi cover of Video Killed the Radio Star got me from the river back to the old courthouse and the new apartments being constructed at King and Ridout.
Lenni Jabour’s New York started as I walked up King past the market. Her snapshot of a late autumn evening in New York City is one in which I find a different meaning or truth almost every time I hear it. It’s ostensibly about Lenni’s experiences of being — and being — in New York City, but it struck me today that it was also about being in London on this early spring afternoon. It’s hopeful, and sad, and comforting, and uplifting.
The Barra MacNeils’ We Celebrate and Melanie Doane’s Waiting for the Tide continued my newly reflective mood until I made it back to the apartment. As I walked up to my building at 6:17pm, with the sun still high above the horizon behind me, I saw an LED sign that showed the temperature to be 22°C.
If this is what spring is going to be like, I’ll take every second of it!
While I appreciate the music, the day, the feelings and say nicely done on the writing of the post, I also must share a quick link which will take you to the Winnipeg webcam downtown… it will show you that while we had some semblance of spring happening here, it is being stymied and with it my ability to truly appreciate the beauty of your spring day 😉
http://www.cbc.ca/manitoba/
However – it is no longer dumping snow so you won’t get the full feel for it 😉