Anyway...how about this? If you go here you can find some old words of mine (a poem/song called 'The Angus Adoption Song') that have been give a new tune by a Montrose singer/musician/songwriter called Gary Anderson. Gary is a member of several local bands (Heidrum and others) and will be on stage at several gigs as part of the Montrose Music Festival (on here this weekend).
I wrote the words for this one (find them on my website under 'songs' if you want to read them) a few years back because Angus really is a very beautiful place but it's not well-known as parts of Scotland go. Here, for example, is Elephant Rock (just down the coast from us a little...and thinking about it a little while later I think I've probably posted this photo before...brain not working very well this week...):
I've really loved the eight years we've lived in this county. Can it really be eight years? Where did the time go..? (Looks in mirror...oh, that's where it went...).
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19 comments:
Dear Rachel, don't think you need to avoid boring your readers with thoughts of your mother. Mothers are so deeply entrenched in us, and the end of their journey is so powerfully affective, that there's a universality to losing them. I for one feel a sisterhood with you, because my own mother is falling down the hole of Alzheimer's rather quickly and I am losing my hold on her. I left you a comment about your Poetry Bus poem; I hope you read it. Blessings on you.
From Chris
Thanks Chris - for both the lovely comments.
I never used to write much about my Mum on here (if I wrote about any parent it was more my Dad who died back when I was 6). Mum was very private - not one for public displays of anything - so I kept her off here as much as I could (considering she lived in the house and was very much part of our household for the last 6 years). Ever since my Dad died I've half expected she would disappear too but at the same time I suspect I never thought she'd really go. And look...she has...and I feel about 6 years old again.
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Foot tappingly good.
I know...bouncey, isn't it? Catchy too...
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Poor dear you - and in fact all three of you - so sorry to read about your Mum's death Rachel and I was away for the fortnight when it was all happening so couldn't send you a message earlier. This is just to say how sorry I am and that I am thinking of you all. Love to all three.
Thanks Weaver. We are through the worst in some ways...the week we knew she was dying for sure was the worst (11th May onwards). I cried so much that week that I used up about a year's supply. Now it's just the adjusting.
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I like the elephant rock, and missed it on its last appearance here, so am glad you posted it again, tis stunning
That song is seriously very good. Does Angus have a song? Every county over here has their own song (normally The Rose of this, or The Rose of that) but I can hear this being played at every ballad session in Angus!
If that song doesn't become the Angus Anthem I'll eat my hat.
Write about your mum as much as you need to, mine died in 2006 and I still find myself banging on about her, and no one ever tells me to stop. Not, I think, because they are being kind, but because they are genuinely interested. And because when someone talks/writes about their mother everyone gets to feel some of that complex love.
That's brilliant, must be amazing to hear someone sing your very own words! Love the picture too, I expect to see an elephant rock poem from you sometime :)
Wow, doesn't it make a good song! I'm in agreement with Eryl - the Angus Anthem for sure. Except you have to keep it a secret...
Did we see the Elephant Rock?
We have scored ourselves an illegal 15 points for a sea arch in our I-Spy books if we didn't.
And I'd say write and talk about your mother as much as you can, and want.
Thanks all...and no T you didn't see that rock. Next time!
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What a great song, Rachel. So good to hear a poem of yours become lyric so very effectively. I love the arrangement too - the driving acoustic sound (guitar + mandolin?) and the climbing bass.
Eek! Illegal tally!
That was a brilliant song! I love it! Sod the secret - "more about the song" - tell everyone!!
The local tourist slogan (for Angus & Dundee) is/was 'Discover the secret'...links to the Discovery ship/centre in Dundee too you see...
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Re trying to write... If it's any help, I wanted to write something about my father when he died. I approached it obliquely and just kept a diary for about 3 months. I found it very helpful. I still dib into it and read it sometimes. There are some hilarious accounts of my (then small) children's doings. It's interest to see, now, what the diary is actually about, too.
And, I should have said, what a fantastic song! You must be very chuffed with that!
(Good enough to bring on a fit of those exclamation marks again!!...)
I write a diary all the time anyway, D. Pretty much always have done. And I'm sure there will be more Mum poems (I already have quite a lot) plus some work about seeing death quite so close up (for the first time in my case).
And yes, it's a great song now. This is its second time with a tune and I think this will be a happy pairing.
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