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Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024

9:35am EST

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Max's Musings

by Max Griffin 🏳️‍🌈

Rated: 18+ · Book · Writing · #2041762

A math guy's random thoughts.

Show Recent Comments

10 Most Recent Blog Comments:

Dave Ryan

Feb 18, 2024 at 2:19pm
In response to "La Mer"

One of my favourites as well. I used to think the English version was a translation of the French, but as you say it's a different song altogether.

The film "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" from 10 years or so ago got indifferent reviews but I quite liked it, and it has a great montage ending where all the loose ends are tied up, with the French version of La Mer (performed by Julio Iglesias) providing the background.

If you'll forgive the impertinence of adding to your blog, here it is:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SSIp2J3YHM

Dave Ryan

Feb 17, 2024 at 11:14pm
In response to "I Think I'll Make a Cake"

I'm not a great fan of Glass on the whole, but for some reason I do quite like his violin concerto.

And Stravinsky has just gone up in my estimation by several orders of magnitude for the Fantasia quote!

1 Like

Dave Ryan

Feb 16, 2024 at 6:23am
In response to "M'appari, Tutt' Amor"

I know that, in the eyes of some, this will destroy my credibility irrevocably as he appears to be a love-him-or-loathe-him type of performer, but as I've listened to the nostalgia radio stations over the years I have to admit that Billy Joel has grown on me. The man has quite an impressive body of work.

KingsSideCastle

Feb 6, 2024 at 8:12pm
In response to "Take On Me"

Take on me is an excellent choice.

Kåre เลียม Enga

Dec 19, 2021 at 11:53pm
In response to "Visiting"

Two years late to read this but...

I loved Tulsa when I lived in Oklahoma. Read my poetry at the Gypsy... back in the day... 2004? Joined WDC because of someone I met there.

When I had a home I would've been delighted to have folks stay with me. Now? No room.

I've met folks in Minnesota, Iowa, England, Sweden, Romania, Australia and even here in Montana. Precious memories.

GeminiGem🐾

Dec 9, 2019 at 12:24pm
In response to "Floaters"

At one of my eye exams in the last couple of years, the optometrist told me that floaters were just pigment from the colored part of my eye that detached and are literally floating around. Completely harmless. Dark-eyed people, like me, are more "susceptible" to them. I have them all the time.

WebMD is known for scaring the pants off of people. It is kind of like knowing what is running through your doctor's head while you are going through the history of your symptoms. The difference is, the doctor filters that information better than the web site does (usually).

When I was consulting a surgeon after my cancer diagnosis, she said, "So, how much research have you done on the internet?"

When I said, "None, I thought that's why I hired you," I thought she was going to jump up and kiss me.

A little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing, but if it got you in to get examined by a medical professional, I guess it wasn't so bad, lol

Cubby

Dec 8, 2019 at 12:17pm
In response to "Floaters"

I have a couple floaters, too, and at my last eye appointed, the doctor said they are nothing to worry about UNLESS, as what happened to you, the sparklers begin to flash and that could mean a detached retina and would need immediate attention. Just like you said! Whew, I'm so glad it turned out well for you.

1 Like

🌕 HuntersMoon

Dec 8, 2019 at 12:10pm
In response to "Floaters"

Interesting... and thankfully, not germaine to me at this time

1 Like

Elle - on hiatus

Aug 25, 2019 at 7:10pm
In response to "Visiting"

I enjoy meeting with online friends. I've been lucky enough so far to meet Jellyfish needs more hours

, Andy~hating university

and Wordsmitty ✍️

. Each of those was just a couple of hours in a public place. I don't think I'd feel comfortable inviting someone to stay at my house for a few days when I'd never met them before. But I can see that I'd be more comfortable with it if we'd exchanged Skype (or similar) video calls beforehand. I have an online friend that I've been communicating with since 2001, and I'd be happy for her to come and stay with me, but we've had video chats, we're friends on Facebook, we've exchanged snail mail letters and parcels, etc. But even the short meet-ups have been fun. It's so cool to put a face and personality to a name. I think people are always surprised that I'm not as outgoing as I come across on here!

1 Like

Elle - on hiatus

Aug 25, 2019 at 6:59pm
In response to "Word Doodle of Max"

That looks like a great way to waste time! I might have to try that out.

February 22, 2024 at 3:03pm

#1064689

And When I Die

And When I Die

Some songs get on my soundtrack just because I like them. That's the case with this song. I probably first heard it late 1968 or early 1969 when I was a freshman at the Unviersity of Dubuque, so it also brings back memories of bell bottoms, psychedelic t-shirts, and love beads. Ah, the echoes of a mispent youth.

Laura Nyro wrote this song when she was seventeen and sold it to Peter, Paul, and Mary for $5000. They released it in 1966, but it was the 1968 cover by Blood, Sweat and Tears that propelled the song to fame. The BS&T version is quite different from the earlier versions, and I've linked both theirs and other versions below. Nyro was dating BS&T bassist Jim Fiedler at the time the band released the song.

The song has occassionally been used in TV dramas. It appeard in the final episode of season four of True Blood, also titled "And When I Die." In the episode "Better Off Dead" of Medium (season three, episode five), the song makes an appearance.

Laura Nyro had a significant career both as a solo artist and as a composer. Her compositions, in particular, influenced an array of famous pop singers, including such familiar names as Tori Amos, Joanie Mitchell, Alison Krauss, Elvis Costello, and Elton John. John, in particular, said, "I idolized her. The soul, the passion, just the out and out audacity of the way her rhythmic and melody changes came was like nothing I've heard before." Those rhythmic and melodic changes certainly pulse through "And When I Die." Nyro was a committed feminist and animal rights activist. She died, at age 50, in 1997.

The lyrics are about accepting death as part of living. The verse

And when I die and when I'm gone
There'll be one child born
In this world, carry on, to carry on

invokes a connection to the great chain of being which we all share.

As I remarked above, the version of the song I heard back in the dorms is the one released by Blood, Sweat, and Tears.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gxwutvlTw8

You can hear Laura Nyro singing the song here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1Jvry-y_Wg

Peter, Paul, and Mary did the first commercial release in 1966
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyeIQH7-ThA

Alison Krauss sings the song in her memorial album Map to the Treasure: Reimagining Laura Nyro
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eomMDkLNss

Lyrics
https://www.songfacts.com/lyrics/blood-sweat-tears/and-when-i-die

1 Like • Comment

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