lilyshine

I recently read this quote from an interview with Herbie Hancock. It made me think about the one-dimensionality of the narrow interpretation of "Rock-Star Clay". I prefer the multi-dimensional, always engaging real man even though I may not agree with everything he does or says. Here's a link to the whole article. Hancock Interview

The choreography this year has been just fantastic. I think the choreographers have realized this is a wonderful showcase for their work. Even if these aren't "professional" dancers, they are great and can handle some difficult work. Couchie, I really like Joshua also. Do you remember if he was the one that one of the judges suggested was a ringer? He (or someone else) presented himself as a hip-hopper, but did a perfect entrechat during his routine which suggested a wee bit of ballet training.

I guess I was being selfish, but I was really hoping Clay was going to go to Ethiopia. There's the beginning a a massive famine there in the southern area - very unusual since it's usually the north that suffers with drought. The south has much more stable crops that grow on a five-year cycle, but the drought has gone on so long it is beginning to affect them. At least he was next door and may have even flown in to Addis. Somalia is one of the most desolate countries I've ever been in, and that was in good times. No trees except acacias, almost no water, very little grass. Driving through it made me wonder how anyone could survive there. Parts of it look more like a moonscape than planet Earth. In such marginal areas, it only takes a little bad luck, bad weather or political unrest to push most of the population over the brink of disaster. To put it into perspective, during famine times people actually steal food from ant colonies - one grain at a time.

GoG is probably my least favorite track on the CD. Not so much for the Christian stuff, but that right from the start it has reminded me of Phil Ochs' "There but for Fortune", which IMHO has much better lyrics and a lovely melody. Besides, it was one of my favorite songs way back when.

Squeezing in a late comment on "Falling". The phrase that caught my ear from the first listen was the descending spiral of "never-ending dream" - especially the first one. I'm not sure why, but that always grabs my attention, even when I'm not really listening. And an even later comment on "Ashes". I just love the way Clay pronounces " ash-SHES". Most people put the accent on the first sylable, but it wouldn't sing nearly as well that way.

I stopped even thinking about Clay's security the day that Jerome was quoted as saying that he loved working with Clay because he didn't have to wear bullet-proof vest like he had on his previous gig. jmh My mother was the same. A sandwich wasn't finished until you put the lettuce in it!

I guess it's time for me to come clean. I did. When I was 50, I had a very special relationship with a guy who was 30. We never called it a "date", but we regularly went out for meals, shared season theater tickets, worked together, planted trees together, knew each other's families, took classes together and in general were an "item." One of the best and nicest relationships I ever had. Unlike everyone else I knew at that time, he and I have stayed in touch through many moves for both of us. We see each other once or twice a year and still share birthdays. I can definitely empathize with any and all Jaymes/Clay scenarios. ETA. Except her using him. IMHO he's too strong for that one.

While EIDN isn't my favorite track, the permutations of how he pronounces "thing" always make me grin*. Thing thang thin thein. * Way back when I remember reading something that smiling produces a physical reaction in the brain - releasing certain chemicals or something. They advised people who were feeling down to force themselves to smile as a mood-lifter. So watching clack produces the ICG and therefore tickles the brain into lifting your mood. Hey, it's scientific now. Clack for everyone!

Oooh, you mean there was a boat?? Was it sort of like a dinner cruise?????????

Thanks to everyone for the replies about the tempos. It may be schmaltzy as hell, but I would love to see Clay singing Sacrficial Love with the couples waltzing around him. Yeah, guess that pegs me as an "over 50". With the Jaymes news, make that "WAY over 50".

I was watching "So You Think You Can Dance" the other night and I have a question for the musically knowledgeable people on this board. What are the time signatures (is that the right term?) for the songs on OMWH? Many people have said they aren't "dance" songs, but I think they are talking about club dancing. To my, admittedly old ears, some of them sound like they have a waltz or even foxtrot tempo. That's the connection to SYTYCD. Do you think any of them could be used for ballroom choreography? or even Lyrical? ETA For those of you who don't get out much, CV has a lovely banner of Clay's "looks" over the past five years. Just four different shots, but it shows a serious evolution of a man.

Just had a way out there thought. Looking at it strictly from a genetic point of view - I'm not sure that Clay would be the sperm donor of choice. All of his allergies are nothing I would wish on my child. I don't know if the voice could be inherited. The cheekbones, however .... hmmmmm do cheekbones out weigh allergies?

Funny you should mention this. When I listen to G of G I keep hearing the old Phil Ochs song, "There but for Fortune." Baez did a stunning rendition of it. Similar sentiments but IMHO, Ochs did a better job with the lyrics.

Back to the topic of songs and songwriters. Not every good song is written from personal experience. Johnny Cash had never set foot in a prison when he wrote "Folsom Prison Blues". He wrote it while stationed in Germany after seeing a documentary. Some people have the ability to capture a place, an emotion or message even when they've never been there, never felt that way or even don't agree. Writing is a bit like acting, you don't have to be mad to play King Lear.

Funny you should mention first concerts. My first "pop" concert was ( drum roll please ) AI2 and Clay! When I was young, I was much too cool for pop - only classical or folk - Pete Seager & the Weavers, Josh White, Olitunja (sp?). When I was being popular, it was the Kingston Trio (original version). Even sort of went to school with Art Garfunkel. During the '60s & '70s I was out of the country so missed all the fun - Woodstock, Monterey etc. By the time I returned to concert territory, I was a divorced single mom with a one-year-old and no discretionary income. Totally left the music scene. Didn't even have a CD player until one spring a certain cute singer-boy mesmerized me into taking a crazy musical ride. I'd never even heard most of the songs on ATDW, so that fact they were covers never bothered me in the least!

I have a confession to make. I'm a "we" person. I used to always say "we" when it was really "I". My only excuse is that I had been taught at a very young age not to brag on myself and I guess it stuck. Same thing with always putting myself second (my friend and I not me and my friend). I was in my thirties before it felt natural to say "I" and then whenever anyone else was involved, even my two-year-old son, it was always "we". Fortunately, I've never had my speech patterns dissected on national TV!! My Grandmother came from Charlotte, so maybe it's a old-time NC thing.

I finally got my QVC CD/DVD and, after a bit of a struggle, was able to play the TITN video. My opinion? Not a Clay Aiken or even a TITN video. It's a Matthew Rolson video. It's much more about the photography than the music. And look at the credits ... twice for MR and only once in itty bitty letters for Clay. I assume that RCA would have added something to the finished product, but as it stands, there's no mention of RCA, the album, or even the name of the song. Not exactly high-profile branding. I'm really surprised that RCA let it out in this condition. I guess it was a true throwaway.

I love "Chatty Cathy" Clay! He could talk on for the whole hour.

I read your post. I'm just early morning TV challenged and couldn't figure out when the 4th hour was ! Too lazy to check the TV Guide.

I find this fascinating. Don't quite know what to make of it. Maybe that's why Clive/RCA were happy with 500K. verry, verry interesting.

Since people are bragging about their yards, here's mine in the way it will look in a month or two. I basically just let it grow and mow paths so I can walk the dog. In the fall, if I feel like it, I cut it all down. The shiny thing you can just see on the right side is the chimney on my house.

I hate snippets. I knew I shouldn't have downloaded them, buy you guys were having so much fun. As soon as I start getting into a song it ends! Something interruptus indeed.

SSHHHHHH! Don't tell anyone. I just received my sooper sekrit insider** information on the QVC bonus tracks and I'm only going to tell my bestest Internet buddies (all 36,718 of them.) Are you ready? These are the bonus tracks. I have it on very good authority, trust me. I'd tell you how, but I'm under a restraining order pledged to secrecy. Back for More Just You Tears Run Dry one track TBD from MoaM (see if people like it, they'll go buy the whole CD) one of the original tracks from ATDW since nobody listened to them. Probably Everything I Have. ** OK, it was inside the Cheerios box with the secret decoder ring, but that counts, doesn't it?

These lines always remind of the part of the Hitchhiker's Guide Where Ford explains how easy it is to fly. "Just throw yourself at the ground ............................. and miss."

Late to the discussion, as usual! If you can find a complete download of the Vincent night, check out the "recap" of Clay at the end of the show. The recaps were all filmed in rehearsal, not at the live show, so it's a very different snippet of Vincent. It shows how well Clay was ad-libbing on live TV and, for me, really showed his amazing versatility. If I were more technically adept, I would snip the clips for you! As for the anomaly, that was the first and only time I tried to vote. I live in the middle of nowhere, in a mostly rural area. The biggest town in the county in only 6,000 people. I called maybe a half dozen times and got through once or twice. :women23: Here's jmh at her dream job! Go get 'em! and good luck.