Category Archives: Music

Royal Song of the Day: Interactive Version

Today, Susanna, Duchess of Peace, needed to hear one of those songs that proclaims, “It’s alright”. So, The Royal Song of the Day is “Revolution” by the Beatles. Not simply for the thought of a nonviolent shift in the universe, though, also for the refrain, “You know it’s gonna be alright”.

Can you think of a comfort song? Please send us an e-mail, or put in the comments, your favorite song that expresses the sentiment “Everything’s going to be alright”. We will choose one or more for future Royal Songs of the Day. Continue reading Royal Song of the Day: Interactive Version

Royal Song of the Day: Sunday, July 31, 2011

Easy AnthemsGo Back To Pittsburgh by Easy Anthems is the Royal Song of the Day.   Like the lives of the Duke and Duchess of Peace, this is a song that mixes the personal and the political. Unlike the relationship of Duke Augustus and Duchess Susanna, this is a  break-up song. (Duke Augustus has often said that their marriage is forever.) The song voices the feeling of an activist who is leaving a personal relationship and the activism bound up with it, but is struggling not to leave his moral convictions.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsiWxclW4PI]

Listen to the whole song for the pay-off. The video features a stripped-down, acoustic version of the band.  Is that the Duchess’ voice at the end? Continue reading Royal Song of the Day: Sunday, July 31, 2011

Royal Song of the Day: Saturday 7/30/11

Follow Me by John Denver is the Royal Song of the Day.  This is another one of the Duke & Duchess’ wedding songs.  It was performed at our wedding by some other musician friends of ours.  The Duke and Duchess of Peace chose this song while on a road trip.  There was a John Denver cassette (remember those?) playing on the car radio. They looked at each other, and knew they wanted the song to be part of their wedding ceremony.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6GAa8_5nRA]

Make it part of you to be a part of me
Follow me up and down all the way
Take my hand and I will follow you

Continue reading Royal Song of the Day: Saturday 7/30/11

Royal Song of the Day: Wednesday 7/27/11

"Get Together" in the Village
Image by Tony the Misfit via Flickr

Get Together by The Youngbloods is the Song of the Day.  This was a wedding song of the Duke and Duchess of Peace.  It was performed by their friends at a waterside ceremony.  All the killing and death in the world made me yearn for a life-affirming song about peace, unity and harmony.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WybIhLJjlTY”>watch?v=WybIhLJjlTY] Continue reading Royal Song of the Day: Wednesday 7/27/11

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: Peace Song for 7/24/2011

“Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” is the Royal Song of the Day. Never heard of it? That is because Duchess Susanna made it up today. It is to the tune of “Frere Jacques” aka “Brother John”.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4umTWX-1ok] Continue reading Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: Peace Song for 7/24/2011

Song of the Day: Saturday 7/23/11

Banks of Marbleis the Royal Song of the Day. This song was written by Les Rice. You can find this song on page 180 of Rise Up Singing. It’s still hot out. Just like yesterday. And entirely coincidentally we are on the next page of Rise Up Singing from yesterday.  My friend Linda introduced me to this song last week.

I spend a good part of my daylight hours helping people deal with their mortgage banks.  The mortgage industry is such a disaster because everything is broken up between different corporations so no one has any responsibility.  The simplest explanation of the mortgage industry is that it is broken up between two different entities: 1) the investor who owns the promissory note and 2) the servicer who is basically a bill collector.  You only get to deal with the front man, the servicer, rather than the investor who holds the real power.  If you try to contact the investor, they give you a Sgt. Shultz “I know nothing attitude.” The servicers are byzantine, disorganized, redundant, bureaucratic and sometimes arbitrary.  Occasionally, I will hop over to Linda’s office to express my frustration. Her response was to introduce me to this song which, like so many great songs, was popularized by Pete Seeger:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-o3CJytIPE]  Continue reading Song of the Day: Saturday 7/23/11