Maggie’s Pick 7.29.2014: ‘The Show Must Go On’ by Queen

The show = life, and life must go on. Also, performing = never-ending lifestyle of constant internal and external pressure.

I’m so obsessed with this song, and with the story of this song. Freddie Mercury, so weakened by AIDS that he has to use a cane to walk into the studio, takes a shot of vodka and records the vocal line in one take. This song so articulately expresses that being a performer is both a blessing and a curse, but those truly in love with it will keep going despite insurmountable odds.

Kudos to Doro Productions who edited this music video completely out of old footage, as Freddie was too sick to be filmed in 1991 when this single was released, weeks before his death. The editing is impressive.

I heard a cover of this song a full decade before I heard the glorious original, and for nostalgia’s sake I feel I should include it, even though it may be my least favorite number from Moulin Rouge.

More nostalgia: a picture of 18-year-old Maggie with a statue of Freddie Mercury, at the 2010 Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland. This was before I’d realized my deep, abiding love for Freddie as an artist and singer/songwriter, though I did love quite a few Queen songs.

“My make-up may be flaking
But my smile still stays on” 🙂

Maggie’s Pick 7.25.14: ‘Someday’ by Sugar Ray

Someday, when I have an abundance, please remind me to be as generous as so many wonderful, wonderful people have been to me.

I found out today that Sugar Ray’s Mark McGrath is in Sharknado 2. Haven’t seen 1, but I’m sure I’ll eventually see both, likely ironically. This song also came on my Pandora shuffle, and the beginning lyrics of it are constantly going through my head, so it has been picked.

“Someday when my life has passed me by
I’ll lay around and wonder why you were always there for me”

Maggie’s Pick 7.24.14: ‘Empty Apartment’ by Yellowcard

Though no apartment is truly empty until you completely move out of it.

Maggie’s Pick 7.23.14: ‘Born to Run’ by Bruce Springsteen

So I got new tennis shoes this week, to replace my old ones that fell apart. In searching the Internet for an identical pair of my old shoes (found one, wearing ’em now), I discovered they were actually running shoes.

Yesterday, when I was speed-walking from my lunch break back to work, I was moving much faster than I had before this week. My feet felt so light and skilled and aerodynamic in my new shoes, and I thought to myself that these shoes were “Born to Run.” Bad pun, I know, but I did decide to go running this morning because of it. Only 4 minutes of running, but I did intervals of running and a lot of walking.

Also, I have deep emotional ties to this song and a few other Springsteen classics. My parents LOVE the Boss, I think they’ve been to 10 or more of his concerts, and 4 of those were within an 18-month period. I’ve heard a lot of Springsteen growing up.

Maggie’s Pick 7.22.14: ‘Wish You Were Here’ by Pink Floyd

“And did you exchange
a walk on part in the war
for a lead role in a cage?”

There’s so much just to sit and listen and think on in this song.

“How I wish, how I wish you were here.
We’re just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl, year after year,
Running over the same old ground.
What have we found?
The same old fears.
Wish you were here.”

Maggie’s Pick 7.21.14: ‘Tiny Dancer’ by Elton John

“Blue jean baby, L.A. lady, seamstress for the band
Pretty eyed, pirate smile, you’ll marry a music man
Ballerina, you must have seen her dancing in the sand
And now she’s in me, always with me, tiny dancer in my hand”

Being a musician, there are some songs I just like because they acknowledge musical things, whether that is music culture on the coast of California in 1971 or a cliche repetition of chords. I also like dancing, and this song = classic.

“Hold me closer tiny dancer
Count the headlights on the highway
Lay me down in sheets of linen
You had a busy day today”

Maggie’s Pick 7.19.14: ‘Run-Around’ by Blues Traveler

Currently I’m running around a beautiful city, trying to absorb as much about it as I can before I have to leave tomorrow.

Also, this music video is strange, but very, very ’90s.

Maggie’s Pick 7.18.14: ‘I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)’ by The Proclaimers + HIMYM clip

By the time you read this post, I will be on the road. Not going 500 miles, more like 600 total for this trip, but I’m excited! 😀 and this is a great traveling song.

Apparently this song and the movie Benny and Joon have a lot to do with each other. I should probably watch that sometime.

Also this, from a show I used to really like until I saw the ending (still not over it).

Maggie’s Pick 7.17.14: ‘Far Away’ by Ingrid Michaelson

“Far away far away, I want to go far away.
To a new life on a new shore line.
Where the water is blue and the people are new.
To another island, in another life.”

The travel bug bites me often, be it for a tour of Europe or a weekend trip. The latter is happening this weekend, to a place with much more water than here.

Maggie’s Pick 7.15.14: ‘Tigerlily’ by La Roux

I have mixed feelings about this song.

The first time I heard it, I really didn’t like it. Now I dislike the verses, though am intrigued by the lyrics, and love the chorus.

The bridge is creepy, which is part of why this song reminds me of the TV show “Pretty Little Liars.”