Wednesday, August 26, 2020

Alexa, Play My Favorites

A few years ago, my youngest son bought me an Amazon Echo Dot that I installed in my bedroom.

I have to confess it just sat there plugged in and sparsely used for the longest time. It’s main function was to let me know what time it was early in the morning without my opening my eyes: “Alexa, what time is it?”

Then, sometime in early July of this year, my bedroom flat-screen TV acted up and refused to function. I strongly considered buying a new set, but my older son replaced it with an older, mostly unused set from upstairs.

It worked fine. Except there was no on-off timer on the replacement TV. I used to set the timer and the TV would turn itself off after I’d fallen asleep. No more. Many times I’d get up in the middle of the night with the TV screen lighting up the room and the volume seemingly intensified. The cable control used to have the on-off timer, but the new controls don’t offer it.

It got to where I’d just turn the TV off at 9 p.m. like normal people. Of course, many is the time that I fell asleep before 9 p.m. (aging has that effect on many of us oldsters). And sometimes, I wasn’t sleepy at 9 p.m., but turned it off anyway to prevent that.

One night, I decided to ask Alexa to play soothing songs by favorite artists and easy-listening eras and genres. After one of the songs, Alexa suggested I set up a favorites list, which I did, starting with a couple of Carpenters and Anne Murray hits. An order — “Alexa, add this to my favorites list” — was all it took.

As the nights passed, my favorites collection grew and grew — The Carpenters, Anne Murray, Simon and Garfunkel, Bobby Darin, Rod Taylor, The Everly Brothers, Dean Martin, Peter Paul and Mary, Connie Francis, Andy Williams, Roger Whittaker, The Vogues, Michael BublĂ© ... and more.

One recent morning, I woke up at 1 a.m. I really didn’t feel like turning on the TV and watching HLN’s Morning Express, so asked Alexa to play my favorites, thinking the music would put me back to sleep. Well, that didn’t work. I ended up singing every song in my head. On and on it went, until I’d reached the last song.

It was a little after 4 a.m. Three-plus hours. I didn’t keep track of how many songs are on my favorites list, but most songs are 3-4 minutes long. Three hours equal 180 minutes. Divide that by 3.5 minutes per song (a conservative estimate). I figure there are 50 songs on my list.

And the list will get longer, I guarantee it.


Friday, August 14, 2020

More Song-Lyric Inspired Memes

It's hard to stop creating these, so of course, I made more memes based on song lyrics that have been popular through the years.

Again, you can share these. I give you permission, no need to credit me, but it would be nice. Thanks in advance if you do.

Easy
(Willie Nelson)

All I Have to Do is Dream
(The Everly Brothers)

Words
(The BeeGees)

My Way
(Frank Sinatra)

You Should Be Dancing
(The Bee Gees)

Dream a Little Dream of Me
(Doris Day)

Love is a Many Splendored Thing
(Frank Sinatra)

Four Strong Winds
(Ian and Sylvia, Neil Young)

Greenback Dollar
(The Kingston Trio)

Follow That Dream
(Elvis Presley)

The Long and Winding Road
(The Beatles)

Today
(John Denver, The New Christie Minstrels)

How Deep is Your Love
(The BeeGees)

Somewhere, My Love
(Andy Williams)

The Day that the Rains Came
(Jane Morgan)

I Have a Dream
(ABBA)

I'll Never Find Another You
(The Seekers)

Blue Moon
(The Marcels, Frank Sinatra)

Love is in the Air
(John Paul Young)



Friday, August 7, 2020

Song-Lyric Inspired Memes

Music, particularly song lyrics — musicals, recordings, live performances, it makes no never mind — has influenced my life.


I watch TV advertorials of oldies collections, I have many “Best of” DVDs and Blu-Rays, and ‘way back when record players were in vogue, I bought LP records. When 8-track and cassette tapes appeared, I bought them.


It’s not just the music, but the lyrics as well that move me. And, many lyrics (or at least fragments and phrases) are indelibly etched in my aging, faltering memory. In recent years, I started creating memes to use on Facebook. But you know that. One theme that arises in my posts is the utilization of song lyrics that emphasize my life philosophies and/or emotional feelings at the time.


May I share some with you?


There is Love
(Peter, Paul & Mary)

Weave Me the Sunshine

(Peter, Paul & Mary)


Day is Done

(Peter, Paul & Mary)


Don’t Laugh at Me
(Peter, Paul & Mary)


Thank You for the Music

(ABBA)


Camelot
(“Camelot”)

 
If Ever Would I Leave You
(“Camelot”)

You’ll Never Walk Alone
(“Carousel”)

Put a Little Love in Your Heart
(Jackie DeShannon)

You Are So Beautiful
(Joe Cocker)

Smile
(Nat King Cole)

Green Green
(The New Christy Minstrels)

Here Comes the Sun
(The Beatles)

Love Will Keep Us Together
(Captain and Tennille)

The Twelfth of Never
(Johnny Mathis)

Aquarius
(The Fifth Dimension)

Rhythm of My Heart
(Rod Stewart)

Reach Out (I'll Be There)
(The Four Tops)

You Got It
(Roy Orbison)

Wonderful! Wonderful!
(Johnny Mathis)

You may use these. I give you permission. You can credit me if you like, but it’s not a requirement.