A Lyrical Journey to The Past

Heart don't fail me now
courage don't desert me
don't turn back now that we're here
people always say life is full of choices
no one ever mentions fear

or how one road can seem so long
or how the world can seem so vast
courage see me through
heart I'm trusting you
on this journey... to the past

somewhere down this road
I know someone's waiting
years of dreams just can't be wrong
arms will open wide
I'll be safe and wanted finally home where I belong

well starting here my life begins
starting now I'm learning fast
courage see me through
heart I'm trusting you
on this journey... to the past

One step at a time
one hope, then another
who knows where this road may go ooh
back to who I was
On to find my future
Things my heart still needs to know

yes let this be a sign
let this road be mine
let it lead me to my past
courage see me through
heart I'm trusting you to bring me home
(courage see me through heart I'm trusting you)

The song above was sung by sweet Aaliyah for the animated movie 'Anastasia'!

Sometime back, I was reading Times and came across a beautiful line in Bachi Karkaria's article. I edited her line and found an amazing quote, which I thought I should share.

"Every ballad tries to relocate the past." (Knowing fully well that there's no rewind button on life.)

I don't know how many can relate to this quote but since music played such an important role in my life, I decided to write about it. I think I have songs for each moment of my life. If I think back, I find so many songs that accompanied each moment of my life to such an extent that they became my extension.

Anyway, the most difficult job would be to make a top ten list of my favourite songs because I cannot do that. However, three songs that I totally relate to are,

"In My Life" by The Beatles, "Both Sides Now" by Joni Mitchell and "To Where You Are" by Josh Groban

I am sharing the lyrics; I hope you all enjoy these songs.

In My Life

Lyrics & Music by John Lennon & Paul McCartney
Performed by The Beatles
From the album 'Rubber Soul'
Covered by Bette Midler for the movie, "For the Boys"

There are places I'll remember
All my life though some have changed
Some forever not for better
Some have gone and some remain
All these places have their moments
With lovers and friends I still can recall
Some are dead and some are living
In my life I've loved them all

But of all these friends and lovers
There is no one compares with you
And these memories lose their meaning
When I think of love as something new
Though I know I'll never lose affection
For people and things that went before
I know I'll often stop and think about them
In my life I love you more

Though I know I'll never lose affection
For people and things that went before
I know I'll often stop and think about them
In my life I love you more

In my life I love you more

___

Both Sides Now
Lyrics & Music by Joni Mitchell
Performed By Joni Mitchell
From the album 'Both Sides Now'
Previous released on the album 'Clouds'
Covered by Natalie Cole, Neil Diamond, and many others

Rows and flows of angel hair
And ice cream castles in the air
And feather canyons everywhere
I've looked at clouds that way

But now they only block the sun
They rain and they snow on everyone
So many things I would have done
But clouds got in my way

I've looked at clouds from both sides now
From up and down, and still somehow

Its cloud illusions I recall
I really don't know clouds at all

Moons and Junes and Ferris wheels
The dizzy dancing way that you feel
As every fairy tale comes real
I've looked at love that way

But now it's just another show
And you leave 'em laughing when you go
And if you care, don't let them know
Don't give yourself away

I've looked at love from both sides now
From give and take, and still somehow

It's love's illusions I recall
I really don't know love

Really don't know love at all

Tears and fears and feeling proud
To say "I love you" right out loud
Dreams and schemes and circus crowds
I've looked at life that way

Oh but now old friends they're acting strange
And they shake their heads
And they tell me that I've changed
Well something's lost but something's gained
In living every day

I've looked at life from both sides now
From win and lose and still somehow

It's life's illusions I recall
I really don't know life at all

It's life's illusions I recall
I really don't know life

I really don't know life at all

___

To Where You Are
Lyrics by Linda Thompson
Music by Richard Marx
Performed by Josh Groban
From the album 'Josh Groban'

Who can say for certain
Maybe you're still here
I feel you all around me
Your memory's so clear

Deep in the stillness
I can hear you speak
You're still an inspiration
Can it be
That you are mine
Forever love
And you are watching over me from up above

Fly me up to where you are
Beyond the distant star
I wish upon tonight
To see you smile
If only for awhile
To know you're there
A breath away's not far
To where you are
Are you gently sleeping
Here inside my dreams
And isn't faith believing
All powers can't be seen
As my heart holds you
Just one beat away
I cherish all you gave me
Everyday
Cause you are mine
Forever love
Watching me from up above
And I believe
That angels breathe
And that love will live on and never leave

Fly me up to where you are
Beyond the distant star
I wish upon tonight
To see you smile
If only for awhile
To know you're there
A breath away's not far
To where you are
I know you're there
A breath away's not far
To where you are.

___

I had so many songs on my list, which I wanted to share but I chose three songs that inspired me and became my anthems. And although, one cannot really dance on any of these numbers, the emotional support these songs give makes them worth sharing.

I strongly recommend these tracks to people who have not already heard them. Joni Mitchell CDs are very difficult to source in India, but her lyrics are mind blowing and her songs are evergreen. Big Yellow Taxi covered by Counting Crows sometime back is proof of that.

Try and look back at your life and see, if you can remember, what songs played in your head when the first saw that special someone for the first time, the first kiss, the first date, the first argument, the first heartbreak, the first loss, the first everything and you would land up with a soundtrack called 'Life'

As I end this lyrical journey, I do it with this beautiful song, the lyrics and music of this song were by Marvin Hamlisch, Alan Bergman and Marilyn Bergman and it was recorded by Barbra Streisand way back in 1974.

Mem'ries light the corners of my mind
Misty water-coloured mem'ries of the way we were

Scattered pictures of the smiles we left behind
Smiles we gave to one another for the way we were.

Can it be that it was all so simple then
Or has time rewritten every line?
If we had the chance to do it all again,
tell me, would we? Could we?

Mem'ries may be beautiful and yet
What's too painful to remember
we simply choose to forget
So it's the laughter we will remember
Whenever we remember
The way we were.

The way we were.