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Friday, November 25, 2011

Musical Stories Special Edition: Memoir

Happy Friday everyone. I hope all my American friends had a wonderful Thanksgiving yesterday, and that those of you who went shopping today grabbed a few bargains, and no bruises.

You might remember last week that I said I would showcase a few Musical Stories that didn't quite fit any of our genres before I got started on the third series. I think today's three could all be classed as the memoir genre. (I wish I'd thought to include Memoir when I started this!) I'm sure I don't need to state this, but I will anyway, I'm not suggesting that these are real memoirs, rather they are the stories of the people depicted in the songs.

You get an added bonus with the first song as the best sound quality version I could find is played against a backdrop of scenes from Thelma and Louise. There are other versions of this song, but I don't believe anyone could sing it better than this woman, although I suspect the singer's memoir would be way more exciting than anything the character in this song could experience.

I first heard the second song when I was too young to understand the words, and it has remained a favourite of mine ever since. I bet there's not a single one of us who hasn't, at least once, wanted to give it to someone with both barrels :-)

My final choice for this week is a bit of a self indulgent one. Yesterday was the twentieth anniversary of the death of someone who I consider to be the greatest showman ever. You're still missed mate.

I hope you enjoy these, we'll have another special edition next week and then we'll start series three.









If you want to know how Harper Valley was faring 15 years later, here's your answer.





42 comments:

  1. I knew every lyric to Harper Valley PTA as a kid--same as you, didn't know what it meant, just knew it was a kick ass song. And Freddie Mercury was indeed one of the best showmen ever.

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  2. Fabulous choices! Now I want to go watch Thelma and Louise. I LOVE that show. And I love the last song too. I hadn't heard the 2nd, but its good! Another great week :)

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  3. Harper Valley PTA has been added to my YouTube Favorites list, of which I listen to when I write. Thank you.

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  4. You spoil us, Sarah. And I couldn't agree more about Freddie Mercury. You've made my Saturday.

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  5. I absolutely love Queen and what a fitting song considering this past week has been the twenty year anniversary of Freddies death.

    Another great post :)

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  6. Seriously; not sure the Queen song fits your theme here, but all these are great songs. Talk about bring back the memories.

    Thanks Sarah; I needed this tonight :)

    ......dhole

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  7. Great selections! I remember Harper Valley PTA. That song has the tendency to really stick in my head. I hadn't heard the other two before.

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  8. Although I adore anything by Queen I'm going to have to go for Harper Valley PTA. I love that story. It still makes the hairs stand up on my neck when she marches in and tells them what for!

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  9. Great choices once again. I hat to laugh at the PTA one. I'll have to remember that :)

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  10. Gosh, that "Harper Valley PTA" sure takes me back!

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  11. Memoir is a great choice - not only are many songs about memories, but they are also one of the best ways of transporting us into our pasts.

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  12. I just read that post about your daughter's migraine! What a scary experience. I'm so sorry you had to go through that, but I agree-thankful with you that it was *only* a migraine!

    That Harper Valley song is hilarious! I love it. :) How true--the worst critics are usually the ones hiding the most. lol.

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  13. I don't think I'd ever heard that first song before. Wonder where I was? LOL! How well I remember Harper Valley PTA! I loved that song. In junior high my best friend, Kathy Tourino, performed in the school talent show by lip-syncing this song, and I thought that was pretty darn gutsy! She did a great job! I love Queen, one of my favorite bands, and it's such a shame that Freddie Mercury died so young. I agree that he was one of the greatest showmen that ever lived. He had an awesome voice.

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  14. Oh, I forgot to say that the Harper Valley PTA song 15 years later is pretty good. Her grandkids going to Harper Valley HS and everyone seemed to have straightened out their lives! I guess there's hope after all! Haha!

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  15. Great choices, as always! I do love me some Queen. :)

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  16. Great pieces! Love me some Queen. Freddie was awesome.

    OMG Harper Valley PTA. I hear this one every once in a great while on my country station. Love it.

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  17. Harper Valley PTA takes me back years!! Yay for memories!

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  18. Twenty years??? It's hard to believe so much time has already passed since Freddie's passing. And the Harper Valley PTA song is a music relic. I was in high school when that came out.


    Lee
    Enjoy my delightful interview with Susan Kane on
    Wrote By Rote Saturday 11/26

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  19. I loved Thelma and Louise! Great choices, I must say. :)

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  20. Such classics. The last Queen songs always put a lump in my throat for Freddie. A great man, much missed.

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  21. Love Queen - love that song. Also, I'd forgotten how much I loved watching Thelma and Louise... I might have to search it out from somewhere!

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  22. I loved Harper Valley PTA. I'd forgotten all about it. And I've never seen the Queen video. I'm actually shocked since my brother was a HUGE fan of the band.

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  23. You're a Freddie Mercury fan? My brother is a tremendous fan. Her was a DJ when he was young and had the chance to hang out with him several times. He still believes him to be about the best there was as well. Cool clips!

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  24. I love Thelma and Louise. That's a movie about friendship, tried and true.

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  25. Can it really be 20 years since Freddie Mercury died? How can that BE?

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  26. That Harper Valley PTA one is like tattooed in my brain!!

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  27. Queen is far and away the best rock band ever in the history of music or ever.

    Sarah Allen
    (my creative writing blog)

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  28. You know I love me some musical stories! These are fabulous Sarah! My Thanksgiving was fabulous! Just the break I needed for a fabulous new story idea. Blogging three days a week is going to allow more blogging time AND more writing time! Win-win!

    YA Tournament of Heroines: Hermione is my Heroine... Care to join?

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  29. I think Queen is one of my favorites of ALL TIME. I love everything they sang!

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  30. Very cool. :)
    I do love Queen. I just introduced them to my kids this year

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  31. Oh Freddie...what a voice. What charisma. And what a sad story he ended up being. I can't believe it's been 20 years already.

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  32. Never heard of Harper Valley... but I liked the lyrics...:)

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  33. I'd almost forgotten Harper Valley. How could that be? Thanks for jolting the old memory banks.

    Hope to see you around the Insecure Writers' Blog Hop. I'll definitely be there.

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  34. Awesome! The Thelma and Louise one is BAD ASS! :D

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  35. Can I just say how much I love that Thelma and Louise clip! I saw that movie in high school and I LOVED it! Just loved it!! Thanks for sharing all those great clips Sarah!

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  36. How great to bring back the HV PTA. This was part of women's empowerment. They were throwing off their aprons and marching into offices, government, and the last bastion of cliches: the PTA. Thanks.

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  37. I enjoyed all three. I faintly remember Harper Valley PTA. I only saw it once on TV, but it's quite catchy.

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  38. Julie - He's definitely still missed.

    Abby - I want to see it again too now :-)

    Brooke - Yay! So glad you liked it.

    Jo - I'm so glad, thank you :-)

    Rebecca - I couldn't not have a Queen song this week!

    Donna H - You could be right, but I had to sneak Freddie in, this week of all weeks.

    Inluvwithwords - Oh yes. Once heard, never forgotten :-)

    Rosalind - Wouldn't it be wonderful to have that confidence?

    Jen B - It's brilliant, isn't it?

    Linda G - Definitely a forgotten gem :-)

    Patsy - So true. Just the first notes to the right song, and you're 'there'.

    Golden Eagle - I can't believe I didn't think of it before :-)

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  39. Amy - Thankfully she got over it a lot faster than I did :-)

    Lynn - You're probably too young for the first song! I'd love to have seen your friend perform :-)

    Talli - How can anyone not? :-)

    Donna S - He was indeed. Glad to know Harper Valley PTA is still being played :-)

    Pat - I couldn't agree with you more :-)

    Arlee - Too true. It seems like just a few years ago that he died.

    Lydia - Thank you very much :-)

    Madeleine - I know what you mean. The last album always makes me miss him more.

    Annalisa - I've put it on my Christmas list :-) Thank you for the award, it's much appreciated.

    Stina - It's so sad. There's a colour version but they reshot it in black and white to hide how ill he was.

    Lindsay - I am so envious of your brother!

    Michael - Isn't it, though?

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  40. Dianne - Tell me about it!

    Jennifer - Heh, you're welcome ;-)

    Sarah - You won't hear an argument from me!

    Jen - Oh I'm so glad. Imagination is a wonderful thing :-)

    Peggy - Glad to hear I'm not alone in my admiration :-)

    Michelle - Don't you just love introducing the 'old' stuff to the kids?

    Melodie - Definitely a flame that burnt brightly but went out too soon.

    Tania - You can't help but cheer her on, can you?

    Cleemckenzie - So many songs, such a bad memory. (That's my excuse, anyway).I'll definitely be there.

    Christina - Couldn't have put it better myself :-)

    Johanna - You're very welcome. I'm so glad you liked it.

    barbfroman - Welcome to you. I'm so glad you enjoyed it.

    Medeia - I didn't even realise it had been a film and a series until I searched on youtube :-)

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