Imagine, By John Lennon post Beatles, was once again, for the umpteenth time in my life, held up to the world by a christian, in this case American Idol's Joshua Ledet, as a song where Jennifer Lopez as judge, shortly after his return home segment had him singing in church, identified as Joshua was "preaching." I have been bothered by this for a long time so now I am going to vent. I LOVE John Lennon music, during and post Beatles. I cry when I think of what Mark Chapman took away from us that fateful night in New York. The words to this song, printed below, are beautiful, heartfelt, and honest ...and SO SIMPLE and easy to understand. Like All You Need Is Love, its just so simple to say it, rhyme it, and put a beautiful piano melody and John's lovely voice to exemplify it. But please people, this is NOT a song that has anything to do with religion of any kind, and in fact sets forth in it's first verse, that to get to it's conclusion, that the world should be as one, we apparently have to imagine *(and one would think participate in) a world with no religion. It's just that it's not "easy if you try," nor will it ever be.
Imagine is the beautiful song and the most touching song we could ever think of to imagine a better world without selfishness and governments who send their young to die in wars between governments that have little if anything to do with the heart beating inside the soldiers body and the family who may have to bury him. IF the world is to be as one, lots has to change and that is not foreseeable in anyone living today's lifetime. In fact, the only hope for that possibility, dare I say, is an earth shattering RELIGIOUS (dare I say CHRISTIAN) common experience. Those of us who know God in any way through any religion, know that world peace in our lifetime is hopeless without His intervention. Love the song, sing the song, believe in the dreams of John Lennon and
everyone ever touched by this song. But never say to a christian that
it's like preaching. And the bottom line is this. Not only is a song that I love (in it's proper context) is a song that I would characterize as the Atheist National Anthem.
Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people living for today
Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people living life in peace
You, you may say
I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one
I hope some day you'll join us
And the world will be as one
Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people sharing all the world
You, you may say
I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one
I hope some day you'll join us
And the world will live as one
Goodbye Clarence Clemons - Goodbye E Street Band
“….For 15 years, Clarence has been a source of myth, and light, and enormous strength for me onstage. He has filled my heart so many nights, so many nights. And I love it when he wraps me in his arms at the end of the night. That night when we first stood together, I looked over at C., and it looked like his head reached into the clouds, and I felt like a mere mortal, scurrying upon the earth. But he always lifted me up - way, way, way up. Together we told a story of the possibilities of friendship; a story older than the ones that I was writing, and a story that I could never have told without him at my side. I want to thank you, Big Man - I love you so much.”
That was what Bruce said in 1999 being inducted to the Rock Hall Of Fame. ...now if thethe "15 years" he mentions seems short, it was Bruce honestly taking in to account the years Bruce played with someone else...and I can tell you from seeing those "F Street Band" performances as they were called, it felt VERY empty when a song came up that needed Clarence on Sax ...was not the same without him, as the music world never will be without him today. I've seen Bruce a dozen times ---first time in 1975 at Burruss Hall in Blacksburg for $4.50. and the arena was always electric when Clarence stepped into the spotlight. I also had one of the times of my life when "Clarence Clemons and the Red Bank Rockers" played to about 300 faithful during a huge ice storm at Radford University until the wee hours of the morning in the early 80's . Somehow, those of us who saw the band the past few years had to realize we were seeing the end of something . At the end of the shows, with the crowd prompted by the screens, we all hailed
The E Street Band!
The E Street Band!
The heart-stopping, pants-dropping, house-rocking, earth-shaking, booty-quaking, Viagra-taking, love-making -
Le-gen-dary E - Street - Band!
The E Street Band!
The E Street Band!
The heart-stopping, pants-dropping, house-rocking, earth-shaking, booty-quaking, Viagra-taking, love-making -
Le-gen-dary E - Street - Band!
Guess you know I will miss him.
Sweet Revenge by Obama on Donald Trump & Birthers
Here are the words of Donald Trump after being skewered by Seth Myers and President Obama at the Correspondents Dinner Saturday night... "Well, I really understood what I was getting into, I didn't know that I'd be virtually the sole focus," he said. "But I was certainly in a certain way having a good time listening. I had no idea it would be to that extent, where you know, it was just joke after joke after joke," Trump said on Sunday morning. "It was almost like, is there anyone else they could talk about?"
Obama said Trump has made the tough decisions, for instance firing Gary Busey on "Celebrity Apprentice" instead of Meatloaf. "These are the types of decisions that would keep me up at night. Well handled, sir." Obama also showed a photoshop White House where Trump had turned the home into a casino.
Obama thinks now The Donald can focus on serious issues, like if the moon landings were faked or "where are Biggie and Tupac?"
Said Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Anchor Seth Myers about Trump, "Donald Trump often talks about running as a Republican, which is surprising, I just assumed he was running as a joke."
So Trump walked into the Lions Den and was dispatched easily. After drinking in two weeks of publicity in demanding the President's Birth Certificate, he had to wonder at some point what would happen should Obama actually produce the document ...how would he be mocked ? Now, he knows, up close and personal, and how gratifying for him to be brought to within a few feet of Obama himself to do the skewering.
Obama said Trump has made the tough decisions, for instance firing Gary Busey on "Celebrity Apprentice" instead of Meatloaf. "These are the types of decisions that would keep me up at night. Well handled, sir." Obama also showed a photoshop White House where Trump had turned the home into a casino.
Obama thinks now The Donald can focus on serious issues, like if the moon landings were faked or "where are Biggie and Tupac?"
Said Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Anchor Seth Myers about Trump, "Donald Trump often talks about running as a Republican, which is surprising, I just assumed he was running as a joke."
So Trump walked into the Lions Den and was dispatched easily. After drinking in two weeks of publicity in demanding the President's Birth Certificate, he had to wonder at some point what would happen should Obama actually produce the document ...how would he be mocked ? Now, he knows, up close and personal, and how gratifying for him to be brought to within a few feet of Obama himself to do the skewering.
New singer songwriter musician Anna Calvi is something special
ANNA CALVIShe started as a violin player and switched to guitar. The singer who has had the greatest influence is Maria Callas she told NPR’s Lyn Neary. She says Maria has a confrontational quality in her voice, not afraid of being raw and vulnerable. A risk taker like her. She says starting her album with a long piece of guitar heavy instrumental music was to achieve a hypnotic effect and bring the listener into her world. She has said her self titled debut album was the culmination of 3 years of work in her parents basement. It was already critically acclaimed abroad and released in the U.S. March 1, 2011. NME says it may just be the first great album of 2011. The first single in the U.S. is called “Blackout.”
Calvi is known for her intensity as a musician along with a combination of sensous and seductive live show. She is known for a different guitar style where she hits the strings in a circular motion, as opposed to strumming.
Songs like like “Desire” have a “melodic motif that keeps on building and building “ metaphorically. It keeps adding instruments until it’s “Bursting” at the end. “Playing live is a fulfilling experience for me because it allows me to be fearless and strong”
This is just the start of a great moment when music needed something new.
Calvi is known for her intensity as a musician along with a combination of sensous and seductive live show. She is known for a different guitar style where she hits the strings in a circular motion, as opposed to strumming.
Songs like like “Desire” have a “melodic motif that keeps on building and building “ metaphorically. It keeps adding instruments until it’s “Bursting” at the end. “Playing live is a fulfilling experience for me because it allows me to be fearless and strong”
This is just the start of a great moment when music needed something new.
Predicting the American Idol Top 13 - Top 10 plus Wildcards
ELEVEN of the top 24 will be cut Thursday night by American Idol (Did you realize they were going to eliminate ELEVEN ?)
Fans will select their top 5 boys, top five Girls, and the judges will pick 3 wild cards. I think I got this. Here are 14 potential season 2011 Idols that will make up the 13 as I see it.
Boys
the girls
Fans will select their top 5 boys, top five Girls, and the judges will pick 3 wild cards. I think I got this. Here are 14 potential season 2011 Idols that will make up the 13 as I see it.
Boys
Casey Abram the bass player
Clint Jun Gamboa the karoke idol
Jacob Lusk the gospel / luther vandross
James Durbin - the high voice autistic
Paul McDonald-the carefree smooth soul voice
Scotty McCreery- the country baritone
===============the girls
Ashthon Jones who has the x factor
Pia Toscano who sang stand by me
Karen Rodriguez wowed em
BOTH laurensLauren Turner
Lauren Alaina
Thia Megia
Naima Adedapo
Haley Reinhart (on the bubble ---my 14th out of 13)
Gina Gershon as Sara Palin is on the mark
I know when we all think of Sarah Palin impersonations, we first think of Tina Fey, and deservedly so. She looks spot on and has some of the mannerisms down pat. BUT …seeing Gina Gershon for Funny or Die do Palin puts a great spin on it …hard to pick a favorite.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/09/sarah-palin-media-addict-_n_821019.html
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