Fourth of July #2, Independence, Missouri by Mike Sinclair
This image is courtesy of 20X200 which is one of my favorite places to buy art.
I am sitting in my parents' living room right now in my hometown of St. Louis, Missouri listening to the rumble of thunder outside getting closer and closer. Mother Nature's version of fireworks I suppose. Happy Fourth of July to my faithful Music Monday readers.
I am in the midst of a long spell here in St. Louis (at least, that's how I imagine the old timers would say it, "a long spell"). While my younger daughter is enjoying/enduring her first time at sleepaway camp in Illinois, I have decided to stay nearby. I've enjoyed getting reacquainted with some of my favorite things about the Lou: toasted ravioli, Ted Drewes (you're welcome Shake Shack devotees in NYC), Cardinals baseball games, and the sound of cicadas on a hot summer night.
I grew up on a cul-de-sac where we would spend the long summer nights playing outside for as long as our parents, and the mosquitos, would allow. And boy did we look forward to The Fourth of July. The annual Donne Avenue Bike Parade was not to be missed: red, white and blue streamers were twisted around the bodies of our Schwinn's and we stuck playing cards in our wheel spokes so that it made this wonderful clacking sound as we rode around in endless circles. Our parents would block off the bottom of the street, sink down in their lawn chairs (the kind that had the woven plastic webbing) and watch us ride around as the sun went down and the lightening bugs came out. Someone would have driven outside the county line to get a trunk load of fireworks which a few of the dads would set off while we all squealed with delight. It was pure Americana and I loved it every year.
I went back to visit that street the other day. As they say, everything seemed smaller than I remember but I can still find the same cracks in the sidewalk that we used to demarcate the various levels of "rock school." I also drove the route that I used to walk to elementary school [seemed like it was 10 miles at the time, turns out it is less than 1], visited the pool where my mom would drop me and my brother off in the morning and not return to pick us up until sundown [frozen snickers for lunch, woo hoo!], and stepped inside the library where I would cool off on long summer days [hoping to find a corner where I could sneak a Judy Blume book in peace].
I realize that I've spent this week lingering somewhere between imagination and memory. The past is like that I guess. My memories of growing up here are simple, sweet and peaceful. I'm sure it wasn't always like that, but that is just how I choose to remember it - or imagine it.
Due to ongoing licensing issues with Playlist.com, I was only able to upload two of the five songs for this week's Music Monday. Argh.
"Calgary" by Bon Iver from the new album Bon Iver
Bon Iver became a favorite of mine with their beautiful debut album, For Emma, Forever Ago in 2007. Since then, Bon Iver has become an official indie darling and has even crossed over to work with Kayne West on two tracks of his album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.
"The Suburbs (Arcade Fire Cover)" by Mr. Little Jeans
2010 saw the release of Arcade Fire's Grammy winning album The Suburbs, the title track of which has recently been produced as a 30 minute short film by Spike Jonze (which you can no longer view online in the US). Monica Birkenes better known as Mr Little Jeans is a Norwegian singer based in London who gives us a different spin on a song that I am always happy to hear.
Cheers, Lisa
Can't see the playlist below? Click here.
