Writing 101, Day Three: Commit to a Writing Practice

Write about the three most important songs in your life — what do they mean to you? … Today’s twist: You’ll commit to a writing practice. …

I’m as close to committing to a writing practice as I’m going to get. And I don’t see how writing about three songs has anything to do with the committment to writing for fifteen minutes a day. A twist of the imagination? [added later – oh yes, talking blogging writing habit ]

First song, my all time favourite is America’s “A Horse With No Name”.

I was a young mother with two very young children when this song came out. Though who knows, it could have been out for ages before it filtered on the 3HA’s playlist. (Hamilton, Victoria) It resonated with me, particularly the line ‘for there aint no-one to give you no pain’. At the time I was deep in denial that I had made a big mistake by getting married. I kept telling myself just as well I never acted on my instinct to run away before the big day. I would have looked very foolish when I later discovered I was pregnant. Two weeks, by my reckoning, on the big day. I don’t think I would have been able to bring myself to have an abortion, but I probably would have. We had lots of girls going through the Mt Gambier hospital for D & C’s, took me some time to realise what was going on! But then I have always been naïve. It’s taken me decades to work some things through in my head, to find what happened was different to what I thought was happening at the time. I don’t know if that makes sense. [sigh]

My second song is more recent. I fell in love with “Miss Murder” by AFI. I think the film clip influenced me – I KNOW the film clip influenced me. I just loved the whole drama of it. My favourite line is when he (Billy? Davey) sings about reaching for the golden ring that was promised and sings something like, “Will he let you get your filthy hands upon it”, which I take to mean will God let you get what you want. On second thought, I might love the growl in his throat during the rabbit scene. In the  cd the prelude and Miss Murder are separate tracks, the video long version has both. (see at end for the video)

And I just cannot think of a third favourite song, my music tastes are diverse. I can say I love certain songs, but if I don’t have the record then I don’t love them enough … oh, gee, how could I forget …  Meatloaf  and ‘Bat Out Of Hell’ the title track. I was introduced to Meatloaf and Alice Cooper, both, during a party at the home of Mr Ex’s close friend. (The one I came too close to myself, eventually)  [oops, wrong party]

Many years later, my Mr R and I saw Alice Cooper in concert in Melbourne at the tennis centre, and when I first saw him I surprised myself by leaping to my feet and screaming! It came from no-where and was completely unexpected, never happened at Bob Dylan or even Tex Perkins. Most of the concert I think I had my mouth hanging open, but I can’t really say I love Alice Cooper’s songs over any of the others I have named, especially this Meatloaf.

I haven’t been watching the time, but who cares. I have written this out pretty quick without really thinking about the three choices I made. Now I will polish up, and track down utube films to embed, etc. You can choose if you listen, or not. Oh, I will also check the lyrics on the lines I’ve quoted, for accuracy. Don’t want to look too stupid.

And then I’m going to pop my Miss Murder single in the player, watch the video and blast my eardrums. I think it’s my favourite. You know, I have no idea what I said at number one now [scrolls up] oh yes, …. ummmm…

Long version

Yes, Miss Murder is my favourite.  🙂