Rise up RA fans!

Kudos to at least three RA bloggers who have committed themselves to creative fund raising ideas to help out Chrishchurch, New Zealand after the devastating earthquake they suffered several months ago.

Bravo to Calexora for issuing a challenge to Richard Armitage to play his cello on the telethon.  Wouldn't we all love to see that!  Then Servetus decided to raise funds on her blog by matching our comments with dollars, and RAFrenzy followed suit!  What a generous group of people!

I don't really have anything to offer here except that the title Rise Up Christchurch has reminded me of some very upbeat and/or inspiring songs.  Almost anything can make me think of a song, so please excuse me, but here I go again...
 

Rise Up / by The Parachute Club (1983)

This next song is also very inspiring for anyone, but especially for those who have experienced a tragedy. The Rankin Family's version is my favourite but here they sing on a special television program starring Anne Murray singing also with Rita Macneil and The Men of the Deeps and many more special guests.  It reminds me of those who suffered from the recent Japanese tsunami.

Rise Again





I hope I will have a chance to watch the telethon at some point this weekend.

Sorry about this rushed post, but my daughter is visiting us for her birthday and we're opening up the cottage this Victoria Day weekend, so I just popped by the house to pick up something.  Have a great weekend everyone!

***UPDATE:***
Thank you to RA Central for the video of Sir Ian McKellan's interview on the Rise Up Christchurch telethon where he introduces the dwarves in their new costumes.  Richard Armitage Central dot com also has made available stills from the video which is where I snaffled this one:

I never would have recognized him, but for the hands!

Here he is holding up a copy of The Hobbit autographed by the cast which was one of the auction items for the Fund Raising appeal.

Wuthering about Kate

Kate Bush has been making her highly distinctive style of music since the late 1970s and 1980s and I'll admit although I had heard of her, I hadn't paid much attention -- until lately, that is. 

She's been a British pop sensation since the age of 16 when she materialized on the music scene with a repertoire of 200 songs which were distilled into her first album The Kick Inside.  Her combination of original talent accompanied by her beauty and grace soon had the attention of the entertainment media.  
This album is listed in Tom Moon's 1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die.

Here is a short film biography about Kate Bush.

I did appreciate her duet with Peter Gabriel  "Don't Give Up".  I am sure I once saw a fanvid from North and South that someone had made to that video. I don't think I dreamt it.  I thought I would find it on my Youtube playlist, but if I ever saved it, it has since disappeared.

Wuthering Heights was her first hit from her debut album. The 1970 miniseries with Timothy Dalton was her inspiration. I vaguely remember hearing Kate sing this song in my youth, but I don't think I listened well enough to know what it was about.  She was playing in the background of the soundtrack of my life, I just wasn't tuned to her channel.  In 1978 when this song first came out, I had just discovered The Police and Blondie's Heart of Glass was the song that most intrigued me.  Now that I have rediscovered this song, I am almost haunted by it.  Kate's soaring vocals are almost terrifying in their passion.  If you watch one of the videos where she is singing and dancing, she really acts like a ghostly Cathy yearning for her lost love. 

I like how this fanvidder (thumbelina15) has used the song with clips from the 1992 version of Wuthering Heights starring Juliette Binoche and Ralph Fiennes. 

Richard Armitage fans can't help wishing that he would be given a role like Heathcliff someday.  There was even a fanvideo by EvenstarCrystal mixing Guy of Gisborne into the 1992 version so that he does look like Heathcliff.

At the tender age of 16 Kate Bush was discovered by David Gilmour of Pink Floyd.  We have him to thank for launching her career.  Here she is with him singing her hit from 1985
"Running Up That Hill".


I guess I am not the only Richard Armitage fan who appreciates Kate's music.  Here are two fanvids which use a cover version of this same song as performed by the group Placebo.   Miss Hale78 has done a simply stellar job in this video showing Lucas North's struggle with himself in Spooks series 9.  The music is a perfect fit and her editing is very intense.
It seems hard to believe but this same song has also been used for a North and South fanvid by Lotjeknorrepotje.  It works well because of the clever use of the clips she has chosen.


This next video is the song that ultimately inspired this post as it seems as if it could have been written by one of us Richard Armitage fans!

The Man with the Child in His Eyes


This song brings to mind Richard's portrayal of John Standring in a modern version of Wuthering Heights called Sparkhouse. Cathy is named Carol, a wimpy Heathcliff aka Andrew is played by Joe McFadden, and Richard's character is kind of an Everyman who is thrown in to keep it real.

Look at his eyes!  He is so sweet. Who could hurt him?

The more I found out about Kate Bush, the more songs I found to admire.  This one also brought Richard to mind with his early career as a dancer.

Moving

Here's the biggest surprise I got from watching Kate's music videos.  She made a filmlike video to her song Experiment IV starring Dr. House (Hugh Laurie) and The Vicar of Dibley herself! (Dawn French)



For more of Kate Bush's music videos, visit her official Youtube channel.

I was very pleased to remember to include the following fan video and I am very grateful to have received permission to post it here.  Heathdances was inspired to create a sequel to North and South using Kate's song "Women's Work".  As it doesn't follow the usual plot of the miniseries, here is her explanation of the video:

This is an AU (Alternate Universe) video!! Basically, it takes place after the N&S series has ended. John (Richard Armitage) and Margaret (Daniela Denby-Ashe) get married and start a family. At the train station Margaret is trying to tell John she is pregnant, and is a little nervous about it. He holds her hand and assures her everything will be fine and of course they are very happy about it. During her pregnancy she collapses and goes into early labor. Margaret is struggling with the birth and spends many hours in labor. John is not only concerned but heartbroken and feels like his life with Margaret is falling apart. He thinks back on the good times and bad in their relationship. He doesn't want to lose either Margaret or the baby. Margaret is a strong woman though and pulls through. She has a beautiful healthy baby. John is relieved and they are one happy family. :-)

I don't know where my mind goes sometimes LOL but I have always wanted to make a continuation story for John and Margaret. I can't write fan fiction so this is my way of fan fiction! LOL

If you click on the Youtube logo on the bottom right corner of the video you can watch it from the Youtube page and change it to a higher definition picture.

Thanks Heather! Your video is very creative and beautifully realized. Please feel free to make more musical fan fics. :)

Here's another surprise... I didn't realize when I started this post that after a long hiatus, Kate Bush has released a new album: Director's Cut. 
 Here is a recent BBC radio interview you can listen to if you wish.

Time Out with Phylly

The Persistence of Memory by Salvador Dali.

Time Is the Keeper 
lyrics and music by Ian Thomas

Everyone has a dream or a wish they would like to see come true
From the time you begin to crawl it's inside of us all
There are always those who go through life with a silver spoon
That can get so hard to take, just sit back and wait
Cause time is the keeper
(Time is the keeper)
Of the dreams you make
(Time is the keeper)
Dreams are the sleepers
(Time is the keeper)
Waiting to awake
(Time is the keeper)
You will get some of the things you want
But in your mind there's always more, guess that's the way we are
We all want to go so far
Patience is a virtue tried and proven, you get what's coming to you
You might as well have a seat, take a load off your feet

I had this album in LP and also (horrors!) in 8 track (I just dated myself!)

For time is the keeper
(Time is the keeper)
Of the dreams you make
(Time is the keeper)

Dreams are the sleepers

(Time is the keeper)
Waiting to awake
(Time is the keeper)
Time is the keeper
(Time is the keeper)
Of the dreams you make
Woah time is the keeper
(Time is the keeper)
Of the dreams you make
Woah time is the keeper
(Time is the keeper)
Of the dreams you make
Oh time is the keeper
(Time is the keeper)

I don't see this version available anymore but there is this one:

for the Amazon.ca link, click here.

Ian Thomas is one of Canada's best kept secrets. I could never understand why he didn't make it big down south (the U.S.) but maybe he just never really wanted to leave Canada. He is still making music and touring around Canada when he can, but I haven't had the pleasure of seeing him perform yet.

There are so many great songs with a Time theme, that if I tried to post a video of all (or even most) of them, this post would be way too long.  So I have picked a few of my faves to highlight and a few more I give passing mention to (with a link) in the following paragraph:

Sometimes I feel like a motherless child (a long way from home). Mostly I know time is on my side -- yes it is! Although I spend so much time on the computer, you might think I have many wasted days and wasted nights. But time after time I find myself finding some bit of information or long forgotten bit of nostalgia on my journey through the past that I might save or pass on to someone else. If it makes them happy, then I am also happy also, but you can be sure that I am having the time of my life!

I had a pretty cool psychedelic video here before, but it has been taken off of Youtube (for some reason).  This is a concert version of the song which I hope you will enjoy.  Please let me know if any links stop working, or videos disappear (or even if I make spelling mistakes!)  I hate to waste your time. :)

Time (1973) / Pink Floyd

One of the few newer bands I totally love is Coldplay. If you share my love of Coldplay and Richard Armitage you will probably like my earlier blogpost Fanvidding with Coldplay. I looked for this song in a fanvid starring RA but couldn't find one, although there was one from Spooks starring Rupert Penry Jones. If anyone out there knows of one, please share it with me.  Or if anyone wants to make one, I would love to see the finished product!

Clocks (2004) / Coldplay

This one is a favourite because I really like the artist (she was born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada) and also the words and music are very meaningful to me.

Time  (2002) / Chantal Kreviachuk

This video is all the more poignant because it shows Brittany Murphy (in the 2003 movie Uptown Girls) who showed such promise as an actress. Unfortunately she passed away last year just when her career was starting to blossom.

The next video is of another artist whose career ended much too soon. Jim Croce (Jan. 10, 1943 – Sept. 20, 1973) died in a plane crash on his way to his next performance.  The video contains footage of him with his family and his song is so much more meaningful than he ever could have known when he wrote it.

Time in a Bottle (1973) / Jim Croce

This Canadian band has really stood the test of time. This video is from a concert in 2003 in which they sound just as good (or better) than they ever did!

 No Time (1970) / The Guess Who

This next song title could be my theme song. (I am time challenged!) It is very annoying for others but could actually be a good thing (as long as I am late for my own funeral!)

Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is? (1969) / Chicago

Franco Zefferelli's production of Romeo and Juliet (1968) was such a beautiful movie, I don't believe any version has surpassed it yet. I always found this song entrancing. It was in my sister's piano book and she used to play it often. I was very pleased to find a fanvid of the movie using the song (with words) as the soundtrack. I think in the movie the song was used for the credits but without the words.

A Time for Us

Wow! I didn't realize this post would be so sad. Think of all of what passed before as the death of the old year. And now for some comic relief...

George Carlin explains the concept of Time

I would really like a watch like this! I don't like digital clocks either, George! Really, unless you are timing a  soufflé, defusing a bomb (shades of Spooks), or doing a science experiment, do we really need to be so exact with each minute and second?  When I am outside I am fairly good at telling time with the sun. I am not suggesting that we go back to using sun dials or anything, just that we should lighten up a bit.
While I was in Northern England this year I heard people referring to "half two" which I assume is 2:30 or what we used to refer to as "half past two" (but does anyone say that anymore?). I guess half two is the same but leaving out the word "past".  (How's that for living in the present?)

Phylly's favourite Movies about TIME (not necessarily in this exact order):

5. Time After Time (1979)

Malcolm Macdowell (as H.G. Welles) chases Jack the Ripper into modern day San Francisco via a time machine. It makes for some very amusing fish out of water type antics, some romance with Mary Steenbergen and of course the thriller elements are very well done.

4. Back to the Future (1985)

If you haven't seen this movie yet, you are overdue for some excellent entertainment. Michael J. Fox stars as Marty McFly in another time travel adventure where he must go back in time in order to ensure his parent's romance really happens. Unfortunately, his presence complicates their relationship so much that it threatens his very existence. Then there is the problem of returning to the present!

3. Same Time Next Year (1978)

Even though this movie is about an extra-marital affair I can't help loving this movie! Ellen Burstyn and Alan Alda are so endearing as a couple who meet on vacation away from their spouses. It is a love story that is continued  for one day every year and endures longer than most marriages. I love how they change over the decades and how they have to get to know each other all over again. Ultimately they each help each other with their respective spousal relationships which is like a form of marriage therapy. It's hard to explain without seeing it, but the link is to the first part of the movie on Youtube. I also love the song which is played at the beginning credits, sung by Johnny Mathis -- The Last Time I Felt Like This.

2. Groundhog Day (1993)

Whenever this movie comes on TV (which is often -- probably every February) I have to drop everything and watch it. I never get tired of it! I love the whole premise of the movie. The miserable antisocial bachelor who somehow gets stuck in the same day and must relive it over and over until he finally gets it (and himself) right to win the hand of the fair maiden. By the end of the movie he is every woman's dream! Why he's almost as good as....Richard Armitage?  Nah! Close, but it's still Bill Murray after all! Oh, and did I mention -- it's hysterically funny!

1. Somewhere in Time (1980)

Now here's a time travel romance with two of the best looking stars of the 1970s -- Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour. Now I know it sounds smaltzy but it is very well done. Christopher Plummer also plays sort of a villain. It also has quite the cult following judging by the number of websites dedicated to it.

It is very romantic, well acted, touching and surprisingly believable.

What are your favourite movies about TIME?

If that's not romantic enough for you, here is a fanvid of the most romantic miniseries ever, the BBC's North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell starring Richard Armitage and Danielle Denby Ashe. This vid has time as its theme.

Thornton's Sorrow / Spikesbint

 

Wouldn't this be an exciting billboard for Times Square?
(Or anywhere else really!)

Phylly's Faves first Caption Contest

 Can you think up a funny caption for this picture?
Please send entries to phylly3@gmail.com by Friday January 7th, 2011.

Winner gets bragging rights! :)

Make this your count down to the New Year!

Delicateblossom's video 4 Minutes

http://delicateblossom.net/Delicateblossom/4_Minutes.html

All the best to my loyal blog readers for 2011!

Spooks Series 9 -- Lucas North -- Lies

Dedicated to Lucas North (Spooks / MI-5 Series 9) ** SPOILERS**
It's hard to admit that I've been in mourning for an imaginary character for just over a week now, but I think I've finally come to my senses. What has helped me was the wonder of "music therapy", if there is such as thing, I can testify to its success! I have been reliving the last few episodes by watching some fanvids done by bccmee, Juliet D001, and GiztheGunslinger.  Lucas North, from Spooks / MI-5, I can now let you rest in peace, or not, as the case may be.

I had an idea I wanted to make another fanvid (or musical slideshow as that's as much as I've learned to do so far).  So I was scouring Youtube for music videos with the title Betrayal, or Lies.  When I found the song Lies by The Black Keys, I knew it sounded right, but I had to have a look at the lyrics to make sure. Well, it was like the Spooks writers had this song in mind when they were deciding what to do with Lucas's character this season.  So as much as I don't approve of what happened to his character, and hated the way the plot was thrown together like a vigorously tossed salad with some vital ingredients missing the bowl, I couldn't make myself look away from the screen, so as not to miss a nanosecond of Richard Armitage's magnificent performance!

So I'm over the bitterness. When I think of Series 9 now it will be with this song in my head and a bittersweet memory of a spy who wasn't who we thought he was, or even who he wanted to be.

I just caught the end of a very good biopic the other day The Life and Death of Peter Sellers (2004).

Peter Sellers was a brilliant comedic character actor who starred in one of my favourite movies -- Being There (1979).

 
What I learned about Peter Sellers was that he was so good at becoming the various characters he created that he believed he had no personality of his own. This reminded me of Lucas / John uttering the words, "I am nothing". The spy known as Lucas North was only playing a role, he was not really that person, but he had played the role for so long and so well, that he didn't know who he was anymore. As with the real life Peter Sellers, this lack of knowing one's self led to many relationship problems, broken marriages, drug and alcohol abuse and if his heart had not given out at the relatively young age of 54, he was probably due for a mental breakdown.  This made me feel a little more sympathetic to the spy a.k.a Lucas. And so I have put him to rest.

Here is my tribute to Lucas North in the BBC's Spooks Series 9:

I will miss the character I thought he was and believe he could have been.

65 years Young

Neil Young was born 65 years ago today on November 12, 1945.  Yes, that's right, that means he is now officially a senior citizen. Well, it's quite an accomplishment to be still actively touring and creating music for an adoring public for the past 40 plus years! I'm sad to say I have never seen him perform in concert. I missed my chance a couple of times now. :(
Although Neil now lives in the United States, he is still proudly Canadian, born in Toronto, Ontario, he lived briefly in Northern Ontario during his youth and performed in a high school band (called The Squires) when he lived in Winnipeg, Manitoba. I understand that Thunder Bay, Ontario  also has a claim to fame (as the place where Neil first met Stephen Stills).
 He is a singer/songwriter who has been honoured by many musical awards, Grammys, Junos, and even an Academy award for the song Philadelphia used in the film of the same name starring Tom Hanks.

He made a name for himself during the 1960s with his country / folk flavoured Rock sound and most notably for his protest songs against war.  He teamed up with Stephen Stills in the group Buffalo Springfield and then with the supergroup Crosby Stills & Nash who changed their name to Crosby Stills Nash & Young when Neil agreed to join them. Their soaring harmonies and Neil's brilliant songwriting skills added greatly to the fame of that band.

(Neil when young) I like his brooding looks.

Always serious and intense about his music, he was sometimes not the easiest person to get along with. Although he took his music very seriously, he didn't seem as concerned about his appearance and his unkempt, dishevelled appearance is also part of his mystique.

I have enjoyed his music since his Harvest album, released in 1970.  I find his melodies haunting, combined with his warbly falsetto, his sound has an otherworldly quality. But it is his lyrics that really shine. Neil always has something worthwhile to say, but he says it like the poet and troubadour that he is.

There are so many songs of his that I love. I have actually made some fanvids starring Richard Armitage using them. Here is a page at Amazon.com with some song clips you can listen to from his Greatest Hits album.  My personal favourites are: Only Love Can Break Your Heart, Helpless, Needle and the Damage Done, Ohio, Comes a Time and of course, After the Gold Rush.

Because it is this time of the year, here is a song I haven't heard before but it is very much in keeping with the themes of most of his work.  This song is entitled Love and War.

This is one of his newer songs -- It's a Dream. It talks about the memories of his youth in Winnipeg, when he roamed around the banks of the Red River and how things have changed over time. This song touches me deeply and can even bring me to tears.

 This isn't the first time I've posted about Neil Young and it probably won't be the last. But before I'm done just let me say -- Thanks Neil! For all your wonderful music and for your generous spirit to share it with all of us.

Happy Birthday to Neil Young!

After the Gold Rush revisited...

 After the Gold Rush (the album and the song) was released in 1970, so this is the 40th anniversary of its release, which is certainly worth celebrating. This is an update to an earlier post about Neil Young's song "After the Gold Rush". Earlier I had said that I had wanted to make a video for this song but I didn't know how.  Well,  since then I have made a few simple musical slideshows, soooo after a bit of tinkering, here is what I have come up with. I have put together pictures from various productions in which Richard Armitage has had either a major or minor part, in order to fit with the words of the song.

Haunting me for years with it's fantastical and dire vision of the future mixed with Young's plaintive voice, I believe this song to be a masterpiece of classic folk rock.  I am grateful that Mr. Armitage has had such a varied career that I was able to be inspired to envision certain scenes which seemed to fit so well with the lyrics.

My only regret (besides the fact that I still haven't managed to make an actual moving picture video!) is that I really wanted to capture his updated lyrics "in the twenty-first century" rather than the original "in the 1970s".  But so far, Mr. Young has not (to my knowledge) made a recording of this version, although he has sung it many times in concert. I did try to cut and paste, but with my limited skills and equipment, the mix did not sound right at all.  Perhaps this is still a work in progress, and I will return to it again in the future...

O Canada!

The Fathers of Confederation

Our home and native land,

True patriot love in all thy sons command,

With glowing hearts,

We see thee rise,

The True North strong and free.

From far and wide,

O Canada,

We stand on guard for thee!

God keep our land,

Glorious and free,

O Canada we stand on guard for thee,

O Canada we stand on guard for thee!

July 1st 1867, with the signing of the British North America Act (now called the Constitution Act), Canada became a sovereign nation. Without too much fuss, an assortment of political leaders from places like Ontario (called Canada West), Quebec (called Canada East), New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and later, Prince Edward Island, agreed to join together in a dominion of provinces under the The Commonwealth of Great Britain (apparently they forgot to invite Newfoundland until it was too late to change the plans!) Newfoundland went on as it's own entity until finally joining Canada in 1949, amid some local dissent. As the plans for a transcontinental railway were brought to fruition thanks to the forcefulness of Canada's first Prime Minister, Sir John A. Macdonald, other provinces joined Canada along the way, Manitoba in 1870, British Columbia in 1871, Alberta and Saskatchewan in 1905.

Why did the British colonies in North America decide to join together instead of just maintaining the status quo? Well, talks had begun of a union of Maritime provinces as early as 1864 at the Charlottetown Conference. Britain had actually suggested this first union as a sort of insurance policy for the tiny, far-flung colonies who were basically abandoned for 6 months of the year by their mother country due to inclement weather. The two halves of the province of Canada (English and French) had thought this union a capital idea, and joined on for the ride. Basically, they were looking for safety in numbers, as they were tired of being invaded by marauding Fenians and feeling threatened by American politicians with their dreams of Manifest Destiny.

Canada's dream was much simpler, "peace, order and good government". The union of provinces has always been a precarious one, but Canadians are very practised at compromise -- the various differences in each province's cultural identity has been enshrined within our Constitution.

Elijah Harper

The Native peoples of Canada have always played a vital role in its history--from Native Leaders like Tecumseh who defended Canada against the U.S. in the War of 1812 to the revolutionary Métis leader Louis Riel who is recognized as the Father of Manitoba.

In modern Canadian history, Elijah Harper made his point by quietly saying, "No" in the Manitoba legislature to the Meech Lake Accord which would have recognized Quebec as a "distinct society" but completely ignored any mention of the First Nations peoples.


One hundred years after Confederation, Canada played host to the world at Expo '67 in Montreal. It was a watershed moment for Canadians to take pride in their country. There were countless projects in communities across the nation that were opened during Canada's centennial year, new libraries, parks, highways, town halls, bridges, etc. It was a very happy time for Canadians and there were good repercussions for many years afterwards.
Here is the song by Bobby Gimby that was used to promote Expo '67 to Canadians.

Well, since I missed posting on Victoria Day, I think my Canada Day post will do for both! This is about as Canadian as it gets...Scott Thompson from The Kids in the Hall (circa 1990) spoofing the Queen.

Here's an old clip of Jim Carrey's stand up routine about Canada. I love his voice impression of Chief Dan George.

And now...for the pièce de résistance....
Here is Stick Figure Richard to help celebrate Canada Day!



My dear friend Natalie (an American) has made this cartoon for me (a Canadian) which is about an actor whom we both admire and hold in high esteem (who just happens to be British)!





Yay! Happy Canada Day to all you Canadians, or wannabe Canadians,
or those who just wanna visit Canadians.
Youtube video: Canadian, Please!


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From Georgia to Ontario

I was so excited to see a package waiting for me when I got home from work yesterday. Avalon sent me my prize! I won Charlotte Hawkins' "The Tempest" on Avalon's blog a couple of weeks ago.  I see she mailed it on June 9th and it arrived on June 23rd. That's 2 weeks to go from a small place in the state of Georgia, U.S.A. to an even smaller place in the province of Ontario, Canada. Snail mail indeed!

Dear Avalon,

It was so neat to see your address and imagine what it might be like where you live.  So I got to thinking about Georgia -- which immediately brought to mind the song  Georgia on My Mind.

I love when Willie Nelson sings the Blues. You have to wait a bit until Ray Charles comes in, but he's worth waiting for. What I like most about this video is it shows how much fun they seem to be having as well as their mutual respect for each other.
As far as biopics go, one of my very faves has to be Ray with Jamie Foxx deservedly winning an Oscar for his portrayal of Ray Charles. If you would rather hear just Charles's version of this song, please follow this link. It's worth clicking on just to read the introductory blurb below the video!


One of my favourite songs to sing at Karaoke Night down at our local Royal Canadian Legion Hall is Gladys Knight and the Pips' Midnight Train to Georgia. I am always looking for a few good Pips!

How romantic is that? "I'd rather live in his world, than live without him in mine."

Then I remembered my all-time favourite song about Georgia! Brook Benton's 

version of Rainy Night in Georgia.

This is the live version, which is very nice but I still  prefer the original radio hit as it had a more bluesy feel to it. Brook Benton has such a deep and emotional voice, I can't enjoy anyone else's version of it.
The lyrics are wonderful too: "A distant moaning of a train, seems to play a sad refrain to the night..."


Aren't there a lot of wonderful songs about Georgia? Those are my faves, but some of you Country music fans may prefer "The Devil Went Down to Georgia", or how about the theme music for the Harlem Globetrotter's basketball team, "Sweet Georgia Brown". The Globetrotters actually visited my High School way back in the day! There were only a few of them, not the whole team, but they were very impressive and entertaining indeed. ...But I digress...

So now my train of thought has arrived with the book to the hinterland of Ontario. Unfortunately there are not as many songs about Ontario as there are about Georgia. And even less about my neck of the woods -- Northern Ontario, which is as different to Southern Ontario as the proverbial North and South miniseries I keep blathering about!

But luckily, two of my favourite songs by Neil Young are about places in Northern Ontario (or it is at least mentioned).

The first is Helpless from the Crosby Stills Nash & Young album Deja Vu (1970). **UPDATE: I had to replace that video with a LIVE performance from The Last Waltz (with The Band.) I hope this video doesn't disappear too, from the video police! :p

This might well be my very favourite Neil Young song, probably because it does have special meaning for me. But k. d. Lang does a fabulous job of her cover version of this song, performed when Neil was recovering from surgery. Listen to her version here.

 The second offering I have from Neil is Long May You Run

Yeah, I know it's only about his car...(you know how goofy guys are about their cars)! But did you catch the lyrics "Well, it was back in Blind River in 1962..."  That's Blind River ONTARIO, near Elliot Lake where Neil came from before he moved to Winnipeg, Manitoba and his music career took root.  Blind River could arguably be the halfway point between Northern and Southern Ontario (on the TransCanada Highway).  It's still part of the North, but it's within a looong day's drive to Toronto. Ontario takes about 3 days to traverse, if you are not a crazy driver. I've known some people to do it in a 24 hour driving stint without stopping. (That's 2 drivers with one sleeping while the other drives.) Which makes me think that Neil Young's paean to his car is not really so silly. A reliable car that won't break down (literally) in the middle of nowhere is a very good thing indeed!

So now, I get to settle down and read Charlotte Hawkins' lovely alternate ending for the Guy of Gisborne story. If you would like to win a copy, you can visit her blog here and leave your email address.
What a treat! Gisborne...here I come!

I can't help it! This picture makes me melt!
Or you could say, it leaves me helpless, helpless, helpless, helpless...

(Source: Richard Armitage Central)

Fanvidding with Coldplay

I love this band's music and I have noticed that quite a few of us fans of Richard Armitage seem to feel the same way. No wonder there seem to be so many fanvids set to Coldplay songs which also feature Mr. Armitage (in various roles)!


So here we have it. Sit back and enjoy the music and feast your eyes on some great videos!

I'd like to start off with my favourite Coldplay song, Yellow which is also the first tune I ever heard by this band. I always loved the music but the lyrics had me stumped for quite awhile. I couldn't figure out if it was complete gobbledygook supposed to sound somehow meaningful, or it was actually quite brilliantly deep! I finally decided that since I loved the music so much I was going to have to believe the latter, just to make myself happy!

I was very pleased to find how well Liisakee made this song fit with the BBC's Robin Hood miniseries. (I knew the lyrics were brilliant!!) Love her use of colour to emphasize the theme. Oh...and watch out for Season 3 SPOILERS!!

yellow3 from Liisa on Vimeo.

Liisakee must really like Coldplay because she also has another song, Spies which of course fits very well with Lucas North and the gang in Season 8 of Spooks / MI5.
UPDATE:  Oct. 13, 2011 Unfortunately her video has been removed from Youtube for some reason.  But I have just found another video with the same song done by PrinceZukoFanGirl.

And now, here is a fanvid about my favourite miniseries North and South using Coldplay's The Scientist. I know that quite a few vidders have used this song as well, but Videosbyloo's version is definitely my favourite!





I am very happy to include a video by graphic artist and fanvidder extraordinaire HeathDances. This song has special meaning for her as it was made during a very difficult time in her life.  Here is her version of Fix You, based on Season 7 of Spooks / MI5.  It is very suitable for Lucas North, who was just released from a Russian Prison Camp. All his fans would certainly love to "fix" him! You can really notice HeathDances's editing skills near the end of the video when the music speeds up and the clips are perfectly in time with the music.







And now for a little break in the RA fanfest, here are a couple of different videos to Coldplay songs.

First we have a lovely video from KatSw3 which celebrates so many wonderful movies using the film Pleasantville as a frame in which to set the lyrics for the song Life in Technicolor.
Unfortunately she has not enabled embedding so I cannot display her work on my blog! So here is a link to follow. Don't miss it, it's worth a bit of inconvenience to see! You might even catch a glimpse of a couple a quick scenes from North and South!

Click here to go to Youtube.

Trixterrr has done a tribute to one of my favourite detective shows starring Nathaniel Parker and Sharon Small, The Inspector Lynley Mysteries. Remember I posted about him before? This one is to the song Green Eyes. This video really shows their complex relationship very well. I was always hoping they would get together -- the romantic tension was incredible!

The last two videos are from Robin Hood BBC again. They both contain spoilers, especially the last one -- so beware!
The following video is by QueenBee2881. It is a wonderful tribute to Robin Hood and all who follow him to the tune of Viva La Vida.







Last but not least, this video by Giz the Gunslinger really ties up the Robin Hood series. It is very touching -- and like I said -- BEWARE of SPOILERS! The title might give you a clue why it is so sad: It's called Those Who are Dead -- otherwise known as 42.

I have so enjoyed watching all the fanvids which I never even knew existed until I began my obsession with that certain actor! I have discovered so much new music (new to me at least), which has been such a joy. I have also discovered new movies and television shows which I have since seen or at least attempted to watch. 

Thank you to all those talented vidders out there. Keep up the good work!

After the Gold Rush

Neil Young is an acquired taste. I know this myself, as I first discovered him as a prepubescent who was only just beginning to discover my Rock sensibilities. I remember commenting negatively on his high-pitched, reedy (some would say whiny) voice to my older sister when I first heard his Harvest album. Now, of course it is one of my most favourite albums, and except for a strange period in the '80s, (his -- not mine!), I have been a fan of his since then.
The following song has always haunted me, as the lyrics are so mysterious. Is it a fantastical vision of earth's doom? Or maybe just a drug induced dream sequence?
I found an interesting discussion of the lyrics on this forum:
http://www.thrasherswheat.org/fot/atgr.htm

Although I do love Neil's version of the song, I also find this a cappella version so beautifully harmonious, and the video has such fantastically beautiful pictures that I had to share it with you.

Video by feythdemacedo

Now, here are the lyrics with a bit of a different perspective. I have chosen to illustrate them with scenes from various productions from the repertoire of Richard Armitage.  They include: Robin Hood (BBC) 2006-2009 Sir Guy of Gisborne; Spooks /MI-5, Season 7 2008 Lucas North; Strike Back 2010 John Porter; and Star Wars Episode 1, the Phantom Menace 1999  Naboo fighter pilot (uncredited).
If I were more talented, (and had the proper equipment) I would do a fanvid. Anybody out there care to help me with this? "Or do it for me", I think, with a sheepish grin.

Well I dreamed I saw the knights in armor coming

Saying something about a queen

There were peasants singing and drummers drumming

And the archer split the tree

There was a fanfare blowing to the sun 

That was floating on the breeze

Look at mother nature on the run
In the twenty-first century 

Look at mother nature on the run
In the twenty-first century 

I was lying in a burned out basement 

With the full moon in my eyes 

I was hoping for replacement 

When the sun burst through the sky 

There was a band playing in my head
And I felt like I could cry 

I was thinking about what a friend had said

I was hoping it was a lie

 Thinking about what a friend had said
I was hoping it was a lie 

Well I dreamed I saw the silver spaceships flyin'
In the yellow haze of the sun 

There was laughing, crying and colors flying
All around the chosen one 

All in a dream, all in a dream, the loading had begun 

Flying mother nature's silver seed to a new home in the sun
They were flying mother nature's silver seed to a new home

I should apologize to hard-core Neil Young fans that the lyrics are not quite the same as originally written. I must admit I copied the lyrics from a version done by Dolly Parton! Wow! Who else has covered this song?
I was going to change them back, but I had already made my picture choices by then so... unless someone out there can find a good picture of Richard Armitage where he it looks like he "feels like getting high", I think I will just leave it like that...

Pictures are from the treasurehouse screencap galleries of  RichardArmitageNet.com, and RichardArmitageCentral.co.uk, also a great source was http://robinhoodtree.blogspot.com. I nabbed the picture of RA with Natalie Portman from Nat's blog -- http://armitagefanblog.blogspot.com  I'm not sure where I got the other ones! Please let me know if I need to give someone the credit! The last photo is by Tom Raven on Flickr.com

***UPDATE: ***September 18, 2010
I have finally posted a video version of this song, using Neil Young's original song (couldn't find a good version of him singing with the "21st century" lyric which I would have preferred).  At first the video was blocked, but hopefully I have successfully disputed this claim.
Here is the link on Youtube if you would like to watch:

Neil Young's After the Goldrush video (featuring Richard Armitage)