Thought for the Day: The last couple of weeks I shared some of my readers' stories & songs that had special meaning for them over the years. Today, I'm sharing a song that brings back great memories for me. As I began to prepare this post, I was thinking about the fall & the changing of seasons. I'd love for you to share other songs about changes that have helped you cope with the inevitable changes in life, as well. I may share them here, if it's ok with you.
I learned the song, "Changes," many years ago. It was written by an extraordinary singer songwriter, Phil Ochs. However, I learned it from Canadian friends who were on a leadership training program with me in Israel after I graduated from high school. Somehow, since Canadian singer songwriter, Gordon Lightfoot, made it famous in Canada, I was led to believe he wrote it. The lyrics & the melody are haunting beautiful. In songwriting when there is perfect pairing of words & melody, the song is said to have "prosody." Prosody helps a song communicate the emotions attached to the story.
I have not listened to "Changes" for many years. We played & sang the song so many times that it began to lose it's meaning for me. However, today, when I played it, it brought back the nostalgia & bittersweet feelings associated with the changes that are part of life.
I decided to share one of Lightfoot's other songs which I always loved as well, "Early Morning Rain."
In addition, if you would like to learn more about Lightfoot & his life & career, there is a longer video from a canadian Television show, 16X9 in 2012 with the 74 year old troubadour.
Have a great weekend.
