Beyond the Sea

Castellemmare del Golfo 2008
I came back to that tune over and over... Bobby Darin singing.
Epitome of coolness.

Here, beyond the sea, evenings could drag on at times in the confines of my studio apt. I didn't venture out after dark. Mostly I was content to cook a great meal, sip some Nero d'Avalo and listen to music... read, write, sort through the photos of the day.

I listened to Tony Bennett, Louis Prima, soundtracks from Everything is Illuminated and Once.

When I tired of the selection of albums I had along with me I put together a play list that I titled: Castellemmare del Golfo 2008.

My parents were music lovers. My father, in particular, had quite an eclectic taste in music. New albums were added to his collection weekly; a habit I adopted as soon as I had a weekly paycheck.

Walking up and down these ancient streets, I'm surprised to hear bits of familiar tunes...often someone singing. On Sunday afternoons the streets are abandoned. EVERYONE is sharing a Sunday meal with family. It's my favorite time to walk the streets. Through open windows I can hear the sound of silverware tinkling against china plates, voices in conversation at the table and... music.

Again I'm surprised by the similarities. I'm not so different, after all, from these distant cousins. Family, food, music are the recurring themes. I would feel comfortable at their tables, in their kitchens...if I could speak their language. I'm working on it. Overhearing these dinner conversations is just another form of music to my ears.

(Fact: Sicilian is the first Romance language to have been formed from spoken Latin. It is older than Italian, French, Spanish, Portuguese or Romanian. We are an ancient tribe.)




The Play list:
A Thousand Beautiful Things 3:07 Annie Lennox
The Weight 4:34 The Band
Another Lonely Day 3:46 Ben Harper
Sweetest Decline 5:41 Beth Orton
Amazing Grace 4:24 The Blind Boys Of Alabama
Spirit On The Water 7:43 Bob Dylan
Beyond The Sea 2:53 Bobby Darin
Since I Fell For You 3:05 Bonnie Raitt
Time After Time 4:02 Cyndi Lauper
How It Ends 7:00 DeVotchKa
Charlotte Mittnacht (The Fabulous Destiny Of...) 3:07 DeVotchKa
Easy From Now On 3:08 Emmylou Harris
Hello Stranger 4:00 Emmylou Harris
I Heard the Bluebirds Sing 2:26 Greenbriar Boys
'Cept You & Me Babe 4:32 Greg Brown
Just By Myself 4:46 Greg Brown
Falling Slowly 4:08 Hansard / Irglova
Fallen from the Sky 3:27 Hansard / Irglova Once 26 2/27/08 1:24 PM
Crazy Mama 2:31 J.J. Cale
The Hunter 4:53 Jennifer Warnes
Stand By Me 3:27 John Lennon
Blue Umbrella 3:53 John Prine
Genesis 4:20 Jorma Kaukonen
Dark Night Of The Soul 6:45 Loreena McKennitt
That Old Black Magic 2:56 Louis Prima & Keely Smith
Do You Believe in Magic? 2:06 The Lovin' Spoonful
This Old Porch 4:19 Lyle Lovett
Dance Me To The End Of Love 3:58 Madeleine Peyroux
Don't Fence Me In 3:02 Mary McCaslin
In Spite Of Me 2:35 Morphine
Come Away With Me 3:18 Norah Jones
Crazy 2:44 Patsy Cline
Maybe I'm Amazed 3:55 Paul McCartney
Every Breath You Take 4:15 The Police
You Don't Know Me 3:17 Ray Charles
Save The Last Dance For Me 2:30 Sam Cook
I Hope That I Don't Fall In Love With You 3:55 Tom Waits
I Want You 1:23 Tom Waits
Dancing In The Moonlight 2:52 ?
Warm Rain 4:16 John Herald
The Well 4:47 Jennifer Warnes
Wild Nights 3:34 Van Morrison