....83 days to go......
A quick 3 miles with the Spartans today; gave it a bit of welly and it felt pretty good; even managed to negotiate what must have been a mile long uphill (probably only 100 yards) stretch without giving up the ghost and walking. Very nice to see all the newbies with their newbie year resolutions to get fit. Not for a second am I patronising them - quite the opposite - but I fear the numbers will dwindle over the coming weeks as the post-January malaise inevitably re-asserts itself. Hats off to some of the more rotund participants (of which I am not quite as much of a member as I used to be); I really hope they stick with it!
Soooooo, sooooo very guilty. I really didn't want to do it to her, but there it is; it happened despite my best intentions. After waxing lyrical - literally - about James Taylor; Kate Rusby has been metaphorically locked up in a cupboard for the last fortnight. Wherever she may be (besides inside the aforementioned furniture); my sincerest apologies to her.
The biggest compliment I can proffer about Kate is that 'she is who she is'. Putting to one side the heavenly voice and fantastic song-writing for a moment (don't worry; we'll get to that), she is the perfect example of someone who is comfortable in her own skin; something which don't we all strive for? It is this quality which endears her to her fans. Her personality is so natural, so funny, so positive. I know that many people fantasise about finding themselves by happenstance in a one-on-one situation with their idols, however if the situation actually occurred they might well find themselves disappointed by perhaps a lack of personality, or a predominance of big-headedness; illusions of the hero/heroine shattered. With Kate Rusby however, what you see is most definitely what you get.
For myself, as well as the above, there is so much more to admire in the woman. What I like the most is that rather than accept one of the many recording contracts aimed at her with guarantees of superstar status, she has chosen to do it her way (again I say, something which surely we all should aspire to). She writes, she sings, she performs, she records and she sells her cd's. Simples! Yes, she could sell a whole lot more if she 'sold out' and went heavily commercial; but instead she stays true to her music, enjoys what she does, and boy does it show. This choice she has made - the choice to live her life and not go with convention - makes her music all the more unique, and not only that, it makes her fans an exclusive group because of it. Me likey this a lot!!
And then there are the songs..........
Yes, many of the tunes ('The Wishing Wife' - turning a naughty husband into a dog, (a dog???? yes...a dog!) 'The Good Man' - trusting husband to a straying wife, see, she keeps it fair!!) are daftly funny; but some of her lyrics are incredibly touching and effortlessly resonate with me......
You ever have a loved one/partner who goes away on holiday without you, and you miss them? Hoping they miss you?.......
'See the pyramids along the Nile,
See the sunrise from a tropic isle,
Just remember darling all the while,
You belong to me'
Coming home....wherever that home may be.....
'He's nearer every day,
He knows now, he is here to stay,
He cares not, why he want away so long
He's found where he belongs,
He knows it's been here all along,
He's smiling, as he joins his friends in song'
I think she leaves it up to us what is happening here......but I like to think it is about two people in love.......
'Take my hand, my dear
We know that the time, it is near
Be strong and be brave, my dear
Let me go now, let me go
How it came to this, it's not clear
Long and lonely nights now, I fear
Though I need your hand to hold, my dear
Let me go now, let me go'
......and on top of all this; she's a northern lass!!!
0 comments:
Post a Comment