From: owner-good-noise-digest@smoe.org (good-noise-digest) To: good-noise-digest@smoe.org Subject: good-noise-digest V7 #1 Reply-To: good-noise@smoe.org Sender: owner-good-noise-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-good-noise-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk good-noise-digest Saturday, January 10 2004 Volume 07 : Number 001 Today's Subjects: ----------------- The Power of Folk Music [ThePsyche@aol.com] RE: The Power of Folk Music ["Mike Smith" ] Re: The Power of Folk Music [daniel canterbury ] Re: The Power of Folk Music [Gina Golde ] RE: The Power of Folk Music [Gina Golde ] Re: The Power of Folk Music [SMOKEY596@aol.com] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 9 Jan 2004 13:15:44 EST From: ThePsyche@aol.com Subject: The Power of Folk Music Tomorrow, January 10th, my family and I enter another passage along life's road. My Mom, who suffers from Alzheimer's Disease and who has been living with us for the past 7 months, moves to a long term care facility. The decision to move her from my home to a nursing home is not so important to this post and not why I decided to write, but rather, the journey of Alzheimer's and music. Music has been a comfort to me as well as to my Mom. I get my love of music from her. It is her greatest gift she ever gave me. The song that has brought me a great deal of peace these past months has been Fall Away by David Wilcox. It reminds me of Alzheimer's. Everything I knew Falls away All the shining lights and music Will not stay Everything I do Falls away All the songs that I remember Will not play When my time is through Call my name Show the way to sweet surrender Help me say Everything but You Fall away So I play that song often and I look at my Mother, dozing in her chair in the living room and remember a vibrant, hardworking mother of 7. I remember dancing around the brown and yellow striped poles in our basement listening to her music. Now, those memories are gone for her. She is in the moment, always in the moment. I have learned much having her here and being allowed this opportunity to care for her as she once cared for me has truly been a gift. Her life, even now, is valuable and teaching so many in her family about how to live. In the seven months she has been here, every night is her first night here and every morning her first. She looks for her suitcase, she wonders aloud when they are returning to the home she has no memory of being sold. The entire time in my home, she has retained but two things. One, she finally remembers where the kitchen trash can is. No biggie you say? It was important to her as she picks up every tiny thing from the floor and wants to throw it away. Sometimes, in a day we might tell her or show her 100 times where it is. It changed my day when she finally remembered where it was. Second, the power of music - in this case, folk music. In July I received the John Gorka CD, Old Futures Gone. In the afternoon my Mom and I would sit on the deck and listen to it. In the car, while I took her to appointments we would listen to it. In the kitchen while cooking, she would be next to me as I played that CD. Then one day in December, in the car at a stop light, I asked her if she might like some music. I suggested we sing to one another. Sometimes we sing old songs she taught me, songs from the 40's and 50's. Those lyrics are still with her as are the tunes and rhythms. But on this day, the first song that came to mind was a song from Gorka that is reminiscent (at least to me) of a traditional folk tune. It is called Trouble and Care. As I sang the first line, Trouble and care, trouble and care - little did I expect that my mother would respond with the next line - Always there, always there. So I tried again, Trouble and care, trouble and care - she responded with the final line of the chorus - Never far away. Somehow, the music snuck in, the memory of that chorus made it through the plaque and tangle lesion formations in my Mother's brain and took up residence. It was a most amazing gift. Each day I sing that to her now and she always responds with the next line. And don't think that the irony of which song stuck is lost on us here. I have tried other songs and that is the only one she has. I have always told you that Gorka is the one that rules this psyche....ah, the music always finds it's place doesn't it? That is the power of folk music friends. In the words of Vance Gilbert, Kumbaya Baby! Go hug your Mom, physically, virtually, with a memory, and please keep my Mom in your prayers. Namaste, Bryn, the music junkie ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 09 Jan 2004 20:34:21 +0000 From: "Mike Smith" Subject: RE: The Power of Folk Music There is something about the song 'Trouble and Care' that gets into one's memory. Like you, I'm sure, I've have played his new CD problably a hundred times since I got it, it's terrific. On the other spectrum from your mother, my girls (4 and 7 years old), picked up on that song first, and would request it when we would be in my truck. They love to sing along with it. There is something about the chorus (or is it called a refrain), it's a bit hypnotic, a low chant. >From: ThePsyche@aol.com >Reply-To: good-noise@smoe.org >To: good-noise@smoe.org >Subject: The Power of Folk Music >Date: Fri, 9 Jan 2004 13:15:44 EST > >Tomorrow, January 10th, my family and I enter another passage along life's >road. > >My Mom, who suffers from Alzheimer's Disease and who has been living with >us >for the past 7 months, moves to a long term care facility. The decision to >move her from my home to a nursing home is not so important to this post >and not >why I decided to write, but rather, the journey of Alzheimer's and music. > >Music has been a comfort to me as well as to my Mom. I get my love of >music >from her. It is her greatest gift she ever gave me. The song that has >brought >me a great deal of peace these past months has been Fall Away by David >Wilcox. It reminds me of Alzheimer's. > >Everything I knew >Falls away >All the shining lights and music >Will not stay > >Everything I do >Falls away >All the songs that I remember >Will not play > >When my time is through >Call my name >Show the way to sweet surrender >Help me say > >Everything but You >Fall away > >So I play that song often and I look at my Mother, dozing in her chair in >the >living room and remember a vibrant, hardworking mother of 7. I remember >dancing around the brown and yellow striped poles in our basement listening >to her >music. Now, those memories are gone for her. She is in the moment, always >in the moment. > >I have learned much having her here and being allowed this opportunity to >care for her as she once cared for me has truly been a gift. Her life, >even now, >is valuable and teaching so many in her family about how to live. > >In the seven months she has been here, every night is her first night here >and every morning her first. She looks for her suitcase, she wonders aloud >when >they are returning to the home she has no memory of being sold. The entire >time in my home, she has retained but two things. > >One, she finally remembers where the kitchen trash can is. No biggie you >say? It was important to her as she picks up every tiny thing from the >floor and >wants to throw it away. Sometimes, in a day we might tell her or show her >100 times where it is. It changed my day when she finally remembered where >it >was. > >Second, the power of music - in this case, folk music. In July I received >the John Gorka CD, Old Futures Gone. In the afternoon my Mom and I would >sit on >the deck and listen to it. In the car, while I took her to appointments we >would listen to it. In the kitchen while cooking, she would be next to me >as I >played that CD. > >Then one day in December, in the car at a stop light, I asked her if she >might like some music. I suggested we sing to one another. Sometimes we >sing old >songs she taught me, songs from the 40's and 50's. Those lyrics are still >with her as are the tunes and rhythms. But on this day, the first song that >came >to mind was a song from Gorka that is reminiscent (at least to me) of a >traditional folk tune. It is called Trouble and Care. > >As I sang the first line, >Trouble and care, trouble and care - little did I expect that my mother >would >respond with the next line - Always there, always there. So I tried again, >Trouble and care, trouble and care - she responded with the final line of >the >chorus - Never far away. > >Somehow, the music snuck in, the memory of that chorus made it through the >plaque and tangle lesion formations in my Mother's brain and took up >residence. > >It was a most amazing gift. Each day I sing that to her now and she always >responds with the next line. And don't think that the irony of which song >stuck is lost on us here. I have tried other songs and that is the only >one she >has. > >I have always told you that Gorka is the one that rules this psyche....ah, >the music always finds it's place doesn't it? That is the power of folk >music >friends. > >In the words of Vance Gilbert, Kumbaya Baby! > >Go hug your Mom, physically, virtually, with a memory, and please keep my >Mom >in your prayers. > >Namaste, Bryn, the music junkie _________________________________________________________________ Take advantage of our limited-time introductory offer for dial-up Internet access. http://join.msn.com/?page=dept/dialup ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 9 Jan 2004 12:43:27 -0800 (PST) From: daniel canterbury Subject: Re: The Power of Folk Music thanks Bryn. as someone who is going thru similar trials with my dad, i have some understanding. a song which has always touched me the same way is "Caretaker", by Cliff Eberhardt off of the "Mona Lisa Cafe" cd. take care, jackscrow Yahoo! Hotjobs: Enter the "Signing Bonus" Sweepstakes ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 9 Jan 2004 13:07:42 -0800 (PST) From: Gina Golde Subject: Re: The Power of Folk Music And Lucy Kaplansky's "Song for Molly" is about her grandmother going through the same thing. daniel canterbury wrote:thanks Bryn. as someone who is going thru similar trials with my dad, i have some understanding. a song which has always touched me the same way is "Caretaker", by Cliff Eberhardt off of the "Mona Lisa Cafe" cd. take care, jackscrow Yahoo! Hotjobs: Enter the "Signing Bonus" Sweepstakes ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 9 Jan 2004 13:34:32 -0800 (PST) From: Gina Golde Subject: RE: The Power of Folk Music I love the song too. I especially like the fact that he brings up the diamond industry - one of the most amazing hypes in history. Gina Mike Smith wrote: There is something about the song 'Trouble and Care' that gets into one's memory. Like you, I'm sure, I've have played his new CD problably a hundred times since I got it, it's terrific. On the other spectrum from your mother, my girls (4 and 7 years old), picked up on that song first, and would request it when we would be in my truck. They love to sing along with it. There is something about the chorus (or is it called a refrain), it's a bit hypnotic, a low chant. >From: ThePsyche@aol.com >Reply-To: good-noise@smoe.org >To: good-noise@smoe.org >Subject: The Power of Folk Music >Date: Fri, 9 Jan 2004 13:15:44 EST > >Tomorrow, January 10th, my family and I enter another passage along life's >road. > >My Mom, who suffers from Alzheimer's Disease and who has been living with >us >for the past 7 months, moves to a long term care facility. The decision to >move her from my home to a nursing home is not so important to this post >and not >why I decided to write, but rather, the journey of Alzheimer's and music. > >Music has been a comfort to me as well as to my Mom. I get my love of >music >from her. It is her greatest gift she ever gave me. The song that has >brought >me a great deal of peace these past months has been Fall Away by David >Wilcox. It reminds me of Alzheimer's. > >Everything I knew >Falls away >All the shining lights and music >Will not stay > >Everything I do >Falls away >All the songs that I remember >Will not play > >When my time is through >Call my name >Show the way to sweet surrender >Help me say > >Everything but You >Fall away > >So I play that song often and I look at my Mother, dozing in her chair in >the >living room and remember a vibrant, hardworking mother of 7. I remember >dancing around the brown and yellow striped poles in our basement listening >to her >music. Now, those memories are gone for her. She is in the moment, always >in the moment. > >I have learned much having her here and being allowed this opportunity to >care for her as she once cared for me has truly been a gift. Her life, >even now, >is valuable and teaching so many in her family about how to live. > >In the seven months she has been here, every night is her first night here >and every morning her first. She looks for her suitcase, she wonders aloud >when >they are returning to the home she has no memory of being sold. The entire >time in my home, she has retained but two things. > >One, she finally remembers where the kitchen trash can is. No biggie you >say? It was important to her as she picks up every tiny thing from the >floor and >wants to throw it away. Sometimes, in a day we might tell her or show her >100 times where it is. It changed my day when she finally remembered where >it >was. > >Second, the power of music - in this case, folk music. In July I received >the John Gorka CD, Old Futures Gone. In the afternoon my Mom and I would >sit on >the deck and listen to it. In the car, while I took her to appointments we >would listen to it. In the kitchen while cooking, she would be next to me >as I >played that CD. > >Then one day in December, in the car at a stop light, I asked her if she >might like some music. I suggested we sing to one another. Sometimes we >sing old >songs she taught me, songs from the 40's and 50's. Those lyrics are still >with her as are the tunes and rhythms. But on this day, the first song that >came >to mind was a song from Gorka that is reminiscent (at least to me) of a >traditional folk tune. It is called Trouble and Care. > >As I sang the first line, >Trouble and care, trouble and care - little did I expect that my mother >would >respond with the next line - Always there, always there. So I tried again, >Trouble and care, trouble and care - she responded with the final line of >the >chorus - Never far away. > >Somehow, the music snuck in, the memory of that chorus made it through the >plaque and tangle lesion formations in my Mother's brain and took up >residence. > >It was a most amazing gift. Each day I sing that to her now and she always >responds with the next line. And don't think that the irony of which song >stuck is lost on us here. I have tried other songs and that is the only >one she >has. > >I have always told you that Gorka is the one that rules this psyche....ah, >the music always finds it's place doesn't it? That is the power of folk >music >friends. > >In the words of Vance Gilbert, Kumbaya Baby! > >Go hug your Mom, physically, virtually, with a memory, and please keep my >Mom >in your prayers. > >Namaste, Bryn, the music junkie _________________________________________________________________ Take advantage of our limited-time introductory offer for dial-up Internet access. http://join.msn.com/?page=dept/dialup ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 9 Jan 2004 21:25:22 EST From: SMOKEY596@aol.com Subject: Re: The Power of Folk Music Thank you for sharing that, Bryn. It's a beautiful tribute to a lovely woman and an even lovelier daughter. Another song, so sad...."Grandmother's Name" by Catie Curtis. I've got my grandmother's name, but she don't remember who I am He can't sleep in the bed, 'cause every time she wakes him up: "What time is it? What time?" And she is not sleeping yet, 'cause she's afraid she might forget To wake up Is it morning? Is it night? She don't know, can't remember which is dark and which is light Is this the end of life? She don't know, can't remember if she's young or if she's old I've got my grandmother's name, but she don't remember who I am She used to live by his clock A meal, a wash, his Sunday walk A tick and tock Now she's so confused And he says, "what is wrong with you,anyway?" And she don't like to ask, oh, but she don't know what time it is or what day just passed And she don't like to say But she don't know how to get her clothes on right today Memory slipping through her hands Thoughts and dreams in quicksand And she cries again Dying a little by a lot Can't hold on to what she's got Though she tries again And she don't look in my eyes But she will try to make me think that she is fine She's more and more upset And I think she knows I've got a name she should not forget. I've got my grandmother's name, but she don't remember who I am I've got my grandmother's name, but she don't remember who I am Loved her since I was a kid, but she don't remember who she is. SMOKEY ------------------------------ End of good-noise-digest V7 #1 ******************************