Music Touching My Soul

I listen to all kinds of music and keep my mind open to the many wonderful ways in which artists express themselves musically. However, I haven't been moved to tears by a song in quite some time. But it's happened twice in the past week... and, boy, did it feel good!

***Talk to Me, in which the wonderful actor Don Cheadle plays Washington, D.C. radio personality Ralph "Petey" Greene, an ex-con who became a popular talk show host and community activist in the '60s is an excellent bio-drama. The scene just after MLK's death where you hear Sam Cooke's 'A Change is Gonna Come' wafting over the airwaves, soothing the pain of the masses, is so glorious, it makes you want to stand up and shout to the mountaintops! I loved all the Sly & the Family Stone songs and the great version of 'Tainted Love' by Gloria Jones. The soundtrack, however, is lacking, so it takes a little research to find all the songs that were in the film, but it's well worth the effort.

***Once, is described as the story of "a serendipitous meeting on the streets of Dublin between a down-on-his-luck Irish street performer and a poor Czech immigrant which sparks a bond that plays out in this modern day music film. 'Once' follows the two as they write, rehearse, and record the songs that reveal their unique love story." It sure brought back memories of my songwriting days and the thrill of recording in a studio. I knew just how they felt - the magic, the harmonies, the great sense of exhilaration and accomplishment to have unleashed a spark of light from the music touching my soul.

This movie is so poignant and sweet a romance; and the songs are soul-stirring and intense featuring the wonderful talents of Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová placed front and center as the characters of the 'boy' and 'girl.' Listen to the soundtrack. I cried during the scene where they were recording 'When Your Mind's Made Up' when the engineer smiled, as he realized this motley bunch of street urchins had just created magic. The first time the boy and girl collaborate in the music store ('Falling Slowly') is so real and true... and when the girl is walking down the street listening to his CD demo, crafting the lyrics to 'If You Want Me' reminded me of a hundred times that I'd written songs at odd moments when the muse inspired. ...made me want to hear all that Czech Republic-born Markéta Irglová and Frames frontman Glen Hansard ever create.