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We're into a New Year, and I'm back at KnitNight. I can say, with certainty, that I have been looking forward to tonight with much anticipation! It was great to reconnect and catch up with those who were able to make it tonight, and I celebrated by consuming a chocolate ice-cream sundae. As one does.
There were new yarns to show, tell and drool over; pattern books to examine and exclaim over, and completed and unfinished projects to examine and praise each other over.
I love the movements we go through as we arrive, choose a seat and plonk bags down. First, there's an exclamation of how busy we've been at home lately (children generally feature here!) or how busy the roads or shops were on the way. Or there's comments about how hot/humid/wet or cold it's been that day, and whether it's seasonable for this time of year. It never is seasonable, not where we live. Being summer right now, it's not unusual at all to see people in jeans and footy guernseys one day, and shorts the next.
Then comes the fun part - show and tell. It's so nice to have people to bounce ideas off, to solve problems with collaboratively, and to inspire you to try new patterns, yarns and techniques.
But I digress. Tonight's Shuffle song features on Robbie Williams' 'Greatest Hits' album, which was released in 2004. 
It's called "Let Love Be Your Energy", and it's a song I listened to a lot when I was pregnant with WonderBoy. I find it to be quite a positive, uplifting song, and it's a lovely one to belt out like a maniac when driving. We've been listening to a lot of Robbie lately, at WonderBoy's request... "Can you put on Wobbly Williams, Mama?"
Hopefully I'll manage at least one more post before we head off for a little family holiday before I go back to work... and then after our break, I should have quite a bit of knitting to show for it, as we've got at least four hours of driving time each way - I'm looking forward to it!
"...Excess ain't rebellion... you're drinkin' what they're sellin'..."
Tonight's song is "Rock 'n' Roll Lifestyle", by CAKE. It was their first single, released from their debut album, 'Motorcade of Generosity', in 1994. They're an awesome band, one that I can't believe I didn't know about earlier. Pete introduced me to the depth of their work when we got together, and I've really come to love. They're lyrics are so clever and insightful, and very much right on the pulse of what's going on in the world, just with very cool twists.
As much as it was Pete who introduced me to the rest of CAKE's work (beyond "The Distance", which of course is very well known), this song is actually one I originally heard at the end of an episode of 'Daria', way back when I was in late high school... the lyrics really spoke to me, particularly the lyrics I've added at the top of this post.
In this day and age, music is a fashion statement and a commodity... in contrast to the sixties and seventies, when rock 'n' roll really was a revolution and a lifestyle. These days, wearing the 'right' clothes to create the image that goes with your music of choice costs a bomb. It ain't about the music anymore, and it doesn't matter what type of music you go for, whether it's rock, punk, pop, emo, goth, dance, whatever. And that really seems to go against the ideals of a lot of these types of music...
"... And how much did you spend on your black leather jacket?
Is it you or your parents in this income tax bracket?"
All right! After two weeks' absence from KnitNight, the first on the Shuffle chopping block is...
"Anna (Go To Him)" is a cover of a song by Arthur Alexander, sung in this situation by The Beatles on their 1963 album, "Please Please Me". 
At this early stage in their recording career, The Beatles used to really get into playing cover version of some of their favourite music whilst on stage. They'd particularly get into playing some of the B-sides and lesser-known songs from hit artists at the time. Because Lennon and McCartney's songwriting abilities weren't seen quite yet for what they truly were (ie. EMI wouldn't let them write and put what they wanted on albums at this stage till they'd proven themselves and sold some albums), this album in particular is made up of cover versions.
When I get into a Beatley mood, I especially like to put this album on to begin listening to their catalogue from start to finish... especially now that they've re-released all their material. It sounds just superb.
And so, till next Thursday!
Tonight's song is actually today's song... wasn't able to get to KnitNight tonight... and today's song surprisingly ended up holding some significance for me and for our little family, since today is the day that Lola-Frog was told that she didn't have to be a froggie anymore. The hip brace is off and our darling girl is off and away!
Today's song is "Life, In A Nutshell" by one of my favourite bands, Barenaked Ladies. It originally featured on their 1994 album, "Maybe You Should Drive"...
The lines that appealed to me, and to Lola's situation as I was driving home are
'... But I don't tend to worry 'bout the things that other people say
And I'm learning that I wouldn't want it any other way
Call me crazy but it really doesn't matter
All that matters to me is she...' '... I fell down with no one there to catch me from falling
Then she came 'round
And only her tenderness stopped me from bawling my eyes out
I'm OK, and that's why... 'I mean, you can read anything you like into almost any song you want, but that's what I saw in those lyrics today. Bless you, my darling daughter!
Tonight's first song on the list is The Beatles' "Hello, Goodbye" (the Anthology II version, as opposed to the official single).
It's just such a catchy, upbeat, fun song - a great one to belt out in the car. It's been one of WonderBoy's favourites from a very early age. He used to wave back to The Beatles when they appeared on the screen waving at him.
I love all the different versions of the film clip, too - particularly the one with everyone dancing like lunatics at the end. It was recorded at the beginning of a time for the Beatles that was becoming very acrimonious, so I like to watch this clip and think "Well, it can't have been all that bad all the time".
Another week has passed, and so we are at another Thursday!
This week, KnitNight met in a new location, a few suburbs away from our usual place, so that a bunch of us can make it (it's a bit far away otherwise)... we're alternating our meetings between the pub and the RSL club.
Tonight's song is 'Go It Alone' by Beck, from his 2005 album, 'Guero'. 
I first saw the film clip for this song on an ABC late night music program, called Rage. It was initially the film clip that intrigued me, as I think it was the one that was built up of scenes that folded apart, kinda like a MAD fold-in... I've just gone to check it now, and I could be entirely wrong - it was a good six years ago!!! Maybe it was his track 'Sun Eyed Girl'... Oops...
I've pretty well fallen down on this week's Shuffle. Maybe this is a sign telling me that I shouldn't have this song on my iPod...
Is my face red?!
Heading out to KnitNight tonight, the first song on my iPod was "Listen to What the Man Said" by Paul McCartney and Wings. It's a song that reminds me greatly of my childhood, as it featured on a Paul McCartney compilation cassette called "All The Best". I think we gave to it Dad one Fathers' Day, and we listened to it over and over in the car. My sisters and I sang along and knew all the songs pretty well by heart. I think I was possibly the only kid in Year Four whose favourite singer was Paul McCartney!
"Listen to What the Man Said" originally featured on the 1975 album, "Venus and Mars", 
... but I was listening to the digitally cleaned up version from the newer best of album, called "Wingspan: Hits and History".
More shuffling next week!
