Saturday, February 6, 2010

Killing me softly with his song

Music to scroll by


Lyrics taken from
Killing Me Softly by Robert Flack

I heard he sang a good song
I heard he had a style
And so I came to see him and listen for awhile

And there he was this young boy
A stranger to my eyes...

I felt all flushed with fever
Embarrassed by the crowd

Killing me softly

With his song...


When I was growing up, I took piano lessons for eight years. My mom's brother (and my favorite uncle!) bought a new upright piano for their mom/my grandma, which was later given to my mom for me and my sister to play, and when my sister had no desire to keep it up, it eventually found it's way into my home. My daughter took lessons when she was younger and, like me, only played it occasionally the older she got.

So for several years, it sat in my dining room taking up space, littered with family photos, and rarely played. About two years ago, a friend of a friend of my husband was telling a story about how they had been moving and the trailer blew a tire. The piano they were hauling slid out and was damaged beyond repair. My husband came home and told me the story, and we both looked at the piano. A few days later, the man came for the piano and took it home to surprise his wife. He told my husband the next time he saw him that his wife had literally cried when she got home and found it sitting there. So did I when the story was repeated to me. It was hard to let go of that piece of my family history, but there was also joy in the giving.

Of course, I didn't know then that I would want to learn to play Bella's Lullaby on the piano! I teared up again when I read twilightcupcake's post this morning talking about her piano and the Twilight sheet music. I was shaking my head when I saw the post title because I had already decided to do my post today about music. She has a very diverse blog, is smart, sassy, and very giving of her time. Click here to see for yourself.

So, if you aren't suffering from scrollitis, as Mrs. P at TwiBite calls it, then you are still with me and probably wishing I'd get to the point already. Well, I have always wanted to learn to play the acoustic guitar and have never followed through on it. That's all about to change.

My son's best friend (who is like a son to me) was visiting over college winter break and heard me say...again...that I really wanted to learn to play. He has since moved on to the electric guitar, so he went and got his acoustic Fender guitar and tuner and gave them to me along with a website address, making me promise that I would get started. I <3 that kid big time! Here's a picture of the guitar propped up in the area where my piano used to sit.


So I asked Zach what song he wanted me to learn before he got back from college for the summer and he said 21 Guns by Green Day. He played it for me, and I think I can do do it.


But, I told him that would have to be AFTER I learned the song that had inspired me to want to finally go through with this. He said, "Don't tell me it has something to do with that Twilight guy."

Well, as a matter of fact, Zach, it does. So I challenged him to learn this song for me.


I've watched (and posted) a lot of different versions of Never Think, but this video is a nice trip down memory lane, and it's followed by Bella's Lullaby, which is fitting for this post and for twilightcupcake's : )

This is totally off topic, but I noticed at the 1:07 mark that the t-shirt Rob has on is the same one he's wearing on the Facebook Remember Me Q&A videos. Our boy is not afraid to go out in public in the same outfit, as we all know. LOL! Here is the original interview followed by the 4th installment of the Q&A so you can compare for yourself.



Click here to view all of the clips on Facebook.

So when researching this post, I Googled "image Robert Pattinson guitar." Just for shits and giggles, here are the top 10 results from that search. You just gotta love Google. (Click on each image to enlarge.)


It's hard to believe that the most recent picture of Rob with a guitar (signed for a charity auction) did not make the top ten.


I'm hoping that after say six months of practicing and chanelling my inner rockstar, I'll look something like this.


Would you and your musician buddies let me jam with you then, Rob?


I'd better get started as soon as I publish this post then, because I've got some serious work cut out for me. Right now I'm closer to this look. Just sayin'.




I can't leave you with that image burned in your brain, so let's end with the photo that came up 12th in the Google search (in gorgeous black and white, too).



P.S.: I finally finished my post and hit the "Publish Post" button and heaved a big sigh of relief. I take forever to do a post because I get so distracted looking at pictures and watching video clips. So I get done, check my emails, and find a new post by twilightcupcake. We are definitely on the same "sheet music" page today. I kind of feel like I'm in an episode of the Twilight Zone, actually. Click here for the new post about her...you guessed it...guitar!

20 comments:

Amy said...

Great post Lisa! I'm not sure if I told you this, but I've wanted to play the piano since I was practically born. We were never able to afford a piano, but for my 10th (I think) birthday I got a keyboard. I took piano lessons for a while, but I wasn't thrilled with my teacher, and playing a keyboard was much different from the piano. A few years ago I happened to meet a girl in one of my classes who was a piano major and gave me lessons for my birthday! I also took a piano class my last semester in college. I'm like an intermediate level, but haven't practiced in a while. The last song I started to play was the score from New Moon. Hopefully one day I can afford a piano!

Good luck with your guitar! I'm sure you'll do great!

PS: Awesome catching Rob in the same t-shirt! I would have never remembered that! lol

twilightcupcake said...

Holy crap Lisa. If we are on the same wavelength I am seriously scared for you. I don't think I'm normal. So funny we have both have guitar posts today. Thanks for the links back to me and I'll be sure to return the favour at some point.
Good luck learning your guitar. You'll have to post a photo later to get that pic of the lady out of my head.
Btw I love how he'll wear the same outfit. It makes him so much more real.

Dangrdafne said...

@twilightcupcake and Lisa - I don't think any of us should worry about being on the same wavelength as we have to be in order to be in Twitardia together. It's all good.

I absolutely love that last black and white pic of Rob, just lovely. I will watch the videos once the hubby heads out for the evening.

Honolulu Girl-Suz said...

Good luck with the guitar! As long as that is what you want, rock on sister!! BTW, you just killed me with that last picture.

StarlitViolets said...

THUD! That last pic did me in. My brain can't even come up with a reasonable response, but here's my best try.

This post give me chills and motivation. I,too, have a burning desire to learn guitar. I also want to learn piano. I gave up teaching myself guitar because I didn't think I was doing it right. So then I decided to try piano and my grandmother taught me how to do a scale, which I practiced at home on a keyboard. Then I gave that up because I just didn't know where to go from there.

Now, I'm going to bust out my guitar again and give it another go. Your post just backs up my new resolve. Thanks for the inspiration... and b&w RPattz.

Anonymous said...

My sister is one of those people that can just pick up an instrument and sound something out...and she has started with the piano after she tackled the guitar. So, I bought myself one of those giant keyboard thingies and have been working through it...and I love it! And guess what...my daughter has the same gift as my sister, we soon discovered. She can play "Shorty Fire Burning On The Dance Floor"..by ear....LMAO!!! Nice song choice, I know..but would you expect less from one of my offspring?
Good luck with the guitar, Lisa!!!
And no...I didn't get scrollitis...I read the whole thing!!

rottymama said...

The Fugees do a great job on that song but I love the Roberta Flack version.

My grandma played the ukulele and my uncle plays the guitar--self taught. I remember listening to them play. My uncle grew up in the time of the Beatles and Jimmy Hendrix and was always playing something from them.

I would like to learn to play the guitar. I can play twinkle, twinkle litte star or was it mary had a little lamb?--on the piano. At the moment my daughter is learning guitar and has a class in high school. Her boyfriend also plays. She still has a ways to go but she enjoys playing.

Good Luck Lisa and have fun doing it.

rottymama said...

OH YEA, thumbs up on the ROB! LOL

StarlitViolets said...

Oh yeah - I've been able to play both part of Heart & Soul on the piano since I was 10, but that's about it.

And good luck, Lisa! You'll do great.

Stan said...

Yay, good for you, Lisa (and everyone else learning instruments). My sister's a music teacher (well, she was until she rose through the ranks above the actual teaching), she's 11 years older than me and there were always instruments in the house when I was growing up. Her instruments are guitar, piano, oboe, sax and clarinet, but she can play pretty much everything else too - she used to bring something different home every week when she was at school. I ended up with the same music teacher as her at high school and after I got good scores on a listening test we did he persuaded me to take something up, so I played alto sax for about 4 years. Like most things I try, I could have been better than I was, but putting te practice in was too much like hard work for me at the time. I regret giving it up now, especially because the tingles you feel when you play with a group and you hear it all come together is fantastic.
Oh, and I tried having piano lessons from my sister when I was younger, but I ended up crying all the time and really, I have very little co-ordination to read two lines of music and get both hands working at the same time LOL!

My 5yr old has decided this week that he loves Bella's Lullaby and he even told me he tried playing it on the keyboard at school, bless!

Dangrdafne said...

Yeah, I am back here again today and I can't believe I didn't notice it before...I LOVE the "I give a Crapsten" quote and pic in the upper right corner of your blog!! Too funny!!!

17foreverlisa said...

@All – Glad everyone likes that last b&w pic of Rob. Couldn’t agree more!

@MissAmyJoon – Hi, Amy! Thanks for sharing your story. I love hearing stuff like that. I hope you can afford a piano one day, too. I really am missing mine.

I wish they would have threaded Bella’s Lullaby into Twilight Saga movies. It’s so much a part of the original movie, and I think it would have been a nice touch.

I’ve been so hungry for anything new with Rob that I have watched the Facebook Remember Me Q&A video clips multiple times, so I had that t-shirt memorized. I couldn’t believe it when I saw it and put two and two together.

P.S.: Hope you’re feeling better!

@twilightcupcake – Don’t worry. I no longer think I’m normal, either. Not since Robsanity set in, anyway. LOL! I was more than happy to link back to your site!

@Dangrdafne – You’re right. We’re all a little crazy, but it’s a good kind of crazy, one that brought us all together! I see you made it back again today and found the Robsten pic and caption ;) I think I’m going to make it a permanent fixture now that I think about it.

@Honolulu Girl – Thanks. I’m going to need all the luck I can get. The hardest part for me, which is true of playing the piano as well, is that I don’t have long fingers, so it makes it harder.

@StarlitViolets – Yay! So glad this inspired you. I’m sure I’ll comment on my progress somewhere along the way, so you’ll have to let me know how you’re doing, too. The piano is my first love, and I highly recommend it to anyone thinking about learning.

@Mrs. P – So, SMac is musically talented, too? Lucky her. And lucky you that your daughter has the same talent. I am sure to be a REALLY good musician, you have to have an ear for it (which I don’t). I don’t know how artists think up new music. It’s truly a gift.

P.S.: I want to see a picture of you with your giant keyboard thingy. LOL!!

@rottymama – I see you have a new avi. Are those your dogs? Cute! I had the Roberta Flack version all ready to go and opted for the Fugees version for the youngsters. Although, I should have taken the opportunity to educate them, huh? It is a classic.

I love that you got to hear your grandma and uncle play music, especially some your uncle playing some Beatles and Jimmy Hendrix! I had to laugh when I read what song you can play on the piano. Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star is the one and only song I learned to play on the guitar years ago!! That’s great that your daughter is learning guitar and that they offer a class for it in high school. I’m sure it’s something she and her boyfriend can bond over, too.

@StarlitViolets – My absolute favorite songs to play on the piano are movie soundtrack songs. Go figure! LOL! I used to know all of these by heart (and I’m dating myself here, because you’ve probably never heard of some of them): Brian’s Song, Evergreen, and Mahogany. Another fun one to play is Bohemian Rhapsody and the song I can still sit down and play whenever I’m somewhere that there’s a piano is Beth by Kiss. There I go again missing my piano!

@Stan – Thanks, Stan. Your sister sounds mega-talented!! Creativity must run in your family, because you definitely have that with your blog posts, Chimpsten antics, and ff. I loved reading about how music has touched your life. I couldn’t agree more about your comment of, “Like most things I try, I could have been better than I was…” I lack the discipline required to really excel at most things…always good, but never great. I got a chuckle out of you describing your piano lessons with your sister!

I’m still smiling thinking about your son telling you that he loves Bella’s Lullaby and even tried to play it on the school keyboard. That is priceless!! XXXOOO

Twired Jen said...

Awesome post Lisa. My Grandfather (aka Papa) was a self taught pianist. He played beautifully, and my Mom plays as well. My Sister took lessons and can play a bit, however I'm the only one that can't. I have been kicking myself about sigining up for lessons. I think I'd appreciate now more than if I'd been forced to take lessons as a kid. ;)

mmMoxie said...

Oh good luck learning the guitar. I am in awe of people who can play a musical instrument. I played the flute (NO! not the skin flute) for five years as a kid but I was terrible.

You should bring your guitar to FOOOORRRRKKKKSSSSS and have sing-a-longs with the other Twitards (drunk of course).

17foreverlisa said...

@Twired Jen - Self-taught musicians just have an ear for music and are so blessed. I have to work at it. You should definitely take lessons because you're right - doing it now means we are doing it because we want to and not because our parents wanted us too.

@mmMoxie - You are too funny. I'm sure you played the skin flute, too, and you know it ;) Cullenary Curser told me I needed to bring the guitar to FFFOOORRRKKKSSS, too, but no way. I'm sure I would get drunk enough and try and lead is in Kum Ba Yah around the campfire or get up on stage on Karoake night and sing Chokin' on the Dust like Rob's character in How To Be. Either way, it wouldn't be pretty. LOL!

Zanymouse said...

Lisa, you warmed my heart with the mention of Roberta Flack. I saw her in concert when I was about 13. I remember it being very good, and she had a cube-shaped afro (very hip back in those days). However, you stopped me cold when I looked first to your Faces of Rob corner, and there's Robsten, grrr. But I laughed out loud at the caption, so hence you are redeemed. I loved this post, because I love music, and anything connected with it. Mwah!

17foreverlisa said...

@Z Any Mouse - LOL! The bottom line is that I got thrown in twitter jail again on Friday night, which means I can see what everyone is tweeting, but I can't send any tweets. Mrs. P decided it was the perfect time to pick on me and the Robsten bashing began, with Mrs. P and mmMoxie being really mean. Dangrdafne tried to defend me by talking to me via Gmail chat and posting my comments on twitter. It was quite the deal. See what you miss out on by not being on twitter with us :)

I'm glad you liked the music-themed post and the Roberta Flack shout out. I should have just posted her song in hind sight. That's cool you got to see her live, cubed afro and all!

Hope you had a nice anniversary weekend.

Zanymouse said...

@17foreverlisa - Sigh, I know I need to get cozy with Twitter (hangs head in shame), but I'm still trying to wrangle enough time in the day for fanfic, since I finally succumbed to the pressure and can't stop myself from reading, even when I have 101 more important things to do! I'll get there, just give me time. It does sound like so much fun.

Thanks for the anniversary shout-out, we had a great time. We got a room, everything was within walking distance so no need for a designated driver, and I gained more love for this beautiful city I live in. I feel so blessed.

rottymama said...

Hi Lisa, Yes new Avi, those are my other kids, hence RM. LOL

17foreverlisa said...

@rottymama - LMAO!! I am so glad you cleared that up.

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