"With Arms Wide Open"

"With Arms Wide Open"

Creed

Well I just heard the news today

It seems my life is going to change

I closed my eyes, begin to pray

Then tears of joy stream down my face

With arms wide open

Under the sunlight

Welcome to this place

I'll show you everything

With arms wide open

With arms wide open

Well I don't know if I'm ready

To be the man I have to be

I'll take a breath, I'll take her by my side

We stand in awe, we've created life

With arms wide open

Under the sunlight

Welcome to this place

I'll show you everything

With arms wide open

Now everything has changed

I'll show you love

I'll show you everything

With arms wide open

With arms wide open

I'll show you everything ...oh yeah

With arms wide open..wide open

[Guitar Break]

If I had just one wish

Only one demand

I hope he's not like me

I hope he understands

That he can take this life

And hold it by the hand

And he can greet the world

With arms wide open...

With arms wide open

Under the sunlight

Welcome to this place

I'll show you everything

With arms wide open

Now everything has changed

I'll show you love

I'll show you everything

With arms wide open

With arms wide open

I'll show you everything..oh yeah

With arms wide open....wide open

When I first got the "assigment" to create a blog, I had no idea what to do. Eventually, I came to the conclusion that I would somehow blog about music and it was through this song, "With Arms Wide Open" that Stories Through Song was created.

I have been listening to"With Arms Wide Open" for years but not until recently did I actually LISTEN to the words of the song and realize what it is really all about. Since then, I see the song in a completely different light.

I think this song expresses the amazing feeling that any expecting parent feels. Granted I have not ever experienced this feelings, it is somewhat common knowledge that a person is chaged forever one they have found out that they are going to be a parent. I love the progression of this song too. The song starts with the initial realization that the person in the song is going to be a father and the automatic emotions that come along with this new found existence. The picure that the song paints in the first verse is AMAZING!! I can just see a man kneeling and crying in thanks that he has created a life and will bring a new person into the world. I am sure this is a feeling like no other. The whole idea of taking this new expereince and new person into the world "with arms wide open" and an open mind and heart is so enlightening and uplifting. The faith, trust, and amazement that the man in this song expresses is something to be cherished and heard by all. His dream to take is wife by his side and treasure this life they have created is a wodnerful message. However, the fear that exists in the man near the end of the song I think is also soemthing that many parents can realte to. Parent always fear for the sake of their children; that they make wise choices and no mistakes. The expecting father in this song only wishes the best for his child and hopes that the child can learn from his father's willingness and appreciation to welcome a life into the world without restriction or question. This is something we can all learn from. We all look forward to open arms and a welcoming face in this world everyday of our lives.

"Stand"

(I felt the need to put a picture of Poison from the 80s and from today because there are a few differences ;) Not many people are used to seeing Bret Michaels with glam-band, metal hair and make up! I LOVE POISON!!!!!!)

"Stand"
Poison

We all carry the cross and speak what we're taught

Lies and money become the white man's god

We've burned all our bridges one too many times

The time has come now to draw the line

You know you've got to

Stand, stand, stand for what you believe

You know you've got to

Stand, stand, stand for what you believe

Ohh, You got to...Stand for what you believe

Alright, alright

Oooh You got to listen now...

Express yourself in the face of change

Repress yourself, you surely seal your fate

You got to look inside, the answer lies in wait

Resurrect before it's too late

You know you've got to

Stand, stand, stand for what you believe

You know you've got to

Stand, stand, stand for what you believe

Ohh, You got to...Stand for what you believe

Somebody rescue me, come down and rescue me

I know the soul of a good man has got to be free

When you stand, stand for what you believe

You know you've got to

Stand, stand, stand for what you believe

You know you've got to

Stand, stand, stand for what you believe

Ohh, You got to...Stand for what you believe

Over the last year I have come to absolutely love Bret Michales and Poison. Although they may not be the most talented musicians out there, they have so much energy and personality that I can't help but get pumped up when I hear them. Over the summer I saw them live at PNC Bank Arts Center and it was by far the best concert I have ever been to as well as one of the greatest nights of my life. If I can figure out how, I will post some of the pictures I took from that night.

Anyway, "Stand" is a less energetic song that is different from Poison's normal hair-metal genre but its packs more of a punch and sends out more of a message than the rest of their songs combined. I love the message and "Stand' and I live by it everyday I walk this earth. The name says it all..."STAND". We all have to "stand for what we believe." The most important gift that we as people are granted is to form our own opinion and thoughts and to believe what we want to believe. We are nothing if we can't express our feelings and stand up for what we believe in.

I have made it a point in my life to always express myself freely and hold nothing back. I am not afraid to say what I think and think whatever I want. I find it disheartening that so many people are afraid to express themselves for fear of what others might say. What I have to say is stand up for what you believe and let no one tell you differently.

(Pictures from the Poison concert in July of 2008. It was AWESOME!!!! Believe me, these are only a few of many, many, many pictures. Enjoy!)

Papa Don't Preach

"Papa Don't Preach"

Madonna

Papa I know you're going to be upset

'Cause I was always your little girl

But you should know by now

I'm not a baby

You always taught me right from wrong

I need your help, daddy please be strong

I may be young at heart

But I know what I'm saying

The one you warned me all about

The one you said I could do without

We're in an awful mess, and I don't mean maybe - please

[Chorus:]Papa don't preach, I'm in trouble deep

Papa don't preach, I've been losing sleep

But I made up my mind, I'm keeping my baby, oh

I'm gonna keep my baby, mmm...

He says that he's going to marry me

We can raise a little family

Maybe we'll be all right

It's a sacrifice

But my friends keep telling me to give it up

Saying I'm too young, I ought to live it up

What I need right now is some good advice, please

[chorus]

Daddy, daddy if you could only see

Just how good he's been treating me

You'd give us your blessing right now

'Cause we are in love, we are in love, so please

[chorus]Papa don't preach, I'm in trouble deep

Papa don't preach, I've been losing sleep[repeat]

Oh, I'm gonna keep my baby, ooh

Don't you stop loving me daddy

I know, I'm keeping my baby

Although Madonna is not one of my favorite music artists, I think "Papa Don't Preach" is a song that public ally presents a problem that many girls/women have to deal with secretly. Personally, I've never been in the predicament that is talked about in the song, however, I have had friends who have had to make this very difficult decision. What I have learned is that the most necessary key in a situation such as this is to have someone to hold your hand and tell you everything will be okay. Good advice and support is what is needed and that is what the girl in "Papa Don't Preach" is looking for.

I must imagine that the conversation between a pregnant, teenage daughter and father is one of the most difficult to ever be discussed. Most girls have the same "little girl" image they uphold with their father and when a problem like the one above comes around, it's hard to maintain that image. It is a quick realization that the once "little girl" is no longer so young. However, I think this song serves as a reassurance for those who may be experience the same problem. "Papa Don't Preach" instills confidence in those girls/women who have to deal with pressure from parents and friends and boyfriends. Furthermore, I think this song educates people like myself who have not personally gone through something like this. Although we may never be able to understand the situation completely due to our third person perspective, it is important that we act as strong support systems and caring friends to our loved ones.

Making the decision to keep a baby or not is something that I wish no girl would have to go through but this is not a realistic idea. But I hope that girls to who have to bear that burden know that their is support out there even though it might be difficult to find.

"If Everyone Cared"

"If Everyone Cared"
Nickelback

From underneath the trees, we watch the sky

Confusing stars for satellites

I never dreamed that you'd be mine

But here we are, we're here tonight

Singing Amen, I, I'm alive

Singing Amen, I, I'm alive

[Chorus:]If everyone cared and nobody cried

If everyone loved and nobody lied

If everyone shared and swallowed their pride

Then we'd see the day when nobody died

And I'm singing

Amen I, Amen I, I'm alive

Amen I, Amen I, Amen I, I'm alive

And in the air the fireflies

Our only light in paradise

We'll show the world they were wrong

And teach them all to sing along

Singing Amen, I, I'm alive

Singing Amen, I, I'm alive(I'm alive)

[Chorus x2]

And as we lie beneath the stars

We realize how small we are

If they could love like you and me

Imagine what the world could be

If everyone cared and nobody cried

If everyone loved and nobody lied

If everyone shared and swallowed their pride

Then we'd see the day when nobody died

When nobody died...

[Chorus]

We'd see the day, we'd see the day

When nobody died

We'd see the day, we'd see the day

When nobody died

We'd see the day when nobody died

Recently, I asked my best friend to take a look at this blog and just give me some feedback. Well, the frist thing she said was that she was surprised that there wasn't a Nickelback song yet, knowing me as well as she does. Hence, this current blog.

Nickelback has been my favorite band since I was like 10 years old, so.... I've followed them for almost nine years now! I have all of thier CDs and I've seen them live in concert 4 times. Although I usually like their less popular songs better, "If Everyone Cared" is a great song that I wish could become a reality. I knew I couln't keep it off my blog.

Today, actually, I finised a paper for one of my classes that explored the theme of utopia, or a perfect world, throughout literature. If was going to do that paper over again using music, "If Everyone Cared" would be a prime example. This song presents a dream of a world where everyone loves and no one hates. With our world as it is today, filled with hatred, greed, and frankly, INSANITY, "If Everyone Cares" acts as a sort of sanctuatry world where we can all escape and be at peace. I can only wish that I lived in a world filled with fireflies called paradise.

Another aspect of this song that strikes me relates back to my last blog about "Someday We'll Know." Nickelback is singing about a realtionship in which this fantasy world without lying or pride comes into existence. Basically, they are saying that when you find that one special person, you enter this paradise world where you are set apart from the negative asepcts of reality. You and this person that you love can only look at the world and its craziness from the outside for you have found your paradise in eachother. From there, you can only hope that "they could love like you and me" and "imagine what the world could be."

But the most powerful line in "If Everyone Cared", I think, is "I'm singing Amen I'm alive" becaue even though we do not live in a utopian paradise we must all be grateful for our lives. Our lives are precious gifts and even though at times they might be surrounded by lies and we may cry, there are people who love and share. I say this line everynight before I go to sleep becaue even though I might not be having the best time in my life, I am grateful that I am alive. Being grateful for the life we were given is something that we all can share.

"Someday We'll Know"

"Someday We'll Know"

Mandy Moore and Jonathan Foreman

[Mandy] Ninety miles outside Chicago

Can’t stop driving I don’t know why

So many questions, I need an answer

Two years later you're still on my mind

[Jonathan] Whatever happened to Amelia Earhart?

Who holds the stars up in the sky?

Is true love just once in a lifetime?

[Both] Did the captain of the Titanic cry?

Oh, Someday we’ll know

[Mandy] If love can move a mountain

[Both] Someday we’ll know

[Jonathan] Why the sky is blue

[Both] Someday we’ll know

Why I wasn’t meant for you...

[Mandy] Does anybody know the way to Atlantis?

[Jonathan] Or what the wind says when she cries?

[Mandy] I’m speeding by the place that I met you

[Both] For the ninety-seventh time...

Tonight

Someday we’ll know

[Mandy] If love can move a mountain

[Both] Someday we’ll know

[Jonathan] Why the sky is blue

[Both] Someday we’ll know

Why I wasn’t meant for you...

Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah

Someday we’ll know

[Jonathan] Why Samson loved Dalilah?

[Both] One day I'll go

[Mandy] Dancing on the moon

[Both] Someday you’ll know

That I was the one for you....

Open up the world

[Mandy] I bought a ticket to the end of the rainbow

[Jonathan] Watched the stars crash in the sea

[Mandy] If I can ask God just one question

[Both] Why aren’t you here with me tonight?

Oh, Someday we’ll know

[Jonathan] If love can move a mountain

[Both] Someday we’ll know

[Mandy] Why the sky is blue

[Both] Someday we’ll know

Why I wasn’t meant for you...

Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah

Someday we’ll know

[Jonathan] Why Samson loved Dalilah

[Both] One day I'll go

[Mandy] Dancing on the moon

[Both] Someday you’ll know

That I was the one for you....

I'm usually not one for mushy, lovey-dovey stuff but A Walk to Remember is my favorite movie of all time. I've seen it countless times and I still cry like a baby throughout practically the entire movie. When my family sees me putting it in the DVD player they all moan and complain becasue they know that I'm going to be a complete, depressed, wreck for the next few hours or so. Naturally, I purchased the soundtrack and as soon as I heard "Someday We'll Know" I fell in love with it.

There are questions and topics to which we will never know the answers or understand completely and love is one of those topics. Although we may find love, can we ever truly understand it? People find love in different ways and at different times in totoally unique fashions. But we never know when it is going to come around or who that person will be. But someday, we will find that special person that we are destined to spend the rest of our lives with. We must wait and hope for the day to come when we can say "Someday you'll know that I was the one for you."

I may never know if the captain of the Titanic cried. I may never know where Atlantis is actually located. I may never know the whereabouts of Amelia Earhart, but I do know one thing. Love will find me at somepoint in my life, somewhere along the line. This is one thing we can all be sure of if nothing else. We will all find that one special person with whom we can "go dancing on the moon."

"Landslide"

"Landslide"

Fleetwood Mac

(This is for you, Daddy.)

I took my love and I took it down

I climbed a mountain and I turned around

And I saw my reflection in the snow covered hills

'Til the landslide brought me down

Oh, mirror in the sky

What is love?

Can the child within my heart rise above?

Can I sail thru the changing ocean tides?

Can I handle the seasons of my life?

Mmm Mmm... I don't know... Mmm Mmm... Mmm Mmm...

Well, I've been afraid of changing

'Cause I've built my life around you

But time makes you bolder

Children get older

I'm getting older too

So...

(Guitar solo)

I've been afraid of changing

'Cause I, I´ve built my life around you

But time makes you bolder

Children get older

I'm getting older too...

I'm getting older too...

So, take this love, take it down

Oh if you climb a mountain and you turn around

If you see my reflection in the snow covered hills

Well the landslide will bring you down, down

And If you see my reflection in the snow covered hills

Well maybe...

The landslide will bring you down

Well well... the landslide will bring you down

Fleetwood Mac has been one of my favorite bands my whole life. My mom has been a HUGH fan her entire life so, naturally, that's how I came to love Stevie and the gang. Both my mom and I share a love for "Landslide", it's just a special song between us. This is kind of silly and random but I'll say it anyway; it does have a point. I never had a big sweet sixteen birthday party like many of my friends, frankly, I really didn't want one. However, one day I decided to, in my head, think of the people I would pick to light the 16 candles at my party if I was to have one. If you don't know, this traditional little ceremony is a way to remember each year of your life and light a candle with someone who is close to you for each year, hence 16. Usually, as the birthday girl says something heartfelt and reminiscent about the person they pick for each candle, a song that means something to them is playing in the background. Anyway, as I was thinking about this imaginary party in my head, there was no question who the first candle would go to...my mom...and there was no question what the song would be..."Landslide." I'll get back to this point.

So, back to the purpose of this blog, "Landslide" is a song that everyone can relate to, in my opinon. We've all had bad times and we've all climbed mountains and tumbled down them. Life is never easy and time just keeps moving on and we are stuck in it's strong current. We may not be able to stop time from making us older or prevent ourselves from tumbling down that mountain but we know that others are having problems too. As humans, we are social beings and at one point or another we are going to see others falling down the mountain and we are going to fall down the mountain but we are there to catch eachother and help eachother start climbing again. We may question if we can withstand our hectic and sometimes crazy lives; "if we can handle the seasons of our lives." Alone, maybe not, but together, we can climb mountains and withstand the coldest winters and hottest summers.

Sometimes we have one special person that we know will always be the one to pick us up and push us back up that mountain. For Stevie, this person is her father, obviously, since every time she sings this song, whether shes recording it for an album or singing it live at Madison Square Garden in NY, she dedicates it to her father. I guess that's why I picked "Landslide" as the song for my mom's candle at my imaginary sweet sixteen. We have more than a mother-daughter realtionship, we are best friends, and I know that whenever bad times hit me in the face, my mom is there to wipe the tears. So I guess in the footsteps of Stevie Nicks, "This is for you, Mommy."

"Green, Green Grass of Home"

"Green, Green Grass of Home"

Tom Jones

The old home town looks the same

as I step down from the train,

and there to meet me is my Mama and Papa.

Down the road I look and there runs Mary

hair of gold and lips like cherries.

It's good to touch the green, green grass of home.

Yes, they'll all come to meet me,

arms reaching, smiling sweetly.

It's good to touch the green, green grass of home.

The old house is still standing

tho' the paint is cracked and dry,

and there's that old oak tree that I used to play on.

Down the lane I walk with my sweet Mary,

hair of gold and lips like cherries.

It's good to touch the green, green grass of home.

Yes, they'll all come to meet me,

arms reaching, smiling sweetly.

It's good to touch the green, green grass of home.

[spoken:]Then I awake and look around me,

at four grey walls surround me

and I realize that I was only dreaming.

For there's a guard and there's a sad old padre -

arm in arm we'll walk at daybreak.

Again I touch the green, green grass of home.

Yes, they'll all come to see me

in the shade of that old oak tree

as they lay me

neath the green, green grass of home.

Although I'm slightly young to know the musical stylings of Sir Tom Jones, I am a huge fan, and have been for a good number of years now. I've seen him peform live twice in Las Vegas, Nevada and each time he sang this particular song. Furthermore, each time I saw him sing it, I cried like a baby. Tom Jones has not had the easiest life and, obviously, he has served time in jail. But this song has such feeling, emotion, and vivid imagry that it's hard not to be touched. I feel as though I was brought right into the country, farm life and I'm walking with Tom and Mary down this wide, dirt path to the big, old farm house shaded my a gigantic oak tree. I can just picture it. But then, I feel completely abandoned as I can picture the gathering of mourners under the oak tree. However, Tom admits he is eternally home and at peace in his "green, green, grass" beneath "that old oak tree." Some may see this song as depressing but I find it comforting. Life, as expressed in this song is something to be cherished and remembered becasue one day, it will be over. But the picture of a simple, farm life as painted in this song is peaceful and soothing.