In the pantheon of Pop Piano Gods of the modern era, Elton John holds his own among such greats as  Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, Billy Joel, Nina Simone,  Tori Amos, and a handful of others.  He boasts an enviable catalogue of hits reaching far back into the 1970’s when he burst onto the music world with huge sunglasses and a flair all his own.

He is another artist and fellow pianist whose work I have admired from a distance.  (I’ve actually covered only one of his songs, and I didn’t even play it on the piano–a song called “American Triangle” that I sang a capella with African drums.)  His distinct sound and style is one I have no desire to copy.  Only Elton does Elton John well.  I am content to bow down at his alter and worship his songs just as millions around the world have.

All things considered, I have one very favorite Elton John song, and it is a classic.  It’s a sad farewell song called “Daniel”, and I loved it from the very first time I heard it.  The lyrics are just so brutal an beautiful all at once.  It’s a listing of truths that are heavy and heartbreaking to hold.

This week, I wanted to feature an old live performance of this sweet sad song.

Ladies and Gents, Daniel .  .  .

Daniel

Lyrics by Bernie Taupin

Music by Elton John

Daniel is travelling tonight on a plane
I can see the red tail lights heading for Spain
Oh and I can see Daniel waving goodbye
God it looks like Daniel, must be the clouds in my eyes

They say Spain is pretty though I’ve never been
Well Daniel says it’s the best place that he’s ever seen
Oh and he should know, he’s been there enough
Lord I miss Daniel, oh I miss him so much

Daniel my brother you are older than me
Do you still feel the pain of the scars that won’t heal
Your eyes have died but you see more than I
Daniel you’re a star in the face of the sky

Daniel is travelling tonight on a plane
I can see the red tail lights heading for Spain
Oh and I can see Daniel waving goodbye
God it looks like Daniel, must be the clouds in my eyes
Oh God it looks like Daniel, must be the clouds in my eyes

________________________________________________________

Maybe I’ll work out a cover of this someday.  Maybe.

-g

Happiness lies in your own hand .  .  .

There are days when I dream of self-fillment.  I am not talking in a materialistic sense.  If you would take away all of my physical possessions and leave me with nothing, I think I’d be fine.  (Though I’d probably be bummed about losing my piano)

I dream of times when I can fully utilize my natural abilities in ways that are meaningful, helpful, and nourishing to both myself and those around me.    It would involve a skill that I have cultivated over time that flourishes exponentially to breathe life,  joy, and a sense of connectedness into all things–and maybe just a small smattering of happiness.

I think I’ve come close.  I’ve had moments at my shows when the whole crowd would get completely quiet as I started a new song.  I’d put my all into singing the words and playing the music.  Honestly, it felt as if I’d swept up the whole crowd and taken them somewhere for just a little while.  I remember feeling the energy from the crowd–feeding me with their quiet attention as I gave back.   At the end, I’d sit there wondering what just happened as if I’d just gotten out of a trance.   These moments are worth more than their weight in gold.

Whether you’re a pharmacist, a librarian, writer, manager, filmmaker, accountant, podiatrist, lawyer, or chef, there has to be a moment when you are fully engrossed in your work and loving every minute of it.  There’s this sense that you are doing what you were meant to be doing in your life.  The skills that you’ve worked so hard to develop are finely tuned and formidable.  Your resulting happiness is obvious, potent, and infectious to anyone within a mile’s radius of you.

I dream of these self-fulfilling things because, in addition to having love, what else is truly worth having in this world?

As 2010 draws near, these are the thoughts in my head.  A new year always offers new beginnings and adventures.  I haven’t done a show in a few months, but that will be changing in due time.   I can’t wait.

My hands will be full.

Will yours?

-g

Back on Tuesday, I uploaded my song Mr. Stranger on my myspace page  in celebration of the one year anniversary of the release of my debut album Seahorses .  .  .

It is probably the most theatrical track of all the songs on Seahorses.  There is no subtletly as the piano bangs heavily right from the beginning.  Strings and a vibraphone chime in for added drama as the drums pound away to infuse a heavy pulse into the dark storyline.

When I wrote this song, I wanted to explore the darker side of vulnerability.  In the case of it’s story, I wanted to tell the tale of a man in dire of some sort of affection, some need to feel loved intimately.  He goes out into the world to get what he needs but does so from a source that may not be ideal, to say the least.  The story in fact has two characters, and this carries with it a fun little twist.  I’ll leave that to you to figure out.

You can hear the song by going here:  http://www.myspace.com/gordonroque

For your amusement, here are the lyrics to the song, though I do recommend that you give it a listen first.  The actual music and instrumentation provide the song with a sense of doom impending.  The last minute of the song portrays how this story eventually plays out.

Happy listening .  .  .

Mr. Stranger

All Rights Reserved © 2008 Gordon Roque
Music and Lyrics by Gordon Roque

A man gets in his car
The night is late and cold
Drives down the boulevard
To get a fix on the road
Away from the street lights
He sees a shadow waiting
And in this cold cold night
He moves barely breathing

Mr. Stranger
You’re in danger of a desperate heart
Mr. Stranger
You’re in danger of falling apart

Young man walks down the street
A car pulls by his side
And he stops his feet
Gets in the car for a ride
They go to a motel
The clothes fall to the floor
Their names they’ll never tell
They got less wanting more

Mr. Stranger
You’re in danger of a desperate heart
Mr. Stranger
You’re in danger of falling apart

Could this stranger’s kiss
Be more than just a kiss
Greater than a spark
Something more
Than before.

Mr. Stranger
You’re in danger of a desperate heart
Mr. Stranger
You’re in danger of falling apart

More to come very soon!

-gordon

There’s a low but resounding wurlitzer piano that hums along in the song that is featured in this week’s Video of the Week.  It was an instrument chosen to add some weight and heft to what is otherwise a very light and happy vocal deliverance by the song’s singer Natalie Merchant.  I can understand her decision to use this instrument and then to add on a pipe organ further into the song.

In spite of the smiling joyfulness she conveys in her singing, she does, in fact, sing of hugely monumental things–things that carry their own weight, heft, and power.  She sings of being thankful to people who have been kind and generous to her.  Oh yes, these are monumental things.  Kindness and generosity form the foundation towards being a compassionate human being.

Where would we be without compassion?  We’d be fighting endless wars and holding grudges indefinitely.  Drown ourselves in pettiness and negativity.  Mean-spirited-ness would inhabit our bodies.  We would scowl even when smiling.

I would be at a loss without the tender mercies of compassion.  My own mistakes and selfishness would have devoured me long ago.

Thankfully, there truly are kind and generous folks in the world.  I am proud to have quite a few of them in my own life.  I aim to be such a person in theirs.

This song sings of heavy things but offers a smile with great joy and without a scowl in sight .  .  .

I present to you Natalie Merchant’s “Kind and Generous” .  .  .

Hugs and thanks to all of the kind and generous friends and family in my life.

-gordon

Many of you may have noticed that it’s been very quiet in the Wonderful World of Gordon.  Well, since the holidays are now officially upon us, it is time to end the silence.

In the next week, there’s a whole slew of new things happening.  First off, my first annual Holiday Greeting Card will reach h0mes all over the country.  Then, the holiday issue of the WWoG, my e-mail newsletter, will hit inboxes everywhere.

This will all kick off new promotion for both my blog, my official website, and my music that will extend all through the winter and spring of 2010.  New shows for the new year will be announced later this month as well as a couple of little surprises here and there.

All of my online sites will be refreshed with new content and new promo photos will be debuted in the new year.

It’s about time I started having a little more fun .  .  .

More to come soon.

-g

It’s been a little while sine I posted photos of my niece Lai.  She loves posing for photographs and putting together outfits of her own.

Here are a couple of recent photos .  .  .

Oh those SHOES!!!!!!!!

She strikes AGAIN!!

More to come soon.

-g