loves, new and old - part 1

The Free Design

The Free Design is a vocal group that had a cult following in the 70's. Sometimes dubbed "baroque pop" for their classical influences, the group consisted of the Dedrick family. Their albums had a few covers with Chris Dedrick writing most of the original songs. Poppy, catchy and sometimes over the top with its cutesiness, the sunshine and rainbow songs still made evident the Dedrick family's musical talent with jazz inspired chord progressions and its mainstay in the underground, inspiring some noted musicians and groups such as Beck, Stereolab and Pizzicato Five. Despite a lack of commercial success and the group's break up less than a decade after they emerged, as many small groups have, they gained notoriety with their songs appearing in commercials and soundtracks.

My dormant love affair with this group was revived when watching Yo Gabba Gabba with the kids and saw a cartoon bit set to "I Found Love". I don't have a favorite song. But when the mood hits or I need a little sunshine in my life - because I can't stand the actual sun - I hit up the few tracks I have on my ipod and it puts a smile on my face.

I know if my dad had heard this band, he would have loved them.

Il Postino

An Italian language film by Michael Radford, Il Postino tells the story of the exiled Chilean poet, Pablo Neruda, and the unexpected friendship he develops with his postman while in Italy, a deviation from the novel and original 1983 movie, which took place in Chile. While Pablo Neruda is, indeed, a real person (and one of my favorite poets), the story is fictional.

Exiled to Italy for his Communist views, Neruda makes a home in a small Italian fishing village and meets Mario, who turns out to be his own personal postman. In learning who Neruda is, Mario becomes interested in poetry and the two men become close friends and the poet assists Mario in courting Beatrice by using poetry and metaphor. The rest of the film explores this friendship, the simplicity of love and companionship set against the simple life.

My father said it best. This movie is simply sweet. I cannot get enough of it. Despite its bittersweet ending, I've watched this movie rather often, thinking about the simple love that existed between the main characters, whether that love be friendship or romance. Simplicity. Purity. The foundation of love and life in a world that is getting increasingly complicated and fast paced.

Both Sides Now by Joni Mitchell

Though this is both a song and the album, I am talking about the song, here.

A contrast to the band and the movie mentioned above, this song is a sad one or rather, a melancholy song about growth and change and how we once saw things a certain way in our youth and how they change as we grow.

My favorite line...

"Well, something's lost and something's gained in living every day."

It's a spark of hope in having learned and grown. Losing the innocence of youth isn't always that bad.