Off the Mark

Happy Valentine’s Day mrl-005 — Feb 9, 2000

In 2000 I made my first Valentine’s Day CD which I gave to six of my female friends. I also made Valentine’s Day CDs in 2001-2003, with 2001s being a double CD. They went to anywhere from 10 to 16 women, always increasing. I have not made any since 2003. Reasons aren’t appropriate here/now. This is not to say that I haven’t had any female friends deserving of the effort; that is ridiculous. Heck, I wouldn’t know where to begin and postage would add up quickly; the vast majority of the others were hand delivered.

I also made special little bags of Valentine’s treats for the recipients, and gave bags of treats—pencils, erasers, stickers, candy hearts, chocolate, silly cards, etc.—to many others, and made sure I had at least a couple pieces of chocolate and a sticker or two for every female student worker that I worked with [inexpensive little novelties from the party store]. Not everyone has someone to make then feel special on Valentine’s Day. I know. Even the avowed Valentine’s Day haters would light up when someone old enough to be their father took a moment to let them know that they are special. [I amaze even myself some times in my life; rare, though, that I do—generally I'm fairly curmudgeonly about something like Valentine's Day.]

With that in mind, here is the contents of my first Valentine’s Day CD : With all my love & respect…

The inside (back) of the cover of the original liner notes:

I don’t know if I can get away with this, especially after saying that these are some of my favorite ‘Love Songs’, but, I am not a Romantic. Anyway, these are some of my favorite love songs, or songs about love in a few cases. I tried to keep it to love songs though, in honor of Valentine’s Day. I’ve always been told that I have a twisted idea of love songs. So what! But, I recently realized that I was making a mistake, I was including songs about love in the love song category. They are a distinctly different kind of song, although I love many (more?) of them, too! There’s been a couple already on my other CDs but they’re not so good for Valentine’s Day.

Women have always been my closest & dearest friends. I’m able to say things to them that guys just don’t get, or don’t even want said around them. Making this CD has been a bit painful for me, but I felt that I owed it to the women around me that I love. I want to tell you that you are a very special & beautiful woman to me! All I want is the best for you! And if I can be your friend along the way, so much the better for me!

Wishing all the Best on Valentine’s Day 2000. With all my love & respect,

[originals signed]

Please do not take any lyric too literally.

Set list:

1 Wond’ring Aloud – Jethro Tull
2 Anyday – Derek And the Dominos
3 Fire Of The Newly Alive – Rosanne Cash
4 Comes Love – Billie Holiday
5 Need Your Love So Bad – Fleetwood Mac
6 Holy Water – Bad Co.
7 I Want To Be Loved By You – Sinéad O’Connor
8 Dark Star – Crosby, Stills & Nash
9 What A Difference A Day Makes – Dinah Washington
10 For Rosanna – Chris DeBurgh
11 As Time Goes By – Jimmy Durante
12 Trip Through Your Wires – U2
13 Soul On Fire – LaVern Baker
14 I Will Never Be The Same – Melissa Etheridge
15 Your Warm And Tender Love – Chris Rea
16 Into The Mystic – Van Morrison
17 Rock Steady - Bad Co.
18 Love Song – Syd Barrett
19 My Funny Valentine – Dinah Shore
20 At Last – Etta James

Liner notes:

Wond’ring Aloud – Jethro Tull (Aqualung, Chrysalis VK 41044, © 1973)
‘We are our own saviours, as we start, both our hearts beating life, into each other… … its’s only the giving that makes you what you are.’
“This is my gift to you. Happy Valentine’s Day!”

Anyday – Derek And The Dominos (Layla and other assorted love songs, MFSL UDCD 585, © 1970) Eric Clapton, Bobby Whitlock, Jim Gordon, Carl Radle and Duane Allman.
“You have no idea how good it does my soul to see you smiling!”

Fire Of The Newly Alive – Rosanne Cash (The Wheel, Columbia CK 52729, © 1993)

Comes Love – Billie Holiday (Body and Soul, MFSL UDCD 658, © 1956, 1957)
“Lady Day from the original mono master with an immense amount of care & love going into the remixing & pressing.”

Need Your Love So Bad – Fleetwood Mac (The Pious Bird Of Good Omen, Columbia 480524 2, © 1969)
“You can’t have love without having the blues occasionally.”
[page 1]

Holy Water – Bad Co. (Holy Water, ATCO A2 91371, © 1990)

I Want To Be Loved By You – Sinéad O’Connor (am i not your girl?, Chrysalis ensign D 100139, © 1992)

Dark Star – Crosby, Stills & Nash (CSN, Atlantic SD 19104-2, © 1977)

What A Difference A Day Makes – Dinah Washington (Corrina, Corrina, RCA 66443-2, © 1994
“What a voice!”

For Rosanna – Chris DeBurgh (Into The Light, A&M CD 5121, © 1986)
“I offer this song to all of you daughters on behalf of your fathers. I know I feel this way about my daughter! I hope yours does too! Sara, I miss you so much.”
[page 2]

As Time Goes By – Jimmy Durante (Sleepless In Seattle, epic soundtrax EK 53764, © 1993)
“I prefer women singers, but you’ve got to love Jimmy!”

Trip Through Your Wires – U2 (The Joshua Tree, MFSL UDCD 650, © 1987)

Soul On Fire – LaVern Baker (Soul On Fire, Atlantic 7 82311-2, © 1991)
“I love this voice. I got turned onto her (& lots of other great artists) via The Atlantic Rhythm and Blues series.”

I will Never Be The Same – Melissa Etheridge (Yes I Am, Island 422-848 660-2, © 1993)
Be very careful with the lyrics of this song. I didn’t lose anybody because she was never mine but yet… “Thank you! I never knew it could feel so amazing just being around someone. I hope I can make someone feel that way someday. I barely saved myself. Thank you for being so tolerant.”

Your Warm And Tender Love – Chris Rea (The Road To Hell, Geffen 9 24276-2, © 1989)
“Another guy being saved by love? Some of us do like the idea too.”
[page 3]

Into The Mystic – Van Morrison (Moondance, Warner Bros. 3103-2, 1970)
“This is a romantic album. I love the imagery of it & I want to feel like this someday.”

Rock Steady – Bad Co. (Bad Co., Swan Song SS 8501-2, © 1974)
“I had to include this if only for ‘listen to, baby, let the music flow…’”

Love Song – Syd Barrett (Barrett, Capitol CDP 7 46606 2, 1970)
“What a pretentious title for such an unpretentious little song. Same Syd as Effervescing Elephant.”

My Funny Valentine – Dinah Shore (Sweet and Lovely: Capitol’s Great Ladies of Song, Capitol D 170305, © 1992) Rodgers – Hart, Piano accompaniment by Andre Previn, Recorded 1961
“I had to include this little gem.”

At Last – Etta James (Northern Exposure, MCAD-10685, © 1992)
“I loved this crazy TV show. They always chose great & sometimes very eclectic music.”
[page 4]

I wish I could actually provide the actual music … but that’s not to be. Oh well, enjoy. And Happy Valentine’s Day!

[For the curmudgeonly out there, just hold on a moment....]