Inspiration Mashup #3
Creative snippets to spark the soul’s inner fire.
It’s been a couple months since I’ve rolled out an Inspiration Mashup (I.M.). Summer’s doing as summer does– travels, house guests, family visitations, and dressing up at music festivals (case-in-point photo above) have all taken up time. Good times, yet time away from what I also love dearly: creating for you.
First, let’s kick off with some funny.
Meme of the month: More cowbell, please
If the most excellent simplicity of this meme isn’t enough, you must watch this Christopher Walken and Will Ferrell clip from Saturday Night Live (2000):
Quote of the month
(Apparently, I’m still on a Thomas Moore kick.)
“A healthy life is a musical life.” – Thomas Moore, The Planets Within: The Astrological Psychology of Marsilio Ficino
YES.
Music of the month: Hoyt Axton, Fearless (1977)
For fans of. . .Willie Nelson, Guy Clark, and all things Americana. If you turn your nose up at folk crossover, pass this one right on by.
I grew up with this album. Hoyt’s deep register and soulful songwriting hit the folk-heart’s sweet spot. I recently rediscovered Fearless through attending a local live show of Hoyt’s son, Matt Axton, appearing with his band Badmoon. It was a soul-filled reunion for me; I was so happy to meet his legacy carrier.
As a little girl, this album had me spellbound with its memorable lyrics and imagery. All of the songs are enjoyable (except, IMO, the cover of “Lay Lady Lay,” which just needs to stay in its big brass bed with Dylan). Notable tracks for my ears, those that had me doing the jig as a kid: “The Devil,” “An Old Greyhound” (referring to the Honeysuckle Rose – Willie Nelson et al’s old tour bus), “Jealous Man,” and “Evangelina.”
Extra credit: Hoyt wrote “Joy to the World” (1970) aka “Jeremiah Was a Bullfrog” made famous by Three Dog Night. His mother, Mae Boren Axton, wrote “Heartbreak Hotel” (1956) for Elvis to have a first hit. Legacies!
Animals of the month: Cat-stag party
We’ve had the joy of watching these young stags spend ample time on our land this summer. Our cat, Nala, is fearless toward them and they’ve been caught playing kissy-kissy twice. Who says there’s no such thing as interspecies love?
That’s it for now folks. Stay tuned (no pun intended). What’s coming next on Substack has a musical theme of the mostest. Can’t wait to share it with you!
Love,
Erin
p.s. How d’ya like the Inspiration Mashup? Your comments are welcome!
I remember on one of my 40 something birthdays my girlfriend tried to cheer me up by taking me out. I had just broken up with an incredible guy because he still had some family dynamics needing all his attention and I wasn't into the competition.....boy was I sad and pissed. We ended up at this horse ranch bar with everyone on the planet over 80 years old (or so it seemed) the band playing bad Grateful Dead, me just feeling old and craby and single and then there was the cowbell guy. As we say in England I pretty much wanted to stab out my eyeballs with an icepick. I went home and laugh/cried over SNL.
Sweet story short, my guy did take care of the funky dynamics, radically changed his life and gave me a call a couple months later and now is my husband :)
Ah, listening to Hoyt Axton brought visions of my mom and dad dancing to music like that. It was so fun to watch them...they were really good dancers. If a good song came on the radio sometimes Dad would grab Mom and they'd dance in the living room. Beautiful memories ♥️