Song Lyric Sunday | “Can’t Let Go” – Mariah Carey

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Song Lyric Sunday was created by Helen Vahdati from This Thing Called Life One Word at a Time. For complete rules or to join in the fun, click here.

The theme for Song Lyric Sunday this week is “let go.”

 ~~~~~
I’ve always been a Mariah Carey fan, more so Old Mariah than New Mariah. Old Mariah belted out amazing songs like Vision of love, Don’t Forget About Us, Fantasy, and Without You. New Mariah tries to add a hip hop element to her music… and she doesn’t have that type of voice–or at least it doesn’t work for me.  But all of her pre-2000 music and a few of her 2000-2010 songs remain in rotation on my regular playlists.

With her first five American singles reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100, one of my favorite Mariah Carey songs, 1991’s  Can’t Let Go, ended the streak when it reached number two. It’s not that the song wasn’t doing well–quite the opposite–but the record company took the single off from sales before it could reach number 1, in an attempt to boost sales of EmotionsStupid record company! The song did top the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks, where it became Carey’s fourth number one single; the next single Make It Happen would break that streak. Can’t Let Go ranked 20th on the 1992 Hot 100 year-end charts.

Enjoy!

See my Song Lyric Sunday selection on Nesie’s Place.

Disclaimer: I have no copyrights to the song and/or video and/or hyperlinks to songs and/or videos and/or gifs above. No copyright infringement intended.

Can’t Let Go

by Mariah Carey

Written by Mariah Carey and Walter Afanasieff

[Verse 1]
There you are, holding her hand
I am lost, dying to understand
Didn’t I cherish you right?
Don’t you know you were my life?

[Chorus]
Even though I try, I can’t let go
Something in your eyes captured my soul
And every night I see you in my dreams
You’re all I know, I can’t let go

[Verse 2]
Just cast aside, you don’t even know I’m alive
You just walk on by, don’t care to see me cry
And here I am, still holding on
I can’t accept my world is gone, no, no

[Chorus]
Even though I try, I can’t let go
‘Cause something in your eyes captured my soul
And every night I see you in my dreams
You’re all I know, I can’t let go

[Bridge]
Do you even realize the sorrow I have inside
Every day of my life?
Do you know the way it feels when all you have just dies?
I try and try to deny that I need you
But still you remain on my mind

[Chorus]
Even though I try, I can’t let go
(No, I just can’t get you out of my mind)
Something in your eyes captured my soul
(I never can say goodbye)
‘Cause every night I see you in my dreams
You’re all I know, I can’t let you go
Even though I try I can’t let go
Something in your eyes captured my soul
(Of something that I need so badly)
Every night I see you in my dreams
You’re all I know, I can’t let go

 

Compiled from Genius Lyrics, YouTube, Wikipedia, and Google.

Song Lyric Sunday | “Trapped By A Thing Called Love” – Denise LaSalle

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Song Lyric Sunday was created by Helen Vahdati from This Thing Called Life One Word at a Time. For complete rules or to join in the fun, click here.

The theme for Song Lyric Sunday this week is “a song from an artist/singer who shares your name.”

 ~~~~~

Ora Denise Allen is better known by her stage name, Denise LaSalle, and is legendary on the R&B circuit. She recorded and toured for over forty years, and was a big draw at yearly blues and jazz festivals around the world.

Sadly, we lost Ms. LaSalle in January of this year when she succumbed to heart problems after having a leg amputated just three months earlier. She was seventy-eight-years-old.

She left behind a huge music legacy, including many songs she wrote or co-wrote. One of those songs, Trapped By This Thing Called Love (which she co-wrote with former husband, Bill Jones), was certified gold, reaching #1 on the R&B charts. It was her only Top 40 pop hit, reaching #13 in October of 1971.

Enjoy!

See my Song Lyric Sunday selection on Nesie’s Place.

Disclaimer: I have no copyrights to the song and/or video and/or hyperlinks to songs and/or videos and/or gifs above. No copyright infringement intended.

Trapped by A Thing Called Love

by Denise LaSalle

Written by Denise LaSalle and Bill Jones

Somebody tell me, what has this man got
He makes me feel what I don’t want to feel
Somebody tell me, what has this man got
He makes me give what I don’t want to give

On solid ground, I feel myself sinking fast
I grab a hold but I don’t think it’s going to last
I’m slowly losing my ground, slowly sinking down
Trapped by this thing they call love, oh, baby

(Hooked on this thing called love)

(Hooked on this thing called love)
Somebody tell me, what has this man got
He makes me cry, Lord, I don’t want to cry
Somebody tell me, what has this man got
He makes me lie when I don’t want to lie

He calls me up and I tell ’em to say that I’m not in
Then I cry all night if he doesn’t call again
I’m slowly losing my ground, slowly sinking down
Trapped by this thing they call love, oh, baby

I’m slowly losing my ground, slowly sinking down
Trapped by this thing they call love, oh, baby

(Hooked on this thing called love …)
I’m trapped, I can’t help myself
I’m hooked on you baby, I just can’t help myself
I can never be happy loving no one else
Oh, baby
Ooh baby

 

 

Compiled from Genius Lyrics, YouTube, Wikipedia, and Google.

Song Lyric Sunday | Heart of Mine – Boz Scaggs

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Song Lyric Sunday was created by Helen Vahdati from This Thing Called Life One Word at a Time. For complete rules or to join in the fun, click here.

The theme for Song Lyric Sunday this week is “heart.”

 ~~~~~

The Song Lyric Sunday-crowd know well what I mean when I say sometimes you just can’t shake a song… and Heart of Mine  is another of my longtime favorites.

After an eight-year absence from recording, the always amazing Boz Scaggs returned in 1988 with the album Other Roads. The album reached #47 on the Billboard pop album chart, while the lead single Heart of Mine was a big Adult Contemporary success, peaking at #3 on that chart. The single also reached #35 on the Billboard pop singles chart. This single was produced by Stewart Levine (who also produced Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes’ Up Where We Belong and Simply Red’s two #1 hits, Holding Back the Years and If  You Don’t Know Me By Now).

It’s not a big song or anthem. It’s quite simple actually, which I believe is part of its charm.

Enjoy!

See my Song Lyric Sunday selection on Nesie’s Place.

Disclaimer: I have no copyrights to the song and/or video and/or hyperlinks to songs and/or videos and/or gifs above. No copyright infringement intended.

Heart of Mine

by Boz Scaggs

One day you may find true love
That will last forever and ever
Till then you’ll spend
A lifetime wishing one together

You never thought she’d say goodbye
And you’ll never understand
The reasons why

Heart of mine
How will you keep from dying
Stop the reminiscing
Who is she kissing

Heart of mine
Oh, what’s the use in trying
No one can mend you now

Love plays cruel games
You can’t believe
She’s found another lover

Does she miss me?
Sometimes you just
Can’t help but wonder

No, you can’t hold
The hands of time
And you’ll always be
The one she left behind

Heart of mine
(Oh, heart of mine)
How will you keep from dying
Stop the reminiscing
Who is she kissing

Heart of mine
(Oh, heart of mine)
Oh, what’s the use in trying
No one can mend you now

And you will never
Understand the reasons why

Heart of mine
(Oh, heart of mine)
How will you keep from dying
Stop the reminiscing
Who is she kissing

Heart of mine
(Oh, heart of mine)
Oh, what’s the use in trying
No one can mend you now

(Heart of mine)
Oh, heart of mine
(Heart of mine)

Heart of mine
(Oh, heart of mine)
Heart of mine

 

Compiled from Genius Lyrics, YouTube, Wikipedia, and Google.

“He was supposed to love us not treat us like we were nothing.”

Free, a Novella 3D cover

Synopsis

Lenore “Lennie” Porter’s life had not gone as she planned.

The marriage she put her heart and soul into failed.

The man she sacrificed so much for abandoned her.

But Lennie refused to be broken. She pushed on, running a successful business and raising her three sons alone.

Through health scares and severe family dysfunction and trauma which forever changed their lives, the Porter family clung to each other to keep from sinking into the darkness.

With her marriage over long ago and her adult sons living their own lives, Lenore Porter decides to sell the cold fortress she worked so hard to make a warm, loving home.

A short, final inspection of her former home turns into a confrontation with ghosts from the past, and decisions and events Lennie felt she’d dealt with and moved on from.

Free, a Novella is a short, clean read recounting one woman’s determination to not be broken by life or lose her identity.

~~~

99¢

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Song Lyric Sunday | “Coming Out of the Dark” by Gloria Estefan

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Song Lyric Sunday was created by Helen Vahdati from This Thing Called Life One Word at a Time. For complete rules or to join in the fun, click here.

The theme for Song Lyric Sunday this week is “demons/devils.”

 ~~~~~

I interpreted this week’s theme to mean ‘dark/darkness’ and came up with another long-time favorite.

Coming Out of the Dark is the first single released after singer Gloria Estefan’s accident—an 18-wheeler rammed her tour bus, nearly causing her death—when her Get on Your Feet Tour was in progress in 1991. It is also the first song that Estefan performed publicly after recovering. The song is inspired by the near-fatal accident and also is dedicated to Emilio Estefan, Jr., Gloria’s husband.

The song is a soul ballad which includes the use of a choir. Among the voices in the choir are Gloria’s colleague, the Cuban singer Jon Secada, and the R&B singer Betty Wright (both had participated in backing vocals on Gloria’s album, Cuts Both Ways as well as Into the Light.)

The title was inspired by a phrase her husband had written on a piece of paper as a helicopter transported her for delicate surgery to repair her broken back. Gloria explained to Billboard: “My husband had been in one of the helicopters traveling from one hospital to the other. It was really dark and gray, and he was traumatized. He got this ray of light that hit him in the face, and he got the idea for Coming out of the Dark.”

Gloria was careful not to turn Into the Light into a pity party. “I hate pity,” she told the Los Angeles Daily News. “I’m very self-reliant and independent, and I’m used to that role. I don’t like people feeling sorry for me. So I wrote Coming Out of the Dark to let the people around me know how important they are to me. But that was as far as I wanted to go with the accident. I didn’t want this to become ‘the album on the accident.’

Enjoy!

See my Song Lyric Sunday selection on Nesie’s Place.

Disclaimer: I have no copyrights to the song and/or video and/or hyperlinks to songs and/or videos and/or gifs above. No copyright infringement intended.

Coming Out of the Dark

by Gloria Estefan

Written by Gloria M. Estefan, Emilio Estefan, Jr., and Jon Secada

Why be afraid if I’m not alone
Though life is never easy the rest is unknown
Up to now for me it’s been hands against stone
Spent each and every moment
Searching for what to believe

Coming out of the dark, I finally see the light now
It’s shining on me
Coming out of the dark I know the love that saved me
You’re sharing with me

Starting again is part of the plan
And I’ll be so much stronger holding your hand
Step by step I’ll make it through I know I can
It may not make it easier but I have felt you
Near all the way

Coming out of the dark, i finally see the light now
And it’s shining on me ( I see the light, I see the light)
See the light
Coming out of the dark I know the love that saved me
You’re sharing with me

Forever, forever I stand on the rock of your love
Forever and ever I’ll stand on the rock
Can’t nobody stop me from watching
Forever, forever I stand on the rock of your love
Love is all it takes, no matter what we face

Coming out of the dark, (Coming out of the dark)
I see the light, I feel love shinning on me (Shining, shining)
Shining on me
Coming out of the dark I know the love that saved me
You’re sharing, you’re sharing with me, sharing with me, sharing with me

Coming out of the dark,
Making it into the light
Your love shining on me, shining on me, shining on me
Coming out of the dark,
I see the light, I see the light
Shining, shining, shining on me
Shining, shining
Coming out of the dark
I see the light now
Yes I see the light

 

Writer/s: GLORIA M. ESTEFAN, EMILIO JR. ESTEFAN, JON SECADA
Publisher: Universal Music Publishing Group, Foreign Imported Productions & Publishing

Compiled from Genius Lyrics, YouTube, Wikipedia, and Google.

Song Lyric Sunday | “Kiss an Angel Good Mornin'” by Charley Pride

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Song Lyric Sunday was created by Helen Vahdati from This Thing Called Life One Word at a Time. For complete rules or to join in the fun, click here.

The theme for Song Lyric Sunday this week is “angel.”

 ~~~~~

Everybody and their brother has covered this song, but Kiss an Angel Good Mornin’ is a song written by Ben Peters, and recorded by American country music artist Charley Pride. It was released in October 1971 as the first single from the album Charley Pride Sings Heart Songs. The song has since become one of his signature tunes and was his eighth song to reach number one on the country charts. Kiss an Angel Good Mornin’ was also Charley Pride’s first single to reach the pop charts, peaking at number twenty-one on the Billboard Hot 100, and also went into the Top Ten of the Adult Contemporary charts. It also reached #19 on the U.S. Cash Box Top 100. The song spent four months on the pop chart, longer than any of his other hits. Billboard ranked it as the No. 74 song for 1972.

Enjoy!

See my Song Lyric Sunday selection on Nesie’s Place.

Disclaimer: I have no copyrights to the song and/or video and/or hyperlinks to songs and/or videos and/or gifs above. No copyright infringement intended.

Kiss An Angel Good Mornin’

by Charley Pride

Written by Ben Peters

Whenever I chance to meet
Some old friends on the street
They wonder how does a man get to be this way
I’ve always got a smiling face
Anytime and any place
And everytime they ask me why
I just smile and say

You’ve got to
Kiss an angel good morning
And let her know you think about her when you’re gone
Kiss an angel good morning
And love her like the devil when you get back home

Well people may try to guess
The secret of a happiness
But some of them never learn it’s a simple thing

The secret i’m speaking of
Is a woman and a man in love
And the answer is in this song
That i always sing

You’ve got to
Kiss an angel good morning
And let you know you think about her when you’re gone
Kiss an angel good morning
And love her like the devil when you get back home

Kiss an angel good morning
And let you know you think about her when you’re gone
Kiss an angel good morning
And love her like the devil when you get back home

Compiled from Genius Lyrics, YouTube, and Google.

Writer Wednesday | “Family Matters”

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Even though loss shaped Olivia Chandler’s life, she never learned how to deal with it. Thrust into the foster care system as a child, little Livvie Chandler was told to ‘just forget’ and ‘be good.’ And for twenty-eight years, that’s what she did.

In this short snippet, Olivia finds out Willis Benson is terminally ill. The executor of her father’s will has been protector, mentor and surrogate father to the closed-off attorney.

Olivia moved on after her father’s death and her mother was sent away, but this could be the loss that sends her spiraling out of control.

***

“How long has he known?”
“Since July.”
“July?” Thoughts and images raced through Olivia’s mind. She spent time with Willis five or six times in the last four months. And never suspected a thing.
“How-”
“No one knows. Two weeks… two hours. Any answer would be a guess.”
“That’s unacceptable, Ian. His condition must tell them something. Who is this doctor? Maybe we should get a-”
“Olivia, stop.”
She frowned.
“Dad signed a DNR.”
Dizziness and nausea gripped her. Heat enveloped her body as sudden fatigue caught hold and dragged her toward the floor.
Ian was the only reason Olivia didn’t fall. He held on and propped her against the wall.
Ian spoke to her but Olivia heard no words. Her jumbled thoughts were of Willis Benson, the man in the brown suit she met as a ten-year-old. The only constant in her life since that fateful day when everything changed.
Ben Chandler planned well for his daughter’s future. But it was Willis Benson who fought for Olivia… and her mother. He risked his own job future and status in the firm to carry out Ben’s wishes.
When Olivia turned eighteen and took partial control of her inheritance, Willis was at her side. He answered Olivia’s questions and gave mild guidance, but Willis insisted she make her own decisions.
Years later when Olivia refused to visit her mother ever again, Willis accepted it and continued to stand by her.
Now Olivia needed to accept the fact if… no, when Willis suffered another cardiac episode or seizure, no life-saving measures would be taken.
He would die… and leave her.

****

After winning her young client’s custody battle, Olivia Chandler knows she can no longer hide from her own childhood trauma. With support from Bruce Bellamy and his family, she enters counseling. Her therapy will not be easy, and may not be successful unless Olivia can forgive her mother for the years Olivia spent in foster care. But is Sarina Chandler the only one in need of forgiveness?

Bruce introduces Olivia to his adult children. But her continued refusal to visit her mother pulls at the seams of Olivia’s new-found love with Bruce. The unexpected death of her mentor blind-sides Olivia causing her to withdraw back into the darkness of her mind. She pushes everyone away… including Bruce Bellamy.

Defeated, Olivia Chandler believes it her fate to concede to the same trauma-born mental illness that took her mother. But two voices, one from the present and one from the past, will challenge her to fight for the future her father intended for her to have… or succumb to madness.

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Sunday Snippet | “Family Matters”

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Near the end of In the Best Interest of the Child, heroine Olivia Chandler admitted she needed help to overcome her emotional demons and made the giant step forward to enter counseling. But the savvy child advocate attorney is too smart for her own good sometimes and nothing is ever easy with her.

This small snippet is from one of Olivia’s counseling sessions. Psychologist Diane Payton is as tough as her client and doesn’t give Olivia any slack.

***

Without a word, Diane went to her desk and retrieved the lone file from her In basket and returned to her seat.

“You have the right to review your file at anytime, Olivia, so just pretend you made a request and read the highlighted section for me please.” She passed a document to Olivia. “Aloud, please.”

Confused, Olivia found the section and began to read.

“Client is agitated and fidgets. Doesn’t maintain eye contact. Hands/palms appear to be sweaty. Voice tone is raised and speech is rapid. Almost childlike. Client is reliving the experience.”

Olivia read the passage again in silence. She frowned and looked to Diane for explanation.

“That was you as spoke of some of your former foster homes, the physical abuse you suffered, and life without your parents.”

Olivia Chandler couldn’t help but think of how horrible a childhood she had.

“Now read this one.”

Taking the document from her therapist, Olivia did as she was told.

“Client is the most relaxed I’ve seen her to date. Sitting in upright chair, legs crossed, hands clasped around knee. Her speech is animated and eyes are bright. Client appears content. (Happy?)”

“Diane, when was-”

“When you talked about Bruce.”

Olivia shook her head.

“This doesn’t prove anything.”

Her therapist smirked.

“You’re right, it doesn’t.” She leaned toward Olivia. “Or… it does.”

“She scoffed. “Now, you’re being facetious.”

“And you’re in denial.”

****

After winning her young client’s custody battle, Olivia Chandler knows she can no longer hide from her own childhood trauma. With support from Bruce Bellamy and his family, she enters counseling. Her therapy will not be easy, and may not be successful unless Olivia can forgive her mother for the years Olivia spent in foster care. But is Sarina Chandler the only one in need of forgiveness?

Bruce introduces Olivia to his adult children. But her continued refusal to visit her mother pulls at the seams of Olivia’s new-found love with Bruce. The unexpected death of her mentor blind-sides Olivia causing her to withdraw back into the darkness of her mind. She pushes everyone away… including Bruce Bellamy.

Defeated, Olivia Chandler believes it her fate to concede to the same trauma-born mental illness that took her mother. But two voices, one from the present and one from the past, will challenge her to fight for the future her father intended for her to have… or succumb to madness.

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Song Lyric Sunday | “Caravan of Love” – Isley Jasper Isley


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Song Lyric Sunday was created by Helen Vahdati from This Thing Called Life One Word at a Time. For complete rules or to join in the fun, click here.

The theme for Song Lyric Sunday this week is “brother/sister”. 

~~~

It was bound to happen – my first song repeat! 😀

It fits this week’s theme, and it’s just one of those songs you can’t hear enough in light of today’s societal issues, AND it’s a great song for Earth Day!

This feel-good song from 1985 went straight to number one on the R & B singles chart and fifty-one on the pop charts.  (British indie band The Housemartins also found success with Caravan of Love in November 1986 with their a capella song version reaching number one in the UK Singles Chart on 16 December 1986.)

Enjoy!

See my Song Lyric Sunday selection on Nesie’s Place.

Disclaimer: I have no copyrights to the song and/or video and/or hyperlinks to songs and/or videos and/or gifs above. No copyright infringement intended.

Caravan of Love

Isley-Jasper-Isley

Ooh…ooh…ooh..
Ooh…ooh…ooh..
Are you ready for the time of your life
It’s time to stand up and fight
(It’s alright) It’s alright (It’s alright, it’s alright)
Hand in hand we’ll take a caravan
To the motherland
One by one we’re gonna stand with the pride
One that can’t be denied
(Stand up, stand up, stand up, stand up)
From the highest mountain and valley low
We’ll join together with hearts of gold
Now the children of the world can see
There’s a better way for us to be
The place where mankind was born
Is so neglected and torn, torn apart
Every woman, every man
Join the caravan of love (Stand up, stand up, stand up)
Everybody take a stand
Join the caravan of love
I’m your brother
I’m your brother, don’t you know
I’m your brother
I’m your brother, don’t you know
We’ll be living in a world of peace
In a day when everyone is free
We’ll bring the young and the old
Won’t you let your love flow from your heart
Every woman, every man
Join the caravan of love (Stand up, stand up, stand up)
Everybody take a stand
Join the caravan of love
I’m your brother
I’m your brother, don’t you know
I’m your brother
I’m your brother, don’t you know
Now the children of the world can see
There’s a better for us to be
The place where mankind was born
Is so neglected and torn, torn apart
Every woman, every man
Join the caravan of love (Stand up, stand up, stand up)
Everybody take a stand
Join the caravan of love
Are you ready for the time of your life
(Are you ready, are you ready)
Are you ready for the time of your life
(Are you ready, are you ready)
Come go with me
(Are you ready, are you ready)
Come go with me
(Are you ready, are you ready)
Every woman, every man
Join the caravan of love (Are you ready, are you ready)
Everybody take a stand
Join the caravan of love (Are you ready, are you ready)
Every woman, every man
Join the caravan of love (Are you ready, are you ready)
Everybody take a stand
Join the caravan of love (Are you ready, are you ready)
Songwriters: Chris Jasper / Ernest Isley / Ernie Isley / Marvin Isley