I mentioned a couple of days that I am making a New Year's Resolution about using the elliptical trainer. Good thing it's not New Year's yet, because I already broke it. I mean the resolution.
But today, I was good. And I can't do my half-hour without some music. It would be great if I could read while doing it, but I've tried, and moving the arm bar with one hand, trying to hold the book and turn the pages with the other, all the while bobbing up and down a bit...we'll, it's enough to give you motion sickness (I can't read in a car either. Can barely read a map. Some navigator.)
Today's music was "Hank Wilson's Back". Hank Wilson is Leon Russell's country avatar. As Wilson, Russell had done a couple of albums, and this one starts of with "Rollin' In My Sweet Baby's Arms", "She Thinks I Still Care" and "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry". Other ballads include "Am I That Easy to Forget" and "From the Window Up Above". These are great songs and can make the time fly by. And you can sing along, if you're not exercising hard enough.
My favorite Leon Russell album is "Carney", which includes the title track, as well as standouts such as "Tightrope", "This Masquerade" and "Magic Mirror". It's a great album.
Of course, the down side is that when I go to Amazon to link to these albums, I see other stuff I'd like. This time I ordered another Hank Wilson CD, "Legend In My Time: Hank Wilson Vol:III," which contains some more country classics. Done as only Leon Russell can do 'em. Click on the link for details.
And finally, since I couldn't get the Super Saver shipping with just that CD, I ordered Dolly Parton's "Ultimate Dolly Parton". For some reason, I've been humming Jolene (jukebox sabotage, anyone?). Years ago when I moved from East Lansing to Tucson, I drove the route in my Triumph Spitfire with the top down (and got the worst sunburn I'd ever had), and the closer I got, the more I heard Jolene--probably the first country hit I got to know and love.
So now I have two great new (old) CD's on the way. And I got the Super Saver. Life is good.
That Carny cover brings back memories of rummaging through my older sister's record collection, totally up to no good. Happy New Year to you!
Posted by: idle hands | December 31, 2005 at 01:27 AM
Great, great. Now I'll be singing Back to the Island (and I'll be both Leon and the back-up girls) all night long...
And watch the sun go down (sit and watch the sun go down)
Hear the sea roll in (listen to the sea roll in)
But I'll be thinking of you (yes, and I'll be thinking of you)
And how it might have been (thinking how it might have been)
Hear the night birds cry (listen to the night birds cry)
Watch the sunset die (sit and watch the sunset die)
Well I hope you understand I just had to go back to the island
Posted by: Shawn Lea | January 02, 2006 at 12:32 AM