It was Grey Cup Week in Winnipeg. I did not partake in as much of the festivities as I did last time it was here. I missed the parade. It was pretty hard to get excited about the event when the two dirtiest teams in the league made it to the finals. I suppose the Leos were the lesser of the two evils some how so I'm not disappointed that they won.
The one event I did attend was the Tom Cochrane concert featuring the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra. I was so excited about this concert and it more than met my expectations. I truly respect and admire Tom Cochrane as a musician. Mad Mad World was the first tape I ever bought (I was 12 and I got my dad to take me to Woolco to pick it up). Tom and I go way back. I still maintain that at three minutes 40 seconds into Life is a Highway his back up singers shout "Jill!" I remember being so mad during the '94 Grey Cup when the power went out across half of Charleswood just before Tom took the stage for the halftime show. I suppose going to the concert this year made up for it in a way.
I think what I love most about Tom Cochrane is the weird way he connects me with my mom. Every time he comes to town or within hours of town I have a hard time finding someone to go to the concert with. This time I didn't even bother asking around, I just came home and told my mom I got us tickets. I'm glad I took her.
Way back in '93 I remember taking Tom Cochrane(Mad Mad World) and Bryan Adams (So Far So Good) with me on a family road trip. I listened to them alternately on my Sony Walkman while my parents listened to the radio or Neil Diamond. At some point my mom suggested we listen to my new tape. I handed it over but didn't think it would last very long. We did listen to the entire tape once through, after which my mom said, "the second side is a little heavier isn't it?" Yeah mom, it's not exactly Celine Dion.
Still, my mom seemed determined that she was going to share an appreciation for Tom with me. She bought his tape Victory Day, and when I raised my eyebrows at her she told me she liked Tom's music too. Okay sure, but I was the one who ended up keeping the tape in my possession for the most part.
A few years ago Tom was in town for the Red River Ex. Once again I wanted to go but didn't have anyone to go with. Only a day before the concert my mom says to me, "if you don't find anyone to go with, I'll go with you, Jill". So we went. She recognized some of the songs, I guess she had been listening all that time.
Mom was pretty quiet during Saturday's concert, not that I really expected her to sing along or scream "I love you Tom!" like the middle aged women behind us. As I said earlier, I loved the concert. Unless you're a fellow Tom Cochrane fan though there's not much point going into detail here. On our way out of the arena a guy dressed up as Elvis walks past us.
"Oh look, we can say we saw Elvis!" my mom exclaims.
Yeah mom, we just saw one of Canada's most talented singer/songwriters perform backed by our local symphony and you get excited about seeing a man in an Elvis costume.
"That's all you have to say?"
"No," she laughs. "It was a good concert."
That's my mom. I love her. She's cool to me.
Say what you want about Tom Cochrane, I still like him. I wrote something the other day inspired by one of his songs (All the Kings Men--the last song on Mad Mad World). I think I will share it here.
(I haven't decided on a title yet, it's some kind of lullaby)
Don't cry my darling
Just put those tears away
You're stronger than you know
And getting stronger every day
You've walked a long cold mile
In shoes too big for your feet
Just close your eyes and rest now
Proud you followed your heartbeat
Don't look at the stars for answers
Or down at the ground in despair
The hero in every battle
Learns that life is never fair
Don't cry my darling
Though your body and soul grow weary
I promise that soon you will be dancing
And your future will shine quite clearly
My darling
My darling
Your future will shine quite clearly
5 comments:
Wow, you really dated yourself with the Woolco reference :p
Maybe I should add that to my rules--if you don't remember shopping $1.44 Plus More Days with your mom at Woolco, I can't speak to you (I'm getting really snobby these days aren't I?)
(And I know which one of you Bob's posted this comment!)
Wow Jilly, you are quite the poet. Mr. Davidson would be proud!
Thanks, "Vince" (other readers, it should be known that two certain people are playing around with their identities, people are not always who they seem...)
Mr. Davidson would be proud? That's quite the honour cuz I didn't take his AP English class. When faced with the choice of English or math, I went for math and then later, I sucked on my provincial English exam. Maybe Mr. Hatfield would have liked the poem.
That's ok. I stunk on my provincial english exam as well and I actually was in AP english. He was "livid" at the way it was marked and suggested I appeal it. So I did, and my mark went down even further. Boourns! I killed the provincial math exam though. 99%!! woo go me!!
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