My Favorite Autumn Songs

Music is important.  It is the food of love, the breath of life, everything.

When I sit down to write, I do one of two things:  Turn on Pandora and listen to the Nickel Creek/ Sara Bareilles station, or open YouTube and go to Megan’s version of “Manhattan.”  The second option is sort of difficult, because I have to pay attention to go back to the YouTube tab and go back to the beginning before Megan says, “Hi everyone!  Thank you so much for tuning in and watching that…” but I can make it work.

I have already written about this song, but it has certainly turned into my Autumn Theme Song 2015.  It’s just so beautiful.  Here it is again:

Thinking about how this song has become a theme song made me think back to Autumns past.

Last year I was all about Peter Mulvey and Vlad.  This video always gets me.  I first listened to it in my car, last October.  I clearly remember driving around Eugene, looking at the beautiful changing leaves.  I felt the beauty of our Earth very clearly in that moment.   The way that Vlad explains our culture so simply makes my heart ache.  Autumn is such a good time to hear this message of mortality, and connections, and love.

Please watch:

A few years ago, I was taking a class from Kal about being bulletproof and creative.  It was the same time I was teaching art in a middle school.  This song came into my life and the power of the music and lyrics (from a poem by James Baldwin) moved me.

I don’t know, sister,
what I’m saying,
nor do no man,
if he don’t be praying.
I know that love’s the only answer
and the tight-rope lover
the only dancer.

When the lover come off the rope today,
the net which holds him is how we pray,
and not to God’s unknown,
but to each other–:
the falling mortal is our brother!

If I ever have a song stuck in my head, I use this song to get it out.  I just sing it to myself until it’s in my head.  It’s just such a beautiful piece.

Here you go:

The last song I’ll share here is one of my all time favorite Autumn songs.  It just feels like Autumn.  The mandolin, the imagery, Laura’s rich voice.  It doesn’t feel like Autumn has really arrived until I’ve listened to Laura Kemp sing “Hannah Branch.”

“This is the time the apples lie rotten on the ground, this is the time the supper sees the sun start goin’ down.”