LYRICAL MUSINGS

Burt Bacharach and Hal David wrote this great song about some girl pining for a guy, but the way Aretha and her girls do it, you'd swear it was about ones' devotion to God or one's yearning to merge with the infinite. I couldn't help but think of this because when I awoke this morning, this song popped into my head....before I did my morning prayers (Japji).

The moment I wake up
Before I put on my makeup
I say a little prayer for you
While combing my hair, now,
And wondering what dress to wear, now,
I say a little prayer for you

Forever, forever, you'll stay in my heart
and I will love you
Forever, forever, we never will part
Oh, how I'll love you
Together, together, that's how it must be
To live without you
Would only be heartbreak for me.

I run for the bus, dear,
While riding I think of us, dear,
I say a little prayer for you.
At work I just take time
And all through my coffee break-time,
I say a little prayer for you.

Forever, forever, you'll stay in my heart
and I will love you
Forever, forever we never will part
Oh, how I'll love you
Together, together, that's how it must be
To live without you
Would only be heartbreak for me.

My darling believe me,
For me there is no one
But you.

When my mom was on her deathbed back in December of 2006, my aunt, my sister, my daughter and I all decided that Frank Sinatra was gonna take my mom out. We all stood around the bed holding hands as Frank Sinatra's greatest hits escaped from the ipod mini speakers I brought with me from LA to Florida. Now you might think this is campy, but I swear this was the most compassionate and elevated way to help my mom transition. When you listen to the early Frank, you are struck by his phrasing and his magnificent choice of material. But when you are experiencing your mother's death while listening to George Gershwin's "someone to watch over me" , suddenly the words take on a whole new meaning...and Frank will never again be the same.