Breakfast With a Stranger
My favorite medium for music is vinyl. It’s much warmer and more inviting than any other. Compared to CDs or MP3s, records sound fuller and not as compressed. With vinyl, you have to wipe the dust off, turn the record over, place the needle carefully on the edge and enjoy it. You don’t just listen to music. You experience it.
Recently, I received Willie Nelson’s Red Headed Stranger in the mail from some guy in California and it’s the most intriguing record my player’s needle has ever spun. Listening to Willie sing about a preacher killing his wife and her lover with haunting poetic sentiment is so eerily captivating to me. It’s a shame I’m just now getting into it. The record’s warm sound of dust crackling only accentuates his engaging performance. Listening to it in the morning, it’s really a miracle I get to work on time. It’s like he’s camped out in my living room huddled around my fireplace singing every song as if they’re written specifically for me. When “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain” comes on, I stop everything to sit and listen instead of brushing my teeth and heading out the door.
As I write, I’m starting to realize my favorite toy growing up was my Big Bird 45 record player. Maybe that’s why I’m so hooked on my records.
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cathy gibson says:
I have been trying so hard to find out who to write for copyright usage permission for one verse from the song, “From This Moment” on the “Come On Over” album by: Shania Twain. I ended up here blogging!
I’ve written a book and would like to use those words in one of the chapters.
Can you help me?
Anxiously awaiting your reply.
Lauren says:
I have no idea. I think you would have to contact her song publishers. I have no idea who they are. Good luck! Hope your book turns out great!
Keith says:
Hey Lauren…
I had to let you know that I love your writting and I think you’re extremely talented. Just because of this article, I’m going to have to run out and buy myself a record player and of coarse, a little Willie. So what kind of record collection do you have and in that collection, which would have to be your favorite record? I’ll be anxiously awaiting your next blog.
Your fan…
Keith
To Cathy:
To get the rights to use passages from Shania Twain’s records, you’ll have to contact the Harry Fox Agency and they can fill you in on the rest. If you want to use the actual sound recordings, you’ll have to contact the label that owns her masters, which is Universal Music Group. Good luck with your book!
Lauren says:
My favorites change everyday. Today it’s Guitar Slim. Last night it was Ramones’ self titled. I need to find Louvin Brothers’ Satan Is Real album. Supposedly it’s Marty Stuart’s favorite.
Lilli says:
Red Headed Stranger is like the bible to my husband. We have it on vinyl as well. Of course no turntable to play it on so you can only look at it and “covet.” Willie’s supposed to have a new greatest hits cd out too. Probably more than one I guess but I think there’s a new one.
Tariq Puckett says:
Taylor rocks, joe sucks!