It’s Music Monday!
And I’ve added a nifty logo for the feature…
[Logo Back Soon]
So what have I got for you today? Well let’s see! Today I have a feature that was inspired by Joanna Gawn of The Lazuli Portals blog… and you’ll have to visit the ‘Bio‘ Page to find out why!
There are first love memories…
Moreover, I’m bringing you a song that takes me right back, and I mean right back, in time. First love, first boyfriend, first foreign holiday in the sun without parents. A fourteen hour drive in the car from Essen, Germany, to Capbreton, France. Driving through the night to arrive in the blazing sunshine at 10 am in the morning. And always, always that song: Under The Sun by Dare. For some reason, it encapsulates the entire holiday. The haunting voice, the guitars, the piano all fitted the atmosphere and the mood.
Recognising that even at the time, we nonetheless thought we were immune to the lyrics, that our love would last forever. Alas, we were too young, it was too soon, and a few years later, it was all gone. Prophetic words indeed, in places!
…and double starstruck memories!
Amazingly, I did have the good fortune of having a beer with the guys from Dare once. Yes, indeed, my claim to fame!
They were supporting German rockers Warlock (fronted by Doro Pesch!) in the Grugahalle in my native Essen, and they were fantastic. In actual fact, my then boyfriend (he of the first-love-memorable-France-trip) and I had gone to see Dare rather than Warlock, and we were at a bit of a loose end when Dare’s act finished. So we loitered at the back of the hall, my boyfriend focusing on the stage (obviously–what male wouldn’t, with Doro up there?), me being bored. I was keenly clutching the drumstick thrown out by James Ross and very casually (and quite unexpectedly) caught by me, yes me!
And then… Dare just wandered by, heading downstairs to the open bar. Of course I went straight after them. And thus we ended up having a beer and a chat, me clutching my drumstick in one hand and my plastic mug of beer in the other. Oh happy days!
Without further ado, I give you the lyrics and the video… If you like it, remember to honour the artist by buying the music through the appropriate channel. Thank you! 🙂
Under The Sun by Dare
Nothing lasts forever
Especially the things you always wanted to
See the reddened sky
I long to be there where the eagles used to fly
Methods to their madness
Or so they say before they throw away the key
Is there anyone there
Won’t you open the stairways for me
Under the sun
Where can we run
Under the sun
Where has love gone
Hear the deafening silence
While slowly losing all control of what you do
Chance would be a fine thing
A momentary loss of all thoughts
Holding back the fear
They point the finger every minute of the day
Doesn’t anyone care
Won’t they open the stairway for me
Nothing lasts forever
Especially the things you always wanted to
See the reddened sky
I long to be there where the eagles used to fly
Methods to their madness
Or so they say brfore they throw away the sky
Doesn’t anyone care
Won’t they open the stairways for me
Do you have a first-love, first-holiday mood song that takes you right back? I’d love to hear about it! xx Rock on!
Nicky Wells: Love & Thrills 
Nicky!!!! What a treat! What a start to Monday! Thank you xxxx
I do love this track – no sentimental reasons, really, just the usual Dare magnificence (and the video pics of Mr Darren Wharton do my listening pleasure *no* harm at all lol).
I don’t have a first love/holiday song, but certain albums (by Muse, Karnataka and Pride of Lions) will always be associated with The Cordello Quest, because they were my playlist for writing that book. For the sequel, Dare and Magnum seem to have taken centrestage!
Thanks for this awesome post – *you* rock! xxx
yay yay yay! So pleased that you liked it! Am having a bit of a Dare phase (again!) myself here and my 7yo (who’s off school w/high fever) is finding his way into it too, rock on! Thanks for stopping by, it makes me so happy when you enjoy my blog. Can’t wait to get to the Cordello Quest, btw… if only there were enough hours in the day to do everything I want! XX Will get there soon, I promise. Have a great day! “Under the suuuuunnnn…..”
Oh yay, that’s great that your 7yo is catching on! I sent Ron (my co-author) the link to your blog as well 😉 His musical taste runs a little heavier than mine but I do encourage him to test out ‘my music’ as well!
Oh, I fully understand, please don’t worry! I have at least 20 “must read next” books but….when! I’m currently in the middle of Trudi Canavan’s magical fantasy ‘Priestess of the White’, which Ron has let me borrow.
Enjoy your week! Tra-la-la-LAAAA!
I’ve never heard this song before. Guess that’s from living in the States, and on the West Coast. Sounds like you have some exciting memories, Nicky!
…oooh? What did you think? It’s one of their gentler numbers but I love it. I bet you have plenty of exciting memories too, looking at your own blog and all that!!! 🙂 Thanks for visiting. x
It has quite a European feel to it – naturally. I haven’t heard of them before. As for memories and songs, I would have to say Duran Duran and Rio always makes me think of a particular ex-boyfriend and a lazy summer.
Really enjoying these posts Nicky, something nice to start the week with.
Sue x
Aww, Sue, that’s such a nice thing to say! I figure a bit of music on a Monday is just the ticket, so happy that you agree. I love Rio–the perfect lazy summer song. X Thanks for visiting!
I now have Rio trilling through my brain – but I can’t say that’s a problem!! 🙂
I’ve never heard of Dare! I’ll have to check them out. Music, first love and memories are really entwined for me. I had to really think about this, I remember going to Pakistan when I was 15 and falling head over heels for a distant relation who was seriously all man, 22, handsome and in the military. Just knocked me for six. A real gentleman. I literally didn’t sleep for thinking about him. He treated me like an equal, made me feel beautiful, no one had upto that point in my life. An aunt of mine told me that he’d often find phone numbers from women stuck under his windscreen wipers, it embarrassed the hell out of him!
I’d made a tape to take out there, it featured stuff like Sisters of Mercy ( tracks from First & Last & Always) and INXS’s Shabooh Shoobah which is a lovely album and it’s the mellow songs on there like ‘ To Look At You’ that remind me of him, as we used to play this little tape when driving around on the dusty roads in the evening. He loved the tape, I left it with him. It was all really innocent and I am glad it was to be honest. In the circumstances, nothing was possible, and I was only with him for a few days, but knowing I was capable of that level of feeling was a revelation.
When I was 18 I heard he’d married and even though I’d moved on, I was still quite jealous lol. My bf at the time was mildly peeved at that, but it’s true what they say, you never forget your first love. And music, as ever is a trigger that sends you spinning all the way back in time to remembering him.
Yasmin, what a wonderful comment, I am so touched that you shared your first love. Sounds like an amazing experience, and one that no doubt has shaped the rest of your life in some capacity. And always there’s music, as you say… Thanks! xx