Mood Mellow

Sometimes, one feels in a ‘mellow mood’. Not melancholy, not introspective, but joyfully serene. As I came out of my three hours hike through the forest, I was in a calmer mood than I had been in a while.

The beauty of having such a large musical palette is that for the many, varied moods I naturally have, I can most times, if I make the effort, find an appropriate track or two. Today, I am fortunate to have suitable tracks to fulfill my mellow mood.

Wind
Jerry Jeff Walker should not be a reach for anyone who knows music. He’s a fine songwriter that’s been around for years and has in his pocket a few tracks that have been covered. ‘Mr. Bo Jangles’ is most likely his most noted. Though he didn’t write ‘Wind’, when Jerry was in the 60’s psychedelic/country/folk band Circus Maximus, there was one song that used to be played, and appreciated on FM, from the self-titled album that you never hear anymore. This was around the time that ‘White Bird’ by It’s A Beautiful Day was also popular on FM. (I could have easily also chosen 'White Bird' for this post.)

There’s so much beauty in this song that it’s hard to not play it over and over. Soft, with jazz overtones, it has a tendency to fill me with joy and peaceful contentment. Listen and become more enriched.

You say that once you knew for sure.
Now you’re walking in the shore, to wonder.
The more you learn the less you know.
The more you move, the more you go to nowhere.

You ask the bird as she files by,
Just where she’s at?
She says ‘where the wind blows’.

Ask her by that what she means,
She says she doesn’t know.
But as she flew away she seemed to say
The wind is -
Love.

Is the wind.
Wind, is my love.
Who knows the wind?
Who knows my love?
Where blows the wind?
The wind is -
My love.

Superwoman (Where Were You When I Needed You)
Music Of My Mind was without a doubt a major milestone for Stevie. But, it’s this particular song from that album that is sadly overlooked when playing Mr. Wonder - which, for me, is among the most elite compositions he has ever graced us with. In actuality it can be justly taken as two tracks melded into one, but the conjoining is well placed and pleasing.

Any platitudes would be banal in comparison to the listening experience, so I’m not going to try to climb over that gorge.

Mary wants to be another movie star.
But is that really in her mind?
And all the things she wants to be
She needs to leave behind.

But, very well, I believe I know you very well.
Wish that you knew me too-very well.
And I think I can deal with everything
Going through your head.

Very well, and I think I can face very well.
Wish that you knew me too-very well.
And I think I can cope with everything going
Through your head.

Enjoy the brightness of this, one of the last days of short sleeves with a few tracks that augment the joy of a tranquil tone of mind.

Circus Maximus: Wind

From: Circus Maximus [1967]

Stevie Wonder: Superwoman (Where Were You When I Needed You)

From: Music Of My Mind [1972]

Addendum: I'm having a very difficult time trying to find the Genya Raven album I've listed to the right of my postings under 'What I'm (Unsuccessfully) Trying To Locate'. Any ideas?