The outside world news has really got me down. But Tuesday I got the good news that I’m all set to have the cataracts that are clouding my vision removed and my lenses replaced, so it’s time for songs about seeing.
Obviously we need to start with this one:
When I was 10 or 11 my great-aunt Bobbie came up from NYC to visit her sister–my grandmother-and she brought me an 8 track tape of Ray Charles’ hits, telling me “You’re the one who will appreciate this.” And I loved it even as I at first had no idea who he was.
Here’s one I had forgotten about:
This is one of my all-time faves by one of my all-time faves:
I saw this movie when I was 13 and absolutely loved it:
I love Ella Fitzgerald, and here she is with Count Basie:
I’ve never used a Billy Joel song in any of these interludes, but I do like this one and it fits the theme:
You may know Crowded House or the work of the individual (and collective) Finns, but do you know Hunters and Collectors (Nick Seymour’s brother Mark fronted the band)?:
Speaking of the Finn brothers:
I have to include some Art Garfunkel on this list:
I’ll end with this one—the title doesn’t match the theme, but the lyrics mention his mother’s eyes. But mostly I included it because I love Rufus and I love this song’s piano line:
Thank you for the positive outlook, Cassandra. In the next few months, I’m having retina surgery and then cataract surgery. The whole idea of people messing with my eyesight, bad as it is, unnerves me. But, you helped lift my attitude about it and I’m grateful. 😊