Tag Archives: writers

Song Of The Day – Ramble On by Led Zeppelin

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Jan 3rd, 2017 – Ramble On by Led Zeppelin

Today is the 125th birthday of J.R.R. Tolkien, writer of The Lord Of The Rings trilogy, The Hobbit, The Silmarillion and more. As it’s just after New Year’s, and I’m usually on holidays at this time of year, i go into full nerd mode with an annual LOTR trilogy film marathon (I’m up to the bit in Fellowship Of The Ring where they’re just about to meet Galadriel. Elves = swoon šŸ˜ ).

Tolkien’s work has inspired a gazillion artists. Led Zeppelin were famous fans, and mentioned people, places and references from Middle Earth in several of their songs, including today’s Song Of The Day – Ramble On. It’s also my fave Led Zep song. Huzzah!

Happy birthday, Professor Tolkien šŸ˜ƒ

Here are some pics of me getting my LOTR nerd on…

Happy Birthday, George Orwell, ironically on the day after #Brexit…

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Happy Birthday, George Orwell. As a teen I was a bit obsessed with 1984, Keep The Aspidistra Flying, and Animal Farm. Perhaps it was because I was a teen during Reagonomics, Thatcherism, a still very active cold war and the constant threat of a nuclear apocalypse. Nightmares about a future being just like the scary visions of Mad Max seemed not too crazy. His words rang true, even decades after they were first published.

Then we had Gorbachev, glasnost and the Berlin Wall came down, to much celebration. (We’ll never forget you in your flashing jacket, ‘Hoff!). Driving Trabants became post-modern ironic, and the UK joined the EU. They kept the Ā£ instead of embracing the ā‚¬, but were proudly part of the reunited European family.

The day after the utter madness of theĀ #Brexit decisionĀ has led me to think about George Orwell’s words of wisdom, and how as much as things change, the more they stay the same…

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Wow, love this. Another wonderful feature by the always interesting Brain Pickings.

Haunting Illustrations for Orwellā€™s Nineteen Eighty-Four, Introduced by the Courageous Journalist Who Broke the Edward Snowden Story

Happy 150th birthday, W.B. Yeats

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William Butler Yeats by John Singer Sargent 1908.jpg
“William Butler Yeats by John Singer Sargent 1908” by John Singer Sargent – Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons.

Had I the heavens’ embroidered cloths,
Enwrought with golden and silver light,
The blue and the dim and the dark cloths
Of night and light and the half-light,
I would spread the cloths under your feet:
But I, being poor, have only my dreams;
I have spread my dreams under your feet;
Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.

– He Wishes For The Cloths Of HeavenĀ |Ā William Butler Yeats

Love this special feature on Yeats’ legacy by the BBC for his 150th birthday. Extraordinary poet, Nobel Prize winner, founder of the Abbey Theatre, modernist and so much more. His astonishing works still resonate today. (And his poems still make me swoon…)