My new album, Beneath the Starry Moonlight (click here to order and hear snippets of each song), will officially be released on April 3rd. This album has been in progress for about six years, and I could not be more excited that it is finally done and I’m able to share it with everyone.
When I first started this project, I was planning to focus mostly on groovy 60s songs with a hip-beat. Which I love. But while I play many songs from the 60s on my harp, most don’t feature the hip-beat. That just isn’t my playing style. As the album progressed, the age of each song became less important, and the range and diversity of songs grew. The songs on this album are all personal favorites and mean quite a bit to me. I chose each one to fit with my theme of star and moon songs based on happiness and true love. There were many songs that I wanted on the album that checked one box or another but didn’t make it to the final count. There were some tough edits of songs I really wanted for one reason or another but in the end didn’t fit. What we have now is reflected in this quote from one of the books in my father’s library.
Don’t you find the night more beautiful than the day? he asks.
Yes, she answers. I love the stars….
And he requests only that she think of him whenever she looks at the sun, the sky, the stars, or the moon.
Conversations on the Plurality of Worlds
Bernard de Fontenelle (1657-1757)
Here is the rundown of songs on the album:
First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
Ah, really, who doesn’t love this song? Truly one of the most beautiful songs on the planet and it sounds spectacular on the harp. Luckily, there is an important moon and stars reference in the lyrics. This was the last song added to the album. I’m not sure why it hadn’t occurred to me before but suddenly it was there and perfect.
It Had to Be You
While star and moon songs were my primary criteria, I made an exception for “It Had to Be You.” My step-daughter Taylor asked me to learn this for her wedding and since then it has become one of my favorite songs to play. No mentions of the galaxies in this piece but, nonetheless, a perfect song for my theme of true love. That concept has certainly worked out for Taylor and Martin.
I Only Have Eyes for You
This has always been one of my favorite songs. Rick and I sing this to each other as we dance in the kitchen. And, obviously, there is a great reference to the stars.
City of Stars
This song is from the movie, LA LA Land. Released in 2016 this is the most contemporary song on the album. While the lyrics are more of a love song to the city of LA, it is still a song of positive self-affirmation and is beautiful. When I finish practicing for the day this is the song that Rick will whistle for the rest of the evening.
Bel Astre Que J’adore
This tune came to me from a harp friend who likes to arrange older pieces. I instantly fell in love with the song and the power and grace that emanates from it. She sent it to me to publish in the Folk Harp Journal, but I selfishly stole it for myself. My harp friend marked the song as a 14th-century French carol. However, CDBaby’s licensing division review came back crediting the song to Swedish poet and minister, Johan Olaf Wallin, who died in 1839. Since I’m Swedish, this thrilled me to no end. After spending some time researching, I determined that while Mr. Wallin wrote many of his own hymns, in the age-old practice he also took older tunes and gave them lyrics. I believe this is what happened here. CDBaby’s focus always seems to be more on lyrics than notes. Which is obviously not the case for what you will hear on my album. Although, I cared about the lyrics when I was picking songs to fit my themes.
Fly Me to the Moon
Another classic that obviously had to be on the album. I’ve been playing this song for years and I love it.
From Here to The Moon and Back
This song is from the movie, Joyful Noise, from 2012 featuring Dolly Parton and Queen Latifah. A completely corny movie most people probably haven’t seen. But worth seeing for the exceptional Dolly and this song she wrote. One of the plots of the movie is that her husband has recently passed away. Later in the movie he materializes in her mind, and they dance together while she sings. Just thinking about the scene makes me cry. Clearly, this isn’t a song many people know but they should and I’m doing my part to spread its beauty. I’m thrilled to be covering a song by Dolly.
Moon River
A classic, of course.
Moondance
A few songs stayed the course from the beginning concept of the album. And this one did. This is actually one of my all-time favorite songs and is the ringtone on my phone. This was the hardest song for me to record. When you love a song so much there are added layers of pressure for it to be perfect. You want to honor the song but also give it new life in your own personal style. Finding that balance took some time. Hopefully, you will think I found the sweet spot.
Mozart By Moonlight
This tune is a freeform arrangement of “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik” with a small musical Mozart joke thrown in. Mozart is my favorite composer. I have the full box-set with recordings of all of his music.
Nights in White Satin
This is one of the 60s songs that rose to the top of the list but wasn’t there initially. I’m hoping that people will be surprised to hear it on a harp album since it isn’t a “harp song.” Well, yes, it is. I’m really proud of this arrangement and it is one of the most beautiful pieces on the album. The lyrics of the song don’t have a specific star or moon reference, but I think we can all assume they are implied in the night’s activities.
After the Rain
This song is from Barbra Streisand’s Wet album from 1979. She is one of my all-time favorite singers and the one who taught me about concept albums. I was thrilled to find one of her songs that fit so perfectly in my theme.
What A Wonderful World
There are no stars or moon in this song. Skies, but only of the blue variety with white clouds. But, seriously, what better song could there be to finish off a love album.