Walkin'

 

It was the best of songs, it was the worst of songs.

Ever since I first heard it, I loved the idea of Patsy Cline's song, Walkin' after Midnight. Notice that I said, idea.  That's because, try as I might, I never could really enjoy the song. It was too twangy for my taste and Patsy, well, she was just too 1950's. (I didn't hear it until long after it came out in 1957. I don't remember exactly when I heard it, but I definitely wasn't into Country Music at the time.) However, the song stayed filed away in the back of my brain and the hope that it would one day be redone, and in a format palatable to me, remained alive. Many times, when I would myself go out walking at night, the song would pop into my head and with regret, I would push it back into its drawer.  

Well, it finally happened. I went out for a walk recently around Waitakere Gardens at night and as usual, I thought of Patsy very briefly and sighed. 

When I got back to our apartment however, I started doing some research and got excited. I found two versions of the song, and what do you know?  I finally enjoyed Walking after Midnight. In fact, I loved it.  First by Madeleine Peyroux and then by the Cowboy Junkies.  

Both songs are a bit longer than Patsy's original. I've included them here because I write this post for myself as well as all of you and I wanted to have them. Whether you get through both songs entirely is entirely up to you.  (I think Madeleine's is amazing) 

I've linked them each on a separate page so you can click back to look at my pictures while listening.

These pictures were not taken as I walked after midnight. It was after dinner though. About 7:30 when I started clicking. 

(We generally shut down rather early here at W.G. Our recent 'casino night' was an exception. That party was epic and went on until nearly 9:30 p.m! Yes, no exageration.)   

Have a listen. Take a look.  

(I leave looking up Patsy's original version to you, if you want to compare it to these.) 

Oh, and if you like, you can sing along using my alternate lyrics that you'll find below the links. It works best with Madeleine's version.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4jSeQhokc0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fg6Uw2cGhQE

🎵 

"I go out walkin', after dinner, out in the hallways, just like I like to do, I'm always walkin,' after dinner, lovin' the view.

I walk a mile, around the hallways, well that's just my way, of gettin' exercise. I'm always walkin,' after dinner, lovin' the view.  

I stop to take a likely photo, 

Clickin' away with gusto, 

"This looks pretty good to me."

As I turn back to my Roomie,

Night lights winkin' to me. 

Dimmer now but I can see. 

I go out walkin,' after dinner, out in the hallways, just thinkin' you may be, somewhere a-walkin, after dinner, lovin' Your view." 🎵 

Here are the views I mentioned.  Enjoy. 

I don't know about you, but I believe in additional dimensions that are just as real as our own. 

This shot is probably just a reflection superimposed on another, but who knows, maybe it's more than that?  

This is one of our gardens, the one at the end of the Atrium, looking toward the potting shed below and the swimming pool above.

Same garden, but looking the other way. The long plastic covered structure is the hydroponic lettuce 'farm.'  

The Atrium stands out like a lighthouse and is visible from all over town.  

Summer is fading, but the flowers still look great.  Flowers thrive all year long here so we'll see what the gardening crew has up its sleeve, or in its pots, for us this winter.  

From the circle drive.  

The African Garden.  

So, what did you think?  The organ (who knew?) and the sax worked so well together on Madeleine's. And I liked the way on the Cowboy Junkies song, that the singer's voice 'eased' into the song like it was just another instrument coming in. Her voice only slowly became the foreground sound.  

Madeleine's song had a tempo that would allow me to walk in rhythm to it along our halls or on the street. I liked that. To appreciate the Cowboy Junkies fully, I need to be in my recliner, late at night, (at least 10 p.m.) with a glass of bourbon in my hand.  

Thank you sincerely, Patsy Cline, for singing this song. You did it first. You did it your way. I still have problems with it but you provided the foundation on which the others built. Good job. -djf