Music Monday: Home to Newcastle

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Y'all that know me know I'm a Newcastle United supporter by marriage, and at first I will admit that I didn't get what that meant. Even when I lived in the UK, I didn't completely understand. But I made a concious effort to understand the sport (football) and the team. I read about the history and the famous names...and then the height of my education came last November when we took a tour of St. James's Park, NUFC's home stadium.

But y'all, the city is pretty amazing as well. It has its issues like all cities of that size do, but the people there are so kind. I have officially added it to my list of "when we move, I'd like to live in" places in the UK. This song is an example of the love Geordies hold for their home, and I love that it has the lyrics on the screen to help you with that gorgeous accent.

Hinny Howay!

Music Monday: Song of a Local Hero

This won't mean much to some, but while we were abroad, we got to tour the Cathedral on the Hill, the home stadium for Newcastle United. There is a point when they come into the stadium where Mark Knopfler's (of Dire Straits fame) Going Home: Theme of the Local Hero plays. During the tour, the guide let us walk through that tunnel and played sounds of the crowd with that song in the background and I will admit to getting teary. So here's the full thing as we two not so local heroes spend today in a succession of planes, on our way home. Enjoy.

Sjonni's Friends - Coming Home (Iceland) Live 2011 Eurovision Song Contest

We are off to the UK today, for the first time in almost ten years. If I had to sum up my two years there in music it would probably include a lot of Eurovision songs. Right after I arrived in 2009, I lost two of my three greyhounds in rapid succession and was just ridden with guilt and depression. Simon suggested to me that I watch Eurovision after my Jeany died because he thought it would cheer me up. It did so much more than that and I am a lifelong fan now. This one is from 2011, the last Eurovision I saw in real time before moving back to the US, but I think it speaks to the journey today: I'm coming home - wheels up in about 8 hours! Enjoy. (Captions are on the video.)