Comments for Music Memoirs

Comment on Holiday Songs by Vance

Vance — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 16:28:14 +0000

It's the time of year for holiday traditions. My family always kicks off the season with music and laughter. If you can't find this DVD on eBay, there's always YouTube! Watch it one part at a time or click Play All to watch the whole movie. Enjoy! March of the Wooden Soldiers

Comment on My Songs – Your favs by Vance

Vance — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 23:21:43 +0000

Check out A salute to NOW and THEN for my thoughts about more than just MY songs and a flashback Remebering THEN through the eyes of my longtime friend and manager, Scott "Scotto" Savitt.

Comment on Music Memoirs blog … by Caryn

Caryn — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 01:57:53 +0000

I still have the sheet music to “That Was Then…”. I was about 16, 17 years old when I bought it and I learned how to play it on the piano, then guitar. Yes, it’s a little bit tattered, a bit wrinkled from both age and much use. Hey, it came to GREAT use! I could probably still play the song if it were in front of me…the problem is, my bird Chipper sings too. That means every time I try to play the piano, he starts singing loudly, as if to say who the performer of the home is!

Comment on Music As Therapy by Caryn

Caryn — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 01:51:10 +0000

I have shared in this blog section before regarding music as therapy and just recently had another experience with its use. At the facility I am currently employed in for seniors afflicted with Alzheimer’s/dementia, just recently I had found out that a patient was “on hospice care;” in layman’s terms, he could die any day.(Exact times and other details are somewhat guarded in this blog, for protection of privacy). It just so happened I had a CD of music from the country he was born in and I provided it to him. The family was quite grateful, yet I had this niggling thought in my head of, “I didn’t do anything special.” As it turned out, he died the next day. Although my training is in music therapy, I will never know what was going on for this patient when I turned on the music, will never know what he was thinking or feeling. I was told to keep the music at a rather low volume as his hearing was somewhat more sensitive. I have learned that when one’s health is failing due to Alzheimer’s, the last part of the brain to fail is in the right side which controls music. As for this patient, I have to accept that I did what I could in both my training and care.

Comment on My Songs – Your favs by Vance

Vance — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 00:43:31 +0000

The Monkees sing That Was Then, This Is Now across the country and beyond during their 2011 45th Anniversary Tour.

Comment on My Songs – Your favs by Vance

Vance — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 18:55:59 +0000

Hard to beleive it's been 25 years since the Monkees released my song That Was Then, This Is Now! I'm sure most of you are familiar with the Monkees song, but here's a "live" version of my original release with the Mosquitos in 1985 that lead to the Monkees making the song a milliion seller. They used it on their album Then and Now ... the Best of the Monkees and as the theme of their comeback tour in 1986. Stay tuned for more on my website in recognition of this anniversary. The second track is from the same live performance ...

If you want to SEE the Monkees 1986 video of the song CLICK HERE.

Comment on Music Memoirs blog … by Vance

Vance — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 17:19:52 +0000

@Dan Peck Hey Dan! Wasn't Atlanta yesterday? Time flies, but there's always many good memories, especially when it comes to music and friends! I can't believe it's 25 years this year since the Monkees released "That Was Then, This Is Now" that I originally recorded with the Mosquitos ... and the Innocent Bystanders was before that! Don't have recordings from those days, but guess I could post more about the Mosquitos & Monkees under My Songs ... stay tuned!

Comment on Music Memoirs blog … by Dan Peck

Dan Peck — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 08:28:14 +0000

Hi Vance,
Its been a little while since we caught up in Atlanta. I hope you are doing well. I still frequently reminisce about our times playing together, pre-Mosquitos for you. Nothing but good memories. Hope to talk with you soon.

Comment on People Songs by Nancy Lee Applegate

Nancy Lee Applegate — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 00:18:56 +0000

I know this is centering around specific Monkees tunes, so I must mention the song “SHE”, which encompasses all nasty user women who have broken the hearts of poor decent men. I can never forget the words: “And now I know just why she keeps me hanging round…she needs someone to walk on so her feet don’t touch the ground…but I LOVE HER; I NEED HER; I WANT HER…YEAH YEAH YEAHYEAHYEAHYEAH <<>>”. What a plaintive cry for the woman he loves but does not love him…it breaks my heart to this day.

Comment on People Songs by Caryn

Caryn — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 00:56:09 +0000

@ShelleyCT LOL you just reminded me of the "Behind The Music" series on VH-1. Oh, I loved that! And "Monkeemen"--ha ha, gosh that show was sooo funny! I don't watch TV anymore 'cause there's no substance in them, nothing to keep me interested. But "BTM" and "The Monkees" TV show--which I saw in re-runs, not born yet in 1966--that was some really good TV! As for other people songs by the Monkees, forgot Mike Nesmith's penned Mary Mary? Another one I can think of--not particularly well known--is Don't Listen To Linda. Ironically, that was the name of Davy Jones' first wife. Just thought of something--when you say people songs, do you mean by proper names? Right now, off the Monkees' 4th album(long title)the track Salesman is playing in my head. Too late to play vinyl on the turntable now *sigh*

Comment on Sad Songs by Caryn

Caryn — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 04:10:15 +0000

I don't know if this would be considered a "sad" song...but to this day, I can't listen to Simon and Garfunkle's Bridge Over Troubled Water

Comment on Music As Therapy by Shelley J. Sweet-Tufano

Shelley J. Sweet-Tufano — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 10:26:50 +0000

This blog is directed at senior citizens and the neurological benefits of music therapy for any stroke or trauma victims. However, I have to attest to the benefit of this weekend’s concerts in the Northeast on myself and others who do not yet fall into these classifications. If I/we can benefit and “bring home” a better attitude, inner joy, and peace from attending something that is SO MUCH fun, then imagine how much better the world could be if we all just enjoyed the positive qualities of music daily. Some of my friends have pictures of Vance “mid-flight” and “running free” that I have asked them to submit here from this experience so look for it.