I love the bassline in this song. It kind of reminds me of Aaron Johnson’s live bass playing at Sweet Jelly gigs. Infectious and most of all: FUN. And that makes me happy. Along with the words to this song. I remain vigilant (though not terribly successful) in my battle against spring’s erratic and chaotic energy with music therapy and singing. And that’s what Carolaoke on Mondays is all about. Please keep well everybody. Vibes be crazy out there.

Today’s Carolaoke track was quite a ride on the magic nostalgia carpet ride. I’ve expressed before that I’ve had a great fondness for Canada and its people for many and various reasons so today we will visit Songstress Sarah McLachlan. The person who introduced me to her music was Mr. Lance Dobersek of Sweet Jelly. In 1997, we were working at Karen Johnson Productions Animation Studio in Racine, WI. We were assigned to make animations and games for this brand new thing called “The Internet”. The word, the concept, the logistics, ALL completely foreign in my world. The closest I had come to a computer prior to that was breaking down sound files in Adobe Premiere and chart it all (on paper) for the animators to use. The phone hanging on my parent’s wall was about as high tech as I was at the time. I personally did everything on film and paper.

I’m not exactly sure why Lance and I were were “chosen” for this new uncharted territory in 1997, but we were, and it was a super crazy time in retrospect and even crazier thinking about all of that in modern present times. So, we’d work these long assed hours sitting in front of that screen. I was making animations and Lance was making it all happen on this here “internet”. Since we worked a million hours together, there’s a lot of time to pass while you’re working and staring at a screen for days and weeks on end, so we started sharing new music to pass some of the time. I told him about my weird fascination with Canadian musicians and the next day he brought in Sarah McLachlan’s CD in for me to listen to and the rest is history.

Please enjoy my scratch track karaoke version of Sarah McLachlan’s “Sweet Surrender”.

Music Monday's Carolaoke Song #29 is my scratch track version of Brenda Lee's "All Alone Am I". I used to hear this tune being played at the restaurant I worked in and I'd often go into the walk-in freezer to belt it out because I couldn't contain myself properly on the floor. Although, the thought had crossed my mind to deliver customer's food while singing this, but I played it out in my head and realized that's just weird and super creepy and would I like that? NOPE. A walk-in freezer is a great venue just in case anyone was wondering out there. Very private, perfect temperature especially in July. Please enjoy!

It’s another Music Monday over here at carolkroll.com! I hope everyone had a nice weekend. Yes, I can tell spring is in the air. Early spring is not my favorite season. I usually get migraines, can feel everyone bursting at the seams to wear no clothes outside, and I personally have to stifle or channel the mania I feel welling up all through March and April in a productive way or it won’t be a good scene. These are things I’ve learned (the hard way) on this journey.

Speaking of spring, today’s Carolaoke selection is a song I used to have on repeat while I’d ride my bike during the sunrise. I couldn’t get enough of it. Or sunrises. This year, I have big plans for my bike come (real) spring. That’s all anyone needs to know right now including myself.

The bah-bah-bah harmony towards the end really bothers me in this karaoke track, but I didn’t feel like reinventing the wheel today to fix it. Someone is singing an anti-harmony inside that harmony. I hear it and it bothers me to my core. Speaking of me, this song is at the very bottom of my range and I know I have some more work to do vocally with this tune. But scratch tracks are like gesture drawings, quick snapshots of where you're currently at, and you only get better by doing more of them.

Please enjoy my scratch track version of the Plain White T’s, “Rhythm of Love”.

I have another Patsy Cline tune for this week’s Music Monday. I remember seeing the Patsy Cline movie and loving it. Actually, I love Music-mentaries of all kinds and have an unhealthy love for “The Temptations” mini-series which I own on DVD. I guess it’s time to purchase the digital version and while I’m at it, I’m thinking of researching if the Patsy Cline movie exists digitally in these modern times. Those movies are always super inspiring to watch.

Please enjoy my scratch track Carolaoke version of Patsy Cline’s “Walkin’ After Midnight” and please keep well.