Feel Good 5 Friday

Everyone looking for something to lift them up during these times and I’ve been feeling the feel good vibes with tunes from my childhood.

These were so good I be two-stepping in my car and shimmying my shoulders. I mean these were silky smooth. Fun. Soulful. And giving me the vibes so much so I had to wait for the songs to finish before I got out of the car. Has that ever happened to you? The song is so good you can’t leave the car even if you have somewhere to go? I mean you just need a minute because you’re feeling it?

Yup.

That happened to me all week. My eclectic mix of Spanish and English tunes took me back to a happy place even if it was a heartfelt rock love ballad. I was singing in the car because these guys were sanging.

So today was Feel Good Friday and I wanted to pass along those vibes in case you needed some sunshine on a dark day. But of course I have to thank my Uncle Erick, my brother, for introducing me to The Bee Gees and Player back in the day when he wore his bell bottoms, and then later the Doobie Brothers. Rest In Peace brother. The music still brings memories of him playing his records and talking to his girlfriend and me teasing him about being “in looooooove”. I still actually have his Bee Gees albums and it rocks to own something so cool from my uncle. Even though the songs are just pulling at your heart they still make me smile because … well it’s The Bee Gees with their awesome hair.

And Michael McDonnald. Do you know how silky soulful this dude is? So good he’s got me feeling again. Trust that his voice hangs on to you for an extra minute. Definitely makes you want to groove out.

JuanGa and Pedrito just got me dancing to the beat. It was saucy. They filled the moments with awesome voices and good dance vibes. Even some smiles. And nowadays if you can get something that makes you smile, hold onto it for a beat. Enjoy. Pass it along.

Taking it to the Streets -Doobie Brothers

Yo No Fui – Pedro Fernandez

Baby Come Back – Player

Too Much Heaven — Bee Gees

Hasta Que Te Conoci – Juan Gabriel

Buen Camino my friends!

Advertisement

He Knew The LOOOOOVE That I Loved

I know you’ve been in love, the gut wrenching, aching in your bones, 80’s Movie kind of love that blinds you into taking a leap of faith — a plunge — because when you’re young you believe in the power of teenage, college, or in-your-20’s love.

It’s unbreakable.

So when the break-up happened, by your locker, after school, or on the phone with the 50-foot curly extension chord you used to pull all the way from the avocado-green wall phone in the kitchen and into the closet for “privacy,” it blindsided you.

There you were laid out on the floor, in agony, crying the slow cry, the I-can’t-breathe-right-now cry, the ugly cry, the hyperventilating cry, the silent cry. You suffered through in an epic way. And you’re there, alone. You know “others” who had broken up, but did they really understand?

No. No they didn’t.

Phil Collins got the picture. For sure.

But, there was one guy that really understood. He was feeeeeeeeling me. He got me. This dude … Man he kneewwwwwww what I was feeling. He knew the kind of love that I loved. He knew my heartache and when I listened I was like … Yeah … He knows exactly! He knows exactly what I’m going through and it was like I was having a conversation with him.

Juan Gabriel.

 

 

Legend.

Icon.

Now if you are one of my peoples there is no need for introductions. Juanga was the man. So when he passed away on Sunday morning, I felt it. Huge loss to me and my community. I never met him, but sure felt like he knew me deeply, personally with the songs he wrote about my love life, or the songs I wanted someone to invent because of me.

However I was lucky enough to have gone to some of his concerts throughout the years, stand up in the aisle dance, clap and sing, even luckier that I went to one just a couple of months ago. Amazing.

But for those of you not familiar with him, he was the Elvis Presley, Prince, and Michael Jackson of Mexico. Sold over 100 million… Yeah million albums and wrote close to 2000 songs.

He was The Man, and he passed away unexpectedly at the age off 66 from a heart attack.

And so I’m sad about that, about losing someone so talented with such heartfelt emotion, truth, and humility. I didn’t even know him, but it hits me because I connected with him through music. Someone who understood my heartbreak, he knew, he sang about it. He testified really. He knew the loooooooooove that I loved and so it was sad to say goodbye.

So in his honor, it was a Juan Gabriel mixed tape marathon on Sunday, with multiple text message exchanges between girlfriends who were just as shocked and broken up about his death. In our disbelief we tried to comfort each other and talk through our sadness. As I listened to my favorites I thought I’d try to narrow it down to The Top Ten … I know, almost 2,000 songs. He really needs a top 100. But I tried.

So I encourage you … If you’ve ever been in looooooooooove love, click and take listen. He’s got my stories in there, probably yours too.

Rest In Peace Juanga.

 

Hasta Que Te Conoci (Until I Met You…)

 

 

Quien Como Tu (Someone Like You) Written by Juan Gabriel sung by Ana Gabriel

 

 

Siempre En Mi Mente (Always On My Mind)

 

 

No Tengo Dinero (I Got No Money)

 

El Noa, Noa

 

Inocente Pobre Amigo (My Poor Innocent Friend)

 

Asi Fue (That’s How It Goes)

 

Porque Me Haces Llorar (Why Do You Make Me Cry)

 

Se Me Olvido Otra Vez ( I Forgot Again)

 

Querida (Dear) … This one gets me every time …

 

Bonus Tracks … of course. Always need a bonus track…

He Venido a Pedirte Perdon (I Came to Ask For Your Forgiveness)

 

Buenos Dias Senor Sol (Good Morning Mr. Sun)

 

Pero Que Necesidad

 

Buen Camino my friends.