Monday, April 27, 2015

My sweet Delilah

I'm sorry to say that we finally had to put my sweet girl, Delilah, our Border Collie, down this morning. She was having seizures and not eating. We didn't want her suffering, so we made the extremely difficult decision. I wanted to be there for her, but I didn't know if I had the strength to be there. Then I went outside to tell her good bye and I knew I couldn't leave her. In the few minutes I had to tell her good bye, I remembered so many wonderful things. Sharing my pillow and my side of the bed with her, the way she would ask my permission to be close to me, they way she hid in the corner when she stole food that wasn't hers, the way she watched over my daughter when she was a baby, the way she always trusted me and the way she stayed close when she didn't feel good. I've had dogs my whole life, but Delilah was the first dog that gave herself to me and became MY dog. We had an instant connection. She knew I was going to let her sleep with me, give her table scraps, pet her to sleep, and let her manipulate my hand to her head. And I knew she would ask me, in her way, if it was ok to do all those things. Even though we both knew it was going to happen, she needed me to know that she didn't expect it and that she had my blessing. She was my pet, my friend and my guardian angel. She would leave the room if I got upset or uttered a cuss word, which made me more aware of tone and language. She went outside when the kids were too wild, so I would know she wasn't scared. When I cried she snuggled up next to me and gave me kisses or just put her head on my lap. She seemed to always know what I needed and in return she got my love and attention, well and snacks too! There is a kids cartoon about finding a dog their perfect person. Well, I know today that I was Delilah's perfect person. Somehow she knew how much doggie love and attention each one of us needed and gave just that much, never too much and never not enough. So when the time came, I didn't think I could handle it, but I looked into her beautiful brown eyes and knew I had to be there for her, as she had been there for me (for 15 years). Most people know that pets are part of our families, but every now and then a pet is a such an amazing gift from God and they fill our hearts so there are no empty places. I will miss my sweet Delilah more than even I know. I will miss this non verbal, but highly expressive innocent and pure soul. But through my tears and pain, how could I feel anything, other than blessed for having Delilah in my life. Your soul is free now, to run and play and feel the wind in your face. You take a piece of my heart with you, but it will always be filled with the love you leave behind. I love you, my sweet Delilah.



Monday, April 20, 2015

Featured Song Lyrics "Always Be Here"

Happy Monday! Today’s featured song lyrics come from a group of lyrics and poems I wrote at the beginning of Spring. The weather was getting nice and I felt really strong. I wrote several song lyrics and poems at the end of March and beginning of April. This was one of those that just flowed. These lyrics are filled with new love, just like the Spring is fill with new flowers and life. I’ve added some new things in Poems, Lyric/Photo Fun, New Song Lyrics and New Song Lyrics 2. I’ve been working on a "for fun" project for my poems, a few articles to keep my writing and thinking broad and the adventure series for my daughter. I hope you enjoy the lyrics for “Always Be Here.”

Always Be Here
What is it about you that struck me so hard? 
Is it your laugh or eyes that broke down my guard?
You made me forget my heart had been scarred. 
How I feel when I see your smile, I cannot discard
I get a little flustered, my whole world is jarred

(chorus)
I just want sit close to you and talk all day. Be wrapped in your arms and never be afraid.
Pressed against you and feel your lips touch mine. My head on your chest, your heart beating wild.
Don’t ever let me go, I want to always be here. I’m going to make loving you my new career.

The first time we met, I was caught unaware
I could tell there was something, it was in the air
I couldn’t stop smiling, I had chills everywhere
I didn’t think my heart was ready to share
You reached for my hand, we fell into a stare

(chorus)
I just want sit close to you and talk all day. Be wrapped in your arms and never be afraid.
Pressed against you and feel your lips touch mine. My head on your chest, your heart beating wild.
Don’t ever let me go, I want to always be here. I’m going to make loving you my new career.

When we are near I want to be touching you
A simple brush of our arms in passing will do
When I feel I can’t breathe you come to my rescue
You’re a gift to me and my emotional curfew
I’m lost in your smile, can our love be this true?

(chorus)
I just want sit close to you and talk all day. Be wrapped in your arms and never be afraid.
Pressed against you and feel your lips touch mine. My head on your chest, your heart beating wild.
Don’t ever let me go, I want to always be here. I’m going to make loving you my new career.


Written by Michelle Gallardo, April 7, 2015

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

New Home Free video, "Honey, I'm Good, and yes, they are!

Good morning all! If you’ve been out to my blog before, you know I’m more of a poem and song lyric writer, so today I'm writing something out of my comfort zone, but about something I love! You guessed it, Home Free. They have a new video, a cover of “Honey, I’m Good,” by Andy Grammar. Every time Home Free comes out with a new song or video, whether it’s a cover or an original, they continue to amaze me in one way or another. This video is fun, upbeat and a lot of laughs, with a good message to go along with all that fun. It’s a great song to start with, then you add the extraordinary talent of Home Free and their jaunty personalities, to the impressive arrangement and video concept, from FifGen Films, and you end up with a playful toe tapping video. Rob's voice is an exact match for this song and it's great hearing him take the lead. The kidding and comradery in this video is how I imagine these guys are every day. And let me just say that they all get an A+ in the art of making faces! Adam and Tim are the kings of making faces, but Rob, Chris and Austin are quickly catching up. I should also mention that Tim Foust has said that he recorded the lowest note he’s hit so far, in this song. Yeah, it rocks (the floor)! 

The first video I saw by Home Free was their cover of “Ring of Fire,” featuring Avi Kaplan from Pentatonix. Every video since then has had something memorable about it. I won’t go over them all, but here are a few of my favorites. “All About the Bass,” featuring Tim’s vocal range and silliness of all of them. “This is How We Roll,” features the guys doing a great likeness of a scene from “The Big Lebowski.” Adam gets the gold star in that video for his amazing imitation of Steve Buscemi! Let’s jump to the Christmas song video of “Angels We Have Heard on High.” This one has so many qualities to point out, such as the clean, sweet vocals of all of the members of Home Free, yes, even Adam (no beatboxing there). Then you add the beautiful church and simple but stunning video itself, and again perfection.

From the start of 2015, each video and the song that goes with it, have had the Home Fries going crazy. A good crazy, but crazy, nonetheless. “Everything Will Be Okay,” and the adorable teddy bear; “I’ve Seen,” with the Home Fry cameos; “Thinking Out Loud/Let’s Get It On,” well, can you say swooning Home Fries; “What We Ain’t Got,” just stunned all who saw it; “The Butt Remix,” had everyone dancing in their seat and tapping their feet. Now it’s “Honey I’m Good,” and it has also created quite a stir, already. The good spirited song, low bass notes, energetic vocals, funny faces, oh and a cameo by Rob’s wife at the end, make this another video homerun for Home Free.

I always wonder how they are going to top the most recent video/song, but I now have complete confidence that they will. They have won the hearts of all their dedicated followers, the Home Fries. But everyday Chris, Adam, Rob, Tim and Austin continue to grow their fan base with their talent, good looks, dynamic personalities and willingness to go the extra mile, to make what they do, fantastic. Enjoy the new video! https://youtu.be/rCLW7Xm1DXs




Sunday, April 12, 2015

Featured Poem is for Dog lovers

I have a beautiful Border Collie, named Delilah. She is so very sweet. She is 18 years old and I know in my heart that the day will be here soon for her to leave us. She's in pretty good health, but her back legs don't work very well. It breaks my heart to see her stumble and I wonder if she is in pain. I can't make that decision. So I put off thinking about it and wrote this instead. Many of you will understand, if you feel about dogs they way I do. Especially if you've ever had one this long! She is also one of the staring characters in the adventure stories I am writing for my daughter.


Monday, April 6, 2015

Featured song lyrics "Still Here"

Earlier this year I asked some Home Fries (Home Free fans) to critique some of my song lyrics. One of these very kind ladies, emailed me back a challenge. She gave me one line that had been in her mind for a while, but she couldn't seem to get any further (boy, do I know how that feels!). She gave me the line and said play with it. This is what came to my head, after she mentioned her first husband played guitar. This is a first draft of these lyrics and I've gone over them, but no big changes have come to my mind. I'll revisit them later to see how they can be perfected. But for now, the lyrics to "Still Here."

Still Here
We met on the road, while filling in with the band, you had a wild side that I didn’t understand
During that tour we were always together, couldn’t stay away from you, we needed each other
When the tour was over, you left without a word, you were just having some fun, is what I heard

(chorus)
And I’m still here not waiting for you, still here not feeling blue
I’m still here not losing hope, still here not at the end of my rope
I’m still here not crying any tears, still here not needing you near

Soon I went off with another band to sing, hoping not to run into you, in this musical ring
I found my love again, being back on the road, making sure a smile is all that showed
By the time I got home, I didn’t miss you anymore, I know now, I never needed you to soar

(chorus)
And I’m still here not waiting for you, still here not feeling blue
I’m still here not losing hope, still here not at the end of my rope
I’m still here not crying any tears, still here not needing you near

Lyrics written by Michelle Gallardo
Inspired by Dane


January 16, 2015

Thursday, April 2, 2015

Get to know and love Home Free...country a cappella at it's best!

Do you love a great guitar riff, bass line or drum solo? Yeah, me too. I’ve always had a great appreciation for spectacular vocals, though. Whether they are big and bold, sweet and simple or unique and emotional, it’s more work than most know. A cappella groups, in my opinion, have always been under rated and misjudged. I’m certainly not an A cappella connoisseur, but I know what sounds good. I have recently discovered A cappella groups such as Pentatonix, Home Free and many more. I’ve heard some amazing singers and vocal percussionists (now that is mind blowing). But one of these A cappella groups stands out to me and their many fans.

Home Free is a county A cappella group and is five guys and only five guys. The talent these five gentlemen possess is something you have to hear to understand. Not to mention they are easy on the eyes, but I won’t go there, wink. Home Free has actually been around for about fifteen years and the two founding members are brothers, Chris and Adam Rupp. Chris is one of the main arrangers and the baritone. I can’t honestly say which he does better. His voice is one that catches your attention and reels you in and his arranging is nothing less than amazing. Chris is the most interactive with the fans and I know the fans appreciate him and all he does. Adam is the vocal percussionist and may I say, “OMG are you serious," good at what he does. Even though I’ve heard his solo in person, I still get blown away when I hear him. You have to see and hear him, to really appreciate Adam’s talent.

Rob Lundquist, tenor, joined the group in 2008. Rob is usually introduced as the man with the voice of angel and the beard of a real man. I would classify him as a cuddly teddy bear that could sing to me all night and I’d just want more. I’ve heard this big, jovial man sing the lead, do incredible whistle solos, beautifully interpret Christmas songs, like an angel and then rap until he just couldn’t rap anymore, and rock all of them. Rob is truly a perfect addition to this group.

Austin Brown, Home Free heart throb and youngest member. He is the high tenor and will knock your socks off when you hear him go for it. One of my favorite songs to hear Austin sing is “I Want Crazy”, by Hunter Hayes. He has so much energy and soul. Austin joined the group in 2013 after meeting them while performing on a cruise ship, and it was a great find for Home Free. He can break your heart in one song and have you ready to take on the world in the next song. Mr. Brown is full of life and it shows in his vocals.

Tim Foust, the bass, well and baritone and tenor, oh, he can sing all the parts with his five octave range. But, his bass voice is what all the ladies want to hear. Tim’s sophisticated arrangements set them apart from other groups. But before Home Free, he recorded a solo country album and Home Free has added three of those original songs to their playlist. Tim’s childlike personality goes perfect with his flirty, fun and moving performances.  Still, the best part is when Super Bass, literally, makes you feel the rumble with his low notes. Just pure awesomeness!

Individually, these guys stand out. Put them together and the result is a range of addictive music and pure entertainment. Their “Crazy Life” CD is a mix of covers that some would say are better than the originals, and original songs that will melt your heart and make you want to slap your boyfriend. Seeing them live in concert is an absolute must, in order to know, you will never miss the instruments! You’ll be pulled in, like so many of their fans. Not all their songs are for everyone, but I guarantee there is at least one song of theirs that will make you say, “Whoa, that was phenomenal!”  Or, if you’re more urban than I am, “Whoa, that was sic!”

A few final thoughts about Home Free is that these guys are generous to a fault, grateful beyond words, humble and funny, even at their own expense, not to mention extremely talented. I look forward to each song, video, concert and album they do. If they come to your city, go see them, you’ll be glad you did.

Check them out on YouTube. Some of their covers are “All About The Bass,” “Wake Me Up,” “Story of My Life,” “Thinking Out Loud/Let’s Get It On” and of course, “Ring of Fire.” Their original songs are “I’ve Seen,” “Everything Will Be Okay,” and “Champagne Taste (on a beer budget).” They have a couple of great medleys too, “Hunter Hayes Medley” and “Butts Medley.” You won’t regret it and just might get hooked on Home Free. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTFuNYrqAcsmSjgqYMvxOqw


Photo taken at a concert in Nederland, TX. by Michelle Gallardo 10/26/2014