Take This Tune

Posted: Monday, August 17, 2009 by Travis Cody in
17


Take This Tune is a new meme hosted by my pal Jamie at Duward Discussion. Jamie puts up a video prompt complete with lyrics to the song, and the task is to write something inspired by the title of the song or something in the lyrics.

This week's prompt through me just a bit. It's an aria found in a scene in the movie Shawshank Redemption. As part of the prompt this week, Jamie quotes the character Ellis Boyd "Red" Redding...

"I have no idea to this day what those two Italian ladies were singing about. Truth is, I don't want to know. Some things are better left unsaid. I'd like to think they were singing about something so beautiful, it can't be expressed in words, and it makes your heart ache because of it. I tell you, those voices soared higher and farther than anybody in a grey place dares to dream. It was as if some beautiful bird had flapped into our drab little cage and made these walls dissolve away, and for the briefest of moments, every last man in Shawshank felt free."


My first thought when I read the quote was how a well danced Waltz makes me feel. I had an incredible conversation with my dear friend Anndi yesterday. It was the kind of conversation where you feel like you've gone completely around the world and solved every kind of problem there is. One of the things we definitely agreed on was that I am an incurable romantic.

A well danced Waltz takes me to a completely free place where there is no hatred or fear, no intolerance or disrespect...a place where you can be whatever makes you happy. A fairy tale place, if you will.



That was Marcus and Karen Hilton, from 1998. I have used their clips before. And why? Because they are 9 time professional international standard world champions, and have also been 10-dance world champions. That means they were deemed best at all 10 competition ballroom styles.

Guess what? The cast for season 9 of Dancing with the Stars was announced this morning on Good Morning America! It looks like there will be 16 celebrities this time around

17 comments:

  1. Anonymous says:

    When I was a young girl, in my young girl dreams, I would dream my One True Love would scoop me into his arms for a beautiful waltz. Not that I can waltz or he ever arrived... But I can still dream!

  1. Oh Travis, this is just beautiful and perfectly done. You immediately took me to the memory of Gene Kelly's Invitation To The Dance and the perfect waltz that inhabits dreams.

  1. Akelamalu says:

    Ah, well done Trav. I knew there would have to be dancing in there. ;)

  1. Jeni says:

    Since you mention "dance" with the music theme, what comes to my mind is the song, "Shall We Dance" and I think that was done by Yul Brynner and Deborah Kerr in "The King and I" wasn't it? Anyway -I do love that song and I loved watching them dance in that movie too!

  1. I love the way Jamie's prompt takes each of us different directions. What a lovely link to dance!

  1. Your comments about dancing taking you to that place reminds me of how I used to feel when I was running a long distance. It was a very pleasant feeling, the world moving around you, no worries or cares, just enjoying the action of the body.

  1. CiCi says:

    Lovely waltz video.

  1. A well danced waltz is a delight. Britain's equivallent to your programme should be starting in just over a month. I really enjoy it.

  1. Anonymous says:

    Well done Travis. You are an utter genius I tell you. Excellent myu friend.

  1. Yes, Travis, and one of those celebs is :drum roll: Tom Delay!!!
    Do you believe that? I'll just have to watch this time! Ha!

    I tried Jamie's meme for the first time...it was hard by I did come up with something...

  1. j says:

    You? A romantic? Say it ain't so.

    (one of my all time favorite Travis posts was one written about you and Pam)

    Conversations that go all around the world and solve problems are rare and precious. I understand why you felt it was incredible, even though I have no idea what was said.

  1. Dancing Dancing Dancing

    And Anndi is correct, you are an incurable romantic

  1. What a great movie - and music - and memorable quotes.

    I'm not too sure about Chuck Liddell on that dancing show, though.

  1. What I love about the waltz, having waltzed a time or two (badly) myself is that you are being firmly held while still feeling like you are floating free. When couples dance a waltz and they feel that, magic happens.

  1. Barb: And you should dream.

    Jamie: Gene Kelly was more than just a brilliant dancer. He was a master artist. I'm glad I could evoke that kind of memory.

    Akelamalu: It's all about the dancing!

    Jeni: Ah yes! Another wonderful moment in the history of musicals.

    SLM: Agreed. There seems to be no right or wrong with this prompt.

    Charles: An apt description and very much what I was thinking.

    TB: It's one of my very favorites.

    AN: I found a blog that does reviews of your show. It's going to be fun to follow along.

    Thom: I don't know about genius, but thanks!

    Mary: I'm going to be setting aside politics for that one.

    Jennifer: It's so!

    V: Guilty!

    Southern: You never know.

    Starr: The only thing better than dancing a waltz is dancing a waltz with someone you love.

  1. Linda says:

    Just about every Disney film where there is a princess there is also a waltz with one's true love. As a child watching that, it's what you always hope your own life will be like but unfortunately a good waltz is hard to come by, isn't it?

    Still, we do dream, don't we?

  1. I agree with you that a well danced waltz is incredible. I wish I could dance like that, but it's almost as wonderful to watch it!