Sweet as blackberries dropping off the vine, 'Turtle Dove' was written for my sweetheart, Lea, in 1994 when love was growing like weeds in the garden. Romance inspired this song and evoked the artist within me. My very first painting was this weird looking bird sitting on a mandolin singing its heart out. Slapping acrylic goop onto bumpalated canvas with my myriad brushes and dollar store paints was new and exciting for me. Donning my flannel painting pants in a kitchen heavily protected by shower curtain tarps, I opened my artistic mind to the strange and eclectic world of visionary pleasures.
The inspiration for this Michael Buble style of big band jazz came from the time I spent playing multi instruments for 'Swing On Deranged'; a local group out of Pitt Meadows, B.C. It was a great band with lots of people in it. We did the bar circuit in the Lower Mainland, (when they used to pay musicians to play). Swing was our genre of choice with Cowgirl Julie at the helm. Don't I look smashing in that denim vest and bandana around my neck? Fashion police beware!
Visualize thousands of blackberries dropping off the vine. We lived beside a giant vacant lot that was overrun by loaded brambles. When my mom came to town, she drank the wine, gobbled the berries and mowed the lawn as often as she could. She visited during harvest because blackberries were her favourite. Jola demanded dry ice so she could fly back to Toronto with cooler bags full of blackberries. This folk art painting is in honour of the fruit, the wine, my mother and the music.
I'm excited to present Turtledove as my track of the week. The joyful sax by Mark Dowding gives the song life. It's my declaration of love and one of the hardest songs I've ever written. I play a ton of chords, sliding in some mandolin here and there. The brilliant sax blows me away every time I hear it. It was mostly recorded at Fluid Sound in Vancouver with engineer Peter Honychurch. Then, it was mastered by Dustin Smalley and you better believe we took advantage of his awesome bass playing. Of course, Lea sings the duet with me, lending her harmonies in the most pleasant way.
To listen to Turtledove on Spotify click here:
https://open.spotify.com/album/6XPAduqY0XdHeCKkq2ZajM?si=mpA_urS6SEKA9eldmsrnxQ
Listen Free to the full version go to my songs page on my website. www.marksheldan.com
Sing along to the lyrics below:
Turtle Dove
The moon is shining bright on a warm summer night. I’m with my turtle dove
A peeking and a glancing, kissing and a dancing, with my turtle dove
Happy sounds of crickets chirping all throughout the air
Little summer breezes blowing through his hair
I’m gonna tell her/him that I love her/him so, cause she’s/he’s my turtle dove
With kisses sweet as blackberries dropping off the vine
I am such a lucky woman knowing that he’s mine
I’m gonna tell her/him that I love her/him so cause she’s/he’s my turtle dove
Mandolin solo
Time goes drifting by when I look into her eye
She is my turtle dove
And when he comes to me I’m as happy as can be
Cause he is my turtle dove
Pretty as a springtime blossom glistening with dew
I’m not sitting playing possum here’s what I will do
I’m gonna tell her/him that I love her/him so, cause she’s/he’s my turtle dove
With kisses sweet as blackberries dropping off the vine
I am such a lucky fella knowing that she’s mine
I’m gonna tell her/him that I love her/him so cause she’s/he’s my turtle dove
Super duper sax solo
With kisses sweet as blackberries dropping off the vine
I am such a lucky fella/woman knowing that she’s/he’s my mine
I’m gonna tell her/him that I love her/him so cause she’s/he’s my turtle dove
I’m gonna tell him/her that I love him/her so cause he’s/she’s my turtle dove
written by Mark Sheldan
copyright 2007 Socan
#newrelease#blog#swing#mandolin#sax#duet#lovesong#michaelbublestyle#blackberries#turtledove#folkart#swingonderanged#spotifyartist
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