This week, most of my family is at the beach, enjoying a well-deserved vacation. I was fortunate enough to have managed to escaped from having to go, not because I don’t want a vacation or to hang out with my family (they are lovely people, I swear), but because well, as long- or short-time readers of this blog will know, I am not a beach fan. So, after making a quick trip to the grocery store to visit with an old friend, and with the house now populated only by my eldest and myself (and she preoccupied with her own activities), I found myself in the rare position of complete control of the television! Free to choose whatever I wanted to watch without any comments such as “Haven’t you seen this a thousand times before” or “You are not going to watch another stupid documentary, are you?”. With no one to hold me back, I immediately turned on one of my favorite movies (that I have seen a thousand times before), Silence of the Lambs. I will never turn off Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter. Having finished earlier than expected and not wanting to waste the opportunity before me, I then chose another show that I had not seen in some time. Was it a documentary? Well, it is hard to answer that question so I will give a definite “maybe”.

The show I turned on was the Bruce Springsteen special on Netflix, “Springsteen on Broadway”, a show I have seen multiple times before. Why do I keep going back to a show I have already seen? The short answer is – I am easily enthralled by artists who can paint a picture with their words and music that enable you to feel another person’s experiences like you were there. But short answers don’t make for very good blogs, so, unless you are Mrs. Chump-in-Law and hoping I stop at the short answer 😂, read on below.

As you can imagine, “Springsteen on Broadway” is a (mostly) 1-man show in which The Boss takes a stroll through his music while providing back-stories on the inspirations for each song. One of the things that I enjoy most about his music is his ability to communicate a human experience that, even if it hasn’t happened to you, you can still relate to. His song “The River” is one of the easiest examples for me to point to (even if it wasn’t on the show 😑). When he describes impact of the subject getting his high school girlfriend pregnant (“Then I got Mary pregnant, and man that was all she wrote. And for my 19^th birthday, I got a union card and a wedding coat”), you can feel the resignation and, not so much regret, but perhaps loss of aspirations. Again, it isn’t in the show, but when you find out that the song is about the mostly true story of his sister, it gives just an added touch of human experience. One of the other songs that has always stood out to me is “My Hometown” and this is covered on the show. As good as he is in his music, he is just as good, if not better in describing both how his hometown was growing up and the changes if faced as the American society and economy changed over time. It is a song I think most people can relate to as they book on the neighborhood they knew as a child versus how they see it as an adult.

Yes, I know I sound like a fanboy right now. And, yes, I know not everyone appreciates music in the same way. While I focus mostly on the lyrics, there are those amongst us who focus mostly on the music. But if nothing else, consider this a tribute to those who are able to do both and, in turn, give us music that makes us not so much question our own experiences, but share in the relationships and lives others have experienced. Bruce is obviously one of those artists for me, along with Tracy Chapman and Harry Chapin. What about you? Who are some of the artists that make you think as you sing along? WordPress doesn’t make it easy to comment on the blog, but feel free to share on the Facebook or Instagram post! And while you are at it, if you are even a low-key Bruce fan, give the show a watch – you won’t be disappointed.

While we are listening to some great tunes and contemplating why we chose not to become famous rock’n’roll singers, you will want to sip on a nice wine to help guide those introspective thoughts. For me last night, that wine was the Walla Walla Valley Cabernet Sauvignon from L’Ecole. This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon is made up from grapes from four different vineyards, displaying the diversity that Walla Walla has to offer. With aromas of black current, graphite and baking spices, followed by black plum, blackberry and cocoa on the palate, this full-bodied wine has ample tannins and structure to give you plenty to think about. Here is hoping you find time to listen to some music soon that makes you feel something and that you have a great glass of wine with you when you do! Cheers!

Wine Stat Sheet