A Kind of Magic
Have you ever had a dream? I don’t mean one of those night-sweat-inducing versions of Technicolor that sometimes occurs in the subconscious, but an actual, bonafide dream, something you wanted to see happen more than just about anything else in life?
My life is littered with shattered dreams, with unfinished dreams, with never-started-dreams. I had to be forty to go after an actual dream, and I still sometimes wonder whether I have the mettle to see it through to the end. We have people who interpret sleepytime dreams in abundance. Where’s the person who actually tells you what your living, breathing dream means? How to muddle through another conversation about your dream, when you really just want the person to hug you and tell you they believe in you? How to rise above so many incidents that could only occur in the altered universe of dreams, but they happened TO you, blasting through a conversation or blinking at the end of the cursor on a silent screen?
And so, when all else fails me, I turn to Queen.
A Kind of Magic is, for me, an anthem for my living dream. I’ve played it twenty times at the end of a frustrating lunch, blared it until my ears rang while reading another rejection, tapped my foot along with Freddie as my eyes ran with lonely tears, and toasted every minor success with it gyrating in the background. When people fail me, when circumstances threaten to crush me, when I want to curl in a corner and whisper “I give up,” a simple piece of music always sets my dream aright.
Until the next time.
Do you have a song that pushes you to believe in your dreams?
This post is part of the series The Soundtrack of Life. If this is your first visit to the series, please click here for the first installment, click here for the second, click here for the third, click here for the fourth, here for the fifth, here for the sixth, here for the seventh, here for the eighth and here for the ninth. MTM wrote a great guest post, which you can find here. Thanks for your contributions and insights in the comments. They always enrich this blog, especially in a series like this one.
This is my dream.
A Rotary song of sorts. Your dream is more admirable than mine, Lou.
Dreams aren’t to be graded. Each is a component of the whole. I vote for the whole and all who dream. That includes you both! And all your wonderful ideas, dreams, visions.
As a teen Rotary youth exchange student, we sang this one a lot at the end of events and gatherings.
Well first of all, has there ever been a better front-man / lead signer for a band than Freddie Mercury? He was, and is, simply amazing.
Second, excellent song to carry you through! Does MTM dance to it for you? Maybe he should grow the Freddie Mercury mustache. That might make the picture more complete.
And my only dream at the moment – a full night of uninterrupted sleep. That would be wonderful.
May you sleep well tonight.
Doubtful, but thank you. Speaking of music, going to see Porgy & Bess tomorrow night at the Dock Street Theater. Can’t wait.
Let me know how it is. Loaded a WP.com update today in my class, and cannot log in at all now from my phone. So, please forgive my tardy reply.
When are you going to let me move this to your own host those problems don’t happen?
That doesn’t solve everything, apparently. Many of my WP.org blogger friends have comment problems.
I don’t have those problems – because no one ever comments on my blog.
When was the last time you posted?
To answer your question to Michael Carnell ‘when was the last time you posted’ -it was July 29th -I know cuz after I read, no one ever comments, I headed there for the first time and I commented. Glad I did.
I am a bad friend, because I try and fail so miserably to keep up. I know he will appreciate your visit, Hudson.
Oh yes. That whole album, Princes of the Universe in particular, is a favorite. I remember when Dad brought home the cassette tape and played it. He wrote on a piece of paper without showing me which song was my favorite. He was totally right. All of Queen, actually. Freddie Mercury’s death was as tragic to me as Jim Henson’s. Two creative geniuses lost too soon. Sigh. Lots of them, but those two top my list.
And yes. You know my dream.
I do, and I believe in it.
Believing in yourself is believing in your dreams; I believe in your dream because I believe in you.
and now, from the perverse and poignent True Stories movie…we need to get this one for our collection…
I can’t believe you don’t have this one already. It came to mind immediately.
Though I love me some queen too.
Dear Husband, thank you for always, always saying the right thing, for being there and for believing in me. You always know just what I need in this whole maddening, exhausting game.
Love it. The two of you helping each other. What most don’t get to witness is how you buoyantly you support MTM and his dreams.
And I’ve never seen True Stories. MUST Do it.
Cheryl, that would be another blog. But, thank you. Because you’ve heard me cry over it. I want MTM to be everything he can be.
The True Stories thing was even new for me. And, I got my hug today from MTM, on top of that new revelation. If you and Bill want to watch the True Stories thing, let me know, because I’d love to do it together.
You are a good friend.
To Dream the Impossible Dream from Man of La Mancha.
Penny, that is a great one.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSFLZ-MzIhM&w=420&h=315%5D
That’s my song to get through times when I need the extra push. I’m not sure why, other than I have loved it my whole life.
Andrea, I am finally able to see this link. Please pardon my tardy reply. WordPress did some “amazing update” for the iPhone today, and now I cannot even log in to my own blog on my phone.
This is a great selection. I only wish it were 1977 or before, but you have given me another angle, and you totally didn’t know you did, and I thank you.
MTM’s post brought a tear to my eye. I love the love between you two.
I fly by the seat of my pants, never have I had a dream for my life – my life is like a river and I’m along for the ride (Garth Brooks’ song The River). I’m not saying this is a bad thing, it just is…I think it’s awesome when people have dreams and goals – I just never have (that I’m aware of).
Have you read This Bright River, Lori? I don’t often recommend books, because they are so personal, but I suspect you might like it. It is written like a river, and it meanders. You have to stick with it, but it’s worth the effort. Let me know if you decide to read it.
I just love Queen, what a loss. Sweet dreams!
Queen and dreams are sweet, Howard.
Am an oddity I suppose, I don’t recall night dreams at all, nor nightmares. Which leaves me thinking am either lucky or incredibly dream deprived. Daydreaming is my substitute, but that even comes with hazards – daydreams should come with little popup bubbles such as ‘Do not operate an automobile or heavy machinery while under the influence of a Daydream’…….as for anthems of triumph, Queen had plenty for our generation no question., but unfortunately am probably going to spend the remainder of the afternoon humming ‘fat bottom girls you make the rock’n world go round’….not sure if you could take that as a song which inspires to make dreams come true, but being Canadian we don’t have high exceptions, just happy to hum along.
Hudson, happy hum alongs are PERFECT. I love them.
I rarely remember my dreams, and when I do, I am flabbergasted at what my subconscious gets up to. So, you are not alone.
I am also an absurd, ridiculous daydreamer.
I have laughed at how my brain goes “tilt” with the question of favorite or particuarly meaningful songs or pieces of music. I think there just isn’t “one” of anything for me. I move about the playlists matching music to mood in the many iTunes playlists I have on every device.I must tell you, Andra, that since the 70s I have been a huge Queen fan. I play Queen for many reasons, mostly because I think they were an amazingly musical group. But I always feel better after I do. I’m delighted that you also have dreams tied to one of my favorite songs!
D
Debra, it just warms my heart to find other Queen admirers. I just love them so.
Wonderful comments today, go MTM
He has gone above and beyond today, Kate. He is truly the Dream Man.
As an old hippie and being married to a Quaker, I hate to break the sense of the Meeting this way but I need to be true to myself. I read your truly wonderful post and got to your question and before I could formulate a thought today’s answer appeared… Tomorrows might be different but this song truly does it for me at certain times…
Sent from my iPhone
MTM is loving you for this one, Robert. And, I am, too. A little.
That’s a great song, Andra! I don’t know what song feeds my dream. As soon as you ask my mind goes blank. But then it’s been a long day, and I’m tired–need to do the nightime kind of dreaming, I suppose! May your dreams come true, Andra!
Hugs,
Kathy
Yours too, Kathy. xo
Aerosmith . . . Dream On!
Bizarrely, I think that’s the first time I’ve heard that song. And I love Queen!
It’s one of my favorites of theirs. Glad to introduce you to a new find.
This one: