When I was growing up in New York, my best friend Eric and I would go to the Museum of Natural History. We’d get a little carton of chocolate milk and a straw plus a wad of napkins. Chocolate milk is oh so tasty. Mmmmm, gotta love milk, sugar, and chocolate. Great combination. Who’s the genius that thought that up? They deserve the Nobel Prize for culinary treats. Anyway, we’d drink the chocolate milk with the straws. Afterwards we’d go traipsing through the museum armed with our straws and the napkins. Can you guess what we’d do?
Think real hard…
Keep thinking…
You got it yet?
Oh, alright, we’d have spit-ball wars. Eric and I would see who could hit who with the biggest spit-ball. More often than not I’m sure those spit-balls ended up on displays at the museum. I have no doubt that it was a bitch to clean and if they had known we were doing, would have likely booted us the hell out of there. Hey, that’s what 7 & 8 year olds do right? I remember on certain days they’d have special guests in to do cultural things. One of those things was belly dancing. I don’t know how many times we stuck around to watch the women belly dance, but I do know it was more than once.
That little memory popped into my head when I first heard today’s song, Yia Tia Te Mastoules. I have absolutely no clue what that means. I don’t know what language it is. Searching the phrase on Google pretty much brings up all the different places you can buy the song. But who cares what the definition is if the song is moving you or inducing memories, right? Maybe I’m on a cello/strings kick already this week. There’s a real sense of air moving in this recording. What is strange is the mid-eastern vibe of the strings and melody as it is combined with a Didgeridoo. I mean, what middle of the night wake from a dream stroke of a-ha got the folks in Gypsophilia to make that connection?
It’s not bad, it’s weird but it works quite well. Very much an unexpected influence in the music. All the way around the song brings up unexpected memories. I haven’t thought of spit-balls for quite a while. I’ve got other great stories about things Eric and I did, however I’ll have to save those for the appropriate songs in the future.
As for Gypsophilia, I think if you want to explore some very different but melodically interesting music coming out of the music mecca of Pennsylvania, then you need look no further. You’ve found it. Now go buy it and slink around with your own belly dancing gig. I dare ya.