Lyrics and stone

Chiquitita you and I know
How the heartaches come and they go
And the scars they’re leaving
You’ll be dancing once again
And the pain will end
You will have no time for grieving
Chiquitita you and I cry
But the sun is still in the sky
And shining above you
Let me hear you sing once more
Like you did before
Sing a new song Chiquitita
Try once more
Like you did before
Sing a new song Chiquitita
“Chiquitita” … Abba

I was a closet Abba lover for years. This is a peculiarly American affliction. European people have no problem being blatant out-of-the-closet Abba lovers. Akira has posted some wonderful entries recently with Abba info and links. Some things I really love about Abba:

That a Swedish group would be so kind as to sing in English
That they sing about sometimes very meaningful things and make me want to dance about all of them
That they are very very cute

Last summer I got to see a concert version of their songs being sung; it was this neat thing, Prom Night (not like our proms; it has nothing to do with high school seniors), where people win attendance to a concert given at a very fancy symphony hall sort of place. It was televised on RTE. It was nifty because the audience couldn’t help but bop. It’s impossible to listen to Abba and not bop.

Okay; so here’s a whittery bit. I don’t think you can bop to it, but if you are so inclined feel free!

The fortune of stone

I await some time
a day or night
without a thousand voices
clanging disparate realities
against the quiet voice
I need to hear

There must be a need in you
weary as the stones worn smooth
shall life and love now lap
gentle against the easy edges
their storms have carved from
this spirit in retreat

And no woman has all
the fortune of stone
any more than any man
with pulse and tears and
the creases grown from surprise
joy and pain

Edges softened by
the storms and passions we have known
named and owned
rest and the need for it descend
so lie now cradled in the arms of Morpheus
in time he will loosen his hold