First off, I love Christine Kane - the person and the musician. Though, truthfully, they really seem to be one and the same.

Anyhow, I find Christine’s music full of witty lyrics (free song download) and tons of emotion - like she’s singing from her soul. I’ve only seen her play live twice - once on a rocking boat. And each time at least one of her songs has brought tears to my eyes (no kidding). Spending time with her it’s obvious she’s found an inner peace and a grounded depth that gushes through her personality.

Yeah, I could go on. But let’s leave it at - she’s quite a lovely person and an excellent singer/songwriter. If she’s playing near you, it’s worth a evening to see her play.

Beyond Christine’s music, however, you’ll find a savvy and knowledgeable a niche marketer. She’s learned over the years that she can serve an audience’s needs while maintaining a music career. And like any niche marketer, she’s had to learn how to position herself correctly to reach a market who’s interested in her. In other words, she makes is more possible for people who like her type of music to find her.

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I’ve always loved the feeling that a good string of words can incite. Whether a quote from a speech, a line in a book or a poem, I can easily be moved into a deeply contemplative space.

So it’s no surprise that I love song lyrics. Don’t get my wrong, I love the music behind the lyrics. But if I want music I’ll listen to classical or jazz - gotta love Monk on the ivories; Bird, Trane, Hawk or Sonny blowin’ sax or Charlie Mingus workin’ the bass. Then there’s Miles. But we’re not talkin’ jazz right now, we’re talking lyrics (okay, I know Bessie, Ella and Billie were amazing).

So Phil, there’s a taste of some of the music that makes my heart sing. But not always. I love jazz, but only when it feels right. For me to listen to Monk or Miles, I’ve gotta be with it. I’ve gotta feel it inside as though each note is waking up parts of my soul. That’s just the way jazz is for me.

But I’m not always in that place. Sometimes it’s the words in a song I want to inspire me. And that’s where it all gets tricky for me to express.

As my dear friend Adam Kayce knows, I’ve got tons of song lyrics packed away in my brain. And sometimes they just come flying out when he least expects them.

It’s actually difficult for me to pick one, or even five, songs that make my heart sing. Hilda asked for only one song to make thing easy on Joanna, Phil, Judith, Terry, Kirsten, Karen, Claire and the others she tagged. But I’m with Judith, I’m not finding this easy at all.

Why? Well, like Becca and Animaitaliana, there’s just so many options it’s hard to narrow it down. And because the music that makes my heart sing changes greatly with the mood I’m in. Truthfully, I love everything from the Blues to John Denver; Motown to Toad the Wet Sprocket; early 80’s rap to Prince, R&B and funk to Elton John and James Taylor. What I mostly don’t enjoy is Country, modern pop, and hip-hop.

In tagging me Adam mentioned he’s got 1800 plus songs in his iTunes. Well my iPod is carrying around over 5000 songs right now and iTunes tells me that’s about 30 days worth of music. The newest music I’m carrying is from Christine Kane - who I met, and heard, for the first time live at SOBCon07. She’s truly lovely - as a person, a songwriter and a performer. And I really enjoy her storytelling.

Okay, okay…maybe I am stalling. So I’ll share with you what I was listening to yesterday as I worked.

There’s no secret that I deeply love my wife and that I’m constantly striving to be a better husband, a better man, for her. One artist that inspires me from time to time is Brian McKnight. His lyrics, his voice, his expression all speak to my heart. Since I rarely listen to the radio anymore, I don’t know which of is songs are popular. But one of my many favorites is Never Felt This Way:

There will never come a day
you’ll ever hear me say
that I want and need to be without you.
I want to give my all.

Baby, just hold me.
Simply control me.
‘Cuz your arms, they keep away the lonelies.

(chorus)
When I look into your eyes
then I relize
that all I need is you in my life.
All I need is you in my life.
‘Cuz I’ve never felt this way about lovin’.
Never felt so good.
Never felt this way about lovin’
It feels so good.

How it takes my breath,
starts a pounding in my chest,
makes me weak, when I think about you.
Makes me wanna give my all,
Life wouldn’t mean a thing.
Not a happy song to sing,
just emptiness if I had to live without you.

(repeat chorus)

‘Cuz I’ve never felt this way about lovin’, darlin’
Never felt so good.
Never felt this way about lovin’
It feels so good. woo!

But it’s not just the lyrics. Listen to the delivery, the timing, the way he expresses the lyrics…

[audio:http://dmiracle.com/wp-content/audio/Never-Felt-This-Way.mp3]

Then there’s Discovery:

So now that I have seen
An angel spread it’s wings
Go on, lay me down
I can die now
Every since you came around
There’s a new love found

[audio:http://dmiracle.com/wp-content/audio/Discovery.mp3]

And since I’m certainly not perfect, I love So Sorry:

For all the wasted time that we cannot replace.
For everytime that a discussion turned into an argument, we’d fight.
Hey, how I wish that I could have it back tonight.

I’m so sorry for anything I might have done.
And I’m sorry, I never meant to hurt the only one,
And I’m sorry, the best laid plans sometimes fall through,
For anything that I might’ve done, I apologize to you.

[audio:http://dmiracle.com/wp-content/audio/So-Sorry.mp3]

So there you get a taste of my sentimental, openly emotional and soft side. Thanks for the space to share.

Now, I have to tag a few people I’d love to hear from - David Airey, Liz Strauss, Christine Kane (what one song truly inspires you?), Chris Cree (and Gorgeous too), Wendy, David, Char, Gayla, Carma, Randa, Lauren, Edward, Ben, Mark, Lorelle, and Scoble (Robert, this seems right up your alley).

And you…what song(s) inspire you? Lift your spirits? Express how you feel? Or just get the blood flowing? I’d really love to know…