Ever Ever After (Carrie Underwood/Enchanted)

Time for another song. This song is from Enchanted, which is, I think, one of the best/cutest movies to come out within the past year. It's pretty cute. . .and the soundtrack is pretty fun -- including this song, sung by Carrie Underwood, which has a cute music video. Enjoy!

Ever Ever After

Storybook endings, fairy tales coming true
Deep down inside we want to believe they still do
In our secretest heart, it's our favorite part of the story
Let's just admit we all want to make it too

Ever ever after
If we just don't get it our own way
Ever ever after
It may only be a wish away

Start a new fashion wear your heart on your sleeve
Sometimes you reach what's real just by making believe
Unafraid, unashamed
There is joy to be claimed in this world
You even might wind up being glad to be you

Ever ever after
Though the world will tell you it's not smart
Ever ever after
The world can be yours if you let your heart
Believe in ever after

No wonder your heart feels it's flying
Your head feels it's spinning
Each happy ending's a brand new beginning
Let yourself be enchanted, you just might break through

To ever ever after
Forever could even start today
Ever ever after
Maybe it's just one wish away
Your ever ever after
Ever ever ever after

(I've been dreaming of a true love's kiss)

Oh, for ever ever after 

Fall Arrives in North Idaho

(Fall at the bakery)

Fall has arrived in North Idaho in full force. I don't know how long it is going to stick around this year, so I thought I had better take some pictures while it lasted. :-) I took a couple pictures at school a few weeks ago, and then this past week, during a slow period at work, I grabbed my camera, ran outside and flopped down in the grass underneath a tree to take some pictures of the majestic maple trees that surround the bakery.

(The result of lying down in the grass and pointing the camera at the sky)

Yeah, don't I work in a pretty neighborhood? For those who don't know, the bakery I work at is in an old house, so we're right in the middle of a residential neighborhood. :-)

I took this picture when I was at school the other day. The red building is a little red chapel on the campus. The other building is the art/music/communication building (which is where my class is at).

So, there's a taste of fall in North Idaho! :-)

By Your Side (Tenth Avenue North)

I heard this song on the radio a few weeks ago, and I thought it was kind of cool. . .so, here are this week's lyrics.

By Your Side

Why are you striving these days
Why are you trying to earn grace
Why are you crying
Let me lift up your face
Just don't turn away

Why are you looking for love
Why are you still searching as if I'm not enough
To where will you go child
Tell me where will you run
To where will you run

And I'll be by your side
Wherever you fall
In the dead of night
Whenever you call
And please don't fight
These hands that are holding you
My hands are holding you

Look at these hands and my side
They swallowed the grave on that night
When I drank the world's sin
So I could carry you in
And give you life
I want to give you life

(Chorus 2x)

Cause I, I love you
I want you to know
That I, I love you
I'll never let you go

(Chorus 2x)

Phantom of the Opera!

I went. It was amazing. I would go again in a heartbeat! Yep, that's right, I finally got to see Phantom of the Opera on Saturday evening. It was great fun, let me tell you. We (me, two co-workers, a friend, and a friend-of-a-coworker) met up around 5:30pm on Saturday night and piled into the truck for the drive over to Spokane. I sat in the front seat, trying not to get *too* excited, but not finding much to say other than to comment on the sunset (which was beautiful!).

Once we got to Spokane we stopped at Sonic to get milkshakes and malts -- yummy! We arrived at the INB Performing Arts Center wayyyy before we needed to, but oh well. Once we parked, we finished our milkshakes and decided to walk around. We walked over and looked at the river, and walked over to the falls but they weren't on, so there wasn't anything too exciting to see. :-)
Finally they let us into the theater and told us where to go for our seats. Our seats were not where we thought they were going to be, but it was okay. We could still see pretty well. I was glad I had binoculars, though!

Anyway, after a looooong (or so it seemed!) period of waiting, the time we were all waiting for arrived. The theater went dark and then the actors begain the production. The stage version began, just like the movie, with an auction that then sent us back in time. It was amazing when, with a big flash of light and the loud, haunting strains of the organ, the chandelier was raised to its spot on the ceiling. That song was *amazing* -- of course, the whole show was! :-)

As I hoped, my favorite songs from the movie were just as amazing live. "The Phantom of the Opera" had an *awesome* scene with fog rolling off the stage, "underwater" candles, and lots of awesome special effects. And, of course, "All I Ask of You" was just as amazing and beautiful as I hoped it would be. I love that song. . .and wow! Christine's dress was *gorgeous.*

Actually, all of the costumes were amazing. Very intricate. I could really see a lot of detail with the binoculars! It was spectacular.

The chandelier crash was, well, lame. It kind of floated to the ground and rested in a nice little heap (no crash, no nothing), but it was still cool. It threw me off because I was expecting it later in the show.

The ride home was fairly quiet (at least on my part), too, due to the fact that we were all tired, but mostly because we had all enjoyed the show so much and didn't want to ruin the moment at all. :-) Would I go see Phantom again? Absolutely. Now to find a way to see it on Broadway. . . :-)

(I couldn't take many pictures, and this is one of the best ones I did manage to get)

Overture (Phantom of the Opera)

Here is how it all begins. With the great sound of the organ, the show comes to life. Doesn't it seem dramatic?! There are so many scenes I didn't post (the unmasking of the Phantom and the crash of the great chandelier, the masquerade scene, etc.) but I hope that the few I did post give you a good idea of the amazingness of this production. I'm sure I'll have lots to tell you all after the show!

Enjoy. . .

The Phantom of the Opera (Phantom of the Opera)

Hope you're enjoying all the Phantom of the Opera clips and lyrics. Can you tell why I am so excited to see this live?! This particular song and scene is one of the most amazing scenes in the whole show. Watch how the candles pop out of the ground leading to the Phantom's lair. It's amazing. And the music is not half-bad, either! :-)

The Phantom of the Opera

CHRISTINE
In sleep he sang to me
In dreams he came
That voice that calls to me and speaks my name
And do I dream again for now I find
The Phantom of the Opera is there
Inside my mind

PHANTOM
Sing once again with me
Our strange duet
My power over you grows stronger yet
And though you turn from me to glance behind
The Phantom of the Opera is there
Inside your mind

CHRISTINE
Those who have seen your face
Draw back in fear
I am the mask you wear

PHANTOM
It's me they hear...


BOTH
Your/My spirit and my/your voice in one combined
The Phantom of the Opera is there
Inside my/your mind

BACKGROUND
He�s there, the phantom of the opera!

CHRISTINE
He�s there, the phantom of the opera

PHANTOM
Sing, my Angel of Music
Sing, my Angel
Sing for me
Sing, my Angel!
Sing for me!

I have brought you
to the seat of sweet music's throne
to this kingdom where all must pay homage to music
music
You have come here,
for one purpose, and one alone
Since the moment I first heard you sing,
I have needed you with me,
to serve me, to sing,
for my music...
my music...

In other news, in 12 hours I should be hearing the haunting strains of the opening overture, which will be posted later
(thank goodness for Blogger giving the option to schedule posting times!)

Music of the Night (Phantom of the Opera)

Time for more Phantom of the Opera lyrics/clips. This is a song that the Phantom sings to Christine when he takes her to his lair under the Opera House for the first time.

The Music of the Night

Nighttime sharpens, heightens each sensation
Darkness wakes and stirs imagination
Silently the senses abandon their defenses
Helpless to resist the notes I write...
For I compose the music of the night

Slowly, gently, Night unfurls it's Splendor
Grasp it, sense it, tremulous and tender
Hearing is believing, music is deceiving
Hard as lightening, soft as candlelight.
Dare you trust the music of the night?


Close your Eyes –
For your eyes will only tell the truth
And the truth isn’t what you want to see
In the dark it is easy to pretend
That the truth is what it ought to be.

Softly, deftly, Music shall caress you
Hear it, feel it, secretly possess you
Open up your mind, Let your fantasies unwind
In this Darkness which you know you cannot fight,
The Darkness of the Music of the Night!

Close your eyes -
Start a journey through a strange new world
Leave all thoughts of the world you knew before
Close your eyes -
And let music set you free.
Only then can you belong to me

Floating, falling, Sweet Intoxication
Touch me, trust me, savor each Sensation
Let the dream begin, Let your darker side give in
To the Power of the music that I write,
The Power of the Music of the Night!

******

You alone can make my song take flight
Help me make the music of the night.

Because I included a link to David Archuleta's version of "Think of Me" it seems fair that I also include a link to David Cook's version of "Music of the Night." This is, I think, one of the best songs David Cook sang on this season of American Idol. Click here to listen to it.