‘Life seems to go on without effort when I am filled with music’

Last month, I received a lovely letter from Walter Buckoski — aka the Shearwater Swatter.

The point of his pleasant correspondence was to highlight the longstanding connection between music and the weather.

He shared a few of his favourite weather-related song titles; I invited you to do the same. Here’s a small sampling: Dear Cindy,

I so enjoyed your column in the weekend edition of the Chronicle Herald (May 22) about music and weather. It never occurred to me before of weather and music being so connected.

I am a late ‘bloomer’ as far as singing goes; I did not attempt to sing on stage until 2013 when I was in my very late 60’s.

In looking through my songbook, I found one song that I think could qualify for weatherrelated:

Dark Moon was written by Ned Miller and beautifully sang by Gale Storm.

Marjorie Zwicker, Auburndale P.S. Since in my 70s, I am finally trying to learn to play guitar, so perhaps I shall learn to play this song as well as sing it.

I loved Wally’s list of weather songs. How about It’s Raining Men, performed by The Weather Girls and written by Canadianborn Paul Shaffer.

All the best,

Barry Fenstermacher Millerton, N.Y. and (Sometimes) Rose Bay, N.S. --

From Rhodes Kellegrew of Cole Harbour, N.S.:

Hi Cindy:

I enjoyed your article about the weather song titles.

These are not songs, but weather-related fiddle tunes I like: The Wind That Shakes the Barley

Snow Deer

Snow Waltz

Snowball Waltz Snowflake Breakdown Rainy River Two Step Sunshine and Flowers Rainbow Two Step Clouds of the Evening

After the Rain

--

Finally, this lovely email from Kay Ross,

Today’s column brought back memories of growing up in Guyana.

Due to its proximity to the Equator, there are only two seasons, rainy and dry.

Most Guyanese live near the coast, where the rainy seasons occur from May to mid-july and mid-november to mid-january. I loved to hear the sound of the rain on the tin roof and the smell of the air after a shower.

I liked many of the songs listed; my favourite weather song is Rainy Night in Georgia by Brook Benton. Although it was first released in 1969, I still like listening to it and imagining the sound and feel of the tropical rain.

Thank you, Kay

It seems that over time, the weather has inspired many to write. Rhodes Kellegrew mentioned a fiddle tuned titled, “Clouds of the Evening.” This stunning end-of-day photo taken by Maurice Deveau in Cheticamp, N.S., could certainly inspire.