Song of the Day- I'd Love To Change the World by Ten Years After

Image by pixel2013 (www.pixabay.com) Link

"I'd Love to Change the World" was a hit in 1971 for the British band Ten Years After, from the album A Space in Time. It was the band's most popular single, and their only top 40 hit. Written in troubled times, the song abandons the late 60's idealistic "peace and love" vibe that was found in so much popular music of the era. The protagonist of this song instead confronts the harsh and confusing realities of the world in the early 1970s. Although he still hopes for a better world, he confronts his own disillusionment, admitting that "I'd love to change the world, but I don't know what to do." It is a message that still rings true today. Times have changed, but the world is no less troubled, and there are still no easy solutions.

Image by pixel2013 (www.pixabay.com) Link

The following description of "I'd Love to Change the World" is from the Wikipedia article found here: Link

The song was written and sung by Alvin Lee. It discusses the confused state of the world, covering a wide variety of societal complaints, until it finally addresses the Vietnam War.^[1] The song features a folk-inspired chord pattern to support the melody.^[1]

"I'd Love to Change the World" was the band's highest charting single. It peaked at number 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1971.^[2] When it was released, "I'd Love to Change the World" was a staple of both FM and AM radio, a rarity for the time.^[1]

Billy Walker of Sounds wrote that the "[a]coustic guitar, echoing vocals, and electric guitar build up the tempo with very good cool electric passages by Alvin [Lee], and while there's nothing new developing it's a very nice track".^[3] Matthew Greenwald of Allmusic highlighted Lee's guitar work as the "most expressive—and most tasteful—electric guitar performance of his career", and added "if there is a single song that can describe the overall vibe of the counterculture in 1969/1970, this may very well be it. The band and Lee never quite matched the song's supple power in their later efforts, but this song is representation enough of their awesome artistry."^[1]

Ten Years After (1970) (from Wikimedia Commons) Link

There is no video available featuring Ten Years After performing "I'd Love to Change the World" live. However, the following video from YouTube features the song lyrics set against a backdrop of multiple still images from the 1960s to the present, and is a moving and effective representation of the message of this classic song.

Imagining the Future--Part 1

Sheet Music, 1914 ( source)

In the 21st century, most portrayals of the future seem to be bleak and frightening images of a post-apocalyptic world. A few of the more optimistic predictions focus on travel to Mars and space exploration. But in the 19th and early to mid 20th century, people celebrated the wonder of new inventions, and were hopeful because of the rapid advances being made. Many people envisioned an exciting future here on earth, a Utopian, fanciful world created by of the wonders of science and technology. Anything seemed possible, and the future was exciting.

Electricity and Electric Appliances by Edward Carqueville (1892) (Courtesy of Library of Congress)

Numerous works of art depicted these fantastic images and fueled the public imagination. Many of these images were made humorously, and weren't meant to be serious depictions of future life. But some were designed to show the way technology would change our daily lives, and make things easier and hopefully better.

A Night At the Opera In the Year 2000 by Albert Robida (1882) ( source)

From the Cover of Science and Invention (February 1921)

Illustration by Albert Levering From Puck Magazine (1905) (Courtesy of Library of Congress)

Some of these imagined inventions have come to pass, at least in some form. For example, the picture below from 1928 depicts a television of the future. At that time, television was still in the experimental stage; t.v. sets would  not become widely available until after WW2, and color television would not be introduced until the mid 1960s. The woman is watching a large, color, flat-screen television. There appears to be some type of projector producing the picture.  She and the man on t.v. appear to be interacting with each other, much as we can do via computer today.

Radio Listeners' Guide- Fall 1928 (source)

The December 9, 1878 edition of the British humor magazine Punch included a cartoon illustration by George Du Maurier which showed a device, called the "Telephonoscope," which had supposedly been invented by Edison. Although this device was completely imaginary, this "electric camera-obscura" is considered to be an early prediction of both the television and the videophone. The caption below the image reads, in part: "Edison's Telephonoscope (transmits light as well as sound). Every evening, before going to bed, Pater and Materfamilias set up an electric camera-obscura over their bedroom mantel-piece, and gladden their eyes with the sight of their children at the Antipodes, and converse gaily with them through the wire."

source

Many other inventions, such as flying cars, have not become a reality. But it's interesting to take a look at these past visions of the 20th and 21st centuries! The illustration below is from a 1904 British children's book called The Motor Car Dumpy Book, which is a humorous look at the then recent invention, the automobile. The text that accompanies this image reads: "This is a motor air-ship. Some day we shall all have them."

 

From The Motor Car Dumpy Book (1904)

Flying cars, underwater scenes, and fabulous inventions are depicted in an intriguing series of French illustrations called "En L'An 2000 (In the Year 2000)" issued between 1899 and 1910. They were created by various French artists, and the first of these were issued for the 1900 World Exhibition in Paris. They appeared initially as paper cards attached to cigarette and cigar boxes, and later as postcards. There are at least 87 known cards, but they are very rare. I have posted images of some of the ones I found the most interesting below. Click on the following link to view images of all fifty of these cards that are displayed on Wikimedia Commons: Link 

Flying Vehicles

Underwater Scenes

Fabulous Inventions

The Home of the Future

Something Outdated in 2000--"A Curiosity"

New Beginnings

Photo by Pete Linforth link

Hello, and welcome back to The Paper Sunflower!

When I started this blog last year, I had hoped to post something every day. I wanted it to be a daily collection of inspiring images, bits of wisdom, and basically a way to share things that I found interesting and meaningful with friends around the world.

I had the best of intentions...and then life happened! 2016 has been a roller coaster year, politically and personally. My poor little blog took a back seat to reality, and I wasn't able to keep up with it as I had hoped. But I am resolving to do things right in 2017!! 

I am, as my blog header states, inspired by the past but living in the moment.I have a passion for old things: antique, vintage and retro are my favorite keywords! I am especially partial to the Victorian and Edwardian eras and the Roaring 20s, but am inspired by the art, fashion, images, wisdom, food and music of other eras as well. And I love to find people who incorporate inspirations from the past into their current creative projects. 

 

I hope to share more of my favorite things with you in the coming year! I plan to continue to explore the wealth of vintage material I have in my own collection, as well as the amazing texts and images that are available online. I also plan to revise and update some of my favorite blog posts from last year. And I will  share links to websites and blogs that I think you may find interesting, if you like the kinds if things I do. And please share your favorite sites with me!

2016 has been quite a year, but its coming to an end. So let's look ahead to new beginnings! I hope you and your loved ones have a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year 2017!

Photo by Nate Embrey link

Up

source

IF YOU will but engrave upon the tablet of your heart this little word — up — and let it lead you, you will never know how to fail.
 

Everything grows up — beautiful fragrant flowers, trees, cities, babies, nations, the world!
 

What you are in this big life is revealed in the way you interpret your up. It's so easy to fall down. Anyone can do that, over and over again. But it's how you get up that counts.
It takes real courage to get up, and stay up.
 

Long ago, that wonderful old patriarch, Edward Everett Hale, said: "Look up — not down." It is the watchword of every passing night, indicative of a sun-strewn dawn, this up of yours!
 

The vision of this onward world is — up. No man ever fell so low but he desired to get up. It is the one great aspiration that the great God plants in our souls.
 

But it isn't enough to get up yourself. You must always remember that —
 

"He climbs highest who helps another up!"

From Up, By George Matthew Adams (1920)

Poems by Sara Teasdale

Sara Teasdale (1884-1933) is one of my favorite poets. Her poems are written in simple but beautiful language, and speak of love, loss, hope and the deepest desires of the human heart. 

 February Twilight

I stood beside a hill
Smooth with new-laid snow,
A single star looked out
From the cold evening glow.

There was no other creature
That saw what I could see
I stood and watched the evening star
As long as it watched me.

Courtesy of public-domain-poetry.com

Woman Getting On A Broadway Car  (1913) (From Bain Collection- Library of Congress)

 The Old Maid

I saw her in a Broadway car,

The woman I might grow to be;

I felt my lover look at her

And then turn suddenly to me.

Her hair was dull and drew no light

And yet its color was as mine;

Her eyes were strangely like my eyes

Tho' love had never made them shine.

Her body was a thing grown thin,

Hungry for love that never came;

Her soul was frozen in the dark

Unwarmed forever by love's flame.

I felt my lover look at her

And then turn suddenly to me,--

His eyes were magic to defy

The woman I shall never be.

 From Rivers to the Sea (1922)

Photo by Bain News Service  (Courtesy of Library of Congress)

 

The Lighted Window

He said:

"In the winter dusk

When the pavements were  gleaming with rain,

I walked thru a dingy street

Hurried, harassed, 

Thinking of all my problems that are never solved.

Suddenly out of the mist, a flaring gas-jet

Shone from a huddled shop. 

I saw thru the bleary window

A mass of playthings:

False-faces hung on strings,

Valentines, paper and tinsel,

Tops of scarlet and green,

Candy, marbles, jacks--

A confusion of color

Pathetically gaudy and cheap. 

All of my boyhood

Rushed back.

Once more these things were treasures

Wildly desired.

With covetous eyes I looked again at the marbles,

The precious agates, the pee-wees, the chinies--

Then I passed on.

In the winter dusk,

The pavements were gleaming with rain;

There in the lighted window

I left my boyhood."

 From Rivers to the Sea (1922)

 

source

 

Winter Stars

I went out at night alone;

The young blood flowing beyond the sea

Seemed to have drenched my spirit's wings--

I bore my sorrow heavily.

But when I lifted up my head

From shadows shaken on the snow,

I saw Orion in the east

Burn steadily as long ago.

From windows in my father's house,

Dreaming my dreams on winter nights,

 I watched Orion as a girl

Above another city's lights.

Years go, dreams go, and youth goes too,

The world's heart breaks beneath its wars, 

All things are changed, save in the east

The faithful beauty of the stars.

From Flame and Shadow (1920)

Orion (source)

 

 In Memoriam F.O.S.

You go a long and lovely journey,

For all the stars, like burning dew,

Are luminous and luring footprints

Of souls adventurous as you.

Oh, if you lived on earth elated,

How is it now that you can run

Free of the weight of flesh and faring

Far past the birthplace of the sun? 

From Rivers to the Sea (1922)

 

February Flower--The Crocus

Yellow Crocuses

February 1st is about halfway between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. It is celebrated today as St. Brigid's Day in Ireland, which honors one of Ireland's patron saints, St. Brigid (or St. Brigit) of Kildare (circa 453-524 A.D.) It is also the date of the ancient Gaelic festival of Imbolc (or Imbolg), historically observed in Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man, which marked the beginning of Spring. Although many of the ancient Imbolc customs died out by the 20th century, the seasonal festival is still  recognized, and ancient traditions are still practiced in some areas. 

St. Brigid of Kildare (source)

We're still in the middle of winter here in southeastern Pennsylvania. Although it's been mostly above freezing this past week, piles of snow still remain from the Blizzard of 2016. But I always feel a little bit of hope at the beginning of February, that spring can't be too far away. Already the days are getting just a little bit longer, and this month we'll get to see our first spring flowers--the crocuses.

Photo by Christa Regina (source)

Crocus is a genus of flowering plants in the iris family. There are about 90 species, which bloom in various parts of the world at different times of the year. The seasoning saffron is harvested from a number of different species, including Crocus sativus, which has been cultivated in the Mediterranean since ancient times. 

Saffron Gatherers Appear in Minoan Frescoes on the Island of Santorini in the Aegean Sea (1600-1500 B.C.E) (source)

Several species of ornamental crocuses are popular with gardeners in North America and Europe, and are mostly yellow, white or shades of purple, although some varieties are available in colors including pink and orange. Crocuses are all about two to four inches tall. Snow crocuses are the first to bloom; Dutch crocuses are larger and bloom somewhat later. 

Photo by Listje (source)

Crocus flowers and leaves are protected from frost by a waxy cuticle, and they can often be seen blooming through the snow. The strong scent of many crocuses lures sleepy bees from their hives as early as February or March. Crocuses naturalize, meaning that they grow and spread, with minimal care, and return each year to add striking color to the dull winter landscape.

Crocuses In the Snow  (Photo by Ralph Hauser) (source)

Crocuses have always been celebrated as an early sign of spring and of hope. In the romantic Victorian "language of flowers", lovers could use flowers symbolically to send each other secret messages. Crocuses symbolized youth and gladness, and they are featured in the following poem and vintage illustrations.

Three White Crocuses and Violets (courtesy of tuckdb.org)

Birthday Card (1921) (courtesy of tuckdb.org)

 

Two Pretty Girls Driving In A Snowstorm, White Crocuses Below (courtesy of tuckdb.org)

Sundial In Garden With Crocuses--Scotland (1908) by Mary G. W. Wilson (Courtesy of Library of Congress)

Pot of Purple and White Crocuses (1905) (courtesy of tuckdb.org)

The Beauty of Trees In Winter

Winter Sunrise ©Susan Sherwood 2016

I have always loved bare winter trees, especially when silhouetted against a pastel sky at sunrise or sunset, or snow-covered on a clear blue morning after a storm. The following passages and images celebrate the unique strength and beauty of trees in the winter.

From Sour Grapes: A Book of Poems (1921)

Sky Reflections ©Susan Sherwood 2016

To the Real Lover of Trees

To the real lover of trees they are all equally beautiful and interesting at all seasons of the year; and no one knows trees well who cannot distinguish the different species as easily and surely in winter as in spring or summer. Almost every tree has some special and peculiar beauty which is seen to the best advantage in winter. The fine spray of the beech is seen only at this season of the year, and there are few more beautiful objects in nature than the delicate branches of our New England beech trees seen against the clear blue sky of a brilliant winter day. The sturdiness of the oak is best realized in winter, for at other seasons its massive limbs are often hidden under their covering of leaves...The bark of most trees appears more beautiful in winter than at other seasons of the year because the eye, undisturbed by the contemplation of the foliage, can then most easily take in all the details of its varied texture and wonderful colors....

 --From the Introduction to Studies of Trees In Winter (1905)

Book by Annie Oakes Huntington, Introduction by C. S. Sargent

Tree Trunks and Sky ©Susan Sherwood 2016

Winter Trees  ©Susan Sherwood 2016