Light of the Dharma

Today I went to a Buddhist Funeral Service for a close family friend. It was such an amazing and beautiful experience. In Zen Buddhism, after Death, the Soul stays around the earth for 49 days before it is fully incorporated into the endlessness of the universe. On the 49th day, there is a ceremony with an altar and the following sutra, or chant is recited.

Atta Dipa

Viharatha

Atta-Sarana

Annana-Sarana

Dhama-Dipa

Dhamma-Sarana

Anna Sarana

(Look Within)
You are the Light

Dwell here; Do not doubt

You are the Refuge

There is no other Refuge

(Look Within)
Light of the Dharma

Refuge of the Dharma

There is no other Refuge

Craig, or Kyusen actually hand picked most of the service before he passed away, including the music. I would be far pressed to outdo him on his own day of entry into Nirvana, so today's song comes from Craig himself, from the outer reaches of Samsara. Your presence, although now all around us, will still be missed.

Song #87: Leonard Cohen - If It Be Your Will

Yes, In Fact there is More Snow.

Woops, I definitely jynxed that one... Sorry if my calling out the Weather Gods (Al Roker again) made them drop this snow with a fury. Choose your own adventure with today's a-SNOW-priate jam.

Plugged?


Or Unplugged? (I Love this NYC version, but apparently Peter Tosh was unimpressed)

Song #86: Bob Marley - Coming In From the Cold

More Snow?

Enough with the snow already Man(/God?/Al Roker)! The only positive from having this "Snowacane" is the perfect segue it presents for this extremely heart-wrenching yet, but also humorously anthropomorphized video.

It was made by a couple of my friends during the last snow. Today's snow is a wetter, wussier, less stickier version, incapable of supporting Snowpeople Relationships. You can catch a bunch of other videos featuring these delightful Moonkids at their Youtube Page, OR at Royal Oak next Tuesday with hilarious guests of assorted talents. I will most likely be there myself.

In constantly repeated news... you know this weeks "Clash" is close, you can vote and see the results on the top right corner of the blog, just a reminder, voting ends on March 1, so Just do it already!

On to today's song... I knew I wanted it to be Snow themed, I knew I wanted it to be not from the 70s, and I was trying to get into a genre or time that is thus far underutilized here at Every Day, Another Song. After much deliberation, I am going back to my roots; to the first Cassette I ever purchased, Pocket Full of Kryptonite. It's not one of the billboard hits off the album, but musically, it far outpaces it's pop bretheren, "Two Princes" and "Little Miss Can't Be Wrong." Bringin' it back for your 90s reminiscing pleasure, with one of my favorite prolonged introductions of all time, are the Spin Doctors.

Song #85: Spin Doctors - Refrigerator Car

Broke and Busted

Wow Cover Clash is tight. All the different horses are jockeying for position and the underdog is now in the catbird seat. I don't know what that particularly means, but I really think the third challenger has given this second contest a new dimension.

I've been meaning to put this ol' ditty on for a while. Amazing.



Song #84: Howard Tate - 8 Days on the Road

Good Moanin'

Nothing like a little Jazz to go with the improv of the Rain.

This week's Cover Clash is RIDICULOUSLY close with only 4 % (1 vote) separating 1st Place from the 2nd Place tie. There has been some debate as to the effectiveness of how Cover Clash goes down, but a battle this close only speaks to the validity of the competition. Move those fingers and Vote before the March 1st Deadline!


Song #83: Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers - Moanin'

Ffor Real?

Last night I was watching that one random hour of Jamaican Public Access that comes on some NYC channel and I saw an interview with Robert Ffrench. I went to the ol' computers to see if this could possibly be a misspelling but in ffact it wasn't, Robert Ffrench is a kind of well known Reggae singer Ffrom the 80s. He might sound a little Ffamiliar in that he sounds exactly like previous EDAS star,  Barrington Levy, but he's got a nice set pipes in his own right.

Song #82: Robert Ffrench - Meet Me by the River

The Flyest

Representing Queens, Son of a Blues Singer, the Flyest rapper Nas. This dope song features another one of New York's Finest (speech impediments), AZ.

Remember to Vote for which version of "Light My Fire" you think is The Flyest! 

Song #81: Nas - The Flyest