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“So the Years Spin By, and Now the [Girl] Is Twenty”

Yesterday was my daughter’s birthday. She is 20 years old. Joni Mitchell’s achingly beautiful song “The Circle Game” seemed appropriate (especially as I used to sing it to her when she was younger). I found this lovely alternate version of the song, by Ian McCulloch, at YouTube. I hope you all will indulge me:

YouTube Preview Image

  • archangel
    Happy bithday to your dear daughter, Kathy. I Bless the day she came through you.

    with kindest regards,
    dr.e
  • kathykattenburg
    How sweet. Thank you.
  • Father_Time
    I don't have any supernatural authority to "bless" anything ,but hopefully you will still consider my lowly best wishes for you and your daughter.

    P.S., nice song and remember the scientific facts are that we are all made of star-stuff and I hope you find that as beautifully natural as I do.
  • Leonidas
    I hope your daughter has a wonderful Birthday, and Joni Mitchell's beautiful voice is a fitting tribute.
  • D. E.Rodriguez
    Thank you Kathy.

    As the fafter of a girl a little older than yours, I enjoyed it very much (Don't tell anyone, but it [almost] brought tears to my eyes).

    There is another song just as beautiful and haunting about dancing with my little girl---if anyone can think of the name, and even better, find a link to it, I'd love it.

    Happy Birthday to your daughter and, again, thanks

    Dorian
  • kathykattenburg
    F_T, your lowly best wishes are a blessing in my eyes. :-)

    And yeah, I knew about that star-stuff stuff. There's a young adult book with that theme that I can't remember the title of now.... I'm going to look it up, wait.... humming.... There! Found it!

    "The Same Stuff as Stars," by Katherine Paterson.
  • kathykattenburg
    Thank you, Leonidas.
  • kathykattenburg
    (Don't tell anyone, but it [almost] brought tears to my eyes).

    It almost brought tears to my eyes, too, and not entirely for the obvious reason. It was the way Ian McCulloch interpreted it. I don't think the original Joni Mitchell version would make me cry, because I've just heard it so many times, not that it isn't beautiful, but it's just so familiar. I've actually never heard any other version until I found this one. The way he sings it is so different from Joni that it feels brand new.
  • ordinarysparrow
    Kathy happy day for you and your daughter. . .i have always thought that mothers should be the ones celebrating birthdays as much as the children. . .

    Dorian could it be this one by Luther Vandross? Dancing With My Father Again?
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvW6nuQ2B0s

    or maybe. . .Angel in My Arms? by JackKapanka
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZPrV9cFBwE

    this might not be PC but hope that not to many years out that both of you have your arms full once again with grandchildren. . .
  • kathykattenburg
    I love that song by Luther Vandross. I didn't make that connection when Dorian mentioned it.
  • D. E.Rodriguez
    That's the one, OS, except I had the title backwards. And I love the second one also. Thank you so much, I have just been listening to both of them.

    By the way, we I(my wife and I) have already been blessed with a grandson.

    Dorian
  • bobmunck
    Tom Rush does what I consider the definitive version of Circle Game, though of course that description probably should be reserved for its author. He basically discovered Joni, and tells a story of how she sent him a tape of Circle Game with an apology that it wasn't entirely finished.

    YouTube has a video of Rush doing it, but it isn't very good quality.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WsxFoW6_DU
  • kathykattenburg
    One of the trade-offs that come with having a child at a later age is that you may be gone before the grandchildren arrive, if they do. :-)

    That's fine with me, though. The girl who is 20 is blessing enough.
  • JeffersonDavis
    May your daughter have a joyous birthday, Kat.

    I know you're not too happy with me right now, but I'm sincere and I still love ya.
    I'm sure you'll be around for the grandkids. You'd make an awesome grandma one day.
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