Welcome to the 2nd day of my 3 Day Quote Challenge which I’m thrilled to take part in following the kind nomination by Laura at laurabrunolilly.com .
To the challenge…The rules are as follows:
- Thank the person who nominated you.
- Post a quote on 3 consecutive days.
- Share why this quote appeals so much to you.
- Nominate 3 different bloggers for each day.
A week ago a star in the music world passed away at the far too young age of 28 and upon learning the news of Avicii’s passing a wave of sorrow was felt around the world. Tributes poured in from the famous to the young, all touched by his music and lyrics; poetic lyrics which became part of so many people’s lives, my son’s (and mine) included.
Below is a quote from ‘Wake Me Up’ as well as a video of the entire song with all the lyrics.
My son wanted to honour Avicii’s memory in his own personal way and put together a piano medley covering some of the songs. I”m proud to include Sammy Perry’s video; first his introduction to the music.
‘This is a piano tribute to one of my favourite electronic artists, Avicii, who unfortunately passed away a few days ago. He has inspired me and countless others to make music and he will be missed by millions. This is a piano mix of some of my favourite songs by him and I hope you enjoy listening to it.’ Sammy Perry
My 3 nominees for day # of this challenge are:
- Johanna at restlessjo.me
- Pam at roughwighting.net
- Janice at ontheland.blog
Annika Perry 
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Thank you so much for taking part, Jo and it’s been a delight to read your quotes and always enjoyable and rewarding to see your photos! 😀❤️
WOW! Your son did a fantastic job, such a nice tribute.
Avicii’s death affected my kids too, as they also enjoyed his music. (I enjoyed some of his, too!)
Have a great weekend!
blessings~
Robbye, bless you for your lovely comment about Sammy’s playing … it’s not been an easy time and I feel very much for your children as well. We can but be there for them, let them understand that ultimately Avicii’s music will live and is his legacy. This weekend has been a much better one – especially with heatwave weather conditions in the UK. Hope you’ve had a lovely time too. Warmest wishes, Annika
Aw, you are welcome. I know it’s been such a sad time recently. My kids have been impacted by the deaths of Dolores O’Riordan, the lead singer of The Cranberries, also.
I know that sometimes, depending on the circumstances, it can become a great teaching moment, too.
I’m glad you are having warmer weather. I think we went from winter straight to summer and just bypassed spring altogether!
Blessings~
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PS – Thank you for thinking of me with the quote challenge! I only post once a week, so I’m going to pass. But I’ll add one of my quotes here that means a lot to me. And I’m tweeting this post, which is wonderful. xo
“Photographers are writers- Writers are photographers. We catch a glimpse of something beautiful – a flower, a glance, a window – and catch it into our camera or writing lens: add a bit of glimmer, a ghost of shadow, allowing the background to sink into fuzziness while focusing on the sharp beauty; thus, we highlight the romance of life.” Pamela Wight
Pam, I totally understand about not taking up the challenge. I don’t usually post so often in a week and it is a lot – for the blogger and all the readers. However this time I had an urge, almost a need, to share these quotes! The timing was perfect.
Thank you so much for sharing this quote – I LOVE it! With this analogy you wonderfully capture all the nuances of writing … How true about ‘ allowing the background to sink into fuzziness while focusing on the sharp beauty’. Sometimes I’ll come across a book that suddenly brings the background to the foreground and the whole balance and stability of the story are shaken to the core. This is a fantastic quote – and another one for me to save!
You are a sweetie. You felt a need to post these quotes because (1) you’d been away from us, and missed blogging and (2) we missed YOU! Plus, you added to our days with these quotes. Thanks for enjoying mine. Yes, interesting how our focus can become fuzzy so we can zoom in on just the right detail. xoxo
Urgh, I’m late to the game, as always. But oh myyyyyy, your son’s rendition of some of Avicii’s songs is extremely touching. I certainly felt touched, listening to the melodies. (I love the way your son shrugs his shoulders when working on a piece – to me a sign of his passion within the keyboard phrasing…). Poets, writers, musicians tend to feel more deeply, in joy and in pain, and it’s heartrending when we lose a beautiful soulful person like Avicii. His lyrics prove he wasn’t lost at all.
Pam, it’s never too late!! It means a lot to me (&Sammy) to read your thoughtful comment. It is a blessing and a curse to feel so deeply, but I would rather live like that then a flat life without love or pain. You write with tenderness and warmth of Avicii, capturing his ‘soulful’ nature … a wonderful description and I think more accurate than the ‘fragile’ his parents used.
I see you know a lot about musicians, Pam and I too enjoy watching Sammy play, moving along the stool… not too flamboyantly like some pianist, but the small shrugs, the tapping of the foot, the inclination of the head so telling…in this medley so much passion and sadness.
Love & hugs xxx❤️
Your son is an amazing musician! Beautiful! Tim Bergling’s song is beautiful too, he will be missed by many…including my son too.
Thank you so much, Helen – I think Sammy has a gift for music – even if I’m a bit (i.e. lot) biased! With your Swedish background you know what a gentle home Tim Bergling would have come from … suddenly thrown into a totally alien world, performing despite such anxiety. I very much feel for your son – it is hard to lose a hero and especially one so young and in such circumstances. We can only be there for our sons. hugs xxx
So true Annika. I am very happy that you have such a gifted son – I think you are ‘objectively biased’ 🙂 Many hugs XXX
Well that is so sad to learn. Such a talent and so darned young! 😦 I love that song in the first video, and your son did a wonderful tribute to Avicii. Not hard to see where your son gets his talent. ❤
For us, it was one of those occasions you will always remember where you were on learning the news. Yep, so terribly young and so talented – his passion for music knew no bounds and like so many in that industry I feel the stress and crazy workload took its toll.
Sammy spent a few days playing his songs (many which he already knows from memory) and spontaneously came up with this medley for his channel …. I think it helped him a lot. Ahh…he definitely has musical talent but not from me!! 😃 There is a creative energy in our house though! xx❤️
Creative energy indeed! ❤ xx
This was a fitting tribute to a wonderful artist Annika, and I loved your son’s piano video I went over to tell him so on YouTube.
I loved that particular Song… and it spoke to me on many levels, when I first heard it on the radio I couldn’t stop singing it.
Your Son has a tremendous talent, and I know his hero is now gone, but his music lives on. And I it should inspire Sammy to keep writing his own music and to play and perform…
Acicii’s music lives in the hearts of many of us..
Love and Blessings my friend xx
Bless you, Sue for your wonderful comment! ❤️ Your words mean a lot to Sammy and you are right, Avicii’s music was the turning point of Sammy’s musical development, his hero, and so far his music is going from strength to strength. It would be hard to imagine him without it. Thank you also so much for taking the time to write on the youtube video – that is so kind.
This song is in my head now … and was so before his passing but surprisingly enough I hadn’t heard it before the military wive’s choir did a cover of it with Gareth Malone. Then Sammy told me about the original – both terrific and everlasting. He will be remembered. warmest hugs and thank, my friend xxx
Tell Sammy to keep writing and composing from his heart.. He I feel is sensitive and will use his own intuitive to guide him as he grows.
I think Avicii, was plunged into fame and at times overwhelmed. Tell Sammy to hold onto his own ‘Power’ and not give it away.. 😀 and I have a feeling he will go far, if he holds that intent close to his heart..
Love and Blessings back.. And it was my pleasure to visit YouTube and say a few words xx
Sue, your words could not come at a better time. I have printed this out for Sammy and it will mean so much to him. You are right, he is very sensitive and last night plunged into sadness again as too much information was revealed about Avicii’s suicide. I’m sure he will take the wisdom of your words to heart. hugs xxx
Tell him, Avicii was an enlightened soul, whose own journey, led him through many ups and downs.. He would not want his passing to cause such deep sadness, His Song Wake me Up.. Has meaning.. I read a comment on one of his videos.. It said, he is not gone, Just press Play!… He lives in our hearts forever young. I am sure his is destined to do great things on the other side to inspire such young talent as Sammy.. ❤
Such a lovely tribute, Annika. This song will be with me forever. A beautiful soul gone much too soon. Thanks so much for sharing. XO
Natalie, you sound as heart-broken as we were – a darkness that Friday evening. He was so young and one will always wonder which direction his music would have taken – it is so sad. I wanted to write a little about him and realised his own words were the best tribute. Yes, a song that will remain with many of us forever.
A wonderful tribute to Avicii from you both! Your son is so talented!
Thank you so much, Clare – as you can tell his death touched us both deeply – my son plays totally from the heart here.
I could see and hear that. I hope he feels comfort soon; young people of his age are so vulnerable and are affected so deeply by the death of people they identify with. xx
So touching. You must be so proud of your son. ❤
Thank you , Carol!❤️
Oh, I am one very proud Mother … but at the same time I would never give false praise/hope – even to my son! 😃
What a wonderful tribute to a great artist.
I enjoyed the song Annika. I also enjoyed the lovely tune played by the Sammy. 🙂
Norma, thank you so much … his passing touched us both deeply – the more I listened and read the lyrics, the more the hidden depths revealed themselves to me. So glad you liked Sammy’s piano tribute – played from a sorrowful heart.
A really sad day when Avicii passed on. Unfortunately the music business can be very callous in terms of promoting artists to maximise income at the cost of their well being. Your son’s piano medley is played superbly and with passion – it sounds almost like a requiem to me. I hope he continues playing as it looks (and sounds) to me that he has the ability to become a very skilled pianist.
Mike
Mike, I agree, and I feel the inhuman and impossible work schedule over many years contributed in some way…it is a harsh and looks an incredibly lonely life. Your word of ‘Requiem’ fits perfectly to describe Sammy’s song and it is played with straight from a heart full of sadness. Thank you for your kind comment and it will mean a lot to Sammy.
A wonderful tribute, Annika! And Sammy does a great job. Anytime such talent is lost at a young age–it makes me wonder how much more that creative soul could have given the world.
Exactly, Julie… in effect he was only starting out in this creative life – I reckon the music would have only grown in depth, & creativity and continued to fly around the world! A sad loss. Thank you so much for your comment about Sammy’s and my tribute.
What a wonderful tribute, Annika and Sammy.
Sammy’s medley goes right to the heart. ❤
I totally agree, Hanne … straight to our hearts, played with all his heart, filled with sorrow and sadness. ❤️
I love this song, too, Annika, and it’s a tragedy for him to pass away at such a young age. Thank you for this beautiful tribute, combined with your son’s wonderful piano playing. I know you’re a proud mom, as you should be. Beautiful post! ❤🎵
Lauren, we were all shocked and saddened by the news, my son very much so. For the week it was mostly Avicii music in our house and I really started to listen and read the lyrics – deeply profound, here almost prophetic.
Oh yes, I’m incredibly proud of Sammy, feel blessed to have his piano playing on a daily basis and so happy the joy and grounding it gives him. hugs ❤️
Thank you Annika and Sammy for this beautiful tribute! The words for your quote belong to one of my favourite songs by him. And the medley is truly wonderful. I’m sure he would have appreciated a lot!
The lyrics to the song are incredibly powerful and prophetic almost, I feel…and the song is full of energy and vibrant with life. Thank you for your words about the medley – Sammy is reading the comments and it means a lot to him. It’s helping him through this sadness.
sweet musical tribute!
wonderful having a pianist
at home, as do I 🙂
David, I feel so luck to be able to listen to Sammy’s piano music on a daily basis – it’s like a balm, a dose of heaven! 😀 So, who plays in your house, if I may ask? It is a blessing.
I love this song, and thanks so much, Annika- I’ve only just seen the nomination. Unbelievable to die so young. My son is the same age. It sends shivers. Nice of your son to remember him this way. A wonderful tribute, played with feeling. I will rise to the challenge when I can. Not sure if there is a time restriction, but at the earliest it will be the middle of next week. Thanks so much for thinking of me. 🙂
Thank you so much for your kind words … 28 is still so young and to think your son is the same age. Sammy took his death hard and yes, there is a lot of emotion in his playing.
There is no time restriction at all, and I know someone who has posts scheduled for the next month or two so will do these afterwards. I can’t wait to see your selection of quotes! 😀
Oh, to be that organised! I fly by the seat of my pants. Just about to start writing Monday’s walk because I’m down in Leeds tomorrow and time will be short. 🙂 🙂
A lovely extract from the lyrics of this song, Annika. Your son is a wonderful pianist.
Thank you, Robbie – I hadn’t realised quite how profound and almost prophetic this song was until reading the lyrics. Thank you so much for your comment about Sammy too … he really appreciates it.
How often have I felt this same way! Please just wake me when this is over–but all the learning I would then lose. Sigh. Excellent quote for your #2.
❤ and RIP
Absolutely, Kathy. Thank you for reading. xx
Thank you for the introduction to Avicii & his music. His lyrics are amazing.
Please let Sam know that I loved his rendition & medley – his style of playing actually made the music more accessible for me as it is more my aesthetic. It was moving.
Ju-Lyn, warmest thanks for your thoughtful comment. My son has read your comment and says thank you so much, it means a lot to him. I must admit my admiration and enjoyment of listening to music from Avicii, Kygo et al, comes from hearing my son’s piano versions of the songs first … his rendition of them has made them more accessible to me in the first place so I can appreciate the actual artists. Avicii has made so incredible songs and one of my favourites is ‘Without You’, which is in the first bars of my son’s medley. The whole song is like an anthem!
After I read & listened to your post, I had a conversation with my Older Daughter (now 20) about how she used to make her favourite bands more accessible to me by playing and singing their songs in her own way. How wonderful that our children take the time to do this for us!
Have just listened to “Without You” and pored over the lyrics – again, mind-blowing! Thank you
😀 I reckon your older daughter had the best teacher in the gift of giving – you! ❤️
Yep, mind-blowing indeed and this is a song (and Without You) are ones that I can’t leave at the moment…keep coming back to them.
Your son is so very talented!
Thank you so much, Resa … I think so too but also know all the hard practice involved! 😀
My hubby is a musician. One thing is, the practicing NEVER stops. Then the rehearsing, jam sessions and recording sessions. It’s a wild world of audio! 😀
Wow!! 😀 The music never stops, nor does the hard work! What type of music does he play? What instrument? Is he able to play for a living? My son would love to work with music full time but is hedging his bets by going to uni to study computer science. A subject he likes and excels in but a part of me wonders…I just want him to feel totally happy and fulfilled. It must be wonderful for you to hear your husband’s music, live with it. Wild world, indeed!😀
Wise that he is studying computers. My N arranges and produces a lot of soundtracks for TV and Movies.
He uses very complicated computer programs to compose. It’s the way now. Just like no one shoots film anymore. Everything is digital and all components must sync up.
He also records his own music, and plays live. He plays all types of music but R&B, vintage rock and modern rock are his faves. He earns a very decent living. http://www.normanorenstein.com/ is his website, in case I didn’t send it to you before!
Yessss love this tribute that also serves as an excellent day#2 quote.
Thank you, Laura … these lyrics have stayed with me all week and I wanted to share them. I promise tomorrow is a straight forward short quote! 😀😃
What an incredibly poignant and beautiful post and quote!
Thank you so much, Jan … with almost prophetic lyrics it sadly becomes very poignant.
Many artists write words that define their generation. Avicii reached across and defined the longing all of us feel, no matter our age. It was so sad to learn about Avicii’s death. Wake Me Up seems now to have been prophetic of the young artist’s death, finding himself when he didn’t know he was lost, not knowing when the journey would end, but aware of its start. Your son, Sammy, is a gifted musician, and I can feel his sense of loss in his tribute to a man whose music touched him.
Shari, thank you so much for your warmth and wisdom … how true that Avicii reaches out to us all across the generations (I have been playing and listening to his music all week). My first draft of the post mentioned what I felt was a prophetic quality to the words in Wake Me Up but I wondered if I was reading too much into them. He was so young and looked at times lost and so alone with the tens of thousands around him … Above all else he lived for his music but everything else around took flight without control. Thank you so much for your words about Sammy and his music, it means a lot to him – Avicii is the reason Sammy and his music took the course it has … literally life-changing.
Such a loss. Beautiful lyrics and song, Annika. It was great being able to read the verses while listening to the song, and the words are so touching in light of his death. Sam’s medley was wonderful, a beautiful tribute to an artist and his work. 🙂 Thanks for sharing.
Diana, it is a loss that is felt keenly in this house (and around the world) and it’s been non-stop Avicci music here since last Friday. I must admit I didn’t know all the lyrics so finding this video was a great help … and I was floored by the power of the words, prophetic almost. It means a lot to me that you found Sammy’s medley wonderful … he’s reading all the comments and really appreciates them. Thank you so much.
I did not realize Avicii had passed away. I’m shocked to learn of his death. Wake Me Up is a song I love and your son’s playing is a great tribute to him.
Mae, this must have been a shock for you in that case. It is very sad. My mother called to tell me first so I could let my son know; we knew how hard he especially would take it. Wake Me Up is a terrific song and when you read/listen to the lyrics it lifts to another level. It is a crazy industry and a loss to not only his family and friends, as well as fans but also to music. A name that will stay for a long time.
So sad when one so talented passes on so young. A lovely tribute by your son, Annika. I really liked the quote. I sometimes think we spend our whole life finding ourselves. It’s an unending task because we are forever changing. –Curt
I don’t know why, but Avicii’s death has hit us hard at home, but also worldwide there has been a massive outpouring of sorrow. He was so young and he had so much to give. He seemed to be a genuine good guy with a passion for music that effectively killed him. My son put together this medley over a couple of days (he plays many of Avicci’s songs already) and I think this helped him a lot. How true that it is an unending task and we are forever changing … maybe it would be better not to look too hard for ourselves!
Dying young always seems to be more tragic, even more so when such a talented life is cut short.
As for searching for ourselves, I think it is important to know a bit about what makes us tick. It’s kind of like studying history. Maybe we can avoid repeating some of the bad stuff. But a sense of humor is definitely called for! –Curt
😀😃 A bit of self-depreciation is always a good thing and I reckon you have a lot of humour, Curt – all whilst on the search for inner-undertanding!
What strikes me about Avicii’s life is how lonely he seemed – millions of fans, huge concerts but he just looked alone a lot of the time.
🙂
Having good friends has to be a critical part of maintaining health it seems to me, Annika. I suspect more important than success. –Curt
This is one of my favorite songs. My favorite line is “All this time I was finding myself, and I didn’t know I was lost.”
Lori, I agree – that line is just incredible and hits like a punch to the stomach – poetic, deep, full of insight – I feel a whole essay could be written around this sentence. I wonder how many of us actually feel/realise that we are so lost, all the time whilst finding oneself?
A beautiful musical tribute…
I think so too, Bette … thank you so much!
This is such a beautiful tribute to a talented young man. I’ve always loved this song. Thank you to you and Sammy. ❤
The song touches one to the core, I find and so glad you like it too. With all the tributes around the world, this is a small one indeed but I felt I wanted to say something, how his music has touched me and those close to me. ❤️
I love this song. A great tribute to a talented young man.
Thank you so much, Darlene…his music will be his lasting legacy.
What a beautiful tribute from both you and Sammy. I had not heard of Avicii or his music till his passing.
Thank you, Brigid, and glad you got a chance to listen to both these today. ‘Wake Me Up’ has over 1.5 billion views on youtube which is phenomenal.
I do love that song and so sad about Avici
Absolutely, Shey… I’ve been playing his music all week as well. It is tragic and surely it is time to look at the whole industry.
Annika, this is a wonderful tribute to a great artist. By reading and listening to ” Wake me up” I realise he is also a wonderful poet with so deep questions. His work will live on and reach even deeper understanding.
Sammy’s tribute is both tender and deep, he ends it with such surprising and strong lift sounding like a huge praise.
Thank you
miriam.
Thank you so much for your thoughtful comment, Miriam. I must admit I was not fully aware of the depth to Avicii’s music until recently and it is only by reading the actual words of the lyrics that their poetic, here almost prophetic quality shines out. The loss touched us all deeply and i wanted to honour his memory in my small way.
Sammy put together this medley over a couple of days and played from the heart I feel. The final resounding bars you mention are actually his own composition and I love how you see ‘a huge praise’ in them! It will means lot to him.
Such a sad loss to the music world, however Annika, your son did an amazing tribute to his music. Truly, that was beautiful. Thank you (and thank him) for sharing. xo
I think you like Avicii’s music a lot too, Miriam? You quoted part of Addicted to You lyrics … sheer poetry and such passion.
Thank you so much for your comment about my son’s piano medley … it will mean a lot to him. He took the loss very hard … a dark sad weekend. Luckily he was starting a new gardening job he has found by himself and spent all Sunday working outside … the best thing to do!
You’re right Annika, I loved Avicii’s music and I can understand your son taking his passing very hard. I’m glad he had a new job to focus on. Being outside is sometimes the best therapy.