Gonna sail away...............soon, with Olivia!

My favorite song is also "Sailing away with Olivia" just like yours, Jeri.   We were on the dolphin cruise with Lucy Blue when she first sang the song.  What I remember is her saying she had just written it the night before.  It was great then and I love it now..

looking forward to Sunday. 

Margaret 

Waterfall definitely but I also love The Rock Will Wear Away - 2 songs made more powerful as the audience sings along.

My fave has to be "Ode to a Gym Teacher," by Meg.  Heard it in the early '70s when friends brought back her album from a NOW National Convention.  The song cracked me up with the humor, and every word of it was true for me - although, in my high-school days, I hadn't really known what those gym-teacher experiences were really telling me; I didn't even catch on when a PE teacher in college invited me over to dinner.  On hearing this song, my world changed - the ground shifted, like an earthquake.  But what hit me even more than the song was that all the women in the coffeehouse where Meg recorded it were laughing - LAUGHING about this being gay stuff!  It was the laughter that really changed my life.  My life has been nothing but happy and gay since then, including the several years that I was an Olivia distributor in Joliet, IL.

Speaking of RAMBLING... I, at this moment in time,  now own 2 of the 500 released LP 's of A Step At A Time By Cris Williamson. Now I need to adjust my expenses in January to pay for it. I Don't Mind!

You ramble all you want sweetheart. This is OUR TIME to ramble.

You know I asked Cris one time about her first album because I thought it was the one with "Joanna" on it.....it was before Olivia....and I think she said that she recorded a record when she was quite young...like either still in high school or right out of high school.  I had the album entitled just "Cris Williamson"...the one with "Joanna" on it, before I even knew I was a lesbian...I found it in a record store back in the early 70's...while I was in graduate school....so it had to have been before '72...that's when I got my Master's.  Okay...now I'm rambling.  :0)

Kathi

So ...Only one interested in A Step At A Time on EBay. One more day left.  Now, on another matter...I have wanted for 3 years to have the first album ever done by Cris Williamson. I thought it was called The Artistry of Cris Williamson. I think I may have erroed there. On EBay at this very moment there is an album offered called White Dove Over The Mt. I saw it and thought-There is unusal. Then, I looked at the record and it says 'The Artistry of Cris Williamson'. Yes...I could have stayed quiet and just maybe I might  have won it. I would rather have a little fun here and also give others a chance at having it.  If you got the money!!! You get the record. I have to say...I believe this record worth thousands.

Hey...Just wanted to share something on Cris Williamson. Just saw on EBay her second album ever done in 1965 called A Step At A Time. Her first was The Artistry of Cris Williamson I think the year before. Anyway, I have A Step and it is great. There was even a color photo of her attached to the front of mine when I got it. Price is high but it is worth it as only 500 made back then!

It would have to be Meg's "The Rock will wear away".  It's so poignant, but the message of wearing away biogotry and fear has born fruit over the years.  Just look at the Marriage Equality rights voted in last month...................who would of thought that was possible in the 70's when Meg recorded this song.   "And the water comes again". 

This music sustained me, nourished me and gave me the strength to be the water on rock that I know in some small way has helped to make these changes possible by just living my life as a strong proud free lesbian.  Heather

Waterfall by Cris Williamson, of course. The message of transformation, of needing to know the rain in order to appreciate the sunlight, her voice, all of those elements and more, have made this not only a favorite Olivia song, but a favorite song, period. I was an early talk-radio psychologist in 1980-82, and I played the opening bars of the song as each show started, partly because it was on point to the show, and partly as a shout-out to my lesbian community in a context where I was not especially out.

I have a photo of that parade ship in amongst the 2,000+. Someone was holding a sign of Dianne Davidson as I recall and maybe Lucie as well. I love each and every song Olivia released. I love each and every artist. I love Judyd for keeping it all going. I have never been so in love with so many women in my life. In fact, only two before all of this hit me like a brick. Guess I should try and pick one: Meg-Morning song (her first song written), Cris-I've Learned To Let Things Go (because she showed her heart later in life), Lucie Blue-So Lucky,  Dianne-Tonight I'll Dream That You Care, Tret-Hold Me To Your Heart, Deidre-Home In My Heart, Barbara-Heaven's Lament, Teresa-Rosalie (because it shows all of Teresa), Have to mentions these as well: Margie-We Shall Go Forth, Suede-(check her out on You Tube)... She sings Sister and Neverland, Holly-Something About The Women, Julie-Everything she has done for EVERYONE. Mary-I Hear Music, June-Tell Them, Jamie-No Closet, Nancy-Darling Companion, Betsy-Glad To Be A Woman, Trish-Foxglove Woman, Alix-The Woman In Your Life Is You, Nina-Back Roads, Maxine-Closet Sale, Carole-Distances, Linda-Family of Women, Robin-Drowsy Maggie, Malvina-You Can't Make A Turtle Come Out, Betsy-So We Talk, Janis-At Seventeen, Linda-Womanly Way, Ginni-Lady-O, Theresa-Creativity Lost, Berkeley Women's (Debbie)-Gay and Proud, Roxanna-Remember Who You Are, & Kay Gardner and Ellen & Betty Degeneres.

I know ... I got carried away. These women turn me on in a way I absolutely love. Lastly Shambhavi-Everything she has ever done! Thank You Old Friend.

p.s. Now after all these love songs we need a little somethin' more: Kate, Vickie, Karen, Marga, Lisa, Elvira, Michele, Sweet Baby J'ai, Julie, Dana, Gina, Zoe, Mimi and CC, and just maybe Billie Jean will let you retrieve her tennis balls.

It has to be Meg Christian's Ode to a Gym Teacher.  I must have listened to it hundreds of times in my early coming out days.

Yes, that is our favourite too. Every time we get into our cabin on board i play that song.

Also, Beautiful Together always puts me back on an Olivia when I listen to it at home.

 

Not overly familiar with the pre 90's Olivia music. Looking forward to hearing some of it on board for the 40th cruise though....

 

See you there!

 

Julie 

 

 

 

 

Hi Everyone -

I'm getted so excited about the upcoming 40th Anniversary cruises! When I think of Olivia celebrating 40 years, I always drift to the music. In my 15 years at Olivia, I've heard wonderful stories from our guests about how the music changed their lives. Some have said it said it saved their life during difficult times.

I thought it would be fun to share our favorite Olivia songs and why they mean something to us. I'll go first:

My favorite song recorded on Olivia Records is Sailing Away by Lucie Blue Tremblay. In 1993, Olivia had a giant cruise ship float in the SF Pride parade. All of the Olivia artist were on it and Lucie was singing that song as the float went by me. If I hadn't been with a group of friends, I would have followed that float down the street. All the Olivia artists performed on the main stage and I honestly have the stack of photos from that show sitting on my desk.

I went on an Olivia cruise in 1994 and Lucie sang that song again ... whenever I hear it, it takes me right back to those amazing moments. At the time never imagining I would have the amazing opportunity to be a part of the Olivia company.

Okay, that's mine ... you are next ... please share!

Jeri Umble, Sr. Director, Customer Care