Sing Joy Spring!
“We Sing of Spring
Sing Joy Spring….”
It was such a gorgeous day today. It’s been a cool and beautiful spring with just the right amount of rain and sun to burst forth glorious blossoms, fragrances, and new growth. The Meyer lemon blossoms and Cecile Brunner roses are so sweet that sometimes it’s simply overwhelming and I have to move away for a moment. I am always so enchanted by the mountain springtime. The colors are vibrant and clear, shimmering with crisp edges and glorious palettes. Hard to even recall the hot dry days of late summer and fall.
And speaking of enchanted, every year at this time I do 2 things, watch the movie “Enchanted April” and listen to the Manhattan Transfer sing their arrangement of Clifford Brown’s tune, “Joy Spring.” Both are my favorites in their respective categories, and both await me every spring as a celebratory passage of winter.
Enchanted April is a beautiful story of the cleansing, healing power of Spring in a bucolic setting in Italy. Four war weary, exhausted women living in London just towards the end of the First World War decide to rent a villa in Italy for the month of April. What happens in that sun drenched villa draws light, life and love to each of them in different ways.
The lyrics to “Joy Spring” are long and complex, written by Jon Hendricks matching the solos of the original instrumental of saxophonist Harold Land and trumpeter Clifford Brown. I have posted it at the end of the blog. It speaks of the well of joy that we each contain within us. That Source of spiritual joy, of deep remembering, laughter, and love.
Typically, spring is a time of cleaning out the garage, the closets or maybe the waistline. These are signs of renewal and rebirth. Thankfully we have these four seasons that mark shifting and changing in our yearly journey of life. It’s such a relief to clean out the heaviness of Winter and open to the lightness of Spring. But after the clean-out we are left with space. Now what do we consciously begin to fill it with? Instead of refilling it with more of the same kind of stuff, is it possible to hold that well of emptiness and keep it open? Is it possible to keep the closet and garage empty, to keep the pounds off by engaging in healthier habits? Is it possible to keep the mind clear from the weight of debris from too much work, activity, distractions, upsetting news and events? Can we remain with the freeing feeling of lightness and ease, filling new space with time for our compassionate selves say, or more love-filled family time, or even action towards something that’s meaningful for us but always brushed aside because we think we are already too full?
I think that it not only is possible, but necessary to explore emptiness, the space within, contemplate, then when ready, hit the refresh button.
Let’s make a new habit. This spring it’s time to change it up. It’s a new thing this spring. It’s realizing that the source of spring, the feel of newness, revelation and starting again can remain within. This feeling of containership of the source of pure joy located in our own selves. This joy bursts forth just like the seeds of spring….if we allow the space for it to do so. By simply moving an intention forward in our conscious thoughts noticing what is in front of us, not distracted by what is past and what is yet to come, this new conscious intention which is less cluttered and more free can focus on what to be, do, say right now, on this day, this spring, this year. Making the shift with consciousness, a new moment awakens, listening quietly to the unfolding of breath, song, our own music playing, this is the Well of Joy Spring.
‘You Must Believe in Spring and Love ‘– only when we finally let go and trust that this growth will happen, again and again does space arrive in consciousness, like a new spring, and we start again renewing our dedication to our instruments, music and all our practices. The world will wait your filling up again, the space bursting with joy and anticipation of you filling new space with your love of your music.
This spring, try moving your practice to a new level of consciousness and positive energy. Recognizing and getting rid of old winter habits is a great way to delve more deeply into your practice time, especially since time with your instrument is a precious commodity. Make it worth it. The world can wait until you’ve filled the space with music and your love of music.
I’ve decided to fill my newfound spaces with joy and love, and to just leave those empty spaces in the closets…empty. My soul is filling with the singing of Joy Spring.
SING IT!
Always, Always Love, Kerstin
Some favorites:
“Sing Joy Spring” John Hendricks/Clifford Brown from Vocalese, by the Manhattan Transfer
You Must Believe in Spring – Michel Legrand
Performed by Bill Evans and Tony Bennet
And the film “Enchanted April” (1992) with Joan Plowright, Josie Lawrence, Miranda Richardson, Polly Walker, Alfred Molina, and Jim Broadbent, which I highly recommend.
Lyrics:
“Sing Joy Spring” Lyrics
We sing of spring
(Sing joy spring)
A rare and most mysterious spring
(This most occult thing)
Is buried deep in the soul
(It's story never has been told)
The joy spring, the fountain of pleasure
Is deep inside you whether you're diggin' it or not
Once you're aware of this spring
You'll know that it's the greatest
Treasure you've got
And furthermore
The joy spring, the bounteous treasure
Cannot be bartered away and never
Can be sold
Nothing can take it from you
It's yours and yours alone to have
And to hold
And something more:
It never is lost to fire or theft
It's always around
When trouble is gone the pleasure
Is left I've always found
It's burglar-proof same as the treasure
Man lays up in heaven worth a
Price no one can measure
that says a lot
So joy spring this fountain of pleasure
That's deep inside you let me inform
You in all truth *(to Coda second time)
Ponce de Leon sought this
When he was searchin' for the fountain of youth
Ol' Ponce de Leon laughed so much he
Never did find the magic fountain
But many people with a well-adjusted
Spirit they could hear it when y'told
'em it was there tellin' them was
Like tellin' it on the mountain
It's quite a lift havin' the gift of
laughter I'm a man who knows in a
minute I can tell y'just exactly how the story goes
It involves a firm conviction in another
previous life givin' your mind a chance to fly
Fly aroun' the universe investigatin' other
galaxies n' certain other subtle
types o'life tryin' t'dig it gettin'
pretty well-acquainted with a lot of
other strife an' pretty much acquirin'
yourself plenty of education
pretty soon here comes earth birth
'n then y'ready t'put it all t'work
but soon as you're finished bein' born
you start forgettin' what you knew
'Cause you're another kinda you - a
reincarnation manifestation
of spirit in sensation
Y'really got that right
The average person isn't bright
not so bright that they recall the fatal fall
down here t' this earth
their minds disguise their death to spirit
life and call it birth
that's their reason for forgetting and they
find it very upsetting when reminded
tell 'em they've lived before
They'll show y' the nearest open door
Gotta have feelin' while dealin' with
walkers in their sleep
they can't imagine somethin' as deep
Here they come - here they come - there they are
Unimaginative and ignorant of falling from a star
Here they come - there they are - there they go
Life is over in a minute an' they never dug
it in it or enjoy a minute of it
'cause they put too much above it
that was gross
somethin' that was worth a couple bucks
at mos'
So there is the reason that the maker of man
included there in his plan
A certain fountain deep within'
where there was laughter, youth 'n gold
for human beings t'have 'n hold
'n share the memory of where we've all been
Brothers called Grimm knew chances were slim'
Anybody would dig that the human soul
was Snow White
and the Seven Dwarfs were seven tempers
in man
whose digging out the gold completes
the plan
An Bacon was hip that Shakespeare
couldn't read
and so he gave him all the rhymes
that have lasted through the years
and kept eternal truths alive through
several centuries
That's how we know them now
they lasted 'cause they're true
What was it from "MacBeth?"
"Life's but a walking shadow
a player poor
that struts and frets upon the stage
and's seen no more
A tale that truly has an idiotic ring
That's full of lotsa sound and fury
signifying nothing..."
That's right signifying nothing
I'll repeat it! Nothing
Don't forget it - Nothing
And that's the reason for that spring
of joy
That the Father put inside of every
single girl and boy
Show time! Everyone's on
let's hit the stage
It's show time everyone an' proceed
to act your age
Whatever you're frownin' at is funny
enough f'laughin'
so you're wastin' all your humor on a frown
While you're bringin' your spirit down
You gotta book yourself a comic in your act
without some laughter life's a maudlin
farce 'n that's a fact
Once you know about the spring you always can smile
It becomes your one expression
and you're always wearin' it like the
Buddhas do
(Repeat Intro to *)
(Coda)
Ponce de Leon sought this
When he was searchin'
for the fountain of youth
I say in truth he
sought a magical thing
For he was searchin'
for the joy spring
“You Must Believe In Spring” Lyrics
When lonely feelings chill
The meadows of your mind
Just think if Winter comes
Can Spring be far behind
Beneath the deepest snows
The secret of a rose
Is merely that it knows
You must believe in Spring
Just as a tree is sure
Its leaves will reappear
It knows it's emptiness
Is just the time of year
The frozen mountain dreams
Of April's melting streams
How crystal clear it seems
You must believe in Spring
You must believe in love
And trust it's on it's way
Just as the sleeping rose
Awaits the kiss of May
So in a world of snow
Of things that come and go
Where what you think you know
You can't be certain of
You must believe in Spring and love
You must believe in love
And trust it's on it's way
Just as the sleeping rose
Awaits the kiss of May
So in a world of snow
Of things that come and go
Where what you think you know
You can't be certain of
You must believe in Spring and love
Hello, I’m Kerstin Allvin, harpist, teacher, recording artist, composer and arranger. I am the Founder and Director of the Sacramento School of Harp. I’m also an Anusara Yoga inspired teacher and RYT200 (Register Yoga Teacher through Yoga Alliance). You can contact me here and check out my biography for more information. I love to play, talk, teach and write about the harp and all music really in these blogs, and I am positive you will find something that will speak to you on your own journey with the harp. A little tip here a little nudge there and away you go! If you would like to stay in touch, send me your email address. For music, please visit my music and digital download store. Thank You!