With the almost infra-red heat of summer already a distant memory, a perfect coolness now reigns supreme.
The sun might not have risen yet, but I have, inexplicably I'm in a mood to listen to Morrissey - a man for all seasons - covering Roy Orbison's operatic 'It's Over.'
For the heavy tourist season here in this part of Sicily is indeed truly 'over' for this year at least.
And while elsewhere around the world, once the last seasonal visitors leave and seaside towns everywhere feel suddenly ghostlike and forlorn.
That's not the case here in Taormina where blues skies continue and the otherwise mysterious and brooding Mount Etna, its peak now covered in fresh fallen snow, looks more startling than ever.
Gazing out from the terrace of Villa Angela, that effect can be summed up in one word.
An adjective that describes something that gives strength, energy, and vitality.
The word is... Invigorating.
Nevertheless. As summer fades into autumn or winter gives way to spring, inevitably a subtle sense of loss mingled with anticipation is in the air - a blend of nostalgia for what’s ending and hope for what’s next to come.
Chances are that wherever in the world you go, you'll find that seasonal shifts do create a strong sense of melancholy.
The same kind of melancholy I tried to capture within the lyrics of Simple Minds, 'Someone Somewhere In Summertime.'
The song's vibrant, shining bright intro, contrasting with the lonely verse atmosphere that follows.
Much like the contrast in the earth's seasons itself.
Simple Minds
A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS
With the almost infra-red heat of summer already a distant memory, a perfect coolness now reigns supreme.
The sun might not have risen yet, but I have, inexplicably I'm in a mood to listen to Morrissey - a man for all seasons - covering Roy Orbison's operatic 'It's Over.'
For the heavy tourist season here in this part of Sicily is indeed truly 'over' for this year at least.
And while elsewhere around the world, once the last seasonal visitors leave and seaside towns everywhere feel suddenly ghostlike and forlorn.
That's not the case here in Taormina where blues skies continue and the otherwise mysterious and brooding Mount Etna, its peak now covered in fresh fallen snow, looks more startling than ever.
Gazing out from the terrace of Villa Angela, that effect can be summed up in one word.
An adjective that describes something that gives strength, energy, and vitality.
The word is... Invigorating.
Nevertheless. As summer fades into autumn or winter gives way to spring, inevitably a subtle sense of loss mingled with anticipation is in the air - a blend of nostalgia for what’s ending and hope for what’s next to come.
Chances are that wherever in the world you go, you'll find that seasonal shifts do create a strong sense of melancholy.
The same kind of melancholy I tried to capture within the lyrics of Simple Minds, 'Someone Somewhere In Summertime.'
The song's vibrant, shining bright intro, contrasting with the lonely verse atmosphere that follows.
Much like the contrast in the earth's seasons itself.
Jim Kerr
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3yNA...
1 month ago | [YT] | 588