MOMMA TAUGHT ME ⋆★⋆ ENG

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All that I am, hope to be, I owe to my parents. – Catalijne A. Lincoln

‘Momma taught me how to live my life with pride
Now I haven’t loved her loudy
So here it is replied’- Momma Taught Me

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As a child you look at your parents as if they were superheroes. Strong, invincible and always a savior in need.
But when you grow up you notice the mistakes they make and how they are vulnerable just like you.
Then one day it gets to you:
Your parents aren’t superheroes, they are HEROES.
Because, what strength and power does it take to raise a child.

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MARLON BRANDO: Songs my mother taught me

”Marlon Brando Jr. (April 3, 1924 – July 1, 2004) was an American actor and film director with a career spanning 60 years, during which he won the Oscar for Best Actor twice. He is well-regarded for his cultural influence on 20th-century film.”

Intrigued by the magic of the fifties Hollywood movie industry, it was the title  ‘Songs my mother taught me’ that drove me to learn more about Marlon Brando.
I knew him as the great actor he was, a charismatic and iconic man, but what kind of life did he actually lead?

HIS YOUTH
”His mother, known as Dodie, was unconventional for her time; she smoked, wore pants, and drove cars. An actress herself and a theater administrator, she helped Henry Fonda begin his acting career. However, she was an alcoholic and often had to be brought home from Chicago bars by her husband. In his autobiography, Songs My Mother Taught Me, Brando expressed sadness when writing about his mother: “The anguish that her drinking produced was that she preferred getting drunk to caring for us.”Dodie and Brando’s father eventually joined Alcoholics Anonymous. Brando harbored far more enmity for his father, stating, “I was his namesake, but nothing I did ever pleased or even interested him. He enjoyed telling me I couldn’t do anything right. He had a habit of telling me I would never amount to anything.”

And already got me thinking…

But there was more:

BEING A FATHER
”Brando was known for his tumultuous personal life and his large number of partners and children. He was the father to at least 11 children, three of whom were adopted. ”

It looks as though Brando followed his dad’s example in raising his children; Working hard, staying out late, having a lot of women and no
regard or sense of responsibility for your own children.
Did that come from his fathers upbringing? Was that the impact it had on him? And what kind of impact has my upbringing to me?

Parenthood is a big responsibility and what you reap is what you sow.
It isn’t important to be a perfect parent, rather, it’s important to be an imperfect parent because you don’t want your children to feel like they have to become perfect.
No, everything a child will ever need is love, care and good intentions.

All that I am, hope to be, I owe to my parents.

Momma Taught Me: an ode to parents

Through the Wilderness | Momma Taught Me

Music & lyrics: Catalijne
Producer: David van Dorsten
Original arrangement: Catalijne
Additional Instrumental arrangement: David van Dorsten, Jos Kamps
Mix: Wessel Oltheten
Mastering: Jerboa mastering
©HowalAshmenMusic2020 (Strengholt Music Group)

Credits ‘Prelude’
With the voice talent of Lila Evegroen
Concept by Howal Ashmen Music
Sound production: David van Dorsten
Clip by Howal Ashmen
©HowalAshmenMusic2020

‘Momma Taught Me’ originally was written as an a capella song full of choirs equal in volume to the lead vocal.
Who knows, maybe an a capella version will be released one day, but in the mean time hearing this song on stage with an orchestra or behind a movie scene wouldn’t be a misfortune at all. In the contrary.

I didn’t understand
You told me all people are kind
Wishing everyone the best

But every day I see you
Hiding feelings from inside
Because they broke your trust

Always felt I could rely on you
My beacon in the dark
Now I see that light
Is flickering before me
It’s only logical, you’re human too
Before I didn’t understand
Well now I know
Let me give you a big hand

Momma taught me how
To live my life with pride
Now I haven’t loved her loudly
So here it is replied

I caught you lying though you’ve always
Preached honesty to me
The truth can hurt, you did it for me

You made me realize
How fragile promises can be
And how they can subside

But yours have always been
Turned into reality
Your safety line is holding me tight

Always felt I could rely on you
My beacon in the dark
Now I see that light is
Flickering before me
It’s only logical, you’re human too
Before I didn’t understand
Well now I know
Let me give you a big hand

Momma taught me how
To live my life with pride
Now I haven’t loved her loudly
So here it is replied

I love you

Momma taught me how
To live my life with pride
Now I haven’t loved her loudly
So here it is…

Momma taught me how
To live my life with pride
Now I haven’t loved her loudly

Here it is replied

I love you