“I Do” did not start its life as a wedding song.

Thought I would tell you a little about the songs on our new album, The View From Here.

We all know that most wedding songs – with the possible of exception of “Chapel Of Love” — one of my personal all-time favorites — are kind of solemn, slow, and serious. But I was thinking about when Art and I got married. We were both so happy! I was positively giddy and almost burst out laughing, just out of sheer joy.

Now, “I Do” did not start its life as a wedding song. I was just writing about all of the things that you give to someone in a relationship. Not just the good stuff, but all of the stuff that maybe you’d rather forget about, too. All of the stuff you hide on the first date — your voracious appetite, your secret desires, your natural hair color (unless you’re unfairly blessed!), your addiction to soap operas, your politically incorrect views, and the list goes on. So this was the intention of the song; to show that amazing level of intimacy when you drop all pretense and just trust this other person with your complete naked soul. But when I got to the phrase, “I Do”, it kind of hit me. “Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! So that’s what this is about!” From there, the song wrote itself! We love it. (But then, we would! LOL).

The View From Here

This album was written over the course of ten years. In that time I have lost both my parents and have had two bouts with cancer. In addition, I found out I have a paralyzed vocal cord. So in that time, there have been seismic shifts, not only in the way that my voice responds – which necessitates changes in the way that I write – but also in my views of life and the way I think about purpose and meaning. I have been given the rare and precious gift of time. This is my personal offering in gratitude to the Universe and to all of the wonderful souls who have infused my life with love.

Now that I am of a “certain age” I have stopped caring about many things that once seemed important, like squeezing my writing into a pigeonhole. So I have allowed myself to write anything and everything that comes to me. All of the stories and characters come from some part of me – my 15 year-old self, my (ahem!) current self, and everything in between.

This album is dedicated to the memory of my parents, Phil and Lizi. To my two oldest and dearest friends, my sisters, Michele and Sherry. You have both given me so much – Words fail. To my “sister by another mother”– Lucie, who has been such a dear friend and unfailing support. To our favorite nomads, Jim and Marylou. To Carole, my very dear, multi-talented friend of 30 years. To Betty Blair and J.P. And la Belle Renée in Tennessee. To all of the Munson clan, and especially to Marjorie Munson who has been an enormous inspiration – She and Ed gave Art wings and roots. To our Yoga Blend family here in La-La Land. You’ve taught me so much. To all of the many people I love – You know who you are! And to our little tuxedo fur child, Le Petit Henri, who spent so many long hours in the studio co-producing from the couch.

A special thank you to Michele who provided the beautiful music for our song, “My Mother’s Eyes”. And thank you for singing it with me. The Bagelman Sisters ride again!

Finally, I have to express my undying love and deepest gratitude to my soul mate and genius musical guru, Honey Hands Munson. To Art, My Heart. (It pays to sleep with your producer!!!).

“All of the shadow and all of the light/All that is wrong and all that is right/All of this I give to you. /All of me loves all of you – I do!”

California Dreamin’

Everyone has one song that seems to embody the essence of their high school days. Mine is California Dreamin’ by the Mamas and the Papas. The big, fat harmonies, the sweet, plaintive melody, the freedom that the song implies lives somewhere in the future and of course, the images of a dreary, Eastern winter contrasted with the warm, sunny, care-free atmosphere of California in the ‘60s – at least, the idealized California I longed to experience. I finally did get to go to California for the first time at 17, and it did not disappoint. I was mesmerized by the gorgeous Pacific Ocean, the beaches, the trip to Disneyland, the big, blue skies, and the feeling that anything was possible. I returned to live in California some ten years later, and as the Mamas and Papas sang in another song, “California Dreamin’ was becoming a reality!”.