REAMONN, MARIA VICTORIA, and I—More than a Millions Miles from You

REAMONN, MARIA VICTORIA, and I—More than a Millions Miles from You



By Kevin Stoda, Wiesbaden , Germany (Marktplatz)



I am not sure why Wiesbaden has so many good free concerts—except that it is an expensive city, the capital of the state of Hessen, and has a lot of casinos. The big concert tonight, September 25, 2009 was from Reamonn. It was set near Markt Square with the old Rathouse (City Hall).



The name of the band, REAMONN, actually sounds a bit like the word: ROMAN: DON´T YOU THINK?



What I mean is that in a way, just as the Roman Empire had circuses in their larger towns and capital cities over 2000 years ago to keep its many underemployed elites and poorer citizens happy with a lot of show and glitter, Wiesbaden (the former Roman town of Aquae Mattiacorum) continues this tradition (and not only at election time), like this September 27 night—but all year ´round of keeping the masses happy with the largess offered by status quo powers-that-be.



Whatever, eh?



What you readers want to really know is:



(1) How was the Reamonn concert? and

(2) How is the visa thing for Victoria —my wife—coming along?



In answer to your first question: “Well, naturally, Reamonn is loved here in Hessen. His band comes from Limburg —just north of here. The tiny Market Square was packed and everyone was enjoying the local boys play wit their lead Irish singer, Rea Garvey, who speaks German really well.”--kas



Speaking in a fairly understandable German, Reamonn lead singer, Rea Garvey explained how he had lost an earring that his wife had given just before he left on a two day trip with the band. Along that two day road trip, it became clear to him that he was separated from his wife and he felt disconnected from her.



Garvey noted, “On that journey, I realized just how madly in love I am with my wife.”



Then the band, Reamonn, immediately kicked into playing the song that almost broke my heart for the moment: “(I’m a) Million Miles (from You)”.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lClfItUGIfs&feature=related



Million Miles´ lyrics, goes like this:



To walk this streets without you
I hate being on my own
So many souls around you
But it never feels like home
Home is where my heart is aching
Home

Home is where there's no mistaking
All this space between us
Isn't going anywhere
But it's ok to be us
Cause your far from being here
Here is where the sky gets lonely
Here
Here I disappear

I'm a million miles from you
But if we hold on
Gotta hold on
I'm a million miles from you
But if we stay strong
I know we'll make it through

All this time is passing
But every day's the same
So much shadow casting
I don't wanna place the blame
Cause the blame is just a mixed emotion
Blame
Blame it on the fear



http://www.songtexte.com/songtext/reamonn/million-miles-4bcae3fa.html



Most of my readers know that due to German bureaucrats in Hessen (and in various German ministries), Maria Victoria and I have had a forced separation here in Europe for most of 2009.



I have written, for example, in the past how in June 2009, I had expected and had so desired to go to the Elton John concert here in Wiesbaden with my wife….but less than a week before that concert, the local Wiesbaden Integration Office turned my wife’s request down, i.e. not allowing her to join me in Germany.



http://the-teacher.blogspot.com/2009/07/german-foreign-and-internal-ministries.html



Within two weeks, Maria Victoria M. Baradero (my wife), had also missed the Rod Stewart Concert.



By the way, both the Elton John and Rod Stewart concerts took place in front of the Friedrich´s Bath house (Wiesbaden Kurhaus) and casino. Aquae Mattiacorum ( Wiesbaden ’s name under the Roman’s) was a bath town 2 Millennia ago. In Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s days, i.e. in the 1860s, Wiesbaden was also famous for baths—and casinos, too.



Later in mid-July 2009, over in Mainz City just across the Rhine River , I would hear Carlos Santana sing “Maria, Maria” & trying to break my heart over our separation on two different continents.



http://the-teacher.blogspot.com/2009/07/jammin-with-maria-and-carlos-santana.html



However, the refrain from Reamonn in his “Million Miles” was almost just as haunting—but I clapped along with hands overhead any way. (Reamonn´s text always have a hopefulness even when part of the text is a downer.)



Dear Maria Victoria, my love—friend—and wife,



“I'm a million miles from you
But if we hold on
Gotta hold on
I'm a million miles from you
But if we stay strong
I know we'll make it through

Now the distance alone can change us
I've been lying to myself
It's the moments apart that make us
See who we both really are

When I'm a million miles from you
But if we hold on
Gotta hold on
I'm a million miles from you
But if we stay strong
I know we'll make it through

I know we'll see it through
I'm a million miles from you
But if we stay strong
I know we'll make it through
I'm a million miles from you
I know we'll make it through
Gotta stay strong
Gotta be strong
You're a million miles away”



By the way, the texts from Reamonn are good—even when translated into German. Here is the great song called STRONG translated into German:



“Ich sehe die Angst in den Dingen, die wir nicht verstehen
Ich sehe die Angst in einem anderen blinden Mann
ich kann ihn nicht zurückhalten diesen Kampf, der das Innere beruhigt
ich kann ihn nicht zurück halten
Wer bin ich?

Ich weiß, du bist stark
Ich weiß, du bist bodenständig
ich weiß, du bist stark
Meine Schöne

Ich weiß, du bist stark
Ich weiß, du bist bodenständig
ich weiß, du bist stark
Meine Schöne

Ich kann mich nicht wegdrehen von dem, an das ich glaube
ich kann nicht zerstören oder betrügen Oh nein, Oh nein
Ich erkenne eine Schönheit in allem das ich sehen kann
ich kann es nicht aufhalten aber du kannst nicht loslassen

Ich weiß du bist stark
Ich weiß du bist bodenständig
ich weiß du bist stark
Meine Schöne

Ich weiß du bist stark
Ich weiß du bist bodenständig
ich weiß du bist stark
Meine Schöne

Denn sie können dich nicht halten und sie können mich nicht halten
und sie können nichts anhalten an das sie nicht glauben
sie können dich nicht halten und sie können mich nicht halten
und sie wollen nicht verstehen bis wohin der blinde Mann sieht

Ich weiß, du bist stark
Meine Schöne
Ich weiß, du bist stark
Ich weiß, du bist bodenständig
ich weiß, du bist stark
Meine Schöne
Ich weiß, du bist stark
Ich weiß, du bist bodenständig
ich weiß, du bist stark
Meine Schöne“

If you want to know what that all means in English, click here and listen

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozH-mxF1y7M&feature=related

After singing MILLION MILES, Reamonn in Wiesbaden tonight then played a follow up for the crowd and for Victoria and I. (That follow up song for The Limburger Band was their “MOMENTS LIKE THIS”.) This song ends this way.


“No need to talk about it.
Like it won't happen,
'cause the chances are that it will.

Try not to talk about it,
just get it started.
Don't waste your time standing still.

And moments like this will bring you down.
Moments like this will bring you round.
Moments like this will make you strong.
Now that they're gone.
Now they're gone.
Now that they're gone.
Now they're gone.

And moments like this will bring you down.
Moments like this will bring you round.
Moments like this will make you strong.
Now that they're gone.
Now they're gone.
Now that they're gone.
Now they're gone.
Now that they're gone.
Now they're gone.

If it don't kill you, it makes you strong.
If it don't kill you, it makes you strong.
If it don't kill you, it makes you strong.
If it don't kill you, it makes you strong.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7GCX8DQyss

I’m sure Victoria and I will have a lot to say about whether this all (i.e. our separation) makes us stronger or not.

I also par and I hope that that day is very—very—very—soon.

AMEN

AMEN?

AMEN!