JPF Home Page Forums Lyric and MP3 Feedback MP3 Feedback Forum Grandmother's Story (w/Dave Rice!)

Hi Everyone,
This is a story about my Chinese grandmother, who came to the US in the 1920s. I grew up with her in my home, and she died at the age of 99.

Dave Rice, it turns out, is quite a historian, and became interested in my (half) Chinese heritage. I sent him some background material, and he put this whole song together, capturing some of the struggles and triumphs in her life, and the life of her husband, my grandfather.

I am so incredibly touched by what Dave did...the great beauty and depth he put into it...there are no words....thank you, Dave! We're thinking, in the future, of adding a child's voice at the end, saying, something like, "tell me the story again..."

Also, below is a photo of my grandparents.
Lisa

GRANDMOTHER'S STORY

Tell it one more time
About the baby in the basket
Left at the mission door
In China long ago

The fire that took your father's home
And brought him poverty
His fortune gone in flames
They had no place to go

Your mother's tears were flowing
Like a river from her eyes
As they placed you near the front door
With a note to let them know

Good fortune was encountered
At the mission home in China
You never felt neglected
Because they loved you so

Your beauty and your brilliance
Could never be ignored
Your suitor was a scholar
Romance began to grow

So tell me how you traveled here
As a mother and a wife
How you came to rescue others
Who had no place to go

You saved up for the journey
So full of hopes and dreams
Then traveled to this country
And never let fear show

Your husband was invited
To take a teaching post
At our great university
Right here in Baltimore

Your home became the center
Of your community
For art and Chinese culture
They all came to your door

(c) 2014, Dave Rice, ASCAP, Lisa Gundling

GREAT JOB !

An epic tale of pride & beauty !
It has such an enjoyable atmosphere about it
Loved the picture too.

Calvin


http://www.soundclick.com/bands/0/calvinstewart

It's good to read or hear about people who have made it through all manner of setbacks in their lives with that certain determination that they will eventually find their rightful place in the world if they keep on working at it.
A really good song, lyrically and musically with an excellent vocal too from Dave.
Great pic too as Cal commented.
Travis

What a wonderful sad and happy lyric, Lisa. Great story. And such a fine job with it musically by Dave

Bill

Hi Calvin,
THANKS so much!
Dave's songs are always full of great atmosphere and this subject really benefits from that atmosphere!
Glad you liked the photo too -- that's my family's favorite photo of them!
Lisa

Lisa/Dave...

What a journey you have taken us on!

Haunting and magical.

Just... cool!

floyd

Great tribute to you heritage Lisa. Dave really shows his talent here. Your family should be proud.

What a wonderful song!I love the atmosphere.i know you're proud of your heritage and this song proves it.I enjoyed it very much.Nice work Dave and Lisa!Mike

Hi Travis,
My grandparents had quite a story, and they dearly loved the US and the opportunities offered to them here. I love the epic feel that Dave gave to this, in words and music...he has my family members in tears!
Thanks for your nice visit!
Lisa

Wow , I'm listening to the tail end of this marvelous story. It is truly a fantastic journey. The melody, vocal and music are beautifully done. Something to treasure Lisa.

I can only echo the other comments. What an amazing journey put to some great music. Very inspiring. Congrats Lisa and Dave. I actually heard this earlier today but didn't have time to comment. I was glad because it allowed me a second listen. I am sure there will be more. A fantastic pic to boot!

Dave

History comes to life through your story, Lisa and it's so wonderfully kind of you to share a part of your family's history with us.

And a grand job done by Dave with the lyrics and setting it all to music.
Beautiful

Enjoyed to journey

Hi Bill,
THANKS so much! It's Dave who wove the story lyrically and musically! He started the project and I sent him that song about my grandmother's (unbound) feet (the one where you told me that adding her feet again at the end was overkill -- LOL), and he used part of that as a springboard.

Aside from being a professor of Chinese Classics at Johns Hopkins, my grandfather was also one of the premier Chinese art scholars of his time. My mom said that her home in Baltimore was used as a Chinese art museum field trip for local school children.

Lisa

Hi Floyd,
Thanks for your lovely comments!
Yes, "journey" is a good word to describe how Dave made this sound, and appropriately so! My grandmother journeyed in one way or another throughout her life, including her constant struggle to learn English. When I was growing up, I'd sit for hours, reading her children's books in English, as she practiced. She never did get very good at it, though -- lol!
Lisa

Hi Ben,
My family is absolutely delighted with this! Thanks so much for your nice visit!
Lisa

Hey Michael,
When I was growing up, not a day went by when my grandma didn't tell me to be proud of this country -- and I'm proud that she was so proud to be here! Thanks so much -- so glad you enjoyed it!
Lisa

Hi Doug,
I do treasure it immensely! Thanks for your beautiful comments!
Lisa

Hi Dave,
The positive part about the difficult journey, where she was left by her parents, is that she never had to have her feet bound because the missionaries were Christian. In the late 1800s, when she was born, it was fashionable to bind the feet of the baby girls, so that their feet never grew. It was extremely painful during their entire lives. My mom said that in her home in Baltimore, they sometimes had visitors whose feet had been bound, and it was a terrible thing to see, even that many years later.

Thanks so much for listening and sharing your very nice thoughts!
Lisa

Hi Nelson,
You're living right where all the action took place with my grandparents, there in Baltimore! Their home was across from what was the original Orioles Stadium -- Memorial Stadium at the time -- on 33rd Street.

Thanks so much for your very lovely visit!
Lisa

Lisa,
I love it as it is!

--but commercially? I don't know!

Well I have no ideas except it's not a bombshell. Since you are here we know it. Do you want it mysterious?

I’d like to see some thunderous change in words and music here, before you come to the good end.

I fear there are too any oh sounds

(and when you are finished you have tinkling Chinese bells to end it!)


Good Luck to you!

annie

Dave did a bang up job on this, Lisa and what a story. Nice string arrangement. I had no idea that you were part Chinese. That's an interesting legacy.

Stevie

Hi Annie,

We're delighted that you love it -- thanks so much!

It wasn't actually meant to be mysterious...but the mystery of the song does reflect the mystery of my grandparents. So much important nuance is lost in translations between the two languages, and, growing up with it, I became accustomed to the mystery and putting the pieces together.

Thank you for your cool ideas on thunder and bells and mystery! Dave is definitely in charge of thunder and tinkling bells, so I'll check with him about those issues! Laughing!
Lisa

Hi Stevie,

THANKS for your very nice visit -- I think that Dave did a bang up job too! I feel very lucky!
And yes, I am half Chinese. My other half is Caucasian...I usually check the "Other" box. LOL!
Lisa

Great job Lisa and Dave! I love the simplistic nature of the story and the way it's told. Almost like a bedtime story that you want to hear again and again and...please just one more time
Aaron

Hi Aaron,

Yes, I like that image of the bedtime story...in real life, my grandmother would tell something difficult, and then she'd kneel down and pray for a very long time. I'd sit on her bed and wait. It was so peaceful in her room...I could sit there forever, when I was a little girl.

Thanks for your very nice visit!

Lisa

Hi Everybody:

I've followed your comments about Lisa's Grandmother's Story and appreciate that you listened. Since Lisa has "thanked" most of you, I won't go there... but I do want to thank Annie for having the courage to provide constructive criticism. How else are we to improve. Thankfully, she tempered her advice with kindness and a degree of sincerity not often encountered.

I agree with Annie about the song not having much "commercial" value. It was not written for Nashville, NYC or LA... it was a simple little tribute to a wonderful lady and her husband who had the courage to venture to a strange land and thrive as they wove themselves into the fabric of this great nation. Their spirit lives on in the personage of the ever optimistic and creative Lisa Gundling and her Mother who inspired me with their story.

Thank you one and all... and especially, "Thank You, Lisa" for sharing this wonderful story and allowing me to try and make some memories for your remarkable family.

Dave