Challenges and Survival #MusicMovesMe

It's Monday and it's time for music!

Who are the Music Moves Me bloggers?  We are a group of music loving bloggers who blog about music each Sunday or Monday (or even later in the week). If you have music to share with us, you are most welcome to join!  We are brought to you by Cathy of Curious as a Cathy, Stacy of Stacy's Random Thoughts, Marie (Xmas Dolly), and myself, plus other music loving bloggers.  

Today's prompt is: "According to CoolKidFacts, November is a shopaholic’s dream month with the various promotions kicking off early on around the globe. Build your playlist of songs inspired by things on your holiday wish list to “shop” specific songs/lyrics. Just have fun!

But I am going to deviate because it's November 9.

On November 9, 1965, the Northeast United States (including most of New York City, including where I lived at the time) was struck by a major blackout. It started around 5;16 pm, originating near Niagara Falls,  Canada, and caused a chain reaction that resulted in some 30 million people losing power. Most of New York City, including where I lived, was blacked out.  My father was one of some 800,00o riders stranded in the New York City subways. As for me, I've told the story of the blackout before - including my personal experience during that night. 

This night shaped the person I became.  The strength I developed helped me through other rough times in life.

We all face challenges in life, and this is reflected in our music.  Let's listen to some songs.

I Will Survive, Gloria Gaynor's 1979 hit.

Fight the Good Fight - Triumph

This is a band I like, and I'm going with one of their 2015 songs.  Here is Throne from Bring Me the Horizon

1981 brought us the iconic Don't Stop Believin' from Journey.

1974's The Show Must Go On from Three Dog Night.

And now (trigger warning) a grim topic I must touch on today.  I normally don't, but today is an exception.

November 9-10 marks the 88th anniversary of Kristallnacht, the Night of Broken Glass, when at least 91 Jews were murdered and 7500 Jewish owned businesses were vandalized during a night of state sponsored terrifying violence against Jews in several European countries. Police were ordered not to interfere.

Hate is rising in our country, and in other countries, today. 

I want to introduce a Rush song called Red Sector A.  I've had it on my blog before and I am featuring it again today.

Neil Peart, who wrote the song's lyrics, said that the song was inspired by stories told by bandmate Geddy Lee's mother, who was a Holocaust survivor (as was his father).  The lyrics intentionally leave the context of the song open.

As the Simon Wiesenthal Center said on their website, "Kristallnacht’s warning was never only about broken glass. It was a lesson in what unfolds when a society quietly decides that Jews no longer belong." And this applies to other hatreds of "the other". Let music continue to inspire us.

And that's a wrap.

Join me again next week for another episode of Music Moves Me.