A picture of us together on my birthday in October of ’09.

Click the blue link below to hear my song:

Never Gone Away Acoustic 8/6/16 Copyright 2016 by Unger

Never Gone Away Arrangement Copyright 2016 by Unger

Below I am speaking to Marge on a cassette tape from 30 years ago!

AUDIO FROM A 1980 CASSETTE FOR MARGE – PART 1

AUDIO FROM 1980 CASSETTE FOR MARGE – PART 2

I am now taking “opening up” to another level. Up until now, I have shared some of the stories behind my songs.

However, this time I’m going to share on my blog my twenty-year-old voice!

I have an audiotape for my friend, Marge. On it, I share with her about the recent songs I had written. Having those songs recorded helped me to recover them, for which I am grateful. However, I sang those songs in such high keys – it is hard for me to hear my voice that way now!

I met both Cheryl and Marge at the same time.

In July of 1978, I was eighteen years old. I attended a month-long retreat in Simi Valley at a place called The Brandeis-Bardin Institute. It was a wonderful experience. The camp director was Dennis Prager, and the environment was full of intellectual stimulation, as well as dance and music.

My guitar was part of my identity at that time, and I enjoyed playing music under the stars. It was during a musical workshop where I connected with Marge. She was picked to sing a solo vocal for one of our performances. I remember encouraging her and helping her practice, because she was nervous. We quickly became friends.

Marge was an excellent Israel dancer, and she reciprocated my musical encouragement by teaching me complicated dances. I loved the challenge of learning to dance, in addition to the exquisite music. After the institute ended, I continued dancing at several venues each week. I shared this love of dancing and music with Marge, and several other friends as well.

SInging by flashlight.

Marge performing her solo.

Marge came back in time to be at my wedding where I saw her after she had been gone well over a year.

This was a wonderful time in my life. When Marge left to go to Israel on an extended trip, I knew I would miss her.

When I say on the cassette that it might make her cry, it is not with an inflated ego about my songs moving her. It is about the fact that I interviewed her parents on side two of the tape. I also carried a tape recorder with me to a folk-dancing venue and had many other friends say words to her, as well.

This song stands exactly the same as the day that I wrote it. The words are still true for me, and my friendship with Marge has endured.

It’s Marge’s birthday at the end of this month. I thought it would be a special gift to record the song that I wrote about her; about how much I would miss her for a year.

YOU’LL HAVE NEVER GONE AWAY

Original Song by Judy Unger, Copyright 2010

It always seems to me, that whenever I was down

your hand was the one holding mine

but your fingers I’ll let go of now; how I long to hold on

you’ll touch so many others while you’re gone

CHORUS:

I know that soon you will leave me

how will I ever say goodbye?

‘cause there’s so much you’ve left me

since I met you one July

and when you’ve left you’ll still be with me

in all the songs I’ll long to play

but every time I see a smile

you’ll have never gone away

you’ll have never gone away . . .

Sometimes I will stop and wonder, exactly how you’re feeling

Perhaps your thoughts will be the same

We’ll remember all our special moments

They’ll run by with a tear; so close, but far apart for a year

CHORUS

© Judy Unger and http://www.myjourneysinsight.com 2010. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Judy Unger with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.