“Angelsea? How do you say that?” | NJ Photographer

“Angelsea? How do you say that?”

Thanks to my hippie parents, I have a very unique name. Apart from some software company in California, I’m the only thing that pops up on a Google Search – (try it here)

Oh Google may correct you and suggest, Anglesea, a small town in (ironically) New Jersey that is close to Wildwood. Or perhaps take you to the pub named after that same town, but to my surprise Google does not take you to my actual namesake: “Angelsea,” the song by Cat Stevens from his “Catch Bull at Four” album. It’s actually the only record album I own, after coming across it at a yard sale in Cape May a few years ago. Recently at a party, I realized how limited my knowledge of nursery rhymes were and why I wasn’t taught them as a child.  The answer was simple of course: Hippies don’t do nursery rhymes! ;-p  While I may not know nursery rhymes, I can recite every lyric to every Cat Stevens, Beatles and Styx album.  Those were my bedtime stories. Told ya….. Hippie Parents.

In the song, Cat Stevens actually pronounces the name An-hel-sa and for some unknown reason my parents decided to pronounce it Ann-jell-sa. Yes I know, not at all as it appears, (Angel – see – a) so you can probably imagine the fun time I had growing up trying to explain it to people. No doubt a nickname was eventually born – Angie – given to me by my third grade teacher who, on the first day of school, did what most teachers did at our first roll call, “Ahh…Aiiiinnnn…gull…seeeee…ahhh?” She decided it was too much for her and asked, “How about Angie?”. THANK GOD, I thought! Finally! Why hadn’t someone given me a nickname before? Angie was born – much to my mother’s horror. Still every year on the first day of school – the “Ahhh…Aiiinnn-gull…” was usually attempted, but I saved them the torture by interrupting and offering, “Angie” instead. They were quickly relieved. (Of course those were later the same people who thought singing me “Angie“, from the Rolling Stones would always be hilarious).

As an adult I learned to appreciate Angelsea. My family and friends still called me Angie and it’s how I usually introduce myself.  Until email and Facebook, many people had no idea what my name was. Most assumed Angela or Angelina or they couldn’t care less as long as I answered anything that started with “A,” which I pretty much do.

When I became a parent, and even still to this date, the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make was what to name our child. I didn’t want my child to go through the years of corrections, spelling, pronunciations and nicknames I did. But I was starting to like the uniqueness of my name, having realized, well, no one has it but me. So says Google at least. And I have Google alerts set to tell me so, if it does. I wanted my children to have their own identity with their own not too difficult unique names. It was a tough balancing act, which finally ended when each of them were born.

As the brand and the business evolved, I thought it should have a unique name as well. So I thought “What do I have that is unique?” “How can I describe myself in my business?” Well, my mother would be so proud: I have my name.

Which means Creative Eye Photography is now officially: Angelsea Urban™ of Creative Eye Photography

I’m sure my hippie parents had no specific hopes of my personality being derived from this song, but I’d like to think I have a trait or two from it. Who wouldn’t want their voice to be a “crystal echo?” And though most people who know me well would say I’m probably the opposite of a “hippie,” I’d like to think I retained that blinding passion that was passed down from the generation of folks who might have had the munchies. And of course then there’s the Beatles – How can you not love them?

Peacefully yours,

Angie

Take a listen to the original Cat Stevens recording below:

Lyrics

She moves like an angel
And seven evening stars.
Dance through the windows,
Of her universal house.
Of her universal house.

Her voice a crystal echo,
Lies humming in your soul.
So patiently awaiting,
For your ears to behold.
For your ears to behold.

Chorus: Angelsea Angelsea 2x

She ripples on the water,
Leaves diamonds on the shore.
And fish from every distance,
Watch her ocean cellar door.
Her breath a warm fire,
In every lover’s heart.
A mistress to magicians,
And a dancer to the gods.
And a dancer to the gods.

Her clothes are made of rainbows,
And twenty thousand tears.
Shine through the spaces,
Of her golden ochre hair.
Yes, of her golden ochre hair.

Ooh! My babe I want you,
And on my life I swear.
My conscience will follow you forever,
If you meet me everywhere.
Yes, if you if you meet me everywhere.

She moves like an angel,
And seven evening stars.
Dance through the windows,
Of her universal house.
Of her universal house.
Of her universal house.