Here, open this up in a second tab and play it while you read this post and the acoompanying link.
Ice Cube's "Today Was a Good Day" at YouTube.
Now, open a new tab and go to this link to a Flow Chart about Ice Cube's "Today Was a Good Day".
People are funny!
Anyway, I thought of this song because even though DFG's dear grandma Rose passed away and her funeral was in the morning, the rest of the day was very nice and even fun at the end there.
Thanks to Rene for the Wonderful Berfdae cake from Sugar Bakery. Buttercreme frosting is to die for.
Showing posts with label 780 Music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 780 Music. Show all posts
Nothing You Can Do But Dance Dance Dance
When the report was still just a hospitalization, I posted a blog entry saying I hoped it wasn't true, but, tragically, it is. Michael Jackson is dead.
This is so strange to think about. I don't really believe it yet. And yes, he was a really wacked out person, but I loved his music. It's funny how music can move you so much, even though it comes from someone who perpetrated some very morally questionable behavior. But my, does it move me.
I remember when I was 5 and 6 years old, how much I worshipped Michael Jackson. That's when I knew
I wanted to be an artist of some kind. He inspired my imagination and my creativity. I had a red jacket and a white glove and I would play my Thriller tape on my purple plastic tape player stereo and dance and sing for hours on end. My Thriller tape actually broke because I wore it out.
Later, in college, my recreation of Beat It, from lying on the couch, to looking over kitchen counters, to breaking up a pretend dance-y knife fight, was quite the party trick. At weddings, I grab a gentleman's coat and pretend to be Michael, with the tiles lighting up under my feet (so I like to think). And when I taught middle school and high school, I kept the end-of-class Friday chaos under control by having Dance Party Friday for the last five minutes of class, if everyone was good for the first 75 minutes, and then showing off my Michael Jackson moves. Nothing endears you to a group of high school kids like the willingness to be a total and utter dork in order to keep them from bouncing off the walls. And they loved it, so they've said.
Last night, to commemorate this artist whose work meant so much to me, I stayed up listening to his songs and other 80 pop dance tunes (thanks to the "Thriller" station on Pandora.com radio) and dancing the night away into the evening. I hadn't had so much fun in ages.
So, yeah. Yeah, he was definitely a freak. But, my oh my, was he a musician, was he a genius, the likes of which we won't being seeing anytime soon, I don't think. and I'm sorry to see such talent and inspiration go. I hope his troubled soul is at rest.
This is so strange to think about. I don't really believe it yet. And yes, he was a really wacked out person, but I loved his music. It's funny how music can move you so much, even though it comes from someone who perpetrated some very morally questionable behavior. But my, does it move me.
I remember when I was 5 and 6 years old, how much I worshipped Michael Jackson. That's when I knew
I wanted to be an artist of some kind. He inspired my imagination and my creativity. I had a red jacket and a white glove and I would play my Thriller tape on my purple plastic tape player stereo and dance and sing for hours on end. My Thriller tape actually broke because I wore it out.Later, in college, my recreation of Beat It, from lying on the couch, to looking over kitchen counters, to breaking up a pretend dance-y knife fight, was quite the party trick. At weddings, I grab a gentleman's coat and pretend to be Michael, with the tiles lighting up under my feet (so I like to think). And when I taught middle school and high school, I kept the end-of-class Friday chaos under control by having Dance Party Friday for the last five minutes of class, if everyone was good for the first 75 minutes, and then showing off my Michael Jackson moves. Nothing endears you to a group of high school kids like the willingness to be a total and utter dork in order to keep them from bouncing off the walls. And they loved it, so they've said.
Last night, to commemorate this artist whose work meant so much to me, I stayed up listening to his songs and other 80 pop dance tunes (thanks to the "Thriller" station on Pandora.com radio) and dancing the night away into the evening. I hadn't had so much fun in ages.
So, yeah. Yeah, he was definitely a freak. But, my oh my, was he a musician, was he a genius, the likes of which we won't being seeing anytime soon, I don't think. and I'm sorry to see such talent and inspiration go. I hope his troubled soul is at rest.
NOOOOOO - I know he's WEIRD but I can't be without my MJ
I know he's a big giant freak, but the world can't be without Michael Jackson yet! He has to be okay! Ahhhh!!! I mean, c'mon, Thriller. What's better than Thriller? Nothing. No album is better than Thriller, as far as being Important to the World-at-Large.
http://cbs5.com/national/michael.jackson.hospitalized.2.1059770.html
I hope this is a publicity stunt to promote the new tour or something........please please please...
http://cbs5.com/national/michael.jackson.hospitalized.2.1059770.html
I hope this is a publicity stunt to promote the new tour or something........please please please...
Tori Amos Things
Abnormally Attracted to Sin, Tori's latest album, came out on Tuesday. She got the title from the musical "Guys and Dolls". Ha! I do understand the sentiment, though, and I think the first time I really started to get that sentiment was...hmm...oh, when I was in the play "Guys and Dolls". Weird.
Anyway, she was on Leno last night, for the last time as a Tonight Show guest for Leno. He loves her. She's been on that show a bizillion times.
It made me look her up on IMDB. Now I have some Things To Remember To See:
Snow Cake - starring Sigourney Weaver & Alan Rickman
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0448124/
Tori Amos: The Complete Videos 1991-1998 (how many hours did I wait to catch one airing on MTV and video tape it? And now they're all in one handy little DVD...)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0362249/
This one I'm going to purchase, actually.
Must google Graham Norton appearance.
And her Tavis Smiley one should be free to access, since I paid for it with my tax monies...I hope?
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0718324/
Oh, look. The transcript:
http://www.pbs.org/kcet/tavissmiley/archive/200504/20050426_amos.html
Lots of good quotes in this. Here's one sampling:
Tavis: [Tori just talked about listening to her Cherkee grandfather's stories growing up.] How does that translate, years later, into how you go about constructing your lyrics, because I get the sense that lyrical content is important to you.
Amos: Everything's important to me. What is not music within the song is important. When you breathe, the silence is essential. Every ingredient. That's like saying to a chef, 'Well, the salt, where is that?' Doesn't even matter. It's so simple, like breathing. Every element is part of this structure that you're creating. Music is ether, so I'm trying to translate this ether entity into a sonic...hmm...building, if you will, that you can walk into without leaving your chair.
What's hard is not having a desk to sit at. I don't have a private desk to sit at here in Weymouth, so I've been in a dryish spell. I also haven't been alone much. I wonder how artsy-people-who-are-mums create while being interrupted and such. (Well, I won't be learning any time soon, so I guess it doesn't matter...)
"Between the Bars" Cover
This is two years old, but I just heard it today. It's great. I love both Elliot Smith's orginal (reminds me of my youth, that whole soundtrack does) and this cover by Madeline Peyroux:
Give a little listen, kay? I think Peyroux may be my next iTunes purchase. Love her voice.
Now I Like Bernie Williams
Now that he's retired from baseball and no longer playing for the Yankees, I can indiscriminately judge Bernie Williams at his new career as a musician and the verdict: fantastico!
Mom and I both heard the same story on "Only Game", an interview with Williams, promoting his new CD. Mom was just as impressed as I was and went straight to Newbury to buy a copy.
Williams is a guitarist and plays very sweet and tender songs. Even Red Sox fan James Taylor blurbed for him on the back of the CD, complimenting Bernie as one in a million (at least): someone with extraordinary talent on the baseball field and on the guitar strings.
Here's the interview. Or go here and click on "Bernie Williams" at the bottom, if that link doesn't work for you (I think you have to have Real Audio installed.)
Here's the CD:
http://www.campuscustoms.com/reformrecords/berniewilliams.html
Hope you enjoyed the video of him playing "Take Me Out to the Ball Game", too.
Dance Party USA
We had an impromptu dance party at eighteen alhambra. It involved Susan Boyle and Shaheen Jafargholi, Ting Ting, M. I. A. (I even stuffed a pillow under my shrit to be like her at the Grammys) and this:
Lauryn Hill was so freakin' great before she went nutso.
Lauryn Hill was so freakin' great before she went nutso.
New Tori Coming in May...
Tori Amos's TENTH (God, that makes ME feel old) album is coming out this May 19. This was announced a while ago, but I'm just catching up on my RSS Feeds. And interview about the album is available here:
Excerpt:
What was the impetus behind this new collection?
I'm drawn to questioning what traditional authorities have defined sin to be. As a minister's daughter, I've been exposed to the traditional belief system. [Sin] has been used to shame and control people. If you're controlled by a religious structure, then you're going to have a very different outlook on life and what you're open to than if you're not controlled by these old, crumbling concepts.
More links and info and whatever else Tori you're hankering for:
The Story of Nathaniel Ayers and Steve Lopez
NPR featured an unforgettable story back in 2005
Commentator Steve Lopez has been writing for newspapers for three decades, but one story he wrote about this past year has moved him in a way no other story has. It's the story of Nathaniel Ayers: He was once a student at Juilliard and now lives on the streets of Los Angeles.
There's also an interview with Steve Lopez from Fresh Air.
I remembered both the commentary and the interview immediately when I saw the trailer for this movie last week:
http://www.soloistmovie.com/
If the movie "The Soloist", starring Jamie Foxx and Robert Downey Jr, is remotely as compelling as the reporting from Lopez, then this movie is going to be a heart-tugger, tear-jerker wonderful experience. I say I don't want to see it, simply because I am a wimpy cry-baby and I know I'll go through tissues A LA "The Notebook" or "Cold Mountain" but, yeah, I'm going to see it anyway. It looks really good.
Commentator Steve Lopez has been writing for newspapers for three decades, but one story he wrote about this past year has moved him in a way no other story has. It's the story of Nathaniel Ayers: He was once a student at Juilliard and now lives on the streets of Los Angeles.
There's also an interview with Steve Lopez from Fresh Air.
I remembered both the commentary and the interview immediately when I saw the trailer for this movie last week:
http://www.soloistmovie.com/
If the movie "The Soloist", starring Jamie Foxx and Robert Downey Jr, is remotely as compelling as the reporting from Lopez, then this movie is going to be a heart-tugger, tear-jerker wonderful experience. I say I don't want to see it, simply because I am a wimpy cry-baby and I know I'll go through tissues A LA "The Notebook" or "Cold Mountain" but, yeah, I'm going to see it anyway. It looks really good.
More Signs of the Grunge Age Apocalypse - Chris Cornell Does an R&B Album with Timbaland
I was listening to NPR tonight and Jackie Lydon started describing my former phantom husband (who I retired after an atrocious appearance on Leno last year) Chris Cornell & his distinctive vocals. And by distinctive, she meant rocking. However, I would instead use the term goddamn sexy as all faulck. Regardless, those vocals are now laid out on completely different tracks than ever before: with R&B producer Timbaland.
Good God in heaven. First Smashing promotes credit cards. Then Chris Cornell goes gangsta. What next? Courtney sells the rights to "Smells Like Teen Spirit" to the NRA...'Load up on guns and bring your friends!'
Good God in heaven. First Smashing promotes credit cards. Then Chris Cornell goes gangsta. What next? Courtney sells the rights to "Smells Like Teen Spirit" to the NRA...'Load up on guns and bring your friends!'
Sign of Our Old Age Apocalypse
Here we are, watching 30 Rock and some commercial comes on. It features this Smashing Pumpkins song, "Today." I flash back to memories of Lollapalooza 94 and Rene remarks on how much she loves this song.
But guess what? It was featured in a commercial FOR VISA. Really Billy Corrigan? Really?
Nothing makes one feel old as all sh1t than when the songs of your youth appear in a commercial. The second worst is when you hear them in the grocery store.
Now, where's my cane? And I need a can of Ensure...
Oh, and now I'm hip again. Ray LaMontagne is going to be on SNL - Lewiston in the hizouse.
Favorite Christmas Song - Otis Redding White Christmas
I am pretty sure I've posted this video before, like last Christmas, but anyway, here is my favorite Christmas song, Otis Redding's "White Christmas".
Thanksgiving Hippie Tradition
This is a good movie, too, by the way.
"You can get anything you want
at Alice's Restaurant"
"You can get anything you want
at Alice's Restaurant"
Fantasy Children of Phantom Husband Nate Silver and me
Quote from previously mentioned NYT article:
“When we took him to preschool one time, we dropped him off, and he announced, ‘Today, I’m a numbers machine,’ and started counting,” Brian Silver said. “When we picked him up two and a half hours later, he was ‘Two thousand one hundred and twenty-two, two thousand one hundred and twenty-three...’ ”
So the question is, will we have precocious children who "become number machines" at age 4 or will we have precocious children who make everyone stop talking at family parties so they can hear a pre-school "Dorothy" sing "Somewhere Over the Rainbow"?
I think the answer is a hybrid of both. I think we'll have some spunky childruns who'll sing "3 Is a Magic Number" at the "holiday" (multi-faith) parties.
The 80s Were Weird
Someone on Facebook sent me a parody of this video
Which, since I was little when it came out, I didn't remember it was so weird. Now I do. Here is the parody from Funny or Die.
Here's hoping no one comes in with a stack of books and a mullet and a long jacket and floats in a chair and pulls a fake gun and sings at me while I'm at work. That would be uncomfortable.
Which, since I was little when it came out, I didn't remember it was so weird. Now I do. Here is the parody from Funny or Die.
See more funny videos at Funny or Die
Here's hoping no one comes in with a stack of books and a mullet and a long jacket and floats in a chair and pulls a fake gun and sings at me while I'm at work. That would be uncomfortable.
Liz Phair
Just got back to Chicago, where Liz Phair wrote "Exile in Guyville" back in the early 90s. And then, Liz Phair was on the radio this afternoon, talking about a new, remastered version of "Exile in Guyville".
I didn't know how hard a time she had dealing with its success afterwards. Apparently, it was so hard that she ended up making that super pop, overly produced poopy thing back in 2003. But now the old Liz is back, because the other Liz didn't make enough money...Oh, I'm so cynical. Whatever her failings after EIG, it's still one kick ass Girl Power Anthem rock music album and I will always love it.
Here's to Liz.
Link to Day to Day's interview with Liz Phair.
Repost - Ryan Adams Is a Tool
September 18, 2006 @ 5:13 pm
RYAN ADAMS REVIEW
So, here we go.
Maybe he’ll call me, too…
This is exciting:
Ryan Adams is just fine for when you shop at the mall, wait in the doctor’s office or ride an elevator.
Did you know that if you cover one eye with some of your hair for an album cover, then it will give the illusion that you are, in fact, deep.
However, if one is looking for lyrics beyond this depth:
l_______________l
Then look elsewhere.
I really like his very nice voice, though. I especially liked the first time I heard it: when I listened to David Gray.
OK. That should do it. Ryan, if you can’t find my digits (I’m not publishing them here) feel free to email me or find me on Facebook.
laters...
Birthdays Birthdays Birthdays!!!
Two very important people are celebrating birthdays: one I've never met but love, the other I've known since kindergarten and also love. Ha! Her birthday's tomorrow and she'll get her own blog then...
So, for today: Happy Birthday to The Most Important Person In My Life Who I've Never Met (as opposed to the people I've met who are the most important...)
Happy 45th Birthday to Tori Amos!!! Thanks for the music and all the good concerts and all that.
Love yah,
Bridge
Mix Tape Saga
1.) Mix Tape Show on NPR
A while back, my buddy Ken and his cohort Neal did a show on the art of the mix tape. I was thinking about that tonight, or, rather, early this morning, as I cleaned up by room and listened to the Playlist I created. (Not to self, even the smallest sized decaf Starbucks will make me wired enough to be wide awake on a Friday night/ Saturday morning, despite having to go to work early the next day.)
It's a pretty fun hour of Talk of the Nation, that they did for Valentine's Day this year. Listen t o the show here. Read the blog about the Mix Tape here. See the Tiny Mix Tape website.
2.) My Mix CD Story
Back in 2001, a boyfriend made a mix CD for me. It was pretty much perfect for me. He called it the "Irish Princess Mix" (sooo cheesy but at the same time, admittedly awesome) and it was great.
(Too bad he wasn't a sweet to me as his mix CD sounded like he would be...) Somehow over the years of traveling and relocating, the CD got lost. I would think of it every once in a while, when I'd be in the mood for "The Girl from Ipanema" or Brubeck's "Take 5" and then I'd realize--no, I don't have it. It was on the mix CD.
Guess what happened at my birthday party this Sunday?
Al icia & Da n said, "Oh, you left a CD down the Cape. I think it's yours." "Irish Princess Mix?"
NO WAY! So, we listened to it during my party and it was super fun, especially the Billy Jean and Dirty Diana tracks.
BTW, the old boyfriend and I are friends again (on myspace, at least). He is married with a very adorable baby boy and lives in Colorado. So, all's well on that front.
3.) Today's Mix Tape: The Playlist
I've got a Playlist going right now that I just made up tonight, after the Sox game. (HORRIBLE UMPIRE. TOTAL BULLSHISSE!)
The Playlist is named after the weirdness of the time, "Burgeoning & Vanishing". Sometimes it's these beautiful songs from my latest album acquisition, Ida's "Lovers Prayers". Interspersed are starker, angrier, more cynical or sadder songs like "S. Soup" by Sebadoh and "Cocaine Blues" from Johnny Cash and "Alison" by Elvis Costello and the always slow-down-and-listen-inducing "Like a Star" by Corrine Bailey Rae. (That's precisely what it just did to me. Between "Costello" and "and" was about 2 minutes of my just listening and drifting.)
It's kept me entertained as I finally unpack my way out of the big mess that was my room. (BTW, I clearly have a big assignment due soon, hence the cleaning frenzy...)
Here's the full playlist:
If you like it, I'll burn you a CD and send it off, kay?
A while back, my buddy Ken and his cohort Neal did a show on the art of the mix tape. I was thinking about that tonight, or, rather, early this morning, as I cleaned up by room and listened to the Playlist I created. (Not to self, even the smallest sized decaf Starbucks will make me wired enough to be wide awake on a Friday night/ Saturday morning, despite having to go to work early the next day.)It's a pretty fun hour of Talk of the Nation, that they did for Valentine's Day this year. Listen t o the show here. Read the blog about the Mix Tape here. See the Tiny Mix Tape website.
2.) My Mix CD Story
Back in 2001, a boyfriend made a mix CD for me. It was pretty much perfect for me. He called it the "Irish Princess Mix" (sooo cheesy but at the same time, admittedly awesome) and it was great.
(Too bad he wasn't a sweet to me as his mix CD sounded like he would be...) Somehow over the years of traveling and relocating, the CD got lost. I would think of it every once in a while, when I'd be in the mood for "The Girl from Ipanema" or Brubeck's "Take 5" and then I'd realize--no, I don't have it. It was on the mix CD.Guess what happened at my birthday party this Sunday?
Al icia & Da n said, "Oh, you left a CD down the Cape. I think it's yours." "Irish Princess Mix?"
NO WAY! So, we listened to it during my party and it was super fun, especially the Billy Jean and Dirty Diana tracks.
BTW, the old boyfriend and I are friends again (on myspace, at least). He is married with a very adorable baby boy and lives in Colorado. So, all's well on that front.
3.) Today's Mix Tape: The Playlist
I've got a Playlist going right now that I just made up tonight, after the Sox game. (HORRIBLE UMPIRE. TOTAL BULLSHISSE!)
The Playlist is named after the weirdness of the time, "Burgeoning & Vanishing". Sometimes it's these beautiful songs from my latest album acquisition, Ida's "Lovers Prayers". Interspersed are starker, angrier, more cynical or sadder songs like "S. Soup" by Sebadoh and "Cocaine Blues" from Johnny Cash and "Alison" by Elvis Costello and the always slow-down-and-listen-inducing "Like a Star" by Corrine Bailey Rae. (That's precisely what it just did to me. Between "Costello" and "and" was about 2 minutes of my just listening and drifting.)It's kept me entertained as I finally unpack my way out of the big mess that was my room. (BTW, I clearly have a big assignment due soon, hence the cleaning frenzy...)
Here's the full playlist:
If you like it, I'll burn you a CD and send it off, kay?
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