I loathed the 80s. Really. 80s pop music. Yuck.
These are the number 1 hits from the 80s-
Number 1 80s hits
I looked through it and I suddenly wanted to call my therapist.
Sure there were some great pop albums in the early 80s (Double Fantasy, Blondie, and I will even grant you Thriller -- even though I can't listen to it.. I'll admit that it was well crafted but when I sit and try to enjoy Billie Jean... well.... it just doesn't move me.)
I will repress my inner Jack Black at the moment and will share with you My favorite 80s moments,
I've left out some stuff... like the Eurythmics.. because as much as I loved Sweet Dreams-- it used to piss me off that the song never seemed complete.
I would include When Doves Cry but....You Tube has restrictions on it... go figure..
I realized something about these songs after I listed them... all the melodies...well.. resolve...
I don't really like intellectualizing this stuff... pop songs are powerful w/o intellectualizing...so just enjoy.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Friday, July 3, 2009
and then there was this.... the Irish Mexican
I don't drink. I used to. But... it's just too much trouble. It's one of those basic universal laws you can't get something for nothing. So it is with drinking, you drink , you feel good... next day... the universe forces you to pay up.
And so it is with me. The universe forces a higher tax on me than with most...even with a couple of beers my hangovers are just terrible.
I used to love Guinness Stout...because it was dark and chocolatey... AND because I think I was Irish in a former life (I'm also sure that I was a rabbi... thus my love of klezmer music... oy!)
Today I will share one of my favorite Irish songs with you.
She moved through the fair.
There is NO way to put a happy spin on this song. It's dark, depressing and haunting.
Here is a version of it by an Indian woman. Her voice is simply amazing. I've heard dozens of versions of this song. This is one of my favorites.
While You Tubing I found this version,
WOW
The riff has been used for other songs.... some Zeppelin songs owe quite a bit to Davey Graham's version ... but Simple Minds reworked it for a more ...well a bit more optimistic song called Belfast Child
And so it is with me. The universe forces a higher tax on me than with most...even with a couple of beers my hangovers are just terrible.
I used to love Guinness Stout...because it was dark and chocolatey... AND because I think I was Irish in a former life (I'm also sure that I was a rabbi... thus my love of klezmer music... oy!)
Today I will share one of my favorite Irish songs with you.
She moved through the fair.
There is NO way to put a happy spin on this song. It's dark, depressing and haunting.
Here is a version of it by an Indian woman. Her voice is simply amazing. I've heard dozens of versions of this song. This is one of my favorites.
While You Tubing I found this version,
WOW
The riff has been used for other songs.... some Zeppelin songs owe quite a bit to Davey Graham's version ... but Simple Minds reworked it for a more ...well a bit more optimistic song called Belfast Child
Thursday, July 2, 2009
The truth the dead know
I am a child of the 80s. Which means that I've had a very ambivalent relationship to baby boomers.
On the one hand, as a teenager and young adult I thought they pretty much screwed the pooch. They had the chance to change the world (or so their mythology told us) but sold out, became yuppies, etc. Jerry Rubin went to Wall Street, yadda yadda. AND if they didn't sell out, they were burn-outs.
And of course, there was the music.
I love 60s music-- I grew up wanting to live on Haight and Ashbury.
I was probably the only kid in my high school who had a copy of "Surrealistic Pillow"-- not the greatest of 60s albums but it has some classics beyond Somebody To Love and White Rabbit( Check out Coming Back To Me, Today and Embryonic Journey).
The 80s bored me. The music was slick, overproduced and challenged no one (which is why I just didn't care for Michael Jackson. He seemed to be just another 80s star; slick and dull. His 80s songs never felt like pop gems to me. They just felt dreadfully superficial. His 70s songs...that's another story)
So my 60s heroes , were either burn-outs, sell-outs, or dead.
I had a lot of mixed feelings about the whole lot of them.
For example, The Grateful Dead.
I could never get into them because they seemed to symbolize what killed the 60s-- overindulgence.
I don't think I could have sat through an entire Dead show.
But I do love this song- I prefer the all-acoustic original but this is cool.
About my boomer ambivalence, I've reached a point where I have little ambivalence. They did the best the could given what they had. I started thinking better of them, when the book , "The Best Generation" came out.
I read it, and just couldn't agree with the basic premise. Beating back the Nazis was a brave and incredible thing, but it was also the ONLY moral choice. It was a fight against absolute evil. It was brave, courageous and heroic. The sacrifices were immense.
Yet, it was an obvious battle. The boomer generation had a battle at home to deal with. It was a difficult moral choice to make. How many boomers took on their own racist families, their own sexist parents? How many of those relationships were broken through the years because boomers confronted the evil in their own homes?
Think of men and women in the South that had the courage to buck their own communities, their own families because of lynchings, beatings, and a social apartheid that nearly destroyed the foundations of this country.
They too sacrificed--- some with their lives, some by giving up their identities as "southerners", or as children of their own racist parents. There was carnage there too but not as obvious. There was carnage on the sides of Latinos and Blacks
as well- we too had to fight the complacency and ills in our own homes (yes... we have a history of notorious sexism).
I realize that many boomers fought these home-front battles in different ways.
But the older I get the more I appreciate the battle they fought.
Here is Today from Surrealistic Pillow,
and Coming Back to Me
what the heck ... Embryonic Journey
On the one hand, as a teenager and young adult I thought they pretty much screwed the pooch. They had the chance to change the world (or so their mythology told us) but sold out, became yuppies, etc. Jerry Rubin went to Wall Street, yadda yadda. AND if they didn't sell out, they were burn-outs.
And of course, there was the music.
I love 60s music-- I grew up wanting to live on Haight and Ashbury.
I was probably the only kid in my high school who had a copy of "Surrealistic Pillow"-- not the greatest of 60s albums but it has some classics beyond Somebody To Love and White Rabbit( Check out Coming Back To Me, Today and Embryonic Journey).
The 80s bored me. The music was slick, overproduced and challenged no one (which is why I just didn't care for Michael Jackson. He seemed to be just another 80s star; slick and dull. His 80s songs never felt like pop gems to me. They just felt dreadfully superficial. His 70s songs...that's another story)
So my 60s heroes , were either burn-outs, sell-outs, or dead.
I had a lot of mixed feelings about the whole lot of them.
For example, The Grateful Dead.
I could never get into them because they seemed to symbolize what killed the 60s-- overindulgence.
I don't think I could have sat through an entire Dead show.
But I do love this song- I prefer the all-acoustic original but this is cool.
About my boomer ambivalence, I've reached a point where I have little ambivalence. They did the best the could given what they had. I started thinking better of them, when the book , "The Best Generation" came out.
I read it, and just couldn't agree with the basic premise. Beating back the Nazis was a brave and incredible thing, but it was also the ONLY moral choice. It was a fight against absolute evil. It was brave, courageous and heroic. The sacrifices were immense.
Yet, it was an obvious battle. The boomer generation had a battle at home to deal with. It was a difficult moral choice to make. How many boomers took on their own racist families, their own sexist parents? How many of those relationships were broken through the years because boomers confronted the evil in their own homes?
Think of men and women in the South that had the courage to buck their own communities, their own families because of lynchings, beatings, and a social apartheid that nearly destroyed the foundations of this country.
They too sacrificed--- some with their lives, some by giving up their identities as "southerners", or as children of their own racist parents. There was carnage there too but not as obvious. There was carnage on the sides of Latinos and Blacks
as well- we too had to fight the complacency and ills in our own homes (yes... we have a history of notorious sexism).
I realize that many boomers fought these home-front battles in different ways.
But the older I get the more I appreciate the battle they fought.
Here is Today from Surrealistic Pillow,
and Coming Back to Me
what the heck ... Embryonic Journey
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Celluloid Heroes
Every great show that I've gone to was at a small venue. The BEST show I've seen to date was the Ramones (RIP)-- was deaf for three days. I'm certain I did some permanent damage but it was worth it. I rode my bike to that show because everyone had bailed on me. So I put on a tuxedo jacket , a bright blue dress shirt with cufflinks, a black bow tie and comfortable black linen pants. I rode my bike about five miles, locked it behind the bar-- The Back Room, in Austin, I think it was called.
It was the greatest show... well.... hyperbole aside .. it was the best show I saw of a well known band. And I've seen some "legends" (another time). Some of my favorite musical moments have been of obscure local bands and of folk musicians ( again for another time)
At that show, all the punkster dorks were in their Sunday best (dang.. It WAS a sunday).. and in the pre-show , we all sang along to Anarchy in the UK (I kid you not... it was hysterical and exhilarating). The show was brilliant.
Van Halen was playing on the other side of town and Joey Ramone made obvious elitist punk jokes and we all laughed because we were better than the metal heads losing brain cells across town. (of Halen and hair metal I will talk later too..yes?)
It was magic. There was about 150 people that night. It was cozy and there was nothing to kill the spirit.
I've never really enjoyed the big concert crowds, at least not yet.. but I have to admit when I see this clip of
The Kinks, I'm a little jealous. The crowd isn't mega huge.. but still bigger than I usually enjoy.
But damn it, it's the kinks AND it's "Celluloid Heroes"... You gotta love that.
It was the greatest show... well.... hyperbole aside .. it was the best show I saw of a well known band. And I've seen some "legends" (another time). Some of my favorite musical moments have been of obscure local bands and of folk musicians ( again for another time)
At that show, all the punkster dorks were in their Sunday best (dang.. It WAS a sunday).. and in the pre-show , we all sang along to Anarchy in the UK (I kid you not... it was hysterical and exhilarating). The show was brilliant.
Van Halen was playing on the other side of town and Joey Ramone made obvious elitist punk jokes and we all laughed because we were better than the metal heads losing brain cells across town. (of Halen and hair metal I will talk later too..yes?)
It was magic. There was about 150 people that night. It was cozy and there was nothing to kill the spirit.
I've never really enjoyed the big concert crowds, at least not yet.. but I have to admit when I see this clip of
The Kinks, I'm a little jealous. The crowd isn't mega huge.. but still bigger than I usually enjoy.
But damn it, it's the kinks AND it's "Celluloid Heroes"... You gotta love that.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Elliot Smith
Well,
Jack Black once asked me..."What's with you and this sad sack music?"
I replied, "What's with you and Led Zeppelin? I'm from San Antonio-- we cut our teeth on those pathetic Brits... Move on!!! "
"Touche"
Elliot Smith---
Yes, he was our generation's Nick Drake... actually Nick Drake was out generation's Nick Drake. But that's another story.
I like many of Elliot's songs but this is my favorite.
It's the ultimate song of unrequited love.
However, it was about his mother.
The thought takes me to another Eliot... T.S. Eliot
“There's no vocabulary For love within a family, love that's lived in But not looked at, love within the light of which All else is seen, the love within which All other love finds speech. This love is silent”
This love is silent? Family love that is silent? Obviously T.S. never met a Mexican mother.
But the truth of "familial love" being the love through which all other love finds speech... is true.
And Elliot Smith's cry, "Never gonna know you now, but I'm gonna love you anyhow", is sorrowful and lovely.
Jack Black once asked me..."What's with you and this sad sack music?"
I replied, "What's with you and Led Zeppelin? I'm from San Antonio-- we cut our teeth on those pathetic Brits... Move on!!! "
"Touche"
Elliot Smith---
Yes, he was our generation's Nick Drake... actually Nick Drake was out generation's Nick Drake. But that's another story.
I like many of Elliot's songs but this is my favorite.
It's the ultimate song of unrequited love.
However, it was about his mother.
The thought takes me to another Eliot... T.S. Eliot
“There's no vocabulary For love within a family, love that's lived in But not looked at, love within the light of which All else is seen, the love within which All other love finds speech. This love is silent”
This love is silent? Family love that is silent? Obviously T.S. never met a Mexican mother.
But the truth of "familial love" being the love through which all other love finds speech... is true.
And Elliot Smith's cry, "Never gonna know you now, but I'm gonna love you anyhow", is sorrowful and lovely.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Lalo Guerrero
OK.. so I started this as another exercise in narcissism.
I love telling people about ME. Because, face it, I am fascinating (actually you don't know that yet..but you will)
But the more I get into this, the less its become about ME.. and the more it is about what I find on You Tube.
I've become a little of a You Tube archaeologist.
I find things that amaze me.
You know, I thought that I would be doing a lot more "analysis" here... not so much.
More and more, I find myself just being in awe.
Lalo Guerrero is someone that I'm in awe of.
His career spanned --- well the second half of the 20th century.
He is known for starting Chicano music and chances are that if you were alive last century, and you are Mexican or Chicano, you've heard his music.
When I was a child I knew Lalo Guerrero for doing Mexican Alvin and the Chipmunks type songs, before Alvin and the Chipmunks...
Panfilo!
http://shopping.yahoo.com/p:En%20La%20Navidad:1922004715
For a full discography... here's his son's web site
http://markguerrero.net/misc_21.php
But my favorite Lalo Guerrero song is Los Chucos Suaves .
It's evocative, hip, swinging and sexy.
I heard Chucos Suaves sung by Olmos in Zoot Suit, when I was 12 and it stuck with me for years, I just didn't know what it was called.
And thanks to Arhoolie records, I found the original along with other really fun recordings (if you like guitar music check out Jorge Cordoba's Frijole Boogie ...in my best Jack Black..."tasty"...).
Buy it...it is extremely good...and if you do.. buy it from Arhoolie, they're good people-- they're not a corporation and have been keeping folk music alive for years.
http://www.arhoolie.com/titles/7040.shtml
I love telling people about ME. Because, face it, I am fascinating (actually you don't know that yet..but you will)
But the more I get into this, the less its become about ME.. and the more it is about what I find on You Tube.
I've become a little of a You Tube archaeologist.
I find things that amaze me.
You know, I thought that I would be doing a lot more "analysis" here... not so much.
More and more, I find myself just being in awe.
Lalo Guerrero is someone that I'm in awe of.
His career spanned --- well the second half of the 20th century.
He is known for starting Chicano music and chances are that if you were alive last century, and you are Mexican or Chicano, you've heard his music.
When I was a child I knew Lalo Guerrero for doing Mexican Alvin and the Chipmunks type songs, before Alvin and the Chipmunks...
Panfilo!
http://shopping.yahoo.com/p:En%20La%20Navidad:1922004715
For a full discography... here's his son's web site
http://markguerrero.net/misc_21.php
But my favorite Lalo Guerrero song is Los Chucos Suaves .
It's evocative, hip, swinging and sexy.
I heard Chucos Suaves sung by Olmos in Zoot Suit, when I was 12 and it stuck with me for years, I just didn't know what it was called.
And thanks to Arhoolie records, I found the original along with other really fun recordings (if you like guitar music check out Jorge Cordoba's Frijole Boogie ...in my best Jack Black..."tasty"...).
Buy it...it is extremely good...and if you do.. buy it from Arhoolie, they're good people-- they're not a corporation and have been keeping folk music alive for years.
http://www.arhoolie.com/titles/7040.shtml
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Skip James, Blind Willie
I love to mouth off about what I love.
And I mouth off about people who have been the soundtrack of my life.
This time... it's Skip James and Blind Willie Johnson...
To blues fans and music decadents...and old fogies, Skip James ain't nothing new.
He's the guy who wrote "I'm So Glad"... which Cream covered in the 60s.
Skip James was a totally different guitarist than say....Robert Johnson.
For one thing, he doesn't have the legendary status of Robert Johnson.
He didn't have the dramatic panache, or the ominous satanic overtones.
And he didn't sound like three guitar players playing at once....
But he was quite incredible. I love Robert Johnson too..but something about Skip James is soulful beyond Robert Johnson's theatric stylings. Don't get me wrong "Come on in my kitchen" is an incredible moment in American music but Skip James' I'm so Glad is well...nothing short of astonishing.
Here is Blind Willie
Skip James
And I mouth off about people who have been the soundtrack of my life.
This time... it's Skip James and Blind Willie Johnson...
To blues fans and music decadents...and old fogies, Skip James ain't nothing new.
He's the guy who wrote "I'm So Glad"... which Cream covered in the 60s.
Skip James was a totally different guitarist than say....Robert Johnson.
For one thing, he doesn't have the legendary status of Robert Johnson.
He didn't have the dramatic panache, or the ominous satanic overtones.
And he didn't sound like three guitar players playing at once....
But he was quite incredible. I love Robert Johnson too..but something about Skip James is soulful beyond Robert Johnson's theatric stylings. Don't get me wrong "Come on in my kitchen" is an incredible moment in American music but Skip James' I'm so Glad is well...nothing short of astonishing.
Here is Blind Willie
Skip James
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