What has become the most overplayed anthem in the history of team sports, Queen’s “We Are The Champions” (from 1977’s News of The World) is arguably the British quartet’s best-selling and most widely known single – and I’m including “Bohemian Rhapsody” in my calculations. Shot in jaw-droppingly clear high-def during the era shortly after Freddie …
This hymn-like anthem is about selfless, freely given love that asks nothing in return. The singer wants to dry your tears, watch your back, comfort you when you’re down, and sail behind you and keep you safe. Can you think of any other song that packaged so much beauty and emotion into a few lines …
“Summertime in England” is from Van’s Common One album, his least popular and most misunderstood work. The song is typically 15 minutes in length, an incredible blend of jazz and gospel, suffering and bliss, and is best enjoyed live. Saxophonist Pee Wee Ellis has free reign in this 1980 Montreux Jazz Festival appearance. Love it! …
We have a new contender in the Most Bizarre Rock-Star Death sweepstakes: http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2010/sep/06/elo-cellist-by-killed-hay-bale A former member of the rock group Electric Light Orchestra has been killed by a giant hay bale that crashed into his van while he was driving. Cellist Mike Edwards died instantly when the 300kg bale landed on the front of the …
It is truly amazing to realize that the retarded can type, let alone use a computer. The retarded seem to have been called out of the woodwork in recent, post-Bush months: they litter the comments section of any newspaper in the country, and their passionate, if not correctly spelled proclamations of patriotism, fury and resentment …
Here’s Groupie, the Delaney and Bonnie original version (Just listen, don’t look at the sucky Jim Morrison tribute video accompanying it on Youtube) of what became the Carpenters’ megahit, Superstar. I love this song. I tried to sing the Carpenters version at karaoke but need to practice the fast part. Luther Vandross does a great …
Sad to say it kids, but I think Improv Everywhere went to the beach to jump the shark:
An absolutely beautiful song by an absolutely beautiful singer. Gotta say, though, stuff this smokily sensuous could almost get people arrested! – Rich Horton
This just in from Jill Dianne Taylor: “I Say A Little Prayer is classic Aretha! The soulful, sweet groove of this song is irresistible and contagious.”
This clip is interesting. I’m waiting for the day I get my ape servant, fully trained of course, and the device to put material in my mind (memories, knowledge) that turns me into an expert on a subject. He was right on about computers and the ability to communicate with others anywhere. Too bad telecommuniting …
This promotional video for their last album was the end of the road for Captain Beefheart and The Magic Band. Shortly afterward the Captain turned his back on music to become the painter Don Van Vliet. That is his artwork featured on the video. It’s impossible to define or categorize the music of Captain Beefheart, …
Conor O’Brien fronts [is, really] the Irish band Villagers. O’Brien is a contemplative sort, and his darkly lyrical songs reflect an inward focus, perhaps a healthy type of narcissism. If there is such a thing. Wikipedia entry here –> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Villagers_%28band%29 – Mitch Hurst, Author of the fine blog, Exbaptist. . . . .
This just in from Elaine Bonow: “I think it is so weird that she is a cousin of Etta James and after all this time I never really heard of her. I loved this video because she is so cute and hip with that shirtwaist dress on and all.” This from Chicago Blues historian, John …
Hoda Kotb, of all people, turned me on to this snappy new song by Hanson, and their “genius! why didn’t someone think of this before?” video in which they exhibit their musical cred and show they are not just a one-hit wonder to be forgotten… Look for Weird Al’s cameo! – Colette Moran PS – …
How Conservatives and the GOP Destroyed the “Traditional Family” They Claim to Treasure Thanks in part to the GOP’s failed policies, America is such a hard place to raise a family that many people are delaying getting married and having kids. [August 30, 2010] For decades, social conservatives have had a lot to say about …
In the future, there will only be two songs to cover for 15 minutes, “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and “Poker Face”:
This from John Richards via Facebook re Lightning Seeds’ “Pure”: “Last time Kevin played this on the air, Arlie and I danced around the house like crazy people. It makes me tear up just thinking about it. Perfect 2 minutes of my life. Perfect.” – JR
This from Anne Hopper via Facebook: “Oh, you’ve made me cry. This is the sound of my tiny girlhood in France in the late 50’s. I have LP’s of M. Montand, but have never watched him croon. He even combs his dark hair like my daddy, who was also a crooner of sad love songs. …
. “Jim, are you kidding or what? First of all, let’s start by you accepting the fact that you were the original director of PIRANHA 2 and you were fired. Shame on you for thinking that genre movies and the real maestros like Roger Corman and his collaborators are any less auteur or impactful in …
U.S. was born a Christian nation Evangelical writer and thinker, Robert Knight, author of “Fighting for America’s Soul: How Sweeping Change Threatens Our Nation and What We Must Do,” and one of the drafters of the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, has prepared for CNN.com an essay asserting that America’s creation was, in fact, rooted …
From the Huffington Post: Barack Obama: Closeted Non-Believer? by Ali A. Rizvi “Before we get carried away, let’s read our Bibles now,” said the young first-term Senator from Illinois in his speech to Call for Renewal, a liberal Christian group. “Folks haven’t been reading their Bibles!” It was June 2006, and it wasn’t long before …
Since about 1984, I have considered Bruce Cockburn my musical mentor. He has a restless soul that seems to reach into your heart, shake you and wake you up. He has always done amazing work among needy people in countries like Nepal, Mali and Nicaragua and among Native American and First Nation populations in the …
Nothing more painful to the pocketbook than being in love with a gold digging whore… especially when you’re short on bling. Cee-Lo (last seen in Gnarls Barkley) borrows heavily from Nilsson‘s classic, “You’re Breakin’ My Heart” and creates a soulful statement that I’m sure will be, in turn, borrowed by many a broken man. – …
It was the Spring of 1967. I was having lunch with Buddy Guy and his band at Stanford. Buddy was on his first West Coast tour, picking up gigs on an ad hoc basis. At that time, Buddy was almost unknown outside the blues scene, but he was determined to change that. He had left …
Yes, the Joshua Tree was fabulous. Yes, they’ve had a great career since. But U2 was never more exciting, more glorious, more relevant than in this moment in time: – Steve Stav (http://www.stevestav.com) … . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
It is hard to explain how deeply God can get his hooks into a Christian. Believe me there are times I’d rather not attend the “fancy sewing circle” which some people believe church to be. Why is God a self absorbed deity? At least the God as he is potrayed in the Bible? Is it …
This just in from Stephen Rabow via Facebook: “A cautionary tale of potential dangers (FRINGE!!!), so kids, PLEASE stay OFF of drugs (and avoid FRINGE at all times)…run away, run away…”
This has been around the web a few times already, but it’s definitely worth checking out if you haven’t seen it before. A labrador swims out to play with a harbor dolphin every day:
Greg Greenway, originally from Richmond VA, moved to Boston for it’s rich music scene. Drawing on blues and jazz in his music, Greg’s lyrics are reminiscent of Guthrie and others that came before. This particular song was written after Greg’s visit to MLK’s assassination site. He states he wanted to write a tribute but believed …
I’m a real lay(wo)man as far as music is concerned; I like what I like, just because. Thinking I was the last person on the planet to hear of ‘Hallelujah’, I YouTubed every version. Cohen’s version is gut-wrenchingly amazing. Others swear by Jeff Buckley. I found these four Norwegian guys. I like harmony. I like …