You think it won’t happen again. You think you’ve got it under control. But before you know it, you’re grabbing the apple or the pint of Ben & Jerry’s mint chocolate cookie, not caring that you’ll be kicked out of the garden or gain a hundred pounds. The future doesn’t matter, only the present. Right now, you have to grab Blonde on Blonde from whatever deep, dark place you keep it and listen to Dylan’s “Leopard-Skin Pillbox Hat.”
Well, you must tell me, baby
How your head feels under somethin’ like that
Under your brand new leopard-skin pill-box hat
Well, you look so pretty in it
Honey, can I jump on it sometime?
Yes, I just wanna see
If it’s really that expensive kind
You know it balances on your head
Just like a mattress balances
On a bottle of wine
Your brand new leopard-skin pill-box hat!
Saturday, March 31, 2007
Friday, March 30, 2007
54/365 Love Shack
It’s a test for depression: If I can listen to this B-52’s song all the way through and not feel better, then I’ve got it bad. Bang, bang, bang on the door baby.
Thursday, March 29, 2007
53/365 Amsterdam Loeki Stardust Quartet
The first two CDs I ever bought were by the Amsterdam Loeki Stardust Quartet. I didn’t even own a CD player. This was back in the days when CD players were expensive, and I was poor.
I went to see these guys in concert and was completely blown away. I bought the CDs, had my friend Ken tape them for me, then saved them for the day I could afford to play them.
To hear these guys, go to their website, and click on Clips. I recommend the recording session for Fugue Around the Clock. I’m always amazed at how organlike recorders sound, each voice its own multinoted pipe. To hear a more modern, playful piece and an example of the instrument’s range (as well as some fun visuals), check out “The Jogger.”
I went to see these guys in concert and was completely blown away. I bought the CDs, had my friend Ken tape them for me, then saved them for the day I could afford to play them.
To hear these guys, go to their website, and click on Clips. I recommend the recording session for Fugue Around the Clock. I’m always amazed at how organlike recorders sound, each voice its own multinoted pipe. To hear a more modern, playful piece and an example of the instrument’s range (as well as some fun visuals), check out “The Jogger.”
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
52/365 Barcelona Nights
This song is the group hanging out at Wayne and Sue’s. It’s the tape that was in my car stereo when it was stolen. It’s the CD that years later Sergio brought us from Italy, thinking we’d like it. We did. We hadn’t heard it in so long.
[Click on first track of Ottmar Liebert’s Nouveau Flamenco for a sound clip.]
[Click on first track of Ottmar Liebert’s Nouveau Flamenco for a sound clip.]
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
51/365 Helplessly Hoping
Stand by the stairway
You’ll see something
Certain to tell you confusion has its cost
Alliteration much? This CSN song almost feels sappy, but manages to fall short of that for me. The three lines above are lovely in their movement from S to T to C sounds. I can listen to this over and over again, only to trip at the sound of goodbye.
You’ll see something
Certain to tell you confusion has its cost
Alliteration much? This CSN song almost feels sappy, but manages to fall short of that for me. The three lines above are lovely in their movement from S to T to C sounds. I can listen to this over and over again, only to trip at the sound of goodbye.
Monday, March 26, 2007
50/365 One Season
One season I was born
Fell down like an acorn
I am the only tree
And everybody leaves.
Chalk that up to “lines I wish I’d written.” The Roches were part of my college soundtrack. I loved them. Loved them. I’m a big fan of trios, and these chix have such interesting voices, their lyrics are fantastic, and there was always something so real—and thus oddly empowering—about them. I can’t pick a favorite Roches song, but this one does open with those lines, and the dissonant harmonies accompanying the dissonant subject matter shows (in my opinion) their incredible interpretation and abilities.
Fell down like an acorn
I am the only tree
And everybody leaves.
Chalk that up to “lines I wish I’d written.” The Roches were part of my college soundtrack. I loved them. Loved them. I’m a big fan of trios, and these chix have such interesting voices, their lyrics are fantastic, and there was always something so real—and thus oddly empowering—about them. I can’t pick a favorite Roches song, but this one does open with those lines, and the dissonant harmonies accompanying the dissonant subject matter shows (in my opinion) their incredible interpretation and abilities.
Sunday, March 25, 2007
49/365 Stand Up and Be Strong
Get up everybody, get off your ass
We gotta do something and we got to do it fast
Cause the people are hungry, starvin’ and the fuel is low
Don’t wait for Jesus, he ain’t comin’ back no mo’
We gotta sacrifice, have no fear
Shed no blood, shed no tears
We’ve gotta make our move, get out of our way
Cause we’ve been waiting way too long
We don’t weep, we don’t moan
We’ve got a mind of our own
That’s right, we can’t go wrong
If we stand up and be strong
I was at a Dave Grisman concert last fall when the house announced they’d just booked Keb’ Mo’. I tried to get tickets that night, but they weren’t on sale yet. Thanksgiving morning (the day they went on sale) I was bugging my brother-in-law for quiet computer access so I could secretly buy tickets as a present for Tim, who’s a big fan. I got front-row seats.
The concert was last night.
This performance by one of the blues greats may have spoiled me for any future second-row-and-back nonsense. Tant pis pour moi, eh?
He does killer ballads, and fast stuff slays me even quicker, like this call-to-action song.
[A note for Maureen: I shot my thong onstage during the first set when he played my favorite song, “Am I Wrong?” I’m sure he was wearing it during the second set.]
We gotta do something and we got to do it fast
Cause the people are hungry, starvin’ and the fuel is low
Don’t wait for Jesus, he ain’t comin’ back no mo’
We gotta sacrifice, have no fear
Shed no blood, shed no tears
We’ve gotta make our move, get out of our way
Cause we’ve been waiting way too long
We don’t weep, we don’t moan
We’ve got a mind of our own
That’s right, we can’t go wrong
If we stand up and be strong
I was at a Dave Grisman concert last fall when the house announced they’d just booked Keb’ Mo’. I tried to get tickets that night, but they weren’t on sale yet. Thanksgiving morning (the day they went on sale) I was bugging my brother-in-law for quiet computer access so I could secretly buy tickets as a present for Tim, who’s a big fan. I got front-row seats.
The concert was last night.
This performance by one of the blues greats may have spoiled me for any future second-row-and-back nonsense. Tant pis pour moi, eh?
He does killer ballads, and fast stuff slays me even quicker, like this call-to-action song.
[A note for Maureen: I shot my thong onstage during the first set when he played my favorite song, “Am I Wrong?” I’m sure he was wearing it during the second set.]
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