New Years Is Coming ...

... so chill out, man. Bring on 2010!

To Appease The Masses (And Just To Post Something)

I know. My last post was almost a month ago. I haven't had anything to say. So, in the spirit of keeping this blog alive and because I laugh every time I see it, here is my favorite commercial of the year. Enjoy!

Love ...

...

1. requires constant communication and reassurance to flourish, much like how a plant needs light and water to grow.
2. is alive and subject to the same rules as any other life on earth.
3. is universal.
4. should not be attached to strings but far-too-often is.
5. , along with Time, can heal any wound.
6. is painful and worth every moment of it.
7. stands by you even when it isn't easy to do so.

... is not ...

1. vacuumed sealed.
2. universally understood.
3. up for negotiation.
4. to be taken for granted.
5. static.
6. limited to one plain of being.
7. to be hoarded away like a life's saving because ...

... Love is best spent on others, and ...

... Love is what you bring into my life and I cherish it more than I can often express.

Random Music Tuesdays: "Ready For A Miracle" by Patti LaBelle And Edwin Hawkins

The movie may have been forgettable, but the soundtrack rocked! With a reworking of a song from a musical, a cover of an Elton John tune, and a most epic classic rock song, this soundtrack was already bitchin'. Throw in a bunch of gospel music and ... well ... how could you not love it?

What's that? Not good enough? You need another reason? Fine. I'll see your skepticism with one gospel legend and raise you one diva with street cred and pipes. And what! I defy you to listen to this and not get religion.

And all God's children say ... AMEN!

Ready For A Miracle - Patti LaBelle And Edwin Hawkins

Random Music Tuesdays: "Fool In The Rain" by Led Zeppelin

Included on their eighth record In Through The Out Door, "Fool In The Rain" was the final song to make the American pop singles charts for Led Zeppelin. It would also be the last time the band recorded together, as drummer John Bonham died of pulmonary edema a year later.

I dig this song because:

1. C'mon ... it's friggin' Led Zeppelin!
2. It has a whistle! Any rock song with a whistle automatically kicks @$$.
3. It has one of the coolest groove lines ever with bassist John Paul Jones at the piano.
4. The whistle marks a samba-style breakdown in the middle of the song. You know I loves me some Latin-influenced music.
5. The song is so damned infectious!

This work of art is over six minutes long (6:13, to be exact) so make sure you've set aside some time before clicking that arrow down there.

Fool In The Rain - Led Zeppelin

Random Music Tuesdays: "Peek-A-Boo" by Siouxsie And The Banshees

Released in 1988, this song was the only Top 100 hit for Siouxsie And The Banshees. It's a tune about a stripper, made incredibly creepy by the heavy use of backmasking the instruments and Siouxsie's use of a different microphone for each line.

Peek-A-Boo - Siouxsie And The Banshees

Sorry ...

... no blogging today or tomorrow. It's just too nice outside. Catch you on Monday, peeps!

No April Fool's Joke

No, my faithful readers, this is the real deal. If you've had it, please let the rest of us know how it is. Until then, I'll try to keep the bile from rising in my throat.

Random Music Tuesdays: "Twenty-Five Miles" by Edwin Starr

Best known for his anti-Vietnam War song War, Edwin Starr had a fairly successful career before his signature hit. The best known of all of his other hits is Twenty-Five Miles, a song about a man desperate to get home to his love. It's a powerful Motown song complete with soul, drums, horns, and ... did I mention soul? There really isn't a lot to say about this song that you won't feel from hearing it.

So hear it. Here it is.

Twenty-Five Miles - Edwin Starr

Bird Watching

My condo building is mostly surrounded by woods. I see plenty of wildlife - the family of ingenious raccoons that raid our dumpster at night, the occasional deer that wanders out into the clearing, the random opossum, and the numerous birds.

Birds I haven't seen in a long time.

Last week, while having a smoke outside, I heard a woodpecker in the woods. A couple days ago, I saw the little feller. He was a Red-cockaded Woodpecker and he was beautiful.

There is a family of Cardinals that live around my building. I see them often. But I can't remember a time in my life when I actually heard a Cardinal. Until today. A male was sitting in a tree no more than 50 yards from where I was standing. And he was trying his best to attract a mate. Cardinals have such a lovely song. I can't believe I've never heard it before.

I also spotted an American Goldfinch. I hadn't seen one of those since I was a child. I remember we had sunflowers in our back yard at one point, and those flower attracted so many Goldfinches. And here I was, so many years later, looking out my window when one stops for a moment along the thickets just on the other side of the fence.

It makes me wonder what else is out there just beyond my windows.

Random Music Tuesdays: "C-lebrity" by Queen + Paul Rodgers

In 1991, Queen lost their bigger-than-life frontman, Freddie Mercury, to AIDS. During the rest of the 1990's, the band put out various compilations, re-releases of albums, and various other performances with other artists.

Bassist John Deacon decided enough was enough and retired from music in 1997. Still, the final two members, guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor, believed that the band wasn't finished saying what it had to say. So, in 2004, they teamed up with singer Paul Rodgers to perform with them at the band's induction into the UK Music Hall of Fame. The chemistry felt right for all involved and they set out for a world tour.

In 2008, the band, newly dubbed Queen + Paul Rodgers, released an album of new material. If you're expecting Queen of the 1970s - 1990's, you will be sorely disappointed. If you're expecting a Bad Company sound, you will be sorely disappointed. What was born out of this collaboration is a mixture of the two ... the hard-rocking theatrics of Queen with the gritty blues rock of Paul Rodgers. It's a combination that shouldn't work but does (mostly). The song featured in today's Random Music is one of my favorites and probably the hardest rocking song on the album.

Enjoy!

C-lebrity - Queen + Paul Rodgers

Random Music Tuesdays: "Get Up" by Mike + The Mechanics

In 1991, Mike + The Mechanics released their third album, Word Of Mouth. While not a commercial success like Mike + The Mechanics and The Living Years, the album was a solid piece of work. In any other year, the album probably would have cracked the Top 40. Unfortunately, it was quickly forgotten after its release due to another album that was released a shortly thereafter.

The opening track was sung by Paul Carrack, channelling his inner Paul Young. It's a terribly catchy tune that will hopefully brighten up your day a little.

Get Up - Mike + The Mechanics

Random Music Tuesdays: "Let The Good Times Roll" by Chuck Brown and Eva Cassidy

Today's Random Music is focusing on a pairing of two of D.C.'s finest.

In 1992, a powerfully talented young singer was introduced to "The Godfather of Go-Go". This unlikely duo went on to record the album The Other Side, a collection of jazz, blues and soul standards, some of which were recorded live. The whole album is a gem, particularly because of how well it showcases Brown's rich, soulful baritone and Cassidy's emotive soprano.

I've chosen the first song on the disc because it has almost everything I require from a song: horns, drums, guitar, powerful vocals, and singers simply having a good time. It is hardly the best song on the album - there are a couple others that tug at the soul (as all good jazz and blues should do). I recommend that you do yourself a huge favor - buy this album and play it until you wear the electrons out.

Let The Good Times Roll - Chuck Brown And Eva Cassidy

Still Here, Just A Tad Busy

Hey there. Remember me? Yeah, I hardly remember me, either. I do apologize for the lack of blogging. Life has been busy and I'm just trying to keep pace. I will have some goodies for you next week (don't get too excited ... it's not like I'm giving away cars). In the meantime, enjoy this fantastic weather we're having, all you Mid-Atlantic readers.

Random Music Tuesdays: "Mama Look-A Boo Boo (Mama Look-A Bubu)" by Harry Belafonte and Danny Kaye

It's been a while since I've brought you random music so I think it's about time I bring it back. To start us off anew, I figured I would present a video (a first for Random Music Tuesdays!). This is Harry and Danny performing one of Harry's biggest hits on The Danny Kaye Show on 27 April 1966.

There is some confusion among people about this song; people can't seem to understand it. I think this confusion is rooted in the Americanized title of the song. The most popular spelling for the title is "Mama Look-A Boo Boo", which makes this a completely nonsensical song. However, the alternate spelling, which I included in this post title, is "Mama Look-A Bubu", which makes much more sense since bubu is Jamaican slang for fool. Keep that in mind as you listen to the lyrics.

Enjoy!

Harry Belafonte and Danny Kaye
Uploaded by paleopale

Hello? Is Anybody Home?

*cough cough* Hey! Diarist! Diarist? Hello?! *cough cough*

Oh! Um ... hi! Hello there! You startled me.

Yeah. Well, your door was open. What's with all the *cough cough* cobwebs? Did your cleaner take a vacation or something? Is this some emo trip you're on that we should know about?

Sorry about that. I've been busy with other things. You know, like making ends meet and keeping a roof over my head. But I'll clean up around here soon. I promise.

Mmm hmm. Just like you promised that ...

He-e-e-e-e-ey. Have you seen the whole house? I know you in the back have. But you, the eager one. Have you? No? Then ixnay on the omisespray and have a look around. And when you're done (and I haven't tidied up any) there are some fantastic links on the right to some fantastic reading that could occupy your time until I get my sh!t together here.

Go on now. Enjoy!

But don't break anything.

Random Thoughts (NYC Edition)

I've had a few clouds passing through my brain this week and I thought I'd share. Lucky you.

1. Big cities are big cities. Although they each have their own flavor, they're pretty much all the same. I feel just as comfortable and "at home" here as I do in The District.
2. New Yorkers aren't as dickish as their caracatures would lead one to believe. But then maybe I haven't met any real New Yorkers yet.
3. The only advantage that New York City has over Washington, D.C., that I can tell, is sheer volume. Them's hardly be braggin' rights.
4. Speaking of volume, it seems that, no matter the neighborhood in NYC, there is a Starbucks on every friggin' corner. This is both a fantastic thing and a blight on the face of the earth.
5. Macs rule. I hate that I had to take my Vista instead.
6. As fun as this trip has been, it will never trump last year's trip with The Brain.
7. That last thought makes me sad.
8. Oh ... did I mention how fantastic Mario Spinetti is? I did? Well, he is.
9. Buses should never be cancelled over 1.5" of snow. This would never happen in The District. *cough cough*
10. The more work I do with music, the more I hunger to be doing music for a living. It makes me wish I had been born 15 years later than I was. Yeah, yeah ... it's never to late to blah, blah, blah. Reality is that in certain areas of life it is too late. The music business is a young person's game -- start young, make it young. Technology has truly brought power down from the few to the many and if it had been around when I was younger I would have a musical career today.

Random Music: "Emanuel" by The Consort

Are you sick of Christmas music yet? No? Great! Because I have another song for you.

The song I'm offering today is an original composition and, thus far, has only been performed by The Charles County Consort. The lyrics were written by Yours Truly and the music was composed by Lyn Schramm. This is the only performance (of which I am aware) that was captured on "tape". This is a live performance at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Lexington Park, MD during The Sanford Concert Series Christmas Concert 2006.

Enjoy!

Emanuel - The Consort

Random Music: "Over My Head (Cable Car)" by The Fray

The song says it all.

Random Video Of The Week (EXPLICIT)