I can't recall how many times I've played those songs. I can recall that most of the times I've played them Halloween was approaching. There's just not that many decent Halloween tunes out there.
Spooky was first done by Classics IV in 1967. The version I recall most clearly is from the Atlanta Rhythm Section, which is comprised of some former members of Classics IV. But the Classics IV version is probably the most widely heard outside the South. Here's Classics IV doing it & here's ARS doing it live.
But how many tunes talk about proposing on Halloween? So it was almost destined to replace the few other tunes that had a Halloween connection. Think about it - would you rather hear Spooky or Monster Mash? Case rested.
Moondance is a Van Morrison number & consequently the name of one of his (in my humble opinion) best albums. And It Stoned Me, Into The Mystic, & Crazy Love would have made it a decent piece of vinyl (that's what those big CD's were made of back in the time before dirt) but adding Moondance really set it on the upper shelf. Here's a vid of the tune set to a neat slideshow.
Moondance is a jazzy little tune that can be swung or downplayed. You can take it too far in either direction but you almost have to try. At the heart of it is a really sweet little love song.
"Can I have just one more moondance with you, my love?
Can I just make some more romance with you, my love?"
Corny? Perhaps. But sweet. & most women will forgive corny if it's done in a sweet way (least I think so; if not that would explain all those failed relationships wouldn't it?)
A ton of jazz artists have covered Moondance. Too many to mention them all. But Paul Brown does a very tender, thoughtful version. A fellow name of Michael Buble does a more swinging version but his voice is smooth enough that it works well (plus the band doesn't over-swing it). Here's a vid of it set to a slideshow of Buble.
So if I had had an actual gig in October odds are I'd have done Spooky & Moondance. & honestly that'd have been alright as they're not bad tunes even if you don't care for Halloween. & I don't care for Halloween. Not that I hate it but it just never was a favorite holiday.
The neighborhood I grew up in was fairly rough. Not mid-60's Viet-Nam kinda rough but when I talked to an Army recruiter & he saw my zip code & found out I had never been shot he told me I could skip basic & jump right in as an E-6. On our property tax forms we did have a space for "ammo expenditures".
Back to the point - I grew up with my grandparents & they were getting on up there by the time I was a young teenager. When I was about 13 my grandfather called me into his room & told me to pick up his shotgun. He looked at me & said, "Boy, I'm getting too old & I don't see that good no more. Anyone tries to break in you gonna have to take care of 'em." So I was more or less in charge of security.
When I was 15 I had a gig on Halloween. Not a great gig - in fact that exposed me to the wonderful world of the music biz - we got ripped off. When I got back home my grandmother told me that someone had been beating on the door & threatened to break it down if they didn't give them money. They called the cops & set the hourglass to see how quick the response time was. It really was quicker to call Domino's & ask them to bring a .357 with them. But the miscreants left without doing much more than scaring a couple of old people. Well & really pissing me off. I have a soft spot for old folks & especially those old folks I'm typing about here.
So after that I spent most Halloweens as a teenager staying around the house & making sure no one tried anything unsavory. Luckily it was a fairly boring endeavor.
After my grandparents passed I did some partying on Halloween, but I was in college & we partied damn near every day anyway (least it seemed) so most were parties that just happened to occur on Halloween. We always wondered why everyone dressed funny on some days but didn't think too much of it.
So Halloween was never on my list of "great days of the year". But that doesn't mean I don't like the music. Well, except for Monster Mash.
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Monday, October 23, 2006
A Change Gonna Come
Sam Cooke. An appropriate title & an appropriate song for what I'm going to bitch about tonight. Here's the tune set to an appropriate slideshow.
Where I work there are four folks I don't care for. It's mutual. They'd vote me off the island in the first round & I'd let them. But one in particular is grating as hell. Because of him I thought seriously about getting fired tonight.
He's about 17 or 18. Good looking kid. Kinda scrawny. He's also borderline incompetent at his job, has no sense of personal responsibility & can generally be described as a punk. All that would be bearable except he's a bigot & misogynist.
Twice before he's uttered the "N" word quite loudly & conversationally. So twice before I've explained to him that it's not just an uncool thing for a punk-ass little white kid to be saying, but it could be perilous. A few others have had this chat with him as well.
A few weeks back he casually, in conversation called a young lady who works there a bitch. This particular young lady is one of the few people up there who actually works & I'm quite fond of her. So the boss stepped in front of me as I was heading towards him & the boss more or less cut me off.
Now let me preface this a bit. I'm not a very violent person. I do have a very bad & quick temper, but I've had the temper my whole life & I've worked very hard at controlling it. To tell ya the truth I'm kinda proud of how well I do control it. Most folks who piss me off usually don't realize it & I usually let a lot of things slide. Course being a smart ass takes up some of that slack but that's something else to talk about some other time.
So tonight I hear the little crusty minded punk drop the "N" bomb again. From across a very noisy room. First time I'd heard it from him in a month or more. Hell I thought our last chat about the matter had impressed upon him the importance of not being that disrespectful. But nope.
I actually stopped what I was doing for a moment before I spoke to him. I called his name out across the room & asked him what he said. He repeated the first part then said, "& that word that you don't like so I ain't gonna say it again".
What surprised me was I actually thought about it for a few seconds. Not his response but where to find another source of income. I thought this because it was entirely too tempting to grab his scrawny ass & give him a redneck -to-punk translation of "you done run off at the mouth too much".
I didn't. I restrained myself as I have done in the past But that I thought about it seriously for a second or two gave me pause.
I'm old. I'll be 35 in a few weeks. The kid is about half my age. He's probably got some speed & he's cocky enough that I don't think he's afraid of me. & I'm not a big macho "I'll kick everybody's ass while drinking a beer" type guy. I can count the number of fights I've gotten into on one hand & I generally don't like getting into them. But I can have a mean side & this punk wouldn't be any trouble at all. Worrying about my safety or the outcome of the confrontation didn't stop me.
Maybe it was the moral implication. In theory we're all supposed to be able to say whatever we wish without fear of torture so maybe I felt that it would just be wrong to physically correct the punk for being an idiot. Course back home when I was growing up a fight between two people over words was not uncommon. & it did have some societal value.
Whatever the reason though I doubt I'll lose control & take him to the woodshed. But damn if it ain't a tempting notion. & I don't like that it's a tempting notion.
Again I am not a bad ass of any type. Nor am I a bully (the punk is a few inches taller & probably within a few pounds of my weight). What I am is Southern. The neighborhood I grew up in was mostly black. Most of the bands I've been in I've been the only white guy. Hell some clubs I've played in I've been the only white guy in the room. I've been in places in my life where the bands would ask me to go in & tell them if it seemed safe for black folk. I've had run ins with klansmen & klansmen wannabes (more the latter than the former & nothing like the run ins that occurred in the 50's & 60's). I have one buddy who remembers me as the first (& as far as I know only) white guy he ever had over to his house for dinner (on the phone his wife called to him that "white Mike" was on the line).
I've also had some interesting moments with people who found out I was from the South & assumed I was a klansman. So maybe I'm just a bit culturally sensitive about things. But a punk who isn't even old enough to buy smokes that grew up in a middle class neighborhood in Colorado has no fucking business dropping the "N" word casually. Hell he's probably only seen images of black people.
I'll resolve this tomorrow though. I'm going to have a chat with the big boss & explain how proud I am of my restraint when the punk runs his mouth & how I'm not fond of being proud. I doubt it'll have any repercussions for me even though I know I'm going to phrase it roughly but there is a chance that I could get the axe over this (in a big company anything can happen no matter how nonsensical. Well especially if it's nonsensical.).
Still, this is the 21rst century. It still kind of bugs me that this kind of thing could happen. But then again it doesn't. Human nature hasn't really changed for a few thousand years & I doubt that streak will be broken in the next few hundred years.
But what will change is the punks vocabulary.
Where I work there are four folks I don't care for. It's mutual. They'd vote me off the island in the first round & I'd let them. But one in particular is grating as hell. Because of him I thought seriously about getting fired tonight.
He's about 17 or 18. Good looking kid. Kinda scrawny. He's also borderline incompetent at his job, has no sense of personal responsibility & can generally be described as a punk. All that would be bearable except he's a bigot & misogynist.
Twice before he's uttered the "N" word quite loudly & conversationally. So twice before I've explained to him that it's not just an uncool thing for a punk-ass little white kid to be saying, but it could be perilous. A few others have had this chat with him as well.
A few weeks back he casually, in conversation called a young lady who works there a bitch. This particular young lady is one of the few people up there who actually works & I'm quite fond of her. So the boss stepped in front of me as I was heading towards him & the boss more or less cut me off.
Now let me preface this a bit. I'm not a very violent person. I do have a very bad & quick temper, but I've had the temper my whole life & I've worked very hard at controlling it. To tell ya the truth I'm kinda proud of how well I do control it. Most folks who piss me off usually don't realize it & I usually let a lot of things slide. Course being a smart ass takes up some of that slack but that's something else to talk about some other time.
So tonight I hear the little crusty minded punk drop the "N" bomb again. From across a very noisy room. First time I'd heard it from him in a month or more. Hell I thought our last chat about the matter had impressed upon him the importance of not being that disrespectful. But nope.
I actually stopped what I was doing for a moment before I spoke to him. I called his name out across the room & asked him what he said. He repeated the first part then said, "& that word that you don't like so I ain't gonna say it again".
What surprised me was I actually thought about it for a few seconds. Not his response but where to find another source of income. I thought this because it was entirely too tempting to grab his scrawny ass & give him a redneck -to-punk translation of "you done run off at the mouth too much".
I didn't. I restrained myself as I have done in the past But that I thought about it seriously for a second or two gave me pause.
I'm old. I'll be 35 in a few weeks. The kid is about half my age. He's probably got some speed & he's cocky enough that I don't think he's afraid of me. & I'm not a big macho "I'll kick everybody's ass while drinking a beer" type guy. I can count the number of fights I've gotten into on one hand & I generally don't like getting into them. But I can have a mean side & this punk wouldn't be any trouble at all. Worrying about my safety or the outcome of the confrontation didn't stop me.
Maybe it was the moral implication. In theory we're all supposed to be able to say whatever we wish without fear of torture so maybe I felt that it would just be wrong to physically correct the punk for being an idiot. Course back home when I was growing up a fight between two people over words was not uncommon. & it did have some societal value.
Whatever the reason though I doubt I'll lose control & take him to the woodshed. But damn if it ain't a tempting notion. & I don't like that it's a tempting notion.
Again I am not a bad ass of any type. Nor am I a bully (the punk is a few inches taller & probably within a few pounds of my weight). What I am is Southern. The neighborhood I grew up in was mostly black. Most of the bands I've been in I've been the only white guy. Hell some clubs I've played in I've been the only white guy in the room. I've been in places in my life where the bands would ask me to go in & tell them if it seemed safe for black folk. I've had run ins with klansmen & klansmen wannabes (more the latter than the former & nothing like the run ins that occurred in the 50's & 60's). I have one buddy who remembers me as the first (& as far as I know only) white guy he ever had over to his house for dinner (on the phone his wife called to him that "white Mike" was on the line).
I've also had some interesting moments with people who found out I was from the South & assumed I was a klansman. So maybe I'm just a bit culturally sensitive about things. But a punk who isn't even old enough to buy smokes that grew up in a middle class neighborhood in Colorado has no fucking business dropping the "N" word casually. Hell he's probably only seen images of black people.
I'll resolve this tomorrow though. I'm going to have a chat with the big boss & explain how proud I am of my restraint when the punk runs his mouth & how I'm not fond of being proud. I doubt it'll have any repercussions for me even though I know I'm going to phrase it roughly but there is a chance that I could get the axe over this (in a big company anything can happen no matter how nonsensical. Well especially if it's nonsensical.).
Still, this is the 21rst century. It still kind of bugs me that this kind of thing could happen. But then again it doesn't. Human nature hasn't really changed for a few thousand years & I doubt that streak will be broken in the next few hundred years.
But what will change is the punks vocabulary.
Saturday, October 21, 2006
Did I Shave My Legs For This?
Deana Carter. Cute song. Here's a vid of it. I won't be talking about it though. It just made for a convenient title.
Ever have a bad day? I mean everything went wrong that could go wrong that you didn't think would or could go wrong. Well welcome to my friggin' decade.
The main thing I wish to bitc, er I mean discuss is the alleged gig last night.
Benefits are always fucked up. The timing is never as planned & there are always problems. If it's for a good cause it's usually bearable & tonight is no exception. Hell, the guy has cancer. When I heard people ask how much time he has left the reply was simply "not much". So I'll put up with some hassle if it helps the guy out.
That does not mean I shan't bitch about it.
The band that fronted the thing was pretty decent. The drummer was a show off in a very entertaining way. At one point he left the kit & was playing tables, beer bottles, shot glasses, etc... all the way around the bar. The stage was crowded as hell though. The drum kit took up the front third of the stage. The guitar player had a Marshall half stack taking up most of the left third (that'd be stage left) & the bass & other guitar players & percussionist had to crowd into the right third.
They took a break & I went for a smoke. I told the guy who asked me to play that I'd be outside & to holler when they needed me. So I was sitting there smoking talking to some girl who just moved up from Texas when I heard the band crank up again. They obviously went ahead & used the other guitar player first. No biggie but I felt slightly slighted that they didn't let me know what was happening. Still, no biggie.
I had some friends come out (thanks y'all) & spent some time chatting with them. They're an older couple & the guy plays guitar. Real damn well I might add. I've seen his band play a few times & this was the first chance he had to return the favor. So I was touched that they made it out, especially since I met them through an ex-g/f.
So the band takes a break. I go up to see what's shaking. The main band is going to play a set by themselves. I'm feeling a little shaky about things but it's still cool. They play & when they take another break I set up my amp. The stage is so crowded I'm standing on the floor in front of the stage & one of the mains (that'd be main speakers). Again no biggie; good cause & all.
We do three tunes before we take another break. I can't even recall what the second & third songs were. The first was Old Time Rock'n'Roll. I remember it so well because A: I used to play in an oldies/50's/doo-wop band that opened the main show with that one & B: cause it was the only solo I got all set. & that was split with the other guitar player.
So we take a break & I'm feeling uneasy about the other guitar player. There's a certain etiquette involved in sharing a stage, especially with someone who plays your instrument. You do a little deferring to the other guy if it's your gig. When I had other guitar players sit in with my bands I always made sure they got to play. Not just hanging in the background trying to scrape out a rhythm from what I left over, but they got to play. But some musicians (especially guitar players) tend to hog all they can. Still it was for a good cause so I was trying to be cool about things.
We got back up & played a few more tunes. Again no solos. I was pretty much trying to find parts that the other guitar player wasn't playing as a rhythm & not soloing at all. Then they introduce me & the percussion player to the audience. Now keep in mind I'm having trouble hearing what tunes they're calling out cause the guitar player is doing the calling from the other side of the stage & ain't bothering to clue me in. No biggie as I catch on quick, but I must not have heard them say they were going the rest of it alone. The guitar player then finally decides to pay me some attention. He does so by saying quite loudly while looking directly at me "Don't accompany us. We know this one."
So I put down my guitar & went outside to have a smoke. It's bad manners where I come from to tear down your gear while the other guys are playing. So I chill. I make a mental note that though it won't likely come up in any meaningful way I'll never play with that bloated ass ham sandwich swiping crusty toed omnivorous bastard that's playing a six string cranked up way too loud for the room. But otherwise I chill.
I grab my gear when they're through playing then chat with my buddy & his wife for a few as they're leaving. He at least heard enough of my playing that he wants me to get together with him & show him some jazz stuff (he's a helluva blues player) which flattered me. I figured they couldn't have heard much of anything I was doing through the other person behind an instrument that vaguely resembled mine but apparently they did.
To be fair the guy was an alright guitar player. He was just ill mannered.
After my friends split I made it a point to shake everyone's hand in the band but his. I grabbed my gear & left.
That was pretty much it. Not the worst playing experience I've ever had; unfortunately I've run into some rude bastards on various stages. But it was an unaccustomed low point in my attempts at a career out here.
What makes it worse is that the guy who invited me out is looking to put together a band. I can't say I'm as thrilled at his proposal as I was before tonight. The company he keeps is going to make me question his manners. Don't get me wrong; as long as the cash is right I'll play. Course I know damn well the price I set to play with that guitar player from last night will be nigh on ridiculously high.
& that was the highlight of my day. It started off with a date that was going well for a while but unfortunately ended on a less than pleasant note coupled with another visit from the neighborhood crack ho' (to be fair I have no idea if she's a "ho" or not, but she does seem to be on the rock.). Babygirl wanted to use the phone & ended up hanging out for about 30 minutes (when I was trying to get ready & split for the gig) till her connecti, er friend came to pick her up. & no; I still didn't sleep with her. Actually I feel bad for her & I've kinda always been a soft touch for strays. So I let her use the phone & try to talk her into treating herself better. She claims she agrees with what I tell her but I know it's just bullshit to her. She won't change anytime soon & eventually I'll cut her off (there are pay phones within walking distance) but for now I feel sorry for the girl.
& the date - I can't really discuss it, even here & with anonymity for the other party because I realized afterwards that I have some problems that I have to deal with that have effected her so I have to chat with her about things before I feel cool disclosing anything else. Suffice it to say it wasn't anything horrific it just should have went cooler for both of us cause we're pretty good friends.
So that was my Friday night. It sucked, but at least it sucked for a good cause.
To those of you who didn't make it out I'm really kinda glad you didn't. I'm not mega-egotistical but I always felt that if you get disrespected it should be done in front of as few of your friends as possible.
& no I didn't shave my legs for that. I just wish I wouldn't have worn my good heels.
One last gripe. It was supposed to be a blues gig but they mainly did classic rock stuff. It was alright & all, but not as soothing. So I've got ye olde music engine cranked to my Blues playlist & I'm going just think about times when it felt better to feel bad.
Ever have a bad day? I mean everything went wrong that could go wrong that you didn't think would or could go wrong. Well welcome to my friggin' decade.
The main thing I wish to bitc, er I mean discuss is the alleged gig last night.
Benefits are always fucked up. The timing is never as planned & there are always problems. If it's for a good cause it's usually bearable & tonight is no exception. Hell, the guy has cancer. When I heard people ask how much time he has left the reply was simply "not much". So I'll put up with some hassle if it helps the guy out.
That does not mean I shan't bitch about it.
The band that fronted the thing was pretty decent. The drummer was a show off in a very entertaining way. At one point he left the kit & was playing tables, beer bottles, shot glasses, etc... all the way around the bar. The stage was crowded as hell though. The drum kit took up the front third of the stage. The guitar player had a Marshall half stack taking up most of the left third (that'd be stage left) & the bass & other guitar players & percussionist had to crowd into the right third.
They took a break & I went for a smoke. I told the guy who asked me to play that I'd be outside & to holler when they needed me. So I was sitting there smoking talking to some girl who just moved up from Texas when I heard the band crank up again. They obviously went ahead & used the other guitar player first. No biggie but I felt slightly slighted that they didn't let me know what was happening. Still, no biggie.
I had some friends come out (thanks y'all) & spent some time chatting with them. They're an older couple & the guy plays guitar. Real damn well I might add. I've seen his band play a few times & this was the first chance he had to return the favor. So I was touched that they made it out, especially since I met them through an ex-g/f.
So the band takes a break. I go up to see what's shaking. The main band is going to play a set by themselves. I'm feeling a little shaky about things but it's still cool. They play & when they take another break I set up my amp. The stage is so crowded I'm standing on the floor in front of the stage & one of the mains (that'd be main speakers). Again no biggie; good cause & all.
We do three tunes before we take another break. I can't even recall what the second & third songs were. The first was Old Time Rock'n'Roll. I remember it so well because A: I used to play in an oldies/50's/doo-wop band that opened the main show with that one & B: cause it was the only solo I got all set. & that was split with the other guitar player.
So we take a break & I'm feeling uneasy about the other guitar player. There's a certain etiquette involved in sharing a stage, especially with someone who plays your instrument. You do a little deferring to the other guy if it's your gig. When I had other guitar players sit in with my bands I always made sure they got to play. Not just hanging in the background trying to scrape out a rhythm from what I left over, but they got to play. But some musicians (especially guitar players) tend to hog all they can. Still it was for a good cause so I was trying to be cool about things.
We got back up & played a few more tunes. Again no solos. I was pretty much trying to find parts that the other guitar player wasn't playing as a rhythm & not soloing at all. Then they introduce me & the percussion player to the audience. Now keep in mind I'm having trouble hearing what tunes they're calling out cause the guitar player is doing the calling from the other side of the stage & ain't bothering to clue me in. No biggie as I catch on quick, but I must not have heard them say they were going the rest of it alone. The guitar player then finally decides to pay me some attention. He does so by saying quite loudly while looking directly at me "Don't accompany us. We know this one."
So I put down my guitar & went outside to have a smoke. It's bad manners where I come from to tear down your gear while the other guys are playing. So I chill. I make a mental note that though it won't likely come up in any meaningful way I'll never play with that bloated ass ham sandwich swiping crusty toed omnivorous bastard that's playing a six string cranked up way too loud for the room. But otherwise I chill.
I grab my gear when they're through playing then chat with my buddy & his wife for a few as they're leaving. He at least heard enough of my playing that he wants me to get together with him & show him some jazz stuff (he's a helluva blues player) which flattered me. I figured they couldn't have heard much of anything I was doing through the other person behind an instrument that vaguely resembled mine but apparently they did.
To be fair the guy was an alright guitar player. He was just ill mannered.
After my friends split I made it a point to shake everyone's hand in the band but his. I grabbed my gear & left.
That was pretty much it. Not the worst playing experience I've ever had; unfortunately I've run into some rude bastards on various stages. But it was an unaccustomed low point in my attempts at a career out here.
What makes it worse is that the guy who invited me out is looking to put together a band. I can't say I'm as thrilled at his proposal as I was before tonight. The company he keeps is going to make me question his manners. Don't get me wrong; as long as the cash is right I'll play. Course I know damn well the price I set to play with that guitar player from last night will be nigh on ridiculously high.
& that was the highlight of my day. It started off with a date that was going well for a while but unfortunately ended on a less than pleasant note coupled with another visit from the neighborhood crack ho' (to be fair I have no idea if she's a "ho" or not, but she does seem to be on the rock.). Babygirl wanted to use the phone & ended up hanging out for about 30 minutes (when I was trying to get ready & split for the gig) till her connecti, er friend came to pick her up. & no; I still didn't sleep with her. Actually I feel bad for her & I've kinda always been a soft touch for strays. So I let her use the phone & try to talk her into treating herself better. She claims she agrees with what I tell her but I know it's just bullshit to her. She won't change anytime soon & eventually I'll cut her off (there are pay phones within walking distance) but for now I feel sorry for the girl.
& the date - I can't really discuss it, even here & with anonymity for the other party because I realized afterwards that I have some problems that I have to deal with that have effected her so I have to chat with her about things before I feel cool disclosing anything else. Suffice it to say it wasn't anything horrific it just should have went cooler for both of us cause we're pretty good friends.
So that was my Friday night. It sucked, but at least it sucked for a good cause.
To those of you who didn't make it out I'm really kinda glad you didn't. I'm not mega-egotistical but I always felt that if you get disrespected it should be done in front of as few of your friends as possible.
& no I didn't shave my legs for that. I just wish I wouldn't have worn my good heels.
One last gripe. It was supposed to be a blues gig but they mainly did classic rock stuff. It was alright & all, but not as soothing. So I've got ye olde music engine cranked to my Blues playlist & I'm going just think about times when it felt better to feel bad.
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Bed Of Roses
Jon Bon Jovi always aggravated me. Not sure why but for the longest time he just plain out got on my nerves. I think it was partly cause he wrote so damn well. Cheesy yes, but for the genre he wrote in his style was damn near perfect. Having a potential g/f who asked me if I'd cut my hair like his once didn't help though. Needless to say it didn't work out. Well for me at least. Jovi seems to have done alright.
The tune in question is one of his sappier ballads. But no one is better at writing sappy hard rock/glam rock/pop rock ballads. Here's the vid.
"Sitting here wasted & wounded at this old piano
trying hard to capture the moment - this morning I don't know
Cause a bottle of vodka is still lodged in my head
& some blonde gave me nightmares - I think that she's still in my bed
As I dream about movies they won't make of me when I'm dead"
The song is about a guy in a band on the road who despite having female company misses someone very badly. It's not as uncommon as you think. Or as common as you think.
When I was on the road I knew a lot of musicians who really cared for their mates but would sleep around. Sometimes the women at home knew what was going on, sometimes they didn't. Personally I never played around while I was obligated but I damn well understood the temptations. (Temptations sing - oh, sorry - Rick James flashback). I also knew quite a few who didn't sleep around. Those were the ones I trusted with bail money. Not that I ever needed it (except that once but I promise I never saw that Llama before in my life) but ya never know.
But all musicians, even humble modest ones such as myself, have dreams of fame. The line about dreaming of movies they won't make of him when he's dead - that resonates with most of us whether we admit it or not. His acceptance that it's not going to happen hits us too cause eventually we realize that there won't be a movie about us when we die. Besides, movies about most musicians would be lucky to get an "XXX" rating. Still, we dream.
The second verse contains one of my most favorite cheesy ass lines that I've ever heard sung out loud - including all the country I've listened to.
"with an iron clad fist I wake up & French kiss the morning
While some marching band keeps its own beat in my head while we're talking
about all of the things I long to believe about love, the truth, what you mean to me
& the truth is baby - you're all that I need"
You don't know how many times I've been hung over, put on a metallic glove & tried to french kiss the morning. I've found that the morning much prefers a simple peck on the cheek & perhaps a light hug.
But again I can relate - at least partially. There are a lot of things I wanted desperately to believe when I was younger & in some cases would still like to believe. & some of those things concern love & the truth. But the world is a very cold place that makes belief in some notions more difficult than it should be. Still musicians being the emotional lot we are tend to cling to those beliefs despite great obstacles, like reality. Hence the hangovers.
The chorus:
"I want to lay you down on a bed of roses
for tonight I sleep on a bed of nails
I want to be just as close as the Holy ghost is
and lay you down on a bed of roses"
Yes; it's cheesy as hell. But emotions are cheesy things in general. Deep ones especially so. It's really hard to be cool when you're being honest about how you feel if you feel deeply about someone. Try it & if I'm wrong give me pointers.
He's saying in a poetic fashion that even though he's "gettin' some" it’s torture for him because he'd much rather be with someone else. He just wants to be as close to her as possible physically & spiritually. It's the separation that causes his pain despite trying to distract himself with nightmare causing blondes (which are generally fun at parties & sometimes after parties as well). Call him a dog if you will & you're probably right, but dogs have feelings too ya know. (bow wow wow yippee yo yippee yay - sorry - P-funk flashback)
To the bridge:
"Well there's hotel bars, hangover, whiskey's gone dry
The barkeeper's wig's crooked & she's giving me the eye
I might have said yeah but I laughed so hard I think I died"
It happens. The bartender looks cute but then her wig slips a bit...
It's the repetition of the life that I think he's talking - er, singing about. After the first year or so it becomes much less exciting & you find yourself going through the motions. When you recognize something as typical it usually gives you pause. I know I've damn well laughed at myself at certain times, or laughed at certain re-occurring situations despite their obvious lack of humor. & if you've ever heard one of my jokes you understand what lack of humor is about.
"now as you close your eyes know I'll be thinking about you
while my mistress calls me to stand in her spotlight again
tonight I won't be alone but you know that don't mean I'm not lonely
I've got nothing to prove for it's you that I'd die to defend"
Course the obvious question is if he's got nothing to prove & he'd died to defend his lady then why is he fucking around? But musicians aren't always hip to that whole "logic" thing. Besides it's very possible it's not a committed relationship he's in for whatever reason.
Truthfully though I've been there. I've never cheated on anyone but there have been some situations where I cared for someone but was with someone else. So I can understand the need for having someone right here even though I wished like hell it was someone else with me. A particular someone else that is.
Musically Jovi does his usual job with this type of song - catchy little motifs running throughout a nice chord progression mingled with a catchy melody & thoughtful delivery of all the above. Cheesy as hell? Yes. But well crafted. (Get it? cheesy - crafted? Kraft-ed? I know. I don't have issues; I have subscriptions).
& why the hell am I writing about a cheesy ass Bon Jovi tune in the first friggin' place? Cause it popped up on my player when I felt like writing something. Or maybe I just miss being on the road. Or writing cheesy ass songs thinking that it'd be played during the opening credits of a movie about me. I write, you decide. Or is that deride?
The tune in question is one of his sappier ballads. But no one is better at writing sappy hard rock/glam rock/pop rock ballads. Here's the vid.
"Sitting here wasted & wounded at this old piano
trying hard to capture the moment - this morning I don't know
Cause a bottle of vodka is still lodged in my head
& some blonde gave me nightmares - I think that she's still in my bed
As I dream about movies they won't make of me when I'm dead"
The song is about a guy in a band on the road who despite having female company misses someone very badly. It's not as uncommon as you think. Or as common as you think.
When I was on the road I knew a lot of musicians who really cared for their mates but would sleep around. Sometimes the women at home knew what was going on, sometimes they didn't. Personally I never played around while I was obligated but I damn well understood the temptations. (Temptations sing - oh, sorry - Rick James flashback). I also knew quite a few who didn't sleep around. Those were the ones I trusted with bail money. Not that I ever needed it (except that once but I promise I never saw that Llama before in my life) but ya never know.
But all musicians, even humble modest ones such as myself, have dreams of fame. The line about dreaming of movies they won't make of him when he's dead - that resonates with most of us whether we admit it or not. His acceptance that it's not going to happen hits us too cause eventually we realize that there won't be a movie about us when we die. Besides, movies about most musicians would be lucky to get an "XXX" rating. Still, we dream.
The second verse contains one of my most favorite cheesy ass lines that I've ever heard sung out loud - including all the country I've listened to.
"with an iron clad fist I wake up & French kiss the morning
While some marching band keeps its own beat in my head while we're talking
about all of the things I long to believe about love, the truth, what you mean to me
& the truth is baby - you're all that I need"
You don't know how many times I've been hung over, put on a metallic glove & tried to french kiss the morning. I've found that the morning much prefers a simple peck on the cheek & perhaps a light hug.
But again I can relate - at least partially. There are a lot of things I wanted desperately to believe when I was younger & in some cases would still like to believe. & some of those things concern love & the truth. But the world is a very cold place that makes belief in some notions more difficult than it should be. Still musicians being the emotional lot we are tend to cling to those beliefs despite great obstacles, like reality. Hence the hangovers.
The chorus:
"I want to lay you down on a bed of roses
for tonight I sleep on a bed of nails
I want to be just as close as the Holy ghost is
and lay you down on a bed of roses"
Yes; it's cheesy as hell. But emotions are cheesy things in general. Deep ones especially so. It's really hard to be cool when you're being honest about how you feel if you feel deeply about someone. Try it & if I'm wrong give me pointers.
He's saying in a poetic fashion that even though he's "gettin' some" it’s torture for him because he'd much rather be with someone else. He just wants to be as close to her as possible physically & spiritually. It's the separation that causes his pain despite trying to distract himself with nightmare causing blondes (which are generally fun at parties & sometimes after parties as well). Call him a dog if you will & you're probably right, but dogs have feelings too ya know. (bow wow wow yippee yo yippee yay - sorry - P-funk flashback)
To the bridge:
"Well there's hotel bars, hangover, whiskey's gone dry
The barkeeper's wig's crooked & she's giving me the eye
I might have said yeah but I laughed so hard I think I died"
It happens. The bartender looks cute but then her wig slips a bit...
It's the repetition of the life that I think he's talking - er, singing about. After the first year or so it becomes much less exciting & you find yourself going through the motions. When you recognize something as typical it usually gives you pause. I know I've damn well laughed at myself at certain times, or laughed at certain re-occurring situations despite their obvious lack of humor. & if you've ever heard one of my jokes you understand what lack of humor is about.
"now as you close your eyes know I'll be thinking about you
while my mistress calls me to stand in her spotlight again
tonight I won't be alone but you know that don't mean I'm not lonely
I've got nothing to prove for it's you that I'd die to defend"
Course the obvious question is if he's got nothing to prove & he'd died to defend his lady then why is he fucking around? But musicians aren't always hip to that whole "logic" thing. Besides it's very possible it's not a committed relationship he's in for whatever reason.
Truthfully though I've been there. I've never cheated on anyone but there have been some situations where I cared for someone but was with someone else. So I can understand the need for having someone right here even though I wished like hell it was someone else with me. A particular someone else that is.
Musically Jovi does his usual job with this type of song - catchy little motifs running throughout a nice chord progression mingled with a catchy melody & thoughtful delivery of all the above. Cheesy as hell? Yes. But well crafted. (Get it? cheesy - crafted? Kraft-ed? I know. I don't have issues; I have subscriptions).
& why the hell am I writing about a cheesy ass Bon Jovi tune in the first friggin' place? Cause it popped up on my player when I felt like writing something. Or maybe I just miss being on the road. Or writing cheesy ass songs thinking that it'd be played during the opening credits of a movie about me. I write, you decide. Or is that deride?
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year
The song was written in 1963 by Eddie Pola & George Wyle. Andy Summers recorded it first but it's been done by a host of folks. It's definitely not my favorite x-mas tune but it makes such a damn nice title...
Fall, specifically late fall is the time of year I like best. I suppose it comes from growing up in North Carolina. This time of year meant an end to the heat & I never was a fan of the heat.
I like cold weather. I like snow. I like a lot of the things associated with fall & winter. But an odd one (perhaps) is that this time of year I usually start brushing up on my x-mas tunes.
From early January till mid-November there's really no reason to have x-mas tunes down cold. I've never played "Jingle Bells" in July for some reason. But ages ago I had an early December gig where they asked us to play some x-mas tunes. It was a private party & we were there doing R&B & reggae. I ended up being the only instrument accompanying the rest of the band (they could all sing their asses off) & it was all going great till we hit the bridge of "The Christmas Song" (i.e. "...chestnuts roasting on an open fire..."). For some reason the bridge slipped my mind. Train wrecked all to hell. The lead singer calmly reached back & slapped his hand on the neck of my guitar to stop me from trying to find the damn bridge. Not one of my prouder moments in music but one of my funniest.
So since then around this time of year I start brushing up on my x-mas tunes.
Another odd thing about that is I'm not a Christian. I grew up as one but even then I didn't celebrate x-mas. Still I always dug the music. & since x-mas parties usually pay more than most bar gigs my fondness for the genre didn't diminish over the years.
But another aspect of the fall I dig is the excuse it gives for a few of my favorite things (yes; that was a very bad x-mas tune pun tyvm). The cold & often inclimate weather is a very good excuse for staying in & curling up with someone you care about. But since that's not working out for me at the moment there's another justification - reading.
Last weekend I had an ass-load of stuff to do. & no I've never been able to quantify exactly how much is in an "ass-load". It just means a lot, k? So Friday I bust my ass to knock out most of the things on my agenda. I did that so I could spend all of Saturday doing nothing but reading. I hit Barnes & Noble (a vile, evil place to be avoided at all costs) & - well I was only gonna grab one or two books I really needed. Luckily it's my blog so I don't have to tell you how weak I actually was but let's just say I underestimated my need. In any case I read. All day. All night. First time I'd done that in ages. & it was nice.
Course the neighborhood crack ho' knocking on my door at 3 a.m. needing a ride kinda disturbed the mood but I felt so good about things I gave her a damn ride. That'd be in a car. Um while fully clothed. Actually she's a nice person & I'm not positive she's on the rock, but most of the evidence points that way & yes; she's a cute crack ho' but no - I haven't slept with her. Or had sex with her. (It's sometimes difficult writing for an audience that knows me - I really am very selective about who I sleep with. Damn it.)
Still one of my favorite uses for fall is to spend all day lounging around reading. Doesn’t matter what so long as it has my interest for the moment. The only way to improve on that is to have a lady I care for lounging around reading with me. Not only is it kinda romantic in a "you're too bookish" kinda way but sometimes I do need help with the big words. I am from North Carolina after all. When someone asks if I'm really literate I usually reflexive tell them that yes; my parents were married. By the time of my birth at least.
So from now till the tugging of spring negates the excuse I'll look for days when I can open my windows, shake my head, shiver just slightly & stay the hell in with a good book or at least three decent ones.
In the interest of full disclosure I am re-reading The Master & Margerita by Bulgakov, Starship Troopers by Heinlein & am a third of the way through Time Enough For Love by Heinlein. But the two I'm working on most are We Were Soldiers Once, And Young by Moore & Galloway (A third through so far) & Band of Brothers by Ambrose (I haven't started it yet - but soon my precious. soon.).
So just out of curiosity even if you think I know what you like to read leave me a comment or send me a message (I can dig the anonynimity thing) & tell me what book(s) you'd like to spend the whole day reading when the weather gets a little cooler & you can manage the time.
Fall, specifically late fall is the time of year I like best. I suppose it comes from growing up in North Carolina. This time of year meant an end to the heat & I never was a fan of the heat.
I like cold weather. I like snow. I like a lot of the things associated with fall & winter. But an odd one (perhaps) is that this time of year I usually start brushing up on my x-mas tunes.
From early January till mid-November there's really no reason to have x-mas tunes down cold. I've never played "Jingle Bells" in July for some reason. But ages ago I had an early December gig where they asked us to play some x-mas tunes. It was a private party & we were there doing R&B & reggae. I ended up being the only instrument accompanying the rest of the band (they could all sing their asses off) & it was all going great till we hit the bridge of "The Christmas Song" (i.e. "...chestnuts roasting on an open fire..."). For some reason the bridge slipped my mind. Train wrecked all to hell. The lead singer calmly reached back & slapped his hand on the neck of my guitar to stop me from trying to find the damn bridge. Not one of my prouder moments in music but one of my funniest.
So since then around this time of year I start brushing up on my x-mas tunes.
Another odd thing about that is I'm not a Christian. I grew up as one but even then I didn't celebrate x-mas. Still I always dug the music. & since x-mas parties usually pay more than most bar gigs my fondness for the genre didn't diminish over the years.
But another aspect of the fall I dig is the excuse it gives for a few of my favorite things (yes; that was a very bad x-mas tune pun tyvm). The cold & often inclimate weather is a very good excuse for staying in & curling up with someone you care about. But since that's not working out for me at the moment there's another justification - reading.
Last weekend I had an ass-load of stuff to do. & no I've never been able to quantify exactly how much is in an "ass-load". It just means a lot, k? So Friday I bust my ass to knock out most of the things on my agenda. I did that so I could spend all of Saturday doing nothing but reading. I hit Barnes & Noble (a vile, evil place to be avoided at all costs) & - well I was only gonna grab one or two books I really needed. Luckily it's my blog so I don't have to tell you how weak I actually was but let's just say I underestimated my need. In any case I read. All day. All night. First time I'd done that in ages. & it was nice.
Course the neighborhood crack ho' knocking on my door at 3 a.m. needing a ride kinda disturbed the mood but I felt so good about things I gave her a damn ride. That'd be in a car. Um while fully clothed. Actually she's a nice person & I'm not positive she's on the rock, but most of the evidence points that way & yes; she's a cute crack ho' but no - I haven't slept with her. Or had sex with her. (It's sometimes difficult writing for an audience that knows me - I really am very selective about who I sleep with. Damn it.)
Still one of my favorite uses for fall is to spend all day lounging around reading. Doesn’t matter what so long as it has my interest for the moment. The only way to improve on that is to have a lady I care for lounging around reading with me. Not only is it kinda romantic in a "you're too bookish" kinda way but sometimes I do need help with the big words. I am from North Carolina after all. When someone asks if I'm really literate I usually reflexive tell them that yes; my parents were married. By the time of my birth at least.
So from now till the tugging of spring negates the excuse I'll look for days when I can open my windows, shake my head, shiver just slightly & stay the hell in with a good book or at least three decent ones.
In the interest of full disclosure I am re-reading The Master & Margerita by Bulgakov, Starship Troopers by Heinlein & am a third of the way through Time Enough For Love by Heinlein. But the two I'm working on most are We Were Soldiers Once, And Young by Moore & Galloway (A third through so far) & Band of Brothers by Ambrose (I haven't started it yet - but soon my precious. soon.).
So just out of curiosity even if you think I know what you like to read leave me a comment or send me a message (I can dig the anonynimity thing) & tell me what book(s) you'd like to spend the whole day reading when the weather gets a little cooler & you can manage the time.
Sunday, October 15, 2006
Who Wants To Live Forever?
A Queen tune off the soundtrack for the movie Highlander (& the Queen album Some Kind Of Magic). Here's the vid.
It's one of the most beautiful, sad & poignant pieces of music in film that I've ever heard. It plays during the scene in the movie where the Highlander is watching his wife grow old & die. the Highlander, being an immortal is kinda messed up by this turn of events & the music playing in the background adds to the emotions conveyed in the scene.
There are a few tunes I can think of that are sadder, but not many.
"There's no time for us
There's no place for us
What is this thing that builds our dreams yet slips away from us?
Who wants to live forever?
Who wants to live forever?"
The orchestration is very simple. Almost but not quite understated. An organ with scattering of faintly heard strings through the verse. Then the chorus ("who wants to live forever?") is damn near exquisitely done. A simple ascending melody divided by syllables of the lyrics (a 3 note rise in other words - "who wants" on C then up a step to D for "to live" then up a step to E for "forever") with the strings just a bit louder touching on a descending harmony then providing a consequent motif as the vocals fade just a bit. Then the words repeat but the melody picks up where it left off instead of repeating. In other words the melody is a third higher on the reprise. The strings repeat their descending accompaniment but additional vocals provide texture to the melody as it starts on E then rises another step to F.. then another half step to G.
"There's no chance for us
It's all decided for us
This world has only one sweet moment set aside for us
Who wants to live forever?
Who wants to live forever?"
The strings come in a bit more on the second verse, giving a nice flavor to the melody without detracting from it too much. They do a very nice job of emoting the anxiety & tension consistent with the text then resolving it prior to the second chorus.
But the second chorus; the strings come in a more noticeable role giving a harmony as well as the counterpoint from the first chorus. The second half of the chorus has them coming up to a nice crescendo (along with the vocal harmonies - Mercury was always too damn good at that) that leads to the strings taking the melody over for the first half of what would be the next repeat of the chorus. The second half has a build up that's a continuation of what the strings did just prior but with Mercury adding a new line of text:
"Who dares to love forever?"
Which climaxes in a suspended chord as he moans & the guitar comes in to heighten the tension. Then it resolves to the minor root of the song as Mercury adds:
"When love must die"
But that's not enough. An instrumental section with May picking out a simple & tasteful melody leads to a heavier more anxious part:
"But touch my tears with your lips
Touch my world with your fingertips"
The strings are providing an almost staccato rhythm as the drums come in playing half time behind the lyrics.
Then they kick it in. The drums come in full & the strings are supplemented by very heavy chords from the guitar. It's the same chord progression & melody as the chorus just heightened in flavor & intensity. The lyrics are:
"And we can have forever
And we can love forever
Forever is our today"
But that's not enough either. Mercury decides to show off. There are few better at stacking harmonies than the late Freddie Mercury & the next chorus is a perfect example of this. I'm counting 4 part harmonies not including octaves covered by at least 6 voices & I know I'm not counting it all.
"Who wants to live forever?
Who wants to live forever?
Forever is our today"
Then it calms down a bit. The high-hat keeps an 8th note count while the strings fade & Mercury asks
"Who waits forever anyway?"
Strings take us out with a momentary build up that leads you to believe it's going to go on for a bit. Horns come in here & there & there's some nice minimalist guitar work. Then the organ suspends a chord & the strings resolve it, fading out on tonic chord. 9e-minor in this case).
But it's dry as hell to describe a song. Kinda like telling someone who's never had it how fried black sea bass tastes.
The feeling though - every song either inspires us to feel or think something or it doesn't. & what that feeling or thought is will vary with each person. There's no way to predict it (though usually you can have a general idea of the direction it may take in someone else) but it's hard to fathom that a song that causes strong feelings or thoughts in you wouldn't have the same effect on someone else. Still I'm left with talking about my impression. Your mileage may vary.
Again the first time I heard the song was in that scene from Highlander & it was damn near poetic in context. Still the song by itself is not to be discounted.
The saddest songs I know of aren't totally pessimistic. There's a good deal of pessimism involved but that'd just make them depressing momentarily & you'd soon just get on with things.
What makes a really great sad song is having a glimmer of hope - just a glimmer. Unrequited love is sad, but not as sad as when someone thinks there's still some sort of chance.
In real life we usually take unhappy endings as they come & when they're finally we move on. Not that it's easy or quick but most of us know the process & muddle through somehow. When a loved one dies it sucks but there's nothing to be done or hoped for in this world so you deal with it. But when there's a glimmer of hope - just the tiniest sliver of a chance that things may turn out happy that can mess you up worse than anything.
So it is in art & music. The tone of the song is mostly despondent. Mercury is talking himself into giving up hope cause he sees none - but he doesn't convince himself of that completely. He's preparing himself for a heartbreaking event that he desperately hopes (or wants to hope) will not happen.
The first part of the song he's convincing himself to just accept the inevitable, then the second half he's trying to talk himself (& presumably his lover) into the idea that maybe they can "have forever" even though it seems impossible. Or perhaps he's accepting that the inevitable will come but wishes to try to savor every moment until then? Either way what makes the tune so sad in content is the slight hope that is projected by the second half of the song. What makes the song great in general is the craftsmanship with which it was put together.
So listen to it sometime. Or better yet watch Highlander. Just don't think it'll leave you feeling ire. It's sad as hell (to me at least) but some of the greatest pieces of music in this world are, as some of the most memorable moments in our lives are regrettably sad ones.
It's one of the most beautiful, sad & poignant pieces of music in film that I've ever heard. It plays during the scene in the movie where the Highlander is watching his wife grow old & die. the Highlander, being an immortal is kinda messed up by this turn of events & the music playing in the background adds to the emotions conveyed in the scene.
There are a few tunes I can think of that are sadder, but not many.
"There's no time for us
There's no place for us
What is this thing that builds our dreams yet slips away from us?
Who wants to live forever?
Who wants to live forever?"
The orchestration is very simple. Almost but not quite understated. An organ with scattering of faintly heard strings through the verse. Then the chorus ("who wants to live forever?") is damn near exquisitely done. A simple ascending melody divided by syllables of the lyrics (a 3 note rise in other words - "who wants" on C then up a step to D for "to live" then up a step to E for "forever") with the strings just a bit louder touching on a descending harmony then providing a consequent motif as the vocals fade just a bit. Then the words repeat but the melody picks up where it left off instead of repeating. In other words the melody is a third higher on the reprise. The strings repeat their descending accompaniment but additional vocals provide texture to the melody as it starts on E then rises another step to F.. then another half step to G.
"There's no chance for us
It's all decided for us
This world has only one sweet moment set aside for us
Who wants to live forever?
Who wants to live forever?"
The strings come in a bit more on the second verse, giving a nice flavor to the melody without detracting from it too much. They do a very nice job of emoting the anxiety & tension consistent with the text then resolving it prior to the second chorus.
But the second chorus; the strings come in a more noticeable role giving a harmony as well as the counterpoint from the first chorus. The second half of the chorus has them coming up to a nice crescendo (along with the vocal harmonies - Mercury was always too damn good at that) that leads to the strings taking the melody over for the first half of what would be the next repeat of the chorus. The second half has a build up that's a continuation of what the strings did just prior but with Mercury adding a new line of text:
"Who dares to love forever?"
Which climaxes in a suspended chord as he moans & the guitar comes in to heighten the tension. Then it resolves to the minor root of the song as Mercury adds:
"When love must die"
But that's not enough. An instrumental section with May picking out a simple & tasteful melody leads to a heavier more anxious part:
"But touch my tears with your lips
Touch my world with your fingertips"
The strings are providing an almost staccato rhythm as the drums come in playing half time behind the lyrics.
Then they kick it in. The drums come in full & the strings are supplemented by very heavy chords from the guitar. It's the same chord progression & melody as the chorus just heightened in flavor & intensity. The lyrics are:
"And we can have forever
And we can love forever
Forever is our today"
But that's not enough either. Mercury decides to show off. There are few better at stacking harmonies than the late Freddie Mercury & the next chorus is a perfect example of this. I'm counting 4 part harmonies not including octaves covered by at least 6 voices & I know I'm not counting it all.
"Who wants to live forever?
Who wants to live forever?
Forever is our today"
Then it calms down a bit. The high-hat keeps an 8th note count while the strings fade & Mercury asks
"Who waits forever anyway?"
Strings take us out with a momentary build up that leads you to believe it's going to go on for a bit. Horns come in here & there & there's some nice minimalist guitar work. Then the organ suspends a chord & the strings resolve it, fading out on tonic chord. 9e-minor in this case).
But it's dry as hell to describe a song. Kinda like telling someone who's never had it how fried black sea bass tastes.
The feeling though - every song either inspires us to feel or think something or it doesn't. & what that feeling or thought is will vary with each person. There's no way to predict it (though usually you can have a general idea of the direction it may take in someone else) but it's hard to fathom that a song that causes strong feelings or thoughts in you wouldn't have the same effect on someone else. Still I'm left with talking about my impression. Your mileage may vary.
Again the first time I heard the song was in that scene from Highlander & it was damn near poetic in context. Still the song by itself is not to be discounted.
The saddest songs I know of aren't totally pessimistic. There's a good deal of pessimism involved but that'd just make them depressing momentarily & you'd soon just get on with things.
What makes a really great sad song is having a glimmer of hope - just a glimmer. Unrequited love is sad, but not as sad as when someone thinks there's still some sort of chance.
In real life we usually take unhappy endings as they come & when they're finally we move on. Not that it's easy or quick but most of us know the process & muddle through somehow. When a loved one dies it sucks but there's nothing to be done or hoped for in this world so you deal with it. But when there's a glimmer of hope - just the tiniest sliver of a chance that things may turn out happy that can mess you up worse than anything.
So it is in art & music. The tone of the song is mostly despondent. Mercury is talking himself into giving up hope cause he sees none - but he doesn't convince himself of that completely. He's preparing himself for a heartbreaking event that he desperately hopes (or wants to hope) will not happen.
The first part of the song he's convincing himself to just accept the inevitable, then the second half he's trying to talk himself (& presumably his lover) into the idea that maybe they can "have forever" even though it seems impossible. Or perhaps he's accepting that the inevitable will come but wishes to try to savor every moment until then? Either way what makes the tune so sad in content is the slight hope that is projected by the second half of the song. What makes the song great in general is the craftsmanship with which it was put together.
So listen to it sometime. Or better yet watch Highlander. Just don't think it'll leave you feeling ire. It's sad as hell (to me at least) but some of the greatest pieces of music in this world are, as some of the most memorable moments in our lives are regrettably sad ones.
Friday, October 13, 2006
Black Cat Bone
An old blues tune. Johnny Winter did the version I'm familiar with but it dates as far back as the late 1920's from what I can tell. Here's Yvan "Harper" Aucouturier & The Texas Sluts doing their rendition of the tune. The "black cat bone" was a hoodoo charm made popular in the 20's & 30's by blues players. Depending on how it was prepared it could either make you invisible or bring back a lost lover.
"I believe my old lady she done found my black cat bone
I believe my old lady she done found my black cat bone
I got a funny feeling that uh something's going on wrong"
Contrast that with this Albert Collins & Robert Cray version
"I believe my baby got a black cat bone
I believe my baby got a black cat bone
seems like everything I do I do it wrong"
That's the nature of blues. The songs change from artist to artist & sometimes from gig to gig with the same artist.
But I'm going to write about a different kind of black cat, though the blues is an appropriate format to discuss things. (& with my luck in love I can't say the lyrics aren't generally appropriate but that's another tale).
Bug. I met her in 2002. I believe the month was May. At the time I was dating a girl who was moving here from Italy. She'd moved over there a few years before & was moving back. We ended up moving in together along with Bug & Chip. Bug & Chip were Felis Silvestris Catus. Cats in other words. Not particularly special cats as far as cats go (though Bug always seemed quite photogenic & Chip "talked" quite a bit) but we became friends. The lady in question was quite busy with school & traveled a bit while we were together so it's not an exaggaration to say I spent more time with the cats than I did with her.
By 2004 the relationship was quite rocky. Well, over more or less to be honest about it. We broke up in August & by September I had moved out. The lady & I had been good friends but it seemed like we wouldn't be talking much. Not a particularly nasty break up or anything, just one where a clean break was most likely.
But in September she found out Bug had cancer. Bug was 17 years old at the time & hadn't been feeling well for a little while. We just attributed it to age. It wasn't. It was a tumor in her chest. The poor thing kept getting fluid on her lungs & we kept having to have it drained.
So I started hanging out with my ex. Partially it was for her cause I knew this was tearing her up but partially for Bug.
I owned a cat once. Or rather it owned me. I was 10 when it died (hit by a car) & I haven't had the heart to get another cat since. I was 10 & I remember crying in the shower about it. So instead I keep dating (or trying to date) women with cats of their own (not on purpsoe though it seems that way at times). Not a perfect strategy as you'll see in a minute.
Bug was a cat. Not human, not able to effeciently communicate anything but very basic messages (I'm hungry, I want to be petted, etc..) but I liked the little furry thing. She was a real sweetheart. When me & the ex went to sleep we'd soon feel her lying on the pillow right above our heads. Roughly at quarter til 6 a.m. one or the other of us would wake up to find Bug & Chip staring us down, breathing heavily wanting us to get our asses up & give them their wet food. I typed at least a few hundred (if not thousand) pages with Bug sitting on my lap.
Anyway I went over there almost every day for a few weeks trying to make my ex & Bug & Chip feel better. There really wasn't much we could do except get her chest drained when her breathing got too labored. & we gave her food that she liked. She really dug those chicken things from Wendy's. & the cheese from Burger King cheeseburgers. We gave some to Chip too cause we kinda figured he knew something wasn't right & tried to give him as much attention as we could.
To shorten this up I went home & was getting ready for work one Sunday when my ex called. In the few hours since I left Bug got worse. So I called work & told them I'd be there at some point that night & flew over to my ex's place. We took Bug to the vet & they put her down.
That was around October of 2004.
A year later my ex was living in Illinois. She called in late August to let me know Chip wasn't doing well. I didn't hear from her again til mid October. She told me Chip was dead.
I really liked the cats. I really miss them. So despite my plan of not owning a cat so I wouldn't go through that feeling of loss again - well it didn't work out so well.
In '96 I dated a girl with two cats. We dated about a year & split up. I saw her at a bar a few years later & she told me that one of the cats had passed. I remember being cool but when I got home & started to think about it I cried my ass off. I haven't talked to her since so I have no idea how the other cat is doing but I assume the poor thing has passed by now.
There was a very special lady I dated (though she's quick to point out it was never "official") for a while who had a cat. We never shacked up but I did spend some time with her cat (who shall go nameless cause I always get the name wrong) & think we had a decent human-feline bond type thing going on. I haven't seen the cat in about a year & a half (though I've seen the lady a few times). While talking one day I asked how the cat was doing & she told me the cat "was in heaven". I really started to tear up a bit before she explained that she meant that the cat was just really digging their new place.
So in the past decade there have been 3 ladies whom I've cared for a great deal & there have been 5 cats between them all. I know 3 of the cats are gone & presumably the 4th as well. The 5th seems to be doing well & I hope that doesn't change anytime soon for my sake as well as the young lady's. & 2 of the ladies in question are pretty much done with me romantically & vice versa. The 3rd I have really no clue about. It could go either way. Truthfully I'm not that optimistic about things but it's hard to give up hope when you care about someone. & her cat.
Anyway I'm writing about this because of two of my old friends that aren't around anymore. They both passed around this time last year & the year before respectively. Shame as fall is my favorite time of year (well it's tied with early winter at least). I won't get all weepy & whine about it if you talk to me but when I'm alone typing I do miss Bug on my lap & Chip standing up with his front paws on my leg (he was never a good jumper but he tried bless his little heart) chirping for some attention.
I have some pics of Bug & Chip up & I'm trying to resize another one of the cat who shall remain nameless (though my photo editing program is acting nasty tonight). If it seems silly to spend so much time reminiscing about four legged mammals who never fetched anything for me you're probably right. But all humans are silly sometimes about some things I reckon. For what it's worth they were friends as much as a non-human can be so maybe it's not so silly to miss them after all?
"I believe my old lady she done found my black cat bone
I believe my old lady she done found my black cat bone
I got a funny feeling that uh something's going on wrong"
Contrast that with this Albert Collins & Robert Cray version
"I believe my baby got a black cat bone
I believe my baby got a black cat bone
seems like everything I do I do it wrong"
That's the nature of blues. The songs change from artist to artist & sometimes from gig to gig with the same artist.
But I'm going to write about a different kind of black cat, though the blues is an appropriate format to discuss things. (& with my luck in love I can't say the lyrics aren't generally appropriate but that's another tale).
Bug. I met her in 2002. I believe the month was May. At the time I was dating a girl who was moving here from Italy. She'd moved over there a few years before & was moving back. We ended up moving in together along with Bug & Chip. Bug & Chip were Felis Silvestris Catus. Cats in other words. Not particularly special cats as far as cats go (though Bug always seemed quite photogenic & Chip "talked" quite a bit) but we became friends. The lady in question was quite busy with school & traveled a bit while we were together so it's not an exaggaration to say I spent more time with the cats than I did with her.
By 2004 the relationship was quite rocky. Well, over more or less to be honest about it. We broke up in August & by September I had moved out. The lady & I had been good friends but it seemed like we wouldn't be talking much. Not a particularly nasty break up or anything, just one where a clean break was most likely.
But in September she found out Bug had cancer. Bug was 17 years old at the time & hadn't been feeling well for a little while. We just attributed it to age. It wasn't. It was a tumor in her chest. The poor thing kept getting fluid on her lungs & we kept having to have it drained.
So I started hanging out with my ex. Partially it was for her cause I knew this was tearing her up but partially for Bug.
I owned a cat once. Or rather it owned me. I was 10 when it died (hit by a car) & I haven't had the heart to get another cat since. I was 10 & I remember crying in the shower about it. So instead I keep dating (or trying to date) women with cats of their own (not on purpsoe though it seems that way at times). Not a perfect strategy as you'll see in a minute.
Bug was a cat. Not human, not able to effeciently communicate anything but very basic messages (I'm hungry, I want to be petted, etc..) but I liked the little furry thing. She was a real sweetheart. When me & the ex went to sleep we'd soon feel her lying on the pillow right above our heads. Roughly at quarter til 6 a.m. one or the other of us would wake up to find Bug & Chip staring us down, breathing heavily wanting us to get our asses up & give them their wet food. I typed at least a few hundred (if not thousand) pages with Bug sitting on my lap.
Anyway I went over there almost every day for a few weeks trying to make my ex & Bug & Chip feel better. There really wasn't much we could do except get her chest drained when her breathing got too labored. & we gave her food that she liked. She really dug those chicken things from Wendy's. & the cheese from Burger King cheeseburgers. We gave some to Chip too cause we kinda figured he knew something wasn't right & tried to give him as much attention as we could.
To shorten this up I went home & was getting ready for work one Sunday when my ex called. In the few hours since I left Bug got worse. So I called work & told them I'd be there at some point that night & flew over to my ex's place. We took Bug to the vet & they put her down.
That was around October of 2004.
A year later my ex was living in Illinois. She called in late August to let me know Chip wasn't doing well. I didn't hear from her again til mid October. She told me Chip was dead.
I really liked the cats. I really miss them. So despite my plan of not owning a cat so I wouldn't go through that feeling of loss again - well it didn't work out so well.
In '96 I dated a girl with two cats. We dated about a year & split up. I saw her at a bar a few years later & she told me that one of the cats had passed. I remember being cool but when I got home & started to think about it I cried my ass off. I haven't talked to her since so I have no idea how the other cat is doing but I assume the poor thing has passed by now.
There was a very special lady I dated (though she's quick to point out it was never "official") for a while who had a cat. We never shacked up but I did spend some time with her cat (who shall go nameless cause I always get the name wrong) & think we had a decent human-feline bond type thing going on. I haven't seen the cat in about a year & a half (though I've seen the lady a few times). While talking one day I asked how the cat was doing & she told me the cat "was in heaven". I really started to tear up a bit before she explained that she meant that the cat was just really digging their new place.
So in the past decade there have been 3 ladies whom I've cared for a great deal & there have been 5 cats between them all. I know 3 of the cats are gone & presumably the 4th as well. The 5th seems to be doing well & I hope that doesn't change anytime soon for my sake as well as the young lady's. & 2 of the ladies in question are pretty much done with me romantically & vice versa. The 3rd I have really no clue about. It could go either way. Truthfully I'm not that optimistic about things but it's hard to give up hope when you care about someone. & her cat.
Anyway I'm writing about this because of two of my old friends that aren't around anymore. They both passed around this time last year & the year before respectively. Shame as fall is my favorite time of year (well it's tied with early winter at least). I won't get all weepy & whine about it if you talk to me but when I'm alone typing I do miss Bug on my lap & Chip standing up with his front paws on my leg (he was never a good jumper but he tried bless his little heart) chirping for some attention.
I have some pics of Bug & Chip up & I'm trying to resize another one of the cat who shall remain nameless (though my photo editing program is acting nasty tonight). If it seems silly to spend so much time reminiscing about four legged mammals who never fetched anything for me you're probably right. But all humans are silly sometimes about some things I reckon. For what it's worth they were friends as much as a non-human can be so maybe it's not so silly to miss them after all?
Saturday, October 7, 2006
Wishes
A Jon Butcher tune. If you've never heard it then go to my friends list & check out Jon Butcher's MySpace page. Wishes is on his player.
It's a cute little psuedo R&B tune with hints of Hendrix throughout the guitar work but for some reason I always dug it (though I'm not a big fan of Hendrix's playing - I dug how he wrote but wasn't crazy about his playing). & Butcher's voice is nice which is always a plus.
The lyrics hold a simple premise - dreaming is cool but it shouldn't negate action.
I don't have time for an in depth discussion of the music or melody or guitar work or lyrics or the deeper meaning of life or the best laid plans of mice. I just stumbled onto the song & then Butcher's MySpace page & I'm just groovin on it. When it first came out I was a young guitarist & really dug the sound & the playing & was just generally fond of the tune. But I haven't heard it in years till last night. Now you can check it out too & hopefully see why I dig it.
It's a cute little psuedo R&B tune with hints of Hendrix throughout the guitar work but for some reason I always dug it (though I'm not a big fan of Hendrix's playing - I dug how he wrote but wasn't crazy about his playing). & Butcher's voice is nice which is always a plus.
The lyrics hold a simple premise - dreaming is cool but it shouldn't negate action.
I don't have time for an in depth discussion of the music or melody or guitar work or lyrics or the deeper meaning of life or the best laid plans of mice. I just stumbled onto the song & then Butcher's MySpace page & I'm just groovin on it. When it first came out I was a young guitarist & really dug the sound & the playing & was just generally fond of the tune. But I haven't heard it in years till last night. Now you can check it out too & hopefully see why I dig it.
Monday, October 2, 2006
Fallin' In Love (Is Hard On The Knees)
No I'm not complaining about getting old. Well not right now at least. It's an Aerosmith tune. Maybe not my fav but it always makes me smile a bit. It's chock full of more witticisms than a catalog of bad country tunes, but it pulls them off with a little dignity. Here's Aerosmith doing it live in Japan back in '99.
"I'm Jonesin' on love
Yeah I got the DT's
You say that we will
But there ain't no guarantees
I major in love
But in all minor keys
Cause falling in love is so hard on the knees"
But the thing that always gets me is in the last verse:
"You ain't that good
Is what you said down to the letter
But you like the way I hold the microphone
Sometimes I'm good but when I'm bad
I'm even better
Don't give me no lip
I've got enough of my own"
If you recall what Steven Tyler looks like you'll understand the only way that could have been funnier is if Mick Jagger had sung that verse. But maybe I'm just partial. Any singer who can croon that his "get up & go has got up & went" has enough of a self depreciating sense of humor that it reminds me of me.
& like most songs about unrequited love the message is valid - it ain't easy to go through. Hell it ain't even easy to remember the feeling years later. But it doesn't approach it in the sappy co-dependent way that most attempts at the subject do.
& the execution is typical Aerosmith. Bluesy, soulful yet not wishy-washy. It won't make you feel better if you're bummed about a love interest. No song will do that, not even something by Babyface. We are musicians, not magicians & they're songs, not magic. But it can help you understand what you feel, or at least find a little comfort in the idea that you ain't the only one to go through something like this. & it might even make you smile a little. That's about as much as you can hope for in a song - emotion, empathy & a little humor. If you've never heard it or it's been a while give it a listen again even if your love life is going well.
"I'm Jonesin' on love
Yeah I got the DT's
You say that we will
But there ain't no guarantees
I major in love
But in all minor keys
Cause falling in love is so hard on the knees"
But the thing that always gets me is in the last verse:
"You ain't that good
Is what you said down to the letter
But you like the way I hold the microphone
Sometimes I'm good but when I'm bad
I'm even better
Don't give me no lip
I've got enough of my own"
If you recall what Steven Tyler looks like you'll understand the only way that could have been funnier is if Mick Jagger had sung that verse. But maybe I'm just partial. Any singer who can croon that his "get up & go has got up & went" has enough of a self depreciating sense of humor that it reminds me of me.
& like most songs about unrequited love the message is valid - it ain't easy to go through. Hell it ain't even easy to remember the feeling years later. But it doesn't approach it in the sappy co-dependent way that most attempts at the subject do.
& the execution is typical Aerosmith. Bluesy, soulful yet not wishy-washy. It won't make you feel better if you're bummed about a love interest. No song will do that, not even something by Babyface. We are musicians, not magicians & they're songs, not magic. But it can help you understand what you feel, or at least find a little comfort in the idea that you ain't the only one to go through something like this. & it might even make you smile a little. That's about as much as you can hope for in a song - emotion, empathy & a little humor. If you've never heard it or it's been a while give it a listen again even if your love life is going well.
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