Monday, June 09, 2008

Seven songs

At the behest of sean, who bade me answer the following:
List seven songs you are into right now. No matter what the genre, whether they have words, or even if they’re not any good, but they must be songs you’re really enjoying now, shaping your spring. Post these instructions in your blog along with your 7 songs. Then tag 7 other people to see what they’re listening to.

And my reply:

Feist, One Evening -- The tune from the iPod commercial that made her reputation in the States didn't grab me...but it led to her back catalogue getting more exposure here, and when I heard this it pleased me in all the ways the better-known song didn't. Enjoy the video directed by Leslie herself and costarring her fellow Nova Scotia music sensation Buck 65 here. (Edit: damn you anyway, sean, you know everything takes me longer because I'm so old! I was just getting to this!)

Broadcast, Come On Let's Go -- What if the BBC Radiophonic Workshop were taken over by the Lloigor from Zenith to become a pop group in Swinging London circa 1967 and wrote the missing love song from the soundtrack of Billion Dollar Brain? It would sound like this.

The Jigsaw Seen, Baby Elephant Walk -- You'll recall their gorgeous cover of the Scott Walker tune "30 Century Man" on the soundtrack of Bender's Big Score. This is another track from the same album, Songs Mama Used To Sing. (The album also includes a peppy version of "Tattoo" by the Oo.) Video here.

Donovan, Barabajagal -- Jeff Beck on lead guitar, Ron Wood on bass, Nicky Hopkins on piano, and Micky Waller (who just passed away a few months ago) on drums. Wikipedia claims no less than Robert Plant also helped on backing vocals, but I'm not sure about that. People might think of Donovan as the folkie tunesmith with the Dylan cap who introduced the Beatles to the Maharishi, but he's also the guy who recorded songs like this and did backing vocals for Alice Cooper a bit later. Set to images here.

Spanky and Our Gang, Like To Get To Know You -- Looks like I've fallen into a 1967 groove here. This may seem very much of its time to modern ears, from the days of The Mamas and the Papas and the 5th Dimension, but the truth is this was pretty unconventional even then. Check out this vintage performance clip from the Smothers Comedy Brothers Hour.

Rench presents Gangstagrass, Pistol Packin -- Speaking of crossing genres! I've been waiting years for someone to do this, but I didn't expect it to be so awesome. Listen to this and three other tracks here or download the whole album for free here.

John Cage, 4'33" -- Free download here.

I just don't feel like tagging anyone, but consider yourself tagged if you wish to be and haven't been tagged by someone else.

6 comments:

  1. "Come On Lets Go" was my absolute favorite song in 11th grade and I haven't listened to it in ages.

    Sorry about beating you to the punch about the only amazing Beegees cover. Man, that's a great video.

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  2. I wouldn't know about all that. When I was in 11th grade we listened to Eddie Cantor and Rudy Vallee on the gramophone while we argued about the Smoot-Hawley Tarriff Act.

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  3. ...and reading the new Collier's, no doubt.

    anyway, here are my 7 songs:

    "Viva La Vida", Coldplay (i know, i'm lame)
    "Mother Mary", Foxboro Hottubs
    "The Ball Game", Sister Wynona Carr
    "Why Do You Let Me Stay Here", She & Him
    "Stuck Inside of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again", Bob Dylan
    "Easy", The Commodores
    "Supernatural Superserious", REM

    ...i loves me some iTunes.

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  4. I got plenty of Dylan and REM in my iTunes as well. Also, through whatever coincidence or synchronicity, shortly before you posted this comment I was seized by an overpowering urge to listen to "Easy" by the Commodores...and because I had it in my library of mp3s, that's exactly what I did. Odd, that, don't you think?

    The following headline spotted on the Onion News Network: "John McCain derided as old and out of touch for inviting Coldplay to perform at inauguration."

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  5. ...i used to love "Easy" ironically, but then i grew up. now i just love it.

    considering that Dylan just "endorsed" Obama in a newspaper interview, we might be headed for the Coolest Inauguration Ever.

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  6. Great Blog, I never knew all that about Donovan. Be checking in on you from time to time.

    Dan

    http://ismarkevaniermentallyill.blogspot.com/

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