cooltunes

For some years now, I mist up whenever I hear the national anthem. The furious blinking, the lump in the throat - public or private, I’m sniffing away. Around lunchtime today, I found this, and now that I’m sufficiently recovered, I can share, unless you knew of this months ago.

Just the thing for a sleepy afternoon when there are a thousand things to be done, not counting the taxes.

Listening to Queen Latifah’s version now, also have Nina Simone’s. The song was written by Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, who wasn’t always a screamer. But during a session which turned into a drunken party, the direction of the song changed. Then he discovered that the wilder version got lots more attention. His performances inspired the shock-rock acts of Alice Cooper, Marilyn Manson, Black Sabbath, Ted Nugent and others.

Here’s the song, don’t know the origin of the video. Gaze out the window instead, if you have one.

Did you find it so? For some, it was during the performance of John Williams’ Air and Simple Gifts. Others were moved by the historic nature of the occasion.

I made it through without too much misting up, but totally lost it when I saw this:

The bug that has me very lightheaded is slowly succumbing to the antibiotic. Meanwhile, I take a look at the info sheet from the HMO that has in all caps, MAY CAUSE DIZZINESS.

Yes, I have the Christmas music going now. Dido’s track is poignant but with none of the syrupy, more typical features of the average holiday song.

Of all the versions of Dindi that I have, this is my favorite. I’m sure I’ve mentioned A Twist of Jobim before, several excellent tracks there.

The mix of talent seems pretty near perfect, and while there are many videos of Debarge singing his better known songs, this is the only full version of Dindi that I can find online, and it’s mostly showing the album cover. But you’ll get the idea, if you’re unfamiliar with the song.

And yes, this is the Art Porter of the Art Porter Law. More on that in a bit.

When Chris, a blogger who infrequently contributes here, left to seek his fortune up north, he left behind some cacti. I came across this

and it’s definitely Chris.

I swore I’d never ever get another cat. But Nora here, kinda makes me want to get one someday. Far, far in the future.

Click on any featured video. Go on, do it. (today only)

Via the Museum of Hoaxes. It’s a minefield out there today. Virgle, anyone? Wait, is that for real?

An oldie, but definitely a goodie.

Back in its heyday, KSFO’s night guy was Bobby Dale. When he was depressed, which was often the case, he would put on some Mickey Newbury. Especially if it was raining, because Mickey had those rain songs. Even now, I can’t think of Bobby without remembering Mickey.

For a short time, I worked at the station, and while I met the other DJs, I never saw Bobby since he only came in when most of the staff had gone home.

Back then, I didn’t know Bobby’s DJ history, nor was I aware of Mickey’s prolific songwriting abilities. Kris Kristofferson said that he could never have written Bobbie McGee had it not been for Newbury’s influence.

You won’t find Mickey Newbury at iTunes, but he’s at Amazon.

Here is An American Trilogy, which Newbury didn’t write, but arranged. He put three diverse, classic, Southern-flavored songs together in a stunning whole. Elvis and Tom Jones both had hits with their versions, but it’s this one I like the most:

All Right Now - Bad Company
It’s All Right - Huey Lewis and the News
Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right - Bob Dylan

then there’s the other spelling:
It’s Alright - Ray Charles
It’s Alright - Van Morrison
It’s Quite Alright - Rancid
It’s Alright - Pet Shop Boys
It’s Alright For You - The Police
It’s Alright - Trisha Yearwood
It’s Alright - Shania Twain
It’s Alright - Queen Latifah
It’s Alright With Me - Harry Connick, Jr.

If you still need comforting, here’s Sting singing Little Wing with help from Branford Marsalis and others:

When I was very small, someone read to me a story of either a mountain king or an elf king. The hero of the story was a small boy who somehow got into the great hall, and had to escape. I’m not sure of the origin, there seem to be several variations of this story. At the time, it scared the daylights out of me.

Many know the music from Edvard Greig’s Peer Gynt, but Peter Lorre’s character whistles it in the movie M, and that is a most haunting version. He can scare the daylights out of me too.

Out of the blue tonight, sorta, I’m watching Apocalyptica’s video.

Over at Musical Warfare, Chris can discuss Apocalyptica much more intelligently than I, when he is not talking about other metal groups. They’ve been around for awhile, but cello metal is very new to me.

It’s always interesting to see whose music is used again and again in ads. I happened on Regina Spektor’s catchy Hotel Song yesterday, and found that Vodafone is not the only company using her songs. Microsoft, British Sky Broadcasting, JCPenney, KPNand XM Satellite Radio also use her voice to help pitch their wares.

Here’s the video to Fidelity. As far as I know, the song has not been used in any commercials, but is one of her most popular videos.

Bands such as Arcade Fire and RyanDan are letting fans control the movement on their videos, and embedding links to further info and shopping.

Jaco Pastorius playing Portrait of Tracy with Weather Report.

A version of the song is in the album The Essential Jaco Pastorius. I wonder what he’d be doing if he had gotten treatment for his condition, and lived.

If everyone had one of these, world peace might be achieved.

That is, world peace accompanied by mellow, gamelan-like sounds.

Here via the Guardian.

The Dow took another dive, I gotta have some fun somehow.

For many, mid-October means the frantic pace of high school bands competing for honors with the equally pressured duties of parent volunteers who keep the kids nourished, hydrated and cheered.

The man who drives the Marching Storm is much, much harder to please than your average public school band teacher.

Is he the Fred Astaire of our generation or what.

Fifteen years ago in Basel, there was a live performance that included a soprano sax solo.

I really don’t why I like this song so much. It could be Knopfler’s incredible guitar work, his deadpan, dry delivery of lyrics, the mood he invokes. The sum of all parts maybe.

Certain family members being enamored of the actress, here is Scarlett’s version, sung over scenes from ‘Lost in Translation’.

Actually, the New Orleans-set ‘A Love Song for Bobby Long’ might have been a better choice for the video.

The song can be found on ‘Unexpected Dreams, Songs From the Stars’, which also features the singing efforts of Jeremy Irons, Ewan McGregor and Teri Hatcher. Brace yourself.

The bird that can moonwalk. No, really.

Murcof posted a few videos of himself performing with Eric Truffaz and Talvin Singh at the Montreaux Jazz Festival.

Rios, from Remembranza.
Ulysses, from Utopia.

I’m kind of miffed I found this on his myspace page. I still refuse to use that site on general principle, but it seems like I’m not going to be able to avoid that for much longer.

Within a year and a half, Youtube expects to be offering every music video ever made. Free to users. They are currently in talks with EMI and Warner Music Group.