Oh, just a little ditty from a band about which I recently heard someone say, "They were almost as big as The Beatles back in the '60s..." Apparently, this American trio took the UK by storm, and (if the internet speaks truth) at one time their fan club was bigger than that of the Fab Four. Their counterattack to the British Invasion makes for quite the tale of intrigue... hit up Wikipedia if you're looking for more details. The song has that classic feel, and if you're dealing with a breakup or just wishing you had someone special, this one's definitely for you.
"Loneliness is the cloak you wear a deep shade of blue is always there the sun ain't gonna shine any more..."
Oldie, but a goodie tonight. A little Motown soul for you, brought by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles. These guys were one of the founding acts on the Motown label, and Smokey was known as the "King of Motown", so I guess that means they weren't half bad. Also, did you know that "Motown" is a portmanteau? What's a portmanteau, you ask? It's a blend of two or more words into one new word. (thanks, Wikipedia!) We strive for nothing if not education here at Awesome Song of the Day...
Oh so smoothly, they sing a tune about a dysfunctional relationship they just can't quit. Seems like when it's good, it's really good, but when it's bad, it's... not so good. But hey, life is pain, pain breeds art, and art makes life good, so it all works out, eh?
(looks like The Miracles had a few screws loose.... oh, sometimes I slay myself!)
For several reasons, I'm giving you a two-fer tonight (and you can thank my good buddy Ben for that term, although he used it in reference to a piano duet rather than a doubleheader of songs). First, I couldn't decide which Ventures tune to go with. Second, I found a sweet live video of two of my top three choices. Third, the songs are short anyway. Fourth, it's my party and I'll cry if I want to.
Anyway, the first time I posted a song by this groundbreaking instrumental rock band, I explained just why they are awesome; so I'll just let the music do the talking tonight. Here are two surf rock classics, performed live back in '64:
(I love the chugging riff in Pipeline, but the best part may be that their demeanor is so laid back while they are playing what was, at the time, some of the most progressive and "hard" music out there.)
Two years ago, I was out of town the weekend my brother and friends went to Johnny Cash Day - a celebration of The Man, The Myth, The Music at a local Elks Club on (or around) the anniversary of his passing. My friends were into Johnny Cash Day before it was cool, and I missed out back in '09. Last year, I vowed not to let that happen again. It was a great event, but word had gotten out and it was packed to the point where you couldn't get a chair and it was difficult to even navigate around the room. But it was well worth it to hear some great covers of Cash's music, and because I won this:
(in '09, our friend Lindsay won a similar print - back to back winners!)
Hatch Show Prints are printed on Broadway in Nashville, and have been since 1879; this is a replica of an original poster, but it's pretty awesome and hangs in my music room by my piano.
This past Saturday was the 2011 JCD, and I missed it due to failure to purchase a ticket before they sold out. I'm sure it was great like last year, and I'm sure several of the performers covered "Ring Of Fire" like last year. (my favorite version was by Mark Williams; he did a more unique take on it and shifted some chords to minors for an interesting vibe.) It's one of Cash's most popular songs, due to the catchy tune and lyrics to which most folks can relate. Well, sort of - it was written by June Carter about her relationship with Cash whilst both of them were married (or divorcing) other spouses. Tough situation, that. So not everyone has ditched one lover for another, but the part about how love is all-consuming rings true for pretty much everyone...
Live performance 1963 (By the way, I love the Mexican horns!) - you can find other live performances online too
I debated whether to post any 9/11 related comments on the internets today. Wasn't going to do it, but then I saw the video of Paul Simon performing this song at the WTC site, and well, I'm a sucker for S&G, even if Garfunkel wasn't there and Simon is not quite what he used to be. Here's today's performance, along with tons of pretty emphatic comments that range from "Paul Simon is an inspiration to all Americans today" to "the time to be 'silent' is behind me. I want to hear big bombs blowing up our enemies"... apparently the song and/or Paul Simon are quite divisive.
I won't get into the dirty details of whether Simon is a liberal/pacifist/commie lover, and whether such folk are evil, and whether it was a great or terrible choice for the memorial service. However, I will say that I think this song has a valid and relevant meaning, perhaps not directly related to the events of 9/11 but indirectly. The song speaks of a world where the populace are complacent and subdued ("people hearing without listening"), willing to be led like sheep wherever the powers that be would have them go. The "neon light that split the night" conjures the image of cheap entertainment, which draws my mind to the television - the "opiate of the masses", according to the great Bill Watterson. The singer tries to rally said masses out of their stupor, to no avail.
The events of that Tuesday morning ten years ago were tragic, and they caused most Americans (and many other folks) to get angry, get excited, and get behind putting a stop to the people responsible. I wonder, though, how long that spike of emotion and drive lasted for most of us. It's all too easy to fall back into the routine, to let the monotony of daily life and the opiates of entertainment take over. I won't even get into the loss of liberties that has been a result of the counter-terrorism measures taken by the US government - if you've flown in the past decade you know what I mean. Suffice to say, whether it be in politics, foreign affairs, or any other aspect of life, don't just sit back and let the currents take you. Don't blindly follow, don't let your precious time on earth be consumed by meaningless entertainment. Decide what you believe, what you stand for, what's worth fighting for, and live your life accordingly.
Here's footage from a performance back when S&G were in their prime:
And here's the album version:
"And the people bowed and prayed
To the neon god they made And the sign flashed out its warning In the words that it was forming And the signs said the words of the prophets Are written on the subway walls And tenement halls And whispered in the sounds of silence...."
If I had to describe The Ventures in one word, it might be 'slick'. Their virtuosity with their guitars is legendary in the music world, as they were pioneers in exploring new sounds which could be made on the instrument. Their efforts in the late '50s and early '60s paved the way for a plethora of other artists, thus earning them the moniker "The Band That Launched A Thousand Bands." The drummer is pretty smooth, too. They are possibly the most famous instrumental rock band of all time, and their catalog is well worth exploring.
My dad grew up learning to play guitar via songs by The Ventures and Simon & Garfunkel, which might partially explain my love for both groups. If you want to learn guitar or improve your existing skills, figuring out some of these songs is not a bad way to pick up some new things and work on dexterity...
This one, despite the threatening title, sounds joyful to my ears, with a soaring guitar lick and a chugging riff to bring it back down, all layered over a driving drum beat and hyperactive bass line. The segue into the muted bridge is spectacular, and then it builds right back up for the close...
It's actually based off the score of a ballet by the same name... but this version is a lot faster paced and more fun!
Simple but elegant commentary on the futility of life. Kind of a downer, I suppose. You get over it though, because the beauty of the music overpowers the depressing nature of the lyrics, and hey, what are the blues without tragedy and despair? And if you want a deeper appreciation for tragedy and despair, read a little of Frank's life story... wow. Makes me think twice about complaining because I was stuck at work for an extra hour today...
"Well we're living a life of sin..." ______________________________
A plethora of covers are out there, from Simon & Garfunkel to Laura Marling to Colin Meloy (of The Decemberists) to Robin Pecknold (of Fleet Foxes) to John Mayer. I'm sure some of them are swell, but I'm sticking with the original for tonight...
I've been waiting with bated breath for a day like today. A day when Pittsburgh-based rockers New Shouts put out some new songs so I could blog about them. And all of a sudden, it's here - a brand new 7-song EP! These boys caught my ear the moment I found out about them back in January, and seeing them at the Warhol in March and again at the Three Rivers Arts Festival only served to enhance their awesomeness in my eyes...er, ears.
You know a band who describes themselves by saying "we wanted to be a 60's r&b girl group, but couldn't get to the 60's and couldn't find the girls so we decided to be a rock n' roll band of dudes" likes to have fun, and it's evident in their songwriting and live set. Every track will make you want to dance, so use caution if you listen at work... unless you're in an industry that looks kindly upon dancing on the job!
This one is a celebration of the girl next door; the one you want to get to know and hide from the world, because once the rest of the guys find out, she might get snatched up...
EDIT 1-29-12 The boys just released a sweet music video for the song; catch it over on Draw Us Lines, or watch here:
"I'm hung on you and I love how you don't have a clue
from your curls down to your dancing shoes..."
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You can listen to the whole EP plus 4 earlier New Shouts tracks for free on their bandcamp, and can download the older songs for free and the EP for cheap. I highly recommend having all 11 songs on your ipod post haste; summer days are growing short!
This is one of my favorite S&G songs. Then again, therearemany... but we're talking about this one. The guitar, the vocals, the lyrics... it's all just perfect. Poetic, too, though you'd never guess it by the song title. I'll let you formulate your own opinion; give it a listen or three and let me know what you think:
"And the train is gone suddenly
On wheels clicking silently
Like a gently tapping litany,
And he holds his crayon rosary
Tighter in his hand..."
So it's officially summer as of last week, and tonight we're going to just enjoy a fun summer song (see what I did there)? The Beach Boys were kings of summery tunes that embodied the spirit of American youth and adventure. Sometimes they sang about surfing, sometimes cars, sometimes girls... sometimes all three. This one's mostly about the latter two, and kicks off with a sweet little tribute to Chuck Berry and "Johnny B. Goode"...
(OK, so maybe Brian Wilson got a little lazy, rhyming "now" with "now" with "now" here, but I think we can forgive that in light of the awesome harmonies and fun story... woops, did it again!)
"Well the girls can't stand her 'Cause she walks looks and drives like an ace now She makes the Indy 500 look like a Roman chariot race now A lotta guys try to catch her But she leads them on a wild goose chase now..."
I love the fact that one of the coolest bands of the 60s was actually really nerdy (look at the head bobbing and clapping, and the matching striped shirts) - my kind of guys. Not a lot of the Beach Boys' material is very deep, but they were masters of light, fun songs and (up to) five-part harmonies. Great music for a road trip, a summer's day, a winter's day, or any day that just hasn't been going your way.
