Okay, let me begin this SWOD with a disclaimer. Not all politicians are popinjays…just most of them :). Sorry to all the politicians (or aspiring politicians out there) but the stereotype is not always wrong. And, what is the best politician song out there. I think Roger McGuinn and his Byrds would probably say, “I Wanna Grow Up To Be A Politician” would take the prize. The 1971 song is a bit satiric and, in my opinion, catchy and funny. It may have been better if the song was “I Wanna Grow Up To Be A Popinjay.” Well, that does not flow very well. Let’s stick with politician.
Here is Roger McGuinn performing the song. Sorry for the minute-long exposition.
I have a theory that all music is somewhat related. Whenever you find a band they have some connection (whether it be inspiration, concert, producer, etc.) with other bands which have connections with other bands. It may be confusing but it is most likely true. The Ipod allows for all of this music to randomly dispersed.
Since I am on Spring Break, I have the opportunity to make a new category. This category will only work if I get participation. Six Degrees of Your Ipod is an easy game to play. Go to your Ipod (or other musical device) and play one song. Do not use that song. Then, after you make sure your Ipod is set to random, skip to the next song. Starting with that song post six songs on the comments and attempt to connect the first and sixth song. If I am right, you will be able to find a connection between the first and sixth. So, shall we begin.
Kevin Bacon concurs
With my list of six songs I am going to describe why I like them as well. And, since I like you guys, I will include a video of each of them. Yeah, I am that nice.
1.) “Bros” by Panda Bear
Noah Lennox, otherwise known as Panda Bear, is an experimental musician and founding member of the popular cult band Animal Collective. One thing I respect about Lennox is his sampling ability. “Bros” samples The Tornados’ song “Red Roses and a Sky of Blue,” Cat Stevens’ “I’ve Found a Love.” It also contains a sampled lyric from The Equals’ “Rub A Dub Dub.” The song is over 12 minutes long and, trust me, it is quite epic.
2.) “Welcome to the Machine” by Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd’s eclectic blend of psychedelic rock and thought- provoking lyric has propelled them onto the top pedestal of my prestigious favorite bands list. “Welcome to the Machine” is off of Wish You Were Here which is a fantastic album. The song’s lyric that explores the “corrupt” music industry is foreboding and Floyd’s use of distorted guitars and keyboards adds to this odd adumbration. One of my favorites off of the album.
3.) “The Trapeze Swinger” by Iron & Wine
Singer/Songwriter Samuel Beam goes by his stage and recording name, Iron & Wine. I am glad this particular song came up. “The Trapeze Swinger” is my favorite song of his. Beam paints a bucolic photo of life and death and this dulcet tune is the perfect palette. Sweet and sobering.
4.) “Mad World” by Gary Jules
I have always enjoyed this Jules cover of Tears For Fears’ song “Mad World.” It is most popular for having appeared in the Richard Kelly film “Donnie Darko.” The song is like a melodious dirge and I can’t get enough of it.
5.) “U.S. Blues” by Grateful Dead
“I’m Uncle Sam. How do you do?” This lyric from “U.S. Blues” is one of The Grateful Dead’s best line. This song is classic Dead blues and that makes it absolutely amazing.
6.) “Blue Ridge Mountains” by Fleet Foxes
Fleet Foxes is the latest up and coming band Seattle-based indie rock band. These bands seem to sprout up like spring flowers. But, Fleet Foxes is special. They describe their music as “baroque harmonic pop jams” and that is not far from the truth. “Blue Ridge Mountains” is just one example of how far a sweet voice and interesting melody can take you. All the way to my Ipod and there is more where that came from.
Connection: Pitchfork Media really likes Panda Bear and Fleet Foxes. “Bros” appears on the album Person Pitch and “Blue Ridge Mountains” appears on the eponymous Fleet Foxes. Person Pitch was rated the best album of 2007 while Fleet Foxes was rated the best album of 2008. Back-to-back. I listen to some good music!
Like many, my March Madness bracket is hanging on by a thread. My winner, Kentucky, went down tonight and my only hope lies in the Bears of Baylor. So, Baylor WIN!!!!!!! Well, that was unprofessional. I guess it is better to still have a hope. I know many whose Final Four picks have all been ousted from the NCAA Basketball Tournament. But, pick up your head and don’t be so crestfallen. Opening Day for all baseball teams is coming fast and I am ready for the Mets to begin. Nothing is better than the first pitch in April. This is one of the reasons why my favorite sports song of all time is baseball’s rock anthem (I guess it is not really an anthem) “Centerfield” by John Fogerty.
“Centerfield”:
How can you not love John Fogerty’s baseball bat guitar. That is just awesome. The song is great too. It just gets you in the mood to get up and do something…preferably play baseball. Besides the fact that the song is synonymous with countless baseball movies and videos, it is also well-written and melodious. It is an effervescent, fun-loving song and people can’t get enough of its great beat and message. It is optimistic, inspiring and its melody provides listeners with visions of outfield grass, home run hitters, stolen bases and…you get the picture. Happy baseball everyone.
March Madness has been mad. The tournament of 64 NCAA basketball teams encompasses the excitement of sports. Single-elimination, lay it all on the line entertainment. Sports are an invaluable part of our society and, because of this, musicians have explored this topic through song. There is a lot of pump-up music out there; music that inspires you to go out there and kick some tail. In this poll I have gathered five of my favorite sports songs together. I am anticipating a lot more opinions and I am looking forward to hearing them.
Perhaps Jim Marshall’s most famous photograph depicts guitar legend Jimi Hendrix bathing his burning Stratocaster guitar with lighter fluid at The Monterey Pop Festival in 1967. Hendrix is on his knees and deep in an odd sacrificial prayer. This iconic photograph of Hendrix immolating his guitar is just one in a massive collection of some of rock n’ roll’s most enduring images. And, the man behind the camera for each photo in this illustrious collection is Jim Marshall. Marshall passed away yesterday in his sleep. He was 74.
Jimi Hendrix being...well...Jimi Hendrix
Marshall was born in Chicago in 1936 and raised in San Francisco. After purchasing a camera in high school, he began taking pictures of local musicians. After serving in the Air Force, Marshall had a chance encounter with John Coltrane. He gave Coltrane a lift and, in return, he allowed Marshall to take pictures of him. Marshall then moved to New York and was hired by Atlantic and Columbia to take studio pictures. After his stay in New York, he moved back to San Francisco during the height of the Psychedelic music scene. There, he took some of his most known photographs including the Hendrix photo.
This is a tough loss for the music community. Marshall was one of the most respected rock photographers and he will surely be missed. During the past few years he remained active in rock photography. Some of his latest subjects were The Red Hot Chilli Peppers and Ben Harper. I was always struck by one of Marshall’s photographs of John Coltrane in 1960. The picture is a wonderful portrait of a genius in thought. It will always be one of my favorite Jim Marshall pictures.
The Music Court 