The Music Court

Anthony, or Visual Music man as you have come to know and love him as, and I were pondering a song for the song of the day. I decided to pick up my guitar and play a few poorly sung covers in search of a suitable song and I forced Anthony to play along with me. After our unsuccessful jam session where Anthony and I both realized once again that our dream to be the next Simon and Garfunkel will never come to fruition, Anthony asked me if I had profiled The Weepies yet. I said no and he scorned me with some expletives and the song of the day was  born

WEEPIES!!!!!!!!

The story of our Weepies obsession reaches back to a vacation where I was shuffling through new music. The Weepies presented themselves during my 3:00 in the morning search and the song of the day played. After hearing it I let it play around 70 or so times before I told Anthony about the song when we went back to school. Anthony listened to it, got the Weepies, and their music has never ceased to leave our heads. So, now that you know about our weird longing for everything Weepies let me get to something about the song.

“World Spins Madly On,” fits perfectly into a wonderful description I found online (wikipedia). The Weepies’ music is “subtly intoxicating folk-pop.” You don’t know that the Weep virus is infecting you as you listen but, trust me, it is. It is like a tape worm that just sucks all music into a vacuum and consumes it so the Weep virus keeps all Weepies songs perpetually stuck in your head. Also, the tape worm never leaves. This beautiful analogy leads in perfectly to the creation of the Weepies by Deb Talan and Steve Tannen. Actually it has nothing to do with anything of the story but whatever. The two met at a show Tannen was playing and quickly found out that they shared many of the same music roots and interest. Love sprouted like autumn foliage and these vivid colors have been spread to all listeners. “World Spins Madly On,” is just one example of their great music. The song appeared on the 2006 album Say I Am You and also in the movie “Because I Said So,” which is pretty funny when you think about. Say I am you. Why? Because I said so. Or, just listen to the song.

“World Spins Madly On”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4sa2HoXpsE

I also particularly liked this cover. Good job guys. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIjly8KKNpM

Never Forget

Eight years ago today the unspeakable happened. Two aircrafts were intentionally flown into the iconic twin towers of the World Trade Center complex in New York City during a tuesday work morning. Another aircraft skidded across the lawn of the Pentagon building and exploded into the building that was specifically built to protect Americans. Another aircraft, destined for another unknown target, was taken down before it could reach its target because of the beyond valiant efforts of men and women who boarded a plane that morning with intentions of landing safely and uniting with friends or loved ones. The events of that particular day and those that painfully proceeded it remain forever ingrained into the bodies of those old enough to remember the feelings emitted from those days vividly. I was in technology class in seventh grade, in simple dread of the fact that I was in school so terribly early. A classmate of mine came back from the bathroom and revealed to the class that a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center. We all thought he was joking. My girlfriend was in her sixth grade elementary school class. One of her classmate’s fathers worked in the World Trade Center. She remembers assuring her that it probably is not anything serious and that she will see him soon. Who knew that the father would just become a statistic in the rubble and that the little girl would never see him again. It is these horrendous events that paste themselves into your being. The excruciating repetition of the images of the fiery buildings and the indescribable video of the second plane flying like a dying bird into the awaiting structure of Two World Trade Center. Into the desks of one of those who went to work that morning and never had the ability to go home again. One of those whose permanent grave was the site of their work and their place of security. It is a day that even eight years later remains painted clearly in the deepest section of our minds; a memory that is as frighteningly real today as it was when we all first witnessed the first news cycle of the crashing plane and the dreadful reaction from the shocked newscasters; total silence.

So, on this somber day, I thought I would give you the link of a song that echoed throughout Madison Square Garden on October 20th, 2001 to honor those lost during the attacks. Music does have power. It has that strange ability to comfort you with its melody and lyric. It can brighten you up and help you release otherwise held-in emotions. On that night Paul McCartney sang “Let it Be,” he sent a message to all of those who passed away and who continue to mourn their lost loved ones today; “Let it be,” “Let it be.”

Link from McCartney’s performance during the Concert for New York: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnQN-bLK_ww

My sister and I on most occasions do not agree on the same music. I tend to focus on my eccentric rock playlist and her on her diverse list of modern top 100 songs. Yet, sometimes, when the planets align we latch onto a similar song. This morning she told me to check out “Fireflies,” by Owl City, telling me that she thought it was cool, a little techno, and something I might enjoy. Generally this equation leads to me listening and forgetting, but after one listen to the song a few minutes ago, I am pleasured to say that I am rather hooked. The song is pretty cool and I can imagine it being a fast riser on the charts where it sits at #94 right now.

Adam Young

Owl City is actually the chosen name of lead everything Adam Young whose main musical aspirations were a cure for his insomnia. He started making

music in his parents basement and his odd mix of electronic rock, new wave, and pop was born. The music is quite dreamy and atmospheric and the cause for this is Young’s synth. I am usually not a fan of these type of songs but for some reason this one latched on tight.

The chorus and creative video (where toys come to life in a scene like a twisted Toy Story) were most likely a cause for this. Well, I will let you guys decide for yourself, and you can see if it has a similar effect. Enjoy!

“Fireflies”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aI4JLa0hbUw

Ah Labor Day. Everyone who has ever experienced the endless morning commute to office life should bask in this day of relaxation. Am I taking a day off for this holiday. Well, no. You see this is not a job, it is enjoyment, and plus, I have already taken the entire weekend off. By the way, how do you guys like the new section and Mr. Zampardi. Pretty awesome right. Well, luckily, for all of those who cannot wait another second for another visual music, Anthony is in my college suite and will be posting another one today (or he does not get fed). What!?! Yes, he is caged by me and forced to do the music court”s bidding. Well, that was wierd. Anyway, Anthony will be teaming up with me taking care of the amazing new section Visual Music, while I stick to music of the day and all that jazz. Speaking of jazz, Randy Bachman does not play it. Don’t you just love transitions. Well, in honor of all of those who toil in the work force day in and day out, let’s get some rock and roll going to start off a day of working at nothing all day.

The boss came in today and he told me I wasn't thinking out of the box.

The argument is out on what is the finest worksong. Many people would say that I just wrote the answer slyly in the last sentence. “Finest Worksong,” by R.E.M must take the cake to the bakery to see the other cakes (R.I.P George Carlin). But, no, R.E.M is great and all but Bachman-Turner Overdrive has the best working song by far. “Takin’ Care of Business,” has two special meanings for me. One of the first rock songs I have ever heard was “Takin’ Care of Business,” as my father had a CD of them which I secretively stole from him to listen to over and over again. Also, “Takin’ Care of Business,” is the song the New York Mets play when they win at home. The song hasn’t been played much this year. But, besides special significances, I believe it encompasses the best day off from work message.

Obviously Takin' Care of Business

Randy Bachman originally intended to record this song with his ex “American Woman” band The Guess Who. He wanted it to be about a recording technician the band worked with who really did take the iconic “8:15 (train) into the city.” Yet, in its early stages Bachman’s riff flat-out was a copy of The Beatles “Paperback Writer, ” and the band refused to record such a noticeable rip-off. After moving on from The Guess Who and co-forming Bachman-Turner Overdrive he heard on a radio show in Vancouver a DJ’s catch phrase which went “We’re takin care of business.” After revising the chord structure and adding the boogie-woogie piano stylings of Norman Durkee (who suggested they put this type of piano in the song and then ended up writing the riff on a pizza box and recording with them) “Takin’ Care of Business,” became a huge hit and became Bachman-Turner Overdrive’s most known song. So, enjoy your labor day and sit back and relax with Randy Bachman who knows how to work. Just lie out in the sun and if people ask you why you are not working, say for today, that you’re self-employed and you love to work at nothing all day.

Lyrics:
You get up every morning
From your alarm clock’s warning
Take the 8:15 into the city
There’s a whistle up above
And people pushin’, people shovin’
And the girls who try to look pretty

And if your train’s on time
You can get to work by nine
And start your slaving job to get your pay
If you ever get annoyed
Look at me I’m self-employed
I love to work at nothing all day

And I’ll be…
[Refrain]
Taking care of business every day
Taking care of business every way
I’ve been taking care of business, it’s all mine
Taking care of business and working overtime
Work out!

If it were easy as fishin’
You could be a musician
If you could make sounds loud or mellow
Get a second-hand guitar
Chances are you’ll go far
If you get in with the right bunch of fellows

People see you having fun
Just a-lying in the sun
Tell them that you like it this way
It’s the work that we avoid
And we’re all self-employed
We love to work at nothing all day

And we be…
[Refrain]

[Spoken] Take good care of my business
When I’m away, every day whoo!

[Repeat first 2 verses]

[Refrain]

Takin’ care of business [4x]

[Refrain]

Takin’ care of business [repeat, fade]

Check out the song: (Awesome Keith Moon intro) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJprEyXMrIk

Oh Captain my Captain

Yesterday, I asked a question about one of the negatives of the whole bloggin’ thing on this particular site. It was minor and just about the looping time system they have here. Today, I shall highlight one of the positives and this will lead perfectly into the song of the day. When I look at the statistics of visiting members each day (and I get all of your personal information *evil laugh* For anybody incredibly gullible that was a joke) I get a list of what search has led people to the site. Today at the earth shattering number of twelve, Ben Gibbard has shown up as a much searched person. I have profiled Gibbard in the past as the #98th Best Songwriter of all time and I have actually profiled this song to a smaller extent in Gibbard’s section, but I thought, since it is such an awesome song I would profile it once again as a song of the day to appease those searchers of Gibbard.

Let’s get through with some logistics. “I’ll Follow You into the Dark,” was track five on Death Cab For Cutie’s fifth studio album, Plans. Plans was recorded in a farmhouse studio (you can here mooing in the background of some songs, just kidding) in Massachusetts in the “middle of nowhere” as described by Gibbard. In response to a question about the album from Mix Magazine Gibbard said,

” I don’t think there’s necessarily a story, but there’s definitely a theme here. One of my favorite kind of dark jokes is, ‘How do you make God laugh? You make a plan.’ Nobody ever makes a plan that they’re gonna go out and get hit by a car. A plan almost always has a happy ending. Essentially, every plan is a tiny prayer to Father Time. I really like the idea of a plan not being seen as having definite outcomes, but more like little wishes.”

Gibbard is preaching the gospel of existentialism in this quotation. His discussion of unknown plans fits right into the philosophy that discusses the imprisonment of freedom; that one is condemned to be free as existentialist phenon, Jean-Paul Sartre, states.

All philosophers have had a good chuckle

For example, picture yourself driving. When one is driving you are constantly thinking your driving. Every moment you are choosing what to do. You are making choices and making plans. Any momemt one can have the freedom to simply throw fate to the wind or do anything for that matter. This is a good transition into our song of the day which shows a lover making a conscious decision to follow the other into the dark.

The song is quite beautiful and emits an Iron and Wine like feel with its plucked chord progression and solo performance. The song can be considered quite melancholy but the message is uplifting.

“If heaven and hell decide
That they both are satisfied
And illuminate the “No”s
On their vacancy signs
If there’s no one beside you
When your soul embarks
Then I’ll follow you into the dark”

It is a wonderful metaphor and one of the best I have heard in modern music. Heaven and Hell may not exist. They may both figuratively illuminate the no’s on their imaginary vacancy signs. But, that does not matter because Gibbard’s character makes his loving plea. I will be with you forever. If you have no one else beside you when your soul embarks then I’ll follow you into the dark.” If that is not love I do not know what is.