Best Sellers in Stores…In 1940

27 Jul

In July of 1940, the first music popularity chart was calculated by Billboard magazine. Today, 70 years later, the leader of the current Hot 100 chart is Eminem and Rihanna’s “Love the Way You Lie.” In “Love the Way You Lie,” Eminem writes, “Just gonna stand there, And hear me cry.”

Flashback to July 27, 1940. Frank Sinatra’s, supported by the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, sings Ruth Lowe’s “I’ll Never Smile Again.” Sinatra croons, “For tears would fill my eyes.” BREAKING NEWS: Crying still exists in music.

Seriously though, Billboard charts have been around for a while and on July 27, 1940, “I’ll Never Smile Again” became the first ever #1 hit on the Billboard weekly Best Selling Singles chart.

Happy Anniversary Billboard charts.

Now, to some other news. For 10 days, fellow Music Court blogger, Amanda Grannis, will take over posting. I will be away from the blogosphere. But, I leave the Music Court in fantastic hands. Enjoy her great posts and have a fantastic number of days!

Anna Rose’s Ode to Old Time Rock N’ Roll

26 Jul

Huck Rose

Anna Rose is dedicated to music.

Once, after getting into an argument about whether Eric Clapton or Jimi Hendrix was the better guitarist, she physically removed the Clapton supporter from the car. “I’d rather have innovation than interpretation any day of the week,” said Rose.

Rose does go on to say how great of a guitarist Clapton is, but, her pure passion (as described above) is just a treat. I mean I would like to think that I would defend great music to the death, but, I don’t know if I would throw someone out of a car if they did not agree with me. Well…maybe.

Anna Rose is a 25-year-old singer/songwriter from New York who just released her debut album Nomad. The 12-track disc features a great assortment of Rose’s multifaceted music style. This style was accomplished by Rose through hard work and many great music influences. Heck, her dog’s name is Joplin. Listen to track five “I’ll Be Gone” and hear how much sense this makes.

“I’ll Be Gone,” displays Rose’s bluesy side and her voice is a powerful example of good blues singing. Plus, it’s different and original. It has an old feel but it is not a superannuated piece of music. It is fresh and exciting and Rose’s voice is a tour de force.

“Music,” Rose says, “More than anything, I have always straight-up just totally and truthfully loved it.”

And, her love for it shows. Her inspirations range from Jim Morrison (who she would like to look like on stage) to famous guitarists like Buddy Guy. “From the beginning, I was a guitarhead,” said Rose. She started playing the guitar when she was five and even received lessons from Arlen Roth, the guitarist who has performed with Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, and who wrote the book ‘Masters of the Telecaster.

Guitar is quite prevalent in “Picture,” one of my favorite tracks on the album. In it, a gritty Rose lets loose her rocker side and plays a powerful song with a well-placed, neat electric guitar solo which wraps the song together. Her voice displays such fantastic emotion and the fact that the song comes after two less powerful tracks portrays great album organizational skills (an art that often goes overlooked).

Rose said, after playing a show in L.A., “It was like I had found a place in the music world,” and this debut album affirms that sentiment. It is a sweet blend of warm rock n’ roll music with a youthful vigor injected into each song. And, best of all, at 25, Rose still has room to grown…in a music sense that is.

For Information:

http://www.myspace.com/annarosemusic

http://www.annarosemusic.com/

Traveling the Dark Star

24 Jul

“Shall we go, you and I
While we can?
Through the transitive nightfall
of diamonds”

-Robert Hunter from “Dark Star”

Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter claimed that this obscure lyric was the first he ever wrote with San Francisco psychedelic superstars, the Grateful Dead. In my opinion, the “transitive nightfall of diamonds” is the obfuscated world of dreams, both tenebrous and terrifyingly apparent. Today, I entered the dream of Christopher Nolan and experienced his new film, “Inception.” It explored different levels of consciousness in wicked cool dream-like action scenes and it sustained a deep message about loss, memory, and guilt. It was not overly complicated. Heck, it’s as easy as saying, well it’s all dreams.

I am not a movie critic so I will stop with my poor review. But, Nolan’s phantasmagorical film did get me thinking about the anagogic subject of dreams and movies. And, wouldn’t you know it, after a quick online search for some fresh court links I came across some news on a movie about one famous guitarist who entered the unknown close to 15 years ago…well, who knows, maybe he just woke up.

Before the long strange trip began

The long-awaited Jerry Garcia biopic finally has a script and a director. Amir Bar-Lev, director of “The Tillman Story” will take Topper Lilien’s screenplay, which is based on of Robert Greenfield’s book, “Dark Star,” and turn it into a motion picture. The movie will focus on Garcia…before the Dead. Now, the question is…who will play Jerry Garcia?

Link: http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118022032.html?categoryid=13&cs=1&ref=vertfilm

Zach Galifianakis (Photo by Karl Walter/Getty Images)

Jerry Garcia

*GULP*

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Happy Birthday Trebek

22 Jul

A big happy 70th birthday to Jeopardy host, Alex Trebek and I think I can speak for everyone when I say, “You think you’re pretty smart, don’t you? What with your Diego mustache and your greasy hair!

Now, putting aside Celebrity Jeopardy skits on SNL, Jeopardy is one of the most watched television game shows and day after day its unique brand of corny humor combined with its contestants, the pedantic intelligentsia of our nation, and its either obsessed viewing public or those Jeopardy novices who like watching just in case a music category is included – that would be me – has made the show a huge success and Alex Trebek a household name, like Bob Barker.

B...B is for Barker

So, in honor of Jeopardy and Trebek, I thought we could answer a question that most people have about Jeopardy but never ask. Where does that catchy theme music come from?

Imagine this? The theme song that has become the anthem of thought, was composed to be a lullaby. Entitled, “A Time for Tony,” Merv Griffin, the show’s creator, wrote the piece for his son, Tony. It blossomed as the “Think” music that is as synonymous with the show as contestants having trouble with their buzzers. Best yet, Griffin estimates that the song has grossed $70-80 million in royalties. Think about that!

Enjoy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXGhvoekY44

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Best Alcohol-Related Song: “Margaritaville” by Jimmy Buffet

21 Jul

Apparently, Music Court viewers like the blues. “One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer,” the John Lee Hooker classic about drunkenness and loss, took home the prestigious prize of Best Alcohol-Related Song. A very solid choice. The included John Lee Hooker video is amazing. I will admit that. But, in my opinion, as much as alcohol is very well represented in the title and in Hooker’s growl, the best song that deals with the art of bombs, shots and guns (wow, who knew booze were so violent. Nothing like alcohol personification) is “Margaritaville” by Jimmy Buffet. The other choices are good ones, but, heck, I am happy when I drink and I’m telling you this is just such a light drinking song. You hear me! The song is AWESOME! Okay, failed drunk attempt. Let’s get to some real reasons.

Buffet's frozen concoction that helps him hang on

Firstly, come on, Buffet has made an entire bar/restaurant franchise out of his hit and you can’t even say the man is selling out, because his other songs have to do with hamburgers and paradise. Seriously, the man is a restaurateur who happened to be proficient with an acoustic guitar. His restaurant company even sells margarita makers. Margarita makers. The song has turned into a trademark that promotes drinking. In an economical sense the song is an easy win.

 
But, from a music sense just look at these lyrics.

“I blew out my flip-flop
Stepped on a pop-top
Cut my heel had to cruise on back home
But there’s booze in the blender
And soon it will render
That frozen concoction that helps me hang on”

I don’t care if the song is corny and is the child of a man who created a song entitled bluntly, “Why don’t we get Drunk and Screw.” We are not judging great songs. I mean, this may very well be the worst song on the list. But, it is horribly catchy and has such a cult following its scary. Well, a lot of people like to drink and listen to Buffet. His name is Buffet. Look, he is an escape. The lyrics above practically say, I had to leave fantasy land, but, there are still booze back home so everything will be okay. Yes, it does sound like the song is promoting alcoholism, but, like Buffet’s annual Summer appearance at Jones Beach Theater, it is good in small doses. Look, the man puts on an entertaining show and his song is just such a pleasant drinking song. You listen to it and say, “Hey, where is my margarita.” Well, Buffet would probably respond. “You can now make them at home using this”

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