Court Links: Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Metallica and Lou Reed

2 Dec

As promised, here are two links that should entertain you for a good fifteen minutes. I mean, come on, there are enough musicians there; if you are not entertained then you may need your head checked out.

Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck have announced three North American shows to be performed in February. This rumor was swirling among the music world and it has come to a temporary reality. The only problem is that there are only three dates for now. One in Madison Square Garden and another two in Toronto and Montreal. Unfortunately I will not be able to attend the concert at MSG on February 18  because of class, which really stinks.   I am sure it will be a fantastic show and if you are lucky enough to get a ticket (tickets go on sale December 12) please let me know how it was. In honor of the show here is Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, and Jimmy Page performing “Layla” in 1983 in MSG. No big deal! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICpxgxThG7s

Also, in case you were not able to catch the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame – 25th Anniversary in New York (Madison Square Garden) on HBO (they are still showing re-runs) here is a little taste of the odd musical concoctions and amazing moments that the 2 show event provided. This is rock n’ roll. Lou Reed performing “Sweet Jane” with Metallica. Yes, you read that right! http://www.fark.com/cgi/vidplayer.pl?IDLink=4815836

Song of the Day #69: “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye”

2 Dec

Oh No! It is 12:09 December 2 and I forgot to post yesterday (9 minutes ago). My excuse is simple. Finals week for English majors has begun early (I have two essays due on the 8th and two tests on the 10th). I also have a touch of the common cold. So, today while I was hyped up on Dayquil I did some essay preperation, went to work and class, and forgot to post. My bad, so here is what I will do to make up for it. I will do the 69th song of the day now and later on today I will provide you with some interesting music links for your clicking pleasure.

By the way, quick music court note. As of now I am going to put the top 100 lyricist section on a week-hold. I will not be doing it next tuesday but will be continuing with the section on tuesday the 15th when I will be HOME for Winter Break. Therefore I can do a little re-formatting of the list and make it awesome for everyone. Now, on to the song.

Okay, I cannot avoid good musical connections and stories; you all should know that by now. In 1969 starting this upcoming weekend, the #1 song on the charts was Paul Leka, Gary DeCarlo, and Dale Frashuer’s hit song…I know what you are saying to yourself (even those who lived through the decade of the 60s) Who are these people. Would you know them better if I said Steam. Would you know it better if I told you Na, Na, Na, Na, Na, Na, Na, Na, Hey, Hey, Hey Goodbye.

That is right “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye,” the perennial sports favorite was #1 40 years ago. During the early 60’s the three men listed above wrote a version of the now popular hit that was nearly thrown away for good. They were part of a band The Chateaus that met little success until DeCarlo recorded numerous songs at Mercury records and impressed record executives. In need for a nothing song for the B-side, Leka and DeCarlo revived the old track, re-recorded it, and added the genius chorus. Leka told Fred Bronson in the Book of Number One Hits. “I started writing while I was sitting at the piano going ‘na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na’…Everything was ‘na na’ when you didn’t have a lyric.” Someone else added “hey hey.”

Sometimes the best music, like technology, comes by accident. The real funny thing is that initially they thought it was a terrible song and single. Then a disc jockey in Georgia flipped over the single and played side B. Requests poured in and the song became huge.

Lyric #20

1 Dec

Let’s see how you guys do with this one.

“If there’s a God, he is laughing at us and our football team”

Hint: you might want to use the eff word a lot if this were true, and name your home after it

Answer: Effington, by Ben Folds

Court Links: Beach Boys, Beach Boys, Alicia Keys

30 Nov

Does this look weird to you?

There was something weird about the Beach Boys and no, it wasn’t the looming insanity of Brian Wilson (well maybe it was). Their music is incredibly well-known, well-respected, creative and quite catchy. I am sure every music fan can name at least one Beach Boys song that they like, whether it be songs about coupes, the sun, surfing, or electro-theremin inspired good vibrations. Pet Sounds is widely considered one of the greatest albums of all time (it is ranked #2 on Rolling Stones 500 greatest albums of all time) and Paul McCartney praises it as being his favorite album and the inspiration for Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, which coincidentally is ranked #1 on the Rolling Stones list. McCartney and the Beatles were and will always be the only band to trump Pet Sounds.

Anyway, this link is not about the great Beach Boys songs, favoring some of the more peculiar songs that they recorded. On the A.V. Club’s 17-song list includes one of my favorite Beach Boys songs, “Vegetables,” which is off the chart in weirdness. Look, the song is odd. It was written by Brian Wilson and Van Dyke Parks (which you would think to be a band but he is not) for the album Smiley Smile. Beyond the fact that the song is an excellent portrayal of the detachment of Brian Wilson from reality, none other than Paul McCartney provides the percussion with vegetable chewing noises in the background.

Check out the rest of the list: http://www.avclub.com/articles/give-me-some-root-beer-17-particularly-peculiar-be,35789/

So, on that note, recordings from the Beach Boys, The Doors, Bob Marley and others have been named as 2010 inductees to the Grammy Hall of Fame. “This year’s Grammy Hall Of Fame inductees highlight a diverse array of masterpiece recordings that have had a profound impact on our musical history,” Recording Academy President/CEO Neil Portnow said in a statement. Great list of some very worthy songs including “California Girls” by the Beach Boys. Personally I believe I am most happy for “Feliz Navidad” by Jose Feliciano because I believe it may be the most timeless song on the list. If you have not heard it thirty times already since we are post-Thanksgiving then I believe you may live in a radioless box.

Check out the rest of the list: http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2009/11/25/beach-boys-doors-recordings-join-grammy-hall-of-fame/

The Element of Freedom

Moving on, and away from the boys of the beach (I promise), let’s take a quick peak at the album releases for tomorrow, December 1. It looks like various diseases have made the list. Rock band Yellow Fever and Deer Tick (which may cause Lyme Disease with a bite) are both releasing an album and EP respectively. I hope they both do not leave you down with any sickness. Also, the healthy Alicia Keys is releasing her fourth studio album.

Album Release for December 1

The Element of Freedom by Alicia Keys

– In an interview with Billboard magazine Keys described her new album as an album that, “eliminated all of the boundaries and all the limitations, so that you can feel your freedom and express your freedom in every way you possibly can.” The fourteen track album’s anticipated release should bring good sales for the already succesful R&B performer.

Court Links: Skynyrd, Young, Hendrix

28 Nov

       This is a promising edition of court links. Lynyrd Skynyrd, Neil Young, and Jimi Hendrix; a very interesting combination.

       Let’s start with Lynyrd Skynyrd and Neil Young, the famous musical feud that best alludes to Shakespeare’s Capulets and Montagues. The supposed feud I should say. For those who do not know, Skynyrd in their most famous song “Sweet Home Alabama” which has been taken solely as a conservative masterpiece speaks directly to Neil Young, “Well I hope Neil Young will remember, a southern man don’t need him around anyhow.”  Young, whose anger towards southern segregationist policies seeped through his music was not very much liked among those committing these heinous injustices. They hid behind the words of the so-called conservative response from Skynyrd. The song and band are both widely misunderstood according to a thought-provoking argument provided by thrasherswheat.org. Skynyrd, especially lead singer Ronnie Van Zant, looked up to Neil Young and recorded the song as a wide joke just to play to southern ignorance. The messiah for conservative policies may have turned over to the other side but I guess no one will ever truly know.

Check out the article: http://www.thrasherswheat.org/jammin/lynyrd.htm

And…

      In a big surprise a recent musicradar.com poll shows that Jimi Hendrix’s “Voodoo Child” has been voted the greatest guitar riff of all time. Wow, I never would have guessed. “Nearly 40 years after his untimely death, Jimi Hendrix is still the undisputed heavyweight champion of rock guitar,” said Musicradar.com editor Mike Goldsmith. True now and probably true another 40 years down the road. In 40 years I’ll run a poll and we will see what the consensus is then.

Check out the rest of the list: http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/story/jimi-hendrix-has-greatest-riff_1123881

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