Howdy everyone. Let’s see if you can get this one.
“And when I hung up the phone it occurred to me/ he’d grown up just like me/my boy was just like me.”
hint: covered by a meow; the artist’s wife actually wrote the lyrics as a poem about her ex-husband and his father (she is credited as a co-author); the artist then added the music and chorus
Answer: Cats in the Cradle, by Harry Chapin
Hey guys,
Amanda here, I’m a new blogger for the Music Court. I’m a college sophomore from Far-Rockaway N.Y. and I love writing and music. Booyah!
So this week’s next top lyricist is Tori Amos. You may not have heard of her, but trust me, she’s pretty awesome.
Tori Amos, born Myra Ellen Amos, is not only a gifted songwriter, but an incredible pianist. She was pretty much a child prodigy, playing piano at 2 and composing original pieces at 5. When I was 5, I was lucky if I could spell my own name right.
Tori’s career rose in the early 1990’s, a time dominated by alternative, angry, and dare I say, testosterone-fueled rock. She bravely countered the status quo, authoring songs that challenged gender roles and accepted social norms. Tori’s lyrics are potent and electrifying; unapologetically and unabashedly honest. She gained direct inspiration from her own romantic relationships, as well as from a brutal sexual assault she experienced early in her career. Amos is the cofounder of the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network, or RAINN, a national crisis hotline.
At 46 and with a prolific, two-decade long career, Tori has made a permanent mark in the music world. One of my favorite songs is “Cornflake Girl”, from her fourth album Under the Pink:
Never was a cornflake girl
Thought that was a good solution
Hanging with the raisin girls
She’s gone to the other side
Yeah you might think a song written about cereal is a little obscure, and you’re probably right. But “Cornflake Girl” resonates with generations of woman. The song is about the internal resentment and tension between individual groups of women. To Amos, the “cornflake girls” are simple, narrow-minded and complacent (think of your Paris Hiltons and Tara Reids). On the other hand, the “raison girls” are creative and unconventional (think of your Alanis Morissettes and Regina Spektors). Just like the ratio of cornflakes to raisons in your cereal box, the raison girls are outnumbered by the cornflake girls. “Cornflake Girl” is a social commentary, but not on the pressure that women receive from men or the media, but from other women. Tori is a self- proclaimed “raison girl”, far too bold to conform to an accepted standard of female behavior.
My other top Amos song is “A Sorta Fairytale”. It was Tori’s most commercially successful song, and also, has a very bizarre cameo of Adrien Brody in the music video.
And I’m so sad
like a good book
I can’t put this
Day Back
a sorta fairytale
with you
a sorta fairytale
with you
The song’s about the ups and downs of love; a relationship that evolves from an idealistic, fairy-tale vision to something real and imperfect.
Tori Amos is an amazing musical artist, and if you haven’t already, I suggest you check her out.
This embodies Weird Al Yankovic
Everyone has had the experience of listening to a Weird Al Yankovic parody song and thinking it was the original. Heck, I would even go out on a limb and say that Weird Al has introduced more people to Rock and Rap than the radio. Come on, tell me you have not listened to “Amish Paradise,” “Eat it,” or any of Weird Al’s neverending catalogue of comical songs. Cracked.com, a humor and video site, asked Weird Al to write them an article about his favorite parody songs and to make a list of stories behind songs he wanted to parody but couldn’t. And, in normal Weird Al fashion, he went well above and beyond the call of duty.
Check it out: http://www.cracked.com/article/203_the-9-most-underrated-funny-songs-according-to-weird-al/
Now boys and girls, this archaic bagel shaped disc was called a CD-Rom. People used to listen to music that was stored on this.
Notable November 17th CD Releases
John Mayer: “Battle Studies”
– Mayer’s fourth studio album mixes blues and stories and track 7 is his own version of “Crossroads” based on The Creams version. If that is not enough to buy this album I do not know what is.
The Chairs: “Nine Ways”
– “The Chairs released its first full-length last spring, and has since produced two EPs, and now a second album. Due out on the 17th, Nine Ways is simply an incredible album, something not even the outstandingly high quantity of work The Chairs produced this year could stifle. The album showcases nine rather unique ways to die, or more accurately, to be killed, not only in each of its tracks (during which a total of eighteen people pass away) but on the various album covers (yes, there are multiple covers), each corresponding to a track and method of death. But Nine Ways is not just more morbid than the band’s last album: it is also more experimental, more detailed, and more intelligent. Nine Ways is nothing short of an amazing album.” Review from Plumbiferous: http://plumbiferous.com/1312/nine-ways-the-chairs
Them Crooked Vultures: “Them Crooked Vultures”
– The much anticipated debut album from the supergroup that includes vocalist and guitarist Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age, Kyuss), bassist and keyboardist John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin) and drummer Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters, Nirvana). An interesting combination of hard rock that is certainly worth checking out
A rare Sunday post for a rare talent.
In November 2008, Peter BradleyAdams was named one of the “21st-century writers whose songs are worth exploring.” by The Wall Street Journal (who I applied to for an internship. I was not kidding when I said I applied to every local publication)
On October 20th, the melodic Americana musician released his new album “Traces,” and his new musical portrait is certainly worth taking a listen to. I have personally not gotten a chance to pick up the new album yet but I am incredibly excited to pick up a copy when I get home. Adams is one of those musicians whose music reads like a good book, you cannot put it down (no matter how hard you try).
Therefore, I must echo The Wall Street Journal’s take on Adams’ music. “Traces,” will not disappoint and for those who have never heard Adams music before, I strongly suggest you take a listen. Trust me, you’ll like it
Pick up your copy and preview some songs:
For a free download of “For You” off of the new album, no sign-up required: http://peterbradleyadams.com/free/foryou/
The Album: http://www.amazon.com/Traces-Dig-Peter-Bradley-Adams/dp/B002O4J4CA/?tag=sr0d-20
Information on Adams: http://www.peterbradleyadams.com/
Three hours of my Saturday was spent on a mad internship search for the summer of 2010. My results. Applied to one, sent e-mails to around ten, listed three for future applications. Man, by the end of this I’d be willing to intern at The Music Court. Oh right, I already sort of am. Anyway, internship searches are hard work and often meet failures, leading me to quote Mr. Dangerfield and proclaim that those places have “No respect”
You know who else gets no respect, photographers. Yes, those rock photographers that have snapped the most famous photos of musicians. We all know that, that is Bob Dylan and that is Jimi Hendrix burning his guitar, but who took the picture. Want to find out.
Check out this link to the story of some of the most known photos of rock n’ roll. The list has been graciously provided by Rolling Stone Magazine, who I e-mailed so please get back to me
The Music Court 