Hobbledehoy (Noun): An awkward, gawky young fellow.
Musical Example:
Ah, now you get the image above. Now, before I get into a musical example of this odd word with unknown origins, let me alert you all of my posting schedule for the summer. Internship orientation was exciting, but a tad bit confusing and overwhelming. That was to be expected. After most likely getting hopelessly lost in the building tomorrow, I believe things will become more clear when I am put in front of a computer and told to write. I can do that well. Heck, I am doing that now. Maybe I will write about a hobbledehoy. I work on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday for now. Does everyone remember the posting schedule that I used when I was in college just a few months ago? Court links will grace your screen on Monday and Thursday. Tuesday’s will be reserved for a SWOD. So, consider this a Tuesday post. Wednesday and Friday will change weekly.
Now, on to the music. You know, “Why must I be a hobbledehoy in love.” Wait, those are not the lyrics Dion and the Belmonts famously sing? That’s right everyone. Tonight is reserved for an oldie but a goodie. “A Teenager in Love” was written by Doc Pomus and partner Mort Shuman in March of 1959. The song hit #5 on the Billboard pop charts. The song was originally sung by Dion and the Belmonts and you can watch a video of a performance of the song below.
Hey folks. Hope your weekend was pleasant. Tomorrow, I begin my internship at Newsday (newspaper in New York). It is orientation and I am very excited. I may not have time to post tomorrow and this is why you are getting some online direction tonight. It is becoming tough to think of different words and adjectives for the links I post, by the way. Tomorrow, after I learn the schedule for my internship, I will finally be able to create a posting schedule for the summer. Hooray! It’s these simple things that get me so excited. And, after I make the schedule, I will let you all know what it is.
By the way, if any of you would like to read about my internship experience, you can follow me on my new blog project The Perennial Intern. On it, I will be posting about my internship on either a daily or weekly basis. I hope it will prove to be entertaining. Thanks in advance for visiting.
You know what I have found quite danceable lately.
That’s right the new laudatory Nike commercial that pairs Kobe Bryant alongside other NBA greats. Do you recognize the song? That’s a clip from a Beatles’ song right? Yes myself, “All Together Now” appeared on Yellow Submarine. Who has an urge to watch “Yellow Submarine” right now? Anyway, that is not Paul McCartney leading the child-like sing-a-long. That is OutKast’s Andre 3000 reappearing on the music scene. Besides a few cameo appearances, Andre 3000 has not released on album since OutKast’s 2006 Idlewind soundtrack. I wonder if this version of “All Together Now” will be released in full. I’ll keep you updated.
I know someone else that may feel like dancing now. He certainly can dance with a soccer ball between his legs. Hopefully, for the United States’ sake, he will not want to dance after the U.S. meets England in their first match-up of the 2010 World Cup on June 12. I am talking about England’s star Wayne Rooney who, according to goalkeeper David James, is England’s best dancer. But, “Are there any good singers in the England team? Rubbish! Absolute rubbish.” So, I have just found the weakness you need to exploit, America. I cannot believe James would reveal such a flaw in the English squad. We just need to serenade them with our mesmerizing choir and we are set. We just need to call on midfielder Clint Dempsey. I hope you’re taking notes Bob Bradley.
The home lawn of Citi field spawns another Mets win and I leave the stadium thoroughly entertained! Now on to the post.
A few weeks ago I ran a poll on the best album cover of all time. I believe it is about time that I conclude that post with a response post of my own. After the vote, Nevermind and its heavily symbolic…and naked album cover won in a close race. I’m not surprised by this. Each album chosen can easily be considered the greatest album cover of all time. But, I’m afraid I have to disagree with the winner. Another album cover has always struck my eye, both for its interesting story and frighteningly intriguing imagery. This is the iconic album cover of In The Court of the Crimson King.
Let me tell you a little story about the album that Pete Townshend considers an “uncanny masterpiece” and I consider to be one of my favorite pieces of connected music ever. In 1969, a few talented and already accomplished musicians joined forces to play a euphonious mixture of modern classical, folk, jazz and pop music. The odd combination emitted a true ethereal sound that gave fans a real sensory music listening experience, especially when paired with the richly obscure and rather dense poetry of lyricist Peter Sinfield. When this all came together on King Crimson’s debut 1969 album In The Court of the Crimson King, music fans heard one of the finest examples of the newly established progressive rock genre (formed out of the art rock experimentation of The Beatles, Frank Zappa, Jeff Beck and even early Pink Floyd in the mid 1960s).
Here enters Barry Godber, the young computer programmer (yeah, they existed) and artist who painted the album cover. The tortured face on front (see above photo) is the frightened schizoid man (there is a song on the album called “21’st Century Schizoid Man”) while the seemingly stoned face on the inside cover is the Crimson King. Yet, intelligent guile on the part of Godber reveals a completely different Crimson King if you cover his grinning face. Go ahead, try it. After the album was released with Godber’s painting on October 10, 1969, Godber died of a heart attack at the age of 24 in February of 1970. The curse of the Crimson King. Or, just bad, bad luck. But, his legacy still lives on through the only copy of the original painting owned by King Crimson guitarist Robert Fripp, and the many copies of the 12-inch LPs and CD’s that continue to be sold today with Godber’s perennial image permanently pasted on front. The paranoid face melting into the surrounding space, lost and alone…
Happy friggin’ Friday! Couldn’t have come sooner, I think.
Any who, I’d like to tip my hat to Rihanna this week…her latest single Rude Boy topped the Billboard chart at #1, making her the first female in the US to have six singles landing the top spot since 2000. Overall, I really dig Ri’s newest album, Rated R. I think it’s a great improvement and departure from her previous body of work, which was mostly generic sounding stuff straight out of the pop factory.
Ah yes, but between the Chris Brown fiasco and legal troubles with her personal trainer, Rihanna is well acquainted with controversy. The last question being over the originality of the music video for Rude Boy.
Rude Boy is a stand out amongst Ri’s others, complete with colorful collages of eye-popping graphics and animal prints. Also, the men she seems to be wooing look like they were cast straight from the shuffleboard deck of a cruise ship. If you somehow get bored just watch the singer frantically pretend to know how to play the drums; it’s a joy for all of the senses.
Nonetheless, there have been murmurings that Rihanna’s video may have borrowed a bit too much from MIA, an artist known for her gritty and over the top graphic art.
Here’s MIA’s video for the single Boyz…
No matter the similarities, last time I checked there was no set trademark on a style of expression… but I’ll leave it up to you to decide.
The second order of business came to me during midterms week. You know, midterms week? That time of year when I sit rigidly in my little booth at the library, drooling at the wall and listening to blatantly bad music to stay conscious? And I’m talking really bad music folks, old school too. Backstreet Boys, Spice Girls, N’sync and many others I’m too embarrassed to mention.
Most recently the artist Ke$ha joined the ranks on my delightfully bad music play list. Her album Animal was all the buzz this year, as her single Tik Tok penetrated clubs and mini-malls everywhere.
As I engaged in my self-deprecation of cramming and musical enjoyment, I managed to shed some of my Ke$ha related shame. Sure, lyrics such as “I dont really care where you live at, just turn around boy and let me hit that” probably don’t make much of a contribution to the greater culture.
But what I like about Ke$ha is that she’s honest about who she is, and what kind of music she puts out. She isn’t trying to be something she’s not and she puts forth no false advertising over the dubious quality of her work. The equivalent of sugary junk food, her songs are meant for pure, albeit trashy, fun. Nevertheless, too much junk food can be bad for your diet, so Maybe Ke$ha should be just played at the club or gym–not on the car radio when my mother is present.
So is Ke$ha all in good fun, or a real step down for the music industry?
Every Monday and Friday I enjoy searching the internet for some good musical links to put up on the blog. Occasionally I come up with gold. According to Mickey Leigh, late Ramone’s front-man Joey Ramone’s brother, the height of the punk band’s career came with drugs, sex, and Trivial Pursuit. “The more blow we did, the more intensely we played the game. We loved it,” said Leigh. I don’t know about you but I know I speak for most people when I say that dabbling in Trivial Pursuit while wasted was not an idea I had ever thought of. It seems those crazy Ramones have outdone me again. Check out the link and the new memoir “I Slept With Joey Ramone: A Family Memoir,” where I am sure numerous awesome stories will be found.
Do you want to hear something really wierd that will have you going to yourself, well this is pretty awesome but I don’t know what I should think? Well, I bring to you Sgt Pepper’s Paradise City a mix-up of Beatles and Guns & Roses. I must hand it to the creators, this is pretty awesome (the verses are amazing). What do you think? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPLelay3zzA
– Jared Leto’s rock band will release their first album in four years. The band known for its experimentation did not disappoint inviting fans to the Avalon Club in Los Angeles to see how far the recording was and to possibly participate in its recording. Leto said, “The Summit was an experiment in our recording process, and we were just trying to think of ways that we could deepen the connection between ourselves and our family of fans around the world. We do that often, and think of ways to break the boundary. And we thought, ‘How great would it be to invite the world to come and be a part of the next 30 Seconds to Mars album?”
The Music Court 