Posted by Becky @ 3:54 pm | 1 Comment Tick Tock People
March 3, 2010 | Music
Life is short, y’all.
I’ve got faith in us, and I believe in you and me
February 3, 2010 | Family, Music, Stuff
When everyone else lets me down, I’m so lucky to have someone to wrap my arms around. You know? We may not be perfect, but we’re perfect for each other. And there are some people I know who don’t believe I’m perfect for anybody. Good thing your opinion is the only one that matters.
(Thank you, Michael Bublé, for this amazing song.)
Music: Choo Choo
January 31, 2010 | Music
I <3 Twitter. Don’t you? It is SO full of awesome. And, OMG, the music. I follow some of my favorite musicians on Twitter, and I’ve found some great music I probably never would have found otherwise. The Snake Charmers? Hello. Rock!
I’ve followed Choo Choo, a band from Switzerland, for a while (@choochootheband). I finally ordered their CD, and it arrived the other day, so I listened to it. Oh, what fun. They describe their sound as 1960s teenage beat and Indie pop. And, yeah, I hear the 1980s resurgence of the 1960s in there. They remind me just a touch of Southern Culture on the Skids (SCOTS are way more hillbilly, but something is similar, especially the frantic drums) with a dash of The Finnsters, who could do a mean Steppin’ Stone back in the day. They’re working on a new album right now, and I think it’s due out later this year. Go, Choo Choo!
(Speaking about SCOTS, did I ever tell you about them, Skipper’s and Stephen King? Eh, another day, then.)
These old eyes have seen it all, now the hands of time are writing on the wall
November 18, 2009 | Music
I saw Taylor Swift on Saturday Night Live the other night. While she played her guitar and sang, I thought, ah, to be 19 again. How exciting things must be for her right now. Typical thoughts of someone old enough to be her mother, I suppose. But, wow. She’s getting hit from all sides these days.
- Kanye West hijacked her VMA moment in the spotlight when he jumped on stage, grabbed the microphone from her and told the world (or at least that part of it that still watches MTV) she shouldn’t have won.
- Wynonna Judd said too much when Swift swept the CMA Awards, calling it “too much of a good thing too soon” for Swift.
- George Jones accused Swift (and Carrie Underwood) of stealing traditional country music’s identity.
Really? What happened to dignity?
I’m not sure what kind of problems West has, but a 32-year-old man stealing the thunder from a 19-year-old? Shame on you, Kanye.
Wynonna? Since when did you decide what’s best for someone else? Come on. You were in your teens when you started out. You “drove your car” the first year you were out? Swift delivered demo tapes to producers her first year out … when she was 11. Yes, you “apologized” later, but you know what? Instead of smelling like desperation, you really should have acted like the older professional you are and shared some encouraging words with the next, great, young talent. Shame on you, Wynonna.
Let me just get this out of the way. Mr. Jones, it’s amazing that you’re still walking the earth, considering all you’ve been through in your almost 80 years, and I’m glad you are. You’re a legend. The end. Amen. However … you really should pick on somebody your own size. Shame on you, George.
Y’all? Just because you have an opinion, doesn’t mean you have to express it out loud, whether you’re on the record or off. (I’m looking at you, too, Mr. President.) Silence really can be golden. Or at least it can save you from making an a$$ out of yourself. Just saying.
Music: The Snake Charmers, Willie Nelson & Wynton Marsalis, oh my!
September 23, 2009 | Music, Twitter
I’ve been following Marie of The Snake Charmers on Twitter (@Snakecharmers) and Facebook for a while. I’m not sure how I found her, but she’s fun. I’d sampled her music here and there, but I just bought her CD, “Been Gone too Long.” (I first read that, “BEER Gone too Long.) Good stuff. Good, good stuff. Next time I’m in Houston? I’d love to see them live … and buy Marie a margarita.
As for Willie Nelson & Wynton Marsalis, I bought their CD the same time I bought The Snake Charmers. I tell you what. They go well together. Both sing the blues. And, wait … what. You didn’t know Willie & Wynton had a CD? Yeah, OK. I laughed when I first saw that. But I tell you what. YUM. That’s what.
I met Wynton Marsalis in Thomasville, Georgia, when I was living in Tallahassee, Florida, after what was — I swear — THE BEST CONCERT EVER. It was in the auditorium of the old grade school where my dad taught fifth grade during the first year of integration in the schools there. I hadn’t been in that school for 20-some years, but I remembered being in the auditorium the minute I stepped inside again. It was a small venue. Comfortable. Intimate. Memorable.
In any case, if you like the blues, go get some from Marie, Willie & Wynton. They serve it up … hot.
Is this heaven, Kevin? No, heaven’s not this cold.
January 28, 2009 | Iowa, Kevin Costner, Music
That’s what you get for writing a song about Leland, Iowa, and not, say … Palm Springs.
The thing about living “in the middle of nowhere” is that not all celebrities fly over. Some drive through on a tour bus. Some actually stop.
That’s exactly what Kevin Costner and his band, Modern West, did. They’re on tour up this way (and they’ll be in Tampa on Jan. 31, my Florida friends), and they stopped in Leland on their way from Minneapolis to Omaha.
Why?
Band member John Coinman has relatives in the area, and he wrote the song Leland, Iowa, for the band’s album Untold Truths released in November 2008. Besides, the local radio station called and asked them to come.
So … who knew I’d be living 10 minutes from where Kevin Costner would sing? For free. In a barn. (Yes. A barn. This is Iowa.)
:::Go to the diner, and they will come:::
The barn could only hold 200 or so people, and Leland residents with tickets got first dibs. The rest of us froze outside for 45 minutes (which is about the time it takes for frostbite to set in), waiting to see him maybe walk from his warm bus to the warm barn. Even better. He stopped and thanked us for waiting so long in the cold. (Everyone was quiet because, well, our lips were numb. I couldn’t feel my toes anymore.)
Then he said he felt bad that there wasn’t room for us in the barn. So he said, “Go to the diner, and we’ll play some songs for you there.” So we did. So did he.
He sat on the bar and sang three songs, the last of which was Leland, Iowa.
He said a few words and kissed a few girls.
He signed a few hockey sticks, shook a few hands and took some pictures.
“Gee, he’s taller than I thought.”
And that was that.
Los Lonely Boys: Always
December 3, 2008 | Family, Los Lonely Boys, Music, Stuff
After listening to Superman, oh, 5,394 times, the kids were finally interested in hearing what else is on LLB’s Forgiven CD. I picked Always, my favorite, and now they call it “Mommy’s song.” They like it because the tune reminds them of the Curious George song. But my son also listens to the lyrics and realizes it’s a love song.
“Is this the song at your wedding, Mommy?”
“No, but it would have been a good one, huh?”
All together now: Awwwwwww.
Forgiven: Los Lonely Boys
October 29, 2008 | Los Lonely Boys, Music
Forgiven by me? Nah. I still can’t get Los Lonely Boys ringtones on my Alltel cell. Waaaaaaaah. C’mon, Boys. Help me out here.
No, “Forgiven” is their new album released this summer. I don’t think they need to be forgiven, unless it’s a sin to recruit a new generation of music lovers. My kids give “Superman” six little thumbs up.
It’s the hands-down (umm, thumbs up) favorite. It rocks.
See their Superman muscles?
All the songs on the CD are originals written by the Boys, except “I’m A Man,” a Spencer Davis Group song. Seems they’ve gone through some broken hearts, hence the theme and abundance of songs about losing love, making it better and being forgiven. They tie it up in the end with being grateful and trying to save the world with the last track, “The Way I Feel.”
They don’t hit them all out of the park, but, oh my, “Another Broken Heart” has great rhythm and “Loving You Always” is a sweet and simple love song. It’s right up there with “Texican Style.” Mmm, good.
Coldplay’s Chris Martin rocks for Barack Obama
October 28, 2008 | 2008 campaign, Music, Politics
Coldplay was on Saturday Night Live last weekend. They performed four times. I can’t claim to have seen every SNL episode, so this is just a guess, but most musical acts usually perform twice, right? I figure someone at SNL really loves Coldplay.
Chris Martin said at the end of one of the songs, “Barack Obama.”
Wait. Isn’t he British? Yeah, OK, he’s married to an American. But … isn’t he British?
Beyoncé Knowles as Etta James
October 22, 2008 | Music
Really? Maybe I underestimate Beyoncé Knowles’ talent. Or maybe it would be different if Etta James didn’t have such a distinctive voice that nobody can touch. Because this certainly doesn’t touch it, blond wig and warm sentiments aside.
Etta James recorded At Last in 1961 when she was 23. Just listen to that voice.
Even James, with a voice worn with time, does Etta James better than a 27-year-old Knowles.
I don’t know. Just seems that Knowles singing James is as jarring as if, say, Barry Manilow started singing with AC/DC.
