old music

Okay---0Here's an oldy that I've liked, since it was a current tune. Yup. Late 90's. So anyway, I been listening to covers on youtube, and there are a coupla renditions that're pretty good. There's even a Leo Sayer version, that has him playing harmonica. So then---I go doing some reading, and it turns out that at one point, the Bidens---THOSE Bidens---hijacked it as their theme song! But no--as usual I never paid attention to the lyrics, only the music sound. See? But yeah---I still like the tune; it is not the first time a recording I like has been used by an entity I do not care for. Anyway--it's "You get what you give", originally by an ad hoc group called "the New Radicals". Nooo, as far as I know, they aren't touring 50 cities this year, filling arenas with nostalgic middle-aged tickick buyers. Hope that helps you some. Thankk mee.

Okay---I suddenly decided I don't like the type of music I've liked, and now ONLY like the kind of so-called "music" I've always disliked! But yeah---there's an Americana artist---or was--the late, great Red Sovine. He's went to be with the lord many years ago, after having a hard attackt while driving along in Nashvull, running a red light & hitting another car, and dying on account of his injuries. So anyway---his "music" is what you call "spoken word", where he clearrly enunciates mawkish lyrics to generic background music prolly borrowed from summa Elvises' backups in his gospel music. But yeah---some people might think its' corny and sappy, but thats way way I like my music, now. Yup. There's some red Sovine on youtube, if that interests you. Thank mee.

Okay---I came back to reality. Don't like that Americana type o' music I was talking about. So anyway---I was youtubing awhile back, tryin to think of one from about 30 years ago. But then---yesterday---I remembered. See---the vocalist, who gets the credit for being the main thing in this recording, died in an unfortunate incident involving the po-lice in LA, shortly after making this record. But yeah--that's another story for another time. It was a one-hit wonder, and prolly the record producer & session musicians deserve credit, as was definitely a group effort. It's kinda synth-pop jazz infusion R&B. Great recording. But, it's called: "Drowning In Your Eyes", by Ephraim Lewis. That said, it isn't the lyrics that I appreciate; it's the musical sound. S-o-u-n-d. Not sappy lyrics. See?

Okay---In the world of Youtube, which features everyone showing what they can do, you have Musicians that record play-alongs. What they do is, play along at home with a studio recording of a popular song. A lot of them are drummers, many are electric bassists. Some, are guitar players. Well, the record I mentioned previously doesn't have any covers, but it does have a play-along by a guitar player, which greatly enhances the tune. I will say that even though that guitar-player definitely gets-into the song, it could use more wore work. But, that said. it does enhance the original recording. I recommend that you take a look at it.

Okay---One thing about the music in THIS hick town is---they HATE synth music. Gotta be bankos and string bass and acoustic guitar. The closest thing acceptable is steel guitar. I realize that way too much of todays' NEW music that you hear on the radio is electro-hip-hop garbage, with the vocalists put through the electronic shredders, to make it very un-natural. It's just fake, fakje, fake. But, I think it is very useful--to a point. Your idol, 'Carts, played the Mellotron very well on summa the Beatpools recordings, like strawberry fields. Or maybe--it was George Martin, incognito. Yup. That being said, the other night, I fell asleep listening to youtube letting them pick the songs, and woke UP to shut it off, after hearing a very third-rate rendition of some old Beatpools song. It was way poor by youtube garage-band standards. Well, what it was was a LIVE performance by 'Carts in NYC, prolly 15 years ago, with some band he put together to tour with, minus the three other Beatles and
George Martin. If the old Beatpools sounded that bad, back in the day---they'da never made it! But yeah---only a sucker wants to attend a 'Carts concert. No wonder Dems get the idea they can tax these fools heavily; they have money to burn. Hope that helps you some.

Okay---For you kids that just know I;m always wrong(ha), I can recommend a contemporary rockabilly group that rivals Stray Cats and Buddy Holly & The Crickets, among others. In their own way, of course. They're called: Lara Hope and the Ark-tones. But yeah--scads of youtube videos of them. Listen a minute, like I do, and you'll admit they're good. VBut, that's about all. Wonder if they tour? No doubt. Morer on this later. Thankk mee.

Okay-----Look at this photo. This just turned up, today. But yeah--See what I mean? Attachment 5429

Okay----I was snooping on summa Those People who set the standards, around here, ta see what kind o' dumb music they like. So anyway---this one local who seems to like everything that I DON'T like(ha), is a big fan of Jamey Johnson. He has gone to one a Johnsons' concerts, and all the other locals envy him. But yeah---who is Jamey Johnson? Well, he's a down-south type who performs Music for VERY conservative Hippies. It's all sappy lyrics, clearly and slowly enunciated, while he strums along. His Fans(VERY conservative hippies) in the concert hall are mesmerized. Yup. But not me. File Under: Music I can't stand. Hope that helps you some.

Okay---Another one I stumbled across & tripped is the music of Mary Heather Hickman. So anyway--she has this brassy voice, & sings in a monotone with a cultured suthun' accent. But yeah---it's like white female Rap, where all she does is lament on the mess she's in, on account of um--makin' the wrong life choices. Yup. But yeah--she's got a VERY studio-contrived mix of accompanying instruments--the fiddles &^ banjos, etc. , which ius the sorta-good part. Plus--doing duets with herself. They all do it, nowadays. Yup. No melody, though. Who needs it, when you've got her prollems? Ha. See?

Okay---Two of my cases, who are "nice people", but um--unsophisticated ho-heads, traveled alllll the way to Trashville,a distance of 800 miles, one-way, 'cause they had tickkicks to see two 70's has-beens, live, and karaoke-ing to songs they had MUCH help recording, back in the day. But yeah--the double feature of TWO mega-stars that are each well into their 70's cost $100 and UP to see! Well, my test cases(attendees) said it was "awesome & amay-zeen" and sounded great. Plus, you know they ate their way all the way. They've already had perfessional weight-loss help, that cost $$$$. Prolly paid for by her gommmint pension. Ha. Sure--you betcha. What-everrrr.

So youtube somehow knew that I read, years ago, "Young Men with Unlimited Capital" and served up this video of Woodstock. It's crazy to me to think that every person in this video is either dead or 75+ years old. But ya gotta love the vocals by Kermit the Frog!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4F6v8cpMIHk

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Originally Posted by jp1

So youtube somehow knew that I read, years ago, "Young Men with Unlimited Capital" and served up this video of Woodstock. It's crazy to me to think that every person in this video is either dead or 75+ years old. But ya gotta love the vocals by Kermit the Frog!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4F6v8cpMIHk

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Those were definitely interesting times. I was 17 during "The Summer of Love." Thanks for sharing this!

Our cable has music and yesterday I put it on the golden oldies....what fun it was to hear all those songs from junior high and high school. It was a treat.

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Originally Posted by jp1

So youtube somehow knew that I read, years ago, "Young Men with Unlimited Capital" and served up this video of Woodstock. It's crazy to me to think that every person in this video is either dead or 75+ years old. But ya gotta love the vocals by Kermit the Frog!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4F6v8cpMIHk

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probably a generational thing, but the Woodstock generation was pretty much the apogee of contemporary music in my book. Not that there haven’t been greats since.

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Originally Posted by Rogar

probably a generational thing, but the Woodstock generation was pretty much the apogee of contemporary music in my book. Not that there haven’t been greats since.

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I couldnt disagree with that. But then I think I’m pretty close to your age. All that schlock from the 80’s/early 90’s when I was a teenager/young adult is dreadful. Some more current stuff is good but not as much as the music from back then.

Though I agree that musical tastes tend to lean heavily towards the generational, I have to say I've always liked the music of the 60s far more than music of the 70s, 80s and 90s. I was not even around for the 1960s. I was one of those who, sometime in the late 1980s when I first bought Beatles' albums, sat in amazement and said continually "I didn't know that was them" for hours. Pop music seemed much more experimental, daring and innovative then. Even a lot of the innovative, strange stuff seemed to make it on the airwaves. Most of the music of the late 1970s and 1980s sounded very much the same to me (though it did produce some good music). It lost its experimentation, daring and creativity and focused more on working within a more rigid form (i.e., looking for the safe "money making" format). I think that trend has continued inexorably to the present day, at least in mainstream music. YouTube and other websites probably hold numerous musical treasures from bands who would never get signed, but who has the time to find them? I don't.

PBS has been featuring Carole King live in Central Park, 1973. She had or has a powerful voice aside from being a great song writer and performer. One of those generational, they don't make them like that any more, uniqueness.

Okay----I am one a the Carol-King-for hall-o' Fame advocates. Did they let her in, finally? I just had previously assumed she was a charter member, as many records as she's sold plus other people who also recorded her music. But anyway--lately, I been reviewing summa the best-known songs o' the late-sixties "Sunshine Pop" group, The Association. But yeah--though the group had it's recording heydey in the late-1960's, and sort of disbanded, they reformed off and on, with personnel changes, so they could tour and perform at smaller venues for the sake of nostalgia. Because yeah---their live performances don't even measure up to the sound of their records on a good stereo. See? They were at their very best on a record. Yup. One of my case studies(who is a car jock/drive-n-eat type, took his wife to see them, at a live concert several years ago. But yeah---he claimed they sounded just great. By the way, one o' the songs was a one-hit-wonder for their composer. One song(Windy), they sung it, and it was all over the radio. After that, no more fame, no more hits. Actually, I kind of tend to like one-hit songs. Not all this stuff from people that gets really bad after awhile, like the Beatpools, for example. Hope that helps you some. Thankk mee.

Today's stroll down memory lane involved Guns' N Roses and Jon Bon Jovi. The former was a bit more hard edged. The later a bit more to my liking. In college my first two years were in a dorm with the two rooms with a bathroom in-between thing going on and our suitemate used to sing (loudly) in the shower. He didn't have talent (Dirk was a business major) but he had heart. My roommate was a voice music education major and one day, towards the end of our sophomore year he had to go to one of the schools near campus to help the choir director with a sectional (a rehearsal of a subset of the whole choir). Before he started that he asked them who their favorite musicians were, favorite songs, etc, to break the ice. Living on a prayer was the unanimous winner of the favorite song of the moment so my roommate apparently gave them his best singing in the shower Bon Jovi impression "WHOAH UH LIVING ON A PRAYER! TAKE MY HAND, WE'LL MAKE IT I SWARE-UH" Apparently it worked because he was able to get them to focus on the actual lesson after that. Thank god neither of us had Bon Jovi's hair... Mine was kind of close and maybe I'll share that one day but not today.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDK9QqIzhwk

JBJ was never really my jam, but I really love G&R!

Jethro Tull. I've seen them in concert twice. Really love Ian Anderson. And today Youtube served up the "official" video of Aqualung. Way ahead of it's time. Not a typical "here the group is performing on stage" video. Much more like the "Take on Me" video by aha from 13 years later. My understanding is that it's about a homeless guy but the images, with the vultures seemingly ready to attack, feels so much more like DeSantis and Abbot and their hate toward immigrants. And I'm curious who the suit is. Since Ian was British I assumed he was the prime minister at the time but he doesn't look like Edward Heath, the PM at the time.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyZ...q7aEA7bFKtZ-oA

When son was about 3, he would lay on the floor, put on the headphones and listen to Jethro Tull and FALL ASLEEP!!! Ha! Haven't thought of that in a long time!

Jethro Tull takes me back to high school, living in New Jersey and going to the beach every day.

I really like Jethro Tull, especially the Aqualung album. I saw them in concert at the Boston Gardens many moons ago.

Both times I went to see jethro Tull live they did like 20 minute extended versions of aqualung that were amazing. Definitely among my top concert experiences.

So this week I went looking for my inconsistent "song of the week." Praise You by Fatboy Slim. One of my favorite coworkers when I first started at my previous mega corp job back in 2009 absolutely LOVED this song, which was already 10 years old by that point. She was a marketing person and had a company car because most of her work life was driving around to appointments with insurance brokers bringing underwriters to tell the brokers about whatever new and exciting commercial insurance products we were offering. One day, maybe a year into that job, I was in the car with her going to an appointment and the song came on the radio and she squealed with delight and turned it up full blast and started seat dancing as she was driving. It was reminiscent of the solo dance party I had while working from home four years ago when the song High Energy came on pandora. Anyway, it was such a fun moment that now every time I hear the song Praise You I think about that afternoon. A few days ago I was listening to the radio while working and it came on. So of course I turned the volume all the way up and had a one person, three minute dance party remembering that day.

I've not seen the video before five minutes ago. It's pretty renegade and low budget, but I am in love with the guy in the striped shirt with the glasses. I wish I could dance as well as him. Since I can't I'll probably stick to solo dance party work breaks from time to time...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruAi4VBoBSM

I hadn’t heard this song Praise You. It is a catchy tune and fun. This seems like something that would be performed in churches all over the country with in churches that have dance ministries. I didn’t know there was such thing as a “dance ministry” until some years ago. That might cause me to go to church.

Gosh - I haven't heard that song for ages! It is a great song. I'll put it on my play list.

I've heard that song, but I have to admit, I looked up the launch date, and, shoot! That song should be in the "new music" thread! :) I could come up with plenty of "old music"--

Seriously, the 90s was the decade I started to re-enter the music scene, after being totally out of it in the 80s, while I was raising 4 young kids. But in the 90s, my kids became teens and turned me on to songs by Nirvana, Radiohead, Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Now that they are grown up, I'm back in the Billboard black hole.

So, a couple of weeks ago I was down in LA for work and took thursday off before coming home to hang out with my best friend. He had bought a complete remake by the Moody Blues' of "Days of Future Past". I don't have links but it was quite enjoyable to first listen to the new one and then listen to the original and compare and contrast them. Overall I thought the new one was better, but not by a wide margin. Much of the improvement had to do with improved recording technology making everything just a bit crisper and the mixing of the tracks a bit more interesting. One of the notable quirky differences was that on the new version they paid much more attention to diction when singing. On "Another Morning" the new version diction was crazy crisp with ending T's and D's that just POPPED, versus the diction in Nights in White Satin, where the end consonants were all swallowed up. I assume that was intentional since people are alert and "crisp" in the morning and in the evening not so much, especially if an alcoholic drink or two is involved. The other thing that was notable to me was that the orchestra on the original seemed to be tuned to A 440 whereas the orchestra on the recent redo seemed to be tuned to A 442, ever so slightly higher. Not surprising since pitch inflation is a real thing because higher standard pitches generally have a "brighter" sound. I don't have perfect pitch so that impression may just be me hearing the music as more crisp because of the improved recording techniques.

It was also a joy to listen to because my friend has an absurdly expensive stereo system with speakers taking up the entire area that was intended for the dining room in his 900 square foot 3 bedroom house. We also listened to a remastered version of the Beatles' White Album that he'd gotten which was amazing. At one point I was standing in the sweet spot between the speakers where the effect was the same as headphones and the drum set went from one side to the other and it happened in the recording! Astounding the quality and thoughtfulness that gets put into these things.

(If you want to understand what I was talking about about the Beatles' drums listen to Corey Hart's "Sunglasses at Night" on headphones)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2LTL8KgKv8

Ok, so apparently there are videos for the original Days of Future Past. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58mvV_JWYXM And the diction in the original is also pretty crisp, but just not at all on the level of the remake.

I will follow up on a few of your observations, JP1. I subscribe to Amazon Music and they seem to have virtually everything and most in high quality streaming.

Our local theater had a recent performance of a Carole King musical. I couldn't tell you the top albums of the last 15 or more years, but the Tapestry album is an all time favorite. It might be one to check on a remaster. The recording equipment back then was relatively primitive.

The other thing we noticed is that the new version came in at about 42 minutes vs 37 for the original.

I agree with you rogar that the Tapestry album was wonderful. Definitely one of my all time favorites.

I’m a child of the 80s. That’s my favorite pop music. I have an Apple Music subscription now. I’m taking a road trip this weekend and was looking at the 80d music. I was delighted to find that they have hits for each year by genre. I downloaded 1982-85 to my phone as I don’t want to chew up my data streaming music.

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Originally Posted by Tradd

I’m a child of the 80s. That’s my favorite pop music. I have an Apple Music subscription now. I’m taking a road trip this weekend and was looking at the 80d music. I was delighted to find that they have hits for each year by genre. I downloaded 1982-85 to my phone as I don’t want to chew up my data streaming music.

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When you get back tell us what we’re your favorite songs that you heard over the weekend. I love comparing oldie favorites with people.

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Originally Posted by jp1

When you get back tell us what we’re your favorite songs that you heard over the weekend. I love comparing oldie favorites with people.

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Will do!

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Originally Posted by jp1

I agree with you rogar that the Tapestry album was wonderful. Definitely one of my all time favorites.

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Without looking at the best selling album of all time charts, Tapestry was up there.

I think Purple Rain by Prince was number one.

Dark Side of the Moon was in the top 10.

I know because I used to be the music buyer for the public library I worked for, and we were forever replacing these albums.

Some albums from my youth that I find myself recently revisiting:

Police - Synchronicity
Mari Boine Persen - Gula Gula
XTC - Black Sea
Kate Bush - The Sensual World
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan - Shahen-Shah

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Originally Posted by jp1

When you get back tell us what we’re your favorite songs that you heard over the weekend. I love comparing oldie favorites with people.

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Michael Jackson and Prince hold up really well, as does Lionel Richie. A lot of 80s stuff is ugh looking back at it.

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Originally Posted by Tradd

Michael Jackson and Prince hold up really well, as does Lionel Richie. A lot of 80s stuff is ugh looking back at it.

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It's fascinating the stuff that holds up well and what doesn't. Michael Jackson, Prince, Lionel Richie, Pink Floyd and various others from that era do all hold up really well despite being played relentlessly for my entire life since then.

When my friend in Southern California bought his absurdly expensive stereo system I dug out a bunch of CD's from the 80's that exemplified that change from vinyl to CD's. Stuff like Peter Gabriel's SO album that really takes advantage of the super bright, super crisp sound, and also the super quiet silent moments, none of which are as exquisite on vinyl. Gabriel's song Red Rain exemplifies the sound I'm trying to describe. David Sanborn's "Slam", and in fact the entire "Close Up" album is another example. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOzV...7aiuKX9kLcMN6A All of the stuff I took to his house sounded FANTASTIC on his stereo. To me much of it sounded fairly dated though. My friend had not gone through a phase of being fascinated by this type of music as I did when it first came out and consequently was unfamiliar with any of it and actually quite enjoyed it.