Wait a minute, baby
Stay with me a while
Said you'd give me light
But you never told me about the fire
Drowning in the sea of love
Where everyone would love to drown
But now it's gone
It doesn't matter what for
When you build your house
Call me home
And he was just like a great dark wing
Within the wings of a storm
I think I had met my match -- he was singing
And undoing, and undoing
The laces
Undoing the laces
Sara, you're the poet in my heart
Never change, never stop
But now it's gone
It doesn't matter what for
But when you build your house
Well then call me home
Hold on
The night is coming and the starling flew for days
I'd stay home at night, all the time
I'd go anywhere, anywhere, anywhere
Ask me and I'm there
Ask me and I'm there
I care
In the sea of love
Where everyone would love to drown
But now it's gone
They say it doesn't matter anymore
If you build your house
Then please call me home
Sara, you're the poet in my heart
Never change, and don't you ever stop
Now it's gone
No, it doesn't matter anymore
When you build your house
I'll come by
There's a heartbeat and it never really died
Swallow your pride
All I ever wanted was to know you were dreaming
Strange ways comin' today
I put a dollar in my pocket and I threw it away
Been a long time since a federal dime
Made a jukebox sound like a mirror in my mind
Comb my worries, fix my thoughts
Throw my hopes like a juggernaut walks
Now, let down souls can't feel the rhythm
Sorry entertainers like aerobics victims
Hybrid people light a wooded matchstick
Toxic fumes and the burning plastic
Beats are broken, bones are spastic
Boombox talkin' with a southern accent
Voodoo curses, Bible tongues
Voices coming from the mangled lungs
Gimme some grits, some get down shit
Don't need a good reason to let anything rip
Radio's cold, soul is infected
One by one I'll knock you out
God is alone, hardware defective
One by one I'll knock you out
Mr. Microphone makin' all the damage felt
Like a laser manifesto, make a mannequin melt
There's people phonin' in like it's unlimited minutes
Going through the motions just to say that they did it
Treadmills running underneath their feet
So they feel like they're going somewhere
but they're not
So let's put boots on the warehouse floor
Coming to you like a rope on a chain store
Throwing equipment from a moving van
Grab a microphone like a utility man
Now fix the beat, now break the rest
Make a kick drum sound like an S.O.S.
Get a tow truck 'cause it's after dark
And the dance floor's full but everybody's double parked
Cell phone's dead, lost in the desert
One by one I'll knock you out
Eye of the sun is out of it's socket
One by one I'll knock you out
This shit is real
---------------------------------
Clearly I've been on a Beck kick lately. This is a really fun song to dance to... but you gotta have a little funk in ya, and a morbid sense of humor. ;)
See me comin' to town with my soul
Straight down out of the world with my fingers
Holding on to the devil I know
All my troubles'll hang on your trigger
Take your eyes and your mind from the road
Shoot your mouth if you know where you're aiming
Don't forget to pick up what you sow
Talking trash to the garbage around you
See me kickin' the door with my boots
Broke down out in a ditch of old rubbish
Snakes and bones in the back of your room
Handing out a confection of venom
Heaven's drunk from the poison you use
Charm the wolves with the eyes of a gambler
Now I see it's a comfort to you
Hammer my bones on the anvil of daylight
I won't give up that ghost
It's sick the way these tongues are twisted
The good in us is all we know
There's too much left to taste that's bitter
I've been a big fan of Junior Boys ever since their debut album Last Exit hit in 2004. The duo have released four albums now and every one of them has been a winner in my eyes. Their approach to sound is really unique; nobody else quite captures their combination of chunky electronica, smooth vocals, and thoughtful lyrics. Jeremy Greenspan's blue-eyed soul-style vocals and their love for the occasional saxophone break has always made me think of them as a sort of modern Hall & Oates, if Hall & Oates were cool. But make no mistake, what these guys are doing is purely their own thing. They use electronics to build these sort of elliptical spaces within their music. What at first sounds quite simple reveals itself to be layers built upon layers of sound with repeated listens. Their lyrics tend to focus on love and heartache, and are generally delivered via metaphor and simile. The songs, even the most upbeat ones, are intimate, confessional even. To quote notoriously picky Guardian music reviewer Alexis Petridis (who loves them), "[They] balance dancefloor euphoria with a nagging, inescapable undercurrent of melancholy."I agree.
Easily one of my all-time favorite Junior Boys tracks is Sneak A Picture, from their 2009 album Begone Dull Care. The first time I heard this song I thought it was a bit unfocused and overly long. Repeated listens, as so often happens with their music, revealed it to be much more nuanced than I had initially given it credit for. After an extended, dreamy intro, the song begins in earnest, clean and simple, but steadily building, slowly adding those layers I mentioned earlier with each new verse and chorus, eventually dropping into a thick, heavy coda at the 4:53 mark. This steady tension finally pays off at 5:57, when the synths reach their full (yet oddly understated) power. Along the way there's a smooth sax break, done without an ounce of irony, and it actually works. That alone is pretty damn impressive if you ask me. Reading this you've probably been thinking, "Okay, he's talking about a dance track." But nope, Sneak A Picture is a slow jam -- in the purest sense of the term. In fact, this is one of the sexiest -- and darkly subversive -- slow jams I've ever heard. This is eletronica for adults. No mind-numbing EDM here. Get sexy and give it a few listens...
Game over, it's a new owner Punches chipping off your pride Move slower, you're one day older Find the darkest side of the night
Sneak a picture above my shoulder Don't make a sudden move You'll spoil the light Oh no
Once, double stride Roll again 'til it's right Twice, sudden start Move around, find the part
Pan forward and frame the border Clean up every matching line She looks perfect in every color Find the one that's not too bright
Sneak a picture of a cheap performer Don't let it go too far 'cause it's not the art Oh no, oh no
Once, double stride Roll again 'til it's right Twice, sudden start Move around, find the part
Once, double stride Find your pace deep inside Twice, sudden start Sleep it off where you are
Once, know your smile Add some more on your bedroom pile Twice, trick your heart Show the lens who you think you are
Sneak a picture Catch an empty corner and dress it with a set of your best regrets Then go, then go
Til it's right Once, double stride Find the part Twice, sudden start Deep inside Once, double stride
Where you are Twice, sudden star Bedroom pile Once, know your smile Who you are Twice, trick your heart
Wiyoo by Ronika. Think Chaka Khan-meets-Madonna circa 1982. I can't believe this song never got big. The video is equally amazing. Aside from the wacky pinball machine beginning, it's completely made up of footage from a dance competition that had to have taken place in 1984 at the very latest. I think my favorite of the competitors is the super feminine Army guy who comes on at 2:25. You can just feel the pure joy he has while dancing. It's a trip! The woman at 0:54 who's wearing that shiny 1985 Astronaut Barbie outfit is probably God. I'm thinking about building a religion around her. Seriously, this is such a fun, catchy song and really fun video!
When all the worlds are lost in snow I have to move this meaning through Disperse the force so far engendered All near the steam and summer view and then remain
Where steeples crash in fire and thunder Where sheets of steel obscure the land Where word and sense are torn asunder Here was the place I chose to stand Just when I think I'm going under I remain
Well all the waves of spin are foaming And fake muezzin steam and brew Formed in the fire of all their longings This is the way I took it through Just when I think I'm going under This is the way I thought it through This is the way I took it under...
I can't remember when I was young
I can't explain if it was wrong
My life goes on but not the same
Into your eyes my face remains
(I've been so high)
I've been so down
(Up to the sky)
Down to the ground
I was so blind, I could not see
Your paradise is not for me
Autour de moi
Je ne vois pas
Qui sont les anges
Surement pas moi
Encore une fois
Je sui cassee
Encore une fois
Je n'y crois pas
There is a light above my head
Into your eyes my face remains
I can't remember when I was young
Into your eyes my face remains
------------------------------------
This is my favorite Madonna ballad. Although I have always liked the song it wasn't until my father passed that I feel I truly "got" what it was about. In fact, more than any other piece of music, Paradise helped me through the process of grieving and letting go, but never forgetting. It was then that Paradise went from being a great Madonna ballad to a song I connected with on a very deep, visceral level. And so sometimes when I think about my dad, such as tonight (for whatever reason), I like to play this song. And I thought I'd share it with you guys. It truly is a beautiful song, and that truly is an understatement.
I'm spending the day at home with poison ivy. Unfortunately, not the Batman villainess (a personal hero, by the way). No, it's the itchy stuff that drives you up the wall to the point that you kind of wish you could just get some new skin grafted on real quick (as if it even works that way), and do away with that irritated red stuff that has become the bane of your existence. I guess this is what I get for hiking three miles into the woods wearing a pair of shorts. I really didn't think that one through, eh? Anyway, it kind of hurts to even move so I threw myself into a Netflix marathon but got bored of that and thought, "Well, now what?" I don't have any books I'm in the mood to read. Twitter? Message boards? Meh. But like a beautifully tragic knight riding in on a dazzling horse of vintage chiffon, there was Lana Del Rey on my iPod just begging to be played. Huzzah! Seriously, I love this chick so much it's ridiculous. No current singer nails balmy, Gothic ennui quite like she does. I'm always up for some Lana, but on a day like today her music particularly fits my mood. I just wish I could get up and dance to it. (Ouch!)
I fall asleep with an American flag
I wear my diamonds on skid row
I pledge allegiance to my dad
for teaching me everything he knows
I drive fast, radio blares
Have to touch myself to pretend you're there
Your hands are on my hips, your name is on my lips
Over over again, like my only prayer
Red, white, blue's in the sky
Summer's in the air and, baby, heaven's in your eyes
I'm your national anthem
I have a few comments to catch up on and I will very soon. For the moment I'm chilling and listening to some tunes. And yes, Scarah, Catty, Apple, and no less than three different Rochelles are nearby doing a great job helping me heal!
Touch my garden
Rain clouds, mountains
Sunshine all day long
Sunrise, meadows
Oceans, rainbows
Starlight all day long
Golden new world
Rain clouds, mountains
Ride my pony
Ride him slowly
Smiling all day long
You give me this love
Dial up my number now
Weaving it through the wire
Switch me on, turn me up
Don't want it Baudelaire
Just glitter lust
Switch me on, turn me up
I want to touch you
You're just made for love
I need ooh la la
Coils up and round me
Teasing your poetry
Switch me on, turn me up
Oh child of Venus, you're just made for love
I need ooh la la
You know I walk for days
I wanna waste some time
You wanna be so mean
You know I love to watch
I wanna love some more
I'll never be the same
A broken heel like a heart
I'll never walk again
Words
They cut like a knife
Cut into my life
I don't want to hear your
Words
They always attack
Please take them all back
If they're yours I don't want any more
You think you're so smart
You try to manipulate me
You try to humiliate
with your words
You think you're so chic
You write me beautiful letters
You think you're so much better than me
But your actions speak louder than words
And they're only words unless they're true
Your actions speak louder than promises
You're inclined to make, and inclined to break
Words
They cut like a knife
Cut into my life
I don't want to hear your
Words
They always attack
Please take them all back
If they're yours I don't want any more
You think you're so shrewd
You tried to bring me low
You tried to gain control
with your words
You think you're so sly
I caught you at your game
You will not bring me shame
with your words
Too much blinding light
Your touch
I've grown tired of your
Words
A linguistic form that can meaningfully be spoken in isolation
Let's talk about David Lynch. I've mentioned before that I'm a big Lynch fan, but more than that I actually consider him a personal hero of mine. I love the way he can bend reality within film and create purely cinematic experiences to which you're riveted. You may not know what the hell is happening within the movie but damn if you can't take your eyes off the screen anyway! No one else can reach such sublimely surreal heights while still feeling completely rooted in reality. Many have tried, many have failed.
Lynch is a jack of all trades. In recent years he's moved away from film (sadface) and more and more into music. He's always had a hand in music and its come to the fore with his recent work. I'm not quite so enamored of his music. When solo, his stuff is more like abstract mood pieces, not unlikable but not essential by any means. His work with Angelo Badalamenti and Julee Cruise for Twin Peaks and later songs he did with Danger Mouse are much better, in my opinion. That said, I admire that he likes to try new things, that he isn't afraid to venture into less lucrative endeavors. He's one of the most iconic directors around today and here he goes and all but abandons film to focus on small indie music projects. I may not love his music but I love that he does it anyway! He's intensely creative in a variety of ways, and uses that creativity to do his own thing. He doesn't let others' demands drive him as an artist.
Also, he was a bit of a dreamboat back in the day.
I also admire him as a person. Lynch is big on Transcendental Meditation. I couldn't meditate to save my life but it's clear from interviews that it has had a huge impact on him. He brims with positivity and a sort of contentment you don't often see in people. For some it can be hard to square the friendly, affable man with the dark, often violent imagery you see in his films. It seems clear that his openness stems from meditation and I imagine the clarity he says he gets from it has helped him acknowledge the darker aspects of life so often depicted in his films and still be the outgoing, kind person he is. If you ask me that's pretty damn cool.
Truth be told, I think he's still a bit of a dreamboat. (Don't judge!)
So why am I fanboying out over David Lynch today? Yesterday The A.V. Club ran an interview with him for Hatesong, their column in which they talk to someone about their most hated piece of music. It grabbed my attention because, duh, it's David Lynch! But his choice for his most hated song also intrigued me. He chose It's A Small World from the Disneyland attraction of the same name. Now I love me some Disneyland, and I even have a little place in my heart for Small World (emphasis on little), but I was curious what he had to say about it. IASW is a pretty stereotypical song to hate; it seems everyone bitches about it's incessant, repetitive hook. But I just knew Lynch would bring something new to the table in griping about this most catchy of songs, and he didn't disappoint. You can check it out here. I'll let you enjoy discovering why the song haunts him to this day, but I have to point out how awesome it is that they actually had to use a code word for the song while talking about it with him. Dude really hates It's A Small World!
Nightmare fuel?
As a nice little bonus, here's The World Spins, one of his collaborations with Angelo Badalamenti and Julee Cruise for Twin Peaks. The first time I heard this song was in Twin Peaks, married to one of the most harrowing and heartbreaking television scenes I've ever witnessed. It had a huge impact on me. I'm not sure how I'd feel about this song had I first heard it on it's own, minus the Peaks visuals. I might've hated it. But it will always be connected to Peaks for me, and it never fails to move me when I listen to it now.
As another bonus, here's FlavorWire's rank of Lynch's best work, top to bottom. I don't agree with all of it but they make some good points. In the meantime, if you haven't watched a Lynch film in a while, get thee to the video store!
I got off work from a sixteen hour shift at 6 a.m. this morning. Separately, my mother and my niece & her fiance are moving. One move is hectic, two is insane. There's also the fact that my niece's wedding is less than a month away, so my family is kinda going nuts with stress from that. And then there's work. As always, busy, busy, busy! And in the middle of it all I try to have a personal life, plus run the blogs. I was nearly at the end of my rope. But there's relief in sight! Not only is today Memorial Day, it's also the first day of my week-long vacation! These first few days will be spent here at home, taking care of a few home improvement projects. And later this week it's off to Holiday World with two of my very best friends to ride roller coasters! (At nearly three hundred ridden, coasters are yet another hobby of mine.) That shortening rope I was reaching the end of has suddenly sprouted a few more feet, and I don't think I'll be reaching the end of it at all! Hooray! Over the next week, in addition to completing those small home projects and riding roller coasters, I plan to go a little wild! It's my week and I've earned it! As you may have guessed I'm feeling a bit feisty already, and have been bumping some jams and dancing 'round the house like nobody's business! Care to join me?
I'm A Sinner - Album Version - MDNA (2012)
Like the sun, like the light, like a flame
Like a storm, I burn through everything
Like a bomb in the night
Like a train thundering through hills, let it rain
I'm a sinner, I like it that way
I'm a sinner, I like it that way
All the boys, all the boys and girls
wanna be like us tonight
All the boys, all the boys and girls
ride the magic bus tonight
I'm a sinner, I'm a sinner, I'm a sinner I like it that way
Like the moon with no light of my own
Search the sky for a place to call home
I woke up with my hand in the fire
Get my kicks when I'm walking the wire
I'm a sinner, I like it that way
All the boys, all the boys and girls
wanna be like us tonight
All the boys, all the boys and girls
ride the magic bus tonight
I'm a sinner, I'm a sinner, I'm a sinner
I like it that way
Praise the Lord and I like it that way
Hail Mary, full of grace
Get down on your knees and pray
Jesus Christ, hanging on the cross
Died for our sins, it's such a loss
Saint Christopher, find my way
I'll be coming home one day
Saint Sebastian, don't you cry
Let those poison arrows fly
Saint Anthony, lost and found
Thomas Aquinas, stand your ground
All the saints and Holy men
Catch me before I sin again
I'm a sinner, I'm a sinner, I'm a sinner
I like it that way
You're a sinner, you're a sinner, you're a sinner
You like it that way
We're all sinners, we're all sinners, we're all sinners...
Justify My Love - MDNA Tour 2012 Video Interlude
Justify my love
I'm not afraid of who you are
We can fly
C'mon baby... you can fuck with me
Pleasures... Dreams...
Naked...
Fears...
You put this in me
So now what?
So now what?
Wanting...
Waiting...
For you to justify my love
Hoping...
Praying...
Kiss me
That's right, kiss me
Wanting...
Needing...
Waiting...
For you to justify my love
I'm open
Ready
For you to justify my love
Wanting...
Waiting...
Praying...
To justify my love
Love me
That's right, love me
Bedtime Story - Re-Invention Tour 2004 Video Interlude
Today is the last day that I'm using words
They've gone out, lost their meaning
Don't function anymore
I'm leaving logic and reason
to the arms of unconsciousness
Leaving logic and reason
to the arms of unconsciousness
I'm travelling, leaving logic and reason
I'm gonna relax in the arms of unconsciousness
And inside we're all still wet
How can I explain how I feel?
Let's get unconscious, honey
Let's get unconscious Let's get unconscious, honey
Let's get unconscious
This is too cool. Some enterprising tech-head calling himself SnowBro has taken Madonna's Candy Shop -- one of my favorites of M's more recent stuff -- and remade it in the style of the original Nintendo music. It takes two things I love -- Madonna and Nintendo -- and mashes them up into a wondrous marriage of music and nostalgia, while still feeling completely modern. M has performed Candy Shop on every tour since the song came out so she clearly likes it a lot. Each tour she reinvents it a little, so to M I offer a suggestion: perform this version on your next tour! Please! It would be f*cking cool! It's not outside the realm of possibility: a fanmade mash-up is how we got the brilliance that was Music Inferno (Music mashed up with The Trammps Disco Inferno), on the 2006 Confessions Tour. Anyway, check it out. It will appeal to fans of M, fans of old-school Nintendo, and anyone who likes to dance!
And because I'm feeling a bit moony, and me and Italo disco go together like peanut butter and jelly, how about some Sally Shapiro featuring Electric Youth...
And finally, to get things really mellow, another track featuring Electric Youth, this time by College. If you've seen Drive you already know this song is amazing...
Hope you're all having a great weekend! Til next time!
