Yay! Blog!
Category: Music - Other People's

But I'm not doing it.

My friend b-Man called me out last night for not posting to my blog for a month. So... Hello World!

I have two friends doing the RPM Challenge where you make an album during the month of February. My new friend from the November NaSoAlMo challenge, Rusting Willpower, and my blogging friend b-Man. There are over 1900 people/bands signed up to do it. Wowie!

It's kinda fun to listen to some of last year's music if you've got time to kill.

I still haven't recovered from making my NaSoAlMo album in November. But as a show of support for my RPM Challenge friends, I'm committing myself to writing and recording one song this month.

I was listening to the old iPod this week and a song by Sordid Humor came on that I might have only heard one or two times in my life called "Helena." I liked it, and I thought, "Hmmmm, I know two other songs called 'Helena', and I really like them, too. I should blog about it."

Hence ...

Helena by Sordid Humor (MP3)
I bought the Sordid Humor "Light Music for Dying People" CD because Adam Duritz sings backing vocals on some of the songs. He sings backing vocals on "Helena." I heart Adam. Other Counting Crows members helped with these songs, too.

don't let me break your heart Helena
don't let me break your heart Helena
don't give me presents and don't give me praise
you're gonna let me dig my very own grave Helena

Helena by Nickel Creek (MP3)
I heard this song many times before I really listened to the lyrics. Then I was fascinated and disgusted all at the same time. I think the teller of the story is a married guy stringing another woman along. At first he's apologetic and sweet. Then he reveals his cold-hearted nature. It's men like him who give men a bad name.

Helena, don't walk away
Before you give me back my heart
If it were mine, it would be yours to take

You look so sweet waiting for me
While I wait for her to give me any reason to leave

You're not that sweet
And neither is she
Go ahead and tell her anything you want,
'cause, Helena, guys like me never sleep alone at night

Helena by My Chemical Romance (MP3)
I'd heard of My Chemical Romance because lots of youngish girls love the lead singer, apparently. I didn't give the band a second thought until someone said she listened to her little sister's My Chemical Romance CD, and it wasn't that bad. She said, "In fact, it was damn good." So I listened to Helena, and it was a song I'd heard often on the radio, and it was damn good. I don't have any idea what it's about, though.

Well if you carry on this way
Things are better if i stay
So long and goodnight
So long and goodnight

And then there's Three Marlenas by The Wallflowers (MP3). If only the little Dylan had named it Three Helenas, it would have made a great ending for this post.

I think she's brilliant.

Don't tell her that I drink tea and not coffee
I'd prefer it if you didn't talk at all about me
Even in the brief casual chat
Don't tell her how I loved your smile or things like that
...
Well what if we meet on some cross town street
And you'll introduce us, and we'll finally meet
And I'll be alone when you're walking away
And I'll be wondering what she's gonna say
Well I know we'll never be the way we were
But don't tell her
...
I can't stand anybody knowing me the way you do
And I can't stand the thought of her knowing you

~ Lori McKenna, Paper Wings & Halo

Smile though your heart is aching
Smile even though its breaking
When there are clouds in the sky, you'll get by
If you smile through your fear and sorrow
Smile and maybe tomorrow
You'll see the sun come shining through for you

Light up your face with gladness
Hide every trace of sadness
Although a tear may be ever so near
That's the time you must keep on trying
Smile, what's the use of crying?
You'll find that life is still worthwhile
If you just smile

That's the time you must keep on trying
Smile, what's the use of crying?
You'll find that life is still worthwhile
If you just smile

---

I enjoyed Gina's song on American Idol tonight. She has a beautiful smile.

Just some stuff:

• I went to Mandola's Italian Kitchen for lunch (first time). I was reading the menu and thought some pesto pasta sounded delicious. Then I thought, "I'd rather get something with meat." I continued to read the menu and finally settled on Eggplant Parmesan. I'm glad no one was holding me accountable for that previous thought about meat. I forgot it about two seconds after I thought it.
• I recommend the Denver Post's "Lyrics Undercover" podcast. Each one is short (less than 10 minutes), and as the site says, "each week Brian gives us ... a podcast that looks behind the words of well-known songs." You don't have to have an iPod to listen. Just download the MP3 file and listen on your computer if you want.
• I also recommend the FX series "30 Days." It's from the guy who did Super Size Me. Each show, Morgan Spurlock or someone else spends 30 Days experiencing something new to them. The one I watched last night had a guy who was laid off from his job due to outsourcing to India go to India and get a job. He got to see how the "new" jobs there are affecting the people of India.

I'm a regular listener to the podcasts The Best Radio You Have Never Heard and Coverville. This week, I downloaded the Fourth of July edition of Coverville. In this edition, there was a cover of Bruce Springsteen's "Fourth of July, Asbury Park" by Richard Shindell that's fantastic. I'm not a big fan of Springsteen, but when I hear other people doing his songs, I hear what a great songwriter he is. He can really paint a story.

I found a streaming version of the song on Richard Shindell's website. It's the last song on his Courier CD. Great stuff.

I'm intrigued by the idea of podcasts. For those who don't know what one is, it's just a long audio file (MP3 or whatever) with stuff in it. It could be a talk show or a radio-like music show or really whatever audio delight someone wants to put together. You can download it and listen. I suspect it got its name because you can load it into an iPod and take it with you. An example is the weekly "Lost" podcast where they have interviews with cast and crew, previews of upcoming episodes, etc. Put it in your iPod and listen on the way to work or whatever.

I've made several attempts to find a podcast that I enjoy. As much as I'm intrigued by the idea of podcasts, I just haven't been able to get into the swing of it.

This week, though, I finally found one that I like. It's called The Best Radio You Have Never Heard, and it's all music. The one I downloaded was "Anything Can Happen Day" from 5/1/06.

I knew I was going to love it from the very first two songs: Bruce Cockburn's "If I Had A Rocket Launcher" and Boomtown Rats "I Don't Like Mondays." Right now, at 1 hour in, I hear World Party's cover of The Beatles "Happiness is a Warm Gun." I can't wait to hear more!!

I got a replacement iPod after the one I bought a few weeks ago broke. So I'm listening to it today at work. I barely pay attention to lyrics, but one popped out at me just now. Queen's "One Vision" is all about getting everyone on the same page. Here's a sample:

Vision,
Give me your hands,
Give me your hearts,
I'm ready,
There's only one direction,
One world and one nation,
Yeah one vision

Okay... rah rah rah. Good touchy feel stuff, right?

Then at the end it says,

Gimme one night,
Gimme one hope,
Just gimme,
One man one man,
One bar one night,
One day hey hey,
Just gimme gimme gimme
Fried chicken

heh! Goofballs.