Hitler Hiels a bus!

OK so like I’ve said loads of times this is a music blog so here is a song that mentions Mr Hitler. It’s one of my favourite songs and this is undeniably a great excuse to play it, please enjoy the Clash with “White Man In The Hammersmith Palais”

Some rather sad news now, Sony is finally retiring the Walkman after 30 years of sterling service, I owned one in the early 80s although I can only imagine that a Walkman in a cupboard must feel like Woody in Toy Story when Buzz Lightyear arrives. In this case of course Buzz Lightyear represents the MP3 player or iPod. I read a brilliant post about the demise of the Walkman on the Barely Awake In Frog Pajamas blog. Click here to check it out, you’ll find some top tunes there too! You can also read about it in the Guardians Music Blog.

RIP - the Sony Walkman

What better song to play at the Walkman wake than “C30, C60, C90 Go” by Bow Wow Wow which includes wonderful lyrics such as “C30 C60 C90 Go, off the radio I get a constant flow, hit it, pause it, record it and play, turn it, rewind, and rub it away”

Did you know that Tina Turner once advertised Pearl Drops, way back in 1972? She should have sponsored fright wigs, especially at Halloween!

It’s not too late to save the 100 Club, just click here and contribute, I have! There has been live music at the venue since 1942 when it opened as the Feldman Swing Club. In 1976 it hosted the International Punk Festival which featured the Sex Pistols, Siouxse and the Banshees, Buzzcocks, the Damned and the Clash. More recently bands such as Gallows and the Automatic have released tracks recorded at their gigs at the 100 Club. Click here to see a comprehensive list of acts that have played the club. Watch the Jam performing at the 100 Club in 1977 below.

Sir Elton found writing pop songs a real pig these days, so he decided to leave to those X Factor muppets

Sir Elton John has said that he will no longer be releasing singles, he says that he is not able to compete in the singles Pop Charts with the likes of JLS and Lady Gaga. He says he will continue with what he calls fun side projects, like with the Scissor Sisters. He will also explore elements of his own musical heroes, like his current release with Leon Russell. Click here to read details of the story, which is taken from a GQ interview, on the BBC site.

LISTEN/DOWNLOAD Master Plan – Bennie and the Jets.mp3

Work was okay.  I left a bit early to teach, and that is where wonderful things start.  This was a class I have not taught before – same school, different set of 9th graders.  I was getting them right after lunch, and I’d already been warned they are a little rambunctious as a group.  My lesson was nothing remarkable, I thought, but it actually went really well.  I am finally feeling completely comfortable in front of the classroom, and I absolutely loved the students I worked with today.  They were talkative, but not excessively so.  I thought they were darling.  So far, 9th graders are my fav.  One student said, “Ms. Magoffin, are you a student teacher?”  “Yes.”  “You’re not like other student teachers.  They’re always so shy and scared.  You’ll be a good teacher.”  I know it’s cheesy, but I felt so super good after he said that .  One of his group members remarked right after, “Suck up!  Why don’t you just tell her she’s beautiful, too!”  I just looked at them and said, “I don’t even care if you’re sucking up.  I’m totally okay with all of this.”  .  Anyway, I just felt a great rapport with this group.  I can’t wait for a class of my very own.  Here’s something that makes me happy – student work – usually because it’s hilarious, but seriously, I’m sure after a few months of “real” teaching I’ll be sick of lugging home student work, but for now, I love it!

Next thing to make me happy – the color of the sky when I left the library tonight.  I was taking off to head to a meeting, and when I walked out, the sun had just gone all the way down, and the sky was a stunning jewel-toned shade of blue.  I tried to catch it on my camera, but it was a little funky with the flash.  Here’s the best I could do after turning the flash off.  Regardless of really catching the color, I actually like the way the photo came out.

Then!  As I was coming home, I heard three first-rate songs on the radio.  I’ve been listening to a lot of NPR lately because I’ve just been tired of the music available on the radio, and I spend a lot of time driving, but tonight, I flipped around some of the stations I do not typically listen to, and I fell upon some of my favorite 90’s music, including R.E.M.’s “Losing My Religion,” which I have always loved, followed by Collective Soul’s “Shine.”  I love Collective Soul.  My brother, Matt, got me into them when we were younger, and they still do it for me.  In fact, I’m listening to them right now.  After that, some weird song came on, but not to worry, I flipped stations one more time and was rewarded with Elton’s “Bennie and the Jets.”  I am a forever fan of Elton.  He is one of my absolute favorites.

Finally, when I got home, I was able to bust through my homework, and I changed out my desktop background to a picture of my beautiful baby niece, Eleni.  Bad days go away when you look at that gorgeous little face.

I’m glad nothing major happened today, so I could find the wonderful things that are around me all the time.

Anyway, what got me thinking of this is this song I was listening to. It’s called ‘Bennie and the Jets’, sung by Elton John in a total fun tone. And the frills I was talking about are in these lines: She’s got electric boots/ a mohair suit/ you know I read it in a magazzaiiinneee/ ohhoooo/ B-B-B-Bennie and the Jetsss. The magazzaiiinneee, B-B-B-Bennie add to the already catchy tune and make the song that much more enjoyable. Alright, off to sleep now. Goodbye and goodnight!

Hey kids, shake it loose together
The spotlight’s hitting something
That’s been known to change the weather
We’ll kill the fatted calf tonight
So stick around
You’re gonna hear electric music
Solid walls of sound

Say, Candy and Ronnie, have you seen them yet
But they’re so spaced out, B-B-B-Bennie and the Jets
Oh but they’re weird and they’re wonderful
Oh Bennie she’s really keen
She’s got electric boots a mohair suit
You know I read it in a magazine
B-B-B-Bennie and the Jets

Hey kids, plug into the faithless
Maybe they’re blinded
But Bennie makes them ageless
We shall survive, let us take ourselves along
Where we fight our parents out in the streets
To find who’s right and who’s wrong

If you like this post please see the sequel:  More about Why I Miss the Music of the 70’s and 80’s

I don’t know about you but the music that I really enjoy is the music that was popular when I was in Junior High, High School and College.  For that period spanned the years 1971-1983.  For those of that were alive back then it was a turbulent era, Vietnam was ending, Nixon was resigning due to the Watergate break in cover-up, assassination attempts both successful and unsuccessful were common, two attempts on Gerald Ford, Aldo Moro of Italy and Anwar Sadat of Egypt fell to terrorists and both Ronald Reagan and Pope John Paul II were felled by bullets which did not prove fatal. The Cold War was tense, the Middle East a mess, and the economy…well kind of like now in a lot of ways.  There was a major recession the auto industry needed bailouts, inflation was running in double digits as was the unemployment rate, the dollar was weak and OPEC wreaked havoc on world oil markets. Jimmy Carter was ridiculed worldwide for his “malaise” speech and the Iranian revolution led by the Ayatollah Khomeini swept into power and with it the seizure of the US Embassy and the 444 day hostage crisis punctuated by a failed rescue attempt demoralized the United States.

The 444 Day Iranian Hostage Crisis Helped End the Carter Presidency

The Soviets invaded Afghanistan which became their Vietnam.  In Lebanon 247 Marines were killed in the bombing of their barracks, Cubans were fighting in Angola and well. Terrorist groups killed Israeli athletes at the Munich Olympics and the Red Brigades, the Bader Meinhof gang, the Weather Underground and the Irish Republican Army provided a constant string of terrorist attacks even as Middle Eastern terrorist groups highjacked airliners in daring fashion, matched at times by equally rescues by Israeli and German anti-terrorist units. As you can imagine there was a lot to be down about.

Gas Lines 1974

However with the passing of the 60’s the music of the 1970s and early 1980s provided a diversion for many people looking for respite from all the bad news that echoed around the airwaves and in the newspapers.  Thankfully there wasn’t a 24 hour cable news cycle yet and had there been people would have probably been jumping off of buildings.  As for me I had countless 45s and LPs of my favorite groups and artists, Doctor Donald D Rose of KFRC in San Fransisco was my favorite DJ and my car had a retro-fitted 8-Track tape player.

Today while much of the population gathered around TVs to watch NFL Wild Card playoff games, I needed some peace, so I started putting music DVDs on as the Abbess and I worked about the house.  First was Blondie’s Greatest Hits and Abba Gold followed by the Eagle’s Farewell Tour I concert album.

Great groups and artists ruled the pop and rock airwaves and save for the disaster known as disco the 70’s and early 80’s produced some of the more memorable music of a generation.  It was not “message music” like much of the music in the 60’s but focused on entertainment.  Power groups like Journey, Starship, REO Speedwagon and Boston made power ballads, while AC/DC and KISS shocked and entertained at the same time.  Groups like the Blondie, the Eagles, Chicago, Paul McCartney and Wings, Abba and the Commodores dominated the pop charts while individual artists such as Olivia Newton-John, Elton John, Carly Simon, John Denver, Lionel Ritchie, Barry Manilow and others satisfied the more mainstream pop crown.  R&B enjoyed a renaissance due to the unlikely duo of the Blues Brothers who helped re-launch the careers of Aretha Franklin, Johnny Lee Hooker, Cab Calloway and a host of others.  As the 80’s came along new groups and styles were introduced including New Wave and Rap. It was music that helped us through those times.

As I listened and watched I mentioned to the Abbess that I missed those times.  It certainly wasn’t the fact that things were great in the world, but despite all of what was going on there was still some sense of that things would work out okay.  Music helped provide part of that sense of hope, even disco as much as I would hate to admit that. It was an escape and the music of that time is still with us, somehow those groups haven’t gone away and people look back with fondness to the music of the era.

Here are some of my favorites with links to the videos, they are in no particular order nor are the representative of all the groups that I have in my library of CDs and DVDs, but I enjoy the heck out of them.  Have fun and enjoy.

Peace,

Padre Steve+

The Eagles “Take it Easy”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ScG0ilS0dgI

“Heartache Tonight”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvJqdudx8cg

and “Hotel California”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbjKMobts5U

Olivia Newton-John “Magic”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7WPwH8Rd6g

and “I Honestly Love You”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zGLSnZGZts

The Commodores “Sail On”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zg-ivWxy5KE

Rod Stewart “Tonight’s the Night”

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1p96h_rod-stewarttonights-the-nightgonna_music

Dr Hook and the Medicine Show “On the Cover of the Rolling Stone”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-XzGOZHYdA&feature=PlayList&p=AF906570E242A626&index=1

and “Sharing the Night Together”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECyAATeNH3E

Abba “Waterloo”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGs7dTjUsXw

and The Winner Takes it All

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92cwKCU8Z5c

Fleetwood Mac “Don’t Stop Thinking About Tomorrow”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8arvEzHsA8

Journey “Don’t Stop Believing”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNB1EUJg1-w

Laura Branigan “Gloria”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tVutw8rjFk

Bonnie Tyler “Total Eclipse of the Heart”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=840B27zYfOk&feature=related

Carly Simon “You’re So Vain”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQZmCJUSC6g

Blondie “Dreaming”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIjxGKLTADE

“Rapture”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHPikUPlRD8&feature=PlayList&p=F2ED8F30DB2943CD&index=1

and “Island of Lost Souls”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEpPjBG4CJY

Chicago “Saturday in the Park”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWxA3e9f6rY

Linda Ronstadt “When Will I Be Loved”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmE7tTzJkbU

Air Supply “Making Love Out of Nothing at All”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lE6Htee0sA

Foghat “Third Time Lucky”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fj1O2KtH4kE

Elton John “Bennie and the Jets”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0WCQadt864

The Captain and Tennille “Do that to Me One More Time”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNHcgk5bf7o&feature=related

REO Speedwagon “Keep on Loving You”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-mw1HGJjdA&feature=related

Joan Jett and the Blackhearts “I Love Rock and Roll”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SOJxNOP37I

Starship “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PP1HEFlkdY

and “We  Built this City”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7flrwE-bZVo

Finally, the Blues Brothers “Everybody Needs Somebody”

http://www.mojvideo.com/video-the-blues-brothers-everybody-needs-somebody-to-love/ac0b631b54ff095fd5c0

Hey kids, shake it loose together
The spotlight’s hitting something
That’s been known to change the weather
We’ll kill the fatted calf tonight
So stick around
You’re gonna hear electric music
Solid walls of sound

Say, Candy and Ronnie, have you seen them yet
But they’re so spaced out, Bennie and the Jets
Oh but they’re weird and they’re wonderful
Oh Bennie she’s really keen
She’s got electric boots a mohair suit
You know I read it in a magazine
Bennie and the Jets

Hey kids, plug into the faithless
Maybe they’re blinded
But Bennie makes them ageless
We shall survive, let us take ourselves along
Where we fight our parents out in the streets
To find who’s right and who’s wrong

(azlyrics.com)

Listed above are the lyrics to Elton John’s classic song “Bennie and the Jets.”  When this song was released in 1973, the Internet was not available to the general public.  People had to learn songs based completely on hearing them.  Which is why things like this would happen:

Being able to find the correct lyrics to a song is not all the technology has done for the average music lover.  Everybody knows about the unbelievably wide selection of apps for the iPhone.  The one I want to point out is Shazam.  You would use this app to tell you what song you are listening to.  You can put your phone up to the speakers and the app will identify the name of the song, the artist, and will also automatically let you download the song from iTunes and watch the music video.

Shazam.com

To make a long and boring story short, looking at all the old photos brought back a lot of memories.  I have a ton of pictures from summer 2006, the summer between high school and college, involving lots of hijinks with all my Tosa friends, and looking at the photos brought back especially intense sound memories (as we spent a lot of time rollin’ in the family Honda Accord listening to music).

With no further ado, the soundtrack of summer 2006 as filtered through senior-year-of-college nostalgia:

1) Beck, “Qué Onda Guero” from Guero. What a great album.  Not incidentally, the Marcel Dzama cover art inspired my subsequent purchase of my famous sad-ghost salt and pepper shakers.

2) James Brown, “Make It Funky (Pt. 1)” Allow me to write out certain key lyrics:

“What you gonna play now?”

“Bobby, I don’t know.  But what’s ever I play, it’s got to be FUNKY.  One.  Two.  Three.  Make it funky!”

Amen.

Neckbone.  Candied yams!  Turnips.  Spud steak.  Spud steak!  Grits and gravy.

3) Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins, “You Are What You Love” and “Handle With Care.” The entire album, Rabbit Fur Coat, is fantastic, so listen to it in full.

4) Gnarls Barkley, “The Last Time”

5) Shakira, “Hips Don’t Lie.” Because really, what else was on the radio that summer?

6) Miss B, “Bottle Action.” I don’t fight, I don’t argue, I just hit that bitch with a bottle.  Eastside eastside till we die.

7) Elton John, “Bennie and the Jets”

8 ) Etta James, “Something’s Got a Hold on Me.” I actually prefer “Let’s Burn Down the Cornfield,” but I couldn’t find a good video clip.  But look it up if you have a minute.  You can’t really go wrong with Etta, so I didn’t think you all would mind the substitution.

Elton John didn’t want to release the song as a single or on side one of their album, believing it would fail. Why would he think that? Supposedly this song inspired Axl Rose to become a singer, and you can’t really beat that. If anyone thinks they know a song better than this, post it in a comment.
———————————–
Hey kids, shake it loose together
The spotlight’s hitting something
That’s been known to change the weather
We’ll kill the fatted calf tonight
So stick around
You’re gonna hear electric music
Solid walls of sound

Say, Candy and Ronnie, have you seen them yet
But they’re so spaced out, B-B-B-Bennie and the Jets
Oh but they’re weird and they’re wonderful
Oh Bennie she’s really keen
She’s got electric boots a mohair suit
You know I read it in a magazine
B-B-B-Bennie and the Jets
Hey kids, plug into the faithless
Maybe they’re blinded
But Bennie makes them ageless
We shall survive, let us take ourselves along
Where we fight our parents out in the streets
To find who’s right and who’s wrong

Thanks for reading! link

[Tip o' the Tarboosh to Nicole for the ferrettage link.]

“Oh Liver! Don’t you know I gotta LEG?!”
[Another Tip o' the Tarboosh to Dan S. in Idaho for this gem  Happy Birthday, Dan.]

Ben E. and I jest…

This one is a repost. It keeps getting yanked from the Utoobage, but it keeps growing back like a fungus. I love it.

Other good news:  Tube No. 1 restored “Dance Girl,” so the link HERE has been repaired.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDhQ7lMF9zk&feature=related

Tarde de sábado, relax en el sofá, preparado para la siesta y mientras trato de dormir empieza la película de Digital +. 27 vestidos. A priori no es una película que me apeteciera ver, puesto que pasó por el cine y no me llamó lo más mínimo la atención. Pero empieza, y comienzan a pasar cosillas que han impedido completamente mi siesta, y desde luego y todavía más, hacer que mi corazón patatilla se vuelva loco. Jajaja. Eso si, estar más de la mitad de la película sufriendo no es bueno, por más que imagines que el final va a ser de los bonitos. Me he dado cuenta que me pongo demasiado en la piel de los protagonistas. Por una parte disfrutas más de la peli, pero por otra, no no no, no es bueno. En fin, no ha habido siesta, pero un gran descubrimiento. No es para Oscar, pero si para no siesta.

¿Cuando cantámos en la barra de un bar después de tomarnos 10 whiskys de 3 dedos con hielo? Bennie and the Jets… A la primera persona que me lo pida, lo hago, jajajaja.

It’s starting to be my favorite time of year. No AC. No furnace. Take that, utility gods! I had to yank out a sweatshirt when I crawled out of bed this morning and rummage around in the sock bins for something bright and cheerful to go with my morning demeanor. See Elen laughing. No one would call me Little Miss Sunshine or Morning Glory. If Mr. G, honey were reading this, his shoulders would be shaking.

I try. I really try. But, I’m more startled by the day than anything else.

The writing hub is now squeaky with cleanliness. Well, for me. My hair, standing in all directions of the compass, didn’t negatively impact on the creative brain yesterday. It was a good day.

I was home alone last night, so I threw 27 Dresses in the DVD player. Now, I’m crushing a bit on James Marsden, aka Cyclops. Gotta love X-Men. I can’t get Bennie and the Jets out of my mind either.

Happy Hump Day.

Elen

Video Clip : Bennie And The Jets

Singer : Elton John