Girly Sound.
Those of you who are Liz Phair fan know approximately what Girly Sound is. For those who don't, or only know about it casually, the Girly Sound tapes were early releases self-produced by Phair in the early 1990's - Girly Sound being her stage name at the time - that led directly to her record deal. There were actually three of them - Yo Yo Buddy Yup Word To Ya Mutha, GIRLSGIRLSGIRLS, and Sooty.
I know what you're thinking (and no - it has nothing to do with how many shots I took). "Why is he mentioning these lo-fi recordings when today's entry is clearly well produced?" It's an excellent question, as this song was the opening single from Phair's third studio album whitechocolatespaceegg. However, it was a rewrite/rerecording of a song from GIRLSGIRLSGIRLS. So, all those years later, she was still using her Girly Sound stuff as a library.
whitechocolatespaceeg, unlike her previous work, came after she got married and had a kid - it wasn't just about sex, which Exile in Guyville and Whip-Smart clearly were. So, this song, written in her overtly sexual era, was reimagined as a more introspective and less sexual piece.
Compare this version to the GIRLSGIRLSGIRLS version. First of all, it's a lot longer - so budget some time. It's also a slower, sparser and I think sadder song - and more self-deprecating. And Henry, her bar-tending friend seems to be more of a dick.
Phair still tours, and was supposed to be opening for Alanis Morrisette and Garbage this year on their tour. I hope that still happens, but until then, here's a live performance from 2018.
17 April 2020
16 April 2020
16 April 2020 - Madonna - Ray of Light
I usually start this posts with the official video - because, you know, that's how most people know the song.
I'm not doing that this time. That's Madonna with a guitar, people. We need to appreciate this. And, although this in its original form was electronic-driven (albeit with a significant guitar piece), I kind of dig this version.
So, before I get into some random facts about this song, I wanted you to rock out to Madonna.
I mean, we're of COURSE going to have the official video here, too. It's really good, too. It's not just good because it's a great electronic dance tune (that, by the way, I just made you rock out to). It's good because Madonna's energetic performance - not only vocal, but visual - is mesmerizing.
The song itself, largely written by Ms. Ciccone, was written in the aftermath of the birth of her daughter and her career-changing turn in the movie Evita. It remains to this day one of my favorite Madonna songs. Interestingly, it was purposely produced, musically, just outside of Madonna's vocal range. When you hear her straining to reach the notes, that's real. And it's spectacular.
I'm not doing that this time. That's Madonna with a guitar, people. We need to appreciate this. And, although this in its original form was electronic-driven (albeit with a significant guitar piece), I kind of dig this version.
So, before I get into some random facts about this song, I wanted you to rock out to Madonna.
I mean, we're of COURSE going to have the official video here, too. It's really good, too. It's not just good because it's a great electronic dance tune (that, by the way, I just made you rock out to). It's good because Madonna's energetic performance - not only vocal, but visual - is mesmerizing.
The song itself, largely written by Ms. Ciccone, was written in the aftermath of the birth of her daughter and her career-changing turn in the movie Evita. It remains to this day one of my favorite Madonna songs. Interestingly, it was purposely produced, musically, just outside of Madonna's vocal range. When you hear her straining to reach the notes, that's real. And it's spectacular.
15 April 2020
15 April 2020 - Norman Greenbaum - Spirit in the Sky
Today, we go ahead and embrace our hippie roots....
But this song seems a little Jesus-y for that, doesn't it?
And yet, that's exactly what Norman Greenbaum did - he wrote a religious hippie song. Of course, it wasn't well-known or much of a hit in secular circles - it was legitimately a Christian song and a hit! - until Doctor and the Medics covered it in the 1980's
Really, the simple and earnest song was criminally overlooked at initial release - but it's a classic now.
But this song seems a little Jesus-y for that, doesn't it?
And yet, that's exactly what Norman Greenbaum did - he wrote a religious hippie song. Of course, it wasn't well-known or much of a hit in secular circles - it was legitimately a Christian song and a hit! - until Doctor and the Medics covered it in the 1980's
Really, the simple and earnest song was criminally overlooked at initial release - but it's a classic now.
14 April 2020
14 April 2020 - ABBA - Take A Chance On Me
This is a song that I am certain all of you have heard. There's not much more to say - it was the final UK #1 for ABBA (their 7th, a record), and was one of the biggest hits of their career worldwide.
Stig Anderson had assisted with the lyrics on prior ABBA singles - but on this one, it was all Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, establishing them as a strong songwriting team in their own right. This song is so sweet, and upbeat, that it endures to this day. Agnetha didn't have much of a solo career outside of Sweden (where she was a hitmaker BEFORE ABBA) but this is really her song, even though most of the lyrics are shared with Frida (real name: Anni-Frid - get it?).
By now, you should know that I like to include alternative versions when I make a simple post like this. This is the 1977 demo of the song. It speaks to the consistency of the band that it was hard to find any variation from the final studio version at all! Other than a slight key difference in the chorus, I don't hear one.
Compare this with a 1978 live recording..... in a lot of live performances, ABBA frequently lip-synced their songs - mostly because the studio recordings were so complex, and not at all an indicator . In this case - look in the background. There's a complete orchestra!!!
If you got this far - this song was famously covered by Erasure. Check out the Totally Covered post from 2012!
Stig Anderson had assisted with the lyrics on prior ABBA singles - but on this one, it was all Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, establishing them as a strong songwriting team in their own right. This song is so sweet, and upbeat, that it endures to this day. Agnetha didn't have much of a solo career outside of Sweden (where she was a hitmaker BEFORE ABBA) but this is really her song, even though most of the lyrics are shared with Frida (real name: Anni-Frid - get it?).
By now, you should know that I like to include alternative versions when I make a simple post like this. This is the 1977 demo of the song. It speaks to the consistency of the band that it was hard to find any variation from the final studio version at all! Other than a slight key difference in the chorus, I don't hear one.
Compare this with a 1978 live recording..... in a lot of live performances, ABBA frequently lip-synced their songs - mostly because the studio recordings were so complex, and not at all an indicator . In this case - look in the background. There's a complete orchestra!!!
If you got this far - this song was famously covered by Erasure. Check out the Totally Covered post from 2012!
13 April 2020
13 April 2020 - Simon & Garfunkel - Bridge Over Troubled Water
Like many of you, my parents were Simon & Garfunkel fans. I grew up listening to their Greatest Hits on repeat. So, for a lot of us, this song is like a big ol' bowl of comfort food.
Now that I'm an adult, and I know that the song was, in Paul Simon's words, inspired directly by "Mary Don't You Weep", a pre-Civil War spiritual about the Bible story of Lazarus being raised from the dead, I hear it a lot differently. Originally written for guitar, Paul Simon moved it to piano to keep the gospel feel and message.
And can we talk for a minute about Art Garfunkel's powerful voice that completely OWNS this song? It's an instrument in and of itself.
Now that I'm an adult, and I know that the song was, in Paul Simon's words, inspired directly by "Mary Don't You Weep", a pre-Civil War spiritual about the Bible story of Lazarus being raised from the dead, I hear it a lot differently. Originally written for guitar, Paul Simon moved it to piano to keep the gospel feel and message.
And can we talk for a minute about Art Garfunkel's powerful voice that completely OWNS this song? It's an instrument in and of itself.
10 April 2020
10 April 2020 - lovelytheband - broken
Lovelytheband has been around since 2016. This, their debut single from 2017, remains their only US Top 30 hit (although they get a lot of rock and alternative radio airplay with subsequent singles). If you're only going to have one hit, though, it should be a gem like this one!
The lyrics themselves aren't terribly wholesome at first - it's a late night pickup - but it gets sweeter as it goes along, as our two characters discover that they're both broken, giving them a connection and something to grow on. It's a beautiful synth-pop modern love song.
So, what if you took away the synth - does the pop-rock vibe still work for this song? Thankfully, lovelytheband gives us the answer to this question in this live performance.
It does, if you were wondering my opinion.
The lyrics themselves aren't terribly wholesome at first - it's a late night pickup - but it gets sweeter as it goes along, as our two characters discover that they're both broken, giving them a connection and something to grow on. It's a beautiful synth-pop modern love song.
So, what if you took away the synth - does the pop-rock vibe still work for this song? Thankfully, lovelytheband gives us the answer to this question in this live performance.
It does, if you were wondering my opinion.
09 April 2020
9 April 2020 - Daddy Yankee & Snow - Con Calma | Daddy Yankee & Snow feat. Katy Perry - Con Calma
I bet you all thought my first Daddy Yankee post would be "Despacito", didn't you?
No.
This re-imagination of Snow's "Informer" is somewhat spectacular, and Daddy Yankee had the presence of mind, as well as the respect for those who came before him in reggaeton to INCLUDE Snow in this. It would become a minor hit in its own right.... and the biggest selling Spanish-language single for the first half of 2019.
....but a Katy Perry remix shot this into the top 40, making Snow a THREE hit wonder..... and this a Hall of Fame post. See if you can catch all the callbacks to Teenage Dream.
The Katy Perry version received some bad reviews - one writer implied that the person who suggested it might be trying to sabotage her career (Pitbull, for the record, and he isn't) , but a largely Spanish-language song reached the top 30 on the Billboard Hot 100 - so I think there's some credibility to the collaboration.
I mean, it can't be worse for her career than her decision to a an American Idol judge....
No.
This re-imagination of Snow's "Informer" is somewhat spectacular, and Daddy Yankee had the presence of mind, as well as the respect for those who came before him in reggaeton to INCLUDE Snow in this. It would become a minor hit in its own right.... and the biggest selling Spanish-language single for the first half of 2019.
....but a Katy Perry remix shot this into the top 40, making Snow a THREE hit wonder..... and this a Hall of Fame post. See if you can catch all the callbacks to Teenage Dream.
The Katy Perry version received some bad reviews - one writer implied that the person who suggested it might be trying to sabotage her career (Pitbull, for the record, and he isn't) , but a largely Spanish-language song reached the top 30 on the Billboard Hot 100 - so I think there's some credibility to the collaboration.
I mean, it can't be worse for her career than her decision to a an American Idol judge....
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