Your Song - Elton John

As songs about songs go, Elton John's 1970 release of "Your Song" is about as good as it gets. (It was his very first pop hit.) More recently, the remarkable version featured in the movie Moulin Rouge, sung by Ewan McGregor, introduced a whole new generation to this song for the very first time.

Apparently, this song was an easy one for Elton to write - it reportedly only took him 10 minutes.  (The words were penned by his longtime collaborator Bernie Taupin over breakfast earlier that same day.)

Happy listening!

Elton John – Your Song

This Is Not a Love Song - Nouvelle Vague

Chillax and listen to this Brazilian-flavored remake of Public Image Ltd.'s original as we continue our week of songs about songs.

I have to admit something: the original version of this tune gives me vertigo and makes me want to block out the 80's altogether. (I highly recommend that you not listen to this unless you feel a need to increase your anxiety level for the day.)  This remake is much cooler, in my humble opinion, featuring silky vocals over a bossa nova beat.

Happy listening!

Nouvelle Vague – This Is Not a Love Song

You're So Vain - Carly Simon

Probably the best known in this week's theme of songs about songs, Carly Simon's 1972 hit is still a subject of speculation.  Although she has said the song is about "men" - sort of a composite of three men she had known - many people have tried to identify a specific person as the subject of the song. Everyone from Mick Jagger to Warren Beatty has apparently had some claim to this self-obsessed persona.

Happy listening!

Carly Simon – You're So Vain

I Wrote This Song - Making April

This week, I curated songs about songs. I was amazed at how many there are!  There was no shortage of songs to pick from...

Making April was a short-lived indie band, existing from 2006 to 2010 from New York. This particular song is the narrative of the composer writing a song about the subject of the song. 

Happy listening!

Making April – I Wrote This Song

The Scotsman - Bryan Bowers

Storytelling week continues.  This is a good story. 'Nuff said.

Enjoy, Happy Friday, and happy listening.

Bryan Bowers – The Scotsman

The Gambler - Kenny Rogers

This is a classic ballad if there ever was one.

Kenny Rogers won a Grammy with this song back in 1980 (and it also inspired a series of TV movies of the same name that would span the next 14 years.)

This famous song tells the story of a late-night meeting on a train "bound for nowhere" between the narrator and an unnamed old man - the gambler.  It features yet another catchy chorus that just about everyone knows.

Happy listening!

Kenny Rogers – The Gambler

Bad, Bad, Leroy Brown - Jim Croce

Folk music is a treasure trove of great storytelling, and in addition to having one of the greatest, catchiest choruses EVER, this short song tells a great story.  (Folk legend Jim Croce is said to have based this song on someone he knew while in the army.)

It tells the story of tough guy Leroy Brown, who one day, in a bar, he makes a pass at a pretty, married woman, whose jealous husband proceeds to beat Leroy brutally in the ensuing brawl.

Happy listening!

Jim Croce – Bad, Bad Leroy Brown

Der Erlkönig - Franz Schubert

I thought I would do a theme this week: great storytelling ballads. There are many wonderful ballads to pick from - but I want to especially emphasize the aspect of great storytelling in music.

This particular work is from the musical genre of Lieder (basically, German for "song").  Lieder was very popular in German musical circles throughout the romantic period, and most often were written for solo voice accompanied by piano. Most set poetry to music, emphasizing qualities like beauty, love, and mystery, and many told rich, colorful stories.

Such is the case with this work by the young Franz Schubert; this was possibly his very first Lieder, written while he was around the age of 17.  The soloist sings all four parts - the narrator, the father, the boy, and the Erlkönig.

"Der Erlkönig" tells the story of a father riding a horse home with his deathly sick child in his arms, and you hear the horse hoofs pounding away in the piano line.  The father asks why he is so upset, and his hallucinating child tells him that he can see the king of the elves, tempting him to go away with him to his kingdom.  We hear the King of the Elves' seductive words, and the conversation continues between the boy, the King of the Elves, and the boy's father until the dramatic conclusion.

If you are unfamiliar with this piece, I highly recommend reading along with the translation the first time you listen.  It is truly spine-chilling.

This recording features the amazing Dietrich Fischer Dieskau, one of the most legendary baritones of all time, who passed away last week.

(I would say happy listening, but it doesn't quite work with this one...)

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau – Erlkönig, D. 328

Harper Valley PTA - Jeannie C. Riley

I thought I would do a theme this week: great storytelling ballads. There are many wonderful ballads to pick from - but I want to especially emphasize the aspect of great storytelling in music.

Tom T. Hall, also known as "The Storyteller," wrote this song in the 60's - and with it, had one of the most successful country crossover songs of all time. It tells a great story, and has been covered by almost every female country singer, including the likes of Loretta Lynn and Martina McBride.

This rendition is the original 1968 release by Jeannie C. Riley.

Jeannie C. Riley – Harper Valley PTA

The Lady is a Tramp - Frank Sinatra

Ol' Blue Eyes was arguably one of the familiar voices and names in the musical 20th Century.  He also never finished high school and never learned to read music.  With a musical career that spanned almost 60 years, Frank Sinatra definitely had a voice in shaping multiple generations of musicians.

The song itself is actually from the 1937 Musical, Babes in Arms, and is a spoof on New York high society of the 30's.

Happy listening!

Frank Sinatra – The Lady Is A Tramp

Ice, Ice Baby - Richard Cheese

I never really thought I would hear a version of this song I liked.

I was wrong.  So very wrong.

All it took was a lounge singer named Richard Cheese to loungify this Vanilla Ice classic to make it sweeter than honey.

Richard also has a number of other great covers, including "Welcome to the Jungle", "Milkshake", and Britney Spears' "Crazy" - all of which are just as good as this.

Happy listening!

Goodnight Goodnight - Hot Hot Heat

Leave it to the Canadians - they came up with yet another great musical contribution to the indy scene.  

Although it might seem like they are just plain noisy, be sure to check out some of the lyrics.  There is some really witty, thoughful wordplay that I for one didn't expect to find in such a funky tune.

Happy listening!

Hot Hot Heat – Goodnight Goodnight

Unsquare Dance - Dave Brubeck

Dave Brubeck was a jazz pianist who accomplished something that few instrumental jazz musicians ever achieve - namely, commercial success.

The Dave Brubeck Quartet's album, Time Out, quickly went platinum, featuring what would become Brubeck's "signature departure" (pun intended) from conventional meters. The most famous work on the album is the very recognizable "Take Five" - but the rest of the album has a number of other gems that are just as creative, although seldom heard.  "Unsquare Dance" is one of those.

Happy listening!

Dave Brubeck – Unsquare Dance

Womankind - Annie Lennox

Nowadays, Annie Lennox is as well known for her social and political activism as she is for her music.

That said, don't overlook the music.

With her iconic soul sound, Lennox has achieved remarkable longevity as a songwriter and performer, both as a solo artist and as a member of the Eurythmics.  This song is from her 2007 album, Songs of Mass Destruction.  


Happy listening!

Annie Lennox – Womankind

I Bought Me A Cat - Aaron Copland

If you haven't heard of Aaron Copland, take comfort in the fact that you are already probably familiar with a fair amount of his music.  You probably know them as the CBS Sports Theme and the music from the "Beef - it's whats for dinner" commercial.

One of the greatest American composers of the 20th Century, Copland wrote a wealth of orchestral music, ballets, operas, and piano music.  He also wrote a very small number of vocal works, one of which is a fun little song.

Happy listening!

Aaron Copland;William Warfield – Old American Songs: I Bought Me a Cat - Set One

Find Your Grail - Spamalot

"Once, in every show, there comes a song like this.."

Part of Monty Python's Spamalot, this performance from the Tony's does indeed feature the incredible Sara Ramirez from the original cast (and also from Grey's Anatomy fame), as well as Adam Curry and David Hyde Pierce.

A great little tune for the second-to-the-last day of the work week.

Happy listening!

Find your grail

Vive Le Swing - In-Grid

Generally speaking, we Americans have an almost complete ignorance of the Euro-pop scene. (What? Europe has a pop music scene?) While stylistic differences may be few, the language barrier seems largely to blame, although Europeans have a high awareness of American pop.

In-Grid is an Italian musician who had an extremely popular club song a few of years ago, "Tu es foutu."

"Vive Le Swing" is from her 2010 album, Passion.  Although I have no idea what she is singing, you get the gist, and it sure is fun.

Happy listening!

In-Grid – Vive Le Swing

Steady as The Rain - Dolly Parton

There are a number of singer/songwriters that have proven to have long professional careers, but few that are as immediately recognizable - by sight, by sound, or simply by the mention of a first name - as Dolly Parton.  Not only that, few are as endeared by multiple generations of fans as she, and very few country stars have are as popular by non-country fans as she.

Her contributions to songwriting are many, having written some 3,000 songs, including the iconic "I Will Always Love You" (made additionally famous by the late Whitney Houston), her breakout hit, Jolene, 9 to 5, and so, so many more.

In 1999, she released her 35th studio album, a entirely bluegrass collection.  "Steady as The Rain" was a song she'd originally written for her younger sister, Stella, who had a to 40 hit with this song in 1979.

Happy listening!

Dolly Parton – Steady As The Rain

I Will - Scott Lyles

I love a good cover. And there are a lot of covers that people have posted on youtube over the years.  Some are wonderful and amazing to watch, but unfortunately, many more of them aren't quite what you would refer to as "good" - although they certainly are unique.

So when I see something that someone put together that is actually good, I am heartened and my faith is restored in the musician with a great voice, a song in his heart, and a good version of Final Cut Pro. I saw Scott's cover version of this Beatles tune shortly after he posted it when it was linked by one of my former music professors.

I thought Scott created a beautiful version of this classic. I hope you enjoy it.

Happy listening!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGQEKVFTjyw&feature=g-all-u

Pretty Things - Rufus Wainwright

Rufus Wainwright is an unusual guy.

He has a biography that reads a little like a musical version of Dynasty. Growing up in a home with two well-known musicians as parents (he is the son of Kate McGarrigle and Loudon Wainwright III), they divorced when he was a very young child.  He started touring with his siblings when he was 13, coming out as gay in his teen years.

An early interest in opera began to shape his compositional style, and this evident in a number of his works and arrangements.  With strong literary influences throughout his work, his lyrics are personal, intimate - leaving you wondering about the hidden meaning behind each image.

While his most famous song is probably "Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk" (and of course the cover of "Complainte de la Butte" from the film Moulin Rouge), this is and remains my favorite Rufus song.

Happy listening!

Rufus Wainwright – Pretty Things

The Frim Fram Sauce - Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong

I never tire of listening to Ella Fitzgerald.  In addition to an extraordinary vocal range (of more than three usable octaves, surpassing most opera singers), her skills with vocal improvisation and scat singing are legend.  Add in a voice of pure gold, and you have Ella.

Fitzgerald, known for her extreme shyness, was discovered in an amateur singing contest in Harlem in the early 30's.  Working with Chick Webb, she began a long and prolific live and recorded music career.  She started winning Grammy awards as soon as the Awards were given back in 1958, winning 13 over the course of her lifetime. She recorded over 200 albums before her death in 1996.  (With a reputation for being extraordinarily shy,

This is perhaps the best-known version of this classic jazz song originally made popular by the Nat King Cole Trio (although in my mind, Louis and Ella have made this a perpetual classic).

Happy listening!

Ella Fitzgerald – The Frim Fram Sauce

Oh My - Office

One of the best things I read about Office was that they have the least Google-friendly name for a band.  It's absolutely true - instead you get lots of hits for the TV series.  But somewhere amidst all the search results is this amazing band.

Led by front-man Scott Masson and based in the Chicago area, the music is a fun, thinking person's rock/pop fusion with roaring melodies that will have you singing along in no time (and "fun" is the operative word).

Happy listening!

Office – Oh My

Let's Dance - Jake Shimabukuro

(A special "thank you" to Paul F. for pointing me towards Jake for this post.)

One of the things that comes to mind when I think of Jake Shimabukuro is what it must be like for him to go to a party with people he doesn't know.  I imagine it goes something like this:

"So Jake, what do you do?"
"I'm a ukulelist."
"... I'm sorry, a what?"
"I play the ukulele."
"the little hula dancer guitar?"
"Well, I don'y play it for hula dancers, but yes." 
"For a living?"
"Yup."
"Then... what do you play, if you don't play for hula dancers?"
"Oh, a little Michael Jackson, Queen, Leonard Cohen.  Some original stuff too..."
"Hey, can you play us some hula music?!"
"Well, I suppose I could, but the other stuff I play is probably way cooler..."
"Like maybe Tiny Bubbles?  Hey guys, Jake's gonna play some hula music!"

Jake is a virtuoso on an atypical instrument.  His skill as a musician is a delight to hear, and his interpretations are imaginative and almost hypnotic.

Today's song is an original composition called "Dragon" from a live performance from a few years back.

Happy listening!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vE_x07jZHo