Music Munday - Idina Menzel (Week 1)

Not really happy with this icon, but everything I used to use on Canva costs money now. :(

I am not someone that really pays attention to music, but way back in 2009 I used to do a Music Munday feature and I thought I would bring it back... We will see if I can think of enough to post about to make it a regular thing! The reason I am thinking about music today is because I decided to try out Idina Menzel's new CD. I know that she is very popular for Frozen, but I loved her in Rent and have kept my eye on her over the years. While her new CD is not my typical music, I did like it overall and enjoyed a couple of the songs.

The two I thought I would share are these:


And, if you have never seen her in Rent, check out this video!
(If anyone is bored and better at graphics than me, can you make me a nicer one? lol)

Music Munday - Christmas Music

I am starting to get ready to listen to Christmas music for the year. I have listened to a couple songs here and there, but I am slow with the Christmas spirit this year! Anyway, I thought I would share a couple songs that I really like at this time of the year.



This is not the version of this song I was looking for, but where it was in a movie it is all that I seem able to find...

Music Monday: SoundRelief

Summer appears to have arrived early in Australia. Adelaide has already had more than 5 days over 35C (95F) with last Saturday being a scorching 40C (105F) and it's not even December yet. Here in Melbourne, we have had our hottest start to November in many years, and to be honest, everyone is a bit jittery. The events of Black Saturday, 7 February 2009, when more than 200 Victorians lost their lives during terrible bushfires in the country just outside of Melbourne, are still too clearly in the minds and hearts of many Australians, and with the hot weather on it's way, people are starting to prepare for what happens if the conditions are as bad this summer. At the same time as Victoria was burning, people in Queensland were suffering in flooding that lasted for weeks in some parts.

Australians are a generous nation whenever disaster strikes anywhere around the world. and once it became clear the magnitude of these disasters, the community rallied round, and everyone from sports stars to politicians to the normal Aussie in the street did what they could to support the people effected. At the time, I was working for a major charity and the response was amazing. Very early on it was announced that there would be a fund raising concert called SoundRelief and many Australian entertainers confirmed their attendance.

In the end there were two simultaneous concerts in Melbourne and Sydney on March 14 with the proceeds to be split between the fire and flood victims. There were big name international acts, as well as legendary Australian performers, and newer acts. When trying to choose what to post about for Music Monday, I knew that I wanted to focus on some Australian music, but then decided to revisit SoundRelief. I was lucky enough to attend the Melbourne concert along with about 80000 other people. If you are interested you can read my thoughts of the day here.

The hard part of this post is choosing which videos to include because there were so many amazing performances, but I will start with Jet, who are a Melbourne band, and so got a huge reception, despite the fact that we were absolutely drenched by that time! Both Jet and Wolfmother had a very busy day as they flew to the other concert and performed for both crowds.



One of the difficulties on the day was deciding when we wanted to eat because there were certain acts that we did not want to miss. We looked through the schedule and thought, hmm, Liam Finn. Famous family name, but we don't know any of his songs so that is when we will go and eat. We were standing in the food queue and I said to my friend, that sounds like Crowded House, and sure enough, Liam had been joined onstage by his dad and uncle, better known as Tim and Neil Finn along with Nick Seymour who were all part of Crowded House. Later in the night re-formed Split Enz performed. They were great live, but I didn't know as many of their songs as I do for Crowded House.

There was a certain amount of irony in that the sky was blue during this song. It wasn't really at many other parts of the day.




This happened in Sydney but we did get to see it on the big screens where I was in Melbourne. John Farnham is one of the biggest names in Australian music, and to see him perform with Coldplay was awesome. Among the other big international acts to perform were Kings of Leon, Jack Johnson and Taylor Swift. I am sure that I am missing some.



For me the two biggest highlights of the night were seeing the re-formed bands, Hunters and Collectors and Midnight Oil. It's hard to believe that these bands had played so little together over the years. Hunters and Collectors are a band that didn't really make it overseas, but they are Australian legends. This song in particular has been used in marketing for Aussie Rules football, and it is a song that nearly everyone would know here. The lead singer, Mark Seymour, is actually Nick Seymour's brother (from Crowded House)



The finale in Sydney was Barry Gibb and Olivia Newton-John, which would have been good, but in Melbourne we were treated to Midnight Oil, which was awesome! The lead singer of Midnight Oil, Peter Garrett, is now the Federal Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Arts (yep, a politician) so he doesn't get out in front of the band very often any more, but neither he nor the rest of the band have lost it yet! We all walked away hoping that we would never have to come together for another cause so tragic, but at the same time blown away by the performances we had seen.



Thanks to Kailana for allowing me to relive one of my favourite days of this year.

Music Munday - To The Limit: The Untold Story of the Eagles by Marc Eliot

The Eagles are the most popular, enduring rock band in America. With singles and albums hitting the top of the charts for a quarter century and a greatest hits collection that has sold more copies than any other recording in history, the Eagles have entered the pantheon of pop music. To the Limit is the unauthorized account of the group from its earliest years through the breakup, solo careers, and reunions.Blending the country and folk music of the late sixties with the melodic seductiveness of Detroit-style roots rock, the Eagles brought a new sound to a stagnant music scene. Under the brilliant management of David Geffen, the Eagles projected a public image of unshakable camaraderie-embodied by the cerebral, brooding Don Henley and the intuitive, self-destructive Glenn Frey-bolstered by the gorgeous harmonies of their songs. Behind the scenes, however, there was another story.At turns revealing, inspiring, funny, and shocking, To the Limit is the chronicle of a time, a place, and a group that succeeded in changing forever the world of popular music.

I love The Eagles. Eliot talks about the history of the band and their members. I learned a lot! I think I would like to read another book about them just to make sure that this book is correct. It does talk about their early life, their career, and the success of the band. If you are interested in learning the entire story of one of the more popular bands in the world than you really should give this book a try.

Instead of going on in great detail about the book I am going to showcase some of my favourite Eagles songs. Enjoy!

Lyrical Translation

I was working on what I might write up today, and looking through the songs that have gotten a lot of hits on my iTunes this year, and noticed something: I had a number of songs in there twice. This isn't because I have an untidy library (though I do), it's because the songs in question had been translated from another language, and the experience in English and the original language are two very, very different experiences.

An excellent example of this is, I believe, the most popular song ever in the French Language: La Vie en Rose, sung most famously by the divine Edith Piaf:

This is a song that has been much sung in English. As, for instance, by Louis Armstrong (also known as 'the love song from WALL-E ;P ):

It's really interesting looking at the two songs side by side, because they have a very, very different meaning to it. The first is the perfect Edith Piaf songs - slightly forlorn, gently moaning, a sort of paean to what cannot be. Louis Armstrong, ironically, sings the same song, and it's quintessentially Louis: cheerful, hopeful, sort of overboiling with the slight echo of a chuckle. Part of this of course is the glory of interpretation. But not all. Look at the original French lyrics:

Quand il me prend dans ses bras

Il me parle tout bas,

Je vois la vie en rose.



Il me dit des mots d'amour,

Des mots de tous les jours,

Et ca me fait quelque chose.

(Roughly translated:

When he takes me in his arms

He speaks softly,

I see life in pink.

He told me words of love,

Words of every day,

And it makes me something.)

Then, the English lyrics:

Hold me close and hold me fast

The magic spell you cast

This is la vie en rose



When you kiss me, heaven sighs

And though I close my eyes

I see la vie en rose

It's not that the English lyrics are bad (I don't know enough French to even tell you if the French ones are good poetry), but they are BARELY the same song. Both talk about feeling enraptured by love, but the first has a private, confessional feel to it, the second I pleasant, intoxicated one. In the second there is a vision of 'a world apart, a world where roses bloom', in the first, there is a sort of undercurrent, a quiet little part of the brain that knows that this cannot last, that the something will again be nothing.

This isn't necessarily a bad thing - or even necessarily a contravention of the artist's intention. A good example of this is in one of my favorite songs: Waters of March by the Bossa Nova master Antonio Carlos Jobim. In the original Brazilian Portuguese, with subtitles:

And (I don't like this video, but the absolutely gorgeous original recording of this in English by Jobim himself isn't online anywhere!) in English:

In case you missed it? The lyrics are very, very different - in fact, Jobim intended them to be so. He wrote both the English and Portuguese versions. In Brazil, the Waters in March are the floods that come down in the autumn and wash away the last of usmmer, before winter comes (Southern Hemisphere, you know...). In New York, where he wrote the English version, the Waters of March are the spring rains that stir up all the detritus of winter to carry in the life of spring time. While, admittedly, this sadly makes for an English version that is far too easy to sing in a horrible, campy lounge style (grr....), it makes two very different songs. And that's just it - translation, in music, is meant to speak to the audience it is being translated for. Jobim is famous for this. Many of the lyrics of his songs in Portuguese were written by a friend of his who was a well known poet in his own right. But the English versions usually have a very different meaning (look up the lyrics to Insensatez, or the Girl From Ipanema sometime - eye opening experience). If you want to know what is like to Brazilian, the translation seems to say, that's fine - listen to the song in Portuguese then, because the language is part of who we are. If you want to know how I feel in New York, listen in English, where I feel and speak in English.

This isn't a rare thing, classically, of course - after all, we don't routinely translate operas into English. And, in the end it offers a beautiful, fascinating vision of the differences and similarities between cultures. The complaint, fo course, is that we English speakers don't necessarily get to understand all the beuatiful things Jobim intended in the original. But then, I think that's a little short-sighted, listening to the Portuguese version (and I speak not a lick of Portuguese), you know the feeling inteded in it - it's familiar and human, even if you have no idea what's being said. And in the end, the Portuguese says it better, even without understanding, than the English does. So, you have, English singers (this version is by the beautifully voiced Damien Rice and Lisa Hannigan), covering the Portuguese:

Music Monday: Music and Writing

Hi! This is Amanda from The Zen Leaf doing a Music Monday guest post over here for Kailana. I want to talk about the way music has influenced my writing. I'm a semi-published author (meaning I've had some stories and poems published in literary journals, but have yet to publish a full novel), and have been writing since early childhood. Since my teen years, music has played an integral role in my writing. Its influence takes two forms: either I gleen ideas from misheard lyrics, note fragments, or the tone set by a song; or a band or album can help me get in the mood for writing.

The band that has influenced me the most is Stiffs Incorporated. Yes, I know I've talked about these guys more times than I can count, but I can't help but gush over them. Stiffs Inc was a small band with a cult-like following that existed in the 90s. They put out two very different albums, Nix Nought Nothing and Electric Chair Theatre Presents. I can't explain why, but for some reason, just listening to this band makes my brain churn out ideas. I've written numerous stories with their albums on in the background, and when I'm feeling in a writing-rut, a quick listen to a few of their songs helps to re-energize me. I also always listen to them if I'm working out a plot problem. For some reason, they untangle my mind. The video below is of their song Chelsea, from Nix Nought Nothing.



Not all my writing influence comes from Stiffs Inc, however. Many times songs set the tone or mood of a story/novel, or help spark an idea. I have two examples of this. Two years ago, while listening to Lifeless by Stolen Babies (below), I had a vision of a girl sitting on a hill in her pajamas, looking out over the ocean, her arms wrapped around her knees and the wind blowing her hair back. The image had little to do with the words of the song, but a lot to do with the atmosphere. That image blossomed into a novel called MatchMakers Incorporated - a dystopian novel about the world as run by a matchmaking corporation, and one woman's struggle to find happiness and love in a society where everything is planned out by the government. The penultimate scene has my main character sitting out on that hill I originally saw. I listened to Lifeless all the time while writing this novel.



Sadly, an actual video of Lifeless doesn't seem to exist on youtube, but this has the song itself. I could have used a live version, but I liked this better.

Second example: I completed my most recent novel, Phantom, last month. It has a miriad of songs connected with it, including a whole soundtrack of mid-90s alternative music (REM, The Cranberries, Pearl Jam, etc) and the original cast recording of Music of the Night (from Phantom of the Opera). These songs are all touched upon in the text itself, but in the background, only visible to me, is another song which helped set the tone of the painful climactic scenes: Ordinary Life by Elizaveta. Listening to this song on repeat helped put me in the place I needed to be in order to write out the sufficient level of pain in those scenes. Writers: We're masochists.



(Sadly, this is another non-video...but at least you can hear the song.)

I guess I should quit now. Music means more to me and my writing than I can ever possibly put into words, but I hope this post can give you some idea.

Music Munday: Josh Groban

I had my Music Munday post all ready to go and was in the very act of posting it for Kailana's blog, when I suddenly realized that last week's guest post, which I somehow missed (not that surprising actually since it was a crazy week for me and I didn't get much blog hopping done,) was on the very same band, Muse! So I threw my post out the window and started over again.

Way back, when Kailana first asked me to do a Music Munday guest post, I teased her about gushing on my favorite musician, Josh Groban. But I decided no, I won't because I really should do something a little more unexpected. However, after I had to scrap that plan, I thought, hmmm.... maybe this is a sign I'm supposed to talk about Josh after all! Just know that I really did try to resist this inclination of mine spread the Josh joy. But then, of course, I gave in very easily!

Once upon a time, my sister said to me, "You should listen to this kid I've been hearing about. He is so young, but his voice is amazing!" I probably heard only one song or something, and I remember thinking, whatever... yeah... he sounds okay, but kind of opera-ish, and he's probably just getting attention because he's so young, and he won't last. Then, over that next year, I started seeing his CD every where. It was his second CD at the time. And after a year or so of resisting the curiosity I was feeling, I finally gave in bought it. As I listened to it on the way home, I thought... wow! I'm LOVING this! And so it began.

My fanaticism grew slowly over the next year or so after that, and by the time his next album came out, I was crazy excited. Then, another year went by, and I found out he was coming to my city for a concert, so I turned into Major Fangirl, and spent unheard of amounts of money to make sure I was there. That concert was two years ago, and since that time, I've truly given up the fight and have totally embraced the Josh love. When the audience heard that he was making his concert CD at OUR city, we went crazy, so here is the opening number, You Are Loved, filmed at "my" concert:


So what is it about him that I love so much? Firstly, that amazing voice. Yes, he did start at 17 years old. He was discovered by David Foster, and sang for the Grammy rehearsal with Celine Deon after Andrea Bocelli couldn't make it. But most people heard him for the first time when he appeared on Ally McBeal right after 9/11 singing a song that I guarantee if you listen to it while you think about someone you've lost, you WILL tear up and get chills. He was only about 18 or 19 at the time of this clip:


Secondly, his songs. Yes, many of them are in Italian, or Spanish, or even French, but the meaning comes through loud and clear. They are all uplifting, inspirational, and all happy-making. I listen to his songs often to pull myself out of a bad mood day, they never fail to make me feel better about life.

Thirdly, his personality. Once the obsession got going for real, of course I learned more and more about him, watched all his "making of" cd's, and saw that he is quite the character. He is funny, silly, goofy, smart, happy, friendly, a little irreverent, and he is so not afraid to make fun of himself as was proven in that recent Glee episode he was on and in this, one of my favorite clips EVER of him showing up at Michael Buble's concert.

Fourthly, he's stinkin' cute too! And he has the best smile that crinkles his eyes all up. Oh, yeah and he's a smokin' hot drummer besides. (I couldn't find the good clip of him drumming, but here's one that will give you an idea. He starts out on the synthesizer, and ends on the drums. Cool.)

There's so many songs I wish I could share. It's funny because I have a playlist on my Ipod labled "Josh's Best" which includes about half of his songs... then I made another list called "Josh's Second Best "which includes the other half. So yeah. They're ALL good. But just so I can share another one, here's one I love and it's actually a pretty good quality video too, filmed once again at "my" concert:


Josh has three main albums: Josh Groban, Closer and Awake, a Christmas album called Noel (which was the top selling album for 2007), and enough miscellaneous songs from movies and bonus tracks, etc. to make a playlist long enough for a whole other album. He is currently working on his next album, due out next spring. (Ah, what a long wait it's been!) You can learn tons about him here at his official site, or here at the best fan site, or here at a wonderful blog I follow, or here where he vlogs now and then, or here where he Twitters! Whew! So anyway, take a listen, especially if you only know him for You Raise Me Up.... there's so much more than just that song!

And since it's just about time for Christmas music (it's legal as soon as Halloween comes, right?) here's one to get you in the mood (besides, Kailana made a special request for it!)

Music Munday: The Empowerment of Music

Much of what has been discussed on Music Mondays is the power of music – how it can single-handedly affect your mood or set the tone for the day depending on that first song you hear in the morning. What isn’t always discussed is how music can change your life.

Four years ago, I was on the cusp of my thirties with two young children, a husband who had moved us all over the world, and a history of low-paying, entry position jobs because of our frequent moves. I knew I was smarter and definitely capable of much more than I had accomplished to date, so my frustration levels were extremely high.

About this same time, I discovered the Twilight series and started investigating Stephenie Meyer a bit more. I was fascinated by her playlists she had for each book and how music could have such an influence on her. I also read quite a bit about Muse, her favorite band. So, I started with one or two songs I had heard on the radio.

Before I knew it, I was completely and unequivocally hooked on Muse. They are absolutely my favorite band.

Now, I love music, always have and always will. But I’d never gone all fan-girl on any band to the point where I bought all their music or hunted down articles. I didn’t put up any pictures or posters on my childhood bedroom walls when growing up. I haven’t been to many concerts. I liked music, but I never loved a band…until Muse. I turned to them when I was at a low point in my life, depressed about how little I had gotten done in my first thirty years, upset about the baby weight that still clung to me, and concerned about my future prospects. Because we had just made another move, I didn’t have any close friends, and my husband’s job kept him working late hours. Discovering Muse and their music made me feel inspired; it was the first time in my life that I had gone away from the mainstream radio hits and discovered something that made me feel alive.

Their music gets the blood pumping, and their lyrics are powerful and inspirational.

Within a few months, I started running to their music. I hate running, but I could do it when they were playing on my iPod. I became even more serious about my graduate studies and started having discussions with my manager about what I wanted to do with my career. As I started feeling better and becoming more comfortable with me, opportunities started falling into my lap. My dead-end job disappeared, and my future prospects are unlimited. I have responsibility, authority, and respect whereas before I was literally an unknown. I have fabulous friends who I can and have called in a pinch and who have supported me unequivocally. I love who I am and I am loving life, living it to its fullest. I didn’t have this before I started discovering this little band from Teigenmouth, England.

Muse was my muse. They changed my life. They gave me the freedom to discover my individuality and accept me as I am, at a time when I didn’t like me very much. They empowered me to stand up for myself and for my beliefs. They gave me the strength to be me. “No one’s going to take me alive.” Absolutely.

Thanks, Kelly, for letting me gush about my favorite band!!

Five Soothing Songs for the Recently Unemployed

I've been unemployed since the end of July. When I first got the news I turned away from listening to music. It was just too distracting. I've since returned to listening to some custom CDs I've put together I have a few favorites I will listen to on repeat. I've selected five from my collection.

My all time favorite is "Space Lion" from Cowboy Bebop. I have the first of the sound tracks (as well as the entire series on DVD). The "Space Lion" piece with its mixture of jazz and Native American inspired chant always calms me down. I've found it even lessens the pains of my migraines.

2. Next is "James Blues" by J. Tillman. I listen to the studio version but this live performance is the one that's available on YouTube. I sometimes blip it when I'm listening to music online.

3. "Absent Afternoon" by Calexico. Yes, it's about a funeral procession. But I find it soothing.

4. "Dark Autumn Hour" by Frontier Ruckus. I love banjo music and this song is just a nice mood piece.

5. "Leviathan, Bound" by Shearwater is my fifth most often endlessly repeated song. My husband calls it my "renfair song."

Music Munday: Canadian Musical Gords

Hello readers of The Written World! Chris from book-a-rama here hijacking Kailana's blog today. When K asked people to host a Music Munday, I quickly said yes. Then I realized that I would have to come up with something. I thought about discussing Canadian music that I liked and while looking around came to the conclusion that there are a lot of Gords in Canadian music. What's up with that? Why is the name Gord or Gordon so popular? I don't know that many... wait, there was.... and.... okay so maybe it is a popular name in this country.

So I thought I'd highlight a few of Canada's musical Gords.

When I met my husband, I was surprised at his music collection. He has a large number of classic rock, punk, alternative, and blues CDs. A lot of stuff I had never heard of before. He introduced me to a Canadian band called Big Sugar. At first, I wasn't that impressed but I have come around.

Gordie Johnson once headed the now disbanded group. One of my favorite songs is "All Hell for a Basement". The song title has a literary connection. Rudyard Kipling made this comment about Medicine Hat, Alberta and it's natural gas reserves as he travelled through Canada:

"This part of the country seems to have all hell for a basement, and the only trap door appears to be in Medicine Hat. And don’t you ever think of changing the name of your town. It’s all your own and the only hat of its kind on earth."

What does that have to do with the song title? The song is about an out of work Newfoundlander who struggles with the decision to go west "where they've got all hell for a basement" for work and whether he will regret that decision later. I like the lyrics because as a Atlantic Canadian, I have had friends and family go work on the Tar Sands of Alberta leaving everything they know behind.

Big Sugar did not make many videos and there isn't one for All Hell For a Basement but this dude used it in his YouTube video about well testing.



Next is Gordon Downie from the great Canadian band The Tragically Hip. I grew up listening to these guys. In Canada they are rock gods but not so popular everywhere else.

So The Tragically Hip did make videos but most have the embedding disabled. I hate that. Here's an ancient version of New Orleans in Sinking from Up To Here (1989) though. It was dropped off many radio playlists right after Katrina. What does the song mean? I dunno.



I can't talk about Canadian Gords of music without mentioning Gordon Lightfoot. He wrote a crazy amount of songs. Recently, he's been plagued with health problems but in this 1974 performance he looks and sounds great! Sundown is my favorite Lightfoot song.



I hope you liked this post about Canadian Musical Gords!

Music Munday: Music Snobbery and Me

Hi all, it's Vanessa from A Journey Through My Music Collection. This is the second time I've contributed to this section of Kelly's blog.

Today I'm going to write about my experience with music snobbery as it has been a pain in my ass from the time I started identifying as a music fan. I've fallen victim to its pressure in the past, but I am currently in the process of rehabilitating myself.

When I first started listening to a lot of music when I was about 8 or 9 years old, I simply loved what I loved because I loved it. I didn't care what other people said because I suppose back then no one around me (aside from my dad) really had any sense of authority in what they were talking about.

Quickly it became apparent that some things were "cool" or "uncool" to listen to. For example, everyone in my early to mid 1990s small community elementary school seemed to think Madonna was totally lame. But for some reason "Cats in the Cradle" as covered by Ugly Kid Joe and Ace of Base were totally cool. So there that was, while I liked some things that were popular (like Ace of Base), I still found a lot of things on my own like Beck, Smashing Pumkins and inexplicably (as it was like 1995 and before the 80s was cool again) a lot of 80s pop like Debbie Gibson and Belinda Carlisle.

In junior high it became unacceptable to think for yourself so my music taste reflected what I thought was ok to listen to. At that point I didn't listen to too much outside of what was played on MuchMusic and at school dances. As I moved towards high school I started to think for myself again. I liked a lot of the latest pop stuff but I also got curious and started to look into things that were vaguely left of the center like The Smiths and Joy Division. This was before I had the internet at home so my discovery of these bands were not tainted by other's opinions and solely driven by an appreciation for the music. Also, by then I learned not to care what anyone at my small town high school thought of my taste and listened to what I liked. God, I miss those days.

University opened my eyes up to a whole new brand the music snobbery-the worst brand. This was not the kind dictated by top 40 charts, the kids at your school who didn't really know much outside of what was popular, or music station's playlists. No. This was scarier. This was the true music snobbery, as dictated by other music fans, many of whom were from cities and had more access to cool things, better music stores and real live concerts. I had my own computer and unlimited access to the internet by then and was ready to "educate" myself and that's what I did.

By the time I had the courage to match wits with the other music sno--I mean experts, I was ready. I knew more, was as snobby as the best of them and made enough out of left field ridiculous claims to fit right in. Yes, I did have the passion to back it up. I truly love music and tend to enjoy stuff that is different than your usual fare but still, I got ridiculous.

As I quickly learned, deep-seated music snobbery wears on you. I felt guilty merely entertaining the thought of purchasing a CD by someone who had a hit song that wasn't deemed "cool" by my fellow snobby cohorts. I assigned cool points to myself for certain things and quickly took them away when I liked the wrong thing. I just started to get sick of this prison I made for myself based on other's opinions. This wasn't punk rock, this was the WORST kind of conformity.

Slowly, during the last while I've let myself enjoy what I've wanted to enjoy. If I hear a cool song on the radio I will go on iTunes and download it(formerly a huge no-no). This doesn't mean that my taste has changed per se, because underneath all those restrictions I've always truly loved the music I've listened to. Now I am just a lot more open to what I will consider. I am not fully cured, sometimes I find myself still getting a little judgey when I don't agree with people but I try to block it out as much as I can.

I don't think anyone should have to listen to anyone else when it comes to the music they like. And no one should ever feel guilty because they think it's not cool. After all, at the end of the day, it's your music and you should enjoy it on your own terms.

Music Munday - A Call for Submissions

Howdy folks,

I ran out of volunteers for Music Munday. I could do all the posts myself, but I like it better when other people contribute. So, this is a post looking for participants.

Vanessa - September 14, 2009
Chris - September 21, 2009
Pussreboots - September 28, 2009
Michelle - ?
Suey - ?

Anyone else?

Here are the posts that have been contributed so far:

Week 1 - The Charming Comedian: Bang for your Buck
Week 2 - Vanessa: Top Five Albums Discovered in the Last 6 Months
Week 3 - Nymeth: Top Five Music Videos
Week 4 - Stephanie: Girl Power
Week 5 - Renay: Music That Has Made My Life Better: A Retrospective in Awesome Tunes on Monday
Week 6 - Chris: Michael Jackson
Week 7 - Heather: Soundtrack to her Summer
Week 8 - Me: Sons of Maxwell
Week 9 - Vasilly: Surviving With Music
Week 10 - Court: Cole Porter
Week 11 - Book Nut: Music and Memory
Week 12 - Me: My Musical Education (Thanks to the Charming Comedian)
Week 13 - Rachel: Broadway Plays

Music Munday - Broadway Plays - A Guest Post

Hi! I’m Rachel and I have been reading Kailana’s blog for about three years now. I confess to being an irregular blogger at my book blog site: a fair substitue for heaven but I try to keep my other book site www.thinkinggirlsguide.blogspot.com updated.

I wanted to take this Music Monday moment to speak to you about a subject near and dear to mine heart: BROADWAY!

I am lucky enough to live in Toronto---where I see Broadway shows regularly. But, I have been luckier still to have seen shows on the Great White Way in New York and even in the West End in London--- You can never go too far for a great show--- and a great voice!

As much as I like to sing and study Broadway, I mostly like to watch and savour it; especially when it is performed by some of the leading Broadway female vocalists:

For your viewing ( and mostly hearing ) enjoyment:

This first video is a little different as it portrays the part of a journey which happens before the lights and glamour: the audition.

Here, a very young ( and purely talented ) Lea Salonga is auditioning for the show which will catapult her into stardom: Miss Saigon.

Seen here with Claude Michel Schonberg ( of Les Miserables fame), Lea Salonga is being taught a song cold ( but not before she sneaks in an autograph request)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sy-A-wyzj7c

After auditions and call-backs and all the messy paperwork and the rehearsals, come the bright lights.

My favourite Broadway shows are based on books! ( of course)

Here is Marin Mazzie in fabulous voice as Guinevere in the classic Camelot

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7rjgfY9_mU&feature=PlayList&p=0A2266B6B8AD5B13&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=21

I was lucky enough to see Marin Mazzie star alongside Audra McDonald in the first production of Ragtime (another classic book told in musical form). Audra McDonald’s performance remains the best I have ever seen ( or heard) from a female live. The video here proves just why the Julliard- trained McDonald is said to be the brightest talent on Broadway since Judy Garland ( make sure you watch to the end--- where she belts it …. )

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYE-gSTwB20

Audra shows a melange of classical and gospel roots--- which I love. She puts an indelible stamp on every song she performs!

Remember the Rosie O’ Donnell Show? I loved how it always featured B’Way performances! I found this song performed from one of my favourite literary musicals The Scarlet Pimpernel. Here, Christine Andreas is trying her best to caress each word in the pitch perfect French accent of the tempting lead character, Marguerite St. Juste. Marguerite and her brother Armand are awaiting execution at the guillotine: unaware that the Pimernel will rescue them. (Note: Broadway fans will recognize a very young Sutton Foster in a chorus role--- before she went on to win a Tony for Thoroughly Modern Millie)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBkR6FLUT1k

I was fortunate enough to be in a production of Jekyll and Hyde and to play Emma, Henry Jekyll’s long-suffering love. Though I loved most of the challenging soprano part, my favourite song to sing in the show was this duet. Here, performed to perfection by the astounding Christiane Noll.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbWcEeYiSC8

I want that song at my wedding!…and I want her dress.

Music Munday - My Musical Education (Thanks to the charming comedian)

I have to admit, I am not a huge music person. Sure, I listen to music and I have my favourites, but books are my thing. I pay attention to the written world and tend to forget about the rest of it. The charming comedian is a music person, though. It is impossible to hang around with him and not be influenced by it. So, I figured since I started doing these Music Munday posts so that he could have a part in my blog, I would make this weeks post about the bands that I listen to because of the time I spent with him.

One of the bands I listen to now I can actually remember how it came about. Last spring we decided that we were going to go on a scenic drive to Peggy's Cove. We took my car and we were winding down some back country roads. The cc had lent me some CDs to listen to months before, but I just had not got around to it. So, he is sitting there and he starts digging around in the pile and he pops a CD in. He doesn't have it up very loud, but it is enough for background noise. I had no idea what I was listening to, but he had lead me to believe that it was a 'popular' band, so I didn't want to admit I was that stupid. I actually did admit that I wasn't very fond of whatever I was listening to, but I didn't turn it off. The thing with me and CDs in my car, though, is that I am really bad about switching them. So, days later I was still driving around listening to this random CD. The thing is that I actually started paying attention to it and I discovered that I really liked it! It turns out it was Rush, who I had heard of before but never really listened to. Now, I am like a Rush fangirl. I have read Neil Peart's memoirs and own several CDs and DVDs of live concerts. Turns out it is a good thing that I take forever to change CDs in my car! (The cc would not agree.)

I would consider Rush to be the biggest influence he has had on my music. My favourite song by them is 'Freewill'.


One thing I strongly remember is Bryan Adams. I am still not a huge Bryan Adams fan, but he has his 'Best of' CD. Anyway, he was either outside BBQing or he was just getting home from work and I was cranking 'Summer of '69' and dancing around the living room. He walked in and caught me. I don't dance, so you can imagine how embarrassed I was. He laughed. I made a stupid comment and he said something along the lines of me having seen him do worse. This is probably true!

You can watch the video here. (Of Bryan Adams dancing around... Not me! I am sure you are very disappointed!)

As to him, his favourite Bryan Adams song is "When You're Gone" because he really likes Mel C. She does have a really good voice, but I can only think of her as a Spice Girl...


Moving on. Another 'mystery' CD in that pile he lent me was Collective Soul's greatest hits CD. I guess I knew who they were, but I had never really listened to them before... Judging by how much I loved Rush, I decided that it was time to listen to Collective Soul. I now consider 'Precious Declaration' to be one of my favourite songs ever. I like other songs by them, too, but nothing compares to this song!


Such a great song!

The very first CD that he ever lent me was the Beatles Love CD. I love the Beatles, but just had never got around to listening to it. See, he knew me well right from the start! I kept that CD forever. Eventually he made me make myself a copy so he could have his CD back. I suppose that is a sensible request, huh? Someone has put the CD on YouTube in parts. That's very time-consuming, wouldn't you say? Anyway, the video below it the first section and then you can find the rest from there.


Okay, another funny story! You know what? I own Money for Nothing by The Dire Straits. I had no idea that I did. Did you know that I also love The Dire Straits? Good, me either! I have no idea where the CD came from, but when it got played in my car one day it did sound very familar. At some point and time I had very good taste in music... Anyways, I now listen to the CD very religiously. I just had it in my car player the other day... And only took it out because my friend gave me something that they wanted me to listen to! My favourite song is probably "Romeo and Juliet". But, this version of 'Brothers in Arms' really appealed to me, so I am going to post that instead. I really like the song, anyway. I just can't remember if it is on the 'Best of..' CD.


There are many other bands that I could talk about, but I will just limit it to one more. The Powder Blues Band. They play them on the radio sometimes and the cc would always say that he really needed to get their CD. I would always think that I should get him the CD as a gift, but then I would entirely forget the name of the band. Anyways, I finally remembered to buy it for him for his birthday and I got to listen to it in its entirety. They are a really good band! My favourite song by them is 'What've I Been Drinkin' '. The cc sang it for me one night at karaoke and I was probably the only person that knew what the song was, but I was excited! (He probably only sang it because he is tired of singing 'Cold as Ice'.) I can't show you, though. The cc's favourite is 'Sweet Little Girl'. We apparently do not like their popular songs, so I will have to just show you what is considered one of their more popular songs.


So, that is just some of the music that the cc has introduced to me since I met him. It's quite different from what I used to listen to, anyway! I will conclue with 'Cold as Ice' by Foreigner. The cc sings this song at karaoke and before I even really knew him I LOVED when he sang it! I call it 'my' song and he always says, no, it is Foreigner's song. But, you see, when the cc sings it, it is my song. (No offense to the band, but the cc does this song better...)


Anyway, I feel weird saying this, but my thanks to the charming comedian for influencing my music! (Not the thanks, but calling him the cc in that context. I don't exactly do that normally!) Years from now, no matter what happens, there will be lots of songs that will play on the radio and will make me think of him. We will not think too hard on whether that is a good thing or a bad thing... If it becomes bad I will just remember the broken stool incident or go-go dancing on the coffee table. Ah... memories... (I am so glad he doesn't blog! lol)

Music and Memory

Melissa from Book Nut here. Thanks, Kailana for convincing me to do this; I enjoyed writing this!

Memory is a fickle thing. Many people's memories are tied up in sights, or smells, or tastes. Things that bring back vivid pictures of the past. For me, the thing that triggers the most memories is music. I can be driving in the car, listening to the radio, and then a song comes on and a memory -- of a person or place -- hits me so powerfully, I'll have to pull the car over (well, maybe not. But I do get wistful...).

So, for my Music Monday, I thought I'd give you five bits of my memories.


I grew up in a 70s house -- Neil Diamond, The Carpenters, Captain and Tenille, John Denver, Barry Manilow, and, yes, ABBA. I liked them all, but the memory I have of this one is being nine or 10 years old, and singing loudly, with a hairbrush, using the fireplace hearth as my stage. For years, it was my favorite ABBA song, and it all boils down to that one summer afternoon. (Well, it was probably more than one.)


High school biology, talking to my table-mate (don't remember who that was), about how cool this group was (or was that Mr. Mister's Kyrie?), instead of listening to the lesson for the day. Yes, this really dates me.


This one is college -- going to the dance clubs my sophmore and junior year, hanging out with my wacky roommates and their friends playing Tetris until 3 a.m. And -- perhaps espeically -- Ren and Stimpy and Bevis and Butthead. Ah, the early 90s.


Sting's songs have many memories for me: in the bus on the way to a marching band competition (Fortress Around Your Heart); driving around Ann Arbor in my new (to me) car after high school graduation (Fragile); watching him on Saturday Night Life with my husband when we were dating (Love Is Stronger Than Justice). But this particular one is me, 8 and 3/4 months pregnant with my first child (didn't know it was a girl yet), on a hot Virginia July evening, rocking out at a Sting concert. This song had to have gone on for 10 minutes, at least. And yes, those around me did stare.

And because my 16th wedding anniversary is on Thursday:

This one is driving from Spokane to Portland with my husband in his dad's souped-up VW Golf , speeding on the freeway (he drives fast) by the Columbia River. Away from the kids for two days to celebrate our 15th anniversary, staying in a bed and breakfast, enjoying good company, having good conversation and eating good food. And sharing it all with a wonderful man.

There you have it: bits and pieces of my life, in music. How about you? Do you have a song that brings back vivid memories?

Music Mundays Guest Post

Hello there blog readers! This is Court from Once Upon A Bookshelf, and Kailana's asked me to guest post for today's Music Mundays.

I had SUCH a hard time deciding what to talk about for Music Mundays when I told Kailana I was interested in guest posting here. I have a very eclectic taste in music, so had any number of topics half started until yesterday when I decided to scrap them all and go with something that I had been half-debating about from the beginning: Cole Porter.

Cole Porter was an American composer, born in 1891 and died in 1964. Most of his work was in the form of musicals - Anything Goes, Kiss Me Kate, etc. However! Like a lot of similar composers in those days, his songs also got sung by popular singers of that time: Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Judy Garland, Ella Fitzgerald, etc etc. His songs became part of what we know today as "The Standards."

I really came across Cole Porter's music through modern-day crooners (like Michael Buble) and jazz musicians (such as Jamie Cullum and Diana Krall). As I found I loved these songs, I explored more of his songs covered by older musicians, and it brought about my love for many of them. It actually brought about my love for the standards in general, so in a way Cole Porter's music introduced me to Tony Bennett and Ella Fitzgerald, two of my more recent loves.

For a bit of a starter to Cole Porter's music, I'm including a video from the 1965 Academy Awards, of Judy Garland doing an awesome Cole Porter tribute, with a medley of a lot of his popular songs. (As a bonus, this tribute is introduced by the amazingly talented Gene Kelly.)


Next, I want to share a video of Jamie Cullum. He does a lot of the standards on his Twentysomething album, an album that somehow sneaked it's way into my Top Five Favourite Albums of All Time without me noticing it until it was already well established there. What I love about Jamie Cullum is the fact that he's a BRILLIANT pianist as well as a singer. Here's a live
version of his cover of I Get A Kick Out of You:



It may be argued that I decided on this topic just for the following video. ;) I am a huge Doctor Who and Torchwood fan, so my little Standards-loving heart skipped a few beats over a DVD extra that featured John Barrowman (aka Captain Jack) singing Anything Goes. This lead to my exploration of his Cole Porter songs. Anything Goes is still my favourite, but I prefer this video of it than the one in the DVD extras (possibly due to his little bit of dancing in it):



Lastly, here's a video of Michale Buble. I've been lucky enough to see him in concert twice, and I definitely recommend it if you ever get the chance. Here's the thing about Buble - he's more than a singer. He's an entertainer. He's absolutely hilarious. This video doesn't quite show his funny side, but it's a wonderful and gorgeous Cole Porter Song. I've Got You (Under My Skin):

Music Munday Guest Post

Today's Music Munday guest post is brought to you by Vasilly. I can't add her picture right now, but I will later!

When I was younger and homeless, there were few things that lifted my spirit like the music of Nikka Costa. I first heard her music on tv and became mesmerized by this funky little chick who has one of the best voices I've ever heard before. I didn't know it at the time, but the video I was watching was Like a Feather. In the video, Costa shows a passion that so many singers refuse to even have nowadays. Nikka dances all around a stage with just a microphone to keep her company. She wasn't like anyone else that was out in the music scene. Even now years later, there's not a singer who comes close to having her style, her passion, her voice. Well maybe Jill Scott but that's another Music Munday.

Music Video

It took days of me watching MTV before I was able to find out who she was. Though I had practically no money to spend on shelter and food let alone a cd, I bought Nikka's album, Everybody Got Their Something. I was transformed.

How can I explain it to you? Every day of the two and a half years I was homeless, I usually worried about one of three things: having enough money for a room for the night, having enough money for food, or not having enough money for either one of those things and wondering/panicking/trying to figure out how I was going to get them.

That's where Costa's So Have I For You comes in at. In the song's chorus Costa sings,

Mama, you can choose the rain
But I choose the sun.
That's all I need to free myself.
That's all I need to free myself.

Music Video

That's what I need to hear. That no matter what I could choose the light, the good that was in my life over the darkness. Choosing the light was so hard at times, but I always felt good doing it. Though I had so little, there was so much I could be thankful for. I had my health, my library card, and something always came though at the last minute for me.

I'll be lying if I said that there wasn't times I didn't plunge into darkness. Panic was an everyday emotion that had to be kept back or nothing would get done. It was cold, hard, and unrelenting. In those times, I still listened to Costa. I must have listened to her everyday for most of those two years. Costa helped to keep me going.

Music Video

Music Munday - Sons of Maxwell

After the events of the last couple weeks surrounding 'Sons of Maxwell', I decided to look at their 'real' music videos this week. They are making quite a splash at the moment, but they are really just a bunch of guys from Nova Scotia. So, I think they should be known for who they 'really' are, too. Enjoy!



I like this video... Mainly for their costumes. I am such a history nerd! And, yes, they are wearing kilts. I like kilts as long as the people wearing them are not playing bagpipes. I have heard bagpipes too many times over the years...


A song that a lot of bands have done, but it's a fun song:

Music Mundays Guest Post

When Kailana asked me to write a guest post for her, I was more than happy to!

Then she told me she wanted a Music Munday post.

And there I gave pause. I told her, you’re crazy; I’m the absolute worst person to write a Music Munday post. Munday could be Mundane as far as my taste in music is concerned. For, you see, I have a very mundane taste in music. I’ve tried to branch out, but the ONLY stuff I seem to like are Top 20 bands. Top 20 ROCK bands. I AM the one who needs a musical tutorial. But then she said “frankly, it would be nice to have something a bit mainstream….”

So here I am.

I have a musical background. I grew up with singing in my family. I took piano lesions for years. I played many instruments in my school band including alto sax (my fave!), clarinet, tenor sax, baritone sax and even a little flute. I play hand bells at church and used to sing in the choir. I even contemplated a career in music; but the actual practice of ‘practicing’ was my downfall. Anyway, I have a musical background.

Yet I do no have a cultured taste in music.

I’m not sure if’s my mood lately or something going on deeper, but I’ve been attracted to a lot of rocking music lately. Grinding guitars, bone-deep throbbing drum beats, heart-skipping bass lines…oh I am so there. The ones that really get me are the ones who have that lovely little piano melody thrilling in the background…perfection. So here, to my eternal embarrassment is some of the music I’ve been enjoying lately:

Seether is a hit or miss band for me. The songs I love, I LOVE; the songs I hate, I HATE; there isn’t much middle ground. And now, they have released a cover of George Michael’s song CARELESS WHISPER and I just can’t seem to take it off repeat. I have listened to it so much; my daughter has learned some of the words. But it’s just so GOOD.



I Don’t Care by Apocalypica, who I am actually not too embarrassed to say I like very much, because they are a cool band, even by my mediocre standards. Apocalypica is a band from Finland, which is made up of classically trained cellists. Their music features all kinds of different influences; classical music, neo-classical music, metal, thrash metal, symphonic metal, etc, etc, it just kicks butt. And I Don’t Care, with guest singer Adam Gontier from Three Days Grace kicks major butt. Since embedding on the real video has been removed from YouTube, here is another. Just listen to the song ;)



The entire CD, Sounds of Madness, by Shinedown is just awesome. My favorite songs at the moment are "Sounds of Madness," "Call Me," and "Second Chance." "Second Chance" is the only one with a video at the moment. And the video makes me laugh because it reminds me of the trailer for a ridiculously horrible movie (at least it looks like it, I haven’t actually SEEN it, nor do I plan to) C ME DANCE. You should totally look that up.



And actually, I found a video for Call Me on YouTube. I just love this song, I love any song with just piano, a few strings, and a good singer. The video is just the song and the lyrics.



And lastly, anything by Alter Bridge. Alter Bridge is a band comprised of most of the members of the band Creed (the good parts of Creed, IMO) with lead singer Myles Kennedy. At first, I was resistant to liking this band but my husband loves (LOVES) them and I finally caught on. Their songs Watch Over You and Open Your Eyes are my faves.

So there you have it; what I’m jamming to this summer. Now it’s your turn. Educate me. What should I be listening to?

Music Mundays - Girl Power

When Kailana first asked me to do a Music Mundays post for her, I was happy to accept. Then the reality of it sank in and the question of "What will I do my post on?" popped up. I love music, all different kinds. So many different topics I could use. Then it hit me. Chick Rockers. See? That's me. Always have been. I don't claim to be a big feminist or anything. But if you read my blog, you know I tend to gravitate towards books with strong female protagonists. Well....the same goes for music. I've always loved bands (or even solo acts) that have a great female singer.

Siouxsie and the Banshees:

You can't start a post like this without the Queen of Goth! Susan Ballion, or Siouxsie Sioux, is the lead singer in the band Siouxsie and the Banshees. Formed in 1976, they became one of the most influential British rock bands in history. Post-punk and edgy, the band and the lead singer have always been considered to be "Goth" in nature. But Siouxsie is a rocker and one that I have admired for a long time. She set the stage for a lot of Chicks that have come after her. Their first album, The Scream is awesome, although Tinderbox might be my favorite. Some of my favorite songs include Cities in the Dust, The Passenger, Peek-a-Boo, and this one: Kiss Them For Me:

Patti Smith:


Dubbed the "Godmother of Punk", Patti Smith has been making music since the 60's. Infusing "beat poetry" with her music, she has created some incredible songs. She even played the last set at the famed CBGB's in New York City. Although still singing today, Patti is probably more known for her activism and her anti-war stance. Patti is one tough chick! My favorite songs Because the Night and this one, Dancing Barefoot:





Sleater-Kinney:

This all-girl American Rock band was formed in 1993 as part of the riot grrrl scene. I stumbled upon this band late, but have loved them every since. These girls are all about Girl Power. Most of their music is anti-establishment and a throw-back to the old punk bands of the late 70's. Their message was one of rebelling against the traditional gender roles and basic female empowerment. When the band broke up in 2006, I have to say I shed more than one tear. These girls were AWESOME! One of my favorite songs is I Want to be Your Joey Ramone from the album, Call the Doctor. But I think their best album is All Hands on the Bad One. Here is a song from that album, You're No Rock-n-Roll Fun:



Alanis Morissette:


There is no way to have a post on Girl Power and chick rockers without including Alanis Morissette!! The very first time I heard the song You Ought to Know, from Jagged Little Pill (which I would include in my top 5 albums of all-time), I went out and bought it. Released in 1995, this album is the epitome of angry girl rock!! Every song is fantastic and wonderful, and it will always be one of my favorites. Although she has become less angry, Alanis' music is still fantastic. Flavors of Entanglement was released just last year. On a sides not, Alanis has also acted in quite a few movies, including portraying God in Kevin Smith's Dogma. And I just found out that she is going to be on this season of one of my favorite show, Weeds!! Here is the one and only, You Ought to Know:


via videosift.com

Garbage:


Although there are boys in the band, Shirley Manson still qualifies for an awesome pick for my Girl Power post. There first self-titled album, Garbage is still the best they ever released. Released in 1995, this alternative rock album is still one of my favorites. With songs like Only Happy When it Rains, Queer and Stupid Girl, it infuses "pop melodies with alternative music, trip-hop and electronica". Shirley Manson is fantastic. LOVE her!!

Stupid Girl:





Well....that's it for me! It's late and I'm tired. I just wanted to thank Kailana for letting me share a few of my favorite Girl Power bands/singers!!

** Edited to add, this is Stephanie from Stephanie's Confessions of a Book-a-holic. Thanks for posting, Stephanie!