It has been a good week. My mind just feels like dancing, and it is Friday to boot!
PS: Although originally released in 1981 by the band Billy Idol was a part of before going solo, Generation X, Billy Idol's solo and slightly more pop version/cover made this song a hit.
Song Recommendations
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Click here for more info on Billy Idol – Billy Idol – "Dancing With Myself".
The MP3 may be purchased here… Billy Idol - Billy Idol
Just released 3 days ago, this video is just too profound not to post. It is SOOO profound that YouTube has censored it! (…which is great because people are sure to watch it!) It is violent for sure, but no more gratuitous than most of our R rated action movies these days.
My interpretation of M.I.A.'s message is that we should care. We should care when there is an ethnic struggle and people of one race (or religion) are being systematically eliminated. We as in the USA, and the "first world" in general. We don't. Or we do, but barely when it is in a "third world" country. We do not take side or action, largely because there is no money involved. Those people aren't important enough. I've seen similar images to the ones in this video in news footage in the middle east and Sri Lanka, M.I.A.'s home country. Only when it is our own people, or our friends in the first world, do we take action.
When the military power portrayed is wearing the United States flag on their sleeves, and the people being rounded up are red headed kids, the message hits home a little more. We humans as a species need to become color blind. A spark of racism can ignite a fire leading to genocide. It's just not right though. M.I.A. has done us a service I think, to remind those who agree and hopefully teach others to see things from the other side of the glass.
We are all individuals. We should be judged by our actions. Not our skin, beliefs, blood, or shoe size. We should all be born free.
PS: If you want to just listen to the song without the other sounds of the video, here you go:
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Click here for more info on M.I.A. – "Born Free".
The song is not for sale yet, but her new album will be released in June. Read more here… M.I.A. - Born Free
This song was first associated with the repeal of Prohibition, and then as a campaign song for FDR's initial run for the office of president. It comes to me now for a much less monumental purpose, but still grand to me…
As I have been eluding to for months now, I have been searching for a new job. Yesterday I finally received an offer, a great offer in fact, and put my pen to paper to accept it. While the day was coming to a close, I then raced back to my current employer to submit my resignation. I was walking around with a big dumb smile all night, after celebratory eating and shopping for some necessary new clothes for my new position. Although originally I had started looking for openings around town because of my discontent, the position my new employer has granted me as part of an institution of higher learning is just too good to pass up even if I wasn't itching for new employment.
Regardless, I now feel that "Happy Days Are Here Again"!
PS: Although the above video is the original version, I found this one by Harry Hudson's Melody Men to be of higher quality and perhaps a little better even:
Song Recommendations
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Click here for more info on Leo Reisman & His Orchestra – "Happy Days Are Here Again".
The MP3 of a version by "Benny Merroff and His Orchestra" (because I could not find one for sale of the original Leo Reisman or Harry Hudson versions) may be purchased here… Roaring 20's Revue
This may be jumping the gun, but if today goes the way I hope it does, then this song is quite suitable (minus the "hanging from a beam" part, of course … I'm not talking about that kind of "leaving"). More to come tomorrow. For now I leave you with some lyrics stuck in my head…
Singin' well, fare thee well, fare thee well, fare thee well
I am leaving, yes I leave it all to you…
You're the reason I'm leaving (Leaving alone)
If I'm leaving we don't stop livin', you know
Song Recommendations
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The MP3 may be purchased here… Franz Ferdinand - You Could Have It So Much Better
I took a generic antihistamine. That was last night. I am still out of it, but this song seems all the more brilliant. Hopefully I'll be a little less "psychedelic" before I hop in the car to go to work.
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Click here for more info on Yes – Fragile – "Roundabout".
The MP3 may be purchased here… Yes - Fragile
This song (and video) is cool. I just wish I could rap along, but I can only do the chorus.
Song Recommendations
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Click here for more info on Evil Nine (feat. Aesop Rock) – You Can Be Special Too – "Crooked" .
The MP3 may be purchased here… Evil Nine - You Can Be Special Too
I have this personal rule that if a song is stuck in my head in the morning, it is immediately the song of the day, unless I already posted the song or that artist recently. Today the song is Britney Spear's "Circus". I can't seem to get it out of my head either despite playing other music. So I bow to my crazy brain, the universe, G's playlist, or whatever is making this song go around and around in my head like a Merry-Go-Round, or maybe a Round Up. (Love that ride.) Seems more like an amusement park than a circus though.
And as for whether Britney is a "guilty pleasure" or not, I will quote myself from a comment I put on yesterday's song, London Bridge" by Fergie…
"I've been wondering about the "guilty pleasure". If you like some kind of music, why should you feel guilty about it? Why should certain types of music be off limits to anyone? So what if we like Fergie, Britney Spears, or even Hannah Montana? It is all just art. If we like it and feel guilty about it, then are we ashamed of part of our personality? Are we guilty because we are not conforming to what society deems we should like and dislike. Screw that! It just doesn't seem right. I deem all my guilty pleasures to be guilty pleasures no longer."
You should too. Otherwise aren't you just lying to yourself about yourself?
Song Recommendations
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I also suggest the music genre:
Click here for more info on Britney Spears – Circus – "Circus".
The MP3 may be purchased here… Britney Spears – Circus
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