Posts Tagged ‘Country’

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Patsy Cline – "Walkin' After Midnight" (1957)

2010/03/11

I would like to understand how Patsy Cline's "Walkin' After Midnight" is the song stuck in my head first thing in the morning? Seriously random brain activity I think.

I do wonder if I was radio DJing real time would I be a good DJ following each song with a perfectly contrasting or complementing song? Or would I just be all over the place? Sometimes I think I should give it a whirl and try to get into one of the local radio stations, probably in the 2 to 4 AM slot given my experience. I'm guessing though I will never actually put in the time to find out and even if I did the station would constrain me far more than I would like.

There is one radio station I listen to on occasion named "Fickle 93.3 – We Play Everything". They are telling the truth. They are all over the place, which I appreciate. It is nice because if you're not in the mood for the current song, the next one is sure to be totally different. However there is no artistry to it. I might as well just put all my music on shuffle. I like a little "this leads to this" or "this is different than that but yet they still go together back to back" on my radio, just like on my mixes. (Heh… I almost wrote "mix tape". What is this? 1991?)

Because an entire day separates most of my posts it comes as no surprise to me that I am all over the place. Following Pony Pony Run Run with Patsy Cline. Sure! Why not?! It is only natural.

Song Recommendations

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Click here for more info on Patsy Cline – "Walkin' After Midnight".

The MP3 may be purchased here…

2 Comments | Posted in Song of the Day | Tagged , , , ,

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Tennessee Ernie Ford – "Sixteen Tons" (1955)

2010/03/09

I am tired of my job, in case it wasn't obvious enough. I take little breaks and write little poems like this one to help get me through the day…

My give a shit has left the building
It is in search of other lands
Packed up my energy and fled
Took my wallet and cash in hand

I'm perhaps a little more snotty and less professional than I use to be? I would say my entire team is too. My coworker has a "Demotivational Calendar" in his cube. For this month, March 2010 it says:

Marketing
Because making it look good now is more important than providing adequate support later.

(You can buy the calendar and others like it here:
http://www.thinkgeek.com/homeoffice/posters/cbfb/)

I decided to "lighten the mood" I'd tweak it an write it on one of my white boards. So I wrote…

Because getting it done as fast as possible is more important than the quality of the code.

(I'm in software if you haven't figured it out.) My boss, who usually would laugh at such things and then have us erase them, instead was apparently not happy about it, erased it and wrote in its place:

NOT OK!

I was absent at the time. I then wrote down under it:

The truth hurts.

Then I erased my addition before anyone saw it. I know my boss is in a tough spot. His job sucks. No need to jab the wound.

But stress levels are high and I was speaking the truth. With a deadline barreling down on us, our only options are 1. Write quality code and be late with the project. 2. Cut a few corners to just make it work, and worry about quality later (if ever). It is NOT OK that we allow deadlines to dictate the quality of what we do. However meeting the deadline is the priority so #2 it is. Some corners have and will be cut. I only speak the truth (and try to get a chuckle out of it at the same time).

Perhaps I should tow the line? At least I have a job, right? I do have debts to pay, and currently no where else to go too. Reminds me of the chorus…

You load sixteen tons, what do you get?
Another day older and deeper in debt.
Saint Peter, don't you call me, 'cause I can't go;
I owe my soul to the company store.

PS: This song was written in 1946 by Merle Travis. Ernie Ford's recording made it famous though.

Song Recommendations

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Click here for more info on Tennessee Ernie Ford – "Sixteen Tons".

The MP3 may be purchased here…

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Sugarland – "Something More" (2005)

2010/01/27

It is January and I am just tired all the time. I believe we're all supposed to be hibernating or at least getting a couple extra hours of sleep each night. Instead I'm working working working. I was hoping a little country might pep me up to help me get through the work week. This song came on and as I listened to the lyrics, the perma-frown I've had for a couple weeks now turned into a smile. It is as though the song was written for me.

There's gotta be something more
Gotta be more than this
I need a little less hard time
I need a little more bliss
I'm gonna take my chances
Taking a chance I might
Find what I'm looking for
There's gotta be something more

I did decide to give my boss a piece of my mind yesterday. I gave him my 2 cents, over and over. $1.50 later I was feeling much better, a heavy weight lifted. I wish I could say the same for my boss, but I guess that is his problem now. Heh.

Song Recommendations

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Click here for more info on Sugarland – Twice the Speed of Life – "Something More".

The MP3 may be purchased here…

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Brenda Lee – "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" (1958)

2009/12/18

Tis' the season to be crazy busy! With only one week until Christmas, my life goes into overdrive and I basically have every moment between now and then scheduled. My "breaks" come lat at night in a daze when I feel I have to relax a little before actually going to sleep. Listening to some of the classic Christmas songs helps, like this one.

I also think Brenda Lee's rendition of "Jingle Bell Rock" is worth a listen!

Song Recommendations

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Click here for more info on Brenda Lee – "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree".

The MP3 may be purchased here…

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Bob Dylan – "The Times They Are a-Changin'" (1964)

2009/11/28

I know the times have been "a-changin'" my whole life, but for the past few years it seemed more noticeable. Perhaps it is because my life is not changing so much lately. G and I have settled down a bit in our house and our town, but the rest of the world is truckin' on with the changin'. It is an odd sensation though. Sometimes I feel a bit stuck in time.

The cultural changes are tough to keep up on. They always have been. You stop paying attention too long and poof you realize you're wearing something that is so out of date you look bad (and not in a good way). Or you say something that is no longer politically correct or deemed inappropriate. Or you hear about something that everyone else knows about but you have no clue. Getting older sucks, yet I can't say I was ever on top of it all anyway.

Then to make "the changin'" worse, I see a lot of global trends that are changing in the wrong directions. e.g. pollution, population, over consumption (of energy especially), etc. I've felt that way this entire decade. Humanity generally has its head stuck up its ass and there will be a dramatic wake up call eventually. I'm sure of it. Bigger than 9-11. Bigger than Katrina. Bigger than the recession. Bigger than all of that.

I'll keep watching the changing the best I can, but I'm definitely going to take a break from time to time to listen to some classics. If there is one thing that is certain, it is change.

Song Recommendations

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Click here for more info on Bob Dylan – The Times They Are A-Changin' – "The Times They Are A-Changin'".

The MP3 may be purchased here…

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Carrie Underwood – "Last Name" (2007)

2009/10/01

I'm not really a fan of most of the American Idol winners, but I do like Carrie Underwood. I must say there is something about chicks singing country pop.

I am posting this song today because Kristen Chenowith rocked this song last night on the TV show "Glee". I was seriously impressed with Kristen's singing. Kristen Chenowith's cover version from Glee can be heard here. Seriously, I think Kristen's version stands up to Carrie Underwood's original.

Song Recommendations

If you like this song, I also suggest:

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Click here for more info on Carrie Underwood – Carnival Ride – "Last Name".

The MP3 may be purchased here…

Leave a Comment | Posted in Song of the Day, The Illustrious G | Tagged , , , , , , , ,

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The Dixie Chicks – "Long Time Gone" (2002)

2009/06/03

I love The Dixie Chicks. They have got to be my favorite Country musicians. Period. I would not consider this my favorite song by them, but I felt like it this morning. A perfect opening to an album named "Home".

As you all may recall in 2003 Natalie Maines spoke out against Bush and his impending invasion of Iraq and Iraq War… "Just so you know, we're on the good side with y'all. We do not want this war, this violence, and we're ashamed that the President of the United States is from Texas." Now I don't know if throwing the entire state of Texas under the bus was necessary (I mean Eisley and The Polyphonic Spree are from Texas …perhaps parts of it could be thrown under), but otherwise I agreed and still agree with them. I was and still am ashamed of President Bush and ashamed of the war. I was against it from the start. I am still against it. Every argument for it then and now is either a two-faced lie or not good enough to justify the human and economic costs.

Then Natalie Maines apologized within 4 DAYS. But still people were throwing away, burning, bulldozing, etc. their Dixie Chicks CDs. I have 2 words for all those people who ever did that:

FUCK YOU

You people are forever on my shit list. Anyone who supports the government (or one particular political party) 100% of the time is on there too. I do not want any of you as my leaders or representatives or in the government at all because YOU ARE THE PROBLEM!!!

If "we the people", famous or not, do not have the freedom to express our opinions without others taking violent action, then we might well forget out that first amendment "Freedom of Speech" thing. If we are not allowed to disagree with our President or the government then the government is not really serving us, we are serving them. The Declaration of Independence says clearly that governments are "deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed", so it is our duty to express our disagreement or agreement to guide THEM, not to follow the President blindly. (And yes… that goes for all you Obama lovers too.) The President, government, Republicans, or Democrats do not dictate our opinions. We the people should dictate theirs. Bush even said a month after the comment "The Dixie Chicks are free to speak their mind. They can say what they want to say." but still they were dragged through the mud for years because of that one comment. It disgusts me.

And to all of you who do not like the Dixie Chicks for artistic non-political reasons… I'm cool with that. Their sound is definitely not for everyone. If you still want some country though, may I suggest some Alan Jackson?

UPDATE 2009-06-08:

Since writing this post, I cannot help but think of the bulldozing of the Dixie Chicks CDs as being synonymous with the Nazi book burning. Not cool man. Not cool.

Click here for more info on The Dixie Chicks – Home – "Long Time Gone".

The MP3 may be purchased here…

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