Beast - Nico Vega

Yeah, it's no secret anymore how much we like Nico Vega around this house. Especially their spur of the moment acoustic stuff. Like this. Aja has such an incredible voice. She doesn't just sing, she actually becomes the song. It's phenomenal the way the music possesses her so completely. Makes me a bit jealous, honestly.

Beast by Nico Vega from the 2009 self-titled ablum "Nico Vega"




Nico Vega MySpace page (I really suggest you read Bryan's blogs here. It's so nice to read someone who loves words this way.)

Happy Working Song - from Enchanted

When I was little girl, I was all about the fairy-tale princesses - those beautiful, kind-hearted, selfless heroines that have made Walt Disney gazillions over the decades. I'd often imagine myself in those roles as I was cleaning my bedroom or helping with the other household chores. I'd dance and sing and try to convince the birds outside my window to come in and help me. It didn't matter to me that they didn't - in my imagination they were. Yes, these days I still clean my house to music and sing along, sometimes even shaking my groove thing as I do. It really does make the menial more enjoyable. Or at least, less abhorrent. But I still can't convince the birds and squirrels to help.

Happy Working Song sung by Amy Adams from the 2007 Disney movie "Enchanted"



No, I am not a clean freak. I just don't especially like dirt and clutter.

English Rose - Paul Weller

It's quiet here at the moment. Reflective. Even the weather feels it. The skies are overcast, waiting for the rain to begin. The birds whisper their songs. We're all ... waiting.

Paul Weller has been a major player on the music scene since the early-1970s when his band, The Jam (1972-1982), burst onto the punk scene. He followed that up with the 1980s band The Style Council (1982-1989). The 1990s found him as a solo artist. Just last week he won a 2009 BRIT award for "Best British Solo Male Artist".

English Rose by Paul Weller from The Jam's 1978 album "All Mod Cons"



Paul Weller website

Paul Weller MySpace page

A KIDNEY FOR PAUL

Paul Gibbs is personal friend of mine. He is a very talented and ultra-creative man, a film student and part-time employee at the Clark Planetarium. He is a loving brother, devoted son and doting uncle, helping to raise his 4-year nephew and 2-year old niece. And he is very sick. He has suffered from a kidney abnormality all of his life. In November, his health took a serious turn for the worse. His kidneys have failed. He is now in need of a kidney transplant in order to survive. Unfortunately, Paul has no health insurance. Medicare has agreed to pay for the transplant surgery, but not for the anti-rejection medications that he will have to be on for the rest of his life or any of the other costs he will incur.

He needs our help. No one should have to choose between food and shelter or life-saving medications.

A blog has been set up at www.kidney4paul.blogspot.com to keep people informed of his progress as well as to raise money to help him with these enormous costs. All donations are gratefully and lovingly accepted, whether it’s $5 or $500. No gift is too small (or too large).

Thank you so very much for your help – for your thoughts, your donations, and for spreading the word to others who may also offer to help. Together, we can help save a life.

Ghost of a Rose - Blackmore's Night

Ritchie Blackmore and Candice Night met in 1989. They officially lauched the band Blackmore's Night in 1997 with the release of their first album, "Shadow of the Moon." Since then, they have released seven studio albums, two live albums, two live DVDs, and have been included on two compilation albums. (Oh, boy. All these 2s!) After 19 years together as a couple, Ritchie Blackmore and Candice Night were married in October 2008.

Ghost of a Rose by Blackmore's Night from the 2003 album "Ghost of a Rose"



Blackmore's Night website

Another Girl, Another Planet - The Only Ones

The Only Ones formed in 1978 in South London, England and released a total of 4 albums before breaking up in 1982 (mostly due to heroin abuse). The band reformed in 2007 and are now rehearsing new material for their first studio album since 1980's "Baby's Got a Gun."

Another Girl, Another Planet is probably The Only Ones' best known song, having been covered by many artists since it's original release in 1978, including Greg Kihn, The Replacements, Blink-182, Belle & Sebastian, and The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain.

Another Girl, Another Planet by The Only Ones from the 1978 album "The Only Ones"



The Only Ones website

Yeh Hum Naheen

An old friend shared this video with me several weeks ago and I haven't been able to get the song and images out of my head. It makes me cry that the unthinkable acts of a few can destroy so many in so many ways.

Yeh Hum Naheen featuring Haroon, Ali Haider, Ali Zafar, Shufqat Strings, Shuja Haider, Hadiqa Kiani and Deeyah

Razor Valentine - Thea Gilmore

The first time I heard this song it literally ripped the breath from my lungs. So raw. You'd think I'd be beyond that now, but no. It still has that effect on me.

Born in 1979 in Oxford, England, Thea Gilmore released her first album, "Burning Dorothy," in 1998. She married her long-time collaborator, producer and sometime co-songwriter Nigel Stonier in October 2005 and gave birth to their son, Egan, in November of 2006. To date, she has released 8 albums and 3 EPs.

Razor Valentine by Thea Gilmore from the 2003 album "Avalanche"



Thea Gilmore website

Thea Gilmore MySpace page

My Funny Valentine - Alfie Zappacosta

My Funny Valentine was written by Richard Rogers and Lorenz Hart for their 1937 stage musical "Babes in Arms" and is now considered a jazz standard. It has appeared on over 1300 albums and performed by over 600 artists including Chet Baker, Stan Getz, Carly Simon, Barbra Streisand, Linda Ronstadt, Frank Sinatra, Nico, and Rufus Wainwright.

My Funny Valentine by Alfie Zappacosta from the 2009 album "At the Church At Berkeley"



Alfie Zappacosta website

Ordinary - Train

I first met Bart Hendrickson when we were in 9th grade together. He was friends with everybody, regardless of where they fit in the social structures that are so important to kids (and some adults). He was one of "the cool kids", but he never let that stand in his way of being friends with science nerds, drama/choir geeks, jocks ... even with the school's ultra religious zealots fell under his spell of friendship. Everybody loves Bart. He's magic that way.

I ran into him after my divorce. I was in that "all men suck" phase and he ended up on the listening end of one of my rants one night. Then he asked me what I wanted in a guy. I looked at him, thought for a minute, then gave him my list of unreasonable wants and expectations. He smiled and said, "I have this friend." It wasn't long after that he introduced me to a guy who had been his friend, roommate and bandmate in both Salt Lake City and Los Angeles. They were practically brothers. I was instantly smitten. Of course, he thought I was seeing somebody, I thought he was seeing somebody, so we spent a year and a half just looking at each other across the room whenever he'd come up to visit. Finally, on a Thanksgiving weekend, we hooked up. We were married that July. Bart was in our wedding party as one of my husband's groomsmen. He is godfather to our children. He is far from ordinary. He is an amazing man and I love him dearly.

And today is his birthday. Happy birthday, Bart!

Here is a really good article/interview by Jeff Laity of Tascam with Bart about how Ordinary came to be.

Ordinary written by Bart Hendrickson and Pat Monahan, recorded by Train from the soundtrack of the 2004 movie "Spider-Man 2"



Bart Hendrickson IMDb page

Train website

I'm So Tired - The Beatles

Sleep is proving to be rather illusive these days. Most of it can be blamed on my foot and how it's still mad at me for putting it through another surgery. Someday I'll sleep the whole night through again. I remain ever hopeful.

The Beatles had gone on a retreat in Rishikesh, India to study Transcendental Meditation with the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. After three weeks of near-constant meditation and lectures, John Lennon couldn't sleep for missing soon-to-be wife Yoko Ono. He wrote this song with her in mind.

I'm So Tired by The Beatles from the 1968 double album "The Beatles" (also known as The White Album)



The Beatles website

Peaceful - Kenny Rankin

We have a nice light snow falling today. I doubt it will stick. But it's nice. Soft. Like a sprinkling of confectioner's sugar sifting over a crystalline world. It's peaceful. Like this song. Peaceful, cozy, comfortable.


Peaceful by Kenny Rankin from his 1967 debut album "Mind Dusters"



Kenny Rankin website

Chocolate Jesus - Tom Waits

It's Sunday and I'm feeling a bit irreverent. It's gloomy outside, too, which makes for a perfect Tom Waits mood. So, here you go. No stories. No ramblings. No background on the either the song or the artist. Just the song. Enjoy.

Chocolate Jesus by Tom Waits from the 1999 album "Mule Variations"



Tom Waits website

Always Look on the Bright Side of Life - Monty Python

Today is my mother's birthday. Twenty-six years ago today, she underwent a radical mastectomy, removing her left breast and lymph nodes for stage 3 breast cancer. Her odds for survival weren't real good then, but survive she did. Then, just a few days after being released from the hospital, she contracted a staph infection and had to be readmitted. She was put on life support and my dad was advised to prepare himself and us girls for a life without her. A few days later I went to visit her at the hospital after school (I was barely 17 years old at the time) and as I was walking down the hall to her room, I heard her voice sing out, "Life's a piece of shit When you look at it ..." and that's the moment I knew she would not only survive, she would thrive.

So, yeah. This is a very sentimental song for me. It's how I knew my mother was going to live.

Always Look on the Bright Side of Life from Monty Python's 1979 movie "The Life of Brian"



Monty Python website

Happy birthday, Mom. I love you.

What's New Pussycat? - Tom Jones

I'll be the first to admit that not all the songs that get stuck in my had are even remotely close to being considered good songs. Take this one. Cheesy and annoying as all get-out. But, stuck it is just the same. I'm not even close to being a Tom Jones fan. Sure, he's got great tone, but he's always belting. It would be so nice if he'd whisper a love song every once in awhile rather than screaming it into your ear. Of course, that's just me. Maybe there are people out there who ... well ... maybe, not.

What's New Pussycat was written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David and originally recorded by Tom Jones as the title song for Woody Allen's 1965 film debut by the same name. The song was nominated for an Academy Award (Can you believe that? THIS song? Ack!) and reached #3 on the US pop charts in 1965.

Now, don't get me wrong. I actually like Burt Bacharach as a songwriter (just do not let him sing). Hal David, too, for that matter. They've written some really great songs over the years - Walk On By, I Just Don't Know What To Do with Myself, On My Own, Alfie, One Less Bell to Answer, and many more - but this is just not one of them. Still, it is catchy and all it takes is a simple passing thought to get it started on it's annoying little loop inside my head and once it starts its next to impossible to boot it out. Woah-oh-woah-oh-woah-woah-woah!

What's New Pussycat? by Tom Jones from the 1965 movie soundtrack for "What's New Pussycat?"



Tom Jones website

Burt Bacharach website

Hal David website

I Wanna Be Sedated - The Ramones

This is so very much my life these days, so much going on around me and all I can do is sit there as it happens.

I love The Ramones. Have for decades. They are, and always have been, one of those bands that, no matter how rotten my mood, can just snap me out of things.

Regarded by some (argued by others) as the first punk rock band, The Ramones formed in 1974 in Forest Hills, Queens, New York. The original line up of the band was Dee Dee Ramone (Douglas Colvin) on lead vocals & bass, Johnny Ramone (John Cummings) on lead guitar, and Joey Ramone (Jeffrey Hyman) on drums. It wasn't long after the band formed before Dee Dee realized he couldn't sing and play bass at the same time, so lead vocals went to Joey. Of course, it wasn't long before Joey realized that he couldn't sing and play drums at the same time. While they were auditioning drummers, Johnny's former bandmate, Thomas Erdelyi, would sit in. It soon became obvious that he knew the how to play the band's songs better than any of the auditioners, so he took on the moniker Tommy Ramone and officially joined the band as drummer. They recorded their self-titled debut album in 1976. Tommy got tired of touring and left the band in 1978 when he was replaced by Marky Ramone (Marc Bell). They released 14 studio albums, the last being "¡Adios Amigos!" in 1995. While there were a few rotations in the line-up over the years - Richie Ramone (Richard Reinhardt - drums, 1983-87), Elvis Ramone (Clem Burke - drums, 1987) and C.J. Ramone (Christopher Ward - bass, 1989-96) - Dee Dee, Johnny, Tommy, Marky and Joey will always be The Ramones to me.
Joey Ramone (Jeffrey Hyman) died of lymphoma in 2001.
Dee Dee Ramone died of a heroin overdose in 2002.
Johnny Ramone died of prostate cancer in 2004.

I Wanna Be Sedated by The Ramones from the 1978 album "Road to Ruin"

The Headphonist - Kinky

"Sometimes I feel like every single thing has a sound. And if it does, what kind of shape does silence have?" I woke up with this in my head. LOVE this song! Everything about it - the rhythm, the words, the groove, all of it!

Formed in 1998 in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, Kinky plays a rock-n-roll that is heavily influenced by Latin music with a nice bit techno just for spice. They have released 6 albums since 2002.


The Headphonist by Kinky from the 2003 album "Altas"



Kinky website

Kinky MySpace page

Kinky Facebook page

Blue Monday - Fats Domino

Antoine Dominique "Fats" Domino was born in 1928 in New Orleans, Louisiana. He first attracted national attention in 1949 with the song "The Fat Man" which featured his soon-to-become trademark rolling piano playing. He no longer tours, preferring to stay in Louisiana claiming it's the only place he can find food he likes to eat. There were rumors that he died in 2005, a victim of hurricane Katrina, but those rumors were dispelled when the US Coast Guard rescued Fats Domino and his family from his destroyed home in the Lower Ninth Ward.

Blue Monday was written by Fats Domino and Dave Bartholomew in 1955, recorded by Fats Domino in 1956, and became one of the first rhythm and blues songs to make the Billboard charts, peaking at #5.

Blue Monday by Fats Domino from the 1957 album "This is Fats"



Fats Domino Rock & Roll Hall Fame page