THE SATURDAY SONG

[JeromeD]

Just been very busy with other boring stuff. In the process of clearing out all the crap I have accumulated over the years. I am downsizing...

Just did that a couple months ago
In Florida now

Hey MH - how are you settling in in Florida?

[Music Head]

all good mate
been here a little over a month
still work being done on my living facilities but it's getting there
son in law doing all this for me including those vinyl bins
waiting on a new system to begin playing them again
deciding whether to alphabetize them again
I sort of like the random selection method
it's a surprise every day

[JeromeD]

I prefer the random method myself - you never know what's going to pop out of the hat. Gave up putting my CD's in any kind of order many moons ago. But it can be a problem when I am looking for something specific. Then it takes bloody ages to find it.

[CRAZY-HORSE]

i prefer the random method with vinyl but organised with compact disk for some reason i do not know.

Lynne on the other hand prefers everything alphabetical, so guess which one of us gets it their way (one hint, it isnt me!)

[Ruby]

I was thinking about protest songs this week, which is what triggered this choice - one thing leads to another! The songs come in many guises of course - some fairly subtle in delivery, as is evidenced by Bob Dylan among others.

There was a minor punk movement in South Africa in the early 80’s  - music played a huge role in the lives of the youth of the time, giving voice to their frustrations, and making them heard. Not a unique phenomenon – this has happened throughout history, and the world, probably since time immemorial! But we were pretty starved of information and there were very few outlets/arenas that weren't policed or monitored in some way which made attending or supporting these concerts seem wild and dangerous. In retrospect, the sounds seem quite tame, but at the time, they were considered outrageous and subversive. The distance of years = perspective.

To fathom the meaning in some of Dylan’s lyrics may well be a fruitless exercise and I sometimes wonder if he didn’t just string words together that sounded fascinating and mysterious, all the while not really having a clear idea himself of the so-called meaning behind the lyrics. In other words – a giant bamboozlement, albeit one in which we are happy to be entangled. Sorry Sir Bob. This does not apply to all his songs, of course, but one could write a thesis on “As I Went out One Morning” and not be any nearer to a definitive answer at the end of it that when one began! Perhaps that is the whole point – keeping everyone wondering.

I’ve looked at several opinions as to the meaning of that song, some rather lengthy, and none of which entirely hits the nail on the head, IMHO, so I’ve given up. Not even going to attempt to unravel it myself. And the reason for this lengthy ramble is that Tribe after Tribe were one of those ‘punk’ bands I mentioned earlier, and they covered it, literally tribalising it as you will hear. Not sure I’ve come across the song done this way by anyone else. Maybe with good reason! LOL! But there you have it … for the helluvit – a snapshot of a bygone era.





The original ... 

[Ruby]

Well, it’s the longest day of the year for us here in the southern hemisphere - happy solstice everyone, whichever point of the compass you happen to be teetering on!

It’s obviously not the beginning of summer anywhere so doesn't exactly fit from a lyrics perspective, but this song just has that celebratory feeling of sumptuousness, warmth, connection and joy. Even if the poor moths were drawn in against their will! It’s gorgeous and I love it, which is a good enough reason for it to be my choice for today ... 

[Ruby]

When I listen to music, lyrics are often secondary in terms of first impressions. However, some tend to stand out immediately, and they don’t necessarily have to be deep and meaningful – quite the reverse! There are many storytelling epics, of course, of the more serious persuasion, but I’ve been in the mood for a bit of silliness this past week (go figure) so rambling fables such as “Alice’s Restaurant” (a very old chestnut, I realise - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaKIX6oaSLs), "Don't Try to Lay No Boogie-Woogie on the King of Rock and Roll" (the Long John Baldry version with the “Conditional Discharge” intro https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bj_lZ4hkJd8), and ELP’s swashbuckling “Pirates” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaKIX6oaSLs) have all come in for a listening.

By self-imposition, though, I have to pick just one and I also happen to have been listening to a Jim Croce compilation. A master of the craft – even metalheads agree – the man could spin one helluva yarn! He and Maury's deaths remain a huge tragedy IMHO. And what I now know to be his debut single always makes me grin, despite the somewhat gruesome fate of the main protagonist! I just love the chorus – it’s so delightfully nuts, and besides, not spitting into the wind is such great advice! LOL! So here you go – a cautionary tale - “You Don’t Mess Around With Jim” … brilliant, infectious stuff.

[CRAZY-HORSE]

^^
great song Ruby,
as is the JT one above it

[Ruby]

^I don't think you'll concur with this one, however! 

2025 will just have to wait for me – I’m not ready for it yet! LOL! Chinese New Year will do me just fine – maybe by the 29th of Jan I’ll have caught up. Sheesh – where does the time go??

I like to revisit Jonathan Livingston Seagull at this time of year – attempt to do all the reflecting I’m supposed to have done well before January 1st instead of which bumbling along blindly into the light of a new trip around the sun with no apparent future plan seems to be my default setting! The flying theme is apt - flying by the seat of one’s pants.

Both JLS and Illusions are easy to read reminders of a few things. Yes – thinly veiled allegory but inspirational and thought provoking, nonetheless, and about the right philosophical weight for the season! Inevitably, I’ll be listening to Neil Diamond too – that association is set in stone. Besides, it’s magical stuff IMHO – what a voice, and brilliant lyrics. He really felt it.  

[Ruby]

In popular music, there are more references, or nods, to classical composers than can be counted or mentioned. That’s the thing about music – it seeps into your psyche, so it’s not unexpected that phrases or entire movements would resurface in one form or another. And it runs deep, which for me, is at least one good reason to be reasonably selective about what I hear – certainly repeatedly.

Erik Satie’s Gymnopédies (there are three) are the source of my very short rumination for today. “Gymnopédie 1” has been covered by a score of contemporary artists. To mention a few - John and Steve Hackett (my favourite version) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYUs7O03mTo - Michael Nyman’s rendition appears on the soundtrack for the movie Man on Wire https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpExP_lPTO0 – and there is also a reimagining from a surprising quarter, I must say – Gary Numan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acId5ftnjnE! “Gymnopédie 1” has a simple yet striking melody and most people who pay any attention to music will have heard it somewhere along the line, I expect.

Today’s track is not that, however. It’s a something that has stayed with me since first discovering it on Red House by the inimitable Rod Argent. Quite some nerve he had – which I feel paid off! He took things a step further and composed “A Fourth Gymnopedie”. Here it is …