Theremin: look but don't touch! Did you know there's an instrument you can play without touching it? And has been making appearances in mainstream pop music since the 1960s? Well I sure didn't until recently.
The theremin was named after its inventor, Leon Theremin, who came up with this crazy electronic contraption in 1919 Russia. Apparently Lenin was quite proud of the technology and showed it off around the world. Usually a theremin has two antennae, one for pitch and one for volume, both of which are determined by the position in space of both hands. There have been many variations on the original design, including the electro-theremin, the instrument heard on the Beach Boys' track "Good Vibrations."
Gnarls Barkley's song Crazy, Theremin-style (very well done!)
When cats and theremins collide
Tesla coils: they sing Even older than the theremin technology is the Tesla coil. It was invented in 1891 by Tesla, and consists of resonant electronic circuits. They've had a variety of uses over the years, and ones used specifically for music have recently become known as Zeusaphones. They have to been seen to be believed. Check out the Tesla-fication of familiar theme songs below.
Be forewarned. I don't seem to experience emotions like many of my fellow women. I can't stand sappy movies, most romantic comedies, and there isn't much in the world that makes me cry. A few songs at various points in my life have brought tears into my eyes with their wrenching lyrics and plaintive melodies. Though you might need to get out a hanky whilst listening to these tunes, you also might be amused by the seemingly random assortment of songs that move me deep down inside.
Ani DiFranco - You Had Time Lamenting the impending end of a relationship, Ani uses some lovely metaphors to describe her feelings and anticipation of coming home and ending things.
You are a china shop and I am a bull You are really good food and I am full
In other words, "it's not you, it's me." But really, she's so great at portraying a mix of complicated emotions. (full lyrics)
The Clash - Bankrobber File this one under "random." Joe Strummer sings his heart out about inequality, morality, and the death of his (fictional) bank robbin' daddy. I didn't really understand all the lyrics at the time, and they're really quite good, but like, existential-crisis pondering-social-justice good. I wonder how many other people have cried at this song? (full lyrics)
Coldplay - The Scientist Nobody said it was easy... but no one ever said it would be so hard, either. Who hasn't wanted to go back to the start at some point, especially when heartache is involved? The video is a work of art itself, comprising one long shot of Chris Martin (the lead singer) in reverse. And he's even singing the lyrics. (full lyrics)
David Bowie - Life on Mars? OK, I have to confess. I have no idea what this song is about. It's kind of an abstract collection of images that vaguely suggest of despair. Or maybe not.
Now she walks through her sunken dream To the seat with the clearest view And she's hooked to the silver screen But the film is a saddening bore For she's lived it ten times or more
All I know is something in it deeply resonated with me. Am I just a sucker for pianos and men in blue eyeshadow? Perhaps. (full lyrics)
Dixie Chicks - You Were Mine There's nothing funny about this song. It's an utterly heartwrenching tale told by a jilted wife who is abandoned by her husband for another woman. While I can't relate to the song's premise, I nevertheless always wince at the lines
I Can Give You Two Good Reasons To Show You Love's Not Blind He's Two And She's Four, And You Know They Adore You So How Can I Tell Them You've Changed Your Mind
Ouch!! Abandoning the kiddies too for some little hussy? "Sometimes I wake up crying at night, and sometimes I scream out your name"... man, talk about simple and evocative lyrics. Now excuse me while I grab a tissue. (full lyrics)
Tracy Chapman - The Promise In general, I'm not a huge Tracy Chapman fan, but there's something so simple and beautiful in the way she sings this song. It's utterly unpretentious and she sings each word as if it really matters. She's pining for an old lover, but she's not chewing up the scenery in the process. Bravo! (full lyrics)
Bonus: A dance that made me cry From So You Think You Can Dance. I watched a lot of it last summer. The choreographer dedicated this dance to her father who had just passed away. Very moving, if a bit blurry in this version.
So there you have it, folks. Breakups, heartache, death of loved ones, rage at social injustices... tearful trails to you!
The 80's often get criticized for lauding style over substance. Well, can you blame them, when music videos and MTV took over the world? They could make so many cool special effects and swirly neon thingies! Artists could rely on image and fashion over substantive lyrics to get their message across. And of course the disaster of Milli Vanilli wouldn't have been possible in a pre-television, pre-music video era. Some 80s videos were just spectacular. Some were more like giant car crashes you couldn't look away from. Here are three music videos that hold both plot AND hairspray as equally valid forms of musical expression, paying homage to a diversion selection of films.
Human League - Love Action (The Graduate) This is one of my favorite Human League songs of all time. The beat is fabulous! I have it on repeat these days. The male lead singer Phil Oakley plays Dustin Hoffman's character, but with way more sex appeal and eyeliner. Two of the bandmates are the would-be bride and groom.
Berlin - No More Words (Bonnie and Clyde) Before Berlin, like, totally sold out for "Take My Breath Away" on the Top Gun soundtrack, they were a pretty edgy new wave group. Though lead singer Teri Nunn was sometimes dismissed as a Debbie Harry wannabe, her strong set of pipes distinguish her pretty well. She makes a pretty hot Bonnie, and I dig her two-toned dye job. It's nice that they've deviated from the movie's plot slightly; instead of ending in a bloody massacre, they have a Robin Hood-ish change of heart.
Paula Abdul - Rush Rush (Rebel Without a Cause) I'm not a huge fan of Paula Abdul, but isn't it shocking to remember that she was a recording artist before she was an American Idol judge? She enlists the help of Keanu Reeves in this unabashed slice of 50s nostalgia. And yes it's technically a 90s video because it came out in 1991, but close enough for government work.
Square One TV played a large role in my childhood, or should I say, constituted a large fraction of the television I was allowed to watch growing up. This show was brilliant! And not just for nostalgia's sake. I was surfing YouTube videos for PBS music videos and I saw some that I didn't remember but still cracked me up. Here are some of my favorites that stand the test of time. My 8 year old and twentysomething year old selves approve!
Tessellations Put a square, put an octagon there... parody of Good Vibrations.
8% of My Love This is the most hilarious "love song" ever. He breaks down a pie chart of all his loves to his girlfriend (including his parents, car, and guitar), leaving 8% for her.
The Mathematics of Love Combination song/skit where they're recording a song in ancient Rome. OK not the most realistic of premises, but Roman numerals were never so catchy and amusing. I I I words...
Angle Dance A fabulous new wave take off.
Nine nine nine A country ditty 'bout how every multiple of 9 you can find, it all comes back to 9.
Wait, WHAT did you just say about my post about paranoia?? Why are you extracting my thoughts from my brain. I know the FBI is watching each of my keystrokes as I type this out.
But anyway...
On to a lovely trio of awesome 80s songs that deal with those little fears we like to call full-blown paranoia. Seriously, how much blow did people do in the 80s to get this freaked out about everything? I'd tell you how I came up with this list, but then I'd have to kill you.
Men at Work - Who Can It Be Now?
Before Colin Hay was the darling of Garden State followers everywhere, he was the lead singer of this band who comes from a land down under. You can practically hear the beads of sweat rolling off his forehead as his lyrics plead for the stranger outside to stay away. I hate to be a buzzkill, but if you really want to know "Is it the man come to take me away? Why do they follow me?", just open the damn door!
Corey Hart - Sunglasses at Night
Instead of accepting the lead role in Back to the Future, Mr. Hart slunk back to his dark and dank apartment with a renewed dedication to encouraging improper use of sun-protective gear around the world. He wears his sunglasses at night, for what better way is there to stalk your girlfriend whom you're sure is up to no good? Side note: Corey Hart is really, really surprisingly hot. I realized that I was picturing Corey Feldman singing the song this whole time!
Rockwell - Somebody's Watching Me
Is the neighbor watching?? The mailman? The IRS? Rockwell's pretty much afraid of everyone, despite being the son of Berry Gordy and getting Thriller-era Michael Jackson himself to lay down the vocals for the chorus. Instead of taking some good ol' neuroleptics to ease his troubled mind, Rockwell prefers to indulge his fantasies and neglect his personal hygiene. "When I'm in the shower, I'm afraid to wash my hair. Cause I might open my eyes and find someone standing there." No, it's just the fashion police reminding you that the Jheri curl is epic fail.
Lest the last list left you feeling low (how's that for alliteration?), let's set sail for greener feminist pastures. It warms my heart to know that I had a ton of songs to choose from for this entry of pop songs that are decidedly girl power, and not in the "GIRL POWAH" Spice Girls kind of way. (Disclaimer: I love them.) Check out the sizeable Wikipedia category of songs with feminist themes, which seems to be arbitrarily populated. Hear us roar, we're too big to ignore, etc.
Lesley Gore - You Don't Own Me The 60s wasn't all girl groups fawning over dudes. Lesley told them how it is! She lets her boyfriend know that she is an independent woman, a human being with a mind of her own, and well, free to say and do whatever she pleases. Ahead of its time for sure, especially based on her hair. This was early 60s, not late 60s.
Janet Jackson - Control This autobiographical song is about, well, control. It's not about love so much as her taking control of her life and career. Janet started way young in showbiz and put out sugary generic teen pop music under the thumb of her dad-manager, and was married and divorced before she was out of her teens. She then wanted a new look and sound to jumpstart her music career and reflect her new life outlook, and salvation came in the form of brilliant producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. Late 80s Janet Jackson is one of my biggest pop weaknesses. She's in control, and she likes it.
Madison Avenue - Don't Call Me Baby When ladies hit the town for the evening, they know they getting objectified and hit on is par for the course. But the lead singer of Madison Avenue must send guys home with their tail between their legs. She delivers a catchy put-down to the all the shallow guys trying to get with her. I wonder how many unsuspecting would-be pickup artists have boogied down to this track on the dance floor? "Don't underestimate me boy, I'll make you sorry you were born." Boo-yah.
Here's a good two parter. Let's start with the negative and then go positive! I've noticed that some pop songs make me feel all like the emancipated post-modern feminist that I am, and other songs... don't. OK, there's a lot of songs that would fall into both categories. By the way, if you listen to pop song lyrics about love really carefully (a practice which I don't recommend), you'll basically never hear the extolling of happy and healthy relationships. It's either clinginess and infatuation, or being free and single. Can you think of a healthy relationship/love song? Here's just a few where the underlying sentiment reminds me of nails on a chalkboard. The following are decidedly not girl power anthems.
The Ronettes - Be My Baby OK, this song is damn catchy. It's emblematic of the Phil SpectorWall of Sound style that dominated the early 60s. It was featured on the Dirty Dancing soundtrack. Brian Wilson worships it. But if you listen to the lyrics, they are sosososo bad. Basically the girl is singing that she's willing to give up her life for this dude and follow him around like a little puppy (but they'll look really good while they're doing it). And if I'm correct, this fantasy of subservience (he gets three kisses for every one she gets, do the math) is not even based on a real relationship. She's only just seen him! Enjoy this ode to codependency.
Kylie Minogue - Better the Devil You Know If you are American, you've never heard this song. If you aren't American, there's no way you haven't heard it 8000 times. See, everywhere in the world except for the USA, Kylie's a pop superstar on the level of Madonna. In Amurrica, she's along the lines of a 2-hit wonder. This is one of her biggest dance songs from the early 90s that never made it stateside. Kylie sees the Ronettes' masochism and raises them to infinity. While Ronnie Spector is wrapped up in a fantasy about a man she doesn't even know, Kylie already knows she has a craptastic dude on her hands. She's basically like "well yeah, you strayed, and are a sucky boyfriend, but I'll take you back because better the devil you know!" She sings with such innocence and verve, you'd never know how dark these lyrics are. "I'll be here every day, waiting for your love to show"? The clock's a-tickin', girl! On the plus side: Nick Cave was so impressed with this song he asked her to record a duet with him, and thus a cool collaborative partnership (presumably of equals?) was born.
Tammy Wynette - Stand By Your Man I can't come down on the whole of country music for lack of girl power, since I know quite a few rousing anthems from some other country lasses. But then there's this little ditty. Tammy's had to defend the song basically since its release, derided by the likes of 60s-70s era feminists and Hillary Clinton. Again, I think the lyrics speak for themselves. Her role in the relationship is basically that of the Giving Tree. She provides him with two arms to cling to, something warm to come home to, yadda yadda yadda. In looking for positives here... wow, I never knew hair could be teased so high! Ooo shiny sparkly red dress!
I'm having so much fun with the blogging thing! I've got a lot of ideas in the pipeline (especially for 80s music, bwahaha), so I hope I can keep this up pretty regularly. Still a few kinks to work out, such as the html for flickr pictures and such. But it's great how it's changing what I do, from paying more attention to documenting my days, getting to share ideas with my friends, and even taking more pictures and joining flickr. I feel so Web 2.0, and like a kid in a candy store!
"When I was a child I spoke as a child I understood as a child I thought as a child; but when I became a man I put away childish things." I Cor. xiii. 11. Let me just say what utter crap I find this sentiment. Maybe it's because I was a goofy camp counselor, or that I study children for my career, but there is always a time and a place for "childish things." A sense of wonder and excitement about life and little things, doing a silly dance, singing at the top of your lungs, being totally unselfconscious, being brutally honest, openness and positivity, having a crazy imagination... I mean, stuff like throwing temper tantrums is better left to the days of yore, but overall us old and jaded adults can stand to learn a lot from children. Now excuse me while I go turn cartwheels in the grass and bask in the sunlight!
I just love making music lists! Today's list is a theme that doesn't even restrict itself to the 80s. Nay, we have the 80s, 90s, and 00s representin' below. Instead of good old fashioned love songs, how about we skip right to the creepy ones embracing sentiments that send most of us running for the hills.
The Police - Every Breath You Take It's hard to believe that this has been a popular song at weddings, clearly by couples who haven't listened to the lyrics. When I fantasize about a romantic partner, I don't usually think of a man who watches every move I make, every word I say, every single day. That makes me think 'taser'. Nor does it make me think "hmmm I should record this for my dead friend the Notorious B.I.G.," but apparently Puff Daddy thought differently. Unlike a lot of neon-colored crazy-haired videos from the 80s, this is a moody black & white video that stands the test of time. While it might not be an endearing song, Sting's brilliant lyrics do a good job of capturing the mindset of a stalker. I just hope he didn't do too much research into his role.
Garbage - #1 Crush This is the ultimate Fatal Attraction love song (she even says she won't be ignored!) from the mid-90s Romeo + Juliet soundtrack. "I would lie for you, beg and steal for you" makes me think she might not make the healthiest girlfriend, but now I know who to hire if I ever want to shoplift or off someone.
Weird Al - Do I Creep You Out? So this is an intentionally hilarious video, a parody of Taylor Hicks' American Idol song "Do I Make You Proud." Animated by the folks over at JibJab (creators of the "This Land is Your Land" video), it is incredibly funny, so perhaps not so "scary" after all!
I adore new wave music from the 80s. Alas, you see, there is no new 1980s music coming out. So when I want to hear new stuff, I have to dig deeper and deeper into 80s obscurity. Thanks to various music blogs and great 80s dance clubs, I have expanded my music collection til it's almost bulging. Allow me to walk you through some of the most hilarious, danceable music videos on You Tube.
Silent Circle - Touch in the Night I learned a new genre of music with this Italo Disco band from Germany. Yes, it seems like they should be Italian, but they're not. Not to be confused with A Perfect Circle. Wonderful English-as-a-second-language lyrics. What the heck is a 'touch' in the night? Like things that go bump in the night? The lead singer's hilarious hairdo and two-step, expressionless dance move (starkly contrasted with an overactive quite happy keyboard player). The tune is relentlessly catchy though, you have been warned!
Trans-X - Living on Video Again, a ridiculously catchy hook with ridiculous lyrics. Stop... living on video? What does that have to do with "travelling through the lightbeam" and going into hyperspace?? Again, far-from-inspired dance moves, poor human imitation of robots, and terrible hair should not stop you from getting down to this gem from these Quebecois laser-firing sound effect addicts.
Danielle Dax - Cathouse She's like a combination of 60s go-go girl and 80s goth. Her stuff is decidedly artsy-weird, but interesting. She's also British. Who wouldn't want to get down in the Cathouse? Rawrrrr.
I took this picture at a vineyard in Sonoma Valley, California a couple years ago. Maybe it's just the Camus-loving existentialist in me, but I just adore absurdist things. At times in my life, I've felt like I might as well be going through that door. Perhaps one of those times is now-ish. Argh, is anyone in their 20s not going through some type of quarterlife crisis? Though the world is an uncertain place, at least we can all celebrate the yet-to-be-determined journey we're on together, courtesy of the always-absurd David Byrne:
I don't know where I'm going, I don't know where this blog is going, but I'll be damned if I can't bop along to the Talking Heads with the best of 'em! ---------------- Now playing: Talking Heads - Road to Nowhere via FoxyTunes
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