Category: music

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Song for Tuesday night

Pink Floyd – hey you

From the album “The Wall” (1979, Harvest). The song was written by Roger Waters. This one is a bit heavier, melancholic even, yet there is hope too. But I like the lyrics a lot.

Hey you, out there in the cold
Getting lonely, getting old
Can you feel me?
Hey you, standing in the aisles
With itchy feet and fading smiles
Can you feel me?
Hey you, don’t help them to bury the light
Don’t give in without a fight


Hey you out there on your own
Sitting naked by the phone
Would you touch me?
Hey you with you ear against the wall
Waiting for someone to call out
Would you touch me?
Hey you, would you help me to carry the stone?
Open your heart, I’m coming home


But it was only fantasy
The wall was too high
As you can see
No matter how he tried
He could not break free
And the worms ate into his brain


Hey you, out there on the road
Always doing what you’re told
Can you help me?
Hey you, out there beyond the wall
Breaking bottles in the hall
Can you help me?
Hey you, don’t tell me there’s no hope at all
Together we stand, divided we fall

Cathy’s Top 5 Pink Floyd songs:

1. Comfortably Numb (1979, The Wall)

2. Sorrow (1989, A Momentary Lapse of Reason)

3. High Hopes (1994, The Division Bell)

4. Shine On You Crazy Diamond (1975, Wish You Were Here)

5. What Do You Want From Me (1994, The Division Bell)

Many people think that Pink Floyd is challenging to get into. And I agree. Some of their earlier stuff is unbearable – for me. I can’t listen to most of “The Dark Side of the Moon” and I haven’t in a while, maybe it is time to give it another spin. However, “The Division Bell” is one of the albums I listen to all the time. The songs I shared are accessible, or so I think. Most are live versions, which gives it a nice touch. If I ever get a chance to see David Gilmour (guitarist and lead singer of Pink Floyd) in concert, I will make sure to buy tickets. He is 74 years old by now… The chances are slimming down. By the way, David Gilmour discovered Kate Bush and produced her first record.

Have a great night.

xx

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song for another sleepless night

REM – leave

From the record “New Adventures in Hi-Fi” (1996, Warner Bros Records), which was the 10th studio album REM released.

Apparently, this is one of the band’s best records; I wouldn’t know. I just know this one song from it, and I adore it. My favourite REM album is “Automatic for the People” (1992). The song is sombre, heavy even, and the lyrics get to me. Once in a while, I tear up when I hear it, because of the way Micheal Stipe sings these lyrics:

(…)

That’s what keeps me
That’s what keeps me
That’s what keeps me down
To leave it, believe it
Leave it all behind

Lift me, lift me
I attain my dream
I lost myself, I lost them
Heartache calling me
I lost myself in sorrow
I lost myself in pain
I lost myself in gravity
Memory, leave, leave, leave

That’s what keeps me
That’s what keeps me
That’s what keeps me down
To leave it, believe it
Leave it all behind

(…)

“Leave” is on the soundtrack of “A Life Less Ordinary” (1997), a movie with Ewan McGregor and Cameron Diaz. It was written by John Hodge (who wrote the screenplay for Trainspotting) and directed by Danny Boyle (who also directed Trainspotting and Slumdog Millionaire). I always tend to forget how much I actually like that movie. To me, it is magical. It is funny, tragic, sad… And it has a great soundtrack.

My day was long and filled with lots of work. 11 hours today. Usually, I work 20 hours in one week… I guess this week; I am making over time. I am reminded of how much I love my work, though. I am doing stuff with the kids, random things, and I am reminded how fun this is and that I really like it, I wouldn’t want to change it, even if I complain a lot. Unfortunately, the many hours I put in last Friday and today are taking a toll on my shoulder. It’s in pain again. I will have to see how much longer I can keep the pace.

Wish me luck for tonight, finding sleep was hard these last days.

Tomorrow is the National Holiday in Luxembourg. When Corona is not paralysing the world, we celebrate our Grand-Duke’s birthday on June 23rd. (Even though his real birthday is in April – 16th, 1955)

Good night…

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song of the day

Elen – 5 Meter Mauern

From the record “blind über rot” (Universal Music) which will be released tomorrow – June 19th, 2020. Elen is a young German musician from Germany who started out as a busker. A talent scout found her on the streets and persuaded her to take part in the German version of The Voice. She got as far as the Battles where she was eliminated. From there her career took off.

This song is about someone who has built walls around themselves. There should be a palace, but it became an inescapable prison; no one gets in and no one gets out. She describes the feeling of not being able to be alone for fear of hearing one’s own thoughts too much.

Many people know this, I do too.

I know, listening to music in a foreign language is weird, but for many it is normal. Enjoy… 🙂

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That intro though…

Can we take a moment to acknowledge the absolutely brilliant intro to “Money for Nothing” by the band Dire Straits?

The song was on the album “Brothers in Arms” (Warner Bros, 1985). Mark Knopfler had support from Sting to do the vocals of the song.

I grew up hearing this album, and I never gave it much thought. Just like the song that is still on the radio quite a bit. Unfortunately, they rarely play the intro on the radio. It starts with Sting singing in his falsetto “I want my MTV”, in the background Synths hint at the melody of the guitar in quite a Pink Floyd-esque manner. The drums kick in and with that, the famous guitar solo that is repeated throughout the song takes us in.

Now, I know the song has some controversial lyrics and apparently, as I read moments ago, is banned in Canada for the use of the word “faggot” since 2011. Money for Nothing was written in 1985, I won’t make up excuses for it, but we were less educated and less tolerant of diversity back then. At the same time, the song is about guys watching music videos and making snarky comments about what and who they are seeing. The use of the slur shows the jealousy of the men watching TV.

By the way, Money for Nothing was the first song ever played on MTV Europe in 1987.

That intro though… Phew.

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A song… For now

Roger Cicero – zieh die Schuhe aus

“Swing when you’re winning” was an album by Robbie Williams. This, however, is Roger Cicero. This song was released in 2006. Roger passed away at the age of 45. He had a stroke. There are more popular songs than this one, but I heard it tonight, and it is a right earworm. In the chorus, he sings, “put your shoes on, take the trash out. Watch the kid, and tidy up. Don’t stay out late. Not later than one pm. I understand what you’re saying, but I don’t know what it means.” It’s quite funny. In the verse he sings that he is a woman’s man and that he can have them all because he is such a stud, he lists all the things he is and knows, But he has a girl at home, and it leads to the chorus. In the end, it just affirms that we look at ourselves differently than other people. So, if you enjoy a bit of modern jazz and aren’t afraid of it being sung in German by a brilliant vocalist, listen to this one.

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Memory lane

Today, I saw that an old post from November 2017 was read a couple of times – today. I am not one who looks at the stats all day long, but I noticed this because it is a special post to me. (That said, I usually take a moment in June to reflect on the first half of the year on the blog… Expect a post about that soon)

I remember that particular post from November very well. I remember exactly when I wrote it and why. I know what happened before and what happened after.

music that pulls at the right strings

It’s quite painful to read all of these words again. They were at the beginning of a dark and depressive phase in my life and I am not completely out of the woods yet. I have been fighting and struggling for three years.

Recently, I discovered that I am actually a mediocre writer at best. I keep repeating the same words and phrases; I keep replaying the same scenes and moments. And my writing became dull. Unimportant. Irrelevant.

There are many many amazing writers out there. There are musicians who write lyrics so powerful that they make the listener tear up.

I am not one of them. Not anymore.

Not anymore.

I am sorry.

I lost my most important muse and stopped listening to the music that makes me feel. It is as if I am overwhelmed all the time, yet numb too. It is as if I am censoring myself and hiding behind the mask of the person I am expected to be.

I am exhausted. I haven’t slept properly in four days. And I can’t do it anymore.

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song of the day

Spencer Yenson & the Fever – hold me down

This single was released in 2019 and can be found on Spotify and Soundcloud. The San Diego based musician dropped his first EP “in Fever” in 2017 and is busy ever since.

I first heard this artist on a vinyl compilation. I subscribed to it via Vinyl Moon. Every month, I receive music that is new and fresh to me, pressed on coloured vinyl, and with exciting artwork. It reminds me of the mixtapes we made for friends back in the day. They ship worldwide from the US, and the price is okay too. Every LP comes with a sheet introducing the artists, including the songs’ lyrics.

So far, I received two records. The first one was more electronic; the last one was more indie. I am looking forward to the next release. Usually, the records are shipped on or around the 17th of each month – with the time it takes to arrive at my doorstep, I am almost always a month behind. But that’s okay, really. I like this way of being introduced to new music. It suits me.

Vinyl Moon Volume 056: Hello Real Life

Dead Nature – fire in your soul

From the album “taking my shadow” (2019, dead nature records). This song is my second highlight of the record I mentioned above. Dead Nature is the project of Tarek Musa, a musician from Liverpool. I quite like the upbeat sound of the song. I hope you enjoy it too.

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song for half past ten

Therapy? with James Dean Bradfield – die laughing

This song appears on a Greatest Hits album (2020 version). The album is also known as “the Abbey Road Session”, but due to naming conflict, this live in-studio album had to be renamed. It was released in March 2020 on Marshall Records. Therapy? is an Irish trio that has been around since the early 90s. James Dean Bradfield is the lead singer of the Welsh band “Manic Street Preachers”. Two icons of the British music scene teaming up is too good to ignore. As I mentioned before, the song is live, and I quite like the way Bradfield makes the song his own, and yet it hasn’t changed much from the original.

“Die Laughing” first appeared on the album “Troublegum” (1994, A&M Records)

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What do you Say?

Something new for your ears… Gavin Simpson as “sourfish”

sourfish – what do you say?

 

This is a link to the EP of the same name that was released today. Four songs, eight minutes long. (which is shorter than most postrock songs) But totally worth your while.  The genre would be alternative/ singer songwriter. “What do you say” is an upbeat song with a pop song melody. It makes you move in your chair and puts an easy smile on your face. It was written in 2019 with the hopes of writing a suitable song for a TV / advert placement, which didn’t happen. But it inspired Gavin’s podcast. (more about that later)

The highlight is certainly “Angel of my Eye”. The lyrics are simple yet poetic – something I really like. It is a song that evokes emotions. It was originally written as a finger-picking guitar piece that turned into a piano-driven piece. The first line “Three words – it’s over…” sets the tone for this break-up song. Sad, but real and telling the story of a situation we all went through at one time in our lives. And when Gavin sings in the chorus “Angel of my Eye, I want to say one more goodnight” I cannot help but think about the moments I sat with my phone in my hand, wanting to send a message to an ex just to be able to say goodnight one more time and missing them so much it breaks my heart every time anew.

Between “What Do You Say” and “Angel of My Eye” sits “Swim Against the Sea” a little demo/shortened song that is not quite finished but has lots of potentials. I’d say, give it some time to grow.

The last song is short and instrumental, using strings and guitar. Perfect for an add on TV, was my first thought. It is Gavin’s first self-produced song and it is called “Fowk”. But why “Fowk” you ask? Well, Gavin was raised in the Scottish highlands and this is their pronunciation of the word “folk”. And just like that, you’ve learned something new.

Gavin also has a podcast called “what do you say?”. The first episode is online and has an interview with Amanda Palmer. It’s a nice interview, a conversation really, that is fun to listen to. (coming from someone who is usually not too keen on podcasts). Here’s a link to the first episode.

And as I am alone, sitting outside and waiting for the sun to go down, I can’t help but think that Sourfish shows many facets of his talents on this EP and I hope to hear more of this talented artist in the coming months.

See what Sourfish (Gavin Simpson) is up to here:

https://sourfishmusic.com/

https://www.instagram.com/sourfishmusic/

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Song for around midnight

Pearl Jam – Black

From Pearl Jam’s debut album “Ten” (1991, Epic Records).

In my opinion, this is the best, most wholesome Pearl Jam record. They have an extensive back catalog of songs though. Lots of gems. Their lyrics are poetic and intense. Real and raw. Just the way I like it.

Cathy’s top 5 Pearl Jam songs:

Nothing as it seems (my favourite of this band)

Black

Jeremy

Just breathe

I am mine

Bonus: Pendulum

Any thoughts about my picks? Any song I should hear or consider?

xx

Time for me to catch some sleep. It was a long day and work was exhausting, but awesome. I missed the kids at the nursery a lot more than I thought. xx

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song of the night

The Howl & the Hum – human contact

From the album “Human Contact”. It is the Howl & the Hum’s debut album and it will be releaded on March 29th.

It was produced by Jolyon Thomas who also worked with Royal Blood, U2 and recorded at Big Jelly Studios in Kent.

I sincerely think that you will enjoy this one.

Good night. xx

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songs of the night

Backyard Babies – nomadic

From the self-titled album “Backyard Babies” that was released in 2006 on BMG. Backyard Babies are a Swedish punk band with eight studio albums under their belt. Their debut “Diesel & Power” was released in 1994. (on Megarock)

The lead singer and guitarist Nicke Borg Homeland released several solo records, as did Dregen (guitarist).

Nicke Borg Homeland – end of the rainbow

(Ruins of a riot, 2013 – gain records)

Enjoy some punk on this Friday night.

xx

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song of the night (Wednesday)

Foo Fighters – times like these

From the album “One by One” (2002, RCA records)

My husband is a big Foo Fighters fan, as is his sister. I am not so sure about them. Something never touched me. Maybe the songs are too produced? Maybe the band is too hyped? I don’t know. Am I allowed to say that I don’t really like the Foo Fighters? What I like is that Dave Grohl is allowed to show his talents, whereas, in Nirvana, he was only the drummer, here he can show off that he is a talented multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter. He knows how a song should sounds. He knows what works…

Enjoy the song.

xx

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song of the night

Bruce Springsteen – if I should fall behind

From the album “Lucky Town” (1992, Columbia Records). Curiously, Bruce Springsteen released two albums “Human Touch” and “Lucky Town” on the same day. (March 31st, 1992). Apparently, work on “Human Touch” was delayed and shelved. In late 1991, Bruce returned to the studio to write one more song for that record, but he came up with ten new songs and “Lucky Town” was made. It is considered the tenth studio album of Bruce Springsteen and his band – the E Street Band.

The music of New Jersey born musician grew on me lately, until I noticed that he is one of the artists with the most songs in my Spotify Daily Mix playlist. I was quite surprised, but it is a fact. I guess, I was unaware of it because my favourite songs from the Boss are from different albums.

I like that Bruce is telling stories with his songs and some are just so very heartbreaking. Every song is like a short story.

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I am still here… Just tired and getting back in the mindset of returning to work. New rules and regulations are issued daily, and we as de educators need to adjust the material at the nursery but also organise the rooms and spaces. So, I worked yesterday at that, and today new information came forward from the government, and everything had to be changed again. I am passionate about my job, and I am looking forward to working again… But this is draining. I wake up at night, remembering things I forgot and make notes… That’s not healthy. I am working overtime – of course, until at least mid-July, and then we will see how everything will change then again. But it is okay; my presence is needed. I am tired. It is early, but I am off to sleep. Good night dear people. And thank you for checking in ever so often. xx