A gathering place to chat about Art. Craft. Music. Etcetera... Pop Culture. Design. Travel. Science. Relationships. Food & Drink. Health & Wellness. Facts & Opinion. Frugal Fun. Just a few of my favorite things.
If a word that sounds like what it describes is onomatopoeia (POP, POOF, THUD), then what do you
call a song with music successfully matching the feeling of the lyrics?
Best recent example is "Happy" by Pharrell Williams. The music of that song just sounds happy! When it plays, it's impossible not to find yourself tapping your foot, or bobbing your head, just feeling happy-clappy! If you need to boost your mood, just play this song. It sounds happy!
Another example of song-omatopoeia (I made that up) is from the Beatles.
"I'm So Tired,"written and sung by John Lennon, is from the White Album, 1968. The song starts and John sounds tired. The music, lyrics and John's voice, all sound so tired.
Not familiar with the song? Try this link:
http://www.last.fm/music/The+Beatles/_/I'm+So+Tired
"I'm so tired, I haven't slept a wink. I'm so tired, my mind is on the blink. I wonder should I get up and fix myself a drink. No no no…… "
Sometimes when I am feeling so tired, I find myself singing this. It perfectly fits the feeling.
What other songs successfully match the feeling of their lyrics with the sound of their music?
It was 50 years ago today… The Beatles played on the Ed Sullivan Show. I was just a kid, but I still remember it. It was the first music I listened to, followed, and saved my money to buy the albums. I think albums were around $4.00 at the time. I still have a few of my originals: Beatles '65, Rubber Soul, Abbey Road...
If you watch the press conferences from that time, it seemed the press kept trying to trip them up with serious questions, since they were just kids in a pop band… but they always seemed to have witty and clever responses. And remember, they were all under 25 years old when they arrived in 1964.
It's also interesting to remember how shocked people were about their long hair. Seriously. Look at their 1964 pictures, and think about how shocking this long hair was at the time. Seems silly today.
A few years later, some religious groups gathered to burn Beatles records, because they decided they were evil, for some reason. Even as a kid, it seemed silly to me at the time. Just because they were new and inventive was no reason to fear them. At that time, I actually decided, that as I grow up, I should give new things a chance. I still think of that today. If I hear music that I don't like, I try to pause, give it a chance, and try to understand where they're coming from, and what they're expressing. I still might not like it personally, but everyone has a right to their voice, and their point of view. Truly inventive, creative people are sometimes not immediately understood, because they're ahead of their time, with new ideas.
I recently read a comment from someone who asked what's the big deal, The Beatles were just another pop group. But I'm not sure that person realizes the context. What did music sound like before The Beatles, and what happened after they started writing and performing their own music?
The Beatles Anthology CD's are amazing. There are 3 volumes, with 2 CD's each. They are chronological, so in Volume 1, you hear some early covers they did of other people's music. As time progresses, they start writing their own music, and you can hear the sound developing. These CD's also include early takes in the studio of music they later released. I love hearing the process of creativity, so these CD's are amazing as you hear their rough demo tapes then get developed into what eventually became the finished song.
You can probably download the music, without actually having the CD, but the liner notes of these CD's describe what you're hearing, and add a lot to the audio as you listen.
The Beatles changed popular music, and we're still listening, 50 years later.
In my last post I remembered Woodstock. Over the weekend I won a Woodstock prize package from a radio station! Woodstock was certainly in the air this weekend, so I guess I tapped into something. I certainly tapped into the redial button.
In addition to winning some DVD's, CD's, and a movie screening, this weekend I will be attending a concert with several of the original bands who played at the original Woodstock. Let's see, 40 years ago, so it will be a bunch of 60 and 70 year olds, playing rock and roll! Sounds about right... don't trust anyone under 50, right?
And remember, stay away from the brown acid ... reflux medicine.
Don't most concerts start at 8pm? This one starts at 7. It's the Woodstock Early Bird Special.
Amazing that Woodstock was 40 years ago. I was a bit too young to even consider going, and I don't remember if I had heard about it before it happened. Wheaton, Illinois was a long way from Woodstock (or Bethel), New York, so it wasn't exactly a local event. But later I listened to the album a lot, and remember the movie and the music so well. Can't wait to hear it again this weekend.
New York Times has some great coverage. Look at the slide show of photos by James Estrin, now 71, who was a Life Magazine Photographer at the time, and covered Woodstock. In the slide show, he talks about the experience, how he was accepted by the crowd, even though he was a member of "the establishment" (Life Magazine). And let's see, he would have been 31 ... and, remember? ... you didn't trust anyone over 30!
There are PDFs of the original news articles from 1969, which are fun to read. And they asked readers who had attended to submit their photos... Some sent in pictures of their ticket stubs ... $7 admission to the festival.
This page has links to lots of the stories, articles, and photos ...
From Woodstock's 3 Days of Peace and Music in 1969, to Playing for Change's Peace Through Music in 2009. Maybe someday we will figure out how to use music to move towards peace. It's a nice thought.
If you haven't heard of Playing For Change, or seen any of their videos on YouTube, I highly recommend you check it out. Great musicians around the world, playing together, even though they're miles apart.
A few years ago, a music producer recorded (audio and video) a street musician singing and playing guitar in Santa Monica. Then he and his crew started traveling around the world, recording other local musicians, playing along with each other, using headphones. I may not be explaining it very well, read all about it on their site:
I'm not involved in the project, I am just a fan. I first saw their story on Bill Moyers' show on PBS. Apparently this month (August) PBS stations nationwide will air their film, "Peace Through Music". Their website has a link so you can search the PBS schedules to see if it's airing on your local station. Check it out.
It's a great idea, with wonderful music by amazing musicians, all playing together from different countries around the world. Uniting the world through music. And what could be wrong with that?
Okay, that title makes me sound a bit pre-teenish, but I can't help it. Like many other girls my age, Paul McCartney was my first crush many years ago, and the Beatles played the first music I took note of... and loved.
It was great seeing Paul on David Letterman last Wednesday. Good interview and fun to watch Paul and his band play on top of the marquee at the Ed Sullivan Theater, a mere 45 years after the Beatles first played inside that theater in 1964! Wish I could have been there in person this time, back in my old neighborhood... well, one of my old neighborhoods, there have been a few. Go to CBS.com for their extended 20 minute video clip of Paul's band playing 5 songs outside on the marquee. Here's the link to watch the video: http://www.cbs.com/late_show/video/mccartney.php
** Update... sorry, this link is no longer working. I can't find the video anymore, it looks like CBS has removed it. If you can find it... let me know.
I remember, way back, during at a peak time in the Beatles' popularity, when some people burned Beatles records because they thought the music was bad, or evil, or some bizarre nonsense like that. Even at my young age, this seemed odd. How can this amazing music be considered dangerous in any way? It made no sense. How could they be so close-minded to this music just because it was new and different? Ever since then I always try to give the new and different a chance, not to automatically dismiss it, even if I don't like it at first. That's where the inventive, creative ideas reside, in the new and different, so be open to it.
It's amazing that The Beatles created so many new and different songs, and so much beautiful music in such a relatively short time. I'm glad I lived through those Beatlemania days. We didn't realize it was anything special at the time, but it was a unique and special time. Thanks, John, Paul, George and Ringo, for the music and the fun. I still enjoy listening to all the Beatles music and their solo work. It holds a special place in my heart and makes me feel good. It always will. And... Paul's still cute, too.
