99channels

How come some music can stop me in my tracks and draws all my attention, no matter what I was doing? Today we get into some Americana by the son of Steve Earle, who has some big shoes to fill if you ask me.  I am a bit wary of sons of famous musicians, only a few manage to live up to their family name.  Justin Earle has my blessing. How bleak the lyrics and how dreamy the music is for this week. I just had to share it with you. Lyrics are important, they can really take a song to anothe level, something Justin Earle does for sure here: I'm a bad dream I'm not a nightmare, I'm too goody for that Let's just say I'm the last thing you wanna see coming I'm the reason they say watch your back For so long, I was like a wounded hound Backed into a chainlink fence The world at large was just a big, mean kid Poking me through the fence with a stick Ain't nobody goin' back It takes a whole lotta hurt Therein lies one of life's biggest lessons Ain't got not

This is a history lesson.  Mamie Smith recorded this song in August 1920, it is the first female vocal blues recording by an African-American artist. It went to nbr 3 in the US Charts.  More than a million copies were sold. This is the music which resulted in everything I have shown in all 100 previous Music Tuesdays. As often happens with pioneers, she died penniless in 1946 in New York and was buried in an unmarked grave.  It took until 2013 before a monument was erected at the grave site.  Do go and visit if you are close to Staten Island and acknowledge all the fantastic entertainment and arts she brought to the world.  Who knows how many people took up a music instrument because of this milestone in history? Mamie Smith - Crazy Blues https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaz4Ziw_CfQ Moving pictures of Mamie Smith with sound from 1929 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbkdA0GXDBc Bonus: the godmother of rock'n'roll documentary Sister Rosetta Tharpe https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F

I am not a great fan of RnB or Rap music. But now and then cover songs show that there are quite interesting things happening in that corner of the music universe.  This week a famous song, which you might know as one from Jay-Z: 99 problems.  Did you know that the hook and title of the song are by one of the few rap artists who crossed over to metal?  Indeed, Ice T, while performing with Body Count at the time, wrote the original 99 Problems in 1993 (NSFW lyrics!). Apparently he wrote the song after coining the title while chatting with Brother Marquis (2 Live Crew) who also used it in a song a couple of years later.  Here's my favorite cover of Jay-Z's song, the Bluegrass version  Hugo - 99 Problems https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swnudbCnccs The original song that started it all Ice T - 99 problems https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pp4nS1y0Q6s

Somehow, every time I hear the Pixies I jump back in time to when I was 16 and generally angry. I'm still easily annoyed, but manage not to show it most of the time. Anyway, today's song is short, powerful and lyrics wise complete bonkers.  Just what you need when you are starting to think you understand the world. 30 years later I am still angry but now I know that I understand very little. I refuse to relent and be conformist though.  That doesn't mean I need to fight windmills.  I hope that when you hear this you will feel some of the excitement I feel with this 126 seconds long song.   O, it is impossible to appreciate the Pixies at low volume.  Turn it up, full whack, let your soul be cleansed. Pixies - Planet of Sound https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOJCXfnv-Ts

This is the perfect song for those dealing with a bout of melancholy.  The song today is taken from the last album by the band "This Mortal Coil". The band's name was taken from Monty Python's Dead Parrot sketch... in turn this referenced the title of this post which is a line from Shakespeare's Hamlet.  The band was know for its gothic dream pop. I like that.  Hence this song is perfect for musing.  I used to do that when I lived at the seaside.  Walk on the beach at night during winter.  Just to feel alone, cold and miserable.  It is an experience.  You do it for that feeling when you get back in the warmth of your house and you can snuggle in a sofa with a good book. You should try it. This Mortal Coil - You and Your Sister https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLMqL23GbeI Monty Python - Dead Parrot sketch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnciwwsvNcc