web analytics

Pop Rock Nation

Category: News

music-news-from-breakups-to-the-lastest-buzz

  • Mashups, medleys, and songs that just sound alike…

    Last month, I posted about horrible cover songs here on Pop Rock Nation. That post generated some great comments, especially on Facebook, when a poster introduced me to the truly horrible abomination that is Tom Jones’ cover of Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire”. I used to think Olivia Newton-John’s cover was the worst, but I think Tom Jones gives her a run for her money. However, despite the atrocity of the musical stylings of Tom Jones doing a classic Johnny Cash song, I have to admit that cover inspired something in me. You see, as I listened to it…

    Tom Jones “Ring of Fire”

    I suddenly realized that it reminded me of another song…

    Lynyrd Skynyrd “Swamp Music”

    Tom Jones and Lynyrd Skynyrd are pretty different musically speaking, but the similar arrangements of these two songs are pretty uncanny. Okay, so they aren’t totally the same, but especially at the beginning, they mesh pretty well. And then it occurred to me that both songs sort of reminded me of a third song…

    George Thorogood & The Destroyers “You Talk Too Much”


    George Thorogood’s brand of bluesy rock is a far cry from Tom Jones’ sexbomb style or Lynyrd Skynyrd’s southern rock. But he seemed to channel them with his song, “You Talk Too Much”.

    Several days later, I got a sudden urge to listen to an old song by country singer, George Strait.

    “The Fireman” George Strait

    And as I was listening to George Strait singing about puttin’ out fires, I was reminded of a song by Van Morrison…

    Van Morrison “When That Evening Sun Goes Down”


    It’s done in the same key and a similar tempo, and again, could probably mashup pretty well with George Strait’s 80s era number.

    I’m always intrigued when someone takes a couple of songs and strings them together into a medley or, even better, turns them into a delightful mashup blend. Back in 1983, when Michael Jackson’s Thriller was all the rage, some brilliant soul decided to mashup his hit song “Billie Jean” with the Steely Dan hit, “Do It Again”. This is what we got from that blend.

    Club House “Do It Again/Billie Jean”

    A few years later, Depeche Mode did it with their cover of “Route 66” and their own song, “Behind The Wheel”.

    The first time I heard this mix, I was a disc jockey at WLCX radio station at Longwood College. And, much to my shame, I have to admit this was probably my first real taste of Depeche Mode. Sure, I had heard their music, but this was the first song I had ever really listened to by them that made me want to listen to more of their music. It turned out this particular mix was a rare find. At the radio station, we only had it on a 45 record, which someone else grabbed before I could score it during a big inventory purge. Thank God for YouTube.

    I love music by Carole King and James Taylor and they’ve worked together a lot.  Back in 2010, they had their magical “Live At The Troubadour” tour.  In that concert, they seamlessly blended their versions of “Up On The Roof”, a song King wrote with her ex-husband, Gerry Goffin back in the early 60s.

    Carole King and James Taylor “Up On The Roof”

    I like both versions, but actually prefer what James did with it compared to Carole’s rendition. Still, it’s awful cool that they were able to string them together so perfectly. On the other hand, I like Carole King’s version of her song, “You’ve Got A Friend”, better than James’ take. I’m surprised they didn’t try to mash them up, too.

    Lots of people are getting into the act. The Wax Audio Channel on YouTube has quite an interesting mashup of “Stayin’ Alive” by the Bee Gees and “Another Brick In The Wall” by Pink Floyd, as well as quite a few other blends of excellent songs. Are you ready for a mashup of “Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana and “The Final Countdown” by Europe? How about “Careless Whisper” by Wham! and “Rebel Yell” by Billy Idol?

    WaxAudio “Stayin’ Alive In The Wall”

     

    “The Final Teen Spirit”

    “Careless Rebel”

     

    Now I’m excited. I might have to hang out on YouTube all day and see what other craziness I can dig up.

  • Take this job and SHOVE it! Songs for working stiffs…

    Over the past couple of days, there’s been a news story circulating about Chelsea Welch, a now former Applebee’s waitress who uploaded a photo of a credit card receipt with a rude comment left on it by a patron who’d allegedly “stiffed” one of Chelsea’s co-workers out of a tip. Apparently, Chelsea’s decision to upload that photo of the credit card slip mortified the patron, who then called up Applebee’s and demanded that everyone involved in the incident be fired. Applebee’s didn’t go that far, but they did fire Chelsea Welch for violating the customer’s privacy by sharing the offensive remark scribbled on the credit card slip.

    I don’t want to get too much into that story, since it’s already gone viral and can be found all over the Internet. However, as someone who has waited tables and knows how hard the job is, it made me start thinking about hard work and the people who do it everyday. And then I was reminded of all the songs about people who work hard for the money. So today’s blog post is dedicated to Chelsea Welch, and all other the people out there who have tough jobs, especially those who have to deal with the public while maintaining an unshakeable smile and nerves of steel.

    “Get a Job” by The Silhouettes and James Taylor

    “Get a Job” is a song that was made popular in 1957 by The Silhouettes.  Many years later, James Taylor covered it.  I somehow ran across Taylor’s cover version on Napster back in 2000, and then he included it on his 2009 EP, Other Covers.  It seems fitting to start this post with “Get a Job”, because you generally can’t have work related exasperation if you don’t have a job.  And looking for a job can certainly be very exasperating.  I should know.  I gave up on being a working stiff years ago and just write blog posts now.

    “9 to 5” by Dolly Parton


    “9 to 5” is the title song for the 1980 film by the same name. More than that, it’s a song that really spells out how frustrating it can be to work at a low level, especially when you’re ambitious. Of course, nowadays, a lot of people are just happy to have a job. But back in 1980, Dolly Parton really captured the essence of being a low level employee, just trying to get by. It’s also a great song to listen to in the morning, when you’re trying to get going.

    “She Works Hard For the Money” by Donna Summer

    The late disco diva Donna Summer contributes “She Works Hard For the Money” to any list of songs for working stiffs. Just watch the video and you’ll see exactly why waiting tables or being a housekeeper is tough, especially when you’re a single parent who’s given up on your dreams. This is another great morning song. I remember it being a staple in aerobics classes too, back when I could still be bothered to do aerobics.

    “Working for a Livin’” by Huey Lewis and the News


    Huey Lewis and the News contribute the upbeat “Working for a Livin’”, yet another song that conveys the frustration of having to put up with a lot of crap while on the job and barely making enough money to cover all the bills. The chorus says it all, “I’m takin’ what they’re givin’ cuz I’m workin’ for a livin’”. I hear ya, Huey!

    “Working In A Coal Mine” by Lee Dorsey… or Devo


    Lee Dorsey made this song about working in a coal mine popular in 1966, but being a child of the 80s, I had to include Devo’s geekier version.  I guess Lee Dorsey’s version is more about physical labor, while Devo reminds me more of what office workers have to deal with in a corporate setting… albeit with IBM typewriters and computer cards rather than the Internet equipped machines of today.

    “Allentown” by Billy Joel


    Billy Joel contributes this thoughtful hit about industrial factory work. My husband once worked in factories and described it as mind-numbingly tedious work. It drove him back into the military.

    “Take This Job and Shove It” by Johnny Paycheck

    Okay, so this is a country song, but how many of us have uttered this very line when we are at our wit’s end on the job? I know I have, especially when I waited tables.

    “F*cked Up, F*cked Over, and Hungry” by Weird Wilbur


    I found Weird Wilbur on YouTube a few years ago and he wrote this very cynical but funny ditty about trying to get in the music business. Yeah, it’s life as a struggling musician, and the work is still pretty hard if you don’t know the right people.

    “Forty Hour Week (For a Livin’)” by Alabama


    Country band Alabama had some appreciation for working people when they recorded “Forty Hour Week”, thanking working folks for what they do every day.

    “Complete History of the Soviet Union, Through the Eyes of a Humble Worker” by Pig With the Face of a Boy


    I suppose we can be grateful that at least we’re not living in the old Soviet Union. I used to live in a former Soviet country and this video pretty much captures what some people told me about the old regime… Has there been improvement now that the Soviet Union is no more? That remains to be seen.

    “Livin’ It Up (Friday Night)” by Bell and James

    Since it’s Friday, I figure Bell & James and their hit “Livin’ It Up (Friday Night)” is the perfect way to end my post on songs for working stiffs. If you’re not working this weekend, I hope you have a good time and manage to live it up tonight! You deserve a break today!

  • Songs from your sickbed

    As January comes to a close, I’m thinking about how fortunate my husband and I have been so far this winter, escaping the horrible flu that has brought so many to their knees or driven them to their sickbeds.  If you’ve spent any time watching the news or hanging out on Facebook, you have no doubt heard from people who have been bitten by some nasty bug that has led to an oppressive sickness. In some unfortunate cases, the flu bug has led to worse illnesses or even death.

    I know many of my friends have been sick this winter. With that in mind, I thought I’d write a post for those who are presently stuck in bed.  Here are a few songs about sickness.  If you’re not sick right now, count your blessings and, for God’s sake, wash your hands!

    “Medical Love Song” by Monty Python

    Perhaps one of the most comprehensive songs about sickness out there is the hilarious “Medical Love Song” performed by the venerable comedy troupe Monty Python.  Be careful about listening to this if you have the flu, because it will make you laugh so hard you’ll erupt into a coughing fit.  On the other hand, if you have a weak stomach, you may end up vomiting because the lyrics are pretty disgusting.  If you’re me and violent coughing makes you throw up, you may do both.


    This particular video comes from a live show by Eric Idle.

    I doubt there are many songs out there that can top “Medical Love Song” in terms of inclusiveness.

    “Rockin’ Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu” by Johnny Rivers

    The first time I heard this song, I’d swear it was on a 45 and sung by someone like Jerry Reed.  I was at my cousin’s house and his parents are very musical and had a nice collection of old records.  But try as I might, I can’t find that same version I heard at their house.  In 1972, Johnny Rivers made “Rockin’ Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu” a hit.

    If you’re in bed, shaking, hacking, and sweating, perhaps you can especially relate to this classic.

    “Fever” by many singers

    You can’t garner much sympathy for being sick if you don’t have a fever.  The song “Fever” is a true classic, having been written by Eddie Cooley and Otis Blackwell, who used the pseudonym John Davenport.  It was originally recorded in 1956 by Little Willie John, but it’s been covered by many, many well-respected artists.  Peggy Lee’s version might be the most famous, but you can hear versions by Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Ella Fitzgerald, Ray Charles, and Bette Midler, just to name a few.  You might say this song went viral!

    Here’s a rendition done by Rita Moreno and Animal, of The Muppet Show.

    “I Want A New Drug” by Huey Lewis and the News

    If you get sick enough, maybe you’ll consult your personal physician, who will prescribe a new drug for you. Hopefully, it’ll make you feel like yourself again, or at least as well as you’d feel with your main squeeze at your side.


    Being a child of the 80s, this song has a special place in my heart.

    “Hospital Beds” by Cold War Kids

    Of course, if your illness progresses too much, you could find yourself laid up in the hospital. In that case, you might relate to this song by Cold War Kids.

    On the other hand, hospitals are probably the last place you’d want to be when you’re sick!

    “The Jack” by AC/DC

    And then there are illnesses that don’t get spread via casual contact…

    AC/DC reminds us why it’s a good idea to be extra careful when it comes to choosing sexual playmates.

    “Heart Attack” by Olivia Newton-John

    A heart attack is the last thing you’d want to have happen when you’re in the throes of a nasty virus.  Better take care of your ticker, lest you end up like Olivia Newton-John. She makes heart attacks sound better than they really are.


    I will admit I was quite the fan of Olivia’s when I was coming of age, but she’s also done quite a few songs that fit my blog themes.

    “Seasons In The Sun” by Terry Jacks

    Sometimes being sick leads to the process of dying, which brings to mind this 1974 hit by Terry Jacks…

    Come on now, you know the words! I’ve heard that the flu this year has made some people wish they might find relief somehow, perhaps even through death.  And I’ve also heard that Terry Jacks’ hit also makes some people wish for death, though tastes definitely differ.

    “Angel” and “I Will Remember You” by Sarah McLachlan

    If you do happen to pass away, you can take comfort in the fact that there are many lovely songs written about death, like these two modern classics by Sarah McLachlan.

    If you’re sick right now, I do hope this little little tongue in cheek look at songs about sickness help you feel a little better. If you’re not sick, please wash your hands!  The flu can and does kill; so please do whatever you can to avoid catching and spreading it. Wash your hands, wash your hands, wash your hands! And when you sneeze, aim for your elbow!

     

    Stay well!