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Pop Rock Nation

Tag: Van Morrison

  • Home sweet home… for now…

    Home sweet home… for now…

    Our furniture is here. Our cars are on the way. I think we’re home sweet home… for now…


    Motley Crue sings “Home Sweet Home”…

    I’m not really a big fan of 80s hair bands, but “Home Sweet Home” by Motley Crue just popped into my head as I’m sitting here thinking that for the 6th time in seven years, I’m “home sweet home”. I’m glad to be in Germany, though the process of getting here and settling wasn’t particularly easy. It helps to have lived here before, though. In fact, coming back here after five years kind of feels like a homecoming. While we lived in the Stuttgart area for only two years last time, it was our favorite place to live and we became quite comfortable here. As soon as our cars get here, it should be somewhat easier. I won’t necessarily be stuck in the house all the time like I was last time.

    It does seem weird that I feel more comfortable in Germany than I did in Texas. Maybe it has to do with the weather, which today is cold and rainy.


    Van Morrison’s stormy “Close Enough For Jazz” makes me think of living in Europe again, especially when it’s raining.

    Hopefully we won’t be “Homeward Bound” anytime soon. At least not for good.


    Going home won’t involve a railway station…

    Actually, we do have to go to Virginia in November and Virginia is my home. We’re going to attend our annual Thanksgiving family reunion, which is held by my side of the family. I used to be a regular attendee of the annual reunion, but when I got married, we quit going so much. Last time I was at the annual shindig was in 2010. I had a great time, but the following year, we went to the Caribbean and the year after that, we went to Scotland. This year, we’re going because of my dad’s death. That’s when his memorial service is going to be. I’m supposed to contribute a song. My mom asked me to sing, then said she hoped I could provide a “tape” of my own accompaniment. I don’t use tapes anymore, but I do have a CD.

    In the meantime, I have to rehearse, which seems a little hard to do in our new German house. I’ve found that sound leaks a lot, probably because the walls are concrete and echo a lot. Germans are also kind of particular about a lot of things, including noise. The last thing I want is someone knocking on my door to tell me to pipe down.


    Jimmy Hughes sings “Neighbor, Neighbor”, a song I might need to dedicate to someone at some point…

    The first time I heard “Neighbor, Neighbor” was in Germany. Gregg Allman was singing a cover version on his album Searching For Simplicity. That CD has the distinction of being the very first item I ever got in the mail in Germany back in 2007. I ordered it before we left the States and it was waiting for me in the post office. This time, we couldn’t get a box right away, so I had to wait for my first package. And this time, I didn’t bring any CDs.

    I realize this post is about a whole lotta nothing, but it’s all finally sinking in. We’re settling in one more time and hopefully for longer than a year or two.

  • Bein’ Green…

    Bein’ Green…

    Spring has sprung here in Texas! It’s not that easy “Bein’ Green” when you have allergies!

    Fortunately, where we live in Texas, there doesn’t seem to be a lot of pollen, so my allergies aren’t flaring up too much at the moment. Still, I’m reminded of an old Muppets song about the color green. Why? Because the other day, I was listening to the many stylings of “Bein’ Green” on YouTube. I found some really good renditions of a great song. And it’s green here in Texas… or as green as it can get in a place where there are very few deciduous trees.


    The original “Bein’ Green” from 1969.

    There’s something very moving about the plain, melancholy way Kermit the Frog (Jim Henson) sings this sweet song about being sad about being ordinary. Done right, this song becomes extraordinary.


    Big Bird sings “Bein’ Green” at Jim Henson’s memorial service in May 1990.

    I cannot watch this rendition of “Bein’ Green” without crying. When Jim Henson suddenly died of pneumonia in May 1990, I felt like I’d lost an old friend. Big Bird singing this at Jim Henson’s memorial service is just so incredibly moving. I can tell that he’s about to cry.


    The lovely Sophie Milman sings her wistful jazzy version of “Bein’ Green” live…

    I love the way Sophie Milman sings this, explaining why this song means something to her. She’s come a long way from being a picked on kid to a beautiful jazz chanteuse.


    Of course, “Bein’ Green” is not always done in such a sad way.

    CeeLo Green sings with Kermit on The Voice. It’s poignant, but not a tear jerker. I think CeeLo’s church lady outfit helps keep the levity alive.


    The folks on Glee sang “Bein’ Green” too…

    I like Glee, but their songs sound a bit auto-tuned sometimes.


    I think this may be my favorite version of “Bein’ Green”.

    Ray Charles just kills this song. The first time I heard this version of it was on The Cosby Show, when Rudy Huxtable got in trouble for trying to wear a summer dress on a chilly day. I love watching Ray Charles sing this while he plays piano. He turns a sad song into something triumphant and magnificent.


    Shirley Horn’s tribute to Ray Charles…

    Shirley Horn’s jazzy version of “Bein’ Green” is poignant and lovely, with elegant, dramatic piano playing accompanying her rich, velvety voice. Listening to this version makes me wish I had stuck with piano lessons. I’d love to be able to play this the way Shirley Horn does.


    And here’s the version that made me decide to write about this song today…

    Van Morrison gives this song more of an upbeat styling, with funky guitars, swanky saxophone, and his own assertive voice. While this version of “Bein’ Green” is not quite as shattering as some of the other renditions, I still like it. In fact, I liked what Van Morrison did with this song so much that I went looking for the album it came from, which is now out of print. I ordered a used copy of Hard Nose The Highway after listening to several tracks on YouTube and determining I had to have it.

    I have myself also sung this song…


    I need to learn how to play piano… and lose lots of weight so I look good on camera. *Sigh*… It’s not easy bein’ green.

    I hope your green days of spring are just lovely. Remember all the ways green can be beautiful! Especially if you have good allergy meds.

  • 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.