And just like that, the first half of the year is gone. I know you don’t want to hear this, but you do realize that also means half of Margauxville. Gone. Poof.
May as well keep with the endings theme. Here’s Cake’s “Friend Is a Four Letter Word.” I’m going to dedicate this one to very, um, special someone. Wait hold on. Okay, I did. Silently.
To me, coming from you, friend is a four letter word. “End” is the only part of the word that I heard.
Tomorrow, July. Eclipse! The Future!
Do you believe in reincarnation? I have personal proof that it exists. Once when I was about twelve or so my mom and I did the whole Boston/American Revolution tour and we got lost driving around Concord or Lexington or somewhere in between. I have a terrible sense of direction and I had never been there before but I gave her exact directions on how to get to our destination. And I don’t mean the male “turn right, turn left” thing, I mean the female “go to the big tree with the carving in the trunk and turn right” thing.
When we got there she turned to me and asked how I knew where to go. I didn’t even realize till that moment that there was no way I should have. In addition, Boston makes my skin crawl every time I visit. And I swear I’m not just talking Red Sox. I’m talking a visceral reaction that makes me feel claustrophobic and that makes it hard to breathe. So I’m pretty sure the only plausible explanation is reincarnation, no?
I’m also pretty sure my latest musical obsession, The Allah Las, were all reincarnated. It’s astonishing that they’re a current band. I know there are a lot of folks doing the whole “garage band” thing but almost none of them interest me. The Allah Las, on the other hand, just reek of authenticity. Here’s their single “Catamaran.” It’s like somehow the spirit of what embodied the best of the Nuggets-era bands somehow managed to reincarnate into 4 L.A. kids and somehow they managed to find each other.
I’m pretty smitten. You better be too. Or else my past lives and I will be really disappointed.
P.S. Update on my Bunker Hill post: I just got an email that Norton Records, the wonderful label which released Bunker Hill as well as A TON of amazing music is celebrating their 25th Anniversary in November with 4 crazy shows at The Bell House in Brooklyn. It’s never too early to plan.
I’ve always found it curious why some songs become ‘go-to’ songs. There really isn’t a tangible reason, at least not in my case. I guess they were originally there at the right time or something. For me, one of these songs “Savoir Faire” by Family Fodder. Aptly, I find it goes well with any situation or mood.
Family Fodder is an odd sort of band. First of all, the center of it is an accordionist, Alig Fodder. Secondly, they’ve managed to stay around, on and off, for over 30 years even though they’ve not had much success. Their last record, released in 2010, utilized the vocals of the daughter of the original singer. That’s keeping the family in Family Fodder.
Though “Savoir Faire” is one of their earliest recordings, they’re very much still around. I’d love to see them live. And their website says they would love to perform (“preferably not paid in peanuts this time. Pistachios. Walnuts.”) It would be nice if our loves can meet someday.
Till then, I’m sure that the simple act of downloading this song will boost your own savoir faire. I’m not sure how, but I am absolutely sure of it.
I know next to nothing about Lord Sausage except that his name is fabulous and the song “Funky River” is even better than that. Mind you, that’s all the info that’s necessary.
One word of warning: you will get completely funkified upon listening. Please don’t download before bedtime or while operating heavy machinery.
What a difference a day makes. Such a completely simple thought, but one that everything boils down to, no? “What A Diff’rence A Day Makes,” the song, was actually originally a Spanish language song and the original lyrics are completely different (diff’rent?) than they are in English. So even with the song itself, look at the difference a day makes! It was written by Maria Grever in 1934 and was called “Cuando Vuelva A Tu Lado” and I guess for the sentiment I want to convey, I should really be posting the English song. But I just love the Spanish version too much not to go with it.
Maria Grever was the first successful female Mexican composer. It’s said that she composed her first music at age 4. I scoffed at that tidbit when I first learned it, but I had my first blog at age 4, so maybe that’s true. Well, that’s not true. But had there been internet, I totally would have, so I still believe the Maria Grever story.
But I digress.
Back to what a difference – or diff’rence – a day makes. For those of you who have been sending those positive vibes and good thoughts, thank you. The vibes in question have apparently reached their intended destination and things are looking up. Still not out of the woods, but the forest has gone from redwoods to white birches so it’s way easier to navigate. For those who are reading and don’t know what on earth I’m talking about, don’t worry. It won’t affect your enjoyment of the amazing song that’s just waiting for your ears. Let’s just leave it as good thoughts were direly needed and good thoughts have been wholly received.
Apparently I have friends with super powerful good thoughts ability. And, you know, that’s even a more basic truth that ‘what a difference a day makes.’
Okay, NY, this one is for you. Here’s the original 1978 version of ground-breaking hit “Glad To Be Gay” by the Tom Robinson Band.
More tomorrow. I may even tell you why I missed yesterday. Or not. Time will tell.
In the meantime, sing if you’re glad to be gay.
Lou Deprijck
Almost everybody I know is in Cannes this week. I can’t help but wish I were there too – especially tonight. A Girl Story – which I wrote about previously – won a Cyber Lion earlier and I’d have loved to have been there to hear that announced. Regardless, yay!!
So with France on my mind lots, you might think I should post a song by a French artist. And I kind of am. What I mean by that is that I am going to give you one that you thought was by one. Plastic Bertrand’s 1977 smash “Ça Plane Pour Moi” is as Frenchie a song as they come, but Plastic Bertrand (Roger Jouret) is actually Belgian. He’s half French though. But it really doesn’t matter what he is because….he never even sung on the record! It was actually sung by the composer, Lou Deprijck. It gets weirder. Lou was the singer on not one, not two, but three Plastic Bertrand LPs!
After denying reports that he was not the real singer, Plastic Bertrand finally came clean and admitted his voice does not appear on any of the songs of those albums. Somehow, for reasons I don’t completely understand, Belgian courts said that even though he did not appear on the record, he could still claim he was the “legal performer” of the song.
Wait! I’m not done with the story of the song yet!
Also in 1977 an English band called Elton Motello released “Jet Boy, Jet Girl” which was basically the same song with very different and far more risque lyrics. Elton Motello was a legit band, but this single “Jet Boy, Jet Girl” wasn’t actually them. It was the original “Ça Plane Pour Moi” musicians and was sung by….Lou Deprijck! When the Plastic Bertrand news came to light last year, Alan Ward, who was the main guy in Elton Motello, confirmed this fact as well.
I know none of this makes much sense. But you don’t need sense to have a lesson. The moral of this story is that just as it really doesn’t matter if Lou Deprijck was the singer on a huge hit for Plastic Bertrand or that Elton Motello’s gay cult hit wasn’t really Elton Motello, it also doesn’t matter that I wasn’t in Cannes to hear the news.
It’s all completely awesome.
As far as seasons go, I like Fall the best, Spring second best and Winter third best, if it’s snowy. If it’s not, then maybe Summer third best. But in either scenario, Summer doesn’t top the list.
What’s strange about this is that I absolutely love heat. I love being super hot to the point of uncomfortableness. Actually, maybe Summer should be higher up. Yeah. I need to think more carefully about this. Today, the first day of Summer, is the longest day in the year. It’s all downhill from this point. Or uphill if you’re like me.
Earlier today, a friend and I were trying decide what the perfect First Day of Summer Song would be and “Sun Is Out” by Apples in Stereo won hands-down. I’m sure you’ll agree. In fact, I’m listening to it as I’m writing this and I’m realizing that my earlier ranking was definitely wrong.
I like Fall best and then SpringSummerWinter second best.
Occasionally here in Margauxville, a song is posted just because I have a craving for hearing it. And I have nothing to say about it, really. It doesn’t happen often, but it’s the case today with Evelyn “Champagne” King’s disco hit, “Love Come Down.“
I just can’t help the way that I feel.
margauxville 