she's just saying...

Never can say goodbye...

This one hit me hard.

Rest in peace, MJ.

TTT: iTunes edition

Last night I re-synced my iPod to my iTunes library (yes I have an exciting life. You knew that.)

My iTunes library is now at 65 gigabytes of music. That's 200 days of music. All legal, of course. Fair use and all that. Don't report me.

I was sorting through it all and came up with a list of the top artists in the collection, by number of songs. So, not in order, here they are:

1. Lucinda Williams
2. Grateful Dead
3. Bob Dylan
4. Cowboy Junkies
5. Everything but the Girl
6. Miles Davis
7. Lyle Lovett
8. Los Lobos
9. Elvis Costello
10. Beck

That list pegs me squarely as a baby boomer with alt-country tendencies. Only Beck saves me from being really predictable, and not by much. However, no Billy Joel in all 65 gigs, so that's something.

What are your top ten artists by the numbers?

Lucinda Williams says it best

I'm learning how to live without you in my life

I'll take the best of what you had to give
I'll make the most of what you left me with

I'm learning how to live

They say the best is still yet to come
but the taste of you is still on my tongue

I can't forget and I won't even try
to erase your image and the way you made me cry

I'm learning how to live

All I have left is this dimestore ring
But I wouldn't trade it for anything
The days ahead will never be the same
For you I might have even changed my name

I'm learning how to live without you in my life

click to play

Top 10 Tues: Even better than the real thing

OK, enough emotional, personal, soul-searching posts. Let's talk tuneage.

I have mixed feelings about cover versions (songs that are re-recorded by other-than-the-original artist, to explain the term to my sister). Often there seems to be no point to them other than an attempt to link the new artist to the popularity of the original. Then there's the cover that becomes the definitive version to me, the one I hear in my head when I think of the song.

Here's my top 10, in no particular order. Please share yours!

(Disclaimer: I'm not going back to the Beatles, Elvis Presley, etc. covering even older songs. This isn't a music history blog, it's a personal favorites list. Plus, Christmas songs don't count.)

Top Ten Covers that I like better than the original:

1.  Patti Smith belting out Van Morrison's "Gloria," live in Paris in '77 and on "Horses"

2. Johnny Cash's wrenching acoustic version of Nine Inch Nails "Hurt" (not his version of "My Own Personal Jesus" - not better, but weirder)

3. Cowboy Junkies: "Sweet Jane" - I'm guessing Lou Reed would agree

4. Talking Heads "Take Me to the River" vs. the wonderful Al Green's

5. Speaking of Al, "Funny How Time Slips Away" with Al Green and Lyle Lovett

6. Jerry Garcia singing "Knockin' On Heaven's Door" on his birthday, right before his '92 collapse

7. "Run on for a Long Time": The Blind Boys of Alabama - a crazy pounding gospel threat

8. UB40's reggaed-up "Can't Help Falling in Love With You" versus you-know-who

9. "All Along the Watchtower" (written by) Bob Dylan by way of Jimi Hendrix' psychedelic interpretation

10. "Mucho Mas," Frankie J's Spanish version of Extreme's ballad "More Than Words." Sweet.

 

CC #5: Christmas, The Soundtrack

To follow up on Kathi D's post (you know my motto: Steal from the Best), Christmas is all about the music. For hip 'n' cool folk like Kathi and me, this also includes the smirky ironic variety. She cites "Merry Christmas from the Family" by the great Robert Earl Keen, to which I added “Even Santa Gets the Blues” by Marty Stuart, and “Please Daddy Don’t Get Drunk at Christmas" by Kelly Willis and Bruce Robison (a great alt-country couple by the way. Right up there with Buddie and Julie Miller). There are plenty more out there, I'm sure.

I have a not-so-secret Christmas music habit. I'm a sucker for unusual compilations, the Starbucks CDs, new arrangements of classics, unexpected genres. I make a compilation CD of Christmas music each year to give to friends. Last year's ranged from Billie Holiday to El Vez, and included surf rock, the vibes, bluegrass and Louis Armstrong. Since I have all new colleagues this year, I smartly recycled it for 2008. 'Cause it's that good, IIDSSM*. Here's the playlist:

Baby It's Cold Outside: Zoey Deschanel & Leon Redbone (from Elf)

I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm:  Billy Holiday

Frosty:  The Ventures

Trim Your Tree:  Asylum Street Spankers

Merry Christmas Baby:  Charles Brown

Christmas Song:  Mr. Majestic

'Zat You, Santa Claus?:  Louis Armstrong

That Was the Worst Christmas Ever:  Sufjan Stevens

Jingle Bells:  Duke Ellington

Mele Kalikimaka:  Chris Isaak

Feliz Navidad:  El Vez

I'd Like You for Christmas:  Julie London

All I Want for Christmas:  John Waite

Christmas (Baby Please Come Home):  Death Cab for Cutie

Even Santa Gets the Blues:  Marty Stuart

Skating:  Vince Guaraldi Trio

What Are You Doing New Year's Eve:  Nancy Wilson

Auld Lang Syne:  David Grisman

Of course, I couldn't burn this for you. That would be wrong. I'd hate to spend Christmas in jail.

Though it would make a good song.

This doesn't even include the downloads...

[*if I do say so myself, duh!]

Top 10: Annoying song edition

Oo that's big!

Don't you just hate it when you catch yourself singing the same brief phrase of the same song over and over in your head all day? You don't do that? It's just me? Oh. Well, anyway, here's my list of:

Songs I Can't Get Out Of My Head:

1. "Zoboomafoo" theme song, drummed into me steadily for at least 3 formative years. Picture below, for you non-parental types.

2. "Oo Baby Baby," Smokey Robinson's masterpiece.

3. "Groove Is In The Heart." How can you not repeat: "The chills that you spill up my back give me a thrill..."? I can't. Not repeat it.

4. "Clifford" theme song. See #1.

5. "Don't Fence Me In" Roy Rogers version.

6. "Let It Snow" my own personal version.

7. Wilco's "Either Way."  I love how the drums come in halfway through the first phrase. I sing that part too.

8. "Love Hurts" Gram and Emmy Lou.

9. "China Doll" Two perfect sentences: "...just a little nervous from the fall."

10. "Crimson and Clover." Over and over.

 

Super cute. The puppet and piglet too!

So, anyone else? Time to share those songs with the world!

Little Honey: new Lucinda Williams cd

We interrupt this non-stop baseball blog for a brief musical interlude.

Subdudes

OK, this isn't that cute/insightful/whatever post I promised, but it's a fun one. From the lovely and  talented Elise, this notice:

Subdudes tickets for sale online!

The Subdudes are coming to Bend! Less than a month away, and I couldn't be more nervous. (Yes, I can: a week before the show I will probably be rolled up into a ball in a corner...)

They'll be playing at the Riverhouse Convention Center, Sunday October 12. The timing is perfect because the next day is Columbus Day, so lots of folks will have the day off.

It's a benefit for Healthy Beginnings, which does amazing work for all kids in Deschutes County. The 'dudes were awesome to lower their price so we can make lots of money for Healthy Beginnings. Get your tickets online - until we have some local outlets lined up.

Come support HB, help me celebrate having lived twice my life, and you might win some cool prizes! Details and tickets at www.elisemichaelsbirthdaybash.com.

Please please please come to the party!!

It's going to be the event of the fall, for sure. All Bendites, you've got to be there. More to come.

Beck blast

Cortney Maddock/rgj - See? I do give credit.

Another great show by Beck last night.

This show was the complete opposite of the concert he gave here two years ago. No sets, no puppets, no video, no utensil drumming; just wall-to-wall Beck songs - sort of the "Best Of" (in a good way). Starting off with "Loser," they played "Hell Yes," "Where it's At," "Guero," "Lost Cause," a bunch from "Modern Guilt," and many others. It was a high-energy, positive, tight wash of pure Beck.

I love going down to get as close to the stage as possible -- jammed in among all the other happy dancing people, smelling fresh grass (both kinds), altoids, teenage perfume, warm bodies (all clean: it is Bend, after all). It's a rush - a completely different experience vs. sitting back in the beer garden.

I was definitely in a different place, too, versus two years ago, but it was all okay. Perfect weather, great venue, fun company, plenty of wine, friendly crowd: overall a stellar night. I even biked there and back and didn't fall over! (a first)

Wanna go?

Anyone want to go with me to the Beck concert here next Sunday? Email me at melissahoch at g mail dot com and let me know. His 2006 appearance (above) was the best concert I've ever seen, and I've seen a lot. Can't wait.

Almost blue

Do you ever get in one of those moods?  Sad, nostalgic, moody, adrift?  Anomie, malaise; I could go on...

This post title refers to a great version of a song by Elvis Costello (no, not the album Almost Blue), but nobody says it better (or more) than Van Morrison:

In the afternoon, baby in my room
When the lights are dim way beyond the hill
In the afternoon, baby in my room
When I'm really down get me off the ground
Melancholia, melancholia, melancholia

In the morning time when I go outside
In the morning time it's like that all the while
In the afternoon when I'm in my room
Every single day, it won't go away
Melancholia, melancholia, melancholia

And it's in my heart, when we're apart
And it stops and starts, and it's in my heart
Every single day it's always in my way
When I'm making hay, all I've got to say
Melancholia, melancholia, melancholia

Well it's in my blood and it's in my veins
Here it comes again, when I'm in the rain
In the wind and rain, well the sun don't shine
Well it's always mine, all of the time
Melancholia, melancholia, melancholia

And it's in my life and it's all the time
It doesn't go away when the church bells chime
In the evening time when I drink my wine
In the evening time when it's on my mind
Melancholia, melancholia, melancholia

It's only melancholia
Oh melancholia, oh melancholia, oh melancholia, oh melancholia
Melancholia, melancholia
They call it, call it melancholia, call it melancholia, call it melancholia, call it melancholia
Call it melancholia, melancholia, melancholia, melancholia

OK, we get it, Van! You're seriously bumming!

I'm feeling the same way today.

Lucinda!

Just bought my tix to the Lucinda Williams concert here on Sept. 2. It's in the back of the Athletic Club on the lawn - very pleasant, intimate venue. Because I luuurve her so, we actually got reserved seats, rather than general admission lawn tix. A mere five chairs back. Should be great! I always love her concerts - very immediate and intense.

Shaping up to be a good concert summer: on my list so far are Wilco, Beck, and Lucinda. If they could just get Coldplay, Dylan and Jack Johnson back again, it would be a great season. I think I'll pass on Lynyrd Skynyrd this week, though.

After I moved here, I thought I'd really miss the LA concert scene, but Bend is definitely on the tour map. It's a fun, easy place to see a show. We've ridden our bikes in the past, though we have sustained a few nasty injuries coming back BUI.

Hopefully we won't have any obnoxious dancing fanboys in front of us, a la Kathi's experience.

Pinch me

I must be dreaming. If you haven't heard, Beck and Wilco are both performing here in Bend the same weekend, Aug. 23 and 24. The summer is looking up.

Got my tix already! Who else is going?

Labels: Bend, music

funny how time slips away

I was listening last night to my favorite song on the "Rhythm, Country and Blues" album: "(Ain't It)Funny How Time Slips Away," written by Willie Nelson and recorded here by Al Green and Lyle Lovett. What a great version. It's got a real funky beat mixed with steel guitar, then Al and Lyle's easy-going, pleasant vocal interplay, with that final funny, bitter, almost-threatening twist at the end. I could play that song over and over, and did, last night.

Labels: music

top o' top ten-ish

OMG - how could I have forgotten the Beck show here last year two years ago? Thanks to a friend for reminding me. Incredible show and wonderful night.

Labels: music, top ten

Top Ten-ish: Concerts

I could never rank them, so I'll go alphabetically. I cheated with a couple and listed two separate dates - so sue me. And it's 14, not 10, but anyway:

Buddy and Julie Miller: Eugene OR '98
Bob Dylan: Amphitheater, Bend OR '03 and '05
Coldplay: Amphitheater, Bend OR '04
Cowboy Junkies: Athletic Club, Bend OR '03
Grateful Dead: LA Coliseum, Jerry's birthday, Aug. 1, '92
Donavon Frankenreiter: Barcelona on my birthday '05
Elvis Costello: many venues in NYC and LA
Jack Johnson: Amphitheater, Bend OR '06 '05
Jerry Garcia Band, The Forum, LA, '88
Los Lobos: NYC in the '80s and Athletic Club, Bend OR '99
Lucinda Williams: Athletic Club, Bend, OR '05 and Salem OR '06
Peter Gabriel: LA early '90's
Rickie Lee Jones:Greek Theater, LA '92
U2: Sports Arena, LA some point in the early '90s

Then there's the infamous Kenny G. concert in LA when I fell asleep and he walked right up to our seats on the aisle playing his saxaphone and woke me up.

How about you? What's your list?

Labels: music, top ten