Lion-Less Helter-Skelter Honky-Tonk

That's Duane Eddy, on Youtube. Okay?
Create a makeable digital download-version of the same here, plus other songs

So, more deets about the most recent AMX mix that I birthed,
entitled "AMX: Black Mask McGuffin".



This one was modeled after the Pulp Fiction soundtrack; precisely, it's based upon my imprecise memory of it. SO there is Al Green-ish RnB; there is surf-y, country-y, honky-y tonk-y rock too. About 6 of one, half dozen of the other.
You should have a good idea of the BLACK side- see all my posts on Philadelphia International Records, on Jerry Butler, etc.

Now I'm giving you a dose of the WHITE side- the honky-tonk bits. You know, the white man's blues: barroom sad-sack business. Chorales for "The Loser's Cathedral", as a jam by David Houston calls bars.


You are asking yourself why the mix "Black Mask MacGuffin" is called what it's named; or conversely, why it is named what it's called.



Definition of a MacGuffin (from www.filmsite.org):
"Alfred Hitchcock's term for the device or plot element that catches the viewer's attention or drives the logic or action of the plot and appears extremely important to the film characters,
but often turns out to be insignificant after it has served its purpose;
its derivation is Scottish, meaning a "lion trap" for trapping lions in the lion-less Scottish Highlands (i.e., a trap that means nothing, since it is for an animal where there is no such animal)."

That would be the suitcase in Pulp Fiction.

"Black Mask" was a working title of the movie: I think that would refer to "the Gimp".


One last chance: Download AMX: Black Mask McGuffin.zip.

Just Pokin' Fun

Phew, back at it. Last post was Bill Withers, who really lets you know how he feels about things. Doesn't really mince words lyrically, that guy.
"Use Me"? Tells you that you can keep on usin' him, cuz he's sure 'nuff using you, to do the things you do.


That track "Who Is He, And What Is He To You" (which you can download here), from the last post?

"When I add the sum of you and me
I get confused when I keep coming up with 3,

You're too much for one man
But not enough for two,
Dadgummit
Who is he and what is he to you?" Yeah, Bill said that.

Bill also tells you that grandad used to whup him a bit, when he was acting up. Same song: says grandma used to help the young girls who got knocked up. In "You", he disses his girl for the kinds of parties she goes to
,
and her headshrink. Bill doesn't need any of that hooey.

So callin' 'em like he sees 'em; pullin' no punches.
Reminds me of a mix series that will be coming out soon. (On this here blog, see.)
Called Real Talk. Selections will drop lyrical bombs, leave snares of nasty talk, destroy friendships, ruin lives. Words that cut and run. Descriptions of human behavior that will make you say, "Man is a wolf to man", but, hey, we've all seen it before.

Now if this sounds depressing or cruel- it's not. The series got inspired by R Kelly's Real Talk, and you will recall: that song is nothing but funny.


Most of the songs are just pokin' fun.
Aretha Franklin praises Dr. Feelgood. A Kurtis Blow production ponders the "Games Females Play"; other females have a "Meeting in the Ladies Room" (by Klymaxxx), where they either put on more makeup to seduce a man, or do some cocaine.
Not the only song that will discuss drugs in blunt terms (cough), or sex in a non-sentimental fashion.

The whole mix: just people being real. Really Real.

Other in utero mixes right now are Poker Jams, where I cull and collect songs from old records, songs that both Ben and Sue would want to listen to in her kitchen. Not an easy task- Ben likes shit that nobody's ever heard of, and Sue likes it fun. She does not think that the Frogs are fun.
(whoa, Myspace link! Haven't seen one of those in a while!)
She's probably not interested in songs on 78 wax cylinders. He's probably not interested in bands where girls sing about boys.


Another called "Talky Singy". Songs with spoken bits at some points, or lyrics that are barely sung. Not going to focus on rapping, because that would be cheating, yes?

Another one selecting ONLY songs that have some sort of sound effect in them. The roaring, and wrecking, bike of "Leader of the Pack": Check!
The occasional train horn: oooh, sounds lonely.
Click-clack of guns: M.I.A., any B'more track, NWA?: Abbrev's!
The crack of the whip, in "Ox Driver" or the O'Jays "Ship Ahoy"?: Oh, Snap!
etc, etc
You are all so vitally enthused right now! Patience! Any recommendations, directions, suggestions, emendations, rejections, pretensions, gesticulations, and such: drop a comment. Tell me which mix you'd prefer I get finished first.

Bill Withers: "Who Is He", and How Is He Still So Ill?

I was supposed to go to Memphis this weekend, but I wasn't able to. Travel plans became a casualty of infinite snow.
No big deal.
What is a big deal is that my favored coffee shop is closed today- some holiday of some sort- and the other one?
Having a birthday party
(a V-day B-day Par-tay)
for children, in the back. I am deeply pleased with myself for bringing headphones...
Now, to the business at hand.

Download a little valedictorian valentine, for all you valetudinarians out there! This one will make you feel tuff and buff!
Bill Withers- Who Is He (And What Is He To You?)
"Valedictorian" means 'highest' in 'class', and this songs does possess class for days.
You, however, are like school in the summer, or school this last week in Philadelphia: NO CLASS.
A "valetudinarian" is a sickly, weakly constituted little pffff of a person.

Even if you are such a pffff, this song has a boss little edge to it. It's about a guy, looking at his girl, who appears to be looking at some other guy. Looking at him like, 'oh hey, I know you and I got a thing, but this guy is my guy, so don't mean-mug him, you knew we were OPP and all that' or somesuch. But Bill is not sure he wants to be caught up in all that, ya know?




Mr. Bill is so slept on! We all know him from that 'Use Me' song from American Beauty, we all know 'Lean on Me', and some of us love "Ain't No Sunshine" (yes, all these are the same gentleman). But what about "Granma's hands", "Harlem", "Kissing", "Another Day to Run", "I Don't Want You On My Mind"?!?!?!
People! Let's get our shit together! Now a movie is out about the guy; we missed the screening in West Philly, but can still catch it in Lower Merion.
ROADTRIP?!!?!?!

(sorry about so many exclamatory question marks- I've been
at home
alone
a lot
lately.)

Still Bill Trailer from B-Side Entertainment on Vimeo.

The trailer has stupid sting in it, boo, but also awesome Cornel West. Sure, s was in The Police, but Cornel West is a philosopher, which according to Ranciere means that he disrupts 'police', and also, Dr. West's album has Prince, Andre 3000, Talib Kweli, Black Thought, and WHYY Philadelphia's own Tavis Smiley.

That's enough for now. One of the Vday Bday children lost a pair of glasses. I should go help them find them.
no, not really