This Is Not A Joke

I've been watching some more movies lately, a few of them Westerns.
Also been listening to almost only old records. A few of them old country.
A nice fit, that.


YouTube video of a fun and funny old tune, "Evil on Your Mind" by Jane Morgan
Download an even better version here: "Evil On Your Mind", Judy Lynn

Most Westerns that I've seen awfully serious, though, and a lot of classic country is joshing, joking around. Not too surprising: why would ('western') film have anything to do with ('country and western') music?
I mean, a silly case in point: old western movies are in black and white; old C'n'W music is neither black'n'white nor in color.
Because music is invisible.
(However, music is not immaterial, or non-physical: sound is nothing but moving air and the vibrations that air causes in your body.)
My point is, the arts don't really have that much in common; they are more distinct than similar.
Which is part of the reason that music doesn't need words, as I boldly and clearly stated in the last post.
Words are poetry, or literature. Music is not poetry, or literature. You don't demand that all your paintings have words in them, do you?



"Keep your Apollonian Narrative off My Dionsysian Body!" That's what I say!

But, that said, if you are going to have words, you might as well tell a story. Country does that: old or new, perennially telling stories. If you must use words, I implore you: instead of mouthing vacuous truisms (which are so vague as to become false), create a character, have interactions that make something happen (but please, don't try to 'make a point', pffff), or at least, crack a joke.

Better Living Through Explosives

Last night was good, for two primary reasons.
First, St. Patty's Month was not as horrible as you might think. I was in Old City (oof), which should have been real real yucky. There were hardly any green hats, hardly any beads, etc. Negatively good: the absence of obnoxiousness. Phew.

Second, more positively good: Neil had some Irish friends in town; these friends have a band; this band has good songs (at Rhapsody) . They're called Butterfly Explosion (Myspace).
We went to the Khyber, which I love but hadn't been to in a minute. You know that High Lifes (High Lives?) are only $2.50 there? Downstairs even (upstairs beers are always crazy cheap). I'll be darned.


Butterfly Explosion on YouTube
Butterfly Explosion sound like M83 with less synthesized business (as Neil accurately stated). They do have a keyboard, but it's more for an extra layer of sound, not for beeps and bloops.
Or like Mogwai, but less often loud. 2 or 3 songs got 'Mogwai loud'...
...this would be an explosion, in Mogwai mode:

...

but the bulk built and waned without ever making a huge crashing. So mellower than Mogwai, but not crybaby-mellow. Just more restrained, like so...


Most of the songs didn't have words, which is a strong merit. Songs don't need words! If you require your music to have words- a non-musical element, of course- I think there may be something wrong with you.
There is probably something wrong with you regardless.

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

A Little Black and White Romance: Fire, Fine Wine, and a Footrub

So, I let it be overshadowed on the last post (about the death Teddy Pendergrass) that I had finally released another AMX mix.
Said Teddy Track is on said mix:
"AMX: Black Mask McGuffin".
Inspired by the smooth smoothness on the Pulp Fiction Soundtrack.

Oh man, Oh my: this mix is a real slow burnin' gem. A diamond: ice.
Fire and Ice.





Also on the mix is no not one, but 2! (two) Jerry Butler songs.



You know I love this man; I've posted already about him. So I will hold my tongue
(which is really difficult for me to do! Not my fault! The tongue is actually 16 different muscles, okay, so that makes it tough to restrain!)
for now on him, and turn to the broader description of the mix.

TRACK LISTING

1- When You're Alone )( Jerry Butler

---2 Someday )( Ricky Nelson

3- Don't Make Me Over )( Dionne Warwick

---4 Cathy's Clown )( The Everly Brothers

5- Sexy Mama )( The Moments

---6 Honky Tonk )( Duane Eddy

7- I'll Guess I'll Have To Cry Cry Cry )( James Brown

---8 Play It Fair )( DeeDee Sharp & Chubby Checker

9- If It Don't Turn You On (you oughta leave it alone) )( BT Express

---10 Maybe More )( The Carlisles

11- I'm Glad You're Mine )( Al Green

---12 My Heart is an Open Book )( Carl Dobkins

13- Be Real )( Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes

---14 Be Honest With Me )( Billy Brown

15- Oh, Pretty Woman )( Al Green

---16 Never Gonna Give You Up )( Jerry Butler

Download "AMX: Black Mask McGuffin" here

Basically
(although there is nothing basic about this mix: complex, like a fine wine),
this mix takes Al Green-esque classy, clean, clearly superior soulful R'n'B, and alternates that with honky-tonkin', hominy-eatin', hometown classic country. Trying to capture some of that slowed-down, down-home soul, from both sides.
As Chubby Checker says, "What a combination it would be!"
On both sides we have romantic tunes that 'be honest', 'be real'. They'll make you feel like 'a pretty woman', a 'sexy mama', 'when you're alone'.
So we have Mia and Marcel, mixing it up together, on this mix.
See how romantic and how sexy black and white can be?

AMX: Black Mask McGuffin--- Mia and Marcel Wallace, giving each other a little musical footrub.
Or is 'musical footrub' gross?

Teddy Pendergrass- To Know Him, is to Love Him

Teddy Pendergrass on Youtube; specifically, Teddy with Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes: "Be Real"

We lost one. Teddy Pendergrass passed yesterday. Rest In Power, Teddy P.
I heard about it on NPR, that trusted source for black entertainment news.

The track above is right thick in the middle of my last (official...) AMX Mix. This one apes the sound of the sounds on the Pulp Fiction sdtk (=soundtrack).
It is called Black Mask McGuffin (I'll explain, next post). Grab it here.
So it is some grownup, sexy, calm before the (quiet) storm business. You know that the Reverend Al Green is on there: just extrapolate, and you have half the mix.

You might know Teddy from R Kelly's "I'm A Flirt", where T Pain references him.
(to know him, is to love him)
T Pain calls himself "Teddy Bend-her-ass", which is vulgar, yes, but shows that Teddy P is known for being zexee.

You might also know Teddy (again, with his earlier group, Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, hereafter HMBN) from the "Dead Presidents" soundtrack.
(to know him, is to love him)

Groups on the stellar Dead Prez sdtk include
Sly & The Family Stone, "Walk On By" (best version ever) by Isaac Hayes, HMBN, James Brown, Barry White, Curtis Mayfield, Aretha Franklin , Al Green , The O'Jays , Isaac Hayes , and weirdly, Danny Elfman on the score.

Heavy hitters to a one, am I wrong? And HMBN and Teddy hit just as hard as any of the rest.
(the heavy hitters on "AMX: Black Mask McGuffin" include Al Green, Jerry Butler, James Brown, and HMBN too; but I wasn't copying, swear!)
My buddy/pal/confidant Kyle burnt me this sdtk, a looooong while ago. This sdtk used to be about one of two CDs of soul/RnB that I owned, along with Al Green's great Greatest Hits.
(got a few more now)
The CD is so old that it clips in and out near the end. It doesn't skip- it is not scratched- but rather, the CD is reflecting less light than it needs to, so there is a rhythmic clicking/scuffing near the end of the CD. It makes it sound like a scratched record, but not good like that.
Supposedly, all burnt CDs will do this eventually.
(Armand Van Helden burnt CD- also about 10 years old- suffered the same fate.....)
When they all go kaput, it will basically be like the fucking Apocalypse.

Also, let's have an adult moment, since this is some adult music here.
I'll be honest with you: some of these tracks, some not all, are a bit on the scratchy side.
It stands as indirect proof of the greatness of these particular records. These records were so well-loved (by previous owners) that they got played again and again,
and again,
and eventually picked up a li'l scuff here and there.
But you can handle it, right, you can hang tough? I hope so. Even if you cannot, you will only notice the scuff on the tracks right in the beginning; once those strings/basslines/harmonies/etc drop, there will be enough volume to cover li'l scuff. So nuh be afeared, man.

Even if you don't like the sound of the vinyl, it could be worse.

You could be dead.

Epic Delights: Essential Finds

Next List!
Musical Delights this time!



The O'Jays in Philadelphia

(the above is the lead-off song from this album)

Jonathan Richman : Not to be Loved, So Much as to Love
(awwww.... what a romantic...)

Patsy Cline

Prince and the Revolution: PURPLE RAIN !!!
I already have this on vinyl, of course, but got it for cheap on CD too. The record comes with the epic poster at top of pic below



Some more Harry Belafonte

[ 1) Read the blurbs on that magazine cover
2) Doesn't Harry Belafonte look like Devon there? ]
On record and CD- the CDs are, embarrassing enough, the Reader's Digest Edition. So some grandparent died, left these to their unwitting offspring, who unloaded them on the GoodWill, much to the GoodLuck of myself.

Ghostface Killah: Fishscale
(which I already owned- bought even, which adds insult to the injury of losing it: so I rebought it, rebooted it)

Jackie Wilson

A vinyl compliation called Super Girls! Three slabs of vinyl with all sorts of girl bands on them... epically delightful!


(Notice that there are 3 of Triplicate Girl in this SuperGirl comeek...)

More Brook Benton

Teddy Pendergrass (Rest In Power: Jan 14 2010)
He is ALSO Philadelphia-based like The O'Jays, although I got this in Oregon. So maybe Philly is not the only place to get that hott Phillee Sound...