Rainy days and Mondays don't particularly bother me, happily enough

Today wasn't even remotely rainy—it was gloriously sunny and clear and actually much too warm for a turtleneck—and as I usually do at least some work every day of the week, my Mondays are often awfully similar to my Fridays and Sundays and Wednesdays and—well, you get the picture—so I don't harbor any particular resentment toward them. But it's funny—as I work, I listen to what might be the oddest mix of music, and depending upon my mood, I might switch about from classical guitar to oldies, or alternative to classical, or jazz standards to my own CD collection randomly mixed up or what have you. I particularly love BBC 6—it's British alternative radio, and you'll often hear very fresh music there that winds up on American radio (or American car commercials, like Brendan Benson did, or on CSI Miami, like this Boards of Canada song I love, Dayvan Cowboy) a year or so later, and they often throw a lot of wonderfully random "roots of modern music" songs in there, too, with a complete absence of irony. The other day, for instance, I heard this song that sounded just FANTASTIC  in the moment—it was hook-heavy, with very hard, fast guitars and a sort of histrionic male vocal, and I thought: "Man, I must have this for my trampoline running soundtrack." I waited to hear who the artist was...and it turned out to be Deep Purple.  For crying out loud. From about thirty years ago. LOL. Astounding how fresh it sounded alongside all those other of-the-moment songs. And now I can't remember the name of the bloody song. I still need it for my running mix.

Anyway, my point is that it's funny how appreciation is often about context and time and distance. For instance, in my recent listening journeys I stumbled across the song in the video below, and as I never listen to what might be called "Easy Listening," I don't think I'd heard it in years. And I was actually kind of riveted, and freshly struck by how beautiful and utterly singular her voice was. And as I'm getting nice and old now and I'm no longer under any constraints to be cool, I'm free to love whatever I please. LOL.  So I love this. Also, I had to share this video with you, because get a load of her hair. We were talking about curling irons and hot rollers and what have you last week, and God only knows what went into the making of that do. It's kind of adorable and poignant, because such pains were obviously taken to make it pretty, but observe it with fresh gratitude that we don't have to do THAT to our hair these days. You'll probably be reading this on Tuesday, but what the hey.  I'll blog something else later this week, too. How's everyone doing? What are you listening to these days?

Comments

[Megan]

Forget her hair-- what is she WEARING???

[Julie Anne Long]

I know!! Little Bo Peep has lost her sheep, Megan, so she's decided to sing out her blues, instead. LOL. What's so utterly sweet about that dress is that I'm pretty sure she made it in sewing class and got an A on it. Just kidding. The song is so sort of bluesy and reflective, and there she is in that cheerful pastel yellow Maxi (I think that's what those dresses were called) and leg o' mutton sleeves. And *white* shoes. I'm almost positive that's the exact style of my aunt's bridesmaid's gowns. A true 70's moment, that video is.

[Diana]

My computer is so slow that I rarely try to watch videos on it. What is this video and song that features the woman in a yellow dress?

I'm doing well. My right shoulder (or something in that area) just started hurting earlier today. I hope the pain goes away soon.

What have I been listening to lately? I haven't been listening to music recently, but I look forward to the new Shins album. Julie, are you a Magnetic Fields fan at all? I love their song "Papa Was a Rodeo." When I was in Maine last summer, I think I drove my friend crazy by insisting we listen to that song over and over again.

[Julie Anne Long]

Diana, it's Karen Carpenter singing Rainy Days and Mondays!! You must watch. LOL. If only to marvel at her attire. The voice is rather lovely, too. What did you do to your shoulder?? That's kind of a drag. Maybe it's time to see the masseuse. :)

I do really like The Magnetic Fields!! I never got as wildly into them as a few of my friends did, though. I do the same thing to my friends: "you have to listen to this!!" LOL. That sort of thing. Magnetic Fields remind me of early Sebadoh, and sometimes a bit of Game Theory -- do you remember them?? Bay Area band from way back when. They enjoy cult-ish status now. One of my favorite songs in the world EVER is their song "The Real Sheila." The Shin's are cool, too -- they'll be live in the BBC 6 studios soon. I have a friend who's rabidly looking forward to that record. I'm more crazy for the new Elbow record!! I heard a little bit of it today, and it was fantastic. I'm crazy mad for them. LOL. So we have some good music to look forward to, anyway. And lots of good music to look *backwards* to, too. LOL. Like The Carpenters. :)

[Kathy K]

Oy... I never wore clothes like that, but the 70's was my high school years and I swear that some of the gowns that were worn to our grad were like that! As for the hair *shudder* mine was always short! Thank the heavens above!
My mom had the excellent taste to buy my gown in Carmel ~ there was sure nothing like it here! She and my dad were travelling along the coast of California; I'm guessing 'cause my dad had been somewhere close by for a business trip and they decided to run away from the six kids at home and take some time for themselves. Anywho....

As for what I'm listening to, mostly Tom Cochrane (w/ and w/out Red Rider), The Cranberries, The Barra MacNeils, Fleetwood Mac's Rumours and X Japan. And sometimes I throw in a couple of compilation discs from the 70's and 80's: do I date myself or what?
But, thanks to my daughters, I really like the Shins, and I had to go buy my own Muse CD 'cause, while my daughters will borrow MY CD's, there's not much reciprocity.

And now I'm going to get my Carpenters' CD's because I've suddenly ~ I wonder why? ~ got a hankering to listen to them.

Diana, hope your shoulder gets better; there's not much worse than walking around with pain like that. ^^

It's 8:15 and the sunrise is just starting, so I'm going to take a few minutes and enjoy the beginning to what looks like another sunny day ~ and we're in the plus digits now ~ still single, but it beats -20 any day!

Take care all, and have a great day!

[Julie Anne Long]

I just wanted to share this with you guys -- it's http://www.sky.fm, internet radio with lots of eclectic, genre-specific channels. No commercials! Or very, very few, anyway. Sadly, they don't have a classic rock channel (where on earth will I hear Black Sabbath or Van Halen if I'm in the mood??) and their 80's station skews more...Loverboy and REO Speedwagon than New Wave, etc. -- but their Alternative station is great, and I like their oldies and classical and jazz stations, too. They have several types of jazz, along with World Beat, New Age, Rap, Trance, 70's, Country, and more and more. etc. Just in case you're in the mood to station-surf!! I just heard a Telemann flute sonata, then I switched it to the 70's station, and lo and behold, Smoke on the Water is on. LOL. (you can see their recent playlists). I think I need something softer and moodier for what I'm writing today, though. :)

That's a cool mix of stuff, Kathy!! I really like Tom Cochrane, particularly. LOL re your daugthers and the CDs. I finally pretty much loaded all of mine (or at least my favorite songs) onto my computer. I'm missing a few, I've noticed. I have no idea where they might have gotten to. It's funny, but I've sort of rediscovered Fleetwood Mac, too, and Carly Simon. I wonder why. I like digging around in other decades, and I seem to be revisiting the 70's lately.

Man, we are having THE most beautiful weather -- sunny, crisp, low 50's -- but apparently rain is in the forecast. Fortunately, rainy days and Thursdays don't get me down, either. LOL.

[Diana]

My shoulder does feel a little better today. Thanks. :)

Julie, I've heard of Sebadoah, but not Game Theory or Elbow. I like checking out new bands, so I'll probably look into their music.

Is the lady in yellow from the band The Carpenters? I once bought a tribute cassette tape to them because I liked Sonic Youth's cover of "Superstar," which received a lot of airplay on Live 105.

[Julie Anne Long]

Good news about your shoulder! Yeah, Diana, that's Karen Carpenter all right! And I love Sonic Youth's version of Superstar. It's positively eerie. It's a beautiful song melodically to begin with, and their interpretation of it sort of highlighted the slightly obsessive nature of the lyrics. Also, Ruben Studdard sang it on AI a couple of years ago. :) (I'm so very happy AI is on. Have I mentioned that?? LOL.)

It might be hard to get your hands on any Game Theory -- "The Real Sheila" is on their CD "Lolita Nation" (from 1987—here they are on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lolita_Nation) and there was a skip in one of my favorite songs on my CD, so I went looking for it online. There's a WAITING list on Amazon for any that become available!!! It's out of print. Quite rare, and everyone seems to want it. It's often described by critics, etc., as a masterpiece. It IS bloody fantastic. (Scott Miller of Game Theory is in the Loud Family now). I bet you'll like Elbow, if you get a chance to check them out. Guy Garvey has a gorgeous voice and they write amazing songs, and if you like good songwriting, like The Shins and Magnetic Fields, you'll probably appreciate that.

[Kathy K]

Julie, I have a bone to pick with you!

ALL day yesterday AND the day before, the refrain 'Rainy Days and Mondays always get me down' went on and on in my head! LoL
At least it was in Karen's voice...good thing that I like the song, otherwise I'd be a loony toons (get it?? um, maybe not) now ~ I mean more than I already am .... hehehe.

And now I think I'll check out the link....

Have a great one! We've got SUNSHINE today.

[Julie Anne Long]

LOL, Kathy!! Sorry!! Pretty soon you'll start singing it accidentally out loud in public and people will look at you askance. LOL. IT's so funny when that happens. Today I have, of all juvenile things, "Whole Lotta Rosie" (AC/DC) stuck in my head. Oh man. I think I'm going to listen to Debussy all day. I need the proper mood for a love scene (the one I'm writing.)

Yay on your sunny weather! We have a little sun struggling through clouds, here. Hope it makes it all the way through.

[Ruby]

Thank you, Julie, for posting the song. I've always loved the Carpenters. Mostly listen to the Golden Oldies now, but that's probably because of my age, and I get nostalgic for my younger days....lol When I was a teenager Elvis used to play in a bar in a town 11 miles away and I was too young to get in. He did drive through my hometown once and I saw his pink cadillac. Girls today would probably stand in the street to block the road so he would have to stop, (I know my grandaughter would) but it never occured to us to do such a thing.

[Julie Anne Long]

Ruby, what a thrill to actually see ELVIS go by in a pink cadillac! Imagine the people who were actually able to see him playing in a bar. Wow, what a memory that would be. I have friends with stories like that -- people who saw some of my favorite bands, like Led Zeppelin, at Keysar Stadium here in San Francisco in the 70's, or R.E.M. at the I-Beam (a smallish, long-lived, popular, and now defunct club on Haight Street). I get nostalgic, too, as the years go by, but I keep discovering great music in every decade, and I particularly like delving into the decades that happened before I was born. :)