Tuesday, January 09, 2007
On the recommendation of the new Physiology instructor, I tried a new radio station. I have been a pretty diehard UMFM fan since I arrived here. Maybe it has something to do with my working to develop loyalty to my region and university. and they do a nice job of sponsoring concerts. but my new station is run out of the local community college--Red River College. I recommend it if you are stuck at a computer like I am.
Things I have learned listening to community college radio this morning.
1. REM's delightful "superman" is actually a cover. The original was written in the '60s by Gary Zekley of "The clique." this unfortunately means that the charmingly quirky phrasing "you don't really love the guy you make it with, now, do you?" cannot be attributed to Michael Stipe's excellence, but simply to decadal shifts in lexicon.
2. That heartbreaking version of "I don't like Mondays" by Tory Amos that the West Wing deployed so brilliantly after the swimming pool bombing is a cover of a completely ridiculous piece of music by Irish band, the boomtown rats. The early 80's synth destroys all the pathos to me. It is interesting that people used to feel legitimate, beautiful, heartfelt angst to ridiculous background beats. We think of 80s music as being fun-loving and silly which makes it so successful as kitsch, but it was musical sensibility that enveloped a wider emotional range.
3. the rockin' "walking with a ghost" is by Tegan and Sara. I guess that means that I have to stop making fun of Tegan and Sara and be sorry that I missed them at TT the Bear's. This song was also covered by the White Stripes. Between that and their cover of Jolene, my respect for the white stripes just keeps rising.
4. The Weakerthans "Utilities" continues to be beautiful in that Zach Braff-y emo way. It includes such lines as "Our wishes don't do dishes or brake repairs" and "I've got more faults than the state of california." The effect of the song is amplified if you can imagine 5,000 winnipeg young adults singing along with John Samson and his guitar.
Things I have learned listening to community college radio this morning.
1. REM's delightful "superman" is actually a cover. The original was written in the '60s by Gary Zekley of "The clique." this unfortunately means that the charmingly quirky phrasing "you don't really love the guy you make it with, now, do you?" cannot be attributed to Michael Stipe's excellence, but simply to decadal shifts in lexicon.
2. That heartbreaking version of "I don't like Mondays" by Tory Amos that the West Wing deployed so brilliantly after the swimming pool bombing is a cover of a completely ridiculous piece of music by Irish band, the boomtown rats. The early 80's synth destroys all the pathos to me. It is interesting that people used to feel legitimate, beautiful, heartfelt angst to ridiculous background beats. We think of 80s music as being fun-loving and silly which makes it so successful as kitsch, but it was musical sensibility that enveloped a wider emotional range.
3. the rockin' "walking with a ghost" is by Tegan and Sara. I guess that means that I have to stop making fun of Tegan and Sara and be sorry that I missed them at TT the Bear's. This song was also covered by the White Stripes. Between that and their cover of Jolene, my respect for the white stripes just keeps rising.
4. The Weakerthans "Utilities" continues to be beautiful in that Zach Braff-y emo way. It includes such lines as "Our wishes don't do dishes or brake repairs" and "I've got more faults than the state of california." The effect of the song is amplified if you can imagine 5,000 winnipeg young adults singing along with John Samson and his guitar.
# posted by 8yearoldsdude @ 3:56 PM 
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Re: #2 -- The first example of this that I really noticed was the song "Last Kiss." The original is almost creepily upbeat; the Pearl Jam cover is heartbreaking and, in my opinion, much more effective.
I hate the Pearl Jam "Last Kiss" too. Maybe it's genetic.
Starbucks has been playing a troubador-ish cover of Huey Lewis' "I Want a New Drug" by Glen Phillips (formerly of Toad the Wet Sprocket) and some chick-folk-ish cover of "When Doves Cry." Much like Nutriffic, they're nut very good.
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Starbucks has been playing a troubador-ish cover of Huey Lewis' "I Want a New Drug" by Glen Phillips (formerly of Toad the Wet Sprocket) and some chick-folk-ish cover of "When Doves Cry." Much like Nutriffic, they're nut very good.
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