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Working for the Yankee Dollar

I’ve been on a calypso kick lately, and have been thinking about writing up the story of the “Rum and Coca Cola” song.

In short the story goes like this: In 1943 Morey Amsterdam visited Trinidad on a USO tour and heard the song “Rum and Coca Cola.” He picked up the sheet music, and [...]

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Music on Wednesday - Random Favorites

This is the final installment in the 12-part Music on Wednesday series. Next week I’ll start a 4-part series on summer reading.

As I write this I still haven’t conjured up a theme, so I’m just going to post some of my favorite songs.

The 1985 album “As the Veneer of Democracy Starts to Fade” by Mark [...]

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Double Rainbow Across the Sky

Some auto-tune goodness.

The original double rainbow video –

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Music on Wednesdays - Covers

It’s the next-to-last post in the Music on Wednesdays series.

Joe V pointed me to the AV Club’s “25 Bands, 25 Cover Songs,” and I decided to jump on the cover bandwagon.

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I’m pretty sure everyone in the world is now familiar with The Gourds covering Snoop Dogg’s “Gin & Juice.” Nonetheless, it is terrific. If [...]

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Music on Wednesday - A thread of percussive dissonance

I saw West Side Story for the first time ever the other night. It was much, much better than I anticipated.

The slight dissonance of the percussion and the horns in the opening prologue…

…reminded me of the dissonant horns and percussion in the original Planet of the Apes theme.

Which in turn prompted me to think [...]

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Music on Wednesday - Protest

(Week 9 of the 12 week Music on Wednesday series.)

When I woke up this morning the song “We Didn’t Know” by Tom Paxton was playing in my head. I thought I’d start off today’s music post with that song and move on from there. Unfortunately, there doesn’t see to be a video version anywhere on [...]

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Music on Wednesday – Yodel Yodel Yodel

Who doesn’t love yodeling? From the peaks of the Alps to the cricks and hollers of Appalachia, yodeling has been a from of musical expression for as long as people have been singing.

I’m guessing the best known yodeling for most of the US population is from the Ricola cough drops commercials. While the Swiss [...]

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Music on Wednesday – Walls Cousins Shine

This is part seven in the 12-part Music on Wednesday series. Today is the JB edition. This is what Jennifer has been listening to lately.

The Shout Out Louds. Here’s their video for a new song titled “Walls.”

Shout Out Louds – Walls from Merge Records on Vimeo.

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Vampire Weekend. Here’s the video for their song “Cousins.”

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Wolf [...]

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Music on Wednesday - Immigrant Psycho She Demon

This is part six in the 12-part Music on Wednesday series. I skipped last week because I was off at an undisclosed location sipping sangria and listening to the soothing sound of the surf.

First up is Gogol Bordello’s “Immigration Punk” animated by some World of Warcraft machinima. Machinima is “animated filmmaking within a real-time [...]

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Music on Wednesday - Honeybee War Dance Tear

This is the song that was playing in my head when I woke up this morning – “Honey Bee (Let’s Fly to Mars)” by Grinderman.

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Raymond Scott was one of the great American composers of the 20th century. You could probably hum his song Toy Trumpet right now. You know the song, you just don’t know [...]

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Music on Wednesday – School Stalin Stagger

This is part 4 of 12 weeks of Music on Wednesday.

Starting us off is Alice Cooper’s classic anthem – “School’s Out” in recognition of me finally getting out of school! Yay!! No more pencils, no books…

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Next up is the Golden Gate Jubilee Quartet performing “Stalin Wasn’t Stallin‘.” I first heard the Robert Wyatt version, but [...]

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Music on Wednesday – Ooks College Bingo

This is the third part of R/CT’s 12 part Music on Wednesday series.

First up is this terrific MGMT cover done americana-style.

“The Ooks Of Hazzard live performance of Kids by MGMT featuring 7 ukeleles , an accordion and a cajon.”

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If I had theme music for my life I hope that it’d be half as cool as [...]

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Music on Wednesday – Elusive Tennessee Potato Salad

For no reason at all I decided that Music on Wednesday will have 12 installments. This is #2. Today I’m posting Bob Lind’s (in my mind super-creepy) “Elusive Butterfly” (of Love). Cher, Glen Campbell, Dolly Parton, and I don’t know how many others have covered Butterfly. I didn’t find the version I was looking for, [...]

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Music Wednesday – Rock Suicide Lover

The new Wednesday feature is Music on Wednesday. Hope you enjoy!

First up is Rock Hudson (with a totally not-gay mustache) and Bea Arthur singing Sniff, Swig, Puff.

Suicide performing Ghost Rider. I think this is circa 1981.

A live version of Lover by Devendra Banhart.

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Insane Clown Posse - Miracles

Hmmm, I think this officially broke my brain. Insane Clown Posse, known for their xxxx-treme-in-your-face, don’t-give-a-fuck, politically-incorrect-to-the-maxxxximum antics have released… uh, this video extolling the awesomeness of miracles.

Some of my favorite lines -

Are you a believer in miracles?
Pure motherfucking magic Right?
This shit’ll blow your fucking mind
Do you notice and recognize miracles?

I see miracles all around [...]

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Kana Kapila

Perhaps the best Belgian Hawaiian song ever. The Cousins (sometimes known as the Continental Cousins) performing Kana Kapila.

The Cousins – Kana Kapila (1961)Uploaded by pomesu. – Explore more music videos.

Don’t know much about this band. Doesn’t seem to be much on the English-language Internet. Below is a better version of the song, but it’s just [...]

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Ha-He by Just a Band

It’s the pop music viral video that’s sweeping the country. Of Kenya.

Plus, it’s autotuned!

via WSJ

“The video — with “Big-G,” “Godfrey and the Laydayz,” “Black Sahara” and others backing up Makmende — has drawn more than 24,300 hits in the week since its release and the success doesn’t end there. Kenyan bloggers and Tweeters have seized [...]

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Children by the million sing for Alex Chilton

When he comes ’round they sing, I’m in love. What’s that song? I’m in love with that song.

The Replacements Alex ChiltonUploaded by Celtiemama. – Watch more music videos, in HD!

Thank you Alex Chilton (1950-2010).

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Know Your Meme: Auto-Tune

I have mentioned several times my unnatural love of Auto-Tune. Here’s Know Your Meme explaining the history of Auto-Tune with Professor Al Yankovic.

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Buzz Aldrin Raps

Buzz Aldrin hooks up with Snoop.

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Cheese is a kind of meat

JB’s favorite Mighty Boosh song. (I have too many to count.)

Cheese is a kind of meat
A tasty yellow beef
I milk it from my teat
I try to be discreet
O, cheese

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My Kookie Little Paradise

My new favorite song.

A Kookie Little Paradise by Jo Ann Campbell

More Jo Ann Campbell music on iLike

“Jo-Ann Campbell was born in Jacksonville, Florida, July 20, 1938. In 1942 when she was only four years old she entered a music school and when she entered Fletcher High School in Jacksonville, she was an accomplished drum majorette, [...]

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Jonathan Coulton tomorrow night

Don’t forget, 21st century troubadour Jonathan Coulton will be playing at Nova 535 in St. Pete on Friday, January 15. It’s an all ages show and Paul & Storm kick it off at 8pm. I hope I see you there!

For those of you unfamiliar with JoCo’s work, here are a few samplings to whet your [...]

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Vic Chesnutt 1964-2009

Didn’t want to mention this yesterday because of all the happy happy joy joy. Vic Chesnutt decided he’d had enough. Here’s his rendition of “Flirted With You All My Life” recorded this summer.

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Think Peace, Act Peace, Spread Peace

December 8, 2007 [letter from Yoko]
I miss you, John. 27 years later, I still wish I could turn back the clock to the Summer of 1980. I remember everything – sharing our morning coffee, walking in the park together on a beautiful day, and seeing your hand stretched to mine – holding it, reassuring me [...]

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Christmas Is Interesting

Christmas Is Interesting by Jonathan Coulton

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Merry Christmas from Chiron Beta Prime

Happy Christmas, y’all!

Chiron Beta Prime by Jonathan Coulton.

JoCo is playing St. Pete January 15!

Please pardon my dust while I do a little site re-design.

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Seahorse by Devendra Banhart

One of my favorite tunes by Devendra Banhart live.

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Hang Together or Hang Separately

The Flobots video Rise. (Thanks, NF!)

A little positive protest music from today’s youth.

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Ethel Smith – Hammond Organist Extraordinaire

Ethel Smith: tico tico (Hammond Organ)Uploaded by mrjyn. – College experience videos.

From Bathing Beauty (1944), a romantic comedy with Esther Williams and Red Skelton.

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