the sloppy copy

Some cool notes about this song:
1. Hear the horns? Think about other Beatles tunes you know. Remember any horns? Probably not, because I’m pretty sure this is the first time they were used in the studio. Tres cool.

2. This is a McCartney (though it’s credited as Lennon/McCartney), and it’s one that Lennon really liked. A lot. As in, he thought it was some of McCartney’s best work. Muy cool.

3. The “you” is (according to Sir Paul himself) marijuana. That might not be as “cool,” depending on your side of the fence, I guess.

“Got to get you into my life” / The Beatles (1966)

It took approximately .09 seconds of internet research to determine that if there’s one thing that folks love to do, it’s blazing up a big ol’ fattie and writing a song about it (or something like that, er). While there is no shortage of ditties dedicated to the joy and pain of heroin or cocaine, weed really does seem to come out on top.

Spend some time on Songfacts.com and you’ll see that the topic of “drug songs” is  smokin’ hot. These message board people are fierce, man! I mean, short of directly asking the songwriter what the heck he or she meant, is there any way to say 100% definitively what a song is talking about? Always exceptions to the rule, I know.

I chose this song to start out our week because, at least according to Uncle Google, the meaning is pretty universally agreed-on. Start slow, ease into the controversy.

“Burn One Down” / Ben Harper (1995)

Thanks to a suggestion from my BFFF* Carynn, I’ve hit upon another Theme for this week’s SOTDs. For simplicity’s sake, I’m going to just call it Drug Songs, but I’m aiming for a bit more subtlety here (think “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds,” except – depending on who you ask – it’s not that subtle, I guess). There are a couple directions I can go here, and I haven’t decided which path Imma take just yet:

1. Controversial Drug Songs, i.e. is it about drugs? Is he singing about a woman? Or drugs? Or a woman who does drugs? Or doing drugs with a woman? Or maybe his dog?

2. Obvious Drug Songs. I don’t need to provide an example, because, durrrr.

So… input?

 



*Ironically enough, we picked this up after watching Pineapple Express (“BFFFs?” “Best fucking friend forever?” “Yeah.”). Full circle, folks. Full fucking circle.

This floorplan is most popular with fans of brainteasers and panic rooms.

And if you still don’t get it, look closely at the Living Room and it’s noticeable lack of egress (ingress?).

So it’s not his song, but it’s still a nice version.
Also, see Mr. Lopez in The Dirty Dozen. Right now. Go watch it immediately. I’ll wait.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3FSRW2qFjM

“Lemon Tree” / Trini Lopez (1965)

Everyone’s Irish on St. Paddy’s Day, but what about the rest of the year?
I’ve been told since approximately the day of my birth that my “best half” is Irish. My mom’s family? About as Irish and Catholic as they come. My Dad’s side, though, is motley mixture of God’s green Europe. Though I lucked out enough to get the red hair and green eyes, my last name is generic enough to not warrant any note tomorrow.

But I will always consider myself Irish 365 days a year, and this song will always make me smile. Sing it, Bing.

“When Irish Eyes are Smiling” / Bing Crosby

Wednesday Conversations both real (see below) and imagined.

Ma: Did you hear Checketts is selling the Blues?

Julie: Oh, yeah?

Ma: Yeah. He was going to get a new group, because the first group wants to sell, but he didn’t. But he couldn’t get a new group together so he’s just going to sell.

*pause of approximately five seconds*

Ma: So Doug is in St. Croix with what’s-her-name…

J: Doug? Doug Armstrong?

Ma: Armstrong?

J: The Blues’ GM?

Ma: Blues?

J: You were talking about Dave Checketts, and –

Ma: Carrie! That’s her name. Doug and Carrie are in St. Croix and –

J: WAIT YOU’RE TELLING ME ABOUT AN EPISODE OF KING OF QUEENS?

Ma: Yeah I was watching it, and –

J: What the hell? How did you get to there from Checketts selling the Blues?

Ma: I’m trying to tell you a story!

*                    *                    *

Ma: They have three million dollars for Japan!

J: Who does? What?

Ma: They have three million dollars.

J: WHO IS ‘THEY’?

Ma: The Red Cross! They’ve gotten three million dollars for Japan.

J: LACK OF CONTEXT CLUES.

Ma: *groaning noise* NEVER MIND.

*                    *                    *

Ma: Did you see that one dog that won’t leave the other dog?

Julie: What? Huh?

Ma: In Japan! The one dog won’t leave the sick dog. The rescue people are trying to get him to go because the one dog isn’t doing so well.

J: What? Huh? Where?  Japan?

Ma: In one of these areas – there’s a dog.

J: Yes…

Ma: And it won’t leave the other dog.

J: Okay…

Ma: Never mind. I don’t know why I bother telling you stories.

J: THAT WAS NOT A STORY! IT WAS A STRING OF WORDS IN VAGUE SENTENCE-LIKE GROUPINGS!

Ma: Arrrrgh!

J: ARRRRRRGH!

Do you have some earphones? Good. Put them in before you listen to this one (warning: it’s a wee bit long)
Ms. Simone has a fascinating, fascinating life. See this excerpt from Believer magazine.

“Sinnerman” / Nina Simone (1960)

p.s. You probably recognize that piano intro from …. I think it’s an HTC commercial? Smartie phones, or something.

I encourage you to do the following:
a) blast this one to your coworkers
b) check out more of Mr. Dekker’s music

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o16YjS91HuI

“Israelites” / Desmond Dekker (1972)

Monday Review: Stargate: Atlantis

I’ve long lived on the edges of the socially acceptable. I wore flannel shirts waaaay longer than was trendy, was briefly obsessed with dancehall music, and wasn’t aware that MTV existed until I was, like, fourteen. I was, and am, a weird little specimen sometimes.

I’ve also publicly declared that CSI:Miami is the Best of the CSIs, which was met with about as much acceptance as when I carried an Army surplus knapsack as a backpack in high school. Will I change my mind and take it back one day? Perhaps, but I still enjoy the reruns (the last two seasons have been a bit wonky) and continue to defend it.

I also once declared that I was a fan of Stargate: Atlantis, to which someone asked if I was serious. Uh, well, I am (though the main reason is that I’ve never seen SG-1 [the original] or Stargate Universe [the third-born] so I have nothing on which to base any kind of qualitative comparison).

Don't think too hard about it and you'll be fine.

I sat down to make a list (a la my CSI: Miami manifesto) of why I like the series so much, except I quickly realized that when it comes down to it, only two reasons matter:

1. It’s Canadian.
2. It’s bizarre.*

Something about Canadian-made dramas: I don’t know if it’s that all the extras have the accent or what, but man! I love ’em (or at least what I’ve seen, which isn’t a lot, I guess). And the whole concept of finding this Ancient-created lost city of technological bullshittery that can only be accessed if you have some special gene and – oh! Did I mention the magical planet jumping through the stargate? – It’s all just sublime.

How’s that for a glowing recommendation? Maybe you just have to see it to understand the majesty.

Wait, did she just say ‘Majesty?’ Really, Julie?

Why yes I did, and you either understand me or you don’t.

I suppose it’s the same with any television series or series franchise: There’s always some sort of fringe element who pledges allegiance to the post-jumping of the shark era or the bastard stepchild of the series, the third or fourth born that was created to ride a wave of profitability. Their cultish fandom of something that’s so universally regarded as “not as good” is viewed as slightly off-kilter. It’s like someone saying they liked The X-Files better with Robert Patrick. Like, for real?

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got some Netflix’ing to do.



*Some would argue that these are intrinsically linked, and I can see their point(s).