The song peaked at #26 in the US Adult Alternative Songs Billboard, #15 in the UK in 2013. The song was on his self-titled debut album. Jake is an artist that could have debuted in the 60s and 70s and fit in perfectly. I saw him in 2017 and the audience was a mixture of young and old.
Jake was 19 when this song was released. he said: “Before age 12, I had no interest in music,” “Then, me uncle came around with a guitar and showed me basic chords. I started listening to Jimi Hendrix and it just blew me away.
“It was also disheartening. I mean, when you listen to Jimi Hendrix for the first time, you think, ‘How am I going to be able to play like that?’
He started to write songs at 14. Along with Hendrix, he counts the Beatles among his earliest musical influence “They’re a starting point for anyone, I should think. Then, I traced things back to Buddy Holly and Elvis, just discovering all those great records.”
From Songfacts
This gritty stroll through the streets of Bugg’s hometown of Clifton, Nottingham, was released as the third single from his debut album. He penned the tune with long-time Snow Patrol collaborator, Iain Archer. Bugg recalled to The Daily Telegraph: “When I was writing with Iain, we had a fag, a cup of tea, a bit of a play. The way I see it, it’s jamming.”
The song’s Michael Holyk directed video was shot in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
The song featured in an American a commercial for Gatorade sports drinks that aired during the 2013 NBA championships.
Lightning Bolt
Morning, it’s another pure grey morning Don’t know what the day is holding When I get uptight And I walk right into the path of a lightning bolt
Sirens of an ambulance comes howling Right through the center of town and No one blinks an eye And I look up to the sky for the path of a lighting bolt
Met her as the angels parted for her But she only brought me torture But that’s what happens When it’s you who’s standing in the path of a lightning bolt
Everyone I see just wants to walk with gritted teeth But I just stand by and I wait my time They say you gotta tow the line they want the water not the wine But when I see the signs I jump on that lightning bolt
And chances, people tell you not to take chances When they tell you there aren’t any answers And I was starting to agree But I awoke suddenly in the path of a lightning bolt
Fortune, people talking all about fortune Do you make it or does it just call you In the blinking of an eye Just another passerby in the path of a lightning bolt
Everyone I see just wants to walk with gritted teeth But I just stand by and I wait my time They say you gotta tow the line they want the water not the wine But when I see the signs I jump on that lightning bolt
It was silent, I was lying back gazing skyward When the moment got shattered I remembered what she said And then she fled in the path of a lightning bolt
The love of Richard Nixon, death without assassination, The love of Richard Nixon, yeah they all betrayed you
This band took a more sympathetic view than some of the other songs that mention the former President. The Welsh band formed in Blackwood in 1986. The song was written by band members James Dean Bradfield, Nicky Wire, and Sean Moore. One member of the band Richey Edwards who suffered from depression disappeared in 1995 never to be seen again.
This song was released in 2004 the song peaked at #2 in the UK. Altogether they had 41 UK top 75 songs, 34 Top 40 songs, 15 Top 10 and 2 number 1’s. Bass player Nicky Wire: “If Radiohead are Kennedy, then Manic Street Preachers are Nixon; the ugly duckling who had to try ten times harder than anyone else. Paranoid megalomaniacs.”
From Songfacts
The Manic’s primary lyricist and rhythm guitarist Richey Edwards gained early notoriety by cutting the words “4REAL” into his arm with a razor blade. Since that episode and his later disappearance, now presumed dead, the band have been somewhat overshadowed by the events of Richey Edwards’ troubled life. This provocatively titled single, is a sympathetic appraisal of someone else whose achievements were eclipsed by one event. “The main thrust of the song,” bassist Nicky Wire explained to Repeat Fanzine, “is the idea of being tarnished with a certain part of your life forever. With us, people might think of Richey’s disappearance or 4 REAL.
With Nixon, people will always associate him with Watergate and being a crook, not the fact that he was the first president to go to China to build up relations. Or the way he de-escalated the arms race with the Soviet Union – quite admirable things.”
Wire added concerning his sympathy for the devil: “There’s always been a ridiculousness to Manic Street Preachers. Not humour, not funny-ha ha, but a question of ‘Do they really mean it?’ But there’s probably more empathy [with Nixon] than I should admit. Nixon wasn’t a good president, but he wasn’t George W Bush. He was a brilliant man, and not all Republican presidents have been. I do think he’s a fascinating character, particularly in today’s climate. He probably ended the Vietnam War. Whatever you think his reasons were – and conspiracy theories abound – he signed off at the end of it.”
The timing of the single’s release, two weeks before George W. Bush’s victory at the 2004 US presidential elections, was most likely significant. Many suspected it was a statement by the Manics concerning the reputation of the USA’s leadership at the time.
The song finishes with a sample of Nixon himself stating “I have never been a quitter.” Wire explained to NME October 8, 2011: “We thought that applied to us as a band. I just find him really interesting and kind of like myself.”
“The Love Of” peaked at #2 on the UK singles chart helped by a marketing ploy that was deliberately designed to encourage multiple purchases. The single came complete with a special offer whereby fans could purchase all three formats (2 track CD, 3 track CD and DVD) for just £5. You don’t have to be a maths professor to work out what the effect of this was.
The Love of Richard Nixon
The world on your shoulders The love of your mother The fear of the future The best years behind you The world is getting older The times they fall behind you The need it still grows stronger The best years never found you
The love of Richard Nixon, death without assassination The love of Richard Nixon, yeah they all betrayed you The love of Richard Nixon, death without assassination Yeah they all betrayed you Yeah and your country too
Love build around the sandy beaches Love rains down like Vietnam’s leeches Richard the third in the White House Cowering behind divided curtains
The world is getting older The times they fall behind you The need it still grows stronger The best years never found you
Ah, the love of Richard Nixon, death without assassination The love of Richard Nixon, yeah they all betrayed you The love of Richard Nixon, death without assassination Yeah they all betrayed you Yeah and your country too
The love of Richard Nixon, death without assassination The love of Richard Nixon, yeah they all betrayed you People forget China and your war on cancer Yeah they all betrayed you Yeah and your country too
In all the decisions I have made in my public life, I have always tried to do what was best for the nation. I have never been a quitter
I’m gonna stand the test of time Like Beatles and Stones
Beady Eye was a band formed by Liam Gallagher of Oasis with former members of Oasis. This song was written by Liam Gallagher and it was on the Different Gear, Still Speeding album released in 2011.
They recycled the Who’s My Generation riff to good effect. They defiantly have that mid-sixties mod thing going on.
Beady Eye released two albums. Different Gear, Still Speeding (#3 UK) in 2011 and BE (#2 UK) in 2013. In 2014 Beady Eye broke up because of the failure to gain popularity in the US according to Liam Gallagher.
Beatles and Stones
Well it beats me mama, I just want to rock and roll Well it beats me mama, I just want to rock and roll I’m gonna stand the test of time Like Beatles and Stones
Well it freaks them mama I’m not doin’ what I’m told Well it freaks them mama You know I can’t be bought and sold I’m gonna stand the test of time Like Beatles and Stones
I’m on my way home, just get back to what’s mine And when I get home, well I’ll be alright
Well it beats me mama, I just want to rock and roll I’m gonna stand the test of time Like Beatles and Stones
I’m on my way home, just get back to what’s mine And when I get home, well I’ll be alright
What’s that you say? Get out the way!
Well it beats me mama, I just want to rock and roll Well it beats me mama, I just want to rock and roll I’m gonna stand the test of time Like Beatles and Stones
Well it freaks them mama
I’m not doin’ what I’m told Well it freaks them mama You know I can’t be bought and sold I’m gonna stand the test of time Like Beatles and Stones
I’m on my way home, just get back to what’s mine And when I get home, well I’ll be alright Well it beats me mama, I just want to rock and roll I’m gonna stand the test of time Like Beatles and Stones
I’m on my way home, just get back to what’s mine And when I get home, well I’ll be alright
This song was off the 2012 album Temptest. Bob wrote this song with Robert Hunter, the Grateful Dead lyricist. The album peaked at #3 in the Billboard Album Charts. My son is who called my attention to this one. Unlike some other older performers, Bob somehow stays relevant to the times.
The memorable video is directed by Nash Edgerton. Bob looks just really cool in this video as he leads some kind of gang.
The song refers to the Duquesne train service that used to run between New York Penn and Pittsburgh Penn Stations, which was named after the 18th century Fort Duquesne in the latter city. That route is now served by the daily Amtrack Pennsylvanian service.
From Songfacts
The bluesy song The lyrics show Dylan’s distaste at times a changing’. “Listen to that Duquesne whistle blowing,” he demands. “Blowing like it’s gonna sweep my world away.”
The Nash Edgerton-directed music video is set on the streets of downtown Los Angeles. Dylan appears briefly throughout the clip.
The line, “I’m gonna stop at Carbondale and keep on going” refers to Carbondale, Pennsylvania, in the northeast corner of the state. Like all of the region, it’s now a small rust belt town, but at the time when the Duquesne train line was running, Carbondale was fat off the anthracite coal industry.
Duquesne Whistle
Listen to that Duquesne whistle blowing Blowing like it’s gonna sweep my world away I’m gonna stop at Carbondale and keep on going That Duquesne train gon’ rock me night and day
You say I’m a gambler, you say I’m a pimp But I ain’t neither one
Listen to that Duquesne whistle blowing Sound like it’s on a final run
Listen to that Duquesne whistle blowing Blowing like she never blowed before Little light blinking, red light glowing Blowing like she’s at my chamber door
You smiling through the fence at me Just like you’ve always smiled before
Listen to that Duquesne whistle blowing Blowing like she ain’t gon’ blow no more
Can’t you hear that Duquesne whistle blowing? Blowing like the sky’s gonna blow apart You’re the only thing alive that keeps me going You’re like a time bomb in my heart
I can hear a sweet voice steadily calling Must be the mother of our Lord
Listen to that Duquesne whistle blowing Blowing like my woman’s on board
Listen to that Duquesne whistle blowing Blowing like it’s gon’ blow my blues away You’re a rascal, I know exactly where you’re going I’ll lead you there myself at the break of day
I wake up every morning with that woman in my bed Everybody telling me she’s gone to my head
Listen to that Duquesne whistle blowing Blowing like it’s gon’ kill me dead
Can’t you hear that Duquesne whistle blowing? Blowing through another no good town
The lights on my native land are glowing I wonder if they’ll know me next time ’round I wonder if that old oak tree’s still standing That old oak tree, the one we used to climb
Listen to that Duquesne whistle blowing Blowing like she’s blowing right on time
This list will be different for every baseball fan. Many times it’s your team’s announcer and other times it’s a network announcer you grew up with. I tend to like announcers who are not complete homers although some I like… like Harry Caray. He made it fun even though he openly rooted for the Cubs…and Budweiser.
There are many more that could be on this list.
5:Harry Caray – He injected fun into the game. It was like a fan announcing the game. He wasn’t technically the best baseball announcer but he was enjoyable.
4:Mel Allen – I remember Mel when I was a kid on “This Week in Baseball.” That voice was a part of my childhood.
3:Bob Uecker – “Just a bit outside” the more I listen to him the more I appreciate him.
2:Jack Buck – NOT Joe… You could hear his excitement for the game in his voice. For me, the best is between Jack and…
1: Vin Scully – Being a Dodgers fan I was spoiled by Vin Scully… my number 1 favorite. If you tuned into a Dodger game you would not know who employed Mr. Scully. He would not root for the Dodgers and he knew when not to say anything and let the action speak for itself.
I’ve always liked Time Travel movies. I have made a list below but I’m not including the Back To The Future franchise because everyone knows about those movies. These are my top ten I’ve watched so far. Please make some more recommendations if you have any.
1, Frequency (2000) – This movie combines two loves of mine. Baseball and Time Travel… A son in modern times talks to his dad over a Ham Radio in 1969 and it revolves around details from the 1969 World Series.
2. The Time Machine (1960) – From the HG Wells book, this movie has aged well through the years. It’s a period piece at the turn of the 20th century…and also a trip into the far future.
3. I’ll Follow You Down (2013) – It’s odd to see Haley Joel Osment grown up and acting but this low budget film is a good film. Haley plays a guy named Errol who saw his father leave for the airport when he was 9 and he never came back home. A grown-up Errol looks to see what happened to his dad and finds him in the 1940s.
4. 41 (2012) – An Australian film made in 2012. Aidan accidentally kills his girlfriend in an auto accident. He hears about room 41 in a local motel and if you go to a hidden place in the room and back out…you go back 12 hours in time. He tries to go back and avoid the accident. I happen to catch this movie by accident and it was worth the watch.
5. Project Almanac (2014) – A teenager is trying to go to MIT but his family doesn’t have the money. He starts looking at his deceased father’s old inventions and gadgets to raise money. He finds a VHS tape of his 7th birthday party and in the mirror on the tape, he sees himself at the age of 18 at the party.
He finds his dad’s attempt at a time machine and finishes it. He ends up fulfilling what he saw on the tape and messes with the lives of his friends.
6. Peggy Sue Got Married (1989) – Classic 80s movie about Peggy Sue who is separated from her husband and goes to her high school reunion and passes out. She wakes up as a teenager in the early 60s.
7. Hot Tub Time Machine (2010) – A fun romp through the 80s.
8. Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989) – This movie launched a lot of quotes. Bill and Ted learned history by going back in time. George Carlin is most excellent in this movie.
9. Time Bandits (1981) – I saw this with a friends family back in 1981 at a theater. I was excited because George Harrison was one of the Executive Producers. Kevin, a young kid gets visited in the middle of the night by six dwarves and with a special map visit places in time.
10. Time After Time (1979) – Malcolm McDowell stars in this movie as he plays Herbert George Wells and he chases Jack The Ripper through time to 1979 with his time machine.
Heard this song and loved it. It’s so catchy and I even liked the video. I also laughed because I heard the other version which is called F**k You…but I try to keep this blog at least PG-13 so we will go with Forget You today. But…if you want to hear the other be my guest.
This song peaked at #2 in the Billboard 100 in 2011. The songwriters were Bruno Mars, CeeLo Green, Philip Lawrence, and Ari Levine. The song has a good pop hook and it has a few different styles thrown in.
You may have thought the inspiration for this song was from a breakup but Green said the hit came about as a result of creative differences with his label, Elektra Records.
“I did ‘F— You’ to be an a–hole, to be spiteful toward the label,” “Because it had taken about three years to do The Lady Killer, and I just felt that after recording almost 70 songs I could not please them.”
From Songfacts
This is the radio-friendly version of Cee-Lo Green’s expletive-laden viral hit, “F–k You.” In the original rendition of the song about being jilted for a Ferrari-driving slickster, Cee-Lo drops 16 f-bombs in just 3 1/2 minutes.
The song features Green’s Elektra labelmate Bruno Mars. It originated during a session in L.A. with Mars and Phil Lawrence of the production team the Smeezingtons. The pair played to Cee-Lo a rough demo of a song they weren’t sure was worth completing. “When Bruno first sung ‘F—- You’ to me, they were still a bit indecisive on whether or not it could work at all,” Green told Entertainment Weekly.”I was like, ‘I like it. Let’s record it.'” The trio then completed the song with Cee Lo contributing many of the verse lyrics.
Cee-Lo told Entertainment Weekly that the lyrics about a gold-digging ex aren’t strictly autobiographical. “I mean, it’s based on something true… As far as me personally, it’s not a current event. It’s a figurative account. It’s not completely fictitious, though.”
Cee-Lo first appeared on the music scene in 1995 with the Southern hip-hop group Goodie Mob. He is best-known as one-half of the duo Gnarls Barkley, who had a worldwide hit with “Crazy.”
The video broke the two million view mark on YouTube within one week of its release but also received criticism for the foul language used by Cee-Lo. The musician claimed rather loftily in an interview that it’s actually a work of art. “What I’ve tried to accomplish, like, is making art products … so I still believe that (the song) can be classified as art because it’s an original piece and the edge and alternative is there, and the integrity is intact,” he said.
Cee-Lo added that he was trying to elevate music with the song, something he feels the music industry does not do enough. “The system does not, you know, advocate art, so to speak, but it does package and promote products and product placement, and there’s a definitive difference between the two, art and product,” he said. “I have yet to sit down and try to write something for the sake of radio. I just never done it, not consciously.”
The Gnarls Barkley star admitted the revamped version with milder lyrics wasn’t part of the initial plan. “It wasn’t like we were looking for it to be a radio hit of some sort. It was only until a short time after that we considered doing a clean version just in case.”
Cee-Lo told NME about the song: “It’s a fictitious account of love lost. But it’s a trial that we’ve all been through some time or another, and I think that’s why people can relate to it.”
The official music video was released on September 1, 2010. It features grade school and high school versions of Green getting their heart broken by the girls they love. The singer told Billboard magazine that while he wasn’t directly in charge of casting, he had a large part in deciding who got the role. “I [did] have a final say in who I would think best represent me. I picked quite a few of the people that you see,” he said.
The song topped the charts in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom and was a top ten hit in many other territories including Australia, Belgium (Flanders), Canada, Denmark, Hungary, Ireland, New Zealand, and Sweden.
Actress Gwyneth Paltrow performed this song on “The Substitute” episode of Glee, in which she plays a substitute teacher who Mr. Schue (Matthew Morrison) falls for. The Glee version debuted at #11 on the Hot 100 marking Paltrow’s first entry on the chart. Can you name the two previous other songs the actress has contributed vocals to, which have graced other Billboard charts?
1. Her Huey Lewis duet “Cruisin’ ” topped Adult Contemporary the week of December 16, 2000.
2. Simultaneously with her success with this song, Paltrow also charted on Country Songs with “Country Strong,” the title track from the 2010 film in which she co-starred.
Some Gwyneth aficionados might have come up with “It’s Only Love,” a track from Sheryl Crow’s 2002 album, C’mon C’mon. However, this never featured on any Billboard chart.
The sweary version was named by Spin magazine as their Best Song of 2010.
Bruno Mars explained to Rolling Stone that when he came up with the piano riff, he thought it was an old soul riff from the ’60s or ’70s. Said Mars, “I guess I’d know by now if it wasn’t original. When Cee-Lo got in there and sang, we all got the chills.”
In what looked a lot like Elton John’s appearance on The Muppet Show in 1977, Cee-Lo performed this song at the Grammy Awards in 2011 dressed in feathers and backed by a band of puppets. The song became a duet when Gwyneth Paltrow joined in, eventually ending up on top of Cee-Lo’s piano. The song was nominated for Record of the Year, Song of the Year and won for Best Urban/Alternative Performance.
When the Glee version debuted at #31 in the UK on the day of the 2011 Oscar ceremony, Gwyneth Paltrow became the sixth Academy Award winner for Best Actress to also make that country’s singles chart, following Liza Minnelli, Cher, Barbra Streisand, Nicole Kidman and Kate Winslet.
Bruno Mars recalled to Q magazine: “For years I’d been saying, ‘I wanna work with Cee lo Green.’ We came up with the title and sung the chorus for him. We were a little nervous about it cos we didn’t want it to be like a skit. He said, ‘That’s incredible, let’s go.’ We wrote it in two hours.”
In a February 2012 promo for Fender guitars, Bruno Mars said he played his 57 Reissue Stratocaster on the song.
Forget You
I see you driving ’round town With the girl I love and I’m like, Forget you! Oo, oo, ooo I guess the change in my pocket Wasn’t enough I’m like, Forget you! And forget her too! Said, if I was richer, I’d still be with ya Ha, now ain’t that some shit? (ain’t that some shit?) And although there’s pain in my chest I still wish you the best with a Forget you! Oo, oo, ooo
Yeah I’m sorry, I can’t afford a Ferrari, But that don’t mean I can’t get you there. I guess he’s an Xbox and I’m more Atari, About the way you play your game ain’t fair.
I pity the fool that falls in love with you (Oh shit she’s a gold digger) Well (Just thought you should know ) Ooooooh I’ve got some news for you Yeah go run and tell your little boyfriend
I see you driving ’round town With the girl I love and I’m like, Forget you! Oo, oo, ooo I guess the change in my pocket Wasn’t enough I’m like, Forget you! And forget her too! Said, if I was richer, I’d still be with ya Ha, now ain’t that some shit? (ain’t that some shit?) And although there’s pain in my chest I still wish you the best with a Forget you! Oo, oo, ooo
Now I know, that I had to borrow, Beg and steal and lie and cheat. Trying to keep ya, trying to please ya. ‘Cause being in love with your a** ain’t cheap.
I pity the fool that falls in love with you (Oh shit she’s a gold digger) Well (Just thought you should know) Ooooooh I’ve got some news for you Ooh, I really hate your ass right now
I see you driving ’round town With the girl I love and I’m like, Forget you! Oo, oo, ooo I guess the change in my pocket Wasn’t enough I’m like, Forget you! And forget her too! Said, if I was richer, I’d still be with ya Ha, now ain’t that some shit? (ain’t that some shit?) And although there’s pain in my chest I still wish you the best with a Forget you! Oo, oo, ooo
Now baby, baby, baby Why d’you wanna wanna hurt me so bad? (So bad, so bad, so bad) I tried to tell my momma but she told me “This is one for your dad” (Your dad, your dad, your dad) Yes she did And I was like Uh! Whhhy? Uh! Whhhy? Uh! Whhhy lady? Oh! I love you oh! I still love you. Oooh!
I see you driving ’round town With the girl I love and I’m like, Forget you! Oo, oo, ooo I guess the change in my pocket Wasn’t enough I’m like, Forget you! And forget her too! Said, if I was richer, I’d still be with ya Ha, now ain’t that some shit? (ain’t that some shit?) And although there’s pain in my chest I still wish you the best with a Forget you! Oo, oo, ooo
I heard this in 2000 for the first time and right away I liked it. It has a slight Beatle influenced feel and is extremely catchy. Ween does not take them seriously and they are fun to listen to. The Band formed in 1984 in New Hope, Pennsylvania by childhood friends Aaron Freeman and Mickey Melchiondo.
This song didn’t chart but it was played on many alternative stations.
From Wiki
Ween signed with Elektra Records and released their major label debut Pure Guava on November 10, 1992. Pure Guava featured their highest charting single, “Push th’ Little Daisies” which gained them media and MTV attention, as the video was a highlighted target on MTV’s Beavis and Butt-Head. The song was also a hit in Australia, reaching #18 on the singles chart.
They also wrote and performed the song “Ocean Man” for the Spongebob movie.
Even If You Don’t
I’m goin’ crazy trying to keep you sane Takin’ my prescriptions, forging my name I was happy this morning, ya finally got yourself dressed, eatin all the bacon Its okay i was still impressed
I love you, even if you don’t you’ve got your knife up to my throat, what do you want to see with me?
Rooting though the garbage for treasures in the trash pile, seein my expression will always make you smile Please don’t touch my phone book, my friends are getting pissed off Ya wake em I’m the morning, I’m acting like a jerkoff
I love you, even if you don’t you’ve got your knife up to my throat, what do you want to see with me?
I love you, even if you don’t you’ve got your knife up to my throat, what do you want to see with me?
I love you, even if you don’t you’ve got your knife up to my throat, what do you want to see with me?
I’m not a big Ashton Kutcher fan but I do like this movie. It got panned by many critics when it was released in 2004. I am a sucker for Time Travel movies and for me, this is a decent one. It does get very grim at times and shows that a slight change in one event can change many others that come after.
Kutcher plays Evan Treborn who is basically a good guy who keeps having blackouts as a kid. The doctors cannot figure out why, but he has a gift or curse that was passed down from his dad. If he reads and concentrates on the journals he made as a youth he can go back in time to what he wrote about. He spends the movie trying to right wrongs that shape all of his friend’s future. Every change he makes has a consequence and leads to sometimes disastrous results.
He had been in love with Kayleigh Miller since he was a kid and Kayleigh lives with her sexually abusive father and her brother is a psychopath because of his home life. They both had a choice to live with their mom or dad but they picked their dad.
I can’t go any further without ruining it. The film has plenty of flaws but if you like Time Travel you might like this. It’s not Gone With The Wind but an enjoyable movie but with adult situations…not for kids.
One thing about it…I would suggest NOT to watch the Directors Cut first because four alternative endings were filmed and personally I liked the theatrical version the best. Whichever one you see you can watch the other endings on Youtube or the DVD.
Hanspostcard recommended Last Train to Memphis and this sequel Careless Love The Unmaking of Elvis Presley… and both are excellent recommendations for anyone who wants to learn about Elvis. This one begins where the other left off with Elvis going to Germany in the Army and ends…at the end.
Guralnick covers everything here. Elvis’s gradual distaste of the movies he was making, the great comeback special, Las Vegas, the Richard Milhous Nixon meeting, two concert documentaries, recording good music again, Aloha from Hawaii, the freefall, and then death. In between these events, we see the girls, his buddies the Memphis Mafia, the drugs, the paranoia, his search for something more, and his huge generosity.
I always wondered why he didn’t try to blend in a little more and not be so noticeable…but he loved so much being Elvis Presley. Once he was in a restaurant and no one was noticing him…he walked by a couple of women near the bathroom and gave them a smile just so they knew. He also loved making people happy by being over-generous. If you were in the right place at the right time you could end up with a car or a diamond ring.
He was raised well by his parents and seemed like a good person. He could show flashes of anger at people around, have jealousy, even a Christ complex at times, unpredictable and living in denial about his drug problem. In other words…he was human and that is what I like about the book. It’s not elevating him too high nor turning him into a parody of himself.
The book also goes into his manager “Colonel” Tom Parker who at one point was getting 50 percent of what Elvis was earning. He could have done much better than Parker but Elvis was loyal and in some ways insecure. If you want to know about Elvis…get Last Train to Memphis and this one…Careless Love.
My favorite song by Everclear is “Wonderful” that was released in 2000 on the album “Songs from an American Movie Vol. One: Learning How to Smile.” It’s about divorce through a child’s eyes. I can relate to that so the song hit home in a lot of ways. The line that I liked was after the parents separated and the child was living in a new place…”I want the things that I had before Like a Star Wars poster on my bedroom door”
In 2000 the song peaked at #3 in the Billboard Alternative Charts and #11 in the Billboard 100 charts, and #1 in the Canadian Alternative Charts.
From Songfacts
Lead singer Art Alexakis wrote this from a child’s perspective. He was dealing with a recent divorce and the effect it had on his daughter, Anna. He says, “I was a child of a broken marriage, my daughter was the child of a broken marriage, and it was hard to watch it happen to her. That was me trying to make sense of it.”
Alexakis: “It’s one of those songs where I take my experiences as a kid, some experiences of some friends of mine, and kind of put myself into this kid’s place. It’s not really autobiographical but it’s coming from a place that I understand very well. My characters tend to have aspects of my personality. It wouldn’t be real if it didn’t have a part of my reality.”
Along with “Father Of Mine” and “Santa Monica,” Alexakis considers this one of his most personal songs. He used to think these kind of songs were too serious and intense to be hits, but has found they strike chords with people and do very well.
Wonderful
I close my eyes when I get too sad I think thoughts that I know are bad Close my eyes and I count to ten Hope it’s over when I open them
I want the things that I had before Like a Star Wars poster on my bedroom door I wish I could count to ten Make everything be wonderful again
Hope my mom and I hope my dad Will figure out why they get so mad Hear them scream, I hear them fight Say bad words that make me want to cry
Close my eyes when I go to bed And I dream of angels that make me smile I feel better when I hear them say Everything will be wonderful someday
Promises mean everything when you’re little And the world’s so big I just don’t understand how You can smile with all those tears in your eyes Tell me everything is wonderful now
(Na na na na na na na)
Please don’t tell me everything is wonderful now
I go to school and I run and play I tell the kids that it’s all okay I like to laugh so my friends won’t know When the bell rings I just don’t want to go home
Go to my room and I close my eyes I make believe that I have a new life I don’t believe you when you say Everything will be wonderful someday
Promises mean everything when you’re little And the world is so big I just don’t understand how You can smile with all those tears in your eyes When you tell me everything is wonderful now
I don’t want to hear you tell me everything is wonderful now
I don’t want to hear you say That I will understand someday No, no, no, no I don’t want to hear you say We both have grown in a different way No, no, no, no I don’t want to meet your friends And I don’t want to start over again I just want to my life to be the same Just like it used to be Some days I hate everything I hate everything Everyone and everything Please don’t tell me everything is wonderful now
I don’t want to hear you tell me everything is wonderful now
When I heard this song for the first time I liked it…the line “If dreams are like movies, then memories are films about ghosts” got my attention. It is a well-written song with great imagery.
The song peaked at #40 in the U.S. Billboard Adult Top 40 in 2000.
Adam Duritz the songwriter/singer has finally admitted to how he wrote the song Mrs. Potter’s Lullaby. According to an interview he did he admitted he wrote the song about a person who falls in love with an idealized version of someone and not who they actually are. In this particular case, the character falls in love with an actress on a screen, Monica Potter.
From Songfacts
This song deals with memories and hope (both the false ones and all the far-searching dreams). Mrs. Potter is a movie star who Adam Duritz is looking up at, admiring, and wanting her to be a part of his life. This song has a very dreamy feel about it all the way through, as does the video clip. Duritz says he wrote the song after going to a movie and wondering what it would be like to fall in love with a girl on the screen.
Duritz had some particular insights here, as he has dated a litany of actresses, including Mary Louise Parker, Jennifer Aniston, Samantha Mathis and Emmy Rossum.
It was written about Monica Potter from the movies Con Air, Patch Adams and Saw. He says that after he wrote the song, he had dinner with a couple who brought an actress friend along. She and Duritz hit it off, and he invited her to the recording session, where he announced her as “Mrs. Potter.” She went out of town for a few days, during which time Duritz wrote a few songs inspired by their quick separation and long phone calls: “Colorblind,” “Four Days” and “Kid Things.”
When she returned, they started dating. Their producer Dennis Herring had given her a tape from the sessions, which she played for Duritz when he told her that they were having trouble mixing the song. One take on the tape sounded really good, so Adam played that one for the band and used it on the recording. They realized that they had overcomplicated the song, so they stripped it down, working from that one take.
This song runs 7:46, but Adam Duritz tells us that it took him only about 8 hours to write. “It’s a longer song, but it’s one sitting,” he said. “I would always sit in that feeling for a while.”
Mrs. Potter’s Lullaby
Well I woke up in mid-afternoon cause that’s when it all hurts the most I dream I never know anyone at the party and I’m always the host If dreams are like movies, then memories are films about ghosts You can never escape, you can only move south down the coast
Well, I am an idiot walking a tightrope of fortune and fame I am an acrobat swinging trapezes through circles of flame If you’ve never stared off in the distance, then your life is a shame And though I’ll never forget your face, sometimes I can’t remember my name
Hey Mrs. Potter don’t cry Hey Mrs. Potter I know why but Hey Mrs. Potter won’t you talk to me
Well, there’s a piece of Maria in every song that I sing And the price of a memory is the memory of the sorrow it brings And there is always one last light to turn out and one last bell to ring And the last one out of the circus has to lock up everything
Or the elephants will get out and forget to remember what you said And the ghosts of the tilt-a-whirl will linger inside of your head And the ferris wheel junkies will spin them forever instead When I see you a blanket of stars covers me in bed
Hey Mrs. Potter don’t go Hey Mrs. Potter I don’t know but Hey Mrs. Potter won’t you talk to me
All the blue light reflections that color my mind when I sleep And the lovesick rejections that accompany the company I keep All the razor perceptions that cut just a little too deep Hey I can bleed as well as anyone, but I need someone to help me sleep
So I throw my hand into the air and it swims in the beams It’s just a brief interruption of the swirling dust sparkle jet stream Well, I know I don’t know you and you’re probably not what you seem But I’d sure like to find out So why don’t you climb down off that movie screen
Hey Mrs. Potter don’t turn Hey Mrs. Potter I burn for you Hey Mrs. Potter won’t you talk to me
When the last king of Hollywood shatters his glass on the floor and orders another Well, I wonder what he did that for That’s when I know that I have to get out cause I have been there before So I gave up my seat at the bar and I head for the door
We drove out to the desert just to lie down beneath this bowl of stars We stand up at the Palace like it’s the last of the great Pioneertown bars We shout out these songs against the clang of electric guitars You can see a million miles tonight But you can’t get very far
Hey Mrs. Potter I won’t touch and Hey Mrs. Potter it’s not much but Hey Mrs. Potter won’t you talk to me
Are You Gonna Be My Girl is a song by the Australian rock band Jet. It was the first single from their debut record Get Born, which was released in 2003. I like this song because of the rawness of it. You can hear the amps buzz slightly when the song starts. The song’s drum beat and riff do sound like Iggy Pop’s Lust For Life.
Drummer Chris Cester said: “It’s funny because I asked him (Iggy Pop) point blank about that. He said I was crazy. He said that when he and David Bowie were writing ‘Lust for Life’, they were ripping off Motown’s beat. It’s funny that he said that to me because we also thought we were ripping off Motown more than ‘Lust for Life’.
The song peaked at #29 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2004.
This was a hit twice in the UK, in 2003 it reached #23 in the singles chart. The following year it was re-released after being featured in the Vodaphone picture messaging TV ads and this time it rose to #16 in the charts.
From Songfacts
This was Jet’s first hit song. It was also the first song to be used in the popular iPod commercials, where a black shadow of a person, listening to a white iPod danced to this tune in front of colorful backgrounds. These ads helped boost sales of iPods and of Jet albums.
Are You Gonna Be My Girl
Go!
So one, two, three, take my hand and come with me Because you look so fine That I really wanna make you mine
I say you look so fine That I really wanna make you mine
Oh, four, five, six c’mon and get your kicks Now you don’t need that money When you look like that, do ya honey
Big black boots Long blonde hair She’s so sweet With her get back stare
Well I could see You home with me But you were with another man, yeah! I know we Ain’t got much to say Before I let you get away, yeah! I said, are you gonna be my girl?
Well, so one, two, three, take my hand and come with me Because you look so fine That I really wanna make you mine
I say you look so fine That I really wanna make you mine
Oh, four, five, six c’mon and get your kicks Now you don’t need that money With a face like that, do ya
Big black boots Long brown hair She’s so sweet With her get back stare
Well I could see You home with me But you were with another man, yeah! I know we, Ain’t got much to say Before I let you get away, yeah! I said, are you gonna be my girl?
Oh yeah, oh yeah, c’mon! I could see You home with me But you were with another man, yeah! I know we Ain’t got much to say Before I let you get away, yeah! Uh, be my girl Be my girl Are you gonna be my girl? Yeah
Jet is an Australian band that came out in the 2000s and I really liked them. They have 60’s and 70’s sound to them. When I listened to the song the first time I liked it and noticed they borrowed from The Beatles White Album song “Sexy Sadie”….lyrically and some of the melody. Two brothers Nic Cester and Chris Cester formed the group and were influenced by their father’s 60’s and 70s albums. The drumming on this song I really like.
The band broke up in 2012 and reformed in 2016.
The song peaked at #37 in 2005 in the Billboard 100 and #14 in Australia.
Look What You’ve Done
Take my photo off the wall If it just won’t sing for you. ‘Cause all that’s left has gone away And there’s nothing there for you to prove.
Oh, look what you’ve done You’ve made a fool of everyone. Oh, well, it seems like such fun Until you lose what you had won.
Give me back my point of view ‘Cause I just can’t think for you. I can hardly hear you say What should I do? Well, you choose
Oh, look what you’ve done You’ve made a fool of everyone. Oh, well, it seems like such fun Until you lose what you had won.
Oh,look what you’ve done You’ve made a fool of everyone A fool of everyone A fool of everyone
Take my photo off the wall If it just won’t sing for you. ‘Cause all that’s left has gone away And there’s nothing there for you to do.
Oh, look what you’ve done You’ve made a fool of everyone. Oh, well, it seems like such fun Until you lose what you had won.
Oh, look what you’ve done You’ve made a fool of everyone A fool of everyone A fool of everyone.
Julia Ruth Stevens, the adopted daughter of Babe Ruth, died on Saturday in an assisted living facility in Henderson, Nev.
Babe Ruth married Claire Hodgson on the opening day of the 1929 baseball season. He adopted Julia, and Claire adopted Dorothy (Babe Ruth’s biological daughter) in 1930, and they all lived together, with Claire’s extended family, in an apartment on West 88th Street.
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