Crash and Burn (1999) – Savage Garden

Posted on July 10, 2021 by observationblogger — 18 Comments

Crash and Burn is the second song from Australian duo Savage Garden to be featured in this Music Library Project. What entails the ‘Music Library Project’?
It comes from their very successful 1999 album Affirmation, from which the title track featured here not too long ago. More information about the album and background of the duo can be found in that article.

As we discussed, what made Savage Garden stand out was the transparency in their lyrics and who they chose to represent. You could brand their scope here – new liberal pop inspiration music. In similar vain to the single Affirmation, Crash and Burn has this moral bastion theme coursing through it.

When you feel all alone
And the world has turned it’s back on you
Give me a moment please to tame your wild wild heart
I know you feel like the walls are closing in on you…
Let me be the one you call
If you jump I’ll break your fall
Lift you up and fly away with you into the night.

I have always enjoyed listening to this track. I find the verses and general build up of the song inspiring and passionate. The only part I do not care for is the chorus as they seem to be a momentum killer and impinge on the soulful escalation in the verses. I would have preferred they dropped a chorus and added another verse, but perhaps I’m being too nit-picky since it was wildly popular. This third single from the album reached the top 20 in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, as well as number 24 on the US Billboard Hot 100, making it their last US hit to date.

Darren Hayes described Crash and Burn as one of his favourite Savage Garden songs: “Musically it’s a dear song to me, because it’s all the words I wished someone would have said to me during the period after the first Savage Garden album.“

Reference:
1. Wikipedia – Crash and Burn

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High Anxiety (1977) – Mel Brooks (Friday’s Finest)

Posted on July 9, 2021 by observationblogger — 6 Comments

Last week I introduced my children to a movie which had a great impact on my appreciation of cinema growing up – Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho. I made the grave error of showing them the High Anxiety parody of Psycho‘s famous shower scene prior to us watching Psycho. So when Janet Leigh removes her slippers to enter the shower my children chuckled reflecting on Mel Brook’s fate in the High Anxiety which ruined any suspense of this iconic scene. Pyscho is of course one of the most influential horror movies ever made, changing the movie landscape for ever. It contains one of the most memorable movie scores and is constantly listed in the upper echelon of greatest movie lists.

High Anxiety is one of Mel Brook’s lesser-known comedy outputs, but it is my joint favourite film from him along with his classic Young Frankenstein. The whole movie is basically a parody of Alfred Hitchcock movies including humorous spin-off scenes from Hitchcock’s Psycho, The Birds, Vertigo and Spellbound. It also pokes fun at Orson Welles’ Citizen Kane, in the camera tracking through walls, and even James Bond films with an assassin who shares a similarity with the Bond villain Jaws. I find it a little guilty pleasure rewatching High Anxiety as there are just so many scenes which make me break out laughing.

IMDB Storyline:
Dr. Richard Thorndyke arrives as new administrator of the Psychoneurotic Institute for the Very, VERY Nervous to discover some suspicious goings-on. When he’s framed for murder, Dr. Thorndyke must confront his own psychiatric condition, “high anxiety,” in order to clear his name.

I am baffled why High Anxiety has such mediocre ratings on IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes (6.7 and 72% respectively). This is Brooks’ first film as a producer and first speaking lead role. The film as alluded to above was dedicated to Hitchcock, who also worked with Brooks on the screenplay. Wikipedia states: Brooks took great pains to not only spoof Hitchcock films, but also to emulate the look and style of his pictures. In an interview he said, “I watch the kind of film we’re making with the [director of photography], so he knows not to be frivolous. He’s got to get the real lighting, the real texture.

When I watch High Anxiety I can’t help but be drawn to the 1963 comedy – The Nutty Professor starring Jerry Lewis. I find many parallels between the two films. They are both uneven screwball spoofs but hilarious when they hit. The standout performances in High Anxiety are from Cloris Leachman as Nurse Diesel and Madeline Kahn as the blonde femme fatale who finds herself in one ditzy situation after another.

I couldn’t recommend High Anxiety enough for those who enjoy Mel films and / or admire Hitchcock films. Like all of Brooks’ best movies, the plot would work just fine as a straight thriller, and the spoofing is as affectionate as it is hilarious.

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Posted in Movies and TV

Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat major, Op. 73 Adagio Un Poco Mosso – Ludwig van Beethoven

Posted on July 8, 2021 by observationblogger — 2 Comments
Beethoven in 1815, portrayed by Joseph Willibrord Mähler

There are few more delightful, but relaxing pieces of music invented in the history of humankind than this gem ‘from the Ludwig Van’. We were discussing in a recent post about how Pink Floyd’s Comfortably Numb can induce a drug-inducing ‘like’ mind-numbing state of bliss to the listener, today’s featured Concerto Ludwig Van offering is off the charts in this respect.

If Classical music doesn’t do it for you, then I beg you to just listen from 1.00 in the video below until 2.00. The transition between the sweeping Violin ensemble into the single finger piano playing is something to behold. Someone described listening to Beethoven ‘like never being alone’. I had the sensation that life couldn’t be more beautiful listening to this.

Our societies are built from music like this. Everyone in every generation should know it, if not then that is a failure on us and our societies. Us – older generations must pass this timeless music onto their children and encourage others to share it. I don’t see anyway out of the polarisation quagmire unless we have everyone on the same page at ‘what is timeless art’!

This concerto was the last from the Van. It was written between 1809 and 1811 in Vienna. With Napoleon’s army besieging Vienna, the Austrian Imperial family and all of the court, including Beethoven’s pupil, friend, and benefactor, Archduke Rudolph, fled the city. Interestingly, when the concerto finally made light it failed to make much of an impression, but like most great art it takes time to be understood and appreciated.

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Posted in Music

´We wont expect you to do Calculus’ – Black Self Making – Glenn Loury

Posted on July 1, 2021 by observationblogger — Leave a comment
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Posted in politics, Reflections

‘The Future of War video’ and Political Grace (The art of disagreeing well)

Posted on June 25, 2021 by observationblogger — 2 Comments

In conjunction with the articles here which proceed this one, the impending warning below which I published 2 years ago (supported by the US Navy) of how our enemy-states will try and divide Western-liberal democratic societies is more timely than ever. I hope we all take heed quick-smart or we are in big trouble – at least how it appears to me.

observationblogger's avatarObservation Blogger

I think anyone who uses social media needs to see this video especially right up until the end because in a sense the future of war most definitely will involve each one of us. If you haven’t got time to watch the whole video you can read the brief extract below.
Some may view it as war propaganda.  It depends if you are talking about the derogatory word for propaganda, that lies in order to manipulate perspectives falsely and not in good faith. The way I see it is purely information.

‘(25.15) We like to think of this Internet place as just a fun consequence free place…(but) Something’s happening. I just had a four star general tell me that the cyber domain and specifically the human elements – that being us affected within that cyber domain is one of the 5 most important components to modern warfare…I believe the biggest…

View original post 382 more words

Posted in News, politics

Coyote (1977) – Joni Mitchell

Posted on June 25, 2021 by observationblogger — 3 Comments

Today’s featured song Coyote is the fourth song to appear here from Joni Mitchell in this Music Library Project. What entails the ‘Music Library Project’?
It is the opening song from Joni Mitchell’s 1976 album Hejira and also the album’s first single. I have fond memories of Joni’s performance of this song on the legendary The Last Waltz concert, by The Band – directed by Martin Scorsese. I believe most if not all songs in that concert will feature at some point in this project.

Coyote is reminiscent of Joni’s music on her early albums. As wikipedia states: ‘the the sound was extremely spacious, even repetitive, with the verses made much longer and more like a long story.‘ Joni said, “This album was written mostly while I was traveling in the car.” No piano or keyboards were featured on that album and Coyote was stripped down to electric and acoustic guitars. Many songs from Hejira stayed in her live repertoire late into her career. In 2006 she said, “I suppose a lot of people could have written a lot of my other songs, but I feel the songs on Hejira could only have come from me.”

You have ‘road’ movies in the vain of Midnight Express and Paris Texas, well Coyote is Joni’s ‘road’ song. Not surprising considering she wrote the album travelling in a car. It describes an encounter (which turns into a one-night stand) between the narrator and Coyote, a ranch worker. The narrator sings about Coyote pursuing them across Canada, similar to an actual coyote on the prowl.

According the musicficionado blog, Coyote describes her brief relationship with Sam Shepherd on Dylan’s Rolling Thunder Revue. The road trip that gave birth to the songs on Hejira also led to an acquaintance with Chögyam Trungpa, a teacher of Tibetan Buddhism. He snapped her out of her cocaine habit (that she allegedly started on RTR tour) and she wrote the song Refugee of the Roads about him. In Coyote she references her memory of the sex, drugs and folk n’ roll experience that was the Rolling Thunder Revue:

Under your dark glasses
Privately probing the public rooms
And peeking thru keyholes in
numbered doors
Where the players lick their wounds
And take their temporary lovers
And their pills and powders to get
them thru this passion play

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Covenant Woman (1979) – Bob Dylan

Posted on June 24, 2021 by observationblogger — Leave a comment

This is one of my favourite gospel songs from Dylan written in 1979 and released on 1980 Gospel record Saved. Dylan wrote so many great songs in ’79 including Gotta Serve Somebody, I Believe in You and Precious Angel, but unlike today’s featured song these aforementioned songs were released on the Slow Train Coming record which was his first album following his conversion to Christianity. Saved was the second album of Dylan’s “Christian trilogy”, but was not well received. The gospel arrangements and lyrics extol the importance of a strong personal faith.

Covenant woman got a contract with the Lord
Way up yonder, great will be her reward
Covenant woman, shining like a morning star
I know I can trust you to stay where you are

And I just got to tell you
I do intend
To stay closer than any friend
I just got to thank you
Once again
For making your prayers known
Unto heaven for me
And to you, always, so grateful
I will forever be

In my estimation, Covenant Woman is the stand-out track from Saved. It is an unconventional beautiful song, sang with so much heart and conviction. Untold Dylan described the song as follows:

The covenant is a bond, a promise, a link of overwhelming significance. Put into the context of this song a covenant between a man and a woman is a bond between a couple who not only love each other but also share a belief that there is a God, and the Bible represents His teachings. So it is a triangle – the man, the woman, the teaching of Christ.

“And I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good for them. I will put a desire in their hearts to worship me, and they will never leave me”. (Jeremiah 32.40).

Covenant Woman was performed 87 times until November 1980. When I hear the studio version the organ and piano parts feel so reminiscent of Elton John’s playing. Expanding on Untold Dylan’s comments above, Covenant Woman demonstrates Dylan’s belief (based on Scripture) that the love between a man and woman is a central aspect of the covenant God has made with mankind. Not only is the relationship a necessary part of establishing God’s kingdom, but it is also a relationship that draws parallels with God’s relationship with humanity.

The Church, after all, is called the “bride” of Christ. Dylan draws on this parallel in many of his later songs (especially in the songs on Time Out of Mind) to create fascinating double meanings in his songs. This song is simpler, however. It is an honest expression of desire to share a lifetime of God’s salvation with a woman “closer than any friend”.

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Posted in Music

Ivermectin – American Journal of Therapeutics

Posted on June 24, 2021 by observationblogger — 11 Comments

Edited 3/8/2021

Individuals who follow my blog – Observation Blogger will know I trusted the information which was presented on the banned episodes of the Darkhorse podcast. I wrote articles supporting their arguments and the decision I have made today isn’t necessarily because I now reject everything they said, but I am now very sceptical of what they espoused about the studies of Ivermectin and alleged dangers of the Vaccines. I feel obliged to change my course of action regarding how I proceed about protecting myself during the Pandemic. 
Despite that, I continue to be repulsed about the mass censuring by You Tube / Twitter / Facebook about pro-Ivermectin or Anti Vaccine presentations.

Based on the recent interview by Rebel Wisdom with Yuri Deigin called Yuri Deigin Responds to Bret Weinstein on Vaccines, Ivermectin & Quillette and the data presented within I will now stop taking Ivermectin and get the Vaccine at the first available opportunity. I recommend people view the video from 33:00 minutes where the scientific data is presented slide by slide about Ivermectin and the safety of the Vaccines. Thanks Rebel Wisdom for showing both arguments. I don’t disrespect those still unwilling to take the vaccine because people should remain free to decide what they choose for their bodies to be administered and be free to enjoy life without restrictions. I will continue to view the Darkhorse podcast as I admire Brett and Heather perspectives very much.

My own mind has been made up after waiting out a little bit of time to see what extra data and information surfaced about the efficacy and safety of the Vaccines. I may well have made the wrong decision and Ivermectin could be the more effective prophylactic choice and the long term effects of the Vaccines may well result in serious adverse effects (as much as that seems unlikely). I don’t know for certain because I’m not a medical or viral specialist. But I have at least received enough information / data which satisfies me to take the Vaccine plunge. I hope this information finds you all in good spirits and health..Cheers.

Original Article:

I wrote an article recently titled: ‘Stop the Press – Pierre Kory & Bret Weinstein‘ about Dr. Pierre Kory’s pleads to congress about the efficacy of Ivermectin as a prophylaxis in the treatment of COVID. I warned in that article it was highly probable the video would be taken down by You Tube (YT) as Dr Kory’s testimony to Congress had been ‘gotten rid-of’ from broadcaster channels time and time again.
The tenacity of You Tube in restricting science and health information being made public is exemplary as they just took down the Kory & Weinstein video.

Red flag anyone? I mean that literally. Who NOW rules the roost (see Future of War video supported by the US Navy).

“They are going to find the division in our society and amplify it”. Sound familiar?

I have seen 2 people close to me suffering and unable to move from their bed because of COVID and when they were administered Ivermectin (and Vitamin D, C and Zinc) based on unauthorized medical advice they were up and about within days. The great news is the American Journal of Therapeutics just released an article that stated that Ivermectin was an effective prophylaxis for COVID.

I should preface I am not a medical doctor nor do I recommend people self-administer medicines. I have made editions to this article and it is apparent that Ivermectin is more effective (according to clinical studies) when used as a preventative measure and/or to treat those in the infancy of COVID symptoms.

The Crime of the Century episode (no longer available on the Brett Weinstein channel) about the health authorities disregard of Ivermectin despite all the evidence and clinical trials demonstrating its enormous benefit in treating COVID is correct as it states. This is the crime of the century, indeed!

Facebook and Youtube’s draconian policies which authorise the constant pulling of videos relating to vital health information from scientific experts and their desire to inform the public at large during this pandemic is unforgivable and has cost in my opinion hundreds of thousands, if not millions of lives.
I’ll leave the last words to Dr. Pierre Kory who worked on the front line during the outbreak. I’d like to show where he said this, but You Tube wiped it from history:

‘Where in history has censorship been a good thing?’

Posted in Health, News

County Fair (2003) – Bruce Springsteen

Posted on June 12, 2021 by observationblogger — 2 Comments

I love this little known gem from Bruce. The words, the delivery and instrumentals are from someone who knows their craft. It was released as a bonus track on The Essential Bruce Springsteen record which I snapped up with much gusto! County Fair reminds me of when I was based at Creswell and visiting the nearby fair entourage. The song presents great imagery of warm summer nights, love and happiness and his low-key delivery just puts us in ease with our thoughts.

Every year when summer comes around
They stretch a banner ‘cross the main street in town
You can feel somethin’s happenin’ in the air
Well, from Carol’s house up on Telegraph Hill
You can see the lights going up out in Soldiers Field
Getting ready, for the county fair

In the thick of the Pandemic here in Bogotá I can’t help but feel Nostalgic about this track. Imagine for a second how the thousands of theatre and circus performers have been made destitute and wavering lunatics by the lockdowns? There is something wrong in all of this. My children haven’t seen a school since March last year and probably won’t see one until next year. They’ve never seen a County Fair or a Circus – at least Bruce and I have seen one.
I live in a predominantly Catholic country where I thought they learnt ‘Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.’ – Matthew 18:1-3.
What is happening when authorities deny children from socialising?

Anyway, this song may make you feel like sitting at a porch on a summer night reminiscing of good times.

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Rushmore (1998) – Wes Anderson (Friday’s Finest)

Posted on June 11, 2021 by observationblogger — Leave a comment

I’m surprised this is the first movie to appear here on ‘Friday’s Finest’ from director Wes Anderson. His eccentric and distinctive visual and narrative styles of film-making have made a great impression on the cinema world. He has created a niche – a brand of movie art that is entirely his own invention. There are no other movies like Wes Anderson movies. He is known by many critics as as a modern-day example of the auteur. Although he hasn’t made many movies – just 9 , each of them exude that irrepressible Anderson charm of direction.

It’s to be expected that actor Bill Murray features in many of his movies because Bill’s unconventional and peculiar manner of performance aligns so well with Anderson’s vision. Today’s featured film Rushmore is one of his less well known movies, but it is a keeper. Murray out does himself in this. I think it’s the funniest I have seen Murray in a minor part. Murray may have overstayed his welcome by leading Anderson’s 2004 film The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou where his freakish deadpan delivery seemed excessive for a protagonist, here in Rushmore Murray is used perfectly.

Max Fischer played by Jason Schwartzman isn’t the most likeable character. On the surface he seems a precocious little know it all, so self absorbed at high school that he thinks he can achieve and lead anything and anyone. Unlike his classmates who turn up to school and do the drill, he as a teen wants to make a meaningful difference in paving the lives of others towards achieving something extraordinary. Unfortunately Max is not someone gifted or insanely talented in any field and he continually fails at excelling in anything. Even to the point he is threatened with expulsion for his poor grades because of his hell-bent obsession on extra-curricular activities. Fortunately for him Max has important adult contacts and a certain charm which helps him time and time again to get out of the ruts his unfettered exuberance leads him into.

Max isn’t very likeable, but his ideals and endeavours are and as a viewer you might find yourself rooting for Max after a while. His encounters with anyone he comes into contact including his beautiful teacher Rosemary Cross played by Olivia Williams are endearing but offbeat funny in that Anderson mode. I just want to give a shout out to Olivia William’s sublime performance in The Ghost Writer which has featured here on Fridays. As alluded to above Bill Murray’s performance in this, in particular his interactions with the prematurely developed Max is something to behold.

Rushmore is by no way a movie I would expect to be liked by a mainstream audience. It seems to want to offend and be different. It has a lot of things that modern day movie cinema lacks: dry humor, distinct writing and music and a real heart. I used to think that Royal Tenenbaums (2001) was Anderson’s first good film and Rushmore a floored attempt. But Anderson’s vision requires an adjustment period.

I now would prefer to see Rushmore over Royal, as crazy as that may seem. It’s just an easier viewing experience for me. The whole Rushmore thing is seriously funny and somehow seriously real, but at the same time doesn’t always take itself seriously. The idea of the movie doesn’t come off sounding like a very captivating plot: high school geek and middle-aged millionaire fall in love with the same first grade teacher. Not exactly material for a high-grossing box office hit. But I don’t think plot necessarily matters when it comes to making a quality film.

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Posted in Movies and TV

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