Never Be The Same Again (2000) – Melanie C (Ft. Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes)

Posted on November 12, 2025 by observationblogger — Leave a comment

Let me just say from the outset – I’ve seen worse single covers than the one above. Wowee. If I’m hazarding a guess, I’d say Melanie C’s (from the British girl group Spice Girls) short-cropped hair and athletic look on her first solo record Northern Star (inset) had as much to do with me buying the record as anything else.

But hear me out… upon listening to the album, I soon learned there was much more behind that pretty face than I’d imagined. It actually contained some very good music, and I responded to it most agreeably as a newbie casual fan. Which brings us to today’s featured song.

Hip-hop music isn’t ordinarily my cup of tea, but what Mel does with Never Be the Same Again really drew me in. It oozes a sultry and delectable sound – even after more than two decades, it still feels as fresh and current as almost anything I hear today. What I also like is that it doesn’t try to be too showy or over the top; it just is what it is – a meandering yet cozy stroll of music that feels warm and congenial on the ears. The song also features (in the third verse) American singer and rapper Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes of TLC fame.

Lyrically and thematically, it reminds me a little of Alanis Morissette’s 1995 song Head Over Feet – an unassuming and restrained telling of unexpected affection between friends that turned into, to quote Alanis, “You’re my best friend / Best friend with benefits.”

Two other songs will appear here from Mel’s debut album, including the wonderfully poignant title track Northern Star.

Never Be the Same Again was the third single released from the record. It entered at the top of the UK Singles Chart, becoming Melanie C’s first solo single to reach number one. It sold 144,936 copies in its first week and was Britain’s 18th-best-selling song of 2000. 

Melanie C was born Melanie Jayne Chisholm on 12 January 1974, which makes her just three days older than yours truly – very cool by my own reckoning, if I may say so. The music video below was filmed in Malibu, California – also pretty cool. Mel is also seen jogging on a treadmill with a changing foreground. She has been open about her experiences with clinical depression and an eating disorder.
She spoke of her eating disorder to Contact Music, stating:

“I’d hammered the gym for three hours a day. It was a way of running away, not thinking. I felt like a robot. When the papers started calling me ‘Sumo Spice’, I was only a size 10. But I was so upset by all the criticism, it got worse and I went up to a size 14.”

[Verse 1]
I call you up whenever things go wrong
You’re always there you are my shoulder to cry on
I can’t believe it took me quite so long
To take the forbidden step
Is this something that I might regret?

[Pre-Chorus]
Come on, come on
Nothing ventured, nothing gained
You are the one
The lonely heart that can’t be tamed
Come on, come on
I’m hoping that you feel the same (Yeah!)
This is something that I can’t forget

[Chorus]
I thought that we would just be friends
Things will never be the same again
It’s just the beginning it’s not the end
Things will never be the same again
It’s not a secret anymore
Now we’ve opened up the door
Starting tonight and from now on
We’ll never, never be the same again
(uh, never be the same again)
Never be the same again
(uh, never be the same again, come on)

[Verse 2]
Now I know that we were close before (before)
I’m glad I realized I need you so much more (yeah)
And I don’t care what everyone will say (uh, ha)
It’s about you and me (you and me)
And we’ll never be the same again (uh)

[Verse 3: Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes]
Uh, check it
Night and day
Black beach sand to red clay
The US to UK
NYC to LA
From sidewalks to highways
See it will never be the same, what I’m saying
My mind frame never changed so you came and rearranged
But sometimes it seems completely forbidden
To discover those feelings that we kept so well hidden
When there’s no competition
And you render my condition
Though improbable it’s not impossible
For a love that could be unstoppable, but wait
I find lines between fate and destiny
Do you believe in the things that were just meant to be?
When you tell me the stories of your quest for me
Picturesque is the picture you paint effortlessly
And as our energies mix and begin to multiply
Everyday situations they start to simplify
So things will never be the same between you and I
We intertwine our life forces
And now we’re unified (yeah)

References:
1. Never Be the Same Again – Wikipedia

Tagged with: , , ,
Posted in Music

Why Don’t You Get a Job? (1998) – The Offspring

Posted on November 12, 2025 by observationblogger — 6 Comments

At the tail end of the 1990s alternative rock and punk scene, The Offspring exploded with a run of hits, and Why Don’t You Get a Job? was one of the catchiest of them all. It’s a song as much about attitude as melody – playful, and so singable. Singer Dexter Holland delivers each line with a blend of sneer and smirk, so while some lyrics might come off as abrasive – particularly in the opening and closing verses – it never feels too mean-spirited. To me, the whole thing plays out as tongue-in-cheek banter.

Musically, the song always reminded me of The Beatles’ Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-D”, especially when he sings – “Say, no way, say no way-ya, no way.” As it turns out, I wasn’t imagining it because Wikipedia notes: The song drew attention from multiple music writers for its similarities to the song “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da”, the Beatles’ 1968 hit from their self-titled double album (also known as the White Album).

Oh, I still remember Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da being played endlessly (along with Yellow Submarine) during morning exercise back in primary school – and feeling utterly powerless to stop it. It didn’t exactly leave me with the most endearing memories of The Beatles from an early age – quite the opposite if I’m being frank. But I’ll leave that rabbit hole for another day.

Musically Why Don’t You Get a Job? evokes the feel of a laid-back beach tune. The rhythm guitar chops on the off-beat, in classic ska and reggae fashion, giving it a bouncy groove rather than a driving punk pulse. – making their song sound cheeky and tropical – kinda California punk on holiday.

The song appears as the 11th track on The Offspring’s fifth studio album, Americana (1998), and was released as its second single. It shot into the top ten in several countries, reaching number two in the UK, Australia, Iceland, and Sweden, though curiously it only peaked at No. 94 on the US Billboard Hot 100. I would’ve assumed it was a bigger hit in the U.S. than anywhere else, but the opposite was true.

The music video below was shot on the backlot of Universal Studios Hollywood. I like when the beats are added by a girl with a boombox – such a simple touch, but it makes the groove come alive right from the start.

[Verse 1]
My friend’s got a girlfriend, man, he hates that bitch
He tells me every day
He says, “Man, I really gotta lose my chick
In the worst kinda way.”

[Verse 2]
She sits on her ass, he works his hands to the bone
To give her money every payday
But she wants more dinero just to stay at home
Well, my friend, you gotta say

[Chorus]
“I won’t pay, I won’t pay ya, no way
Na-na, why don’t you get a job?”
Say, “No way,” say, “No way-ya, no way
Na-na, why don’t you get a job?”

[Verse 3]
I guess all his money, well, it isn’t enough
To keep her bill collectors at bay
I guess all his money, well, it isn’t enough
’Cause that girl’s got expensive taste

[Chorus]

[Bridge]
Well, I guess it ain’t easy doing nothing at all, oh yeah
But hey man, free rides just don’t come along every day
(Let me tell you ’bout my other friend now)

[Verse 4]
My friend’s got a boyfriend, man, she hates that dick (And the guy)
She tells me every day (Woo! Every day now)
He wants more dinero just to stay at home (Stay at home!)
Well, my friend, you gotta say (Gotta say!)

References:
1. Why Don’t You Get a Job? – Wikipedia

Tagged with: , ,
Posted in Music

Right There Waiting (2003) – Delta Goodrum

Posted on November 11, 2025 by observationblogger — 8 Comments

Right There Waiting is one of those cutesy, guilty-pleasure love ballads I occasionally find myself listening to. I’ve been tossing up whether to feature it here for quite some time, but the last time I heard it, it raised the needle on my general happiness gauge – so I decided to let this baby rip.

The Australian singer-songwriter Delta Goodrem, with her warm, girl-next-door charm, has appeared here twice – once with her beautiful ballad Lost Without You, featuring Darren Hayes of Savage Garden. Delta was the undisputed pop diva of Australian music in the early 2000s – until she was diagnosed with cancer, and her struggle became something of a national concern. Too ill to perform at the 2003 ARIA Awards, Darren Hayes stepped in to sing her song instead, delivering such a stirring and heartfelt rendition that it sent shivers down my spine – especially when Delta appears in the audience at the end, a blubbering mess.

Delta was just 18 in 2003 when she was diagnosed with Hodgkin Lymphoma – a cancer of the lymphatic system.

“July 8, 2003. twenty years ago today. I remember that day so clearly and all the mixed emotions that came with the news of being diagnosed with cancer while my album (Innocent Eyes) had been sitting at No. 1 for three months prior and the third single hit No. 1 same day”

Today’s featured track Right There Waiting is a B-side from her Not me, Not I single released from her debut album Innocent Eyes.

Despite going through such a traumatic health experience, Delta has come through the other side and released 6 albums since. In 2021 Delta revealed people still constantly contact her to chat about her cancer journey.

“I don’t get emotional as much anymore… But occasionally I might see something and maybe a happy tear of being grateful because I’m here in full flight of health.”

[Verse 1]
Hey, what’s your silence for?
Lost in the herd that hides your eyes
Did you mean to run from me?
From the dreams we’ve waited for

[Pre-Chorus]
Won’t you take me there?
To that place you share with hopes that light your world
Do I? Do I have to prove that I’m here for you?
I hope you understand
That I am

[Chorus]
Since you’ve been away
I’ve missed you so
I can’t wait to hold you
Have you back again
So please stop and turn around
Then you’ll see me, I’ll be there searching
Right therе waiting for you

[Verse 2]
Hey, what’s the anger for?
Wait, plеase don’t turn away from. me
Looking into my life, you know
That it means everything to me

[Pre-Chorus]

[Chorus]

[Bridge]
No matter what you say (Oh)
We’ll get through each day (Oh)
I’rm here to stay, oh-oh
And if I meet you there (Oh)
Sometime, some place, somewhere (Oh)
And I’ll be there (Oh), anyway

References:
1. Delta Goodrum – Wikipedia
2. Delta Goodrem’s emotional update 20 years after cancer diagnosis: ‘Mixed emotions’ – Yahoo Lifestyle

Tagged with: , , ,
Posted in Music

3/11/25 – 9/11/25 – Media Bias, Skiing Everest & Asteroid Impact

Posted on November 10, 2025 by observationblogger — 10 Comments
news on the march

Welcome to Monday’s News on the March – The week that was in my digital world.

The Murder of Iryna Zarutska | Media Bias, Ideology & Selective Outrage
Video Essay at Quillette

Quillette, the Australian-based online magazine has become one of my go-to current affairs news sources. I really appreciate the care Quillette writers take to analyze and articulate these cultural phenomena. The founder Claire Lehmann was presented here back in March this year in an interview with Freddie Sayers at UnHerd about the threat to free speech from the right.

Today’s feature examines the disturbing silence surrounding the brutal murder of a Ukrainian refugee in North Carolina, United States – and what that silence might reveal about shifting media priorities, ideological bias, and cultural taboos. Was this case overlooked because it didn’t fit the dominant narrative? Are journalists making editorial choices based on ideology rather than truth? And what does this say about how we collectively process injustice?

I Skied Down Mount Everest (world first, no oxygen)
Video presentation at Red Bull

This is one of the most exhilarating and spectacularly filmed sporting adventure videos I’ve ever seen. From the moment I pressed play to the very end, I found myself agasp and bewildered – not only at how Andrzej Bargiel had the stamina to complete this world-first ski mountaineering feat without supplementary oxygen, but also at how it was filmed so exquisitely (by his brother, no less) at such altitude. I’ve seen my fair share of Everest climb videos, but this presentation captured the mountain from an entirely different – and utterly unexpected – perspective. Quite simply this video contains the best shots of Everest I’ve ever seen – and it’s not even close.

Ski mountaineer Andrzej Bargiel becomes the first person to climb Mount Everest and ski back to Everest Base Camp without supplementary oxygen. After nearly 16 hours climbing in the high altitude “death zone” (above 8,000m where oxygen levels are dangerously low), Bargiel clipped into his skis on the summit of the tallest mountain on earth and started his descent via the South Col Route.

How We Figured Out an Asteroid Killed the Dinosaurs
Video presentation at PBS Eons

Nearly all of us are familiar with the most cataclysmic natural event in Earth’s history – the asteroid impact that wiped out the dinosaurs. But do we really know why this hypothesis for their extinction has become so widely and resoundingly accepted by scientists as fact? What’s the evidence, and how did it all come together in such a relatively short span of time? This video goes a long way toward answering those questions, and I found it to be a fascinating learning experience.

Video description:
66 million years ago a giant space rock crashed into our planet and killed the dinosaurs. In the span of just four decades, we’ve gone from not knowing there was a space rock at all to knowing exactly where that planet-killer came from.

That is all. Thank you for reading.

Tagged with: , , , , , , ,
Posted in News, politics, Science, Sport and Adventure

The Return of Jackie and Judy (2006) – Tom Waits

Posted on November 9, 2025 by observationblogger — 11 Comments

Talk about an interesting mix today. We have Tom Waits covering The Ramones with The Return of Jackie and Judy. Johnny Ramone personally choose Tom Waits to do it for their We’re A Happy Family tribute album (2003). There is so much raw energy here. Waits keeps the Ramones’ skeletal structure in the original but dirties it up some and turns it into a bar-punk rocker. Also Waits seems to conjure up this tinny, oxidised sound — like something straight out of a wrecking yard – it’s that dirty.

The Return of Jackie and Judy reminds me so much of another Waits song I featured here back in June 2023 – Lowdown, from the same album in fact. Both share a similar gritty, raw energy and that rough-and-ready rhythm Waits does so well. He even sings them with the same coarse, growling vocals and punctuates each with a recurring “Oh yeah!” throughout.

Waits later released Jack and Judy on his 2006 album Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards – a three-disc edition in 2006 (image inset). It and Lowdown appear on the first disc which is more ‘blues and rock-based‘. The album was listed as one of the highest-scoring albums of the year in Metacritic and was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album.

The Ramones had previously covered Waits’ with I Don’t Wanna Grow Up in 1995 as the opening track and lead single from their final studio album, ¡Adios Amigos! The song itself was originally written and recorded by Tom Waits and Kathleen Brennan for Waits’ 1992 album Bone Machine. The Ramones’ version injects the tune with their trademark punk energy while keeping the bittersweet irony of Waits’ lyrics.

Oh, yeah, oh, yeah, oohhh
Oh, Jackie is a punk
Judy is a runt
They went down to The Mudd Club
And they both got drunk
Oh, yeah, oh, yeah, ooh

Well, Jackie is a bookie
And Judy’s taking loans
They both came up to New York
Just to see The Ramones
Oh, yeah, oh, yeah

And, oh, I don’t know why
She wrote that letter
I don’t know why
We can’t forget her, oh, no

Well, Jackie’s playing hooky
Judy’s playing pool
They both got caught for cutting
Now they’re going to summer school
Oh, yeah

Now Jackie’s playing hooky
And Judy’s getting rammed
They both got kicked outside
They ain’t got no time, na, na, na
Oh, yeah, oh, yeah

And, ooh, I don’t know why
She wrote that letter, oh, yeah
I don’t know why
We can’t forget her, oh, no

Well, Jackie is a punk
And Judy is a runt
They went down to The Mudd Club
And they both got drunk
Oh, yeah, whoa yeah

Now Jackie’s playing hooky
Judy’s playing pool
They both got caught for cutting
Now they’re goin’ to summer school
Oh, yeah, whoa yeah
Oh, oh, yeah, whoa yeah

Whoa yeah, whoa yeah, whoa yeah
Oh, yeah, oh, yeah, whoa yeah
Na, na, na, na, oh, yeah, oh, yeah, whoa yeah
Na, na, na, na, oh, yeah, oh, yeah, whoa yeah
Na, na, na, na, oh, yeah, oh, yeah
Na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, oh, yeah
Ooooh, yeah…

Tagged with: , , ,
Posted in Music

Now and Always (2005) – David Gray

Posted on November 8, 2025 by observationblogger — 2 Comments

I was first introduced to David Gray’s music by a friend during a car trip to Hanging Rock, just outside Melbourne, around 2007. Man, do I owe that person a high five – and on the flip side – because the more I explore Gray’s music, the deeper my appreciation becomes. He’s still going strong too. At the time of writing this, David is about to embark on a two-night stint (9th and 10th of November) in Melbourne for his Past & Present Tour (both shows sold out) at the Palais Theatre – a venue I hold close to my heart. I’d have seen that show in a heartbeat if I still lived in my favourite city.

You can tell from his live performance of Now and Always in London what makes him such a special artist. The song is instrumentally rich, layered, and atmospheric – and his voice, as always, feels as comfortable as a well-worn jacket. His music resonates across generations too – from young dreamers to older romantics – anyone really who’s ever been touched by love. All in all – David Gray is the gift that keeps on giving: a consummate artist who keeps chiselling away at his craft.

As alluded to, ‘Love’ is often at the heart of Gray’s songwriting, and in Now and Always he delves deep into what it means to surrender completely to another person – to love without half measures. It’s about the willingness to lose oneself in a relationship, to give all you have even when it feels risky:

Hey, easy boy, giving it all away
And nothing left for your own protection

Here he reflects on how love can turn shadowy – how devotion can blur into vulnerability when we face our inner demons. Would that these demons would let me rest / They’re with me Lord ’til the day that I die. The immersion can feel like wading through once-clear waters that have grown murky, a love that once gleamed like a treasure chest but now shows its rust and wear. Yet it’s precisely this stirring, scarred love that gives his music its haunting power – that paradox of feeling both lost and found, of surrendering completely despite the fear:

The swans are ghosts on the jet-black water…
We’ll glide like ghosts on the starry water

Now and Always appears on Gray’s seventh studio album, Life in Slow Motion, released on 12 September 2005. The album marked something of a return to form, recalling the emotional depth and melodic brilliance that brought him international acclaim with White Ladder. It debuted at No. 1 on the UK and Irish album charts, later reaching No. 16 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and No. 8 in Australia.

You’re in my mind, baby, now and always
You’re in my mind, baby, now and always
The road I’m walking might fall away
You’re in my mind, baby, now and always

A bonfire smoking into a low sky
The sparks they fly up into a low sky
Would that these demons would let me rest
They’re with me Lord ’til the day that I die

Feast my eyes on sacred lies

Ill wind that blows from all directions
Ill wind that blows in from all directions
Hey, easy boy giving it all away
And nothing left for your own protection

You’re in my mind, baby, now and always
You’re in my mind, baby, now and always
The ground I’m walking might fall away
You’re in my mind, baby, now and always

Feast my eyes on sacred lies

The swans are ghosts on the jet black water
The swans like ghosts on the jet black water
Hey, little baby, I’ll hold you close
We’ll glide like ghosts on the starry water (Yeah)

The dogs are running wild (Na-na-na-na-na-na…)
The dogs are running wild (Na-na-na-na-na-na…)
The dogs are running wild (Na-na-na-na-na-na…)
The dogs are running wild (Na-na-na-na-na-na…)
The dogs are running
Dogs are running wild

References:
1. Life in Slow Motion – Wikipedia

Tagged with: , ,
Posted in Music

Billie Jean (1983) – Michael Jackson

Posted on November 7, 2025 by observationblogger — 5 Comments

Ladies and gents, it’s time to warm-up that high-pitched “Woo!”, break out the ol’ white glove, black hat, and get those feet moonwalkin’ – because we’ve got one of the biggest hits of the ’80s from one of the greatest entertainers ever to step foot on the stage: Mr. Michael Jackson! For me, it’s a toss-up between Billie Jean and Black or White as my ultimate desert-island MJ track – what’s yours? Billie Jean is an electrifying dance anthem, and every time I hear it, I feel an uncontrollable urge to move. In fact, when it came on at the gym a few weeks back, my reaction wasn’t far off Brad Pitt’s below in Burn After Reading.

Billie Jean was written and composed by Jackson. It is about a woman who says the singer is the father of her child, but he insists she’s lying. The song tells a tense story about temptation, lies, and the trouble that comes with fame. Behind its catchy beat and famous bassline, it shows how rumors and obsession can turn someone’s life upside down. Jackson said the lyrics were based on groupies’ claims about his older brothers when he toured with them as the Jackson 5. It was the introduction of distrust and paranoia to Jackson’s music which later became a trademark to his later music.

Billie Jean was the second single from Michael Jackson’s sixth studio album, Thriller (1982), released in January 1983. Thriller went on to become the best selling album of all time, with over 70 million copies sold worldwide, turning Jackson into a global phenomenon. Remarkably, Michael also had two of the three highest-selling albums of the 1980s, with Bad taking third place at around 45 million copies sold. Billie Jean topped the Billboard Hot 100 and became Jackson’s fastest-rising number one single since “ABC,” “The Love You Save,” and “I’ll Be There” in 1970.

Jackson’s performance of “Billie Jean” on the TV special Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever (at the bottom of this post) introduced a number of Jackson’s signatures, including the moonwalk, rhinestone glove, black sequined jacket, and high-water pants, and was widely imitated. 

[Verse 1]
She was more like a beauty queen from a movie scene, uh
I said, “Don’t mind, but what do you mean, I am the one?
Who will dance on the floor in the round?”
She said I am the one
Who will dance on the floor in the round?
She told me her name was Billie Jean as she caused a scene
Then every head turned with eyes that dreamed of bein’ the one, uh
Who will dance on the floor in the round?

[Pre-Chorus]
People always told me, “Be careful of what you do,” uh
“And don’t go around breakin’ young girls’ hearts” (Hee-hee)
And mother always told me, “Be careful of who you love
And be careful of what you do (Oh, oh)
‘Cause the lie becomes the truth” (Oh, oh), hey

[Chorus]
Billie Jean is not my lover, uh
She’s just a girl who claims that I am the one (Oh, baby)
But the kid is not my son (Woo)
Uh, she says I am the one (Oh, baby)
But the kid is not my son (Hee-hee-hee; no, no)
(Hee-hee-hee, woo)

[Verse 2]
For forty days and for forty nights, the law was on her side
But who can stand when she’s in demand? Her schemes and plans
‘Cause we danced on the floor in the round (Hee, uh, uh)
So take my strong advice
Just remember to always think twice (Don’t think twice)
Do think twice (A-hoo)
She told my baby we danced ’til three, then she looked at me
Then showed a photo of a baby cryin’, his eyes were like mine (Oh, no)
‘Cause we danced on the floor in the round, baby (Ooh, hee-hee-hee)

[Pre-Chorus]
People always told me, “Be careful of what you do,” uh
“And don’t go around breakin’ young girls’ hearts” (Don’t break no hearts; hee-hee)
But she came and stood right by me
Just the smell of sweet perfume (Ha-oh)
This happened much too soon (Ha-oh, ha-ooh)
She called me to her room (Ha-oh, hoo), hey

[Chorus]

References:
1. Billie Jean – Wikipedia

Tagged with: , ,
Posted in Music

The Hook (2001) – Stephen Malkmus

Posted on November 6, 2025 by observationblogger — 3 Comments

I first heard The Hook on Scott Bunn’s music blog, Recliner Notes. Scott has been running an extensive series on American indie rock musician Stephen Malkmus, and this track caught my attention from the get-go. The Hook is an apt title for a song that does exactly that – it hooks you in. My senses feel almost overloaded when I hear it – and I mean that in the best possible way. It’s got this gnarly, Rolling Stones–esque guitar riff, while Stephen’s vocals channel shades of the late Lou Reed – who, incidentally, passed by this way only two days ago with This Magic Moment. Layer onto that the thoughtful, distinctive cadence reminiscent of Robert Forster from the quintessential Australian indie band The Go-Betweens, and you’ve already got quite a mix. Then, when you stir in the bawdy wit and immersive storytelling of Warren Zevon — think Lawyers, Guns and Money or Mutineer — well folks, you’ve got yourself one pretty darn good track.

I’m going to turn it over to Scott who brought this interesting and talented artist to my attention in the first place:

After 10 years as a singer, songwriter, guitar player and quasi-leader of Pavement, Stephen Malkmus finally released a solo album. The record was self-titled and put out under his name alone, despite Malkmus wanting to call it Swedish Reggae and crediting it to his new band, The Jicks. Graced with cover portraying a mulleted, half-smiling Malkmus during the Hawaiian golden hour, the album contained songs that felt familiar to Pavement fans as well as departures, such as “The Hook”:

“The Hook” begins with the type of cowbell-powered, white funk keyboard-soaked satisfying groove that would make The Rolling Stones and even Joe Walsh envious. Over this roadhouse boogie, Malkmus sings: “At age 19 I was kidnapped by Turkish pirates / Mediterranean thugs.” This opening line thrusts the listener immediately into a story. Yes, Malkmus is telling us a pirate yarn.

– Read the remainder of Scott Bunn’s article here at Recliner Notes

[Verse 1]
At age 19 I was kidnapped by Turkish pirates
Mediterranean thugs
After some torture they considered me their mascot
Cypriotic good luck
I had to taste the deck and many other things
I had to pay the piper with my wedding ring
And I would never see my family again

[Verse 2]
By 25 I was respected as an equal
My art was a knife
On countless raids I was the first one up the lanyard
Yeah I was seeking a fight
There is no time to pray
And there’s no time to beg
And then it’s off with an arm
Or it’s off with a leg
And if I spare your life
It’s because the tide is leaving
Oh yeah

[Guitar solo]

[Verse 3]
By 31 I was the captain of a galleon
I was Poseidon’s new son
The coast of Montenegro was my favorite target
It was ever so fun
We had no wooden legs
Or steel hooks
We had no black eye patches
Or a starving cook
We were just killers with the cold eyes of a sailor
Yeah we were killers with the cold eyes of a sailor

References:
1. Stephen Malkmus Series: “The Hook” – Recliner Notes

Tagged with: ,
Posted in Music

Gewinner (2008) – Clueso

Posted on November 5, 2025 by observationblogger — 5 Comments

A friend, Tatiana – who has a deep fascination with German culture and language – first introduced me to Clueso back in 2017 with the song Wenn Du Liebst (When You Love). It was love at first listen, truly. So much so that in 2019, I chose that song to inaugurate my Music Library Project – a piece that encapsulated the breadth and depth of the music I intended to feature. Years later – thanks be to the Internet gods – Clueso’s 2024 summer tour popped up in my feed. That was the real clincher for me in appreciating the sheer talent and range of the German singer-songwriter and rapper. Today, I’d like to feature another highlight from that concert: “Gewinner” (Winner), which appears at 01:11:34 in the set.

It’s interesting how the language barrier has never really been an obstacle to connecting with Clueso’s music. His alluring melodies, inventive arrangements, and understated yet poignant voice convey emotions that seem to transcend words. If I had to guess what today’s song Gewinner was about before reading the translation below, I doubt I’d have been far off. Gewinner explores the complex and often contradictory emotions of deep personal connection – and the willingness to lose oneself within a relationship.

Like much of Clueso’s work, Gewinner is both introspective and atmospheric. Though its rhythm might at first seem simple, there’s much more beneath the surface – a distinctive and subtle meter that sets it apart. The song carries a quiet melancholy, gradually building in emotional intensity rather than volume, guided by the calmness and warmth of Clueso’s voice. This slow unfolding mirrors the lyrical theme itself – a reflection on how love can make us feel lost and found at once.

The words deepen that mood of uncertainty and self-examination, as Clueso questions belief, trust, and mutual commitment: “Ich glaube nichts, ich glaub an dich, glaubst du an mich? ich glaub ich auch” (“I believe in nothing, I believe in you, do you believe in me? I think I do too”). The central refrain, “Ich bin dabei, du bist dabei, wir sind dabei uns zu verlieren” (“I’m all in, you’re all in, we’re all in to lose ourselves”), captures a kind of shared surrender – a willingness to dissolve the self within love, and the quiet risk that comes with such closeness.

[Verse 1]
There’s some truth in everything you say, in everything you say.
No matter who comes, no matter who goes, it doesn’t matter, it doesn’t matter.
I don’t believe anything, I believe in you, do you believe in me? I think I do too.
I wonder, I ask you, but if I don’t ask, do you wonder too?

[Chorus]
I’m in, you’re in, we’re in the process of losing ourselves.
I’m in, are you in? Are we in the process of losing ourselves?
I’m in, you’re in, we’re in the process of losing ourselves.
I’m in, are you in? Am I in the process of losing us?

[Verse 2]
Easier than easy, is it perhaps easier than what perhaps was?
Easier than easy, it’s not far from here to what hasn’t been yet.
If you’re looking for me, then I’ll look for you, is the temptation great enough?
I’ll allow it, come on, allow it, come on, let’s do it again.
I won’t give up, will you come with me, will you come with me, towards us?
Can’t think of anything? Come on, don’t hang up, come on, get worked up and calm down.

[Chorus]
I’m in, you’re in, we’re in, losing ourselves.
I’m in, are you in? Are we in, losing ourselves?
I’m in, you’re in, we’re in, losing ourselves.
I’m in, are you in? Am I in, losing ourselves?
I’m in, you’re in, we’re in, losing ourselves.
I’m in, are you in? Are we in, losing ourselves?

[Outro]
Ohh, oh-oh, yeah
I’m in, you’re in, we’re in
Ohh
I’m in, are you in, are we in?

Tagged with: ,
Posted in Music

This Magic Moment (1997) – Lou Reed

Posted on November 3, 2025 by observationblogger — 10 Comments

If you don’t mind, I’ll take the meandering route to today’s song by tracing a little circle of coincidences. The other day there was a small art fair in the bottom floor of the building where I train. As I was wandering the tables of the various art on offer, there was a young girl and her beau quietly sitting there surrounded by this girl’s paintings. Three small paintings of a night scene stood out to me (see image inset), and I couldn’t look away. I told the girl how they reminded me of a David Lynch film called Lost Highway. I showed her images of a film by him she did recognise called Mulholland Drive which I featured here at Friday’s Finest back in 2021.

So I asked her much they would cost and she told me $35,000 Pesos (US $10.00) and so I snapped them up. She even tied a neat little string to cojoin and enable me to hang them. I asked her to sign the back, which she did – and if my reading serves me right, it’s signed “Hanari-Andrade.” We said our goodbyes, and now the three-piece set hangs on my living room wall beside my son’s Rocky IV poster-gift, an artwork of Jesus Christ called Forgiven by Thomas Blackshear II, and a Superman 3D jigsaw.

Naturally, ever since buying those paintings, both they and the film Lost Highway have been swimming around in my head. Then, by coincidence, today’s song appeared next in the alphabetical listing of my music project to share here – Lou Reed’s This Magic Moment, which just happens to feature in Lynch’s film (you can find the full clip below). So there’s some truth in the old saying: what goes around comes around. Lou Reed is of course no stranger to this blog, and somehow today’s track and his earlier release with the Velvet underground called Sweet Jane (also the last to appear here by him) are musically quite similar in their minimal representation and technique (seemingly deceptively simple) but both resonate more than what they let on.

Lou’s This Magic Moment was originally written by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman, and first recorded by The Drifters in 1960 and became a Top 20 hit. Lou’s version is from a Doc Pomus tribute album, Till the Night is Gone and was released in the Lynch film as aforementioned in 1997 and thereafter in 1998 on the tribute album by Forward/Rhino. Reed’s rendition stands out for its stripped-down rock and roll style, showcasing his deep affection for R&B and his distinctive guitar work – the dirtiest guitar and I mean that in the best sense, with two contrasting guitar parts accompanied by Fernando Saunders on bass and George Recile on drums. The album features a stellar lineup of artists, including Bob Dylan, B.B. King, Brian Wilson, and Dr. John, among others. 

[Verse 1]
This magic moment
So different and so new
Was like any other
Until I met you

[Verse 2]
And then it happened
It took me by surprise
I knew that you felt it too
I could see it by the look in your eyes

[Pre-Chorus]
Sweeter than wine
Softer than a summer´s night
Everything I want I have
Whenever I hold you tight

[Chorus]
This magic moment
While your lips are close to mine
Will last forever
Forever till the end of time

So why won´t you dance with me? Hey baby
Why won´t you dance with me?

Tagged with: , , , , ,
Posted in Music

Follow Blog via Email

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 753 other subscribers

← Back

Thank you for your response. ✨