This iconic and haunting instrumental track – The Lonely Shepherd is strongly associated in modern times with the Quentin Tarantino movie Kill Bill Volume 1 (2003). It is the second piece to feature here from that movie’s soundtrack after Battle Without Honor or Humanity (2000) – Tomoyasu Hotei.
The following was extracted from Wikipedia:
Known originally in German as Einsamer Hirte or Der einsame Hirte, The Lonely Shepherd was composed by German composer James Last who is reported to have sold an estimated 200 million records worldwide in his lifetime. The Lonely Shepherd was first released in a recording with the Romanian panflutist Gheorghe Zamfir.
The Lonely Shepherd was published on Last’s 1977 album Memories of Russia (Russland Erinnerungen). In the same year, it was also released as a single, which reached number 22 in the music charts in Germany. With this recording, Gheorghe Zamfir, who had already published a number of records, succeeded in an international breakthrough. Among other things, he accompanied Last on his 1978 tour.
‘Big, big singer songwriters as Christina and I are, have a reputation for singing very depressing songs which is kind of why a lot of you are probably here. Because at some point at 2 o’clock in the morning you’ve sat by your lap top with half a glass of empty wine listening to Spotify crying. It happens to the best of us. – Ed Sheeren (introducing the song Be My Forever with Christina Perri)
The quote above is a fitting introduction to today’s featured song by the one and only Christina Perri – The Lonely. The photo of Perri above, with its distinctly Patti Smith-esque vibe, also feels like an apt choice given the subject matter. It’s one of those days again when music is my only friend.
Christina Perri’s The Lonely always transports me back to a very specific moment: midnight, August 7th, 2020. Allow me to explain. I’d been in a rough patch for a few days and then, as strange as it sounds, while playing Tetris (of all games) on my no-frills Nokia phone, something stirred. Out of nowhere, this stream of ideas, emotions, and half-formed thoughts came pouring in. It was like my sub conscious or other unspecified medium communicating to my damaged self. I felt compelled to write so I grabbed a scrap of paper and started scribbling. What came out, I titled The Last Words and transcribed them here. I immediately felt deep relief – like I had exhaled something heavy I didn’t know I was carrying.
Now onto Christina Perri’s song – The Lonely. The song draws inspiration from Perri’s life, written about a relationship she had with the emotion of being lonely. I couldn’t agree more with that stated in the Wikipedia article below – that while most critics positively reviewed The Lonely for its chilling tone and powerful lyrics it didn’t compare to Perri’s lead single, Jar of Hearts – one of my favourite post 2000 ballads.
More from Wikipedia: Perri wrote The Lonely in August 2010 in her driveway at two o’clock in the morning after coming back from a dinner event. She says that when she pulled into her driveway, she realized how alone she was and “cried her eyes out” while writing the song. While revealing the track to Teen Vogue, Perri gave more insight into the song’s message, saying “It’s lonely personified. It’s my relationship with no one, and I’m very happy I kept it superdramatic and simple at the same time. It’s me, a piano, plus a nineteen-piece orchestra.“
Perri performed the song on her joint tour with James Blunt in Boston, MA at “The House of Blues“. To promote the song, Christina Perri released a lyric video, directed by Elliott Sellers as seen below.
[Verse 1] 2 a.m., where do I begin? Crying off my face again The silent sound of loneliness Wants to follow me to bed
[Pre-Chorus] I’m a ghost of a girl that I want to be most I’m the shell of a girl that I used to know well
[Chorus] Dancing slowly in an empty room Can the lonely take the place of you? I sing myself a quiet lullaby Let you go and let the lonely in To take my heart again
[Verse 2] Too afraid to go inside For the pain of one more loveless night But the loneliness will stay with me And hold me ’til I fall asleep
[Bridge] Broken pieces of A barely breathing story Where there once was love Now there’s only me And the lonely
Every now and then, I find myself out and about – perhaps at the gym – when the music of Eminem blasts through the speakers. There’s simply no confusing his vocal delivery with that of any other rap artist; it’s sharp, raw, and undeniably distinct. Although rap and hip-hop have never been my preferred genres, I’ve often found myself pausing thinking, “Wow, this music is actually quite good.” Just the other day, my son Jesus – quite the admirer of Eminem – brought him up in conversation. I remarked how I really ought to include Eminem in my music project, given his enormous influence on the rap genre and broader pop culture. But I wasn’t sure which track to focus on. So, I put the question to Jesús: “What’s your favourite Eminem song?” Without hesitation, he replied, “Lose Yourself.” Instantly, I recognised it and told him how much I liked it too. He called him ‘the crack‘. And so, here we are today.
Upon researching this article, it would appear my son has good tastes since Eminem’s 2002 hit Lose Yourself, from the 8 Mile soundtrack, is a landmark track not just in his own discography but in the genre as a whole. Its themes of ambition, struggle, and seizing opportunity (“You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow”) resonated far beyond traditional rap audiences. It’s said Lose Yourself captured the genre at a turning point, where emotional depth met lyrical complexity, wrapped in mainstream appeal. It elevated rap to a new cultural echelon, and for those of us who might not gravitate to the genre naturally, it served as a gateway – that sometimes powerful music can transcends taste.
A lot of the following was interspersed with extracts from the Wikipedia article below: Lose Yourself is a mid-tempo hip hop track with an urgent narrative delivery. The lyrics were written by Eminem on set, during breaks while filming 8 Mile – a film I still haven’t seen in it’s entirety, only bits and pieces. The song’s lyrics explicitly sum up the background of Eminem’s character in 8 Mile, B-Rabbit, with the first verse summing up much of the plot of the movie. The song incorporates several aggressive themes, largely dealing with the struggles dealt with by B-Rabbit, and how he eventually overcomes his many problems and obstacles to gain the respect of other rappers.
Lose Yourself was the lead single from the soundtrack. Eminem recorded the song in a portable studio on the set while he was on a break from shooting, using only one take for each verse. The sheet on which he wrote the song appears in 8 Mile in a scene where his character is writing while riding the bus. The song’s production incorporates piano, drums, violins, and several other string instruments
Lose Yourself was a commercial success, becoming Eminem’s first Billboard number-one single and remaining there for twelve consecutive weeks. It reached the top of the charts in nineteen other countries. Lose Yourself received widespread acclaim from music critics, with many critics praising the song’s inspiring, aggressive themes and describing it as as among Eminem’s finest, as well as one of the greatest hip-hop songs of all time.
Lose Yourself won the Academy Award for Best Original Song, making it the first hip hop song to receive the award. In 2004, it was one of only three rap songs from the 21st century to be included on Rolling Stone‘s list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, being the highest ranked at number 166. It is also the second most streamed song on Spotify from the 2000s.
The video presented below is a mixture of multiple scenarios, including scenes from and reminiscent of the movie 8 Mile, and Eminem rapping next to the “8 Mile Rd. Mobile Court” sign that appears on the cover of the movie’s soundtrack.
[Intro] Look, if you had one shot or one opportunity To seize everything you ever wanted in one moment Would you capture it or just let it slip? Yo
[Verse 1] His palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy There’s vomit on his sweater already, mom’s spaghetti He’s nervous, but on the surface, he looks calm and ready To drop bombs, but he keeps on forgetting What he wrote down, the whole crowd goes so loud He opens his mouth, but the words won’t come out He’s chokin’, how? Everybody’s jokin’ now The clock’s run out, time’s up, over, blaow Snap back to reality, ope, there goes gravity Ope, there goes Rabbit, he choked, he’s so mad But he won’t give up that easy, no, he won’t have it He knows his whole back’s to these ropes, it don’t matter He’s dope, he knows that, but he’s broke, he’s so stagnant He knows when he goes back to this mobile home, that’s when it’s Back to the lab again, yo, this old rhapsody Better go capture this moment and hope it don’t pass him
[Chorus] You better lose yourself in the music The moment, you own it, you better never let it go (Go) You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow This opportunity comes once in a lifetime, yo You better lose yourself in the music The moment, you own it, you better never let it go (Go) You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow This opportunity comes once in a lifetime, yo You better
[Verse 2] His soul’s escaping through this hole that is gaping This world is mine for the taking, make me king As we move toward a new world order A normal life is boring, but superstardom’s Close to post-mortem, it only grows harder Homie grows hotter, he blows, it’s all over These hoes is all on him, coast-to-coast shows He’s known as the Globetrotter, lonely roads God only knows he’s grown farther from home, he’s no father He goes home and barely knows his own daughter But hold your nose ’cause here goes the cold water These hoes don’t want him no mo’, he’s cold product They moved on to the next schmoe who flows He nose-dove and sold nada, and so the soap opera Is told, it unfolds, I suppose it’s old, partner But the beat goes on, da-da-dom, da-dom, dah-dah-dah-dah
[Verse 3] No more games, I’ma change what you call rage Tear this motherfuckin’ roof off like two dogs caged I was playin’ in the beginning, the mood all changed I’ve been chewed up and spit out and booed off stage But I kept rhymin’ and stepped right in the next cypher Best believe somebody’s payin’ the Pied Piper All the pain inside amplified by the Fact that I can’t get by with my nine-to- Five and I can’t provide the right type of life for my family ‘Cause, man, these goddamn food stamps don’t buy diapers And there’s no movie, there’s no Mekhi Phifer, this is my life And these times are so hard, and it’s gettin’ even harder Tryna feed and water my seed, plus teeter-totter Caught up between bein’ a father and a prima donna Baby-mama drama, screamin’ on her, too much for me to wanna Stay in one spot, another day of monotony’s gotten me To the point I’m like a snail, I’ve got To formulate a plot or end up in jail or shot Success is my only motherfuckin’ option, failure’s not Mom, I love you, but this trailer’s got To go, I cannot grow old in Salem’s Lot So here I go, it’s my shot; feet, fail me not This may be the only opportunity that I got
[Outro] You can do anything you set your mind to, man
The music of English singer-songwriter Mike Batt has featured prominently here, though most mentions have focused on songs from his 1979 album- Tarot Suite. It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time comes from the record he did prior called Schizophonia (1977). Whenever I hear this song – it brings a wry smile to my face. Even the title is so relatable for us mere mortals who have ‘been there and done that’ perhaps more times than we care to admit. Here Batt sings about his misfortunes on the roulette wheel in Monte Carlo. But roulette wheel could as well be ‘insert your given vice here‘. I just like it’s breezy sound and Batt’s ironic and whimsical tone.
Schizophonia is Mike Batt’s second solo album, backed with the London Symphony Orchestra. His working with the Orchestra would continue with his next record – Tarot Suite. According to Batt, Schizophonia was originally a concept album with the title The Adventures of God and His Pals, with God being like Lord Snooty from The Beano comic magazine. Having started writing songs for that album, Batt thought the theme was “a bit silly”, before imagining an Arabic story and then discovering one “about Mohammed the Fifth and the Berber Revolt in the Encyclopædia Britannica.
As alluded to above Schizophonia partly contains a theme of Arabic music, which persuaded film producer Elmo Williams to commission Batt to write the score for the 1978 film Caravans. Also in 1978 he wrote Bright Eyes sung by Art Garfunkel which became a huge hit around the World. From both his solo albums – Schizophonia and Tarot Suite he had European hit songs with Railway Hotel, Lady of the Dawn and Ride to Agadir.
Don’t ask me why I did it It seemed like a good idea at the time There were no other amusements or games to play To pass the night away Don’t ask me why I did it I must have been lonely stupid or blind But I know that it seemed like a good idea at the time
It was 3 a.m. in the casino I was feeling like the Sportsman of the Year So I blew a little money on the roulette wheel And I taught myself to play Chemin de fer
Don’t ask me why I did it It seemed like a good idea at the time There were no other amusements or games to play To pass the night away Don’t ask me why I did it I must have been lonely stupid or blind But I know that it seemed like a good idea at the time
As the dawn came round on Monte Carlo I had lost the car and safe deposit keys The country house in Switzerland was mine no more And the gendarme at the door sald “c’est la vie!”
Don’t ask me why I did it I must have been lonely stupid or blind But I know that it seemed like a good idea at the time
‘The title track Sonido Bestial remains one of the most remarkable (and recognizable) tunes of the salsa era‘ – Critic José A. Estévez, Jr
As I’ve mentioned in other articles on salsa music, the sub genre of salsa that initially captivated me when I arrived in Colombia in 2009 was salsa romántica – also known as Salsa Rosa – which rose to popularity in the late ’80s. This softer, more melodic style of salsa stirs feelings of romance and sensuality, with unforgettable hits from Puerto Rican icons like Eddie Santiago and Jerry Rivera.
It’s taken me many years, however, to fully appreciate the raw, electrifying sound of what’s considered classic or pure salsa – epitomised by today’s featured track, Sonido Bestial. This song, which predates the polished grooves of Salsa Rosa, pulses with a kind of untamed energy that took time for my ears to adjust to. But now, after all this time trying to get my senses in sync with it, I can finally say: I’m fully aboard that wild train called Sonido Bestial – choo choo!
El Bestial Sonido (The Bestial Sound) by Puerto Rican’s Ricardo Ray y Bobby Cruz is the title track of the salsa music duet’s thirteenth studio album released in 1971. Released at the height of their popularity, the album inaugurated a new era in salsa. The album, notable for the inclusion of new elements into salsa such as classical music, was an international success, and its title track Sonido Bestial became one of salsa’s most popular songs. The album consecrated Richie Ray as a prodigious pianist, capable of playing a fusion of several rhythms and styles.
El Bestial Sonido exhibits all the hallmarks of a sub genre of salsa called Salsa Brava; in fact many argue the salsa music duet (Ricardo Ray y Bobby Cruz) were the pioneers of this music form.The duo is also well known for helping to establish the popularity of salsa music in the 1970s and 1980s. Salsa Brava arose in New York in the 1970’s at the hand of the Latin American diaspora. Diaspora, in case you were wondering like I was, refers to a large group of people who share a cultural and regional origin but are living away from their traditional homeland.
Salsa Brava in a musical context especially with regards to Salsa refers to a style which is characterised for its focus on the instrumentation, with its emphasis on wind instruments (trumpets and trombones), piano solos, percussion (especially timbales – see image left) and aggressive music arrangements. Readers can refer to the duet’s live version of Sonido Bestial below to view the musicianship on display and how each instrument is incorporated into the song.
Often Salsa Brava is considered stronger or harder in comparison with other styles of Salsa, and can include lyrics with a stronger social impact on the streets, or sometimes with influences of the gangster culture. For example, the movie Carlito’s Way (starring Al Pacino) depicted this period and music to a tee.
A loose English translation follows:
Let the beasts come out! Uhh! Here come Cocolí and Manuelito
You who said I was no good anymore Hey, you who said I wasn’t going out anymore Right now, my friend, I’m coming to greet you Listen, listen Hear the trumpets blow, hear the drums crackle
Ricardo is coming straight ahead with his beastly sound
Hey, here comes Richie, and he’s coming head-on Like a beast, playing a tumba’o (There comes Richie, and he’s coming head-on, like a beast playing a tumba’o) Make way for him, he’s cocky Like a beast playing a tumba’o (There comes Richie, and he’s coming head-on, like a beast playing a tumba’o) Look, Maelo says he’s scared Because he’s coming playing a tumba’o (There comes Richie, and he’s coming head-on, like a beast playing a tumba’o) That’s it
Is that Richie? Playing Stravinsky Hey, it’s not Stravinsky, it’s “Estrabanca’o”
Hey, play me, Richie, play me Jazz He plays the tumba’o like a beast (Here comes Richie, and he comes veering, like a beast playing a tumba’o) Get out of the way, he’s crazy Like a beast, enjoying a tumba’o (Here comes Richie, and he comes veering, like a beast playing a tumba’o) Hey, here comes Richie, and he comes veering Like a beast enjoying a tumba’o (Here comes Richie, and he comes veering, like a beast playing a tumba’o) Hey, it’s not Stravinsky, it’s “Estrabanca’o” But he’s enjoying the tumba’o (Here comes Richie, and he comes veering, like a beast playing a tumba’o)
Run, Coco is running(Let’s play like beasts) (Let’s play like beasts) (Let’s go (Playing like beasts) And Richie Ray is coming to play for you (Let’s play like beasts) Oh, to the sound of the leather, just leather (Let’s play like beasts) Of course, of course, of course, of course, of course, of course, of course (Let’s play like beasts) Hey, Pacheco says he’s coming to have fun (Let’s play like beasts) Hey, we’re coming to the big party to dance (Let’s play like beasts) Let’s play like beasts (Let’s play like beasts) Hey, we’re having fun like beasts (Let’s play like beasts) We’re going bare-chested to have fun (Let’s play like beasts) Cool, cool, cool, cool, cool (Let’s play like beasts) Oh, how cool
When Elton John sang Sad Songs (Say So Much) in 1984, he wasn’t kidding. That message proved to be a prelude to what would come nearly a decade later with today’s featured track – The Last Song – from an album I was deeply engrossed in when it was released in 1992, his 23rd studio record, The One (see image above). Typically, when I write about a song here, I’ll listen to it and write about my reflections during the course of the performance. But here I can’t do that. I’m left speechless and words escape me as emotions envelope my senses. Even Elton said “I was crying all the time as I wrote the musicand it was very hard for me to sing it“. Taupin went on to explain:
“We didn’t go for the obvious. I tried to do something lyrically that would thaw the intolerance of not understanding. That’s why I used the idea of a father coming to terms with his son’s status in life and his sexuality, but unfortunately understanding too late. If you can melt a little intolerance along the way, I’m happy with that.“
For me it’s difficult not to draw parallels between this – The Last Song and Philadelphia (1993) by Neil Young which finalised the Jonathan Demme movie of the same name. Both are poignant reflections on love, loss, and acceptance in the shadow of the AIDS crisis. With understated grace, each ballad captures the emotional weight of estrangement and reconciliation, offering a deeply personal lens on broader social struggles.
Most of the following was extracted from the Wikipedia article below: The Last Song was as usual composed by John, with lyrics provided by Bernie Taupin. The song marked the first of John’s American singles to benefit his AIDS foundation. The song tells the story of a boy dying of AIDS who is rejected by his father because of his homosexuality. The dying son meets his father and confesses his illness to him. Originally titled “Song for 1992“, it was renamed for its position on the album to avoid dating it. It’s hard not to draw paraellesl
It reached No. 7 in Canada and No. 21 in the United Kingdom while peaking within the top 40 in several countries worldwide, including Australia, New Zealand, and the United States. A music video, directed by Gus Van Sant (Good Will Hunting), was made for the song as seen below.
[Verse 1] Yesterday you came to lift me up As light as straw and brittle as a bird Today I weigh less than a shadow on the wall Just one more whisper of a voice unheard Tomorrow leave the windows open As fear grows please hold me in your arms Won’t you help me if you can to shake this anger I need your gentle hands to keep me calm
[Chorus] Because I never thought I’d lose I only thought I’d win I never dreamed I’d feel This fire beneath my skin I can’t believe you love me I never thought you’d come I guess I misjudged love Between a father and his son
[Verse 2] Things we never said come together The hidden truth no longer haunting me Tonight we touched on the things that were never spoken That kind of understanding sets me free
In response to my post on Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons, Polly MacDavid at SilverAppleQueen recommended today’s featured piece La Folia (Madness). The name refers to the frenzied way peasants twirled to the music. Interestingly La Folia is not attributed to a single inventor/composer rather it was developed from the folk music of late 15th-century Portugal and altered incrementally over the years and centuries. Today’s version just happens to be Vivaldi’s from his Opus 1 No. 12 of 1705. Well, I found it a most exhilarating and energizing musical theme.
Polly said how she listened to The Four Seasons every day and Vivaldi’s other music a lot! She also remarked how she desired seeing live the Cleveland chamber music group called Apollo’s Fire who present Vivaldi’s La Folia in the video below:
‘I really want to see them in concert. Cleveland is only a few hours away from Buffalo ~ I can get there easily on bus or train. I used to live in Cleveland ~ I lived there for 5 years. I have some really good friends there.’
According to Wikipedia: Apollo’s Fire Baroque Orchestra is a period-instrument ensemble specializing in early music (Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, and early Romantic). The ensemble is based in Cleveland, Ohio and, since 2021, also in Chicago. The ensemble is composed of early music specialists from throughout North America and Europe, and led by conductor/harpsichordist Jeannette Sorrell. Apollo’s Fire and Jeannette Sorrell won a GRAMMY Award in 2018, shared with tenor Karim Sulayman.
Founding and Early History
The Cleveland Orchestra’s was searching for an assistant conductor, and Roger Wright – the Artistic Administrator invited Sorrell to an interview for the position. The interview was conducted by Cleveland Orchestra Music Director Christoph von Dohnányi along with Roger Wright. During the interview, Dohnányi told Sorrell that there was “no point in finding time with the orchestra for her to audition, as the audience in Cleveland would never accept a woman as a conductor.” Sorrell replied that she had not applied for this job, and her true goal was to work with a period-instrument orchestra. Following this encounter, Wright decided to help Sorrell launch a period-instrument orchestra.
Now onto today’s musical piece La Folia, the BBC argue that it may well be the most popular tune in the history of all music.
La Folia has a long history. Its distinctive chords first developed out of the folk music of late 15th-Century Portugal, where it was used in popular festivals. Its name – ‘folly’ or ‘madness’ in Italian – refers to the frenzied way peasants twirled to the music. In Santiago de Murcia’s Codice Saldivar No 4, Renaissance writer Covarrubias describes La Folia as ‘very noisy’ while another highlights its ‘vivacity and fire’, its dancers ‘making gestures that awaken voluptuousness’.
How popular was La Folia at its peak in the 18th Century? It’s hard to say for sure. Online statistics were still a way off and composers often referenced La Folia without naming it. Even today, you have to hunt around to learn that a cantata by Bach and a keyboard piece by Handel both used the theme. Simply searching for ‘La Folia’ is not enough.
Still, there are clues that the theme was a genuine phenomenon. One hint is its vast geographical spread. Between 1670 and 1700 alone, pieces borrowing La Folia were printed everywhere from Zaragoza to Berlin to Oxford. By 1760, it had reached Mexico and Bolivia. Musicians themselves were just as enthusiastic. In the decade to 1710, around 20 composers tried taming La Folia, from Antonio Vivaldi to Arcangelo Corelli.
Two tracks in quick succession from one of my favourite singer-songwriters, David Bridie, in my Music Library Project – a happy quirk of the alphabetical sequence that sometimes throws up these fortuitous double features. Curiously, both songs hail from Bridie’s hauntingly atmospheric debut solo album Act of Free Choice (2000), which I discussed just two days ago in the post The Koran, the Ghan and a Yarn.
To give some measure of the impact this Australian artist has had on my musical journey since I first encountered his work at the turn of the millennium: including today’s entry, Bridie has featured here a remarkable 24 times (so far) – whether in his evocative solo projects or through his bands which he founded. That’s a tally rivalled only by my posts on the likes of Springsteen, Cohen, Elton John and Christina Perri – but not by Dylan who remains in a league of his own.
David Bridie stands among the stalwarts of my listening pleasure. Given his relatively modest, if nearly non-existent profile on the global stage, I’d argue he is the most underrated singer-songwriter I’ve had the privilege to write about, although latter-day Perri might also be in that mix. And today’s featured song – Bridie’s beautifully penned – The Last Great Magician only reaffirms my adoration for the guy’s artistry.
The Last Great Magician waves his final sparkler Seven times seven times into the grave Neath cracks of sheet lightning, the red sky rolls Forever, The family and followers all gather around Calm down your troubles, lay down with me Mulukuwausi, good witch of the sea The dead man’s last party, loud stories and ceremony They dance on his embers, they drink to his soul
It’s delightful, disgraceful, exhibition of reverence Seven times seven times into the grave His feet soft and dusty, fine spasms of dancing, By the wide man with red eyes, teeth crooked as match Sticks And he mightn’t look much but he’s as wise as the lizard, The owl and the fire
My only foray into the Oakland A’s baseball team was in the movie – Moneyball where Billy Beane’s ‘no nonsense’ approach to sending people down (from the Major league to the Minors) was on full display; seemingly reflective of how Gary Trujillo described Darius Trapp’s experience in his article. As a non American and a relative newcomer to Baseball, I have to hand it to this sport – it has great romantic sports history. I’m so grateful to have stumbled upon Gary’s blog which is described as ‘A baseball publication that embraces the absurdity of life, the 8-1 putout, and the history of the OAKLAND Athletics. He’s a terrific writer and story teller and below are two extracts from his article to set the scene:
I recently met Darius Trapp at a sports bar in Waco, Texas, to chat about his baseball career with the Oakland A’s in the early 1980s. He wanted to watch the March Madness games, maybe have a few cocktails, so we decided to rendezvous at his local watering hole…Hooters. A shrine to tackiness, titties, waitresses with feigned interest and a certain kind of desolation that refuses to die in suburban ‘Merika.
When I arrived, Trapp was already there, slouched in a booth beneath a flickering Coors Light sign, his drink—something brown, bottom shelf—half gone. He looked the way most ex-athletes do: thick around the middle but with shoulders that suggested menace, or at least the ability to recall menace with some degree of accuracy. His style said that this day had no greater sense of importance—sweat pants and a Baylor Bears t-shirt.
“You’re late,” he muttered, eyes on the screen. “And you owe me a drink.”
I flagged down the waitress, a blonde in orange hot pants with the blank expression of someone who had heard every joke twice. “Another for him,” I said. “And a beer for me.” Read the whole article here.
So you’re damned if you do, or damned if you don’t This article is about the effect of wind turbines on an indigenous community in a remote north-east region called La Guajira of my adopted-home country – Colombia. In January this year, I referred to a video interview with an energy specialist who discussed the effect of renewable energy on the efficacy of the UK electricity grid. On April 28, 2025, Spain and parts of Portugal and southern France suffered widespread blackouts. The exact cause of the outage is still under investigation, but it has sparked a debate over the role of renewable energy in grid stability when these countries rely heavily on renewable energy.
In this ‘Colombia Winds‘ BBC article, we see the impact of renewable energy from another perspective. It highlights not only the complex balance between advancing renewable energy initiatives and respecting Indigenous rights and traditions, but the impact on communal tranquillity, aesthetics and the existing environment. “You wake up and suddenly you no longer see the trees. Instead, you see and hear the turbines. At night, the noise from the turbines disturbs our dreams. For us, dreams are sacred,” Mr Iguarán added. The development has also led to internal divisions within the Wayuu community, with some members accepting financial assistance from energy companies, while others view this as inadequate compensation for the disruption caused. (Read the article here)
Video description: According to legend, in 1993, Bob Dylan traveled to England to visit a friend of his, Eurythmics member Dave Stewart. But due to some mis-steps, he ended up meeting a different Dave instead.
As a Dylanholic, I’ve seen my fair share of Dylan parodies over the years, and many rely on pretty shallow stereotypes – usually something about marijuana and / or his nasal voice. But the other day, this sketch called Urban Myths – Knocking on Dave’s Door popped up in my YouTube feed, and I hit play. I’m so glad I did. I’ve now watched the 22-minute video three times, and each time I find myself chuckling throughout and full of glee at the marvellous ending. It’s more or less how you’d imagine Bob behaving and others reacting; and it’s easy to picture him getting up to those kinds of quirky adventures. For example, I referred here to an article in the Tampa Bay Times where Dylan was encountered by a 24-year-old cop in New Jersey which is comparable to the scenario in the ‘Urban Myths‘ sketch presented today.
The Koran, the Ghan and a Yarn is from David Bridie’s debut solo album Act of Free Choice. He is by far the most prominent Australian singer-songwriter to feature here and comes from the northern suburbs of Melbourne where I resided in the early 2000’s. He founded in the 1980’s the World Music band – Not Drowning Waving and in the 90’s – the chamber pop group My Friend the Chocolate Cake; both six-piece member groups. Later he embarked on a solo career (but still retaining the Cake on the side) where he delved into his first project – Act of Free Choice (2000). This album was released shortly before I was first introduced to David’s music, when he performed with Archie Roach in Melbourne in 2002
Bridie said in this interview he was craving the means to explore more of his artistic side – and make decisions and follow them through from beginning to end. The principal inspiration for the album (at least its title – Act of Free Choice) was from having spent time in the Pacific in particular Papua New Guinea (just Nth of Australia) and working with George Telek. It relates to the ongoing conflict in Western New Guinea (Papua) between Indonesia and the Free Papua Movement. The Act of Free Choice refers to the controversial plebiscite held in 1969 in which 1,025 people selected by the Indonesian military in Western New Guinea voted unanimously in favor of Indonesian control.
Bridie says (or words to the effect) that Act of Free Choice is a melancholic record that might seem simple at first, but on closer listen, you start to notice the subtle placement of sounds and textures – each rhythm is actually quite layered. There are always these little sonic details tucked in beneath the piano, electric guitars, and cellos. He approached the album as one long, cohesive statement rather than just ten separate songs, aiming to create a sense of space that echoed the vastness and ancient feel of the Australian landscape. Bridie also recalls writing the record during a big road trip through the outback.
The more I listen to The Koran, the Ghan and a Yarn, the more it draws me in. The piano doesn’t just accompany – it lingers, suspended in the soundscape, almost like its own vocalist. Within the broader ambient textures of Act of Free Choice, it becomes both pronounced and mysterious. The harmonies work contextually well together, and as Bridie has suggested, the layering of sound here is intricate and deeply considered. Each sonic element weaves into the next with such subtlety that the piece feels less like a conventional song and more like an atmospheric composition, an evolving painting where everything finds its place in the whole.
Two other songs I highly recommend from Act of Free Choice are Breath and Kerosense, both of which have previously appeared here in this blog. I hope you enjoy today’s featured track – The Koran, the Ghan and a Yarn. Thanks for reading.
camel dust, foot tracks, flea bitten trains of the desert sit underneath the palm tree, a fine resting place arab pioneer bones, Islam remains in the cemetery a different kind of air, it’s a strange meeting place, strange meeting place down amongst the ochre all colours and shades a pit for a painting place deep in the ground up the Oodnadatta, well you know it’s just a matter of time up the Oodnadatta, well you know it’s just a matter of time ’til the sky ends The Koran, The Ghan and a Yarn The Koran, The Ghan and a Yarn some sorry place true, some sorry place true some sorry place true, some sorry place true the King Black Crow, sweeping low, wind it blows on the gibber plain massacre a carcass, feasting on the bones and veins up the Oodnadatta, well you know it’s just a matter of time up the Oodnadatta, well you know it’s just a matter of time til the sky ends The Koran, The Ghan and a Yarn The Koran, The Ghan and a Yarn
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