24 – El Salvador, World Series & Backyard Ultra Marathon

Posted on November 18, 2024 by observationblogger — 22 Comments

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

Inside the World’s Biggest Prison: El Salvador’s War on Gangs | Full Documentary
Documentary at Java Discover

‘We gained exclusive access to the world’s biggest and toughest prison in El Salvador. Fifteen thousand prisoners are locked up here, most of whom will never leave alive. The prison is the symbol of a relentless crackdown on gangs by the 42-year-old president of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele.
With more than 3,000 homicides per year for a population of six million, El Salvador has long held the record of being the most dangerous country in the world. This insecurity was caused by gang warfare between MS13 and Barrio 18. To combat this violence, El Salvador’s young president, Nayib Bukele, declared a ruthless war on gangs….‘

Yankees have the worst inning in World Series history, a breakdown
Video presentation at Jomboy Media

Who can forget this pivotal inning in game 5 from this years World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees? In my short history following baseball, I have not seen a stranger inning which contain 3 of the oddest calamities one is likely to see in this sport, let alone a ‘do or die’ match of the World Series where the Yankees lost a 5 run lead to allow 5 unearned runs and eventually lose the last game of the MLB year. It was extraordinary to witness live, well live on TV at least. That 5th inning is broken down with careful precision in this video, but beware it seems to have been done in some jest to mock the Yankees who still have won more World Series than any other team and won 4 times more World Series than the Dodgers.

Backyard Ultra Marathon Documentary – JUST ONE MORE LAP
Video presentation at Find Your Feet Films

As I wrote in last week’s News on the March episode I have been devouring high-end adventure videos about ultra-marathon running and mountain climbing. Last week was on the latter, this week we look at the former:

I found this presentation of the Backyard Ultra Marathon fascinating. About the Backyard format:

A backyard ultra event is a unique ultramarathon race that typically takes place on a looped course, usually in a backyard or other small, contained space. The race format involves runners completing a loop of a set distance, often a mile or a kilometre, within a certain time limit, usually one hour. At the end of each loop, runners must be ready to start the next loop again when the clock starts for the next hour. This means the runners must manage their pace and energy levels carefully to ensure they have enough time to complete each loop within the time limit. The event continues in this format until only one runner remains, or until no runner can complete a full loop within the time limit. This format makes the backyard ultra event unique in that it is not a race against other runners but rather a race against the clock and oneself.

That is all. Thank you for reading.

Tagged with: backyard ultramarathon, baseball, el salvador, los angeles dodgers, Nayib Bukele, new york yankees, world series
Posted in News, politics, Sport and Adventure

Stagger Lee (1996) – Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds

Posted on November 17, 2024 by observationblogger — 5 Comments

Warning: Features explicit language and offensive content.

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds’ Stagger Lee is a take on a traditional folk song; a dark and violent tale, told from the perspective of Stagger Lee, a notorious figure in American folklore. His entire character is created from his appearance in different songs by different bands over the years. It is said that Stagger Lee is one of the most frequently written-about characters who was never originally conceived in a novel, short story, film, or other traditional narrative form. In a recent interview with UnHerd, Nick Cave explained that his version is “highly problematic” and “offensive on many, many levels.” He cited the song as an example of his earlier work that he now regrets, stating that he would not write such lyrics today.

Despite its polemic nature, I always liked Stagger Lee‘s driving rhythm and haunting melody. Nick Cave’s distinctive baritone vocals are so brash and impactful delivering the song’s dark and twisted narrative. I can’t get enough of it. Face the evil up close and get a taste of it. It’s an expose on this malevolent being that rarely is captured in Song.
Stagger Lee appears to remain a fan favourite and a standout track in Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds’ discography. The video below is the ants pants as far as I’m concerned. There are various recordings and spellings (stackolee, stagolee, stagger lee, stack a lee) of this song going back decades. Cave’s version draws most of the lyrics from a 1967 transcription published in the 1976 book The Life: The Lore and Folk Poetry of the Black Hustler.

[Verse 1]
It was back in ’32 when times were hard
He had a Colt .45 and a deck of cards
Stagger Lee
He wore rat-drawn shoes and an old Stetson hat
Had a ’28 Ford, he had payments on that
Stagger Lee
His woman threw him out in the ice and snow
And told him, “Never ever come back no more
Stagger Lee”
So he walked through the rain and he walked through the mud
Till he came to a place called The Bucket Of Blood
Stagger Lee
He said “Mr Motherfucker, you know who I am”
The barkeeper said, “No, and I don’t give a good goddamn”
To Stagger Lee
He said, “Well bartender, it’s so plain to see
I’m the bad motherfucker called Stagger Lee
Mr. Stagger Lee”
Barkeep said, “Yeah, I’ve heard your name down the way
And I kick motherfucking asses like you every day
Mr Stagger Lee”
Well ah, those were the last words that the barkeep said
Cause Stag put four holes in his motherfucking head

[Verse 2]
Just then in came a broad called Nellie Brown
Known to make more money than any bitch in town
She struts across the bar, hitching up her skirt
Over to Stagger Lee, she startin’ to flirt
Oh, Stagger Lee
She saw the barkeep, said, “O God, he can’t be dead!”
Stag said, “Well, just count the holes in the motherfucker’s head!”
She said, “You ain’t look like you scored in quite a time
Why not come to my pad? It won’t cost you a dime
Mr. Stagger Lee!”
“But there’s something I have to say before you begin
You’ll have to be gone before my man Billy Dilly comes in
Mr. Stagger Lee”
“I’ll stay here till Billy Dilly comes in, till time comes to pass
And furthermore I’ll fuck Billy Dilly in his motherfucking ass”
Said Stagger Lee
“I’m a bad motherfucker, don’t you know
And I’ll crawl over fifty good pussies just to get to one fat boy’s asshole!”
Said Stagger Lee
Just then Billy Dilly rolls in and he says, “You must be
The mad motherfucker called Stagger Lee”
“I’m Stagger Lee
Yeah, I’m Stagger Lee and you better get down on your knees
And suck my dick, because If you don’t you’re gonna be dead”
Said Stagger Lee
Well, Billy Dilly dropped down and slobbered on his head
And Stag filled him full of lead
*gunshots*
Oh yeah
[Outro]
*screaming*

The following was extracted from the Wikipedia reference below:
The track was released on Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds’ 1996 album Murder Ballads. As the name suggests, the album consists of new and traditional murder ballads, a genre of songs that relays the details (and often consequences) of crimes of passion. Murder Ballads was the band’s biggest commercial success to date, most likely helped by the unexpected repeated airplay of the “Where the Wild Roses Grow” video on MTV. Cave later said: “I was kind of aware that people would go and buy the Murder Ballads album and listen to it and wonder ‘What the fuck have I bought this for?’ because the Kylie song wasn’t any true indication of what the record was actually like.”
In December 2021, the album was ranked at no. 13 in Rolling Stone Australia’s “200 Greatest Australian Albums of All Time” list.

References:
1. Nick Cave admits ‘Stagger Lee’ is “a highly problematic song” – Far Out Magazine
2. Stagger Lee – Wikipedia
3. Murder Ballads – Wikipedia

Tagged with: murder ballads, nick cave and the bad seeds, stagger lee
Posted in Music

Stage Fright (1976) – The Band (The Last Waltz)

Posted on November 16, 2024 by observationblogger — 11 Comments

Of all the songs from the The Last Waltz concert, Stage Fright was always the one that captivated my musical sensibilities the most. It’s such an unusual song and I mean that in the best possible way. As the title suggests, The Band drummer Levon Helm has written that the song is about “the terror of performing.”
Rick Danko’s vocal style is both raw and tender and fits the song’s themes of anxiety and self-doubt. His voice sounds like a man on the edge, wrestling with the pressures of fame and expectation. It’s not flawless but it is powerful and drenched in emotion and as a viewer you feel drawn to his plight. Originally Robertson intended it to be sung by Richard Manuel but it became clear that the song was better suited to Danko’s “nervous, tremulous voice.” Helm regarded the song as a “showpiece” for lead singer and bassist Rick Danko particularly in the use of a fretless bass, which according to Helm “gave the rhythm section a different feel.”

Also musically The Band brings a sense of tension and release that mirrors the song’s exploration of these themes, all while providing the perfect backdrop for Rick Danko’s vocals. Right from the opening notes, Garth Hudson’s swirling organ sets a nervous, almost restless atmosphere. Robbie Robertson’s guitar work is sharp yet restrained, with biting riffs that reflect the jittery edge of someone trying to keep it together under pressure.

Apart from the legendary The Last Waltz concert as seen below, a live performance of Stage Fright appears on Before the Flood, a live album of The Band’s 1974 tour with Bob Dylan which was my first ever Bob Dylan purchase. The song was originally released in 1971 as a single in Denmark of all places. It was re-released as the B-side of Dylan’s Most Likely You Go Your Way (And I’ll Go Mine) single in 1974.

[Verse 1]
Now deep in the heart of a lonely kid
Who suffered so much for what he did
They gave this ploughboy his fortune and fame
Since that day he ain’t been the same

[Chorus]
See the man with the stage fright
Just standin’ up there to give it all his might
And he got caught in the spotlight
But when we get to the end
He wants to start all over again

[Verse 2]
I’ve got fire water right on my breath
And the doctor warned me I might catch a death
Said, “You can make it in your disguise
Just never show the fear that’s in your eyes”

[Chorus]

[Bridge]
Now if he says that he’s afraid
Take him at his word
And for the price that the poor boy has paid
He gets to sing just like a bird, oh, ooh ooh ooh

[Verse 4]
Your brow is sweatin’ and your mouth gets dry
Fancy people go driftin’ by
The moment of truth is right at hand
Just one more nightmare you can stand

[Chorus]

[Outro]
Hmm hmm
You wanna try it once again, hmm hmm
Please, don’t make him stop, hmm hmm
Let him take it from the top, hmm hmm
Let him start all over again

References:
1. Stage Fright (The Band Song) – Wikipedia

Tagged with: Bob Dylan, stage fright, the band, the last waltz
Posted in Music

Glory Days (1984) – Bruce Springsteen

Posted on November 15, 2024 by observationblogger — 15 Comments

Glory Days is the big rock stomping, jukebox hit on Bruce Springsteen’s Born in the USA album. It was the fifth single released from the record. As evident in its official music video, nowhere does Bruce Springsteen showcase and embrace this hometown, blue-collar image more than in this song. A cynic may now find it cheesy, but watching the video still brings a wide smile to my face. Glory Days and Dancing in the Dark were among the first songs I introduced to my kids from Bruce Springsteen’s vast catalogue, as I thought their catchy, upbeat appeal would be the perfect way to get someone so young interested in his music. I’ll admit my appreciation of the Born in the USA album has dissipated over the years in preference for other music from his lesser-known records, but I can’t help but sometimes think about….Glory Days!

The song was written initially as a trilogy – a friend (1st verse), a girl (2nd verse) and a father (the “missing verse”). These were three persons that impacted him significantly and tied him to his hometown. The American songwriter reference below purports how Glory Days was inspired by a chance meeting with an old high school friend as depicted in the 1st verse:

The verse recounts an event that happened on the Jersey Shore in 1973. Springsteen was leaving the Headliner in Neptune when he crossed paths with an old friend from high school. They returned to the bar and reminisced about their earlier adventures playing baseball. They had been seatmates in seventh grade at St. Rose of Lima High School in Freehold. The speedballer in question was named Joe DePugh, and he played on the same Babe Ruth League baseball team. DePugh excelled on the mound, while Springsteen played right field and earned the nickname “Saddie.”

Springsteen had released his second album and recently opened an arena show for The Beach Boys. Springsteen’s group, who would go on to be named The E Street Band, was building a strong reputation from their live shows, and the duo stayed at the bar until it closed, looking back on their “glory days.”

…..His friend Scott Wright first heard “Glory Days” and recognized the situation from DePugh’s story. In 2011, DePugh told Kevin Coyne of The New York Times, “He told me, ‘Springsteen has a new album out, and there’s a song on there about you. It’s exactly the story you told me.’ DePugh didn’t believe him, so Wright requested the song on a Montpelier, Vermont radio station. “My wife starts bawling,” DePugh said. “That’s how I knew exactly that it was me.”

Bruce decided to emit the father verse (you can read it below) from the official version because he realized that it did not fit with the song’s storyline. Perhaps it strayed too far from the youth themes and that the ‘dead-end’ future sombered the tone. Also he had written about his Dad on other songs heard on the Darkness on the Edge of Town record.
Glory Days peaked at No 5 on the Billboard in the summer of 1985. It was the fifth of a record-tying seven Top 10 hit singles to be released from Born in the U.S.A.

[Verse 1]
I had a friend was a big baseball player
Back in high school
He could throw that speedball by you
Make you look like a fool, boy
Saw him the other night at this roadside bar
I was walking in, he was walking out
We went back inside, sat down, had a few drinks
But all he kept talking about was

[Chorus]
Glory days
Well they’ll pass you by, glory days
In the wink of a young girl’s eye, glory days
Glory days (Alright)

[Verse 2]
Well, there’s a girl that lives up the block
Back in school, she could turn all the boys’ heads
Sometimes on a Friday, I’ll stop by and have a few drinks
After she put her kids to bed
Her and her husband, Bobby, well they split up
I guess it’s two years gone by now
We just sit around talking about the old times
She says when she feels like crying, she starts laughing, thinking ’bout

[Chorus]

[Missing Verse]
My old man worked twenty years on the line
And they let him go
Now everywhere he goes out looking for work
They just tell him that he’s too old
I was nine-years old and he was working
At the Metuchen Ford plant assembly line
Now he just sits on a stool down at the Legion Hall
But I can tell what’s on his mind

[Verse 3]
I think I’m going down to the well tonight
And I’m gonna drink till I get my fill
And I hope when I get old I don’t sit around thinking about it
But I probably will
Yeah, just sitting back, trying to recapture
A little of the glory, yeah
Well, time slips away and leaves you with nothing, mister
But boring stories of…

References:
1. Glory Days (Bruce Springsteen song) – Wikipedia
2. The Story Behind “Glory Days” by Bruce Springsteen – American Songwriter

Tagged with: Born in the usa, Bruce Springsteen, glory days
Posted in Music

Stabat Mater; Quando Corpus Morietur And Amen (1736) – Giovanni Battista Pergolesi

Posted on November 14, 2024 by observationblogger — Leave a comment

I first heard the Stabat Mater (translated from Latin: The Mother was Standing referring to the Holy Mother Mary) when I saw the movie Amadeus which still sits at No 1 on my 100 favourite movies list. More music has appeared here from that film’s soundtrack than any other. The scenes in which the Stabat Mater appears you can find here. It culminates in the death of Salieri’s father. A plot breakdown follows (ref: Wikipedia):

Salieri begins his confession by saying that he grew up hearing stories of Mozart the child prodigy. As a youth, Salieri offered God a deal: if He allowed Salieri to become a famous musician like Mozart, Salieri would—in return—promise his faithfulness, chastity, and diligence. Soon after, his unsupportive father chokes on his food and dies, which Salieri interprets as a sign that God has accepted his vow.

You can find more about Antonio Salieri’s ‘real life’ and not that which is portrayed in the film at my post:

Axur, re d’Ormus (1788) Finale – Antonio Salieri

The following information contains extracts from the Wikipedia article below:

Stabat Mater was composed by the Italian composer Giovanni Battista Pergolesi in the final weeks of his life. The autograph manuscript of the work (image left) is preserved in the Benedictine Abbey of Monte Cassino. The work was composed for a Neapolitan confraternity, the Cavalieri della Vergine dei Dolori di San Luigi al Palazzo. Pergolesi composed it during his final illness from tuberculosis in a Franciscan monastery in Pozzuoli, along with a Salve Regina setting, and finished it shortly before he died. It is scored for soprano and alto soloists, violin I and II, viola and basso continuo.

The Stabat Mater is one of Pergolesi’s most celebrated sacred works, achieving great popularity after the composer’s death. Jean-Jacques Rousseau showed appreciation for the work, praising the opening movement as “the most perfect and touching duet to come from the pen of any composer“.

A translation of the Stabat Mater is as follows:

1. Stabat Mater dolorosa Iuxta crucem lacrimosa Dum pendebat Filius.	1. The grieving Mother stood weeping beside the cross where her Son was hanging.
2. Cuius animam gementem Contristatam et dolentem Pertransivit gladius.	2. Through her weeping soul, compassionate and grieving, a sword passed.
3. O quam tristis et afflicta Fuit illa benedicta Mater unigeniti!	3. O how sad and afflicted was that blessed Mother of the only-begotten!
4. Quae moerebat et dolebat, Pia Mater, dum videbat Nati poenas incliti.	4. Who mourned and grieved, seeing and bearing the torment of her glorious child.
5. Quis est homo qui non fleret, Matrem Christi si videret In tanto supplicio?	5. Who is it that would not weep, seeing Christ’s Mother in such agony?
6. Vidit suum dulcem natum Moriendo desolatum Dum emisit spiritum.	6. She saw her sweet child die desolate, as he gave up His spirit.
7. Eja Mater, fons amoris Me sentire vim doloris Fac, ut tecum lugeam.	7. O Mother, fountain of love, make me feel the power of sorrow, that I may grieve with you.
8. Fac, ut ardeat cor meum In amando Christum Deum Ut sibi complaceam.	8. Grant that my heart may burn in the love of Christ my God, that I may greatly please Him.
9. Sancta Mater, istud agas, Crucifixi fige plagas cordi meo valide.	9. Holy Mother, may you do thus: place the wounds of the Crucified deep in my heart.
10. Fac ut portem Christi mortem, passionis fac consortem, et plagas recolere.	10. Make me to bear Christ’s death, sharing in His passion, and commemorate his wounds.
11. Inflammatus et accensus per te, Virgo, sim defensus in die iudicii.	11. Inflame and set on fire, may I be defended by you, Virgin, on the day of judgment.
Fac me cruce custodiri morte Christi praemuniri confoveri gratia.	Let me be guarded by the cross, armed by Christ’s death and His cherished by His grace.
12. Quando corpus morietur, fac ut animæ donetur Paradisi gloria. Amen.	12. When my body dies, grant that to my soul is given the glory of paradise. Amen.

References:
1. Amadeus (Film) – Wikipedia
2. Stabat Mater (Pergolesi) – Wikipedia

Tagged with: Amadeus, Stabat Mater; Quando Corpus Morietur And Amen Giovanni Battista Pergolesi
Posted in Music

Spring Rain (1986) – The Go-Betweens

Posted on November 13, 2024 by observationblogger — 2 Comments

“There’s a gentle lope and swing as much breezy ’60s pop as there is roots revival intensity”

– AllMusic

Spring Rain is the 10th song to appear here from my dual favourite Australian band The Go-Betweens after their previous entry Right Here. Their prominence is comparable in numbers to another stellar, but cruelly underrated Australian group – My Friend the Chocolate Cake. The Go-Betweens remain somewhat of an enigma in Australian contemporary music circles since they were, as the BBC put it – The 80s band that never conquered the world, but their enduring legacy and vast influence on the music industry cannot be understated.
I might sound like a broken record, but to my listening ears no other Australian band encapsulates more instinctively the quintessential Australian ‘sound’ than the The Go-Betweens, analogous to how the wordsmanship of Australian author Tim Winton reacquaints me with my island home when I dive into one of his books.

Spring Rain is the first single from the band’s fourth album Liberty Belle and the Black Diamond Express. It is written by Robert Forster who appears in the music video below. He said the song was written when he was in London in his late twenties, looking back on a time when he was in his late teens and living in Brisbane suburbia. The lyrics appear an inner monologue, with the singer contemplating his rather monotonous life, waiting for a change to come. He feels alienated by the people around him who rather look for material goals.

Forster says the title is an homage to the Creedence Clearwater Revival songs “Who’ll Stop the Rain?” and “Have You Ever Seen The Rain?”, who also have the word ‘rain’ in it. In his memoir “Grant & I”, Forster writes:

‘Spring Rain’ was my second song – there are now four – with the word ‘rain’ in the title.

[Verse 1]
Dressed in a white shirt with my hair combed straight
Here in my black shoes and me without a date
Me without hindsight, me without
When will change come
Just like Spring Rain

[Chorus]
Falling down like sheets
(falling down like sheets)
Coming down like love
(coming down like love)
Falling at my feet
(falling just like)
Spring Rain

[Verse 2]
Standing on the lawn with cousins and child brides
Caught for the camera on their best sides
Being caught forewarned
Their best sides
When will change come
Just like Spring Rain

[Chorus]

[Verse 3]
Driving my first car
My elbows in the breeze
With all these people that I Never, never need
These people are excited by their cars
I want surprises
Just like Spring Rain

References:
1. Spring Rain – Genius Lyrics
2. Spring Rain (The Go-Betweens song) – Wikipedia

Tagged with: Liberty Belle and the Black Diamond Express, spring rain, the go-betweens
Posted in Music

Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor Op. 30 (1909) – Sergei Rachmaninoff

Posted on November 12, 2024 by observationblogger — Leave a comment

Below is a quote from the Australian movie Shine (1996) (which featured here at Friday’s Finest in 2021), referring to how today’s featured movement from Rachmaninoff – Piano Concerto No. 3 (Rach 3) is a notoriously challenging piece:

Cecil Parkes: No one’s ever been mad enough to attempt the Rach Three.
David Helfgott: Am I mad enough, professor? Am I?

The Russian classical music composer Sergei Rachmaninoff is no stranger to this blog having featured here 5 times already. I was a relative latecomer to appreciating Rachmaninoff, but now I listen to him frequently. I first heard his music when academy award winner Geoffrey Rush wowed audiences playing David Helfgott in the Australian movie – Shine.

Most of the following was extracted and paraphrased in part from the Wikipedia reference below:

Piano Concerto No. 3 was composed during the summer of 1909 and made its debut on November 28 of the same year in New York City, with Rachmaninoff himself as the soloist. He was joined by the New York Symphony Society, conducted by Walter Damrosch. This concerto is widely regarded as one of the most demanding works in the classical piano repertoire, pushing even seasoned pianists to their technical limits. Josef Hofmann, the pianist to whom the work is dedicated, never publicly performed it, saying that it “wasn’t for” him.

Rachmaninoff, being a masterful pianist, tailored his compositions for the piano to match both his personal preferences and his unique abilities. Standing tall with long, nimble fingers, he possessed an impressive hand span. His pieces are notoriously demanding, especially for pianists with smaller hands, and even those with average reach may find his works particularly challenging to play.

Due to time constraints, Rachmaninoff could not practice the piece while in Russia. Instead, he practiced Piano Concerto No. 3 on a silent keyboard that he brought with him while en route to the United States.
Public opinion regarding the Third Concerto was mixed in the beginning, but by 1919 it turned more positive. The concerto soon became more popular in the United States than the Second Concerto, partially due to the fact that Rachmaninoff wrote the Third specifically for his American tour.
According to Rebecca Mitchell’s “In Search of Russia: Sergei Rakhmaninov and the Politics of Musical Memory after 1917”, Rachmaninoff became a symbol of an old, nationalistic identity of Russia; many believed he was among the last. The Third Concerto served the same purpose as the Second he “spoke directly to the Russian soul.”

To set the scene for the video below from Shine which features Piano Concerto No. 3:

David Helfgott (Noah Taylor) who is now a star student at the Royal College of Music in London, and one of the candidates for the Concerto Medal. He proposes performing Rachmaninoff’s 3rd Concerto for Piano for his competition piece. His teacher, Professor Cecil Parkes (John Gielgud) begins the task of preparing him for a piece that he describes as ‘a monster’. Parkes warns him that it’s dangerous. Below is the result.

References:
1. Piano Concerto No. 3 (Rachmaninoff) – Wikipedia

Tagged with: Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor Op. 30, Sergei Rachmaninoff, shine
Posted in Music

4/11 – 10/11/24 – Wedding Song, Roman Conquest & The Matterhorn

Posted on November 11, 2024 by observationblogger — 3 Comments

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

Something (1969) – The Beatles
Commentary by Nancy (The Elephant’s Trunk) at Observation Blogger

My modest readership includes a few Beatles devotees, so I wasn’t surprised to see the beautifully George Harrison-penned song Something become a popular topic of discussion. One comment that stood out came from my friend and fellow blogger, Nancy, whose blog, The Elephant’s Trunk, I read almost daily. In response to the song Something Nancy shared that it was her wedding song. That certainly got my attention and I responded, “I can’t even begin to fathom the deep emotional connection you must have with this song.” Below is Nancy’s beautiful account of how Something was used at her wedding, which she graciously allowed me to share with all of you:

Nothing but sweet memories whenever I hear this song, which we both agreed on. However, my dad was very old school and insisted we have a live band instead of a DJ for the reception. The band was not a professional wedding band, just a bunch of older guys from the post office where dad worked who got together and jammed. When I heard their cover of Something, I nearly cried and threw one of my very rare hissy fits. This happened days before the wedding so we had time. I told my dad we could hire his friends for the reception with one exception: we had to play the actual recording of the Beatles doing Something for my wedding dance. Dad didn’t like it but knew better than to argue. We compromised and everyone was happy in the end. If I hadn’t stuck to my guns, I would have regretted it for the rest of my life.

The Roman Conquest of Britain | Julius Caesar’s Invasion | Part 1
Video discussion at The Rest is History

While recently listening to Brown University professor Glenn Lowry’s podcast with fellow cohort John McWhorter who teaches at Colombia University, the latter spoke about his proclivity to listen to The Rest is History podcast presented by historians Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook (see image left). So I checked it out and was impressed to say the least. I have since delved into many of their presentations; two series in particular one about Martin Luther: The Man Who Changed the World and the second – today’s featured topic The Roman Conquest of Europe. I don’t foresee my enjoyment of their podcasts waning any time soon.

Julius Caesar saw the Britons as brutal savages. Yet the Romans romanticised their lack of civilisation, deeming them as untainted by Mediterranean luxury. In 55 BC, after sending scouts along the Kentish coast, Caesar launched an invasion of the island as part of his Gallic Wars campaign. After a disastrous first attempt marred by storms, the “menacing horde of barbarians” of the English Home Counties asked Caesar for help and he returned with a bigger, stronger army to support their prince. Will this campaign succeed?

The Matterhorn // The Most Recognizable Mountain in the World
Video presentation at Mediocre Amateur

Apart from history presentations I have also been devouring high-end adventure ones about ultra-marathon running and mountain climbing in particular. My latest foray here was this video about ‘free-climbing with Alex Honnold’ which was insane. Now on to today’s latest adventure – The Matterhorn (image left) located in Switzerland one of the best-known mountains in the Alps. This video had me on the edge as well.

When I was young some of the first mountains I heard about were Everest, K2, and the Matterhorn. I think I recognized the Matterhorn before I knew the name of most my local mountains. I only recently looked into climbing the Matterhorn. Up until a few years ago I thought it’s pointy summit was unobtainable. Crowds, costs and technical skills made the peak seem out of reach. I had heard that long lines up the Hörnli Route could turn a day out into a horrible 20 hour nightmare. People I spoke with who had climbed it claimed that route finding after the Hörnlihütte was impossible without a guide….

That is all. Thank you for reading.

Tagged with: mediocre amateur, Nancy, something, the beatles, the elephant's trunk, the matterhorn, the rest is history, The Roman Conquest of Britain, Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook
Posted in Music, News, Sport and Adventure

Spoonman (1994) – Soundgarden

Posted on November 10, 2024 by observationblogger — 2 Comments

Spoonman is one of the most emblematic pieces of the grunge movement in the early 90’s. The band led charismatically by the late Chris Cornell was characterised by its heavy sound and introspective lyrics. Spoonman in particular combines a powerful guitar riff with a lyric that pays homage to an actual street musician whose real name was Artis the Spoonman who played the spoons as a musical instrument in Seattle, the home city of the band. The repeated call for the Spoonman to ‘come together with your hands‘ and ‘save me‘ is like a plea to enable the healing and unifying power of music and restore its community.

I remember when we heard this song come on in my early adulthood, my mate Mal would produce his pair of spoons and try to replicate their usage in the song. There is a drum solo using pots and pans which I always considered the crowning jewel of musicianship in Spoonman. I never get tired of them beats. The rhythm throughout is driving and relentless, powered by a syncopated groove that mirrors the percussive clatter of spoons, giving the song a raw, primal energy capturing the essence of the Spoonman’s artistry. The intensity culminates by the repeated lines ‘come on while I get off‘ which may suggest a release of energy or emotion through the act of musical performance.

[Verse 1]
Feel the rhythm with your hands
(Steal the rhythm while you can)
Spoonman
Speak the rhythm on your own
(Speak the rhythm all alone)
Spoonman

[Chorus]
Spoonman, come together with your hands
Save me, I’m together with your plan
Save me, yeah
Save, oh

[Verse 2]
All my friends are Indians
(All my friends are brown and red)
Spoonman
And all my friends are skeletons
(And beat the rhythm with their bones)
Spoonman, ohoh, mmm

[Chorus]
Spoonman, come together with your hands
Save me, I’m together with your plan
Save me
Save, save me
Save me, yeah
Save

The following information contain extracts from the Wikipedia reference below:

Written by the band’s frontman, Chris Cornell, Spoonman was released on February 14, 1994, as the first single from the band’s fourth studio album Superunknown. Spoonman is credited as one of the songs that launched Soundgarden’s career into the mainstream. The song peaked at number three on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart.

Spoonman was originally written for the soundtrack to the 1992 film Singles. At that time, Soundgarden, along with Pearl Jam, were working on the soundtrack for the film. Pearl Jam’s bass guitarist, Jeff Ament, had been put in charge of creating the name for a fictional band that would appear in the film. Before finally choosing Citizen Dick for its name, Ament had compiled a list of potential names, which included the name Spoonman.

Soundgarden’s vocalist and songwriter, Chris Cornell, eventually used the names on the list to create songs for the film. Spoonman was among these, and an acoustic version was created from it. This early version of the song is played during a scene in the film in which a poster advertising a Citizen Dick show is stapled to a lightpost. Rather than just leave the song on the film’s soundtrack, Soundgarden began working on an electric version of Spoonman.

The song’s inspiration, Artis the Spoonman, played a prominent role in the song. The final version of the song featured Artis the Spoonman playing his spoons as part of the song’s bridge. Drummer Matt Cameron also plays pots and pans on the song. The music video features Artis prominently, making him the focus of the video instead of the band, who are shown only in black-and-white still photographs.

References:
1. Spoonman – Wikipedia

Tagged with: Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, spoonman, superunknown
Posted in Music

Space Oddity (1969) – David Bowie

Posted on November 9, 2024 by observationblogger — 10 Comments

Space Oddity is a song by the late-great English singer-songwriter David Bowie. It was released on 11 July 1969 as the opening track of his second studio album, David Bowie. It is widely considered among the finest work (and most recognisable) of Bowie’s career and appeared on numerous best-of lists and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2018.

Major Tom is a fictional character created by David Bowie for this song. It was partly inspired by Stanley Kubrick’s film 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) and Bowie’s feelings of alienation at that point in his career and his break-up with the dancer Hermione Farthingale.

“I went stoned out of my mind to see the movie and it really freaked me out, especially the trip passage“.

– David Bowie

Rush-released as a single to capitalise on the Apollo 11 Moon landing, Space Oddity received critical praise and was used by the BBC as background music during its coverage of the event. It initially sold poorly but soon reached number five in the UK. Bowie did not have another hit after it until the release of Starman in 1972. Space Oddity was a mainstay during Bowie’s concerts until 1990, after which it was played sporadically until 2002.

Characterised as psychedelic folk, the song is a “lost in space” story, which generated later more songs and sequels about the character by David Bowie (Ashes to Ashes and Hallo Spaceboy).

[Intro]
Ground Control to Major Tom
Ground Control to Major Tom
Take your protein pills and put your helmet on
(Ten) Ground Control (Nine) to Major Tom (Eight, seven)
(Six) Commencing (Five) countdown, engines on
(Four, three, two)
Check ignition (One) and may God’s love (Lift off) be with you

This is Ground Control to Major Tom
You’ve really made the grade
And the papers want to know whose shirts you wear
Now it’s time to leave the capsule if you dare
This is Major Tom to Ground Control
I’m stepping through the door
And I’m floating in a most peculiar way
And the stars look very different today

For here, am I sitting in a tin can
Far, above the world
Planet Earth is blue
And there’s nothing I can do

Though I’m past one hundred thousand miles
I’m feeling very still
And I think my spaceship knows which way to go
Tell my wife I love her very much, she knows

[Bridge]
Ground Control to Major Tom
Your circuit’s dead, there’s something wrong
Can you hear me, Major Tom?
Can you hear me, Major Tom?
Can you hear me, Major Tom?
Can you-

From Wikipedia:

One of the first people to hear Space Oddity was Calvin Mark Lee, the head of A&R at Mercury Records in London. Lee considered the song “otherworldly” and knew it was Bowie’s ticket to be signed by the label.The head of Mercury, Lou Reizner, was unimpressed with Bowie’s output and was unwilling to sign him. Eager to sign Bowie, Lee, without Reizner’s knowledge, financed a demo session for Space Oddity. Lee later told Spitz: “We had to do it all behind Lou’s back. But it was such a good record.”

Nicholas Pegg and Doggett compare the song’s style, structure, lyrics and arrangement to those of the Bee Gees’ 1967 single “New York Mining Disaster 1941“, which has similar minor chords and chorus. Hutchinson later stated: “Space Oddity was a Bee Gees type song. David knew it, and he said so at the time … the way he sang it, it’s a Bee Gees thing.”

References:
1. Space Oddity – Wikipedia

Tagged with: david bowie, space oddity
Posted in Music

Thank you for your response. ✨