All the Awkward Girdles

I was introduced to the term "Rocky-Talk" while watching Dolly Parton perform Rocky Top for an audience in Zimbabwe

"yall like that rocky-talk, dont cha?"(holy crap.)

So Im going to be doing a lot more rocky-talking about Rocky Top.

While my allegiance is to the Blue Ridge, a song singing for simple places and beautiful landscapes sits well with me.

Rocky Top is Uptempo pop-country music at its best.

If you're not familiar with it, Rocky Top is a town in east Tennessee just off the Appalachian trail.

There is now a mediocre college and football team there, that eat up most of the attention, but Rocky Top was once a beacon of moonshine, cherished landscapes, and apparently wild animal like women.

It is still one of the prettiest places to hike in the east and there is a damn good state song written for it.

I would like to point out a few choice lyrics:

"Once I had a girl on Rocky Top half bear the other half cat" (..half bear. half cat...)

"Wild as a mink but sweet as soda pop, I still dream about that" (me too)

"...All the folks on Rocky Top get their corn from a jar"

"Ive had years of cramped up city life Trapped like a duck in a pen"

My picks for best version are:

Skeeter Davis- Clear lyrics and eeriest female harmonies FIT for modern times.

Dolly Parton- Winner of live versions. I just love all the weird shit she peeps into the audience midsong because she's SO excited to be singin' about her HOOOOOME!

Chet Atkins- Has some dude Waaaailing on the harmonica

and finally

The Osbourne Brothers- These boys debuted this song and they speak for themselves

There will be more Rocky Talk to come. Enjoy the jam.

Monday, November 9, 2009

music that makes me want to make music.

Every so often I get that foot tappin' nervous booty shake that inspires me
to play a song over and over.
I was 12, the first time it happened to me, and listening to Christina Aguilera's Beautiful.
I remember thinking "what is the next song that will make me feel this way!"
Since then, I have always searched for that feeling, and found it many times over.

The feeling isnt specific to genres and isnt always inspired by new music.
In fact, this is what inspires me to search through the pop music vaults of yesteryear.

It can also arise out of nostalgia such as the Descendents' song Hope. I've listened to it probably one hundred times and each time I get a picture in my head of my best friend drunkenly fumbling the record player and yelling the chorus out of a window.

There has been a lot of soulful, fun, beautiful music making this year.
Music that makes me want to make music.
Here are three somewhat new examples of what has inspired me lately:

Dum Dum Girls (live at my place of employment)
Took their name from a song by another of my favorite bands Talk Talk, so good.

The Sandwitches, San Francisco, here is their song Marry Me.
I guess Im pretty excited about these bands of girls.
They are all so attune, harmony laden, and impressive to watch. (eeep)
A lot of these bands are from california too...
Home - Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros

EDWARD SHARPE & THE MAGNETIC ZEROS | MySpace Video
A guilty pleasure that makes my heart curdle and eyes water with the thought of perfect lives and perfect loves.

Monday, October 5, 2009

Shirley Ellis

I recently put together that Shirley Ellis is the artist that established my musical taste.
I remember my grandfather mumbling "max-max-bo-bax-banana-fana-fo..." and begging him to teach me whatever song he was singing. My grandfathers name was Chuck and mine, Maggie. "It's usually best to skip over the F" he warned "nothing good would come of it." and yes, once my brother discovered the Name Game, I was due for years of teasing. My Grandpa Chuck, on the other hand, was met with an explosion of laughter. Any way, the name game set the tone for my childhood fun and forced me into a mild OBSESSION with doo-wop, soul music, and the mashed potato, at a very young age.

Shirley Ellis, you were a musical angel and teacher. The Name Game is the most accessible and timeless song I can remember, not to mention The Clapping Song oh my god...

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Shivvering in my bones

The Shivvers- Lost Hits From Milwaukee's First Family Of Powerpop 1979-82.

A favorite album. Teenline is there would-be hit.

Like many bands, The Shivvers didnt really see much success outside of Milwaukee and theyve faded out since their disbanding in the mid 80's. Luckily, there is this good video Teenline.

It makes me sad to think of all of the killer music almost lost forever,

victims of non-commercial success.

But! these guys are safe for now considering that I found their album on e-music.

Also, here is an mp3 of Teenline.

When you buy their album, be sure to check out No Substitute and Life Without You.