Turning Tables

Despite my indifference to her music, Adele has managed to weasel her way into my head now for the second time on a day when I blog.  

I don't have anything against her music or her soulful, raspy voice.  In fact, I'd say I like it.  I just haven't really dug much into her music.  Regardless, her song "Turning Tables" was playing in my head as I lay in bed this morning:





One unfortunate thing about having a blog like this, is having to write about songs that center around a regurgitated theme.  Today's song is about a person coming to terms about the toxic relationship in which she's involved.  It's effective as a song, and as I've probably mentioned before, hundreds of times on this site, I'm a sucker for any song that uses piano and strings.  

"Turning Tables" was the 5th single released from Adele's successful 2011 album, "21"  The song itself was written by Adele and OneRepublic frontman Ryan Tedder.  

On a serious note, how does Adele get that rich, raspy sound?  Did she catch a nasty cold as a child?  Is she a chain smoker?  Does she swallow sand?  Did she yell really bad at somebody one time?

Isn't that funny how I made a joke about her raspy voice?  

I hope you liked today's blog post, I'd give it a 3 out of 10.



Good King Wenceslas


(I'm a few days late posting this.  Here's the song stuck in my head from Sunday morning)








You know the song, but if you're ignorant like me you're going "who the crap is King Wenceslas?" 

Well, I'll tell you:





King Wenceslas was actually the duke of Bohemia from 921 A.D. until his assassination (by his brother!) in 935 A.D.



So why does the song call him a king? 

Well, I'll tell you:





Soon after Wenceslas' death, word spread throughout Europe about his kindness and he was considered a martyr.  That's why the holy Roman Emperor Otto I was like "we should totally make this guy be a king even though he really wasn't."  That's the thing about Emperors whatever they say goes, friends.  So he was a king that was really a duke. 




So what's the deal with the song?

Well, I'll tell you:





In 1853 this English dude named John Mason Neale decided that he'd write a song about "King" Wenceslas even though he had died nearly 1000 years earlier.  And since John Neale had a thing for old historical figures and things, he decided he might as well rip off the melody from a 14th century Finnish songbook.  Isn't that neat?

So what's the song really about?
Well, I'll tell you:



It tells the story of the good king and the efforts he makes to travel in harsh winter conditions on the day of the feast of Stephen (December 26th) to deliver goods to the poor.  During the journey, his page, exhausted and cold, has to travel in the King's footsteps to keep going.  It's not typical Christmas musical material in our society, but somehow it's endured the test of time and stayed part of our broad music catalogue. 




My favorite lyric from the song is the last verse-




In his master's steps he trod, where the snow lay dinted;
Heat was in the very sod which the saint had printed.
Therefore, Christian men, be sure, wealth or rank possessing,
Ye who now will bless the poor, shall yourselves find blessing.




Just for funzees, I took a screen shot (from Google Earth) of what the basilica looks like that was built at the site of the martyrdom of Wenceslas in modern day Czech Republic.  I'd love to go visit someday.
















Cough Cough

Yeah.....so.....um.....wait a second.....

I don't think there's another song that starts with such indecisive lyrics.

And today I'm happy to share the song stuck in my head this morning, it's comes from an energetic, new-wavy English band called Everything Everything.

This track "Cough Cough" is percussion and synthesizer heavy.  The lyrics are a bit cryptic, but the overall effect as a song works quite well.  Have a listen:








Yes.  That rocks indeed.  

I'm going somewhere else today with my blog post.  I feel unfocused and I'm sure this will be a bit of a ramble, but it's been on my mind, and it's my blog, so I'm going to share anyway.  

About 6 weeks ago I was hit with horrible, debilitating depression.  It happened to me last year and I thought it was just a situational thing.  When it came back this year, with a vengeance, I was totally broken, lost, angry, upset and just sad.  It's been the hardest thing I've ever been through, which is funny because really there's little wrong with my life.  It's just imperfect like everyone else's... my brain has just decided to dwell on what's messed up about life and it's been really really really really hard, to say the least.  

And this isn't a pity post.  I'm doing what I need to do to fix my troubled mind.  I just have to accept it, try my best to be strong and move on.  Luckily I have all kinds of support every where I go.  I really am so blessed and fortunate.  That's the irony, I can point out all the reasons I should be happy but it just doesn't work when you're mentally ill.  

As I've been reflecting on my life and my huge insecurities, I'm starting to realize that social media is a problem for me.  I use it as a desperate attempt to get attention.  This is unhealthy and has affected me more than I realized.  Last week I closed my Facebook account.  I figured it couldn't hurt.  I'm just trying to make my life more simple and make my world smaller.  

I suppose this blog is part of the problem as well.  I want people to read it.  I wish I didn't care, but I'm working on caring less.  It's an outlet for me, so I'll keep doing it.  But if I vanish all of a sudden from the internet world, you'll understand why.  

Thanks for listening.  Life is good.  

It's a Privilege to Pee

Yes, you read the title right.  This is really a song, and it really was stuck in my head this morning.

The song "It's a Privilege to Pee" is from a hilarious musical called URINETOWN.  I had the privilege to see this musical in 2002 on Broadway.  I'll always love the story and music from this show.  I like to describe Urinetown as 'the cleanest dirty musical' I've ever seen.

If you're offended by the words 'pee' and 'poo' then you'll be disgusted by this musical.  Other than those words, the show is clean and fun.

The story is about a society in the not-to-distant future where a water shortage has caused giant corporations to gain control of the water supply, in a sort of necessary form of regulation with monetary gain as a side-effect.  The whole show is a goofy parody of capitalism and how giant, powerful politicians and corporations can control society.

The song I'm featuring today is from the first act of the musical and is sung by uncompromising toilet mistress Penelope Pennywise.  She controls one of the toilets where people are forced to pay to use the restroom.  Listen to this song, it's hilarious- also this singer rocks.  






Dear friends, that's the end of today's post.  Go enjoy the freedom you have of peeing without having to pay for it.

Everyman Needs a Companion

Today's song comes from musician Josh Tillman, otherwise known (in this case) as Father John Misty. 

Father John Misty's only album "Fear Fun" was recommended to me by a friend and I'm glad I have it as part of my collection, there are some great songs on it. 

According to Wikipedia, Tillman took a lot of mushrooms, went driving down the coast of California feeling inspired to write a novel, but instead produced this album.  The song stuck in my head this morning is the final track on the album and is called "Everyman Needs a Companion"



This track is straightforward just by the title, although it also gets somewhat biblical along the way.  Who knows- maybe he's alluding to religion being a sort of companion to mankind?  I'm pretty shallow so I don't understand stuff. 

But the song's good, right?  RIGHT?

A quick story.  I am a man.  I need a companion.  I'm lucky I have one.  Her name is Megan.  I sure like her.  We are pretty head over heels for each other, almost in a sickening way- and we were much worse during the courtship leading up to our marriage in 2005.

Well, one day we were at my parent's house with all my family- my parents, siblings, and their spouses.  It was Christmas day (we were married a few days later on New Years Eve) and my family was having a great time making fun of our public display of affection. 

Megan pulled me aside to give me a gift in the other room.  The gift was a blanket she made for me (which I still have) and it was soft, nice, warm and I was really flattered that she had made it for me.  My family could hear me from the other room spewing all kinds of sappy gratitude and love for this gift. 

When we returned to the family room, where everyone was gathered, we were soon the brunt of a hilarious practical joke.  My mom and dad, my brothers, sister and all their spouses were kissing, making out really- and quite passionately.  Once we had gotten over the shock, we all had a really good laugh.  The best part too was my 90 year old grandmother who was sitting there with an incredibly confused look on her face.  She had no idea what was happening! 

Have a good week, friends.