Tag Archives: video

Summertime

We have an awful lot on our minds these days and much work to do, but with summer arriving for the northern end of the globe in just a few days, here’s hoping you can find some moments of fun and comfort during this favorite of seasons.

In the early 70’s, War put out a string of hits ranging from the socially restive – “The World is a Ghetto” and “Slippin’ into Darkness” – to the upbeat – “All Day Music” and “Summer”.

This recording of George Gershwin’s “Summertime” from Porgy and Bess is by Stan Getz from 1964’s Getz au Go Go.  Performing on the track is then 21-year old vibraphonist Gary Burton, already showing his budding virtuoso talent (see this post from 2017 celebrating his retirement).

For songs that evoke the joy of summer, Sly and the Family Stone’s “Hot Fun in the Summertime” can’t be beat.  Please try to boop boop ba boop boop when you want to this summer.

How Many Times

“Get Up, Stand Up”, written by Bob Marley and Peter Tosh, was the first world-charting single by The Wailers.   The song appeared on the 1973 album Burnin’, and was  the last song Marley ever performed on stage, several months before he died in 1981.

In 1989 Public Enemy released “Fight the Power”.  The song was written for Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing, backed the film’s opening credits, and played in scenes throughout the movie.  This video was produced and directed by Lee.

Janelle Monae and the Wondaland artist collective wrote “Hell you Talmbout” in 2015, invoking the names of nearly 20 African-Americans killed by police or vigilantes.

This week, Trey Songz released “2020 Riots: How Many Times”.

 

Have a Great Weekend

It feels a bit odd to end Friday conversations with “Have a great weekend” these days, with no travel, no restaurants, no bars, no concerts, no sports, and not much else brewing to separate weekend from weekday routines. Hopefully it won’t be long before the weekend resumes its rightful place in the rhythms of our lives.

During a conversation this past Friday, lamenting another weekendless weekend, I was introduced to the O’Jays “Living for the Weekend”.  Thanks, Spencer!  The song was released in 1976, in the middle of the group’s run of classics.  Don’t know why I can’t recall it, but maybe clocking in at over six minutes it didn’t get the air play of “Love Train” or “Use ta Be My Girl”.   Let the O’Jays sing you through the entire weekend cycle from Friday pay check to Sunday wind down.

A year after “Living for the Weekend”, Dave Edmunds released “Here Comes the Weekend”.  The song was co-written by Dave’s regular collaborator and sometime bandmate Nick Lowe, and only demands your attention for a radio-friendly two minutes.  Here’s a nice live version.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DspXjubUMyw

Among the goofier weekend homages is “Party Weekend” by Joe King Carrasco and the Crowns from 1980.  It has a special place in my heart, though.  On Friday afternoons in the 1980s, Jonathan “Weasel” Gilbert – DJ for Washington D.C.’s progressive rock station WHFS – played “Party Weekend” along with “Here Comes the Weekend” to close his Frantic Friday shows.  Have a great weekend.

Women in Music

HAIM just released their third album, Women in Music Pt. III.   Sisters Danielle, Este and Alana Haim arrived on the scene in 2012 with their first album Forever and the hit single “The Wire”.  It’s official video is an awfully entertaining girl power trip.  The video for “Summer Girl”, one of three singles released from the new album, adds new meaning to “layering” and gives a big boost to the baritone sax.

Forty years before HAIM released Forever, Fanny, fronted by sisters June and Jean Millington, covered Marvin Gaye’s hit “Ain’t That Peculiar” (click through to YouTube to watch the video and forward to 1:30 to skip the studio chatter).  If you want to compare Fanny’s version to the original, check out Marvin Gaye’s live performance at New York’s legendary club, The Bitter End.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imZUqkPlUaQ

About half way between the launchings of Fanny and HAIM came the formation of the best selling female group of all time, TLC. Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins, Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes, and Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas joined forces in 1991. One of four #1 charting U.S. hits from their second album, CrazySexyCool, was “Waterfalls”.  It may be their signature tune, and the video won MTV’s Video of the Year.  It’s a very heavy song and video with a super-infectious chorus.

 

Grab Bag

The first post in my blogging renaissance was about the soothing sounds of Morcheeba.   Frank Ocean’s “Sweet Life” from his first album, 2012’s channel ORANGE, has that same feel to me.   The song was co-written by Pharrell Williams.

A couple of weeks ago I posted artist “at home” videos.  Here’s a good one to add to that series – James Taylor, his wife and his son performing “You Can Close Your Eyes” for the Jimmy Fallon show.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNjHk9Y36u0

Among the viral sensations I have missed – OK, I miss ALL viral sensations – is the Holderness Family.  Penn and Kim left their on camera TV jobs to start a video production and digital marketing business several years ago.      No idea how their business is going, but their own on-line videos costarring their kids and dog have garnered millions of views.   And they are tailor made for spoofing quarantine time.