Earlier today, on my way to work, I flipped throught the radio stations and heard what I thought was Insane In the Membrane come on. So i decided to listn to that. It was not Insane in the Membrane.
I had already known there was going to be a johnny cash tribute cd coming out with remixes of his classics. I already did a review of the remix done by kennedy. I loved it. This however, I was not as pleased by. I don't mind Everlast. I don't honestly know much of his music except of course "What Its Like". But when I started to recognize what song it was playing I was unhappy to say the least. First of, you get last in that "insane in the membrane" sample. thats all i could hear. I don't think I recognized that it was Everlast until the DJ said it after the song. The voice was familiar but not quite there. The song itself is rather morose, it has the word "blues" right in the title. But its so upbeat, theres no feeling to it. I watched Walk the Line, and while its based on the story the scene when he first sings it the record producer asks him to sing something that means something to him. ANd while I know its just a remix/cover Everlast didnt show any emotion in the song. He didnt doo Mr. Cash justice. And that is disheartening.
I have yet to hear the rest of the remixes from the new album but this one, is a strike to me. So far I've heard an excellent remake and a horrible one. I hope the rest is up to par. COME ON SNOOP!
I have a friend.. I guess I could call him that... who likes music with meaning. He is also a self proclaimed egotist and thinks any music he likes is better than the rest. But in anycase.. i have another friend who doesnt mind much whether there is meaning or not because he just wants fun. I am split in the middle. I love to hear a song thati can relate to. that means so much more than a pretty melody. but I can do just fine listening to a song about worms. Sometimes I prefer them . No thinking involved just.. yep.. this song is about worms. Theyre fun. Maybe some people wouldn't count the animaniacs as music but damnit I'll listen to it for a good time. i just wanted to share a few favorite songs with no meaning. Just a basic principal of fun. (Ska is pretty easy to find them)
I've been thinking of music and movies and their distinctive relationship. I can't decide wether its good for songs to be in movies or not. I like the ambience and some of the backing meaning to a song corresponding with a scene or feeling in the movie. But does it take away from the song.
These thoughts came about because i'm writing "The Book Of Love" for a friends wedding. I'm including movie quotes and poems and song lyrics. My problem surmounted wwhile discussing what songs I could put in the book. ANd my mother and i came up with a decent group, however I've known this friend for oh a good...16 years and I know she won't know half the stuff I'm putting in it. Which i guess is fine, she doesn't have to. However, I realized that she might know the songs, but not the same way I do. For example Elton John has a multitude of hits that could easily be included in a book of love. But I doubt she'd know they were Elton John. More than likely she'd say "Oh that song from Moulin Rouge?!" Which yes ALOT of his music was used in that film. But that's not where its from. i guess it benefits the musician because their sings reach a bigger audience but no one knows they did them. And how many people do you think bought the soundtrack to the film, never to consider buying the albums of the original artist. Because they like the film version.
Which also reminded me of something I saw recently on an episode of Project Runway. Tim Gunn mentioned to one of the designers that the outfit looked a bit "Sgt Pepper" and the designer had no clue what he was talking about. This person, albiet completely unwell in many ways, was older than I am. When I heard the term "Sgt Pepper" in reference to the garment I agreed whole heartedly knowing exactly what he meant. So Tim Gunn went on a bit dumbfounded how this person did not get the reference and asked if he knew the beatles, and sgt peppers lonely hearts club band. The designer responded snidely that he knew of the beatles, he loved Across The Universe. I about fell out of my chair in disgust. I have yet to see the film, although I am interested, because beatles songs into a musical about love is great. But The Beatles always come first.
And then theres the other side of things. Movies liek Napoleon Dynamite, very VERY little music in that movie (and an MTV production, what a shock) until that one scene, and everyone knows the one. Iconic. That one song with little Napoleon dancing like a fool. We all know it we all love it. And bam, the music of the movie. But I don't know the band or the song name. I did once hear it on the radio and go "Hey it's that song from Napoleon Dynamite!" Or what about way back (yes, way way back) in the 80s. Ferris Beullers Day Off. You think 2 things instantly. 1. Ben Stien repeating "Beuller? Beuller?" and 2. "chicka chickaaah" I heard that song once on the radio as well. Same reaction. Still don't know anything about the song, other than it goes on for a really long time with very little else besides the chicka chicka.
I still haven't decided wether movies and music go hand in hand or if one is using the other. i know there are also some songs and artists that would nnot be known if it werent for the tv shows and movies they were used in. For example Lisa Loeb didn't have much until her single Stay was featured in Reality Bites. Maybe it's a love hate relationship.
Set your browser to the Internet Movie Database, which frequently has a soundtrack listing, or an Amazon link to the specific soundtrack CD. For specifics on the track itself, drop by Songfacts, which has artist/song links as well as numerous Forum folk who know a lot about the most obscure music/artist.
The 'chicka chickaaah' track would be 'Oh Yeah' by Yello (I believe). I like how some shows (particularly ones on the WB) have taken to listing the track name and artists as it plays. It would be nice if this was an option for all TV shows / movies.
Oh that is pretty cool. I don't recall if The OC had the track listing somewhere in the show, probly in the credits. But it any case they atleast had a definitive showcase for music in their show and sold the soundtracks. And even though I did like a lot of the music they had on it it destroyed me what it did to some bands and how they became well known not so much for their amazing music but bc they were that song on that show. And at the time having liked the oc I was extatic to hear death cab playing but in retrospect realize how much deeper death cab is then some shallow teen drama
Comments
Set your browser to the Internet Movie Database, which frequently has a soundtrack listing, or an Amazon link to the specific soundtrack CD. For specifics on the track itself, drop by Songfacts, which has artist/song links as well as numerous Forum folk who know a lot about the most obscure music/artist.
The 'chicka chickaaah' track would be 'Oh Yeah' by Yello (I believe).
I like how some shows (particularly ones on the WB) have taken to listing the track name and artists as it plays. It would be nice if this was an option for all TV shows / movies.
Oh that is pretty cool. I don't recall if The OC had the track listing somewhere in the show, probly in the credits. But it any case they atleast had a definitive showcase for music in their show and sold the soundtracks. And even though I did like a lot of the music they had on it it destroyed me what it did to some bands and how they became well known not so much for their amazing music but bc they were that song on that show. And at the time having liked the oc I was extatic to hear death cab playing but in retrospect realize how much deeper death cab is then some shallow teen drama