I was going over my iPod library and found some songs that speak to my past. I also found a very inspiring song on the blog of my friend Alece.
Let me know what you think of each song.
1) As a teen I saw the birth of Rock & Roll. I remember the great artiest that help develop that sound, and changed our world, Bill Haley & the Comets, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, and of course Elvis. One of my first favorites was Gene Vincent & the Blue Caps. He was one of the first who played in the style that became know as Rockabilly. “Be-Bop-A-Lula,” is in my top ten songs of the 1950’s.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gene_Vincent
2) Throughout my life I sometime get the sense that I am an alien from another planet. I just don’t see the world as everyone else does. Brian Wilson wrote several songs, like “In My Room”, that speak to this feeling of alienation, we all probably feel at one time or another.
His bio on Wikipedia – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Wilson
The last album he collaborated with the Beach Boys on was the grand-breaking “Pet Sounds”. Many critics consider it in the top ten of all time. This is a song from that album I can relate to.
Just Wasn’t Made for These Times
3) My friend Alece posted one of the most emotionally inspirational songs I have heard in awhile.
The song makes me feel an overwhelming sense of love. You don’t have to believe in the divinity of Jesus to feel the love expressed in this song. You can find the lyrics on Alece’s blog.
How He Loves Us – Kim Walker/ Jesus Culture
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September 16, 2009 at 12:34 am
lovewillbringustogether
Gene Vincent was probably a ‘little’ before my time 🙂 and i was not aware of His music for most of my youth. Ian Dury and the Blockheads (a British pop group of the 70’s) had a Hit with ‘Sweet Gene Vincent’ which was my first real ‘awareness of him and i started to understand more of his impact on my ‘modern’ pop music and recognised he sang Be-Bop-A-Lula. I like the song even if the title lyric is a little strange 😉 i love the ‘heavy’ choreography of the guitarists in his band and the piano being used for the keyboards – you don’t get that much in modern pop – apart from Elton John and Billy Joel of course 🙂
The Beach Boys had wonderful harmonies in their songs and were very innovative and influential on the direction of music in their time – even if some of it was due to a desire to counteract the ‘British Invasion’ of the US music scene by the Beatles and others.
I know many consider Pet Sounds a major Album , but i could not say with certainty one song that came from the album (apart from ‘Just wasn’t made for these times’) 😉 although i could probably sing along with most of the ones that are. I just never bought a beach Boys Album – although i have at least ten Beatles tapes and my first ever Album (LP) i bought was Rubber Soul. ( Michelle, Norwegian Wood, Baby you can drive my Car, I’m looking through you, etc.) i can certainly see how this song would hold appeal to someone who felt like they did not fit in at this place and time – which is something i’m sure all of us have felt at least once in their life.
i like the musical lyric to the song How He Loves Us but was not all that moved overall. Not sure why?
i think we have a hard enough time getting a ‘hang’ on human-to-human love and trying to express His Love for us as a whole and us as an individual is something that always seems doomed to be less than anything like what it truly is – at least that’s how i see it.
it can be felt, but i rarely get anything like the ‘same’ feeling when someone else tries ‘explaining’ it, be it in song, art or discussion.
The closest i come to feeling it from another is when they are not intending to make it ‘clear’ to us intentionally, but are doing something with an unrepeatable passion.
Does that make any sense?
Sort of like i felt listening to Andrea in the vids i blogged last week.
Music (and love) is certainly an individual taste i guess? 🙂
<B
September 16, 2009 at 4:49 pm
edfromct
1) I looked up the origin of “Be-Bop-A-Lula.
From Wikipedia:
“The phrase “Be-Bop-A-Lula” is almost identical to “Be-Baba-Leba”, the title of a # 3 R&B chart hit for Helen Humes in 1945, which became a bigger hit when recorded by Lionel Hampton as “Hey! Ba-Ba-Re-Bop”. This phrase, or something very similar, was widely used in jazz circles in the 1940s, giving its name to the bebop style, and possibly being ultimately derived from the shout of “Arriba! Arriba!” used by Latin American bandleaders to encourage band members.”
With a lot of early R&R songs the original lyrics by black performers were meant as a euphemism for sex. I remember reading about when Pat Boone was asked to cover the Little Richard song, “Tutti Frutti”. He did want to record it because the lyrics didn’t make any sense to him. His version wound up selling more copies than Little Richards. I think the white producres would have had a heart attack if the knew the original lyrics, which Little Richard also changed when he recored the song.:
From Wikipedia:
“The original lyrics, “Tutti Frutti, good booty / If it don’t fit, don’t force it / You can grease it, make it easy”, were replaced with “Tutti Frutti, all rooty! Tutti Frutti, all rooty”. ”
2) From what I have read Brian Wilson was obsessed with the Beach Boys becoming a better band than the Beatles. Pet Sounds was Wilson attempt to come up with a unique sound. The critics, and myself, consider “God Only Knows” the best song on the album. Wilson sent Paul McCartney an early version of the song.
Wikipedia:
“Speaking on a special Radio 1 show to mark the British station’s 40th anniversary, McCartney said “‘God Only Knows’ is one of the few songs that reduces me to tears every time I hear it. It’s really just a love song, but it’s brilliantly done. It shows the genius of Brian. “I’ve actually performed it with him and I’m afraid to say that during the sound check I broke down. It was just too much to stand there singing this song that does my head in, and to stand there singing it with Brian.”
3) When it comes to what pleases our senses, our nose, eyes and ears, it comes down to we simply either like something, or we don’t. If we aren’t moved by a song than nothing anyone else tries to tell us about it is likely to change our mind.
September 16, 2009 at 11:44 am
Michelle
I’ve been listening to Kim Walker over and over again since Alece posted. I love the conviction with which she sings and the truths of that song speak deeply to me. I need to know how much He loves me.
Rockabilly…it’s fun but I can only take it for so long. Didn’t Elvis start out that way? The song reminded me of some of his work.
Love the Beach Boys! I concur, I just wasn’t made for these times. I think I better suit the 19th century…maybe 18th. The time when women were meant to paint and play piano…read poetry…arrange flowers. I can do those things. Not so good at much more…hmmm…???
(Another one of Kim’s songs, “Go Where You Go” LOVE IT!)
September 16, 2009 at 5:18 pm
edfromct
Elvis had a big rockabilly hit covering Carl Perkins “Blue Sude Shoes”.
The original Carl Perkins version:
Michelle, Kim Walker sings with so much passion. She puts all of her soul into every word she sings.
Where You Go I Go -Kim Walker
Have you checked put how women had to dressed in the 18th Century?
September 17, 2009 at 10:30 am
Michelle
Very cool. I didn’t know the song wasn’t original with Elvis.
I love the way she expresses her faith as she sings. I was never able to have that type of abandon in front of others. Alone. In my room. With the door shut. Yes. But not on stage. I’m hoping heaven will take all those inhibitions away and then I’ll be able to sing and dance before my Lord the way I desire.
Hmmmm…well okay then, now that you’ve made me painfully aware of the styles…I think I’m good in my shorts and t-shirts with my hair in a ponytail! 😆
September 17, 2009 at 5:30 pm
edfromct
“I’m hoping heaven will take all those inhibitions away”
You think God will allow skinny dipping in Heaven? 🙂
September 17, 2009 at 5:42 pm
Michelle
😯
😆 You know, Ed, He just might. Before sin entered the Garden they were naked and unashamed….hmmm. You give me pause.
😀
September 16, 2009 at 9:54 pm
Indian Lake Papa
I liked the song “He loves Us” – thanks for sharing Ed – my own personal theology centers around the fact that God loves us.
September 17, 2009 at 5:20 pm
edfromct
That God loves you is the most important thing you need to know Papa.
September 16, 2009 at 11:01 pm
Debs
1st song….hmmm What were they thinking ????? Fun to listen to sometimes…song two…nice…song three…welp you felt it cause He loves you that much Ed… 🙂
September 17, 2009 at 5:39 pm
edfromct
I appreciate feeling loved no matter where it emanates from. 🙂
Feeling the passion with which Kim Walker performs is what makes watching her such an emotional experience.