Also, writing about a song a day at Some Songs Considered
I’ve been lurking on Tumblr for the past week or so - skimming posts but not posting.
Not tonight! I want to try out the iPhone app, so I’ll be documenting my night of baking and beer drinking. I’m an exciting dude, I know.
ALSO: Has anyone done much with Lala? I’m curious about it.
December 12, 2009, 7:15pm
“I must say I still agree with my opinions as quoted by Schneider, and I conclude he is more analytical and less visceral that I am. Readers find critics who speak to them. What is remarkable about these many words is that Schneider keeps an open mind, approaches each film afresh, and doesn’t always repeat the same judgments. An ideal critic tries to start over again with every review.”
—
Who do you read? Good Roger, or Bad Roger? - Roger Ebert’s Journal
I really admire the way Ebert takes criticism of him in stride, handling it with respect for the dissenting opinion without backing down from what he thinks.
December 10, 2009, 10:28am
We’ve had a few people ask for this, so here it is: The Basketball Jones’ “Showin’ Love” .mp3. (Note: You download the song by clicking that link. It’s 901.71 KB of hot NBA love.)
Also, a few of the Mix Master Mikes out there left comments/tweets about remixing the song. We freaking the love the idea — it’s the Colbertian thing to do, you know — so we’ll look to get you some a cappella tracks to chop up in the lab shortly. Keep an eye/ear, ‘Dre.
Finally, here are the “Showin’ Love” lyrics. Love ‘em, learn ‘em.
CHORUS:
Everybody’s always askin’ us
To show love to their team
So let The Jones break it down for you
This is our NBA love themeFIRST VERSE:
Thirty teams, one heart, where do I even start
How ‘bout in Memphis, have a Grizzly picnic in the park
After dark, with the Bucks, workin’ on the jump hook
Watch some game film — and then pop in “The Notebook”
We’ve got the smores, so we’re camping with the Blazers
Invite the Pacers and Lakers — we’re all stargazers
*BANG!* What’s that? I think I hear the Thunder
It’s raining so many threes it makes you wonder
Was it the Suns? The Magic? Or was it those D’Antoni Knicks?
It doesn’t matter ‘cuz we just crossed three teams of our list
Black tie gala, candle lit with Celtics nation
We’re showing love and it’s a formal celebration[CHORUS]
SECOND VERSE:
Long walks on the beach with the Raps and Pistons
And when the Nets have problems will be there to listen
Cry on my shoulder Jazz and Mavs no need to worry
And when the Spurs call out we’ll be there in a hurry
Bobcats and Wolves sound fierce, but really they’re just teddy bears
Take the Wizards and Kings to a Medieval Faire
Admission — paid! This one’s on me guys!
Last week I treated the Nuggets to some McDonald fries
You’re the Warriors, but there’s no need for fighting
Cavaliers and Hawks — it don’t get more exciting
I see you Hornets, Bulls, Sixers, Heat and Rockets
Got so much love — Mutombo couldn’t block it[CHORUS]
December 09, 2009, 12:07am
My Top 5 Artists (Week Ending 2009-12-6)
Imported from Last.fm Tumblr by JoeLaz
December 08, 2009, 12:52am
Gonzo sings “Dancing With Myself”
Or, “Ready, Steady, Gonzo.”
December 07, 2009, 9:37am
“Multiply (Live on Jools Holland)” - Jamie Lidell
3:08 in that video captures my current frame of mind perfectly.
December 03, 2009, 9:27am
“(some protagonists ARE easy stand-ins — but you still have to explain why you’re getting that from the song and not from your ass)”
—
Cr4Bdbgs - “About” is a false friend to pop music. The idea…
Dave and Tom are having a great discussion concerning reading too much into songs or, as the case may be, not reading the song at all. I think this quote in particular sums up the main idea for me - if you can find it in the song, then it’s there. If you’re drawing too much from the outside, then that’s where the danger comes in of either overgeneralizing or projecting something onto the song.
To take it outside of music for a minute, this is something I see with my students all the time - they’re quick to leap to a “big idea” or an interpretation of something but can’t explain where it came from or why they targeted something specifically. It’s difficult to give something a close reading (be it a novel, pop song, whatever) because it requires time and thought and (like Dave pointed out) opening yourself up to the idea that your initial thought is wrong.
December 02, 2009, 2:42pm
“About” is a false friend to pop music. The idea that a song is “about” some bigger, grander thing than itself can ennoble some records. But it also works to reduce them. If the most important thing about “Papa Don’t Preach” is that it’s ‘about’ unplanned pregnancy then all sorts of temptations creep in. The temptation to look for a message in the song – the girl in “Papa Don’t Preach” is keeping a baby, therefore Madonna thinks girls should keep babies. The temptation to generalise – her decision is agonising, therefore this decision is always agonising. And above all the temptation to use “about” as a way to cushion the record’s directness, the feeling that something is at stake not in the wider world but here and now in this song and the moment it makes you live.”
—
MADONNA – “Papa Don’t Preach” | FreakyTrigger
A wonderful point (and a hard habit to kick as a writer too) in a wonderful post about a wonderful single.
Time for another cup of coffee.
December 02, 2009, 11:52am
“Higher and Higher (Live in Philadelphia, October 2009)” - Bruce Springsteen & the E-Street Band
Shared without comment, because I have nothing coherent to add to this. Simply wonderful.
December 01, 2009, 10:58pm
Husker Du - “Love is All Around”
For thisistheglamorous, who is having a rough day (and because I felt weird “liking” a post like that)
December 01, 2009, 9:21pm
“hro removed from my favs today, carles, return, please. who is a self proclaimed hipster gurl hmmm with debatable quality, maybe this is a situation that carles says j/k in a few days”
—
HRO’s commenters are DOING IT RONG
(via stryker)
Also feels like the sexism in that comment thread is kind of undercutting the parody here, which I’m second-guessing now. I’m not sure if I’d be more pissed to know that the commenters were “in on it” or serious, though I’m not convinced there’s a huge difference either way.
(via cureforbedbugs)
This pretty much nails my problem with Hipster Runoff - specifically, people taking it too seriously. Whether it’s taking it at face value, or trying to imitate it, or using it as a way to be detached from what you actually think (ie - “sexism is ok as long as I throw in the term “personal brand” or type lyke Crls”).
Then again, the joke might be on me for putting any mental energy into thinking about it.
December 01, 2009, 2:23pm
Meet Becca: A New HRO Blogger with a Female Perspective for Female Readers.
The current run at HRO - Carles stepping down and being replaced by new bloggers - has been amazing. The only way this could get better was if the Idolator restaffing (and I unsubscribed so I have no idea what’s going on there) turns out to be a hoax on this level.
I was growing sick of HRO mainly because it’s inspired so many insipid imitators (which, on one level is unfair and on another is ironic since it’s satire), but this has been a joy to read.
December 01, 2009, 11:13am
My Top 5 Artists (Week Ending 2009-11-29)
Imported from Last.fm Tumblr by JoeLaz
December 01, 2009, 12:17am
- Funk Doctor Spock
- Doc’s Da Name
- Doctor Strangelove
- Doctor Fate
- Doc Savage
- Doctor Cox
- Doctor Zaius
- Doctor J
November 30, 2009, 11:28pm
Aubrey Plaza
Her takedown of Sarah Silverman is one of the better things I’ve seen tonight. So good I was afraid that my housemate was going to think I was watching actual Sarah Silverman bits.
That was really funny. Still waiting for her to break out on Parks and Recreation, which has really come into its own this year.
November 28, 2009, 12:08am
