Who let the duck in?
While reading something online, I came across this spelling mistake: "He felt her body quack..." FAIL. I really honestly have NO idea how this person confused the two words up. Like, okay, maybe if it was something I had written, it would make sense;
keeper_of_stars calls me Quack and all... But still, quack is kind of an odd word to put instead.
This meme was given to me by
rainbowstevie. I have to pick out ten of my favorite songs that begin with the letter R. Which... seriously, there aren't that many songs beginning with the letter R. So these kind of skew me older than I am because they were like the only songs I could find, LOL, that I really like.
1). Rubber Ducky from Sesame Street: You really have to be a baby-eating communist to not absolutely LOVE this song. :-) For me, it's just one of those things that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy. In all honesty, I prefer the other duck songs on Sesame Street - "Put Down the Ducky" - and even "Do De Rubber Duck" is more catchy (though this song freaks me out because inviting all your puppet friends, including the one who lives in a garbage can, to get naked in your tub is a little much even for me). But "Rubber Ducky" started it all, and you know... it starts with R so it's on the list! :-)
2). Riding to Vanity Fair by Paul McCartney: So much is said about Paul McCartney and his happy songs that people tend to overlook how wonderfully emo (LOL) he can be. The instrumentation is lovely; the wurlitzer adds such a moodiness to it (as do the strings). Some have said that it's Paul reflecting on his friendship with John Lennon, but I don't really know. But I do think that the theme of wanting friendship from someone too concerned with their own shit is something a lot of people can relate to. My favorite line is - "and I was hoping for friendship, but I wouldn't dare to presume it was there." It's totally wonderful to listen to when you're all emo and depressed, hehe.
3). Rattlesnake Shake by Fleetwood Mac: Truth be told, a song about Mick Fleetwood masturbating makes me a little queasy. But I love it because it is the perfect representation of the band at that time. Musically, the song is rooted in the blues, and when I listen to it, I can understand why people would say that Peter Green was a better guitarist than Eric Clapton. The story goes that people used to graffiti "Clapton is God" on walls, and then when Peter came along, they would graffiti, "Green is better than God." Shake is definitely an example of why people would do such things. But for me, it's the personal aspect that proves the most haunting. As I said the song is about drummer, Mick Fleetwood, masturbating -- in order to be faithful to his wife. Sometimes it's hard to remember that there was a time when the band's history was completely separate from their romantic liasons. Which isn't to say that the Fleetwood Mac of the late 60s was drama free. Another reason I love this song? It captures the amazing talent of three guitarists: Jeremy Spencer, Danny Kirwan, and Peter Green who ALL quit the band due to... mental problems. Jeremy joined a cult; Danny had a mental breakdown, smashed his head into a wall, and has spent plenty of time in mental institutions. And most famously, Peter was whisked away to Germany where he took a bad batch of LSD and was never the same again. Both Peter and Jeremy have made music since then, but it's never been the same. And so, it's nice to have this little period of time perfectly encapsulated in a song.
4). Rock the Casbah by The Clash: The Clash? Awesome. Songs inspired by political happenings? Awesome. Songs deemed "inappropriate for radio" by Clear Channel after 9/11? AWESOME. All of that crap combined? Really way freaking awesome. It's one of those songs that sounds as fresh now as it did when it was first released.
5). Rose's Turn from Gypsy the Musical, as sung by Bernadette Peters: Mama Rose has to be the hardest female role out there to portray. I can't think of another role that requires as much from an actor. It's hardcore, and I think only two women have ever really done the role justice. The one is Tyne Daly, and the other is Bernadette Peters. Fine, and MAYBE Patti Lupone. There have been rumors for a while that Rob Marshall wanted to do a movie adaptation starring Catherine Zeta-Jones to which I say, "NOOOOOOOOOOO." When way more talented actors and singers have taken a stab at the role and failed HARD, CZJ shouldn't be near the project at all. I'd rather give the part to Ann Reinking but anywho... it all comes down to Rose's Turn. That song is a tour de force. Just thinking about singing it makes my vocal chords hurt. That Bernadette did like 10? shows a week is INSANE. The whole experience not only opened my eyes to just how damn talented she truly is, but also to what a great work ethic she has. And -- someone asked her at the time where she'd gotten the inspiration for her interpretation (specifically, was her own stage mother her inspiration), and Bernadette answered that she never really looks to anyone else for modeling a character. Which means somewhere inside of her is a crazy-ass woman, and that makes me feel oddly comforted.
6). Rain by Madonna: I am probably one of the few people who can say that they bought the "Erotica" album at 8 years old AND looked at the "Sex" book back then as well(Hi, crappy parenting!). It still amuses me that people get uncomfortable about that era in Madonna's career. As sexual as it claims to be, it's really... not. It's one of her most controlled and reined in albums. Though the songs are about sexuality, the music is incredibly restrained. And perhaps ironically, a lot of the imagery and style she used is a throwback to women of the 30s. Funny how when you're Madonna dressing like Marlene Dietrich turns into something supposedly dirty, lol. "Rain" isn't my favorite song on the album, but it's the perfect counterpoint to something like "Erotica" (the song). Just when someone would love to write the album off as some sick fetish project, you hit this song -- that's incredibly lush and soft. Still, restrained and cool, but lovely. And I love when Madonna goes way down into her lower registry.
7). Runnin' down a Dream by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: This song is filled with so much energy. And it's like the perfect song for a road trip, LOL. I particularly love the acoustic guitar part on the chorus; it's a nice counterpoint to the song.
8). Rhosymedre performed by the Ron Davis Trio: On the organ, this song is pretty stale. But when played with hints of jazz and blues, it really opens up into something quite nice. It's definitely not the best instrumental out there, but this one has stuck in my head for so many years. Since middle school actually, hehe. It's a nice song to relax to.
9). Rhythm Nation by Janet Jackson: This is in so many ways everything pop music should aspire to be. It's got a great message, but it's not gimmicky or forced. It's catchy, but there's absolutely nothing generic about it. I remember being younger and getting so damn excited when this song would come on the radio or a friend would play their tape of it. These days pop music has become synonymous with music you don't have to give a shit about; it's nothing but a filler, a fad, to keep you occupied until the next thing comes along. For crying out loud, even JANET has become that. But it's nice to have these examples of pop music that still sounds way fresh and isn't just the song for the summer of [insert year here].
10). Real Tears by Stevie Nicks: This song was relegated to a B-side, and it really should NOT have been. It certainly made more sense to include on "The Other side of the Mirror" album than that fucking Johnny Cash cover that always skips when I play it. :-P Anyway, one of the things I love about Stevie is the keen awareness she has at times of how bizarre she really is. Seriously -- she has said, "I find I'm spacey enough on my own that I don't need to be drinking or smoking." True, no? "Real Tears" is sort of a musical response to her critics and to those who find her incredibly fake. It's an admittance that she's crazy, lol, but also a refutation that it's not honest or real. Is it her best song? Not even close. But it's a nice representation of her at that shitty-ass time in her life.
And yay, I'm finally DONE! BTW, if you want a letter, comment, and I'll give you one. :-P
keeper_of_stars calls me Quack and all... But still, quack is kind of an odd word to put instead.
This meme was given to me by
rainbowstevie. I have to pick out ten of my favorite songs that begin with the letter R. Which... seriously, there aren't that many songs beginning with the letter R. So these kind of skew me older than I am because they were like the only songs I could find, LOL, that I really like.
1). Rubber Ducky from Sesame Street: You really have to be a baby-eating communist to not absolutely LOVE this song. :-) For me, it's just one of those things that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy. In all honesty, I prefer the other duck songs on Sesame Street - "Put Down the Ducky" - and even "Do De Rubber Duck" is more catchy (though this song freaks me out because inviting all your puppet friends, including the one who lives in a garbage can, to get naked in your tub is a little much even for me). But "Rubber Ducky" started it all, and you know... it starts with R so it's on the list! :-)
2). Riding to Vanity Fair by Paul McCartney: So much is said about Paul McCartney and his happy songs that people tend to overlook how wonderfully emo (LOL) he can be. The instrumentation is lovely; the wurlitzer adds such a moodiness to it (as do the strings). Some have said that it's Paul reflecting on his friendship with John Lennon, but I don't really know. But I do think that the theme of wanting friendship from someone too concerned with their own shit is something a lot of people can relate to. My favorite line is - "and I was hoping for friendship, but I wouldn't dare to presume it was there." It's totally wonderful to listen to when you're all emo and depressed, hehe.
3). Rattlesnake Shake by Fleetwood Mac: Truth be told, a song about Mick Fleetwood masturbating makes me a little queasy. But I love it because it is the perfect representation of the band at that time. Musically, the song is rooted in the blues, and when I listen to it, I can understand why people would say that Peter Green was a better guitarist than Eric Clapton. The story goes that people used to graffiti "Clapton is God" on walls, and then when Peter came along, they would graffiti, "Green is better than God." Shake is definitely an example of why people would do such things. But for me, it's the personal aspect that proves the most haunting. As I said the song is about drummer, Mick Fleetwood, masturbating -- in order to be faithful to his wife. Sometimes it's hard to remember that there was a time when the band's history was completely separate from their romantic liasons. Which isn't to say that the Fleetwood Mac of the late 60s was drama free. Another reason I love this song? It captures the amazing talent of three guitarists: Jeremy Spencer, Danny Kirwan, and Peter Green who ALL quit the band due to... mental problems. Jeremy joined a cult; Danny had a mental breakdown, smashed his head into a wall, and has spent plenty of time in mental institutions. And most famously, Peter was whisked away to Germany where he took a bad batch of LSD and was never the same again. Both Peter and Jeremy have made music since then, but it's never been the same. And so, it's nice to have this little period of time perfectly encapsulated in a song.
4). Rock the Casbah by The Clash: The Clash? Awesome. Songs inspired by political happenings? Awesome. Songs deemed "inappropriate for radio" by Clear Channel after 9/11? AWESOME. All of that crap combined? Really way freaking awesome. It's one of those songs that sounds as fresh now as it did when it was first released.
5). Rose's Turn from Gypsy the Musical, as sung by Bernadette Peters: Mama Rose has to be the hardest female role out there to portray. I can't think of another role that requires as much from an actor. It's hardcore, and I think only two women have ever really done the role justice. The one is Tyne Daly, and the other is Bernadette Peters. Fine, and MAYBE Patti Lupone. There have been rumors for a while that Rob Marshall wanted to do a movie adaptation starring Catherine Zeta-Jones to which I say, "NOOOOOOOOOOO." When way more talented actors and singers have taken a stab at the role and failed HARD, CZJ shouldn't be near the project at all. I'd rather give the part to Ann Reinking but anywho... it all comes down to Rose's Turn. That song is a tour de force. Just thinking about singing it makes my vocal chords hurt. That Bernadette did like 10? shows a week is INSANE. The whole experience not only opened my eyes to just how damn talented she truly is, but also to what a great work ethic she has. And -- someone asked her at the time where she'd gotten the inspiration for her interpretation (specifically, was her own stage mother her inspiration), and Bernadette answered that she never really looks to anyone else for modeling a character. Which means somewhere inside of her is a crazy-ass woman, and that makes me feel oddly comforted.
6). Rain by Madonna: I am probably one of the few people who can say that they bought the "Erotica" album at 8 years old AND looked at the "Sex" book back then as well(Hi, crappy parenting!). It still amuses me that people get uncomfortable about that era in Madonna's career. As sexual as it claims to be, it's really... not. It's one of her most controlled and reined in albums. Though the songs are about sexuality, the music is incredibly restrained. And perhaps ironically, a lot of the imagery and style she used is a throwback to women of the 30s. Funny how when you're Madonna dressing like Marlene Dietrich turns into something supposedly dirty, lol. "Rain" isn't my favorite song on the album, but it's the perfect counterpoint to something like "Erotica" (the song). Just when someone would love to write the album off as some sick fetish project, you hit this song -- that's incredibly lush and soft. Still, restrained and cool, but lovely. And I love when Madonna goes way down into her lower registry.
7). Runnin' down a Dream by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: This song is filled with so much energy. And it's like the perfect song for a road trip, LOL. I particularly love the acoustic guitar part on the chorus; it's a nice counterpoint to the song.
8). Rhosymedre performed by the Ron Davis Trio: On the organ, this song is pretty stale. But when played with hints of jazz and blues, it really opens up into something quite nice. It's definitely not the best instrumental out there, but this one has stuck in my head for so many years. Since middle school actually, hehe. It's a nice song to relax to.
9). Rhythm Nation by Janet Jackson: This is in so many ways everything pop music should aspire to be. It's got a great message, but it's not gimmicky or forced. It's catchy, but there's absolutely nothing generic about it. I remember being younger and getting so damn excited when this song would come on the radio or a friend would play their tape of it. These days pop music has become synonymous with music you don't have to give a shit about; it's nothing but a filler, a fad, to keep you occupied until the next thing comes along. For crying out loud, even JANET has become that. But it's nice to have these examples of pop music that still sounds way fresh and isn't just the song for the summer of [insert year here].
10). Real Tears by Stevie Nicks: This song was relegated to a B-side, and it really should NOT have been. It certainly made more sense to include on "The Other side of the Mirror" album than that fucking Johnny Cash cover that always skips when I play it. :-P Anyway, one of the things I love about Stevie is the keen awareness she has at times of how bizarre she really is. Seriously -- she has said, "I find I'm spacey enough on my own that I don't need to be drinking or smoking." True, no? "Real Tears" is sort of a musical response to her critics and to those who find her incredibly fake. It's an admittance that she's crazy, lol, but also a refutation that it's not honest or real. Is it her best song? Not even close. But it's a nice representation of her at that shitty-ass time in her life.
And yay, I'm finally DONE! BTW, if you want a letter, comment, and I'll give you one. :-P