Top 10 Calexico songs
This is a music meme. Because, well, I love music.
Comment on this post and I'll give you a band. Don't worry, I'll try to make it one you know and love. You put your ten favorite songs by that band on your LJ and challenge others to do the same.
seimaisin gave me Calexico. I wasn't sure if she'd give me Calexico or Keaton Simons, since I'm hoping she'll see both in the near future, and neither one are on her very favorites yet.
So... Calexico. They're from my hometown of Tucson, and I actually reviewed one of their concerts as feeling like home. Some reviews think there's a schtick involved, or that they're putting on a front. They live in Tucson, which is likely to have the majority of the population of Mexican descent in not too long a time. We were part of Mexico until 1853 (Gadsden Purchase) (or 1856, if you want to talk about when the American military actually got here) and are closer to Mexico than Phoenix, so of course we feel that culture. We also have a fair number of immigrants from other places here. Tucson is one of the oldest settled cities in North America, as we used to have water in our rivers (but don't now... people have done that), and there were tribes living here continuously before Columbus landed on the other side of the continent. Our first settlers, the Paleo Indians, are guessed to have been here about 12,000 years ago.
I'm cheating a little bit. If you just look at their music page you will see 18 albums. So I'm going to attempt to go with music I can find online, to share with you legally. I'm a big fan of legal music sharing. My picks, in chronological order:
seimaisinAll the Pretty Horses (Video from Friends of Dean Martinez, 1995, On Aerocalexico with lyrics, 2001) - This is a lullaby singer Joey Burns' mom used to sing to him. It stuck with him, and when he researched it as an adult he realized there were verses his mom didn't used to sing. Twisted. And of course they had to use the lyrics in recording the song. For me, I'm easy - the song has horses in the title, and mentions them. Of course I love it. It's pretty, too, if you don't listen too carefully to this part of the lyrics
"way down yonder, down in the meadow
lies a poor little child
the bees and the flies are pickin' out its eyes
the poor little child crying for its mother "
Link to download a Friends of Dean Martinez instrumental promo video And Calexico version w/ lyrics.
The Ride (Pt II) (The Black Light, 1998) - This song reminds me of my days working at Burger King in my late teens. It should. They've said in interviews that it's specifically about the graveyard shift at the haunted Hotel Congress. Well, I worked at the Burger King walking distance from there. On my graveyard shifts, I had those who were kicked out of the bar after last call come driving through (yes, drunk.) My favorite customer was the bartender who always had something funny or amusing to say, and was really nice. Plus, the fact my computers were always still down from my manager doing end of day meant I didn't have to keep going with my hundreds of dollars worth of Whopper sales. And he always ordered the same thing, so when I heard someone asking for his cheesburgers plain, I knew how much it would cost. Anyway, this song always takes me back to those days. Life was a mess, but in some strange way I was happier than I had ever been. I grew up a lot, and learned a lot about myself those days.
The Ballad of Cable Hogue (Hot Rail, 2000) - The video also stars Marianne Dissard, a local artist I love. I just enjoy the video. And laugh at the horsebackriding.
Sunken Waltz (Feast of Wire, 2003) - I blame a certain facebook friend who will remain unnamed (but who loves mandolins) for this one... It's actually a song about urban sprawl, and a guy who one day packed up his things and moved to the middle of the desert because he didn't want to live in the city anymore. Live the one time I may have heard them play it.
Cruel (Garden Ruin, 2006) - There's an official video of this song, so I'll post that. Basically, a song about border life, illegal immigrants, etc. This is Calexico's most outright and blatantly political album. Some of us start nonpartisan national political organizations when we're mad about elections and administrations. Joey Burns (lead singer/cofounder/often times writer) writes songs.
Bisbee Blue (Garden Ruin, 2006) - Also political, to some extent. Bisbee Blue is turquoise mined in Bisbee, Arizona, where Calexico wrote a lot of this album. Bisbee is a town gone almost to ghost town. Not the best version of this song I've heard, but legal and put up there by their archivist, Jim Blackwood. Bisbee Blue on archive.org
All Systems Red (Garden Ruin, 2006) - Funny, a lot of Calexico fans dislike this album. I loved it, but can see why if you want "weird" from Calexico you wouldn't like it. I'm posting 3 songs from it. There's actually a 4th which is the best live song of the bunch, but I haven't seen a recording (even my own) which captures Roka as well as they should. I love this because it's an acoustic version for their label.
Hair Like Spanish Moss (Toolbox, 2007) - last.fm page. I can't find any live mp3s of this, or videos of it. This is an instrumental from the tour CD Toolbox. It's gorgeous. I always try to explain those perfect moments, where it feels as if everything in my existence has lead to that moment and I'm supposed to be there; perfection. Words don't suffice. But this song is the best musical expression of that I've ever heard. (And some people may find it sad, or get different feelings from it. It's an instrumental. That's great!)
Inspiracion (Carried to Dust, 2008) - The first Calexico song written and performed by Jacob Valenzuela. I really enjoy his voice, and enjoy the song. If there's a request for a translation, I can provide that... I took this video at a fundraiser Calexico played to benefit a local mariachi band earlier this year.
Two Silver Trees (Carried to Dust, 2008) - My current favorite Calexico song. It has grown and changed drastically. I recommend going to http://www.calexicana.co.uk/basemovie.html to check out some very different live versions. That site's great in general if you want to check out different live versions of their songs, videos, etc. I love the strings on this version (mp3 download), and here's the CD version of the song, free download prior to the CD release. And the video I took a few weeks ago.
Comment on this post and I'll give you a band. Don't worry, I'll try to make it one you know and love. You put your ten favorite songs by that band on your LJ and challenge others to do the same.
seimaisin gave me Calexico. I wasn't sure if she'd give me Calexico or Keaton Simons, since I'm hoping she'll see both in the near future, and neither one are on her very favorites yet.
So... Calexico. They're from my hometown of Tucson, and I actually reviewed one of their concerts as feeling like home. Some reviews think there's a schtick involved, or that they're putting on a front. They live in Tucson, which is likely to have the majority of the population of Mexican descent in not too long a time. We were part of Mexico until 1853 (Gadsden Purchase) (or 1856, if you want to talk about when the American military actually got here) and are closer to Mexico than Phoenix, so of course we feel that culture. We also have a fair number of immigrants from other places here. Tucson is one of the oldest settled cities in North America, as we used to have water in our rivers (but don't now... people have done that), and there were tribes living here continuously before Columbus landed on the other side of the continent. Our first settlers, the Paleo Indians, are guessed to have been here about 12,000 years ago.
I'm cheating a little bit. If you just look at their music page you will see 18 albums. So I'm going to attempt to go with music I can find online, to share with you legally. I'm a big fan of legal music sharing. My picks, in chronological order:
seimaisinAll the Pretty Horses (Video from Friends of Dean Martinez, 1995, On Aerocalexico with lyrics, 2001) - This is a lullaby singer Joey Burns' mom used to sing to him. It stuck with him, and when he researched it as an adult he realized there were verses his mom didn't used to sing. Twisted. And of course they had to use the lyrics in recording the song. For me, I'm easy - the song has horses in the title, and mentions them. Of course I love it. It's pretty, too, if you don't listen too carefully to this part of the lyrics
"way down yonder, down in the meadow
lies a poor little child
the bees and the flies are pickin' out its eyes
the poor little child crying for its mother "
Link to download a Friends of Dean Martinez instrumental promo video And Calexico version w/ lyrics.
The Ride (Pt II) (The Black Light, 1998) - This song reminds me of my days working at Burger King in my late teens. It should. They've said in interviews that it's specifically about the graveyard shift at the haunted Hotel Congress. Well, I worked at the Burger King walking distance from there. On my graveyard shifts, I had those who were kicked out of the bar after last call come driving through (yes, drunk.) My favorite customer was the bartender who always had something funny or amusing to say, and was really nice. Plus, the fact my computers were always still down from my manager doing end of day meant I didn't have to keep going with my hundreds of dollars worth of Whopper sales. And he always ordered the same thing, so when I heard someone asking for his cheesburgers plain, I knew how much it would cost. Anyway, this song always takes me back to those days. Life was a mess, but in some strange way I was happier than I had ever been. I grew up a lot, and learned a lot about myself those days.
Click to viewThe Ballad of Cable Hogue (Hot Rail, 2000) - The video also stars Marianne Dissard, a local artist I love. I just enjoy the video. And laugh at the horsebackriding.
Sunken Waltz (Feast of Wire, 2003) - I blame a certain facebook friend who will remain unnamed (but who loves mandolins) for this one... It's actually a song about urban sprawl, and a guy who one day packed up his things and moved to the middle of the desert because he didn't want to live in the city anymore. Live the one time I may have heard them play it.
Cruel (Garden Ruin, 2006) - There's an official video of this song, so I'll post that. Basically, a song about border life, illegal immigrants, etc. This is Calexico's most outright and blatantly political album. Some of us start nonpartisan national political organizations when we're mad about elections and administrations. Joey Burns (lead singer/cofounder/often times writer) writes songs.
Bisbee Blue (Garden Ruin, 2006) - Also political, to some extent. Bisbee Blue is turquoise mined in Bisbee, Arizona, where Calexico wrote a lot of this album. Bisbee is a town gone almost to ghost town. Not the best version of this song I've heard, but legal and put up there by their archivist, Jim Blackwood. Bisbee Blue on archive.org
All Systems Red (Garden Ruin, 2006) - Funny, a lot of Calexico fans dislike this album. I loved it, but can see why if you want "weird" from Calexico you wouldn't like it. I'm posting 3 songs from it. There's actually a 4th which is the best live song of the bunch, but I haven't seen a recording (even my own) which captures Roka as well as they should. I love this because it's an acoustic version for their label.
Hair Like Spanish Moss (Toolbox, 2007) - last.fm page. I can't find any live mp3s of this, or videos of it. This is an instrumental from the tour CD Toolbox. It's gorgeous. I always try to explain those perfect moments, where it feels as if everything in my existence has lead to that moment and I'm supposed to be there; perfection. Words don't suffice. But this song is the best musical expression of that I've ever heard. (And some people may find it sad, or get different feelings from it. It's an instrumental. That's great!)
Inspiracion (Carried to Dust, 2008) - The first Calexico song written and performed by Jacob Valenzuela. I really enjoy his voice, and enjoy the song. If there's a request for a translation, I can provide that... I took this video at a fundraiser Calexico played to benefit a local mariachi band earlier this year.
Two Silver Trees (Carried to Dust, 2008) - My current favorite Calexico song. It has grown and changed drastically. I recommend going to http://www.calexicana.co.uk/basemovie.html to check out some very different live versions. That site's great in general if you want to check out different live versions of their songs, videos, etc. I love the strings on this version (mp3 download), and here's the CD version of the song, free download prior to the CD release. And the video I took a few weeks ago.