Bob Marley, Concrete Jungle

Posted in Bob Marley, Youtube Favs on December 1st, 2011 by Willie

I’ve never heard anyone but Bob Marley refer to the sun as the “high yellow moon.”  Fantastic poetry.  “Concrete Jungle,” from Catch a Fire, is one of the bleakest songs about urban dystopia you will ever hear.  It was the lead-off track from Bob’s 1973 masterpiece, Catch a Fire, and is an incredible piece of dark reggae funk.  Bob’s melody is 100% authentic emotion, and his brilliance lies in this fact.  Whenever I hear this song, Bob puts me in his shoes, and lets me stare right through his eyes.  The live performance below is culled from the “Old Grey Whistle Test,” whatever that was, and is just a strait up reminder of what the world is missing today, namely, Bob Marley and the Wailers giving you some of the best music the world has ever heard.  Enjoy.

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Bob Marley, Three Little Birds

Posted in Bob Marley, Youtube Favs on November 15th, 2011 by Willie

It’s always easy to return to the master of reggae, one Mr. Bob Marley, and this time I have his timeless classic “Three Little Birds” from Exodus.  I always think of this song when trying to convince somebody of Bob’s overall songwriting genius.  I’ll put it simply; this song is as good as anything the Beatles wrote in their prime, reminding me strongly of “Dear Prudence” for some reason.  Maybe because like that song, it’s an elemental masterpiece about living peacefully in nature.  It’s got one of the most guileless melodies of all time, a strait-forward harmonic exultation of love, comfort, and peace.  There must be millions and millions of people worldwide that have been charmed by this three minute gem, and lo and behold, there is an official music video!  Who knew?  Well, I got it here for you to help feed your Bob Marley addiction.  Enjoy.

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Bob Marley Interview

Posted in Bob Marley, Youtube Favs on September 17th, 2011 by Willie

Here is Bob Marley being interviewed in Aoteraoa, New Zealand talking about reggae music, his Rastafarian beliefs, his dreadlocks, and marijuana.  The interviewer announces that Bob Marley smokes a pound of grass a week.  I thought that was a high number, no pun intended, but I suppose its true.  I liked Bob’s belief that weed is a meditative drug, and that alcohol is not.  I also like his view that the majority of people tolerate marijuana, and therefore in his mind, its legal.  I find this video fascinating because I’ve never actually seen a Bob Marley interview, and it really fleshes out his awesome revolutionary persona.  He goes from talking about running his own newspaper, believing in his own God-given rights, and then his philosophy on life and death.  It’s a stunning portrait of a man who died too young.  I love the last words in the piece where Bob proclaims, “I see myself as a revolutionary…Rasta is the future, yes (laughs) Rasta is the future state.”

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Bob Marley, Pimper's Paradise

Posted in Bob Marley, Youtube Favs on September 4th, 2011 by Willie

“Every need got an ego to feed.”  If that’s not the lyric of a master, than nothing is.  “Pimper’s Paradise,” from 1980’s Uprising LP, is one of Bob’s best songs.  Anyone else obsessed with the way he sings “Well-ell aelll..?”  How about the line, “Now she is blusing when there ain’t no blues…?”  I’m not really sure what he means by that line, but it makes my spine shiver every time…in the good way.  “She loves to smoke, sometimes shifting coke, now she is laughing when their ain’t no joke, a pimper’s paradise.”  My God, this song is genius.  Not that anyone’s comparing or asking, but Bob was every bit the brilliant songwriter that John Lennon or Bob Dylan were.  I’d go even further to say that he was more natural and fiercely unique than those two guys, as it never seemed that Bob, who struggled greatly in his life, never struggled with being himself like Johnny or Zim.  Please vote!

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Bob Marley, Duppy Conqueror, Rare Studio Take

Posted in Bob Marley, Youtube Favs on August 10th, 2011 by Willie

We’re back in the 1974 Catch a Fire sessions as Bob Marley and the Wailers cut a fifth version of “Duppy Conqueror.”  What is a “duppy,” and why is Bob conquering them?  Interesting question.  Well, in Jamaica, duppy is slang for ghost, and Bob was thinking about opening up a Jamaican branch of the Ghostbusters.  Actually, according to legend, i.e. Wikipedia, Bob’s success was bringing a lot of leeches and hangers on, draining his spirit like vampires (duppys.)  Bob was determined to rise above the situation and conqueror them, and presto, a song was born.  The song itself is a beautiful slow harmonized jam about overcoming prisons both mental and physical.  It’s a great abstract metaphor and a great song.  Bob sings it so soulfully, yet again bringing his unique perspective to a universal pop context.  Genius at work here folks.  Enjoy.

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Bob Marley, Get Up Stand Up, Rare Studio Take

Posted in Bob Marley, Youtube Favs on August 9th, 2011 by Willie

Some very generous youtube benefactors recently uploaded over 30 videos of Bob Marley in the studio recording tracks for his Catch a Fire record.  The video below is a priceless take from the sessions of “Get Up Stand Up,” Bob’s most righteous moment in his career.  This version is a hard slow funky jam of the classic tune featuring Bob putting a delicious spin on the melody that only he can.  Bob Marley was a master of melody, and the way he incorporated the various inflections and subtle changes to the verse is just addictive and breathtaking.  The video too is a brilliant psychedelic cut capturing Bob and the Wailers at their most iconic.   Expect Bob to take over my site for the next few days, until then, enjoy.

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Islands, Vapours Review

Posted in Islands, Record Reviews, The Unicorns on July 1st, 2011 by Willie

Nick Thorburn, leader of Islands and co-founder of the now deceased Unicorns outfit, is my favorite young songwriter.  His 2009 LP, Vapours, is my favorite record of 2011, and the more I play it, the more I love it.  In the world of indie rock, Islands is big but have yet to transcend the “scene,” whatever that is.  It’s a shame because Thorburn and his gang should all be big pop stars.  He’s watched groups like Arcade Fire and Vampire Weekend achieve mainstream success and cultural breakthroughs when he knows he is just as good, if not superior.  He’s jealous, and he’s justified.  Take a look at this clip where he tears into Vampire Weekend with dry sardonic viciousness.
Read more »

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My Top 100 Youtube Favorites, a Retrospective, Part 4

Posted in Youtube Favs on June 30th, 2011 by Willie

Sex sells!  I want to thank this “Drunken Angel” above and Tal Wilkenfeld from yesterday for drawing a few extra clicks to my humble little site.  Before anyone accuses me of perversion or lechery or something, I’d like to defend myself a bit by saying this is one of the better lists of rock and roll you are gonna find on the internet.  So, in that spirit, lets close it out right now with clips 24-1 and put this beautiful list to bed once and for all.

#24.  Bob Marley, One Love/People Get Ready – It’s Bob’s version of “All You Need is Love,” and its basically just as good.  Whatever melody making power the Beatles had, Bob had too.

#23.  Bob Dylan, The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll – I wish I had more Dylan on my list, but I couldn’t find too many choice clips of him playing my favorite Dylan songs.  This is an exception, one of the greatest Dylan videos you are gonna find on ole youtube. Read more »

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My Top 100 Youtube Favorites, a Retrospective, Part 2

Posted in Youtube Favs on June 28th, 2011 by Willie

Welcome back again to my youtube favorite retrospective part 2!  You know the deal, the list is done, and we’re looking back at all the hits that made us laugh, cry, and die.  Let’s start rolling right where we left off!

#74.  The Ramones, Blitzkrieg Bop – It’s more Ramones, the greatest and most original punk ever playing the shit out of Blitzkrieg Bop, in Germany of all places.  Not bad for a bunch of Jewish guys from Queens.

#73.  The Sex Pistols, Anarchy in the UK – When I was in college, I actually had a history professor show us this video as an example of historical outliers.  That’s all well and good, but I was just fascinated with how the drummer sat at the front of the band.

#72.  Elvis Costello, Pump it Up – Declan MacManus’s punky little pop jam.  You gotta love Costello for essentially being the reincarnation of Buddy Holly in modern times, both physically, and musically. Read more »

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My Top 100 Youtube Favorites, a Retrospective, Part 1

Posted in Youtube Favs on June 27th, 2011 by Willie

Now that my countdown is complete, I thought it’d be fun to look back at the whole list, organize it, link it up, and add a fresh comment or two for posterity’s sake.  So, without further ado, here it is, part 1 of my youtube countdown featuring the last 25 songs to appear on the list.

#100.  The Beatles, All You Need is Love – Is it my favorite Beatles song?  Not technically, but I think it’s their greatest triumph.  FYI, this video was originally in black and white until the art gurus at Apple colorized it based on photographs from the event.

#99.  The Beatles, Nowhere Man – The song that inspired me to become a Beatle slave, and a musician myself.  Fun fact, not many songs have a guitar solo after the first verse.

#98.  Tribalistas, Ja Se Namorar – 21st century island cool Brazilian pop at its finest.

#97.  Carl Perkins and Friends, Rockabilly School – One of the greatest TV concerts in rock and roll history.  Does anyone have a magic pair of blue suede shoes so I can travel back in time and be at this show?

#96.  Simon and Garfunkel, The Sounds of Silence –  You get to see S & G in all their young nerdy early 60s glory in this vid…Amazing. Read more »

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