Hall and Oates, You Make My Dreams Come True, FTW

Posted in Hall and Oates, Youtube Favs on December 17th, 2011 by Willie

I never thought I’d be adding a “Hall and Oates” section to my website, but on December 17th, 2011, it apparently has happened.  Actually, I’ve been slowly enjoying Hall and Oates a bit over the last few years, getting hooked on the single “I Can’t Go For That,” and hearing a fantastic sounding Daryl Hall on the Howard Stern show a few weeks ago.  The song in the cross-hairs today is “You Make My Dreams Come True,” a top ten hit from 1980.  It has popped up irrepressibly in a bunch of modern Hollywood movies and TV shows including “500 Days of Summer,” “Step Brothers,” and “King of the Hill.”  The song just makes people happy and want to dance, and I’m tired of denying its power.  I’ve come to have embrace its gorgeous keyboard/electric guitar attack rhythm section and blue eyed soul vocal delivery.  That addictive and high pitched guitar stutter reminds me of the Beatles’ “Getting Better,” possibly the happiest song of all time, and its doo-wop heavily processed backing vocals make it a total 80s classic, paving the way for the general sound of 80s pop.  So, in conclusion, my advice is this; turn this song up to 11, pour some lemonade, and play this song 4 times in a row.  Hall and Oates, FTW.

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Paul Simon, Kodachrome, Coneheads Highlights!

Posted in Paul Simon, SNL, Youtube Favs on October 1st, 2011 by Willie

I was sitting around in Portland, Maine yesterday with nothing better to do, when on came the “Coneheads” movie.  I haven’t seen in quite sometime, but its one of those movies where you just have to sit through the whole thing.  I was amazed at the parade of 90s comedy superstars appearing in one scene after another.  Not only did you have original SNL stars Dan Aykroyd and Jane Curtin in their iconic roles, you had Seinfeld stars Jason Alexander and Michael Richards, mega comedy stars Adam Sandler, Phil Hartman, and Drew Carey, and even film indie stars like Parker Posey and Joey Lauren Adams.  When the film was released, it was a commercial dud, but I’ll be damned if it isn’t a cult classic. It contains Chris Farley’s best supporting role ever caught on film, where he plays the unlikely love interest Ronnie, and its riffs on the US immigration experience and laws are spot on and brilliant.  Anyway, I couldn’t get enough of the film, especially the scene where Beldar Conehead gets a 35 mm Kodak camera filled with glorious Kodachrome color film, and shoots his life on Earth with his family in the late seventies and eighties.  It’s a brilliant sequence set to Paul Simon’s classic hit song, “Kodachrome,” from his 1973 There Goes Rhymin’ Simon record.  Bit of trivia, the song was banned by the BBC in England for its use of a trademarked commercial item in the lyrics…kinda unfair considering how much commercialism is imprinted on our lives…just ask Andy Warhol.  So below, check out a sweet homemade “Kodachrome” video someone made, as well as the trailer for the legendary “Coneheads” film….See you next zearl!

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CBS's Most Valuable Blogger, The Monkees, I'm a Believer, and a New Banner!

Posted in The Monkees, Youtube Favs on August 23rd, 2011 by Willie

Like the new banner?  I sure do.  I might tweak it a bit in the next week, but I think it’s beautiful. I have to give a special thanks to my dear friend Sonia for creating it.  The unfurling of the new banner coincidentally coincides with a cause to celebrate, as this site has been selected by CBS to be a finalist in their Most Valuable New York Blog competition.  For me to win the big prize, you’ll have to vote for me by clicking these orange words.  Not too hard right?  Oh, and if you really want to see me win, you can vote for me once a day until the contest ends.  Do I believe I can win?  Of course, and that’s why I have everybody’s favorite manufactured rock band, the Monkees, singing this Neil Diamond classic, “I’m a Believer,” in support.  The song is a glorious slab of 60s pop rock, sung to perfection by drummer Micky Dolenz.  One fun fact about the song, it’s one of less than 30 singles that have ever sold more than 10 million copies.  Incredible.  And please, I can’t express enough my thanks for everybody who checks out the site, and has helped it grow since I launched it not too long ago.  It means the world to me, and I hope I never have to stop.  All the best, Willie.

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Tribalistas, Ja Sei Namorar

Posted in Youtube Favs on June 24th, 2011 by Willie

We are getting so close to the end, with part 98 of my youtube countdown.  Today, I have something a little more international, and why not?  After 97 songs, I’m running out of English songs!  Anyway, its a good one.  Its the song “Ja Sei Namorar” from the Brazilian group Tribalistas.  It’s a breezy poppy samba song with a catchy melody, driving rhythm, and a gorgeous backing vocal hook.  The song roughly translates to “I know how to be in love,” and the lyrics are about finding simple happiness.  That’s all according to my multi-lingual friend who is obsessed with Brazilian pop.  It’s worth noting that the last two sentences were basically copied from her email to me verbatim, which I appreciate because I don’t speak Portuguese, so hopefully she’s not lying.  Anyway, sadly, my own research indicates that Tribalistas broke up after this one record, despite it being a massive hit in Brazil and Europe, and despite them even winning a Latin Grammy.  Video game fans might also recognize the song from FIFA 2004.  Like I said, I am so close to the end, and I have the last two songs ready to go, so stayed tuned folks for the dramatic finish.  Until then enjoy this beautiful song.

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John Lennon, Dear Yoko (home performance)

Posted in John Lennon, Youtube Favs on April 5th, 2011 by Willie

Part 29 of my youtube countdown continues yesterday’s theme of solo Beatle acoustic performances.  In this one, we have John Lennon playing Dear Yoko at his Cold Spring Harbor, Long Island home.  The common response to seeing the video is two fold.  For starters, a lot of people have trouble believing its really John behind the hat and long beard.  Well, it’s him.  Second, people are blown away by the intimacy of this video performance, wondering if John somehow predicted the emergence of youtube.  Well, obviously he didn’t, but this rare video is a beautiful youtube gift.  Its the type of clip that justifies youtube’s existence.  The main thing that strikes me personally about this clip is the wonderful condition John’s voice is in.  One thing I’ve come to realize is that John continued to improve as a singer well after the Beatle years.  His singing on Double Fantasy is the best of his career in my opinion.  Another thing that hits me is the songwriting style of “Dear Yoko.”  It’s like a throwback to the love songs he wrote with Paul when he was 17, in its simplicity, but ironically, filled with way more innocence and vulnerability than he could ever muster at that age.

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Lucinda Williams, Drunken Angel

Posted in Lucinda Williams, Youtube Favs on March 24th, 2011 by Willie

Part 22 of my youtube countdown features the modern legend Lucinda Williams and her miraculous Byrds-esque folk jam, Drunken Angel.  This song, about dead country singer Blaze Foley, is like the greatest song Tom Petty never wrote.  It’s one of those beautiful syncopated guitar pop gems with a gorgeous melody and wonderfully sung lyrics from Lucinda.  This is just one of those songs where I can’t help but hit the replay button over and over, and you will too, enjoy.

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A Review of "Angles," by The Strokes

Posted in Record Reviews, The Strokes on March 17th, 2011 by Willie

I was an 18 year old senior in high school when The Strokes burst onto the scene in the fall of 2001.  I immediately liked them, for all the cliched reasons.  I loved their style.  5 skinny guys in cool vintage clothes wearing converse.  When you’re 18 years old in 2001, you pay attention to the trends on MTV, and for what seemed like the previous formative ten years of my childhood, every musician on TV was either a snotty group of California skater punks, a slicked back collection of glittering boy band douches, or macho jewel encrusted rappers.  Even all the nerdier groups were obnoxious and “in your face.”  No one was standing up for something truly cool, that is, until the likes of The Strokes and The White Stripes came along.  At last, here were young people who understood what made rock and roll fun, and who were not massive sell outs in any obvious away.  But of course, overnight, a massive backlash was unleashed.  The Strokes became objects of ridicule and scorn.  And it was easy to see why.  Here’s a list of the top 3…

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