Covers of existing songs can be awful, an humiliation for the one who wrote and/or sung it before... but some of them are sometimes even better, or just a good try, or make the song a complete different version of the original.
This last option goes for "My Immortal" - Gregorian style. It's one of my favorite songs anyway, and this gives it a very unusual twist... love it!
J
I always have loved to watch those 'talent-shows', Idols, The X-factor etc. While I hate the whole overexcited scene's around it, the build up along the way towards the finals is great. First of all, you're being served with great comedy watching the first few rounds, as you get to see the most embarrassing, hilarious and dread full performances of people who actually think they're the next Kelly Clarkson or suggest they could fill in for Robbie in Take That. Yes I know, it's a sad way of taking the micky out of star-wannabees. But sometimes you've gotta do what you've gotta do.
After that, the tears of laughter are replaced by a simmering excitement, as the ones who make it through the next rounds, are slowly winning your heart (or not) because they actually can sing (or not) or at least prove that there's something special hiding in there. All they need is a bit of Simon Cowell and off they go...
The last episodes are quite often no good for social life, as you constantly argue with family and/or friends about who should win this competition, and why, and why not?!??! When the show is over, you have to get yourself out of the habit to plan your whole week around the TV times-schedule, telling you exactly when you will be available for your kids, partner and so on, but mainly very clearly when not.
In that way, it's a good thing that I don't watch TV anymore. Frightening sometimes when you realise what kind of effect it can have on human behaviour and socializing habits. And as I sometimes still regret that I can't follow up all these fun things on telly, I rest in the assurance that when worse comes to worst, there's YouTube.
That's how I found Connie.
It's not only the sweet little face of this girl which attracted me to watch the video. It was a combination of that and the likely hood of another great comment of Simon, plus the title of the song which was "Somewhere over the rainbow". All together something I couldn't resist and I pressed Play. The next few minutes I was staring at the screen, probably with my mouth open and completely taken by the amazing sound of that little girl.
I realize it all depends on one's mood, the way one can think about Simon Cowell or little people who perform like miniature Eva Cassidy's whilst they should actually still play with their favorite dolls. But I find it hard to believe that there is someone who cannot be touched by watching this little treasure who's been found somewhere, over the rainbow...
J
I woke up this morning with Robbie Williams. Not literally of course, but in my head. Together with Nicole Kidman, singing 'Something Stupid'. Lucky me.
Although most will call it weird, I think it's quite amazing how the brain, in this case mine, works. Especially considering it's early morning. The idea to wake up with Robbie may seem pretty stupid enough, but that he is actually singing about stupidity, makes it suddenly rather clever!
I hate being called stupid. Like probably everyone hates it. (You're not stupid, right? And if you are, there's only one who can call you stupid and that is yourself). What is it that makes you so hacked off when someone calls you stupid... and what exactly does stupidity mean? Maybe we get so wound up about it because our ignorance stopped us looking any further and we might have missed the complete answer to that question.
Well, you'll be pleased to know that according to Wiki, stupidity is not all that bad. It actually states it as a quality! Ha! And yes, I know there's a wide explanation for the word 'quality', but still, it's not a negative approach. Part of the article says :
So the quality of something depends on the criteria being applied to it. Something might be good because it is useful, because it is beautiful, or simply because it exists. Determining or finding quality therefore involves an understanding of use, beauty and existence - what is useful, what is beautiful and what exists.So most of the time, the feelings that appear when called stupid, are right. You disagree, because you feel or think differently about something. Your criteria is not the same as the person who is telling you you're daft.
'criterion (plural criteria)
Let's be honest, these standards or tests are only there because a majority of people has roughly the same opinion about a certain matter. But that doesn't mean it is the one and only truth! And it certainly doesn't rule out the possible value of your criteria.(Conversation with myself)
Let's face it J, life is crap. Well, at the moment, anyway. And crap is not really the proper word to use here, but moody mood swings are present and cause this somewhat sarcastic state of mind. And hey, as I am talking to myself, nobody hears it, right? So stop worrying about the words I use, ok?
So, as life is crap, I should do something about it. Having said that, "doing something about it" is actually causing more crap right now. But the purpose of it all, is that the crap eventually will become less and may even only be this nasty but tiny spot on the background. The getting rid of crap (-feelings) asks a lot of me, and I think that I need some good stuff to keep me going.
The reason I'm telling me this happens to be, again, a "guilty feelings-one". For god's sake, I had a good evening right? Why feel guilty about it?! I did something I have been wanting to do for a while now:
I had a Tai Chi lesson.
It was one of the best things I've done for a long time. This was only the first lesson, but it left me wishing I'd done it much sooner. One of the many facts I noticed, was the awareness of myself. I couldn't see myself but I felt every bit of my body. This is actually for another post, but there's just one more thing I have to say: every bit of my body meant also: every hump and lump of my body. Funnily enough I couldn't be bothered. In fact, when cycling back with Motek and Mad-hd, I was constantly thinking about Alanis Morissette's extremely hilarious cover of The Black Eyed Peas' original so, in terms of "some good stuff": have a laugh (and please, don't feel guilty about it)!
speak to you soon,
J
Now this is a cracker! And as I am nearly old and sometimes lazy, I'll quote Oskpeturs writing (from YouTube):The oldest and greatest rock band in the world - meet The Zimmers and their amazing cover of The Who's "My Generation".
Lead singer Alf is 90 - it's quite something when he sings "I hope I die before I get old". And he's not the oldest - there are 99 and 100-year-olds in the band!
The Zimmers will feature in a BBC TV documentary being aired in May 2007. Documentary-maker Tim Samuels has been all over Britain recruiting isolated and lonely old people - those who can't leave their flats or who are stuck in rubbish care homes.
The finale of the show is this group of lonely old people coming together to stick it back to the society that's cast them aside - by forming a rock troupe and trying to storm into the pop charts.
Some massive names from the pop world have thrown their weight behind The Zimmers... The song is produced by Mike Hedges (U2, Dido, Cure), the video shot by Geoff Wonfor (Band Aid, Beatles Anthology), and it was recorded in the legendary Beatles studio 2 at Abbey Road.
Look out for the single being released from May 21 - with proceeds going to a good cause.
And check out more photos and info at:
www.myspace.com/thezimmersband
I thoroughly enjoyed watching the video, although it leaves me with mixed feelings... it's ab fab seeing those "old people" have such fun, even being naughty (the end bit is classic!). But at the same time it's quite sad that this is what they have to do to get a bit of attention... makes me want to sing along with Alf - I hope I die before I get old
So I hope everyone is going to be naughty too (again/as usual), and use this link to
copy&paste / publish / tag / post / and what have you
to create as many referrals so even the Google-people get nervous.
I mean, wouldn't it be great if this one hits the pop charts all over the world??!! They deserve it!
J
Not much to say about this song really, only that I just really like it. Very good for one of those moody moments. I think 2 years ago Shayne Ward won the UK version of X-factor and after that he did this song, which was nice but then I noticed the original. Bryan Rice does it very well, it was apparently released as part of the soundtrack for a Danish TV-series called Nynne.
When I saw the clip, Nynne was added to my "I want to see that - list". Quite often these type of fairly unknown producings (outside Denmark, in this case) are worth while watching.
But coming back to the song, what makes me weak starts already at the beginning:
"hey baby, when we are together,
doing things, that we love..."
Ok then...
J
I wish I could say that I created this statement, but I didn't. First of all, it wouldn't be fair, secondly would you want to argue with him?
But he's got a point here, hasn't he... I would even dare to say that this is true for everyone; the lucky bit of the world's population knows this for a fact already, the rest of us just have to take off those oh so useful but "killing you softly" dark glasses and have the guts to look at the world, your world, and dare to say "Hi, this is me!".
I also wish I could say this out of experience, but every single time I got blinded by the light, I ever so quick grabbed those glasses again to feel the safety of coverage.
'Cause that's exactly what you do. You cover up yourself and think that image of you represents your being. What a lie. Not only towards the world, but mostly towards yourself.
Deep down you feel your passion, how you really want to be, hidden, covered up. You think that it will be safe there, but it screams at you and one day, the screaming gets so loud that you can no longer ignore it. And you should feel so lucky that you weren't deaf for that, for it is probably the most important event that ever happened in your life.
It screams for a reason, it wants you to be You.
Now, I'm gonna be honest: I am certainly not the most easy person when it comes to listening while somebody is actually telling me what to do. But hey, this is me right, that screaming voice is my own, so why not give it a go and hear what it has to say?
What happens next might be a huge discussion, an overheated conversation between several parties in a very important board meeting, a matter of life and death. And no matter how hard you try to argue with their opinions, you fail because you know: they are right. And then it finally hits you. All that arguing, all those rows inside, they mean nothing more (and certainly nothing less!) than coming to terms with yourself. Because all those opinions, they were actually your own. And all the facts you used to fight them of with, were build on fear, pure fear. Fear grown out of experiences maybe, experiences you used to teach yourself a negative lesson. But what if you use those same experiences to turn into something positive?
I think it will be the moment that you have lost your dark glasses, and they are never to be found again.
Easier said then done, I know. But that same screaming voice inside me, tells me it's worth it.
So here I am, looking at the world, with tears streaming down my face because the bright lights hurt my eyes.
But knowing that once you get used to it, you don't want to go back.
(that, plus the fact that I haven't got a clue where the ..... I left those damned glasses)
J
