Sounds of Sunday – yesterday’s MoSo FEST concert

Saskatoon always has something going on and, like usual, I’m the last to know about it. Via the Star Phoenix:

More than 50 international and local acts will take the stage at seven different venues across the city. The organizers hope to foster a growing event similar to Austin’s SXSW festival (which pairs a technology component with a music festival) or the awesome Sled Island Festival in Calgary, which features hundreds of bands at shows spread out across the city’s downtown core.

This festival will also feature plenty of your favourite local acts, giving Saskatoon (and Regina) artists a chance to play alongside exciting established acts.

As a listener of CFCR, I recognized a few of the bands listed, as they tend to feature a lot local music or highlight the music of bands in town for shows. Others, like two of the three last night, I’d never heard of before. (The third I only knew of because the Man used to know the artist fairly well and played me tracks from one of his albums. He’s toured Europe and Japan, so while his audience was small last night, it might not be the norm for him.)

The first musician last night never introduced himself and I didn’t get a chance to find out who it was until after the second set: Shuyler Jansen.

The short set he provided was quite good. I don’t have a clue what key he’d set his guitar in (he had one of those string clamp things) but I liked it. The chord progressions he used to move the songs along were unpredictable and odd to ears not used to his style already, but they certainly added a neat element. Listening to “The Next World” it’s actually putting me in mind of Joss Whedon’s work on Once More with Feeling.

The second player didn’t introduce himself either, but much of the seating at the Broadway Theatre filled up by the time it was his turn to play. He was clearly a favourite. I had to wait until after the whole concert to find out whose melodies and lyrics had made me bawl my eyes out. Turned out to be Damian Jurado. His solo acoustic choices for the evening put me in mind of Nick Drake, Rufus Wainright and Ron Sexsmith.

I was blown away by him. Truly blown away. Nothing more I can really say beyond that.

Well, okay. He was amusing near the end of his set as he got to chatting about the fact that he’d never been to Saskatoon before and admitted he’d never heard of the place before getting the invite. He made a few digs bout not understanding Canadians from the east and offered to sell us Washington and Oregon if we’d pay for them with our Kit Kat bars and a couple other things he apparently can’t get back home. A fan called out a song request around that time and he flat out refused to play it. He was hilarious as he explained why. Something like, “The only notes I play in that whole song is this series of notes,” which he demonstrated for about a minute. Since the rest of his usual players weren’t along to fill in the rest of it, he explained, there was no point in performing it. He also claimed he was using Saskatoon as the last concert where he’d play one of his songs. I think it was the one he called Ohio.

The place cleared out quite a bit once Damian was done but if soso was bummed about that once it was his turn, he didn’t show it.

The Man tells a nice story about him. Eleven or so years ago, soso was set to play at some club in Saskatoon, his home town. The Man, 17 years old and a stranger to the city (coming in just for that show), had no idea where the club was. He found soso’s number and called him up to ask for directions. soso obliged him. The two of them became friends after that, although they don’t see each other that often anymore. So it goes. I did encourage him to get up and say hello at least but he didn’t want to bother the guys setting up and, after the show, soso hurried off the stage and vanished into the back somewhere.

All in all, we had a fun filled musical evening.

Sounds of Sunday – by request: Antioquia

So, I got this email:

As Ernest Hemmingway once said, all thinking men are atheists.

Not only does Antioquia have an atheist lead singer, but its feisty rebel music reflects the band’s political and spiritual philosophies. Not for the musically meek, this Oakland-born band’s eclectic world music appeals to the adventurous spirit and curious mind.

The religious beliefs of the band’s lead singer can even be seen in Antioquia’s lyrics.

Antioquia definitely has a lot to say, and atheism is their favorite topic of discussion.

Atheism is a topic of personal importance to the band, for the band’s lead singer, Rachel Antony-Levine, is an atheist who experienced bigotry throughout her entire life due to her beliefs.

However with the support of her parents, both atheist philosophy professors, atheism remains a key part of her personality which she loves to discuss with others. Today she uses Antioquia’s music to demystify atheism to those with open minds.

A working link wasn’t included in the email but Youtube had a few videos available of live shows. It was hard to hear the lyrics for those but this one’s a bit easier:

Yeah, the boogieman’s in your head… so too is the notion of gods or demons or whatever other inventions take the place of rationalism in one’s mind.

I have to say I like the style of the music, too. Quite fun and upbeat and zippy. I bet their live shows are a hoot.

I would love to discuss with you the possibility of Rachel Antony-Levine sharing her personal beliefs and experiences in dealing with bigotry with your readers at Opinion Minion through a blog feature. I’d be happy to hop on a call with you if you’d like to discuss how we can best work together!

I’m not sure I’d know what kind of questions to ask her, to be honest. I notice atheism gets no mention on their band website but I don’t really have to ask why that would be. I listen to Skeptics Guide to the Universe on a regular basis and once in a while the gang bemoans the fact that there aren’t more musicians and artists comfortable with being openly atheist/skeptical and creating good work with that in mind. (Wikipedia lists a bunch of atheist musicians, the bulk of which I’ve never heard of.) I suspect artists know they can reach a bigger audience if they sneak it in sideways. Advertise it and they risk alienating any potential fans who might believe atheists/skeptics are servants of the devil and hell-bent on destroying their God-fearing nation.

Perhaps Rachel can provide a comment…

Sounds of Sunday – 30 songs, week 8

This is the end of this, finally. It was a smart idea to pile a bunch of challenges into each week rather than stretch it out any more. Last week we visited moods, including weddings and funerals. This time it’s leftovers.

Challege 26: a song I can play on an instrument. Well, that’ll be anything I know the tune for, really. Not that I can perform it in a stellar fashion, but with practice it’s certainly going to be recognizable. I still have a clarinet here, a recorder, a couple tin whistles, my guitar (at some point will need to string that properly) and even a harmonica although I don’t know why I hang onto something I have no clue how to play. Same goes for my accordion, but I know why I have each. The harmonica has been in my possession since I was a kid and my Grandpa gave me the button accordion for some reason. Maybe I was the only one in the family who appreciated the sound of it?

I used to have a couple organs, too; one was an ’80s Bontempi that might have been worth selling as a collectable before it broke. Alas. I used to have something very similar to this blow organ, too. I expect it got tossed out or given away. I used to have a plastic xylophone in the shape of an orange dog but it’s gone to the same mysterious toy heaven. Mostly I rememeber how much noise it’d make just by me carrying it around. The metal bars were really loose so they’d clank and rattle every time I shook the thing.

Challenge 27 is a song I wish I could play. Well, I know I’d like to play a lot of songs better, but I’m not a performer by nature so it doesn’t matter if I can’t get a handle on chords or key changes. That said, it annoys me on some level to only be able to play half of “Rainbow Connection” on my guitar. For some reason I never sorted out the key change for that one. Someday maybe. It’s not like I don’t have chord books. Cripes. Kermit the Frog could play the bloody thing and he’s a puppet…

Challenge 28: a song that makes me feel guilty? Weird. Maybe something from my Napster days? What do I still have from then? A few things by Army of Lovers, Dust Rhinos, Tangerine Dream, Bluetones, Sammi Cheng, Millencolin and the Saragossa Band. Hardly anything to lose sleep over.

I didn’t know “Zabadak” was that old a song.

I like Agadou and Big Bamboo, too.

What’s up with the Blackface dude though? Really.

Challenge 29: a song from my childhood. Oh, so many to choose from. I’ve mentioned “Quackamoobacluckaphobia” before, and “The Little Red School House” (but not by that performer). The Smurfs All Star Show “really was the greatest” which is why I shudder at the thought of the bloody reboot. There was another album called Nutty Numbers that I’ve mentioned before, full of strange novelty tunes (some of which were questionable for young ears) and I had a thing for jukebox albums back then, too, so “Rock Around the Clock” and “Teen Angel” and “Seven Little Girls Sitting in the Back Seat” are old faves. “Rockin’ Robin,” too. I also liked Stompin’ Tom Connors and the Mom and Dads, which were a polka/waltz group. Oh yeah, Rockwell’s “Somebody’s Watching Me” has to go in here, and “Abracadabra” by Steve Miller Band and “Uptown Girl” by Billy Joel. Oh, the memories.

Last challenge finally, my favourite song this time of year last year. Not really sure. Going by iTunes, by then I’d found: Amy McDonald, Camera Obscura, Ben Kweller, Ben Folds, the Pipettes, Jason Mraz, Matt Costa, Zero 7, Stabilo, the Kooks, Jazzamor, Franz Ferdinand, Razorlight, the View, Santogold, Arctic Monkeys, Mason Jennings and Volcano Choir, A Hawk and a Handsaw, and Owl City to name quite a few. For a favourite out of all of those, it might be Amy McDonald’s “A Wish for Something More.” Maybe Jem’s “Wish I” could tie that. It’s still a favourite, too.

That wraps up this of Sounds of Sunday series. I’ll set this music thing aside for a while again now. Maybe some other music theme will occur to me worth a few weeks of posts but it’ll probably be a while.

Sounds of Sunday – 30 songs, week 7

Last week it was radio stations and favourites and not-favourites-anymore. This week it’s more about mood swings, a la week two of my ongoing meme series here. That time it was songs that affected my mood, this batch is supposed to be songs I listen to on account of mood.

Challenge 20: a song for when I’m angry. The easiest answer would be, whatever happens to be on. I don’t have a playlist just for moments when I’m pissed off. I used to use Meredith Brooks’ “Bitch” as the one that really solidified a pissy mood. “Jerk” by Kim Stockwood would work, if I had a guy to be pissed off at.

Challege 20: a song for when I’m sad. What kind of sad? Lovesick sad? Lots of choices for that kind of sad. I have B.B. King’s version of “Mean old World” here, which is great when feeling dismal but Patsy Cline is the queen of the pity party. Nearly everything she ever performed was a bitch about a lost love. I love her. “It Should’ve Been Me” by Yvonne Fair is a saddish one. “Don’t Marry Her (Have me)” by Beautiful South comes to mind but “Marry Me” by Elle Garden is the one that can drive me to tears every time and I have no idea why. The song sounds so upbeat, too.

(clearer lyric version here)

Challenge 23 is a song I’d choose for a wedding. Unlikely to happen (I’d elope or JP to save money), but when I was a kid, I used to really love “Annie’s Song” and found it impossible to sing without getting choked up. I’ve grown out of that one, though. There are a few songs from the Final Fantasy collection that seem wedding worthy (nobody I’d invite to my wedding would know I was nicking sheet music from video games). Nobuo Uematsu is a fantastic pianist in his own right anyway, so who cares. There’s also a song called “Inisheer” that’s been done my many artists. The version I like by Buttons & Bows doesn’t seem to be available via Youtube but no matter. I’ll snag another.

I’d love to walk down an aisle to that, if a wedding was in my future at all. Further along, Tom Waits’ “Little Trip to Heaven” would be a sweet first dance. Or “There’s Nothing I Don’t Love About You” by Mike Plume and his Band.

Challenge 24 is a song I’d use at a funeral. Any version of “When I Leave the World Behind” would work. For irony’s sake, I could request Tom Waits’ “Jesus Gonna Be Here.” Maybe “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” and ruin The Wizard of Oz for everyone later. That’s a very old favourite of mine. Probably most appropriate.

Rather than leave on a downer, a song that makes me laugh needs to go in here, as Challenge 25. Have some Cookie Monster. Everybody loves Cookie Monster. If you don’t there’s something wrong with you and you need to see a doctor.

Sounds of Sunday – 30 songs, week 6

Should I be linking to past weeks so readers can catch up on what songs I’ve listed as part of this 30 song meme, or are they all smart enough to search for Sounds of Sunday and dig them out? Work for your pleasure.

Last week it was some likes, dislikes, and a confession. This week, it’s a mix of crap:

Challenge 15 – a song that describes me? Hmm. “She Works Hard for the Money” by Donna Summer might work. Onetta is either a hooker or staffing a fitting room at Walmart:

Onetta there in the corner stand
and wonders where she is and
it’s strange to her
some people seem to have everything

Nine a.m. on the hour hand
and she’s waiting for the bell
and she’s looking real pretty
just wait for her clientele

She works hard for the money
so hard for it honey
she works hard for the money
so you better treat her right

I’ve done the latter. Pain in the ass. I didn’t work hard for my money there, though. I just showed up, did as little as I could get away with and skittered off giggling as they paid me for my laziness and overall animosity regarding the place. I don’t have the same work ethic at the library, though. I work my kiester off for those people.

Challenge 16: a song I used to love but now hate. It was easy to select “I’m Like a Bird” by Nelly Furtado. I loved that song when it came out but since she’s a Canadian singer-songwriter, and since Canadian radio stations like to play Canadian content if they can (at least 30% of it for most or all stations), it meant hearing this song 30 times a day. At least, it felt like it. I think sometimes they’d mix it up a little and play yet another single from the Barenaked Ladies, ultimately ruining those tunes for me, too.

Challenge 17: a song I hear often on the radio. I don’t listen to the radio much so this one doesn’t really apply. I can say that Tom Waits winds up playing a lot on my iPod, but that’s what happens when you manage to get a copy of (nearly) every album the man put out, plus his early work and covers which may or may not have been released with his permission. No song seems to be haunting me more than any other, though. “Down There By the Train” is playing right now, which reminded me.

Challenge 18: a song I wish I heard on the radio. Not applicable, either. For one thing, there’s Youtube. For another there’s Last.fm and Live365 and Sirius Radio, actual radio stations that encourage listening online and stations on the television besides. If you want to hear it bad enough, you can find a station that will play it, or build your own, if you have to. I could say I’d like to hear more Nizlopi, Razorlight, Camera Obscura, Animal Collective, Al Stewart, Brett Dennen, Amy Kuney, Julia Nunes, Mike Plume Band, Nick Drake.. there are all kinds of terrific artists that get missed by people who’d rather keep their stations set to Autotune FM and never hear anything truly original sounding.

Challenge 19: a song from my favourite album. I don’t really have one anymore. I guess the closest has to be from a series of albums from the Ultra Lounge collection. I’m torn between Space Capades and Bongoland. Space Capades has both “Gay Spirit” and “Satan Takes a Holiday” on it. Oh, and “Holiday for Strings” which always throws me back to hilarious ’50s ads for vacuum cleaners and clothes washers. You listen and see if you don’t agree with me there.

Bongoland only has a sweet version of “Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White.” worth noting.

I just love the idea of Satan taking a holiday. Where out of hell would he want to go anyway, somewhere cold to get away from it all? Maybe he’s on a first name basis with all the penguins. No penguins in this post, but I did find Robin Cousins skating to a version of the song by some unknown band. It’s better than staring at a copy of the album cover.

Sounds of Sunday – 30 songs, week 5

I don’t know what my readers think of this music meme I’m working through, but I’m having a good time. Last week it was the music I could sing, swing, or snore along with. This week it’s a bit more of what I like, dislike plus possible embarrassment.

Challenge eleven is a song from my favourite band. I don’t know if I can say I have one anymore. I like a lot of different kinds of music and will pick based on mood or style rather than artist, usually. Spirit of the West was a favourite for a while in university. Their “Home For a Rest” album is still a kick-ass favourite that must be cranked for best results. Earlier than that, as in grade school, I went through a Bon Jovi “Slippery When Wet” phase because every girl I knew was drooling over those boys and fitting in was the thing to do. I had a Nitty Gritty Dirtband album that got a lot of play a year or two later for the same reason. Beyond uni, I discovered Afrocelt Sound System and Penguin Cafe Orchestra. Maybe I should just say my favourite comes from the latter: “Music for a Found Harmonium.” It can be the favourite today, at least. If you can’t recall where you heard it before, it might help you to know it appeared near the end of Napoleon Dynomite, but wasn’t on the soundtrack as sold.

Challenge 12, a song from a band I hate. Since I don’t keep music from bands I hate around here, how am I supposed to know? I expect it’d wind up being some screamy screechy thing I don’t know the name of from one of those metal bands I never saw a point in “listening” to. Or some big hit by the Eagles, or CCR maybe. Again, I avoid what I dislike; I don’t seek it out to torture myself.

Challenge 13, the guilty pleasure. I’ll admit I like listening to CFCR on the drive to work in the mornings when that one announcer guy is on who plays Sesame Street songs. He varies it sometimes though. One day it was Fred Penner. One morning he surprised me with “Skinnamarinkydinkydink” by Sharon, Lois and Bram. I belted that puppy out like others might sing the latest Lady Gaga number. It was a nice way to start the morning. Yeah, I looked a little weird at the red light, but hell with it. Skinnamarinkidoo, I love you…

Challenge 14, is the song that no one expects me to love. Well, I’ll admit that I actually think Rebecca Black’s “Friday” is kind of catchy. Like the plague, obviously, but catchy. It’s not good. I know it’s not good. It’s the music equivalent of a Twinkie, but sometimes you just get that craving, you know? To fill up on fluff and pointlessness. I can totally imagine how much I would have adored that song at the age of 10. It’s that juvenile. It’s Mini Pops for a new generation.

Hm. I wonder whatever happened to those kids…

Sounds of Sunday – 30 songs, week 4

By week four, most people would be near wrapping up their 30 song challenge, but since I’m spreading it out over several weeks, I’m not even to half-way yet.

Last time I recalled songs triggered by memories of times and places. This time it’s all about communication.. verbal and non-verbal.

Challenge eight asks for a song to which I know all the words. Well, I suppose there’s always “Happy Birthday.” As far as I know, there is just the one verse, so it’s easy. “Hickory Dickory Dock” is another. The easiest to remember wind up being the ones learned first, I guess. Patsy Cline, some early ’50s things like “Istanbul” and Sam Cooke come to mind for sure. “This Diamond Ring” is another. I have bad lyric recall otherwise and often need to see the words in front of me before I can sing (even if I’m very familiar with the tune of it already), or have to sing along with the song itself. Even then I’m prone to mishearing and will sing the wrong thing.

Ever poked around kissthisguy.com? It’s full of fail and win. I used to sing “Cheer up, sweet Pejean” instead of “Sleepy Jean” when singing along with Daydream Believer. Hell if I know why. Maybe I thought Pejean was a cute nickname or something? No idea. Now I sing that because I know I’m wrong, which makes it okay. I invented a different lyric to sing with Abba’s Fernando, too. I think the song is better my way.

There was something in the air that night
The stars were bright, Fernando
They were shining there for you and me
For liberty, Fernando
Though I never thought that we could lose
There’s no regret
If I had to do the same again
I’d do my friend, Fernando

Heeheheeeheehe…

Dunno why I get so much glee over that. Imagery, I guess.

A song I can dance to is challenge number nine. Well sheesh, anything with a decent beat can be dance music. In university, I swayed drunkenly to songs like I’m in Love With a Man (Nearly Twice my Age) by Shabba Ranks, and Red Red Wine as done by UB40. When I was younger, I tried my hand at choreography for Madonna’s La Isla Bonita (and Vogue, I expect) and Taco’s Puttin’ on the Ritz. I’m so fortunate that my folks had no access to video cameras or Youtube in the ’80s. Ever so fortunate. There were also waltzes and polkas at weddings, of course. And the butterfly, and the obligatory “Bird Dance” as performed by the Emeralds. There was no getting away from that one.

Which puts me in mind of the song I’ll share today: Dance Like an Idiot by Lemon Demon. And because I’m nuts for Buffy the Vampire Slayer, too, it’s a double whammy.

Ahh, delightful.

I may as well throw challenge 10 at the end of this, a song that makes me fall asleep. Tricky concept now that I don’t require lullabyes before bed, but as far as relaxing music goes, I’d pick George Winston or some of the stuff Uematsu Nobou did for the Final Fantasy soundtracks. Anything that’s just sort of new-age piano could probably relax me the best, but not the stuff that includes waves and nature sounds. That stuff just takes away from enjoying the music.

Sounds of Sunday – 30 songs, week 3

For kicks I’m working through a 30 song challenge meme thing I first saw on Facebook. Rather than do a song a day, though, I’ve decided to break the list into segments and tackle them on a weekly basis until I get to the end of the list. Last week I explored my emotional connection to songs. This week it’s location, location, location!

Challenge six requires a song that reminds me of somewhere. Well, what to pick for this one. I never go anywhere. I was in England in 1997, though, which was the best year for music. Not that Tubthumping by Chumbawumba should qualify, but it got a lot of UK airplay, and was the #2 single there that August, according to Wikipedia. Natalie Imbrouglia was also popular, Torn in particular. I wound up buying her album eventually. I don’t recall if I caved and bought Chumbawumba, too. If I did, I’ve blocked it out. I heard one of the tracks on their new album recently. It was shocking to hear how different it sounded compared to how I remembered them. Sash!, Gala, Ace of Base, Whigfield, Deep Blue Something, The Outhere Brothers.. so many songs I liked then. Raincloud by Lighthouse Family got a lot of play. Their whole album did and I still own it. While I grew to truly hate Notting Hill (from 1999, it turns out), their cover of Ain’t No Sunshine (when she’s gone) is still goose-bump inducing. Tunde Baiyewu kicked ass as a vocalist. (I had to look that up.)

It took me a while to figure out why I had Notting Hill on the mind; I saw Julia Roberts in another horrible romance movie that year which I hate even more, My Best Friend’s Wedding. The Full Monty was the big hit film for me in 1997. So many times better, it can’t even be calculated. It was great to see that one in a British theatre after weeks of being surrounded by Brits. I was already conditioned to hear a variety of accents by that point so I had little trouble grokking the speech of the characters. Every time I hear You Sexy Thing, I remember that movie. (Persephone Theatre hosted the musical stage version last year. It was also terrific, btw. Catch it if you can.)

Other song memories from that trip: the guy I was seeing at the time tried to tell me that the back-up singer in Glass Tiger’s “Don’t You Forget About Me” was a guy who just sounded like Bryan Adams. Dude, dude, dude…don’t screw with a Canadian who knows her ’80s music and owns most of his albums. But he also introduced me to the Corrs (their CD that is, Forgiven, not Forgotten), and “House of Fun” – a song by Madness that I don’t think ever got airplay here. The radio station I was listening to while there had a morning crew that rewrote Pulp’s “Common People” to reflect the country’s insanity over Teletubbies at the time, calling it “Tubby People.” I had the chance to record it on cassette and still have it around somewhere. “Oh, dear me!” the announcer laughs at the end of it. Dear me, indeed. It was quite well done, though.

Challenge seven is a song that reminds me of a certain event. I could pick just about anything, but I think it’ll be Molinos by The Paperboys. I saw them in concert at Mosaic (a folk festival) while I was in Regina going to university. From what I recall, it was a great concert. I hadn’t heard of them before then but their Celtic/folk style was in synch with other bands I liked at the time (Spirit of the West, Great Big Sea, Uisca Beatha, Rawlins Cross, The Mahones) so it was a given they’d be instant favourites. They also recorded a great rendition of I’ve Just Seen a Face. Poking around on Youtube, it’s clear they have a name too similar to other people so finding their stuff is slightly problematic. But, I’ve located a track from an album I know they put out, “The Road to Ellenside.”

Not bad at all, eh?

Sounds of Sunday – 30 songs, week 2

Last time around, I explained what I was doing, which is expanding a 30 day music meme into ten or so weeks of music amusement. I shared my choices for the first two challenges on the list, my favourite and least favourite songs. To recap, there was a three-way tie for worst and no one favourite I could admit to having.

This time around, I’ll tackle questions 3, 4, and 5 because they’re kind of connected. Challenge three is to be a song that makes me happy. Oh, there are so many to pick from, what’s best to choose here?

A lot of songs make me bounce in my seat and improve my mood, like That Old Black Magic done as a duet by Louis Prima and Keely Smith, or Do You Wanna Dance by Del Shannon. I think for happy happy, I have to pick the season 5 opening theme from Ranma 1/2, called Chikyuu Ookesutora when using Romaji, or Earth Orchestra when translated.

A version with the lyrics supplied can be found here. Another Ranma song I love, Konya Wa April Fool (“Tonight is April Fool”) off the 1991 Song Calendar. That’s a sweet but absurd love song. Ranma starts it with a compliment on Akane’s looks, then calls her baka (stupid) for falling for an April fool’s prank. This goes on for the rest of the song, until the last line that translates to “but it’s a little bit true,” meaning Ranma really does think she’s kawaii (cute), but would die before he’d openly admit it to her.

A song that makes me sad is the fourth challenge. There are songs that make me cry, that’s for damn sure, but maybe not because of sadness specifically. Maybe I’m just easily moved when it comes to music. Puff the Magic Dragon used to be one of them, why ask why. Annie’s Song by John Denver was another. The Buffy and Angel love theme was always good for a tear or two, especially when the characters on screen were at their most angsty. A lot of Disney animated features feature a song that can do the same. Come What May from the film Moulin Rouge might be another. There are a couple slow ones out of Phantom of the Opera that get me going. There are a couple out of Les Misérables, too, I Dreamed a Dream (I really loved how Susan Boyle sang that on Britain’s Got Talent.) and Bring Him Home.

A Wish for Something More by Amy McDonald might qualify for the “makes me sad” list.

And I, I wish I was the one
You lonely, lonely son
And you looked at me that way
I wish for long lingering glances
Fairytale romances every single day
And you look at me and say
I’m your best friend every day
But I wish for something, wish for something more
Oh, I love you like a friend but let’s not pretend
How I wish for something, wish for something more

I’ll add Tom Waits’ Hope I Don’t Fall In Love with You to that pile, too.

There are more than a few Tom Waits ones that remind me of someone (Challenge five). I’ve been in the habit of skipping them when they shuffle into place, however. I’ve always stored my memories in songs but sometimes I don’t need to be reminded of them.

Sounds of Sunday – 30 Day Song Challenge (condensed)

There’s this music meme circulating around Facebook (and possibly other places). Now, I could take a month and do a song a day or even spread this challenge out over thirty weeks, but I’m going to compromise and cheat with a few of these challenges per week instead. Maybe this is a thing that’s supposed to be more off-the-cuff and not heavy on thought, but regular readers know what I’m like already and new ones will just have to deal.

Some of these challenges are going to be tricky given the sheer number of songs I’m familiar with across styles and decades — and centuries for that matter. Yeesh, you know?

I’ll do the second challenge first because it’s the easiest: my least favourite song. It’s Big Yellow Taxi by Joni Mitchell. Oh my Flying Spaghetti Monster, how I hate that song.

When it’s sung by anyone, that is. If you read the lyrics instead, looking at them as a statement about our society and what people choose to care about, then it’s genius.

They took all the trees
And put them in a tree museum
Then they charged the people
A dollar and a half just to see ‘em
Don’t it always seem to go,
That you don’t know what you’ve got
‘Til it’s gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot

Sadly just quoting that has put the song in my head. Time for a round of “Shoe Fly! Don’t Bother me!” to get rid of it. (That works. I don’t lie.)

Okay, better. I think I should tie that with Giving You the Best That I Got by Anita Baker. Too many years of hearing it at Walmart killed it for me, but it was on its last legs before that point anyway. It’s just cringeworthy for me. Perhaps I’d like anything else by her but never that one. Also, I should include that one by the Fugees, Killing Me Softly (with his song), which I’d never wish onto my worst enemy (unless I had really bad PMS that day). To hear those three on a continuous loop and I’d be ready to admit I was the shooter on the grassy knoll, even though that happened 11 years before I was born.

The first and probably hardest challenge is to share my favourite song. Good gravy on a meatball sandwich! What the hell song would that be!?

“Most listened to based on iTunes stats” ties at Gamble Everything for Love by Ben Lee and My Heart Holds by the Yoshida Brothers. I like each of them for different reasons, but neither one would top the list.

Other favourites are Fools Rush In by Johnny & the Hurricanes, One Fine Day by the Chiffons, Making Your Mind Up by Bucks Fizz and Exterminate Regenerate by Chameleon Circuit, a Doctor Who obsessed band I quite like. I’ll add Ever Fallen in Love as done by Nouvelle Vague, too. I love their pepped up version. Going by Wikipedia, Pete Yorn is the original author of that one, and it’s available on the Shrek 2 soundtrack. I had no reason to know that, but now I do. Hence calling such things “trivia.” Born of the word “trivial,” dontcha know? Trivia about trivia. Hope that doesn’t result in a divide by zero scenario. I don’t see an apocalypse on the horizon, so I guess I’m okay.

I’m not always aware I’m listening to a cover version (I’m largely ignorant of the names of songwriters and band members on the best of days. I just want to enjoy the result), but sometimes I actually prefer the cover to the original. Bruce Cockburn wrote and performed Lovers in a Dangerous Time initially but the Barenaked Ladies version remains the only song they released that I still like hearing. Same goes for Arrogant Worms and Captain Tractor’s version of their Last Saskatchewan Pirate. They rock that puppy to the point of sea sickness.

Since I’ve so far failed to actually pick a favourite, I’m throwing on a video of that one.

Ah, memories…