I was a junior in college in the fall of 2001, laboring away in a number
of challenging courses required for my major. Perhaps the most
difficult but also the most enjoyable was The Canon and its Critics,
taught by my esteemed professor Dr. Gregory Morris. When 9-11 struck,
our class had just begun to immerse itself in Paradise Lost, a
sobering epic that seemed to fit the tumultuous times all too well. It
was a bit of a relief to get through Milton and on to something a bit
lighter. Next up? Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen.
I recall my professor asking a classmate of mine what she thought of
the book so far before our first class discussion. “Well, it all seems
so petty,” she remarked. True, Sense and Sensibility
concerns itself with the everyday affairs of a couple young British
girls, never touching much on any of the serious national or global
issues of the time. And there is all that frilly language to cut
through; I myself found the first hundred pages somewhat arduous. But Sense and Sensibility
is about real human emotions, even if they are encased in a multitude
of manners and pleasantries. And I think it was probably just what I
needed at the time, to focus on the small, often amusing details of
everyday life, those little moments that make us who we are. And to get
my mind off the end of the world.
Sense and Sensibility was the first of two novels I studied that semester with Dr. Morris that I truly enjoyed. While I expected to love the latter, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,
I didn’t know what I would have to think about Austen. It sounded a tad
boring, and I found it a tad boring… at first. I found myself reminded
of the novel The Princess Bride, in which the author describes a
fictitious history with the book he is writing, claiming this is the
“good parts version” of the S. Morgenstern classic that his father
always read to him. At various times, he would interject with italicized
comments indicating what he had skipped over. I figured I could use
that here, and I actually managed to get it in the form of Emma
Thompson’s masterful film adaptation. But first, I had to force myself
to read those first few chapters.
The novel’s key players are
sensible Elinor Dashwood and her headstrong younger sister Marianne.
Daughters of the recently widowed Mrs. Dashwood and sisters of the
elusive Margaret, they find themselves at the outset of the novel
relocating to a cottage near an accommodating cousin because their older
brother has been convinced by his shrewish wife to take over the
Dashwood family residence and share little of the inheritance that was
meant for the whole family. Young Mr. Dashwood treats his sisters
politely, though without much affection; his wife’s coldness is
unbearable. However, the Dashwoods do leave dear friends behind when
they make their move. Most particularly, the move separates Elinor from
Edward Ferrars, the awkward young gentleman whom she “esteems greatly.”
Although Marianne is frustrated by what she perceives as a lack of
passion in Edward, she is more frustrated by this emptiness in her own
sister. Elinor refuses to admit to being in love with Edward, and
Marianne wonders whether her sister is capable of true emotional
investment in anyone or anything.
Once the Dashwoods are
securely settled in their comfortable cottage, several secondary
characters are introduced and the events of the novel begin to unfold.
While Elinor manages the affairs of the household, she also waits for
word from Edward. When he finally does come to visit, she senses an
abrupt change in manner that befuddles her until it is accidentally
explained to her by Lucy Steele, a seemingly flighty young woman close
to Elinor’s age. Meanwhile, Marianne clings to her idyllic notions of
the perfect romance, and it seems that they are about to be fulfilled
when a dashing young stranger by the name Willoughby sweeps her quite
literally off her feet after she suffers a nasty fall while fleeing a
rainstorm in the field. But Willoughby is not all that he appears to be,
and prior failures in character catch up to him, leaving Marianne at
her over-emotional worst.
Other significant characters include
Sir John, the cheerful and slightly daft cousin who invited the
Dashwoods; Mrs. Jennings, a jolly old woman whose nose for gossip is
especially sharp; the reticent Mr. Palmer and his chatterbox wife; and
the honorable and Eeyorish (a word just added to the Oxford English Dictionary
- see if you can guess the meaning…) Colonel Brandon. Each adds depth
to the novel with his or her full developed characterization. One
character who isn’t fully developed is poor Margaret, who probably got
the short end of the stick because she was such a youngster. We never
get much of a sense of who this third sister is, and she pretty much
drops out of the novel altogether towards the end. (One of the questions
Dr. Morris wrote on the board on the final day of discussions was “What
happened to Margaret?!”) But for the most part, each of the characters
has a very important role to play.
Characters such as Sir
John, Mrs. Jennings, and the Palmers primarily provide comic relief. The
older man and woman are charming as well as aggravating to the young
Dashwoods, while the Palmers’ interactions with one another are
hilarious. It’s hard to imagine a more mismatched couple, and yet they
make it work. Marianne and Elinor each display an extreme of character:
Marianne is too romantic, too impractical, too self-involved, while
Elinor is too bound by societal rules, too practical, too selfless.
While Elinor’s character is on the whole far more admirable than
Marianne’s, they both can take a lesson from one another. Their
character extremities cause them both unneeded heartache, but their
trials lead them to a very satisfying conclusion.
I’m not sure
who my favorite character would be in this novel. Elinor is quite a
positive role model, a very intelligent, well-mannered, caring young
woman. She is probably one of my favorite female characters in
literature. I am also, due in part to the enthusiasm of Dr. Morris,
partial to Colonel Brandon. His quiet dignity and melancholy elegance
make him a striking foil for that handsome cad Willoughby. And sweet,
bumbling Edward is just too adorable. How can you not love such a
perfect gentleman?
Another positive aspect of this book: It
highlights the practice of correspondence, and its sacred place in a
relationship. Letter-writing seems to be a dying art, but reading this
book made me more mindful of the elegance and grace with which words can
be delivered to those we love, and the special significance of seeing
those words put to paper. During the course of this unit, we had to give
Dr. Morris our proposal for the semester-long Anthology Project, and I
could not resist sending mine in the style of Jane Austen. Receiving Dr.
Morris’ acceptance of my project, written in kind, was the highlight of
my day.
Sense and Sensibility may be difficult to get
into, but stick with it. It is moving and hilarious, and it all builds
to a rather unexpected but happy ending for our heroines. I had never
read Austen prior to this, and I can’t think of a better introduction.
Thanks, Dr. Morris. Kindest and most humble regards, your esteemed
former student, Erin McCarty. :)
Friday, August 29, 2003
Wednesday, August 27, 2003
Let the Dirt Band Be Unbroken
I read in the newspaper the other day that the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band had recently released its third Will the Circle Be Unbroken
album. The article caught my eye because it isn’t often you see these
guys mentioned in the media. Aside from a performance on Letterman
earlier this year, I can’t recall the last time I saw something about
the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. Nonetheless, with their unique blend of
folk, bluegrass, western, country and gospel sounds, the band carved a
niche for itself and earned a loyal following. Count me in that crowd.
Their Greatest Hits album features some of their most popular
tunes and shows their versatility. A great album to pull out on a rainy
day and sing along to.
Mr. Bojangles: A big hit for them. When I was little, my family used to go through a lot of Kool-Aid, and we always collected the points in a little container, then once in a while we would take them out and count them and measure them up against the latest Kool Points catalog. One time, one of the prizes was a Kool-Aid tape player which came with a tape featuring a mix of 5 songs, selected from a choice of a hundred or so. I got the tape player and the tape, and the first song on the cassette was Mr. Bojangles. I still have it floating around somewhere. At any rate, this is a great song about a lonely old man who spent his life traveling and dancing and still brings joy to those around him with his talents, though his own life is rather depressing. Sort of a Piano Man, but in this case the performer is as old and ragged and full of as many stories as the young piano player’s regular listeners are. Great guitar and banjo work, and an interesting mix of joy and melancholy. “I knew a man, Bojangles, and he’d dance for you in worn out shoes… I heard someone ask him please, please, Mr. Bojangles, Mr. Bojangles, Mr. Bojangles, dance.”
An American Dream: This one has a very tropical feel to it and is probably my favorite song on the album, along with track 4. Very laid back, with an introduction featuring tinkly chimes setting the dreamy quality of the song. The harmonica is also used to nice effect here. The speaker is daydreaming of a nice sunny vacation spot, and he encourages his wife to daydream along with him. The result is a stellar duet with Linda Ronstadt. Reminds me of the Beach Boys’ Kokomo. This is a great take-a-long-nap-in-the-sun song. Pass the lemonade! (Wait a minute, I don’t like lemonade… oh, well, it’s the thought that counts!) “I think Jamaicain in the moonlight, sandy beaches drinking rum every night. We got no money, mama, but we can go. We’ll split the difference, go to Coconut Grove.”
Will the Circle Be Unbroken: This is the band’s signature song. Awesome banjo on this track, and really nice harmony on the choruses. I prefer the vocals on the version in the second Will the Circle Be Unbroken album, which we also own, but this version is nice as well. Whenever I hear this song I am reminded of a time many years ago when the family was watching Quantum Leap, a favorite show at the time. In this particular episode, Sam had leaped into the body of Elvis Presley, and he was up next to go onstage. First, though, a nervous young woman was giving her rendition of Will the Circle Be Unbroken, but the song was too emotionally affecting for her to get through it. In a scene similar to Captain Von Trapp’s concert performance of Eidelweiss in The Sound of Music, Sam/Elvis came out and sang with her, giving her time to recover her composure and saving her much embarrassment. “Well,” my dad remarked, “that was magnanimous of him.” That was the first time I had ever heard that word, and I soon incorporated it into my lexicon. To this day, I enjoy using it. My, that was quite a deviation. Ah, well. This is a mournful but ultimately optimistic song in which the speaker laments the loss of his or her mother (depending on the singer) but expresses the hope and expectation that they will be reunited one day. A great gospel song. “Will the circle be unbroken, by and by, Lord, by and by. There’s a better home awaitin’ in the sky, Lord, in the sky.”
House at Pooh Corner: If I recall correctly, this is actually the reason my dad got this album. We’d already had the other for quite some time, and Dad picked this one up just because he thought I’d get a kick out of this tune about my favorite bear. And the other tracks didn’t hurt, either. This is a great song, and its electric guitars make for a dramatic change from the original lullabye-like Kenny Loggins version, which I first heard many years later. They lend some urgency to the song’s lyrics: “Help me if you can, I’ve got to get back to the House at Pooh Corner by one. You’d be surprised, there’s so much to be done.” The lyrics are extremely true to the Hundred Acre Wood and its inhabitants, and I can definitely relate to Loggins’ mindset while writing this: standing on the brink of adulthood, wanting to lose himself again in the forests of childhood. The same mindset that birthed the Peter Paul and Mary classic Puff the Magic Dragon. One of these days I’ll pen the next song in this tradition! This is a rollicking version that doesn’t leave too much time for wistfulness. It seems that getting back to the Wood is entirely within the realm of possibility, if we only try hard enough. As one of Winnie-the-Pooh’s most dedicated fans, I can’t get enough of this track!
Make a Little Magic: This is kind of a pretty track, very heavy on the harmonica. It’s a duet featuring a couple trying to put some spark back into an icy relationship. Not a song I listen to a whole lot, but still very nice. “A little sleep is all we’re losing. It’s up to us to do the choosing. Let’s make a little magic before the night is through.”
All I Have to Do is Dream: This is a very countrified version of the exquisitely mellow Everly Brothers oldies standard. An extremely different take on the song. I think I prefer the Everlys, but this one is nice too. It’s yet another variation on the old I-love-you-but-I-can’t-have-you-so-I’ll-spend-my-life-daydreaming-about-you theme, and one I’ve always liked. “I can make you mine, taste your lips of wine, any time, night or day. Only trouble is, gee whiz, I’m dreaming my life away.”
Grand Ole Opry Song: A nice fiddle and banjo-filled tribute to some of the biggest names of the Grand Ole Opry. Another song I don’t listen to much, but it’s still good and provides a nice bit of history along with it. “There’ll be guitars and fiddles, Earl Scruggs and his banjo too, Bill Monroe singin’ ’em the ‘Honky Tonky Blues,’
Ernest Tubb’s number, ‘Two Wrongs Don’t Make a Right,’ at the Grand Ole Opry ev’ry Saturday night.”
Jambalaya: A Cajun tune sung in a definite dialect. It’s a fun song, sounds like the boys are cooking up quite a party. I heard a Christmas-themed parody of this song once that was pretty funny. This one just sounds like they’re having a good time, and like they want as many people to join in the fun as possible. “Pick guitar, fill fruit jar and be gay-oh. Son of a gun, we’ll have big fun on the bayou.”
Battle of New Orleans: This war song gets kinda rowdy. The guys sound rather overzealous, and there’s an awful lot of whooping and hollering going on. I’m with my dad; I prefer the parody featured on my recently reviewed Dr. Demento 20th Anniversary Collection. But it’s nice to hear the original song every once in a while, and it sounds like the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band had an awful lot of fun recording their version. “We fired our guns and the British kept a-comin’. There wasn’t ‘bout as many as there was a while ago. We fired once more and they began to runnin’ on down the Mississippi to the Lake of Mexico.”
I Saw the Light: An inspirational tune with some great banjo licks. This song attests to the power of Jesus to change people’s lives as several folks step forward to say how they came to “see the light.” “I saw the light, no more darkness, no more night. Now I’m so happy, no sorrow in sight. Praise the Lord, I saw the light.”
Buy for the Rain: An interesting song, with lyrics following a simple pattern and a neat backing of guitars, violins, and deep-voiced harmonies. Basically a song in which a husband urges his wife to help him make the most of his life and he’ll return the favor as long as he can. Concludes on a rather morbid note, but a nice track. “Buy for me the rain, my darling, buy for me the rain. Buy for me the crystal pools that fall upon the plain. And I’ll buy for you a rainbow and a million pots of gold. Buy it for me now, babe, before I am too old.”
Some of Shelley’s Blues: An upbeat tune in which a young man tries to convince his ladylove to stick with him in spite of her proclaimed misery with him. I presume that Shelley is the girl to whom he is singing; I wonder if there is any significance to the name. Pretty fast-paced and with a definite country feel. “All this talk about leaving is strictly bad news so you settle down and stay with the boy that loves you.”
Fire in the Sky: This one opens with a nice sax solo (which reappears later) before switching over to electric guitars and harmonica. The song has a very pop feel to it with a woebegone fella wishing that his girl would return to him and forgive him for his mistake in dumping her. It’s okay, but it seems a little out of place on the album and doesn’t do a whole lot for me. “Turn back the clock awhile. Things will all work out. That’s what the dream is all about.”
All in all, a great album. The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band has a great sound that’s carried them through more than 30 years in the music industry, and they’re still going strong.
Mr. Bojangles: A big hit for them. When I was little, my family used to go through a lot of Kool-Aid, and we always collected the points in a little container, then once in a while we would take them out and count them and measure them up against the latest Kool Points catalog. One time, one of the prizes was a Kool-Aid tape player which came with a tape featuring a mix of 5 songs, selected from a choice of a hundred or so. I got the tape player and the tape, and the first song on the cassette was Mr. Bojangles. I still have it floating around somewhere. At any rate, this is a great song about a lonely old man who spent his life traveling and dancing and still brings joy to those around him with his talents, though his own life is rather depressing. Sort of a Piano Man, but in this case the performer is as old and ragged and full of as many stories as the young piano player’s regular listeners are. Great guitar and banjo work, and an interesting mix of joy and melancholy. “I knew a man, Bojangles, and he’d dance for you in worn out shoes… I heard someone ask him please, please, Mr. Bojangles, Mr. Bojangles, Mr. Bojangles, dance.”
An American Dream: This one has a very tropical feel to it and is probably my favorite song on the album, along with track 4. Very laid back, with an introduction featuring tinkly chimes setting the dreamy quality of the song. The harmonica is also used to nice effect here. The speaker is daydreaming of a nice sunny vacation spot, and he encourages his wife to daydream along with him. The result is a stellar duet with Linda Ronstadt. Reminds me of the Beach Boys’ Kokomo. This is a great take-a-long-nap-in-the-sun song. Pass the lemonade! (Wait a minute, I don’t like lemonade… oh, well, it’s the thought that counts!) “I think Jamaicain in the moonlight, sandy beaches drinking rum every night. We got no money, mama, but we can go. We’ll split the difference, go to Coconut Grove.”
Will the Circle Be Unbroken: This is the band’s signature song. Awesome banjo on this track, and really nice harmony on the choruses. I prefer the vocals on the version in the second Will the Circle Be Unbroken album, which we also own, but this version is nice as well. Whenever I hear this song I am reminded of a time many years ago when the family was watching Quantum Leap, a favorite show at the time. In this particular episode, Sam had leaped into the body of Elvis Presley, and he was up next to go onstage. First, though, a nervous young woman was giving her rendition of Will the Circle Be Unbroken, but the song was too emotionally affecting for her to get through it. In a scene similar to Captain Von Trapp’s concert performance of Eidelweiss in The Sound of Music, Sam/Elvis came out and sang with her, giving her time to recover her composure and saving her much embarrassment. “Well,” my dad remarked, “that was magnanimous of him.” That was the first time I had ever heard that word, and I soon incorporated it into my lexicon. To this day, I enjoy using it. My, that was quite a deviation. Ah, well. This is a mournful but ultimately optimistic song in which the speaker laments the loss of his or her mother (depending on the singer) but expresses the hope and expectation that they will be reunited one day. A great gospel song. “Will the circle be unbroken, by and by, Lord, by and by. There’s a better home awaitin’ in the sky, Lord, in the sky.”
House at Pooh Corner: If I recall correctly, this is actually the reason my dad got this album. We’d already had the other for quite some time, and Dad picked this one up just because he thought I’d get a kick out of this tune about my favorite bear. And the other tracks didn’t hurt, either. This is a great song, and its electric guitars make for a dramatic change from the original lullabye-like Kenny Loggins version, which I first heard many years later. They lend some urgency to the song’s lyrics: “Help me if you can, I’ve got to get back to the House at Pooh Corner by one. You’d be surprised, there’s so much to be done.” The lyrics are extremely true to the Hundred Acre Wood and its inhabitants, and I can definitely relate to Loggins’ mindset while writing this: standing on the brink of adulthood, wanting to lose himself again in the forests of childhood. The same mindset that birthed the Peter Paul and Mary classic Puff the Magic Dragon. One of these days I’ll pen the next song in this tradition! This is a rollicking version that doesn’t leave too much time for wistfulness. It seems that getting back to the Wood is entirely within the realm of possibility, if we only try hard enough. As one of Winnie-the-Pooh’s most dedicated fans, I can’t get enough of this track!
Make a Little Magic: This is kind of a pretty track, very heavy on the harmonica. It’s a duet featuring a couple trying to put some spark back into an icy relationship. Not a song I listen to a whole lot, but still very nice. “A little sleep is all we’re losing. It’s up to us to do the choosing. Let’s make a little magic before the night is through.”
All I Have to Do is Dream: This is a very countrified version of the exquisitely mellow Everly Brothers oldies standard. An extremely different take on the song. I think I prefer the Everlys, but this one is nice too. It’s yet another variation on the old I-love-you-but-I-can’t-have-you-so-I’ll-spend-my-life-daydreaming-about-you theme, and one I’ve always liked. “I can make you mine, taste your lips of wine, any time, night or day. Only trouble is, gee whiz, I’m dreaming my life away.”
Grand Ole Opry Song: A nice fiddle and banjo-filled tribute to some of the biggest names of the Grand Ole Opry. Another song I don’t listen to much, but it’s still good and provides a nice bit of history along with it. “There’ll be guitars and fiddles, Earl Scruggs and his banjo too, Bill Monroe singin’ ’em the ‘Honky Tonky Blues,’
Ernest Tubb’s number, ‘Two Wrongs Don’t Make a Right,’ at the Grand Ole Opry ev’ry Saturday night.”
Jambalaya: A Cajun tune sung in a definite dialect. It’s a fun song, sounds like the boys are cooking up quite a party. I heard a Christmas-themed parody of this song once that was pretty funny. This one just sounds like they’re having a good time, and like they want as many people to join in the fun as possible. “Pick guitar, fill fruit jar and be gay-oh. Son of a gun, we’ll have big fun on the bayou.”
Battle of New Orleans: This war song gets kinda rowdy. The guys sound rather overzealous, and there’s an awful lot of whooping and hollering going on. I’m with my dad; I prefer the parody featured on my recently reviewed Dr. Demento 20th Anniversary Collection. But it’s nice to hear the original song every once in a while, and it sounds like the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band had an awful lot of fun recording their version. “We fired our guns and the British kept a-comin’. There wasn’t ‘bout as many as there was a while ago. We fired once more and they began to runnin’ on down the Mississippi to the Lake of Mexico.”
I Saw the Light: An inspirational tune with some great banjo licks. This song attests to the power of Jesus to change people’s lives as several folks step forward to say how they came to “see the light.” “I saw the light, no more darkness, no more night. Now I’m so happy, no sorrow in sight. Praise the Lord, I saw the light.”
Buy for the Rain: An interesting song, with lyrics following a simple pattern and a neat backing of guitars, violins, and deep-voiced harmonies. Basically a song in which a husband urges his wife to help him make the most of his life and he’ll return the favor as long as he can. Concludes on a rather morbid note, but a nice track. “Buy for me the rain, my darling, buy for me the rain. Buy for me the crystal pools that fall upon the plain. And I’ll buy for you a rainbow and a million pots of gold. Buy it for me now, babe, before I am too old.”
Some of Shelley’s Blues: An upbeat tune in which a young man tries to convince his ladylove to stick with him in spite of her proclaimed misery with him. I presume that Shelley is the girl to whom he is singing; I wonder if there is any significance to the name. Pretty fast-paced and with a definite country feel. “All this talk about leaving is strictly bad news so you settle down and stay with the boy that loves you.”
Fire in the Sky: This one opens with a nice sax solo (which reappears later) before switching over to electric guitars and harmonica. The song has a very pop feel to it with a woebegone fella wishing that his girl would return to him and forgive him for his mistake in dumping her. It’s okay, but it seems a little out of place on the album and doesn’t do a whole lot for me. “Turn back the clock awhile. Things will all work out. That’s what the dream is all about.”
All in all, a great album. The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band has a great sound that’s carried them through more than 30 years in the music industry, and they’re still going strong.
Tuesday, August 26, 2003
Disney Classic Urges Viewers to Believe "There's an Angel With You Right Now"
I’m a Disney-holic, but in recent years I have found the quality of
Disney features to be hit-or-miss, with an especially large number of
misses in the live action department. Luckily, this film – part sports,
part inspiration, all heart – knocks it out of the ballpark. We got this
movie for Easter when I was in ninth grade. It was one which I had
wanted to see and missed in the theaters, but I made up for it once it
reached our communal Easter basket.
Disney has a long tradition of sports movies, most of which feature a disaster of a team that somehow, by the end of the film, pulls itself together to win the big game, or at least some self-respect. The formula has been used on just about every sport imaginable, resulting in films that are heartwarming and hilarious, if not terribly original. Angels is in a league with other Disney sports films, but its incredible warmth and inspirational qualities set it near the top of that long list. (Unfortunately, Disney’s sequel factory decided to churn out two – or is it three? – lower-quality follow-ups to this film; they fall towards the bottom.)
Roger (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is a kid with a lousy lot in life. His mother is dead and his father drifts in and out of his life, traveling cross-country and leaving the boy in foster care. At the beginning of the film, we find him living with Maggie (Brenda Fricker), a kindly middle-aged woman with a hint of an Irish brogue, and two other boys. He is especially close to J.P. (Milton Davis Jr.), a sweet, shy young boy who lived for several years in a car with his mother. In Maggie’s care, the boys are well provided for, and they have one another to lean on. Hard-luck cases themselves, they are intensely loyal to the local baseball team, the Angels, which is on a miserable losing streak. What Roger craves most is the permanent return of his father. At the end of a brief visit, he asks his dad when they will be a family again. The reply, “When the Angels win the pennant,” is intended as a sarcastic remark indicating the futility of expecting a union of father and son. Roger, however, takes the statement as a challenge: if the Angels can manage to win the Pennant, he will have a family again. That night, he prays with some uncertainty for this outcome to occur, and the events of the film are set into motion…
At its core, this is a film about faith and family. Both can be found in unlikely places, and both can work miracles. Roger and J.P. become official team mascots after an angel named Al (Christopher Lloyd) announces to Roger that his favorite team is about to get a divine boost. George Knox (Danny Glover), the manager of the Angels and possessor of an extraordinary temper, recruit them as a last resort, seeing them as a good luck charm. After all, with them in the stands, the Angels actually won their first game. It’s up to Roger to clue George in on which player has an angel with him, leading to some very unorthodox decisions in who should play. But George learns to have faith in Roger, and as his relationship with the boys blooms, so does his relationship with his team.
The cast in the movie is outstanding. Gordon-Levitt portrays Roger as a sensitive but tough kid who’s had a lot of tough breaks but isn’t willing to give up the faith. The development of his relationship with J.P. and George is especially heartwarming. Davis is adorable as J.P., shy around strangers but full of zest and optimism, which comes out in particular with his scenes with Roger. That toothy grin and mantra of “Hey, it could happen!” make him the cuddliest character in the film. Fricker brings tenderness and a certain detached gruffness to the role of Maggie, a woman who has seen many children fall through the cracks of society, and Glover takes George from cantankerous and self-centered to warm and caring in the course of an hour and a half. His is probably my favorite performance in the film, though Lloyd’s zany, madcap Al is good for a lot of laughs. More minor characters also are play an important role. Tony Danza turns in a great performance as Mel Clark, the Angels’ ailing pitcher, while Jay O. Sanders plays the obnoxious sports announcer Ranch Wilder to the hilt and Taylor Negron shines as George’s long-suffering personal assistant David. All of the Angels also carry their roles very well, creating a team whose members are distinct but work together to form a congruent whole.
The film has plenty of humor, most of which is slapstick pulled into high gear when the angels, whom no one but Roger can see, see to it that the Angels win each game. They also take the opportunity to clean up the act of some of the Angels, most especially their hot-headed manager. But the film’s real power is in the moments when a little faith and love make a big difference. Especially powerful is the moment when Roger leads an entire stadium of fans in his angel signal (flapping his arms up and down) to convince Mel that he has the strength to win the game. The sweeping cinematography, the swelling music, the mass vote of confidence by a reverent crowd… it all adds up to one of the most moving film scenes I have ever viewed.
You don’t have to like baseball to love this movie, though you may find yourself with an increased appreciation for the sport after viewing it. Angels in the Outfield is a story of how a little faith can go a long way and how families can be formed in the most unlikely of ways. Every element of this movie adds up to a dazzling whole, making it one of my all-time favorite live action Disney movies. Watch it with your family, and embrace the possibilities…
Disney has a long tradition of sports movies, most of which feature a disaster of a team that somehow, by the end of the film, pulls itself together to win the big game, or at least some self-respect. The formula has been used on just about every sport imaginable, resulting in films that are heartwarming and hilarious, if not terribly original. Angels is in a league with other Disney sports films, but its incredible warmth and inspirational qualities set it near the top of that long list. (Unfortunately, Disney’s sequel factory decided to churn out two – or is it three? – lower-quality follow-ups to this film; they fall towards the bottom.)
Roger (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is a kid with a lousy lot in life. His mother is dead and his father drifts in and out of his life, traveling cross-country and leaving the boy in foster care. At the beginning of the film, we find him living with Maggie (Brenda Fricker), a kindly middle-aged woman with a hint of an Irish brogue, and two other boys. He is especially close to J.P. (Milton Davis Jr.), a sweet, shy young boy who lived for several years in a car with his mother. In Maggie’s care, the boys are well provided for, and they have one another to lean on. Hard-luck cases themselves, they are intensely loyal to the local baseball team, the Angels, which is on a miserable losing streak. What Roger craves most is the permanent return of his father. At the end of a brief visit, he asks his dad when they will be a family again. The reply, “When the Angels win the pennant,” is intended as a sarcastic remark indicating the futility of expecting a union of father and son. Roger, however, takes the statement as a challenge: if the Angels can manage to win the Pennant, he will have a family again. That night, he prays with some uncertainty for this outcome to occur, and the events of the film are set into motion…
At its core, this is a film about faith and family. Both can be found in unlikely places, and both can work miracles. Roger and J.P. become official team mascots after an angel named Al (Christopher Lloyd) announces to Roger that his favorite team is about to get a divine boost. George Knox (Danny Glover), the manager of the Angels and possessor of an extraordinary temper, recruit them as a last resort, seeing them as a good luck charm. After all, with them in the stands, the Angels actually won their first game. It’s up to Roger to clue George in on which player has an angel with him, leading to some very unorthodox decisions in who should play. But George learns to have faith in Roger, and as his relationship with the boys blooms, so does his relationship with his team.
The cast in the movie is outstanding. Gordon-Levitt portrays Roger as a sensitive but tough kid who’s had a lot of tough breaks but isn’t willing to give up the faith. The development of his relationship with J.P. and George is especially heartwarming. Davis is adorable as J.P., shy around strangers but full of zest and optimism, which comes out in particular with his scenes with Roger. That toothy grin and mantra of “Hey, it could happen!” make him the cuddliest character in the film. Fricker brings tenderness and a certain detached gruffness to the role of Maggie, a woman who has seen many children fall through the cracks of society, and Glover takes George from cantankerous and self-centered to warm and caring in the course of an hour and a half. His is probably my favorite performance in the film, though Lloyd’s zany, madcap Al is good for a lot of laughs. More minor characters also are play an important role. Tony Danza turns in a great performance as Mel Clark, the Angels’ ailing pitcher, while Jay O. Sanders plays the obnoxious sports announcer Ranch Wilder to the hilt and Taylor Negron shines as George’s long-suffering personal assistant David. All of the Angels also carry their roles very well, creating a team whose members are distinct but work together to form a congruent whole.
The film has plenty of humor, most of which is slapstick pulled into high gear when the angels, whom no one but Roger can see, see to it that the Angels win each game. They also take the opportunity to clean up the act of some of the Angels, most especially their hot-headed manager. But the film’s real power is in the moments when a little faith and love make a big difference. Especially powerful is the moment when Roger leads an entire stadium of fans in his angel signal (flapping his arms up and down) to convince Mel that he has the strength to win the game. The sweeping cinematography, the swelling music, the mass vote of confidence by a reverent crowd… it all adds up to one of the most moving film scenes I have ever viewed.
You don’t have to like baseball to love this movie, though you may find yourself with an increased appreciation for the sport after viewing it. Angels in the Outfield is a story of how a little faith can go a long way and how families can be formed in the most unlikely of ways. Every element of this movie adds up to a dazzling whole, making it one of my all-time favorite live action Disney movies. Watch it with your family, and embrace the possibilities…
Greive May Not Provide Meaning of Life, But He Will Get You Thinking
I recently graduated from college and found myself teetering on the
precipice of what is known as The Rest of My Life. In fact, I am still
teetering, trying to figure out what comes next, none too eager to
embrace any big changes. This book didn’t prompt me to make any
life-altering decisions, but it did put a smile on my face and provide a
few words of wisdom to guide me in my strange new role as college
graduate. The Meaning of Life is not specifically intended for
graduates; it can apply to anyone about to enter a new phase of life.
Actually, it can apply to anyone at all, since finding meaning in life
on some level is a continuing quest for pretty much everyone.
This is my third Bradley Trevor Greive book. I own The Blue Book and Dear Mom. My grandma owns The Incredible Truth About Motherhood, I have seen Looking for Mr. Right in stores, and I just today saw another volume, Tomorrow: Adventures in an Uncertain World, advertised. All of his books follow a similar formula. He collects an array of expressive animal photos (usually – there are a few inanimate objects and humans thrown in here and there) and fills each book with them, one to a page, black and white (except for the covers - Blue Day is blue, Dear Mom pink, and this, which features a frog on the cover, is green), with just enough white space at the bottom for some written wit. The volumes are inspirational in nature, either offering thanks or encouragement, and they provide a perfect balance of sagacity and hilarity.
The book comes with a warning in the form of a 7-page Prologue, which reads, in part, “You may have opened this little book expecting it to be filled with answers, but (surprise, surprise!) it’s actually a book about questions.” No, you won’t get the meaning of life from this book. But you may be just a bit more inspired to search for it. Through a series of witty observations and queries, this tome encourages readers to get out there and do something exciting with their lives. Essentially the same sentiments as that graduation classic Oh, the Places You’ll Go!, without the rhyme. This small square (shape, that is, not level of hipness) book packs an awful lot into its 120 pages. It is probably the wordiest of his books which I have perused, but it’s still a pretty quick read. You can take as little or as much time with it as you want.
As in my previous Greive reviews, I’ll provide a little guide to my personal favorite pages as a teaser…
Why do children believe in fairies, but “grown-ups” don’t? (14) – A cheetah cub gazes into the sky at some small flying insects as its mother lies alongside, looking bored.
Perhaps the confusion arises because life is not always what it seems. (22) – Two donkeys face each other; the head of the first is in front of the head of the other so that it appears to be a donkey with two bodies and one head.
This love of life leads us to help others simply because it feels great to contribute to those around us. (39) – Probably my favorite picture in the book, it features a primate – a baboon, I think – sitting with a puppy in its lap and grooming it.
We all know how wonderful it feels to be a rock for our family and friends (of course, there is a limit) (40) – I hope there were no animals harmed in the taking of this picture, because this looks pretty dangerous. An elephant’s foot touches the top of a chick’s head, looking like it is about to come down.
People who don’t ask themselves these questions invariably go through life wondering why it isn’t a lot more fun. (43) – A very disgruntled-looking German shepherd sits decorated with garland and wearing a hat with a star on the top.
We get caught up in an avalanche of fears and desires that propel us into a race we can’t possibly win. (49) – A blur of mice races past, while one in the front of the picture in sharp focus gazes out.
A little voice – call it your conscience, your inner self, or your internal mother-in-law – will always tell you the truth if you are prepared to hear it. (72) – A huge tortoise sits with a small tortoise on top of its head.
(Of course, one needs to remember where courage ends and stupidity begins.) (84) – A mouse scampers down the backside of an elephant.
You may well be surrounded by people who secretly want you to achieve less or even fail completely just so they don’t look bad… (96) – A cat stands in the center of a circle of piglets, which bury their noses in the cat’s fur.
This is just a sampling of the treasure trove of wit, wisdom, and photographic brilliance contained in The Meaning of Life. An especially appropriate gift for a graduate, this book is well worth its $10 price tag. Pick up a copy and leave it out where people can leaf through it. Those irresistible animals will lure them in every time, and they may well emerge better for having read it.
This is my third Bradley Trevor Greive book. I own The Blue Book and Dear Mom. My grandma owns The Incredible Truth About Motherhood, I have seen Looking for Mr. Right in stores, and I just today saw another volume, Tomorrow: Adventures in an Uncertain World, advertised. All of his books follow a similar formula. He collects an array of expressive animal photos (usually – there are a few inanimate objects and humans thrown in here and there) and fills each book with them, one to a page, black and white (except for the covers - Blue Day is blue, Dear Mom pink, and this, which features a frog on the cover, is green), with just enough white space at the bottom for some written wit. The volumes are inspirational in nature, either offering thanks or encouragement, and they provide a perfect balance of sagacity and hilarity.
The book comes with a warning in the form of a 7-page Prologue, which reads, in part, “You may have opened this little book expecting it to be filled with answers, but (surprise, surprise!) it’s actually a book about questions.” No, you won’t get the meaning of life from this book. But you may be just a bit more inspired to search for it. Through a series of witty observations and queries, this tome encourages readers to get out there and do something exciting with their lives. Essentially the same sentiments as that graduation classic Oh, the Places You’ll Go!, without the rhyme. This small square (shape, that is, not level of hipness) book packs an awful lot into its 120 pages. It is probably the wordiest of his books which I have perused, but it’s still a pretty quick read. You can take as little or as much time with it as you want.
As in my previous Greive reviews, I’ll provide a little guide to my personal favorite pages as a teaser…
Why do children believe in fairies, but “grown-ups” don’t? (14) – A cheetah cub gazes into the sky at some small flying insects as its mother lies alongside, looking bored.
Perhaps the confusion arises because life is not always what it seems. (22) – Two donkeys face each other; the head of the first is in front of the head of the other so that it appears to be a donkey with two bodies and one head.
This love of life leads us to help others simply because it feels great to contribute to those around us. (39) – Probably my favorite picture in the book, it features a primate – a baboon, I think – sitting with a puppy in its lap and grooming it.
We all know how wonderful it feels to be a rock for our family and friends (of course, there is a limit) (40) – I hope there were no animals harmed in the taking of this picture, because this looks pretty dangerous. An elephant’s foot touches the top of a chick’s head, looking like it is about to come down.
People who don’t ask themselves these questions invariably go through life wondering why it isn’t a lot more fun. (43) – A very disgruntled-looking German shepherd sits decorated with garland and wearing a hat with a star on the top.
We get caught up in an avalanche of fears and desires that propel us into a race we can’t possibly win. (49) – A blur of mice races past, while one in the front of the picture in sharp focus gazes out.
A little voice – call it your conscience, your inner self, or your internal mother-in-law – will always tell you the truth if you are prepared to hear it. (72) – A huge tortoise sits with a small tortoise on top of its head.
(Of course, one needs to remember where courage ends and stupidity begins.) (84) – A mouse scampers down the backside of an elephant.
You may well be surrounded by people who secretly want you to achieve less or even fail completely just so they don’t look bad… (96) – A cat stands in the center of a circle of piglets, which bury their noses in the cat’s fur.
This is just a sampling of the treasure trove of wit, wisdom, and photographic brilliance contained in The Meaning of Life. An especially appropriate gift for a graduate, this book is well worth its $10 price tag. Pick up a copy and leave it out where people can leaf through it. Those irresistible animals will lure them in every time, and they may well emerge better for having read it.
Lord Almighty, Jim Carrey Plays God and Grace Overcomes Groans
At the beginning of this summer, after I graduated from college and was
sitting around with nothing in particular to do, my mom suggested I go
to a bunch of movies this summer on opening day and submit a review to
the local newspaper. My first attempt was going to be Bruce Almighty,
and I went and saw it on the first night. But somehow, I never got
around to reviewing it. After a year straight of frantically writing for
school, I just couldn’t get up the motivation to write anything, not
even a movie review. I abandoned the plan then and there. So here I am
reviewing the movie three months later. Better late than never, I guess!
I first heard of Bruce Almighty when I went to see Don McLean’s free concert in Buffalo last summer. One of the opening bands, Tom Stahl and the Dangerfields, introduced a song they had written about being God for a day by claiming it would be featured in the upcoming Jim Carrey film Bruce Almighty, filmed in Buffalo and centered around an ordinary guy who becomes God. They later admitted their song wouldn’t be in the movie, but we made a mental note of the film as something that might be worth checking out.
I had my reservations about this film. My first exposure to Jim Carrey was Ace Ventura, and other films such as the sequel, Dumb and Dumber, and Liar, Liar featured a manic, gross-out Jim whose appeal was strongest among pre-teen boys. Though I have to admit that ultimately, Liar, Liar was a pretty good movie… but there was a whole lot of malarkey along the way. Jim’s recent films have, for the most part, been much calmer. I loved his performance in The Truman Show, and The Majestic was great as well. Not to mention that unexpected bit part in Simon Birch. He seems to be veering away from gross-out comedy and into everyday nice guy roles, in which he comes across as very sweet and sincere. I hope he continues in that vein. Nonetheless, this film sounded to me like an excuse for Jim to go nuts with his manic energy and leave a whole lot of blasphemy in his wake. I was pleasantly surprised.
That’s not to say there is no over-the-top or crude humor in this film, because there is. Just far less than I expected. Bruce’s (Jim Carrey) dog delights in defiling the furniture, and we get to see him do it on a number of occasions. When he gets God’s powers, Bruce uses them for such noble purposes as sending a breeze up a leggy woman’s skirt, enhancing his girlfriend Grace’s (Jennifer Anniston) chest, and reducing his rival anchor to a blithering idiot on live television. And there is, of course, some foul language. But compared to some of Carrey’s early efforts, this movie is very tame. And, surprise surprise, it manages to be reverent as well.
Bruce is a guy who feels like the world is against him. When he gets passed up for promotion in favor of the boss’ pet anchor, humiliates himself on live television as the news is broken to him, and gets beaten up by thugs when he tries to defend a homeless man, he thinks his life can’t get much worse. Grace urges him to have some patience and trust God, but Bruce counters with his theory that God’s a cruel puppet master who couldn’t care less about the well-being of his creations. After demanding a sign from God (which he receives, but fails to notice, in the form of road signs that he passes in his car), Bruce launches a tirade against the Almighty.
Next thing he knows, his phone is ringing off the hook, always from a mysterious number he has never seen before (incidentally, a real number – several people in the United States were bombarded with phone calls after moviegoers jotted down the number and called it, leaving their questions and comments for God). Finally, he calls and is directed to a building where he meets Morgan Freeman in three incarnations: a janitor, an electrician, and God. God offers Bruce the use of His powers for a while to see if he can handle it. When he realizes that he actually does have God’s powers, Bruce has a grand old time, doing fancy tricks and, for the most part, advancing his career by creating catastrophes and being the first to report on them. But being God isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, as Bruce discovers when he sees the list of unanswered prayers awaiting him. When he takes the easy way out and answers “yes” to everyone’s pleas, havoc ensues. Meanwhile, he’s too caught up in his new role as star newscaster to pay much attention to Grace, and her patience reaches its limits. By the end of the film, Bruce is in quite a mess, and getting himself out of it will require a radical change in lifestyle and a little divine assistance.
Bruce is a pretty likable character in this movie. He’s a decent guy, just down on his luck. Jim’s manic antics come into play mostly when he is trying out his powers, as well as when he does goofy features for the news. For instance, in the opening segment, he parodies Chariots of Fire (again – a similar parody appeared in The Grinch) by running down a line of people with cups in their hands and pouring milk as he goes. A pretty messy moment. (There are several other parodies in the film as well, including a scene reminiscent of the John-Coffey-spitting-out-bugs scenes in The Green Mile and several allusions to The Ten Commandments.) There’s a lot of comedy in this movie, and he is the source for much of it. But it is in his serious moments that he really shines, particularly in his life-altering conversations with God.
Jennifer Anniston is brings a lot of sweetness to the role of Grace. Unlike in the recent film of that title, she really is a “good girl.” And she loves Bruce but feels like she’s not getting much love in return. One thing that caught me off-guard – as well as several others I talked to – was the fact that the two were not married. They live as though they are married, and we don’t learn until the middle of the film that Grace is waiting for a proposal. It’s not a huge deal, certainly nothing deviating from the norm depicted in movies nowadays, but those steamy pre-marital scenes detract just a bit from the reverent feel of the film. But then the film has a lot to do with redemption, so it makes sense that not everything about the main characters’ lives would fit the perfect Judeo-Christian mold.
As God, Morgan Freeman does a fantastic job. He is distinguished but down-to-earth with a gentle sense of humor that makes Him especially endearing. I think it’s the most appealing version of God I have seen on film. At its heart, this is a religious movie, and the director, a devout Catholic, conferred with a clergyman friend of his for advice on what God should say. Freeman’s God is active and deeply concerned for the affairs of His people, but He also encourages them to take responsibility for themselves. “Be the miracle” is the film’s closing sentiment, leaving viewers with the feeling that we should put our trust in a benevolent God but not expect Him to do everything for us. We can make a positive difference in our own lives and the lives of others each and every day.
In the end, then, this is a very worthwhile and reverent movie with enough comedy and drama to keep it entertaining and enough spiritual substance to warrant a sermon or Sunday school discussion. It was much better than I expected, and its merits overcome its low points. As Bruce was so fond of saying in the film, “It’s good!”
I first heard of Bruce Almighty when I went to see Don McLean’s free concert in Buffalo last summer. One of the opening bands, Tom Stahl and the Dangerfields, introduced a song they had written about being God for a day by claiming it would be featured in the upcoming Jim Carrey film Bruce Almighty, filmed in Buffalo and centered around an ordinary guy who becomes God. They later admitted their song wouldn’t be in the movie, but we made a mental note of the film as something that might be worth checking out.
I had my reservations about this film. My first exposure to Jim Carrey was Ace Ventura, and other films such as the sequel, Dumb and Dumber, and Liar, Liar featured a manic, gross-out Jim whose appeal was strongest among pre-teen boys. Though I have to admit that ultimately, Liar, Liar was a pretty good movie… but there was a whole lot of malarkey along the way. Jim’s recent films have, for the most part, been much calmer. I loved his performance in The Truman Show, and The Majestic was great as well. Not to mention that unexpected bit part in Simon Birch. He seems to be veering away from gross-out comedy and into everyday nice guy roles, in which he comes across as very sweet and sincere. I hope he continues in that vein. Nonetheless, this film sounded to me like an excuse for Jim to go nuts with his manic energy and leave a whole lot of blasphemy in his wake. I was pleasantly surprised.
That’s not to say there is no over-the-top or crude humor in this film, because there is. Just far less than I expected. Bruce’s (Jim Carrey) dog delights in defiling the furniture, and we get to see him do it on a number of occasions. When he gets God’s powers, Bruce uses them for such noble purposes as sending a breeze up a leggy woman’s skirt, enhancing his girlfriend Grace’s (Jennifer Anniston) chest, and reducing his rival anchor to a blithering idiot on live television. And there is, of course, some foul language. But compared to some of Carrey’s early efforts, this movie is very tame. And, surprise surprise, it manages to be reverent as well.
Bruce is a guy who feels like the world is against him. When he gets passed up for promotion in favor of the boss’ pet anchor, humiliates himself on live television as the news is broken to him, and gets beaten up by thugs when he tries to defend a homeless man, he thinks his life can’t get much worse. Grace urges him to have some patience and trust God, but Bruce counters with his theory that God’s a cruel puppet master who couldn’t care less about the well-being of his creations. After demanding a sign from God (which he receives, but fails to notice, in the form of road signs that he passes in his car), Bruce launches a tirade against the Almighty.
Next thing he knows, his phone is ringing off the hook, always from a mysterious number he has never seen before (incidentally, a real number – several people in the United States were bombarded with phone calls after moviegoers jotted down the number and called it, leaving their questions and comments for God). Finally, he calls and is directed to a building where he meets Morgan Freeman in three incarnations: a janitor, an electrician, and God. God offers Bruce the use of His powers for a while to see if he can handle it. When he realizes that he actually does have God’s powers, Bruce has a grand old time, doing fancy tricks and, for the most part, advancing his career by creating catastrophes and being the first to report on them. But being God isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, as Bruce discovers when he sees the list of unanswered prayers awaiting him. When he takes the easy way out and answers “yes” to everyone’s pleas, havoc ensues. Meanwhile, he’s too caught up in his new role as star newscaster to pay much attention to Grace, and her patience reaches its limits. By the end of the film, Bruce is in quite a mess, and getting himself out of it will require a radical change in lifestyle and a little divine assistance.
Bruce is a pretty likable character in this movie. He’s a decent guy, just down on his luck. Jim’s manic antics come into play mostly when he is trying out his powers, as well as when he does goofy features for the news. For instance, in the opening segment, he parodies Chariots of Fire (again – a similar parody appeared in The Grinch) by running down a line of people with cups in their hands and pouring milk as he goes. A pretty messy moment. (There are several other parodies in the film as well, including a scene reminiscent of the John-Coffey-spitting-out-bugs scenes in The Green Mile and several allusions to The Ten Commandments.) There’s a lot of comedy in this movie, and he is the source for much of it. But it is in his serious moments that he really shines, particularly in his life-altering conversations with God.
Jennifer Anniston is brings a lot of sweetness to the role of Grace. Unlike in the recent film of that title, she really is a “good girl.” And she loves Bruce but feels like she’s not getting much love in return. One thing that caught me off-guard – as well as several others I talked to – was the fact that the two were not married. They live as though they are married, and we don’t learn until the middle of the film that Grace is waiting for a proposal. It’s not a huge deal, certainly nothing deviating from the norm depicted in movies nowadays, but those steamy pre-marital scenes detract just a bit from the reverent feel of the film. But then the film has a lot to do with redemption, so it makes sense that not everything about the main characters’ lives would fit the perfect Judeo-Christian mold.
As God, Morgan Freeman does a fantastic job. He is distinguished but down-to-earth with a gentle sense of humor that makes Him especially endearing. I think it’s the most appealing version of God I have seen on film. At its heart, this is a religious movie, and the director, a devout Catholic, conferred with a clergyman friend of his for advice on what God should say. Freeman’s God is active and deeply concerned for the affairs of His people, but He also encourages them to take responsibility for themselves. “Be the miracle” is the film’s closing sentiment, leaving viewers with the feeling that we should put our trust in a benevolent God but not expect Him to do everything for us. We can make a positive difference in our own lives and the lives of others each and every day.
In the end, then, this is a very worthwhile and reverent movie with enough comedy and drama to keep it entertaining and enough spiritual substance to warrant a sermon or Sunday school discussion. It was much better than I expected, and its merits overcome its low points. As Bruce was so fond of saying in the film, “It’s good!”
Monday, August 25, 2003
Sing a Song Along with the Chipmunks (and Dave Seville)
This second album of the Chipmunks is another one of those taped albums
that has survived my childhood, though only barely. It’s been played so
many million times (including several turns through my brother’s
official Home Alone 2 Talkboy to see what they boys sound like
slowed down) that the Chipmunks’ side of the tape snaps and crackles
more than the Rice Krispies jingles that follow it. Time to go out and
find a real copy of this album. I’ve never seen it sold in stores, but
I’ve never specifically looked for it either. It’s not the most exciting
selection of songs the Chipmunks have ever done, but as in so many
other cases, the album that introduced me to these unconventional
artists is my favorite.
Sing Again With the Chipmunks - This song is just an upbeat introduction to the album, encouraging listeners to engage themselves in the performance and have a grand old time. Dave plays master of ceremonies, leading into the boys’ number, which is nicely accompanied by a saxophone. “Come on and sing again, have a fling again, sing a song along with the Chipmunks. We’ll have lots of fun with the songs you know. Join right in, be part of the show.”
Coming ‘Round the Mountain - One of several very simple traditional songs that appear on this album, probably because, as the previous song indicates, they want the listeners to sing along to a bunch of old familiar favorites. This track features a mysterious-sounding drumbeat, eventually another saxophone, and the increasing volume of the boys as the song progresses. They start out solo and whispering and wind up singing together at the top of their lungs. By the end of the song, they’re really into it and they add their own dramatic touch to the conclusion before fading out in the same style as the beginning. “Look there, comin’ ‘round the mountain. Look out, she’s my gal. Look, she made it round the mountain. Doggone her, she missed the stage.”
Home on the Range - Not a whole lot you can do with this song, or so you would think. But the Chipmunks do. In fact, they manage to make this simple little western ditty one of the most entertaining tracks on the album. How? Why, the irrepressible Alvin, of course. He’s got the lead vocals on the second line, but he just can’t seem to get the key word right. During a break in the singing, Dave lectures Alvin on the difference between an “antelope” (“a little deer”) and a “cantaloupe” (“something you eat”), attempting to impress upon Alvin the fact that the former is the correct word to use. Alvin, however, isn’t inclined to pay a whole lot of attention, and he decides he’s had it with the scolding. He doesn’t care what’s roaming around on the range, he’s in the mood for some munchies. As a distressed Dave asks the boys where they’re headed, Simon patiently explains, a la Tim Taylor after a nice conversation with Wilson, “We’re gonna get us a cantaloupe. That’s a dear little somethin’ to eat.”
I Wish I Had a Horse - This is a great song too, an upbeat western tune with which I could always identify. Hoofbeats punctuate this fanciful ditty in which the boys dream of owning their own horse, something I did myself many times! Alvin hams it up at one point by dramatically reciting the lyrics William Shatner-style. Other than that, pretty straightforward. “I wish I had a horse, a sweet and gentle horse. He’d sleep right by my side. We’d be buddies till the very end ‘cause everybody knows a horse is man’s best friend.”
Swanee River - When Dave proposes “something Southern,” the boys think he’s talking about food. But when he clarifies that he means singing something Southern, they decide that would be just fine too. The intermission includes, for no apparent reason, the “Why did the chicken cross the street?” joke. Not a whole lot to this song. “Oh, the world is sad and weary everywhere I roam. Oh, Mama, how my heart grows weary far from the old folks at home.”
When Johnny Comes Marching Home - This drum-heavy march is also pretty straightforward, other than including an order from Dave for the boys to march. There’s an instrumental intermission but no dialogue to fill it. Not too many extra touches here. “The boys will cheer and the men will shout, the ladies’ maids will all turn out, and we’ll all be gay when Johnny comes marchin’ home.”
Sing a Goofy Song - One of my favorite tracks, this is mostly Dave’s show, with the Chipmunks filling in with “ree-di-do”s and “ooh-ooh-ooh”s. This chipper song encourages the listeners to sing a goofy tune in order to make life more fun. After the intermission, which includes Alvin once again not copying instructions from Dave properly, the Chipmunks sing, and after this verse, Dave takes a moment to say what a success the song was. Trouble is, it’s not over yet, and now he’s jinxed it. The song trails out on him arguing with the boys that his part of the song was just as well done as theirs. “Even if you’re on the job, now is the time to start. If your boss will not let you sing it out, you can sing it in your heart.”
Swing Low Sweet Chariot - The Chipmunks tackle this gospel song nicely, with a little help from that sax again and some rhythmic clapping. This intermission doesn’t have any talking either, but it’s a pretty enjoyable song in spite of the lack of comedy. I guess they needed a break after the excessive goofiness of the last song! “I looked over Jordan and what did I see (comin’ for to carry me home)? A band of angels comin’ after me (comin’ for to carry me home).”
Witch Doctor - This, along with The Chipmunk Song (which is not on this album), is the Chipmunks’ signature tune. This song actually preceded the Chipmunks; the voices were there, but they did not yet have personalities. Here, the Chipmunks recall that recording history and beg to do the song themselves. Dave still gets the main vocals, with the boys restricted to the “ooh ee ooh ah ah ting tang walla walla bing bang” until the last verse. A very fun song, especially for car trips, and very distinctly a Chipmunks song. “You’ve been keepin’ love from me just like you were a miser, and I’ll admit I wasn’t very smart. So I went out and found myself a guy who’s so much wiser, and he told me the way to win your heart.”
Working on the Railroad - Another old traditional song, it begins with the boys and Dave swinging their hammers on the tracks, with Dave always winding up on the receiving end of someone’s hammer. This little shtick is repeated at the end of the song, but beyond that it’s a very straight reading of the song with few embellishments. “I’ve been workin’ on the railroad all the livelong day, I’ve been workin’ on the railroad just to pass the time away.”
Row Your Boat - After an instrumental introduction with the tune Sailing, Sailing, the boys launch into this rowing song. They also sing lyrics that seem to be verses to the song, but I’ve never heard them outside this context so perhaps they were added for this version. “It’s a joy, lot of fun. If you get a little luck you’ve got the sun to guide you. Row, row, row your boat gently down the stream…”
Alvin’s Orchestra - A great way to close out the album. This is a hilarious song that is Alvin at his best (or worst?). He’s singing a simple little song about how much fun it is to go for a ride through the countryside, and he’s decided to employ a 50-piece orchestra to help him in the effort. The ludicrously unnecessary orchestra infuriates Dave, who stews throughout the song about the money this is costing him. “Children wavin’ you a big ‘hello,’ and he’s still worryin’ about the dough!” Unfortunately for Dave, every time he tries to protest, Alvin cues the orchestra. “I absolutely cannot understand a single word you’re saying,” Alvin announces, irking him further. Poor Dave!
A great album, played to the breaking point by my family. The more traditional songs mostly allow opportunities for easy sing-alongs, while the more unusual tunes give the Chipmunks a chance to let their comedy shine. This is Alvin and company at their best.
Sing Again With the Chipmunks - This song is just an upbeat introduction to the album, encouraging listeners to engage themselves in the performance and have a grand old time. Dave plays master of ceremonies, leading into the boys’ number, which is nicely accompanied by a saxophone. “Come on and sing again, have a fling again, sing a song along with the Chipmunks. We’ll have lots of fun with the songs you know. Join right in, be part of the show.”
Coming ‘Round the Mountain - One of several very simple traditional songs that appear on this album, probably because, as the previous song indicates, they want the listeners to sing along to a bunch of old familiar favorites. This track features a mysterious-sounding drumbeat, eventually another saxophone, and the increasing volume of the boys as the song progresses. They start out solo and whispering and wind up singing together at the top of their lungs. By the end of the song, they’re really into it and they add their own dramatic touch to the conclusion before fading out in the same style as the beginning. “Look there, comin’ ‘round the mountain. Look out, she’s my gal. Look, she made it round the mountain. Doggone her, she missed the stage.”
Home on the Range - Not a whole lot you can do with this song, or so you would think. But the Chipmunks do. In fact, they manage to make this simple little western ditty one of the most entertaining tracks on the album. How? Why, the irrepressible Alvin, of course. He’s got the lead vocals on the second line, but he just can’t seem to get the key word right. During a break in the singing, Dave lectures Alvin on the difference between an “antelope” (“a little deer”) and a “cantaloupe” (“something you eat”), attempting to impress upon Alvin the fact that the former is the correct word to use. Alvin, however, isn’t inclined to pay a whole lot of attention, and he decides he’s had it with the scolding. He doesn’t care what’s roaming around on the range, he’s in the mood for some munchies. As a distressed Dave asks the boys where they’re headed, Simon patiently explains, a la Tim Taylor after a nice conversation with Wilson, “We’re gonna get us a cantaloupe. That’s a dear little somethin’ to eat.”
I Wish I Had a Horse - This is a great song too, an upbeat western tune with which I could always identify. Hoofbeats punctuate this fanciful ditty in which the boys dream of owning their own horse, something I did myself many times! Alvin hams it up at one point by dramatically reciting the lyrics William Shatner-style. Other than that, pretty straightforward. “I wish I had a horse, a sweet and gentle horse. He’d sleep right by my side. We’d be buddies till the very end ‘cause everybody knows a horse is man’s best friend.”
Swanee River - When Dave proposes “something Southern,” the boys think he’s talking about food. But when he clarifies that he means singing something Southern, they decide that would be just fine too. The intermission includes, for no apparent reason, the “Why did the chicken cross the street?” joke. Not a whole lot to this song. “Oh, the world is sad and weary everywhere I roam. Oh, Mama, how my heart grows weary far from the old folks at home.”
When Johnny Comes Marching Home - This drum-heavy march is also pretty straightforward, other than including an order from Dave for the boys to march. There’s an instrumental intermission but no dialogue to fill it. Not too many extra touches here. “The boys will cheer and the men will shout, the ladies’ maids will all turn out, and we’ll all be gay when Johnny comes marchin’ home.”
Sing a Goofy Song - One of my favorite tracks, this is mostly Dave’s show, with the Chipmunks filling in with “ree-di-do”s and “ooh-ooh-ooh”s. This chipper song encourages the listeners to sing a goofy tune in order to make life more fun. After the intermission, which includes Alvin once again not copying instructions from Dave properly, the Chipmunks sing, and after this verse, Dave takes a moment to say what a success the song was. Trouble is, it’s not over yet, and now he’s jinxed it. The song trails out on him arguing with the boys that his part of the song was just as well done as theirs. “Even if you’re on the job, now is the time to start. If your boss will not let you sing it out, you can sing it in your heart.”
Swing Low Sweet Chariot - The Chipmunks tackle this gospel song nicely, with a little help from that sax again and some rhythmic clapping. This intermission doesn’t have any talking either, but it’s a pretty enjoyable song in spite of the lack of comedy. I guess they needed a break after the excessive goofiness of the last song! “I looked over Jordan and what did I see (comin’ for to carry me home)? A band of angels comin’ after me (comin’ for to carry me home).”
Witch Doctor - This, along with The Chipmunk Song (which is not on this album), is the Chipmunks’ signature tune. This song actually preceded the Chipmunks; the voices were there, but they did not yet have personalities. Here, the Chipmunks recall that recording history and beg to do the song themselves. Dave still gets the main vocals, with the boys restricted to the “ooh ee ooh ah ah ting tang walla walla bing bang” until the last verse. A very fun song, especially for car trips, and very distinctly a Chipmunks song. “You’ve been keepin’ love from me just like you were a miser, and I’ll admit I wasn’t very smart. So I went out and found myself a guy who’s so much wiser, and he told me the way to win your heart.”
Working on the Railroad - Another old traditional song, it begins with the boys and Dave swinging their hammers on the tracks, with Dave always winding up on the receiving end of someone’s hammer. This little shtick is repeated at the end of the song, but beyond that it’s a very straight reading of the song with few embellishments. “I’ve been workin’ on the railroad all the livelong day, I’ve been workin’ on the railroad just to pass the time away.”
Row Your Boat - After an instrumental introduction with the tune Sailing, Sailing, the boys launch into this rowing song. They also sing lyrics that seem to be verses to the song, but I’ve never heard them outside this context so perhaps they were added for this version. “It’s a joy, lot of fun. If you get a little luck you’ve got the sun to guide you. Row, row, row your boat gently down the stream…”
Alvin’s Orchestra - A great way to close out the album. This is a hilarious song that is Alvin at his best (or worst?). He’s singing a simple little song about how much fun it is to go for a ride through the countryside, and he’s decided to employ a 50-piece orchestra to help him in the effort. The ludicrously unnecessary orchestra infuriates Dave, who stews throughout the song about the money this is costing him. “Children wavin’ you a big ‘hello,’ and he’s still worryin’ about the dough!” Unfortunately for Dave, every time he tries to protest, Alvin cues the orchestra. “I absolutely cannot understand a single word you’re saying,” Alvin announces, irking him further. Poor Dave!
A great album, played to the breaking point by my family. The more traditional songs mostly allow opportunities for easy sing-alongs, while the more unusual tunes give the Chipmunks a chance to let their comedy shine. This is Alvin and company at their best.
Anne Murray Battles Driveway Dragons, Fastidious Inchworms, and the Big Bad Wolf
When I was little, my parents regularly took me to the library down the
street and picked out records for me to listen to. While we had the
albums out of the library, we also took the liberty of taping them. Few
of those tapes have survived the past 20 years, but Anne Murray’s
children’s album is one of them. The label on our tape is “Anne Murray
sings for the Sesame Street Generation.” It must have been a subtitle on
the record because I remember being disappointed when I realized that
this album had nothing to do with the Muppets. (I had four or five
Sesame Street tapes, only one of which is still intact.) Nonetheless, There’s a Hippo in My Tub got plenty of play, and I still enjoy listening to it now and then.
Hey Daddy - This is a fun song with a hint of a calypso beat that I always got a kick out of as a youngster. Basically, I waited for the chorus and ignored the verses, which seem to be aimed more at adults anyway. The speaker is a parent reflecting on all of the fantastic things her child always seems to be seeing, and the verses come across as parent-to-parent talk, as in “I don’t know where these kids get these ideas from, do you?” But it’s the kids’ ideas that are attractive to other kids, and I’m sure I’m not the only toddler who loved belting out the chorus: “Hey, Daddy, there’s a dragon in the driveway. Mama, there’s a grizzly on the lawn. Well, you better come quick ‘cause there’s a hippo in the bathtub, and he’s goin’ down the drain... oh, no, he’s gone!”
Stars are the Windows of Heaven - This quiet song’s instrumentals lend it a bit of a country-western feel. This track finds two children musing on the presence of stars in the sky. One explains to the other that “stars are the windows of Heaven where angels peep through.” I remember being surprised to hear Father Santor, my sophomore theology teacher (and the blessed man responsible for sparking my obsession with Veggie Tales), croon this tune in class one day, as I had never heard the song outside this tape before. But then, Father Santor was always full of surprises - and he never met a song (commercial jingles included) he didn’t like! At any rate, this is a nice contemplative song encouraging children to believe that there are angels watching over them. “They cry each time you are naughty. Their tears are the rain. But when you’re good they are happy, and they shine again.”
Animal Crackers - What kid doesn’t love animal crackers? I didn’t like them in my soup (I never liked soup), but I always had fun pulling out random animals and seeing whether I wound up with a monkey or a lion, a rabbit or a bear. This song is almost as classic as the snacks themselves. This track features very simple percussive accompaniment keeping the beat and is sung in the voice of a little kid who loves animal crackers. This song shows how imaginative children can be with just a bit of assistance. This youngster dreams up all sorts of things to do with the animals she pulls from the box. Some of those things are not very nice. Particularly indicative of a typical five-year-old’s violent streak is “If I get ahold of the Big Bad Wolf, I’ll push him under to drown and I’ll gobble him up in a million bits and I’ll swallow him right down.” Nonetheless, it’s a fun song, and always a childhood favorite.
Hi Lili Hi Lo - This one begins with an a cappella introduction before it launches into the main part of the song, in which Anne sings with a chorus of children. The song has a defined waltz beat to it and also a bit of a country-western feel to it. The introduction is rather slow and sad sounding, but the rest is pretty upbeat in spite of the lyrics. “A song of love is a sad song, hi lili hi lili hi lo. A song of love is a song of woe, don’t ask me how I know.”
Why Oh Why - This song, backed by the strumming of a guitar, is a back-and-forth between an inquisitive young child and an exasperated mother. During the child’s portion, Anne’s voice is high and melodic; the response, meanwhile, is spoken in a low, bored sort of voice until the final verse, when it is sung: “‘Why won’t you answer my questions? Why oh why oh why?’ ‘Cause I don’t know the answers. Goodnight, goodnight.’” A fun song, and very typical of a child who wants to know everything under the sun, including answers to questions that no one else would ever think to ask.
Teddy Bear Picnic - Always my favorite lullabye as a youngster. I collected teddy bears and had picnics with them daily, and before going to sleep (with my favorite, Big Brown Bear, in my arms) I always made Mom sing this to me. This version begins with an odd little psychadelic-sounding run on the organ and is backed by a calliope and a strange percussion instrument whose sound resembles Tupperware being burped. I’ve also noticed a great similarity between the instrumentation style in this song and the video game Banjo-Kazooie, which is ironic since I am so annoyed by that game’s soundtrack. This song is an enjoyable romp showing what those lovable cuddly bedroom residents could be doing when we’re not around. My favorite song on the album. In our childhood wisdom, my brother Benjamin and I enjoyed subverting the line “watch them catch them unawares,” making it say “watch them catch them’s underwears.” Ah, the inimitable wit of youth. But the song does paint an entertaining picture of bears playing hide and seek, eating good grub, and generally having a grand old time until they, just like the little tykes listening to the song, are all tuckered out. “At 6:00 their mommies and daddies will take them home to bed because they’re tired little teddy bears.”
Inchworm - This begins with an a cappella introduction by a chorus of children, one that recurs later in the song. This song also has a bit of a twang to it. Featured in the Danny Kaye film about the life of Hans Christian Andersen, it addresses an inchworm, encouraging it to take a break from its excessively left-brained behavior to enjoy the beauty of its surroundings. A very simple song, and a nice reminder that it’s important to find a balance between study and pure aesthetic appreciation. “Inchworm, inchworm, measuring the marigolds, you and your arithmetic will probably go far. Inchworm, inchworm, measuring the marigolds, seems to me you’d stop and see how beautiful they are.”
You Are My Sunshine / Open Up Your Heart - A couple of campfire standards with a great guitar and bassline. The former is a romantic tune, while the latter is a religious song, but both employ the idea of sunshine. In the first, the speaker tells her significant other how much she loves him, letting him know that she would be unhappy without him. “You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are gray. You’ll never know, dear, how much I love you. Please don’t take my sunshine away.” The second song is in the voice of a child, imparting the advice given her by her mother. She explains that the devil hates to see people happy, so we should smile as much as possible and keep him away. “Let the sun shine in, face it with a grin. Smilers never lose and frowners never win.” At the end, the two songs combine, each filling in the gaps in the other, to very nice effect.
Sleepytime - A nice little lullabye, it encourages the listeners to get some sleep so they can head off to dreamland, where they can do and be whatever they want. The guitar and strings on this track also give it a country feel. Quiet and imaginative, it gives children a reason to look forward to falling asleep. “Sleepytime baby, now lay down your head, ‘cause if you’re off to dreamland you’ve got to get to bed.”
Hush Little Baby - This classic progressive lullabye is accompanied by tinkly music box instrumentals. An old traditional song with many variations, this soothing tune lists all of the things a particular baby’s father might bring home as a gift; for each failed attempt, there is a backup, most of which are quite elaborate and expensive. In the end, though, the sentiment we are left with is that material possessions aren’t too important. What matters is that this baby has a father who thinks his little tyke is terrific. “Hush little baby, don’t you cry, Papa’s gonna sing you a lullabye… If that horse and cart fall down, you’ll still be the sweetest little baby in town.”
The album concludes with two short lullabyes, one a very short but sweet tune (“dream a dream to bring you through the night and linger through the day”) segueing into the very familiar Brahams’ Lullaby. She sings through this “lullabye of love” once and hums through it once again to bring the album to a perfect close that may be accompanied by a few gentle snores.
There aren’t very many female artists of whom I consider myself a fan, but Anne Murray gets my vote of confidence. We have several of her albums, but this one is particularly meaningful to me, and still apt to send me off into dreamland myself. An excellent album for children and the children at heart who love them.
Hey Daddy - This is a fun song with a hint of a calypso beat that I always got a kick out of as a youngster. Basically, I waited for the chorus and ignored the verses, which seem to be aimed more at adults anyway. The speaker is a parent reflecting on all of the fantastic things her child always seems to be seeing, and the verses come across as parent-to-parent talk, as in “I don’t know where these kids get these ideas from, do you?” But it’s the kids’ ideas that are attractive to other kids, and I’m sure I’m not the only toddler who loved belting out the chorus: “Hey, Daddy, there’s a dragon in the driveway. Mama, there’s a grizzly on the lawn. Well, you better come quick ‘cause there’s a hippo in the bathtub, and he’s goin’ down the drain... oh, no, he’s gone!”
Stars are the Windows of Heaven - This quiet song’s instrumentals lend it a bit of a country-western feel. This track finds two children musing on the presence of stars in the sky. One explains to the other that “stars are the windows of Heaven where angels peep through.” I remember being surprised to hear Father Santor, my sophomore theology teacher (and the blessed man responsible for sparking my obsession with Veggie Tales), croon this tune in class one day, as I had never heard the song outside this tape before. But then, Father Santor was always full of surprises - and he never met a song (commercial jingles included) he didn’t like! At any rate, this is a nice contemplative song encouraging children to believe that there are angels watching over them. “They cry each time you are naughty. Their tears are the rain. But when you’re good they are happy, and they shine again.”
Animal Crackers - What kid doesn’t love animal crackers? I didn’t like them in my soup (I never liked soup), but I always had fun pulling out random animals and seeing whether I wound up with a monkey or a lion, a rabbit or a bear. This song is almost as classic as the snacks themselves. This track features very simple percussive accompaniment keeping the beat and is sung in the voice of a little kid who loves animal crackers. This song shows how imaginative children can be with just a bit of assistance. This youngster dreams up all sorts of things to do with the animals she pulls from the box. Some of those things are not very nice. Particularly indicative of a typical five-year-old’s violent streak is “If I get ahold of the Big Bad Wolf, I’ll push him under to drown and I’ll gobble him up in a million bits and I’ll swallow him right down.” Nonetheless, it’s a fun song, and always a childhood favorite.
Hi Lili Hi Lo - This one begins with an a cappella introduction before it launches into the main part of the song, in which Anne sings with a chorus of children. The song has a defined waltz beat to it and also a bit of a country-western feel to it. The introduction is rather slow and sad sounding, but the rest is pretty upbeat in spite of the lyrics. “A song of love is a sad song, hi lili hi lili hi lo. A song of love is a song of woe, don’t ask me how I know.”
Why Oh Why - This song, backed by the strumming of a guitar, is a back-and-forth between an inquisitive young child and an exasperated mother. During the child’s portion, Anne’s voice is high and melodic; the response, meanwhile, is spoken in a low, bored sort of voice until the final verse, when it is sung: “‘Why won’t you answer my questions? Why oh why oh why?’ ‘Cause I don’t know the answers. Goodnight, goodnight.’” A fun song, and very typical of a child who wants to know everything under the sun, including answers to questions that no one else would ever think to ask.
Teddy Bear Picnic - Always my favorite lullabye as a youngster. I collected teddy bears and had picnics with them daily, and before going to sleep (with my favorite, Big Brown Bear, in my arms) I always made Mom sing this to me. This version begins with an odd little psychadelic-sounding run on the organ and is backed by a calliope and a strange percussion instrument whose sound resembles Tupperware being burped. I’ve also noticed a great similarity between the instrumentation style in this song and the video game Banjo-Kazooie, which is ironic since I am so annoyed by that game’s soundtrack. This song is an enjoyable romp showing what those lovable cuddly bedroom residents could be doing when we’re not around. My favorite song on the album. In our childhood wisdom, my brother Benjamin and I enjoyed subverting the line “watch them catch them unawares,” making it say “watch them catch them’s underwears.” Ah, the inimitable wit of youth. But the song does paint an entertaining picture of bears playing hide and seek, eating good grub, and generally having a grand old time until they, just like the little tykes listening to the song, are all tuckered out. “At 6:00 their mommies and daddies will take them home to bed because they’re tired little teddy bears.”
Inchworm - This begins with an a cappella introduction by a chorus of children, one that recurs later in the song. This song also has a bit of a twang to it. Featured in the Danny Kaye film about the life of Hans Christian Andersen, it addresses an inchworm, encouraging it to take a break from its excessively left-brained behavior to enjoy the beauty of its surroundings. A very simple song, and a nice reminder that it’s important to find a balance between study and pure aesthetic appreciation. “Inchworm, inchworm, measuring the marigolds, you and your arithmetic will probably go far. Inchworm, inchworm, measuring the marigolds, seems to me you’d stop and see how beautiful they are.”
You Are My Sunshine / Open Up Your Heart - A couple of campfire standards with a great guitar and bassline. The former is a romantic tune, while the latter is a religious song, but both employ the idea of sunshine. In the first, the speaker tells her significant other how much she loves him, letting him know that she would be unhappy without him. “You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are gray. You’ll never know, dear, how much I love you. Please don’t take my sunshine away.” The second song is in the voice of a child, imparting the advice given her by her mother. She explains that the devil hates to see people happy, so we should smile as much as possible and keep him away. “Let the sun shine in, face it with a grin. Smilers never lose and frowners never win.” At the end, the two songs combine, each filling in the gaps in the other, to very nice effect.
Sleepytime - A nice little lullabye, it encourages the listeners to get some sleep so they can head off to dreamland, where they can do and be whatever they want. The guitar and strings on this track also give it a country feel. Quiet and imaginative, it gives children a reason to look forward to falling asleep. “Sleepytime baby, now lay down your head, ‘cause if you’re off to dreamland you’ve got to get to bed.”
Hush Little Baby - This classic progressive lullabye is accompanied by tinkly music box instrumentals. An old traditional song with many variations, this soothing tune lists all of the things a particular baby’s father might bring home as a gift; for each failed attempt, there is a backup, most of which are quite elaborate and expensive. In the end, though, the sentiment we are left with is that material possessions aren’t too important. What matters is that this baby has a father who thinks his little tyke is terrific. “Hush little baby, don’t you cry, Papa’s gonna sing you a lullabye… If that horse and cart fall down, you’ll still be the sweetest little baby in town.”
The album concludes with two short lullabyes, one a very short but sweet tune (“dream a dream to bring you through the night and linger through the day”) segueing into the very familiar Brahams’ Lullaby. She sings through this “lullabye of love” once and hums through it once again to bring the album to a perfect close that may be accompanied by a few gentle snores.
There aren’t very many female artists of whom I consider myself a fan, but Anne Murray gets my vote of confidence. We have several of her albums, but this one is particularly meaningful to me, and still apt to send me off into dreamland myself. An excellent album for children and the children at heart who love them.
"Listen While [the Irish Rovers] Tell You Tales to Warm Your Mind"
I recall sitting as a two-year-old and listening to “the pig song” by a
group of young Irish guys – Will, George, and Joe Millar, Wilcil
McDowell, and Jimmy Ferguson - while gazing at the whimsical cover of
the record that featured the surprisingly morbid ditty. It was one of my
favorite albums. At some point, it disappeared. Years later, I
discovered a tape we had made of the record, and I listened to it
constantly. Then, mysteriously, it too disappeared. I went to a couple
Irish Rovers concerts and bought several of their albums, but I never
was able to locate the coveted album Tales to Warm Your Mind.
Then I received a package from my Uncle Dave in the mail for my birthday
(I believe it was my 16th). Turns out he not only had Tales to Warm Your Mind,
but several other early Rovers albums as well. He put them all on a
tape for me, and I once again have my first and favorite Irish Rovers
album. This time, I will not lose it. I don’t know why this album
is so rare. I’ve never seen it in stores, and it’s not in the Epinions
database. It was their eighth record, and while some songs appear on
other albums, this one itself is unfortunately very hard to find, though
with a little searching it is possible to find used copies through the
Internet. Of all their albums, it will always be my favorite.
Stop, Look, Listen - The song from which the title is taken, and a great way to begin the album. This one has a definite lullabye feel to it, as do many on the album. The Rovers’ tones are hushed throughout as they sing of the wondrous world of fantasy and imagination. Very nice guitar backing and harmony, and the abrupt ending is unique and enough to jolt the listener out of semi-sleep (I often listen to this album before bed, and I’m usually conked out before the end). “An orangutan who can sing, pirate ships and gypsy kings, now a horse who’s learned to fly, don’t know how, don’t know why. Listen while I tell you tales to warm your mind. Stop, look, listen, see what you can find.”
The Stolen Child - A strange and mournful song with a violin adding to the tragic feel. It features Joe on lead vocals, with the others providing full, rich vocals for the chorus. The speaker is a man whose baby was stolen, apparently by faeries, while she was left unattended in a field. I find the lyrics a little hard to understand at times; balladeer Joe’s enunciation is a little off on this one. And it’s hard for me to imagine someone leaving his baby lying in a field by herself. But it’s a nice song, and very haunting. The chorus, as far as I can tell, is just nonsense words up until the final declaration: “Ho-van, ho-van gorry o go, gorry o go, gorry o go; ho-van, ho-van gorry o go, I never found my baby o.”
Penny-Whistle Peddler - A whimsical-sounding song heavy on the penny-whistle and the harpsichord . The predominantly light-hearted ballad tells the tale of a mystical rover who spreads love throughout the land. The narrator urges listeners to keep an eye out for him, and to make an effort to be nice to one another so that he will be encouraged to come back. In a way, this song is rather like the Dr. Seuss classic The Lorax, as the protector of an idyllic land vanishes after his land is corrupted, and the only hope of his return is the restoration of the land. Also could probably be read in a religious sense, with the peddler as a Christ-like figure. At any rate, it’s a great song, fun to listen to and inspiring random acts of kindness. “I hope you meet the peddler with a feather in his hat, the penny-whistle man with the orange-colored cat. Bells on his coat and a rangle-tangle kind of grin. He’ll teach you how to love if you believe in him.”
The Village of Brambleshire Wood - I’m not sure of the origin of all these songs, but I know Will and George wrote this one. It begins with a slow TAPS being played, but the guitar comes in at the end of the intro to set an upbeat tone for the song. The song fades out with the whistling of a fight song which I always think of as the Comet song, due to the unfortunate elementary school parody of the same melody (“Comet will make your teeth turn green, Comet, it tastes like gasoline…”). It is actually The Colonel Bogie March, written for the New Zealand corps in World War I and featured in the film Bridge on the River Kwai. At any rate, these songs are incorporated to add to the song’s appearance as an overzealous pro-war song. At first glance, that is just what it appears to be. But I’m pretty certain that this song is meant to be ironic and is, in fact, a strong anti-war statement. The guitar and harmonica are the prominent instruments here, as well as a tambourine that adds to the song’s feel as a war march. The song is centered around a war memorial dedicated to the fallen men of the village. Near the memorial are an assembly of grizzled old men and bright-eyed lads, and the old men impress upon the children that there is no greater honor than having your name listed in gold on that memorial. Not much to look forward to, if you ask me. “We won,” cried the aged old sergeants and corporals. “Look at the long list of names of the dead! The names of your fathers who won all the victories gave honor to the village of Brambleshire Wood. And just think how proud we would be if only one day we were able to see your name in gold letters impressively listed on the pillar of marble in Brambleshire Wood.”
Oh You Mucky Kid - A quiet song in the voice of the mother of a carefree little kid and wife of a drunken, abusive father. Affectionate, but also showing the darker side of domestic life, it’s a traditional tune with words written by a man named Stan Kelly. Accompanied primarily by the guitar and accentuated by violins, the boys take the chorus together and let Will (my favorite – I was very sad when he left :( ) go solo on the verses. His gentle rendition, punctuated by affectionate giggles, perfectly captures this mother’s voice. “Oh you are a mucky kid, dirty as the dustbin lid. When he hears the things that you did, you’ll get a belt from your dad.”
Lily the Pink - Definitely the most raucous song on the album, this one’s not written by the Rovers either. It’s a silly drinking song about the woman who invented “medicinal compounds” and, incidentally, is the song that introduced the word “efficacious” into my vocabulary (not that I use it much). Driven by a constant drumbeat, it also features a variety of instruments appropriate to the verse (regal horns for the would-be Julius Caesar, operatic warbling for the opera singer, bells for the final verse). The boys alternate verses on this one, introducing the song, providing several zany examples of people who took Lily’s medicinal compounds, and concluding the song on a somber yet comical note with Lily’s death. The choruses grow richer as the song continues, adding more instruments and harmonies. A very entertaining song. “Lily died and went up to Heaven, oh the church bells they did ri-i-ing. She took with her medicinal compounds… hark the herald angels sing! We drink-a drink-a drink to Lily the Pink, the Pink, the Pink, the savior of the human ra-a-ace, she invented medicinal compounds, most efficacious in every case.”
Mrs. Crandall’s Boardinghouse - A mostly affectionate ode to the speaker’s not-so-nice landlady featuring clever lyrics and backed by the bass and harpsichord. Again, the Rovers alternate verses and take the chorus together. You hafta feel for this poor shmuck stuck in a boardinghouse run by this wacky landlady. A fun song. “In the boardinghouse I lived in, everything was growing old. Silver threads among the butter, and the cheese was green with mo-o-old. When the dog died we had sausages, when the cat died catnip tea. When the landlord died, I left there; spare ribs were too much for me.”
Coulter’s Candy - Another lullabye, this one a traditional Scottish song. Another recording of this song features a rhymed tale related by Will, reflecting on how nice it would be to be a little boy again. I don’t actually have this version, as my uncle didn’t include it because the song showed up on another album. As best I remember, though, this version is free of the spoken part and fit into the album after Mrs. Crandall’s Boardinghouse. This was my second-favorite song on the album when I was little, the first being Pigs Can’t Fly, the final song on the album. Told in the father’s voice, it speaks of his young son’s addiction to Coulter’s candy, which costs a penny a bag. She gently chides him for eating too many of the sweets but ends up sending him off to buy some more. “Ah me boy, you’re getting’ awful thin, a wee pile of bones covered over with skin. Soon you’ll be getting’ a wee double chin from suckin’ on Coulter’s candy.”
Little Boy Blue - One of my favorite lullabyes, the text is a Eugene Field poem, with a tune composed by a fellow named Ethelbert Levin three years later in 1891. I was dismayed to find this poem in a literary anthology as an example of a bad poem; too schmaltzy for the editor, I guess. I think it’s a sad and lovely song, and very well done by the Rovers. Featuring guitar, strings, and a metronome towards the beginning and end. Will gets this one to himself as well, with the rest on the chorus. He seems especially adept at these affectionate lullabyes. The song tells the tale of a young lad who instructs his toys to behave themselves while he is sleeping and not stir until he instructs them. The boy dies in the middle of the night, but his toys are forever obedient, gathering dust as they wait for the child who will never return. The song begins and ends with what I believe is Brahams’ Lullaby. A lovely song. “While he was sleeping, an angel song awakened our little boy blue. Oh, the years are many, the years are long, but our little toy friends are true. ‘Don’t you go till I come,’ he said, ‘and don’t you make any noise.’ So toddling off to his trundle bed, he dreamt of the pretty toys.”
The metronome continues after Brahms’ Lullaby concludes, and Joe recites a short poem that doesn’t seem to have anything to do with anything. It’s a fun little poem, though I don’t even know the name of it. Another of Field’s perhaps? These are the words, as closely as I can make them out: “The Quizzy Quoddy (I have no idea how close that is to being right…) went for a stroll down by the rollicking sea. He sang a short song 59 verses long and he said from his perch in a tree, I’ll start drinking now without taking a bow, not even take time for my tea. And I’ll drink the sea dry, or at least I will try, or I’ll die. Aye. [giggles]” Rather random, but kinda fun.
The Minstrel of Cranberry Lane - A cheery tambourine and what sounds to me like a mandolin are the prominent instruments in this tune that’s a different take on the story of the Pied Piper of Hamlin by Mike and Judy Calahan. The Rovers take turns going solo and together in this tune about a dream-spreading man similar to the one featured in Penny-Whistle Peddler who is loved by the children but feared and misunderstood by the adults. The shabby wanderer with a heart of gold then disappears, but the townsfolk pay the price for their unkindness; their children disappear along with him. “Now sadder but wiser I fear are the folks who’ve lost children so dear. For each child must be free to follow, like me, the Minstrel of Cranberry Lane.”
Pigs Can’t Fly - This was always my favorite song when I was little. It’s a goofy little Will Millar tune about a man who has an enterprising pet pig who is not content to remain the narrator’s pet. Joe takes most of the verses, though one verse is sung entirely in a weird falsetto voice by an unknown Rover; I think it might be Jimmy. The verses are almost a cappella with a strum of a guitar here and there. The choruses feature the group and lively guitar and penny-whistle instrumentals. It’s a weird little ditty, off-the-wall and slightly morbid. But I gotta love it. “Pigs can’t swim and pigs can’t fly, but pigs can see the wind go by. Pigs make lovely household friends when winter comes and summer ends.”
For the most part, this strikes me as a children’s album. Most of the songs are lullabies or whimsical tunes that children would find enjoyable. It’s a shame that it is not widely available. It was the first Rovers album I ever heard, and my favorite. If you can get ahold of it, you won’t be sorry. You’ll want to listen to these endearing Irish musicians again and again.
Stop, Look, Listen - The song from which the title is taken, and a great way to begin the album. This one has a definite lullabye feel to it, as do many on the album. The Rovers’ tones are hushed throughout as they sing of the wondrous world of fantasy and imagination. Very nice guitar backing and harmony, and the abrupt ending is unique and enough to jolt the listener out of semi-sleep (I often listen to this album before bed, and I’m usually conked out before the end). “An orangutan who can sing, pirate ships and gypsy kings, now a horse who’s learned to fly, don’t know how, don’t know why. Listen while I tell you tales to warm your mind. Stop, look, listen, see what you can find.”
The Stolen Child - A strange and mournful song with a violin adding to the tragic feel. It features Joe on lead vocals, with the others providing full, rich vocals for the chorus. The speaker is a man whose baby was stolen, apparently by faeries, while she was left unattended in a field. I find the lyrics a little hard to understand at times; balladeer Joe’s enunciation is a little off on this one. And it’s hard for me to imagine someone leaving his baby lying in a field by herself. But it’s a nice song, and very haunting. The chorus, as far as I can tell, is just nonsense words up until the final declaration: “Ho-van, ho-van gorry o go, gorry o go, gorry o go; ho-van, ho-van gorry o go, I never found my baby o.”
Penny-Whistle Peddler - A whimsical-sounding song heavy on the penny-whistle and the harpsichord . The predominantly light-hearted ballad tells the tale of a mystical rover who spreads love throughout the land. The narrator urges listeners to keep an eye out for him, and to make an effort to be nice to one another so that he will be encouraged to come back. In a way, this song is rather like the Dr. Seuss classic The Lorax, as the protector of an idyllic land vanishes after his land is corrupted, and the only hope of his return is the restoration of the land. Also could probably be read in a religious sense, with the peddler as a Christ-like figure. At any rate, it’s a great song, fun to listen to and inspiring random acts of kindness. “I hope you meet the peddler with a feather in his hat, the penny-whistle man with the orange-colored cat. Bells on his coat and a rangle-tangle kind of grin. He’ll teach you how to love if you believe in him.”
The Village of Brambleshire Wood - I’m not sure of the origin of all these songs, but I know Will and George wrote this one. It begins with a slow TAPS being played, but the guitar comes in at the end of the intro to set an upbeat tone for the song. The song fades out with the whistling of a fight song which I always think of as the Comet song, due to the unfortunate elementary school parody of the same melody (“Comet will make your teeth turn green, Comet, it tastes like gasoline…”). It is actually The Colonel Bogie March, written for the New Zealand corps in World War I and featured in the film Bridge on the River Kwai. At any rate, these songs are incorporated to add to the song’s appearance as an overzealous pro-war song. At first glance, that is just what it appears to be. But I’m pretty certain that this song is meant to be ironic and is, in fact, a strong anti-war statement. The guitar and harmonica are the prominent instruments here, as well as a tambourine that adds to the song’s feel as a war march. The song is centered around a war memorial dedicated to the fallen men of the village. Near the memorial are an assembly of grizzled old men and bright-eyed lads, and the old men impress upon the children that there is no greater honor than having your name listed in gold on that memorial. Not much to look forward to, if you ask me. “We won,” cried the aged old sergeants and corporals. “Look at the long list of names of the dead! The names of your fathers who won all the victories gave honor to the village of Brambleshire Wood. And just think how proud we would be if only one day we were able to see your name in gold letters impressively listed on the pillar of marble in Brambleshire Wood.”
Oh You Mucky Kid - A quiet song in the voice of the mother of a carefree little kid and wife of a drunken, abusive father. Affectionate, but also showing the darker side of domestic life, it’s a traditional tune with words written by a man named Stan Kelly. Accompanied primarily by the guitar and accentuated by violins, the boys take the chorus together and let Will (my favorite – I was very sad when he left :( ) go solo on the verses. His gentle rendition, punctuated by affectionate giggles, perfectly captures this mother’s voice. “Oh you are a mucky kid, dirty as the dustbin lid. When he hears the things that you did, you’ll get a belt from your dad.”
Lily the Pink - Definitely the most raucous song on the album, this one’s not written by the Rovers either. It’s a silly drinking song about the woman who invented “medicinal compounds” and, incidentally, is the song that introduced the word “efficacious” into my vocabulary (not that I use it much). Driven by a constant drumbeat, it also features a variety of instruments appropriate to the verse (regal horns for the would-be Julius Caesar, operatic warbling for the opera singer, bells for the final verse). The boys alternate verses on this one, introducing the song, providing several zany examples of people who took Lily’s medicinal compounds, and concluding the song on a somber yet comical note with Lily’s death. The choruses grow richer as the song continues, adding more instruments and harmonies. A very entertaining song. “Lily died and went up to Heaven, oh the church bells they did ri-i-ing. She took with her medicinal compounds… hark the herald angels sing! We drink-a drink-a drink to Lily the Pink, the Pink, the Pink, the savior of the human ra-a-ace, she invented medicinal compounds, most efficacious in every case.”
Mrs. Crandall’s Boardinghouse - A mostly affectionate ode to the speaker’s not-so-nice landlady featuring clever lyrics and backed by the bass and harpsichord. Again, the Rovers alternate verses and take the chorus together. You hafta feel for this poor shmuck stuck in a boardinghouse run by this wacky landlady. A fun song. “In the boardinghouse I lived in, everything was growing old. Silver threads among the butter, and the cheese was green with mo-o-old. When the dog died we had sausages, when the cat died catnip tea. When the landlord died, I left there; spare ribs were too much for me.”
Coulter’s Candy - Another lullabye, this one a traditional Scottish song. Another recording of this song features a rhymed tale related by Will, reflecting on how nice it would be to be a little boy again. I don’t actually have this version, as my uncle didn’t include it because the song showed up on another album. As best I remember, though, this version is free of the spoken part and fit into the album after Mrs. Crandall’s Boardinghouse. This was my second-favorite song on the album when I was little, the first being Pigs Can’t Fly, the final song on the album. Told in the father’s voice, it speaks of his young son’s addiction to Coulter’s candy, which costs a penny a bag. She gently chides him for eating too many of the sweets but ends up sending him off to buy some more. “Ah me boy, you’re getting’ awful thin, a wee pile of bones covered over with skin. Soon you’ll be getting’ a wee double chin from suckin’ on Coulter’s candy.”
Little Boy Blue - One of my favorite lullabyes, the text is a Eugene Field poem, with a tune composed by a fellow named Ethelbert Levin three years later in 1891. I was dismayed to find this poem in a literary anthology as an example of a bad poem; too schmaltzy for the editor, I guess. I think it’s a sad and lovely song, and very well done by the Rovers. Featuring guitar, strings, and a metronome towards the beginning and end. Will gets this one to himself as well, with the rest on the chorus. He seems especially adept at these affectionate lullabyes. The song tells the tale of a young lad who instructs his toys to behave themselves while he is sleeping and not stir until he instructs them. The boy dies in the middle of the night, but his toys are forever obedient, gathering dust as they wait for the child who will never return. The song begins and ends with what I believe is Brahams’ Lullaby. A lovely song. “While he was sleeping, an angel song awakened our little boy blue. Oh, the years are many, the years are long, but our little toy friends are true. ‘Don’t you go till I come,’ he said, ‘and don’t you make any noise.’ So toddling off to his trundle bed, he dreamt of the pretty toys.”
The metronome continues after Brahms’ Lullaby concludes, and Joe recites a short poem that doesn’t seem to have anything to do with anything. It’s a fun little poem, though I don’t even know the name of it. Another of Field’s perhaps? These are the words, as closely as I can make them out: “The Quizzy Quoddy (I have no idea how close that is to being right…) went for a stroll down by the rollicking sea. He sang a short song 59 verses long and he said from his perch in a tree, I’ll start drinking now without taking a bow, not even take time for my tea. And I’ll drink the sea dry, or at least I will try, or I’ll die. Aye. [giggles]” Rather random, but kinda fun.
The Minstrel of Cranberry Lane - A cheery tambourine and what sounds to me like a mandolin are the prominent instruments in this tune that’s a different take on the story of the Pied Piper of Hamlin by Mike and Judy Calahan. The Rovers take turns going solo and together in this tune about a dream-spreading man similar to the one featured in Penny-Whistle Peddler who is loved by the children but feared and misunderstood by the adults. The shabby wanderer with a heart of gold then disappears, but the townsfolk pay the price for their unkindness; their children disappear along with him. “Now sadder but wiser I fear are the folks who’ve lost children so dear. For each child must be free to follow, like me, the Minstrel of Cranberry Lane.”
Pigs Can’t Fly - This was always my favorite song when I was little. It’s a goofy little Will Millar tune about a man who has an enterprising pet pig who is not content to remain the narrator’s pet. Joe takes most of the verses, though one verse is sung entirely in a weird falsetto voice by an unknown Rover; I think it might be Jimmy. The verses are almost a cappella with a strum of a guitar here and there. The choruses feature the group and lively guitar and penny-whistle instrumentals. It’s a weird little ditty, off-the-wall and slightly morbid. But I gotta love it. “Pigs can’t swim and pigs can’t fly, but pigs can see the wind go by. Pigs make lovely household friends when winter comes and summer ends.”
For the most part, this strikes me as a children’s album. Most of the songs are lullabies or whimsical tunes that children would find enjoyable. It’s a shame that it is not widely available. It was the first Rovers album I ever heard, and my favorite. If you can get ahold of it, you won’t be sorry. You’ll want to listen to these endearing Irish musicians again and again.
Sunday, August 24, 2003
Six Flags: It's Sea World, and Then Some
It’s sad but true: the summer is swiftly coming to a close. My brother
starts tenth grade on Tuesday, while I start to register the fact that,
for the first time in 18 years, I’m not going back to school. We decided
that the family ought to have one last hurrah before getting back to
the daily school-year grind, so on Wednesday we piled ourselves in the
van and headed for Six Flags Ohio, formerly known as Sea World. We had
not been there since it made its transformation.
Upon our arrival in the general vicinity of the park, we were befuddled because we could not find any signs pointing us in the right direction. We thought we had missed a turn somewhere. It turned out we were going exactly the right way, but there were no signs announcing the park until we were almost upon it. You would think Six Flags would make a greater effort to let people know where they are, but we found it without a problem so there was no big inconvenience.
We were inside the park by 10:30, and at this point we split up, my mom, brother Nathan, and I heading for the animals and my dad and brother Benjamin off to tackle to roller coasters. The first stop for the three of us was Boomtown, a section of the park dedicated to kiddie rides. Nathan and I have been too big for kiddie rides for years, but we had a great time wandering around and inspecting the colorful and creative Looney Tunes-themed decorations. Very fun. Made me wish that I was little enough to enjoy the rides.
One of the first things we saw when we entered the park was the monorail, but we were never able to figure out where you got on it. We deduced that it must have been somewhere in the water park, but we never did find the entrance. As it happened, we only wound up going on one ride the whole day. It was a junior roller coaster, not quite a kiddie ride but definitely not in the big leagues either. We looked forward to riding Uncle Willy’s Wild Ride, the white water rapids raft ride, but most of the water rides were not operating due to the power outage the week before. This was something of a disappointment, but it allowed us to spend more time in the Sea World part of the park.
We have gone to Sea World several times, and it always was a day-long affair. With Six Flags in control, the park has more attractions than can possibly be visited in one day, and they are spread out, requiring a great deal of walking to get from one end of the park to another. Dad and Benjamin immersed themselves in the amusement park portion of Six Flags, riding as many coasters and thrill rides as they could fit in. Even then, they were not able to ride everything; we, on the other hand, were not able to see all of the available programs, although we were able to see the main ones. It’s no wonder the park sells two-day passes. One disappointment was that while the park usually stays open until 10, it closes at 6 during the last couple weeks of the summer season. Therefore, we had four fewer hours to try to fit everything in.
The animal portion of Six Flags is very similar to its old incarnation. Features include a dolphin pool, a seal exhibit, two penguin exhibits, a reptile house, and an aquarium. We started out by watching the dolphin show, a short but impressive display of the acrobatic abilities of the park’s four dolphins. Last time we went to Sea World, the dolphins had constant access to the whole pool, and visitors were allowed up against the wall and could pet the dolphins if they came close. This time, the dolphins spent the time when the show was not in progress in an inner portion of the pool, and a rope gate restricted the access of the public to the pool’s edge. The dolphins were clearly very interested in their visitors; they continually hopped up so that their heads were peeking out at the crowds watching them.
The African penguins were situated outside, and most were huddled in a group on the far end of the exhibit. One lone penguin swam near the spectators. The indoor exhibit was far more animated, not to mention a nice relief from the heat of the day. The black room was air-conditioned, and behind the glass dozens of penguins of varying types lounged, waddled, or slid on the icy land or raced through the clear water, sometimes leaping up to land upright on the surface. We stayed in the penguin house for quite some time, enjoying the penguins’ entertaining antics. The seal and sea lion exhibit is one of the noisiest animal exhibits, as the inhabitants bark continually while swimming and sunning themselves on the rocks.
The indoor exhibits of the reptiles and fish were interesting and informative. My brother impressed us by rattling off facts about all the fish, which we confirmed by glancing at the information placards. Outside the aquarium, we had a nice time trying to pet some of the small marine animals in the touch pool. Everyone’s favorite seemed to be the sting rays, which felt slimy and slippery and appeared to be very good-natured despite their rather unpleasant-sounding name. As we walked along outside, we could also see zebras and a wide variety of birds, some caged but most free to roam the waters of the creeks and small ponds throughout the park.
The sea lion/otter/walrus show has always been one of Sea World’s most entertaining offerings, and the new format didn’t change that. The theme was home repair, and while the sea lion helped the humans with some home fix-it projects, the wily otter slipped in to cause some mischief and the enormous walrus (ironically named “Tiny”) dropped by to fix the toilet. The show was full of oversized props, bad puns, and anthropomorphic activity by the three animal stars. It was a hoot.
The whale show had more in common with the dolphin show, though it was shown in a large arena comparable to the sea lion and otter show. The marine star of Six Flags showed off his stuff, swimming, jumping, and flipping and thoroughly soaking the people in the first ten or so rows. This showcase of the majestic orca is always as much a high point of the day as the slapstick pinnipeds, and once again, the show did not disappoint.
We also took in the Batman-themed water show out on Geauga Lake. This presentation featured performers on jet-skis and a variety of other small watercraft and featured three nifty Gotham City sets. The dialogue was pre-recorded and played over a loudspeaker, so the actors simply made exaggerated gestures to make it appear as though they were talking. They also managed to throw in a plea for environmental consciousness by making a major plot point the dumping of dangerous chemicals into the lake by Bruce Wayne’s factory. A fun show with some pretty impressive stunts, if a bit corny at times.
Before we had to sprint back to the front of the park to pick up my brother’s caricature, we watched the Tiger Island tiger show, featuring two white tigers interacting with their trainers and engaging in such activities as climbing trees and jumping across logs. A nice way to close out the day.
There was a mass exit from the park at 6:00, and there were only two exits through which cars could escape. We spent an hour in the parking lot before we were able to get out onto the road. This is clearly a common occurrence because there were children lugging coolers full of pop and selling them to disgruntled drivers stuck in a mile-long line. (A note about beverages: in the park, vendors sell twenty-ounce bottles of pop for $3.25, but the same bottles are available from the pop machines for $2.) I think that the end-of-day traffic could be handled better; we’ve never had to wait that long to get out of an amusement park parking lot.
I do think the parking situation could be improved, and I see no good reason for the park to close so early. Six Flags was very crowded, and I’m sure most of those in attendance would have stayed until 10 given the opportunity. If the managers felt so strongly that such an early closing was merited, they at least should have offered discounted rates; 12 hours to 8 hours is a pretty significant drop in time. My family got a pretty good deal because we picked up some buy one, get one free coupons at McDonald’s and were thus able to get the five of us in for $120. Without the coupon, $200 is a pretty steep price to pay for a reduced amount of time. Beyond those complaints, however, it was a very enjoyable day, and the amusement park and animal park were equally satisfying to my family.
Upon our arrival in the general vicinity of the park, we were befuddled because we could not find any signs pointing us in the right direction. We thought we had missed a turn somewhere. It turned out we were going exactly the right way, but there were no signs announcing the park until we were almost upon it. You would think Six Flags would make a greater effort to let people know where they are, but we found it without a problem so there was no big inconvenience.
We were inside the park by 10:30, and at this point we split up, my mom, brother Nathan, and I heading for the animals and my dad and brother Benjamin off to tackle to roller coasters. The first stop for the three of us was Boomtown, a section of the park dedicated to kiddie rides. Nathan and I have been too big for kiddie rides for years, but we had a great time wandering around and inspecting the colorful and creative Looney Tunes-themed decorations. Very fun. Made me wish that I was little enough to enjoy the rides.
One of the first things we saw when we entered the park was the monorail, but we were never able to figure out where you got on it. We deduced that it must have been somewhere in the water park, but we never did find the entrance. As it happened, we only wound up going on one ride the whole day. It was a junior roller coaster, not quite a kiddie ride but definitely not in the big leagues either. We looked forward to riding Uncle Willy’s Wild Ride, the white water rapids raft ride, but most of the water rides were not operating due to the power outage the week before. This was something of a disappointment, but it allowed us to spend more time in the Sea World part of the park.
We have gone to Sea World several times, and it always was a day-long affair. With Six Flags in control, the park has more attractions than can possibly be visited in one day, and they are spread out, requiring a great deal of walking to get from one end of the park to another. Dad and Benjamin immersed themselves in the amusement park portion of Six Flags, riding as many coasters and thrill rides as they could fit in. Even then, they were not able to ride everything; we, on the other hand, were not able to see all of the available programs, although we were able to see the main ones. It’s no wonder the park sells two-day passes. One disappointment was that while the park usually stays open until 10, it closes at 6 during the last couple weeks of the summer season. Therefore, we had four fewer hours to try to fit everything in.
The animal portion of Six Flags is very similar to its old incarnation. Features include a dolphin pool, a seal exhibit, two penguin exhibits, a reptile house, and an aquarium. We started out by watching the dolphin show, a short but impressive display of the acrobatic abilities of the park’s four dolphins. Last time we went to Sea World, the dolphins had constant access to the whole pool, and visitors were allowed up against the wall and could pet the dolphins if they came close. This time, the dolphins spent the time when the show was not in progress in an inner portion of the pool, and a rope gate restricted the access of the public to the pool’s edge. The dolphins were clearly very interested in their visitors; they continually hopped up so that their heads were peeking out at the crowds watching them.
The African penguins were situated outside, and most were huddled in a group on the far end of the exhibit. One lone penguin swam near the spectators. The indoor exhibit was far more animated, not to mention a nice relief from the heat of the day. The black room was air-conditioned, and behind the glass dozens of penguins of varying types lounged, waddled, or slid on the icy land or raced through the clear water, sometimes leaping up to land upright on the surface. We stayed in the penguin house for quite some time, enjoying the penguins’ entertaining antics. The seal and sea lion exhibit is one of the noisiest animal exhibits, as the inhabitants bark continually while swimming and sunning themselves on the rocks.
The indoor exhibits of the reptiles and fish were interesting and informative. My brother impressed us by rattling off facts about all the fish, which we confirmed by glancing at the information placards. Outside the aquarium, we had a nice time trying to pet some of the small marine animals in the touch pool. Everyone’s favorite seemed to be the sting rays, which felt slimy and slippery and appeared to be very good-natured despite their rather unpleasant-sounding name. As we walked along outside, we could also see zebras and a wide variety of birds, some caged but most free to roam the waters of the creeks and small ponds throughout the park.
The sea lion/otter/walrus show has always been one of Sea World’s most entertaining offerings, and the new format didn’t change that. The theme was home repair, and while the sea lion helped the humans with some home fix-it projects, the wily otter slipped in to cause some mischief and the enormous walrus (ironically named “Tiny”) dropped by to fix the toilet. The show was full of oversized props, bad puns, and anthropomorphic activity by the three animal stars. It was a hoot.
The whale show had more in common with the dolphin show, though it was shown in a large arena comparable to the sea lion and otter show. The marine star of Six Flags showed off his stuff, swimming, jumping, and flipping and thoroughly soaking the people in the first ten or so rows. This showcase of the majestic orca is always as much a high point of the day as the slapstick pinnipeds, and once again, the show did not disappoint.
We also took in the Batman-themed water show out on Geauga Lake. This presentation featured performers on jet-skis and a variety of other small watercraft and featured three nifty Gotham City sets. The dialogue was pre-recorded and played over a loudspeaker, so the actors simply made exaggerated gestures to make it appear as though they were talking. They also managed to throw in a plea for environmental consciousness by making a major plot point the dumping of dangerous chemicals into the lake by Bruce Wayne’s factory. A fun show with some pretty impressive stunts, if a bit corny at times.
Before we had to sprint back to the front of the park to pick up my brother’s caricature, we watched the Tiger Island tiger show, featuring two white tigers interacting with their trainers and engaging in such activities as climbing trees and jumping across logs. A nice way to close out the day.
There was a mass exit from the park at 6:00, and there were only two exits through which cars could escape. We spent an hour in the parking lot before we were able to get out onto the road. This is clearly a common occurrence because there were children lugging coolers full of pop and selling them to disgruntled drivers stuck in a mile-long line. (A note about beverages: in the park, vendors sell twenty-ounce bottles of pop for $3.25, but the same bottles are available from the pop machines for $2.) I think that the end-of-day traffic could be handled better; we’ve never had to wait that long to get out of an amusement park parking lot.
I do think the parking situation could be improved, and I see no good reason for the park to close so early. Six Flags was very crowded, and I’m sure most of those in attendance would have stayed until 10 given the opportunity. If the managers felt so strongly that such an early closing was merited, they at least should have offered discounted rates; 12 hours to 8 hours is a pretty significant drop in time. My family got a pretty good deal because we picked up some buy one, get one free coupons at McDonald’s and were thus able to get the five of us in for $120. Without the coupon, $200 is a pretty steep price to pay for a reduced amount of time. Beyond those complaints, however, it was a very enjoyable day, and the amusement park and animal park were equally satisfying to my family.
Look What Clay Has Done Before American Idol Redefined Him
When I first saw Clay Aiken on American Idol, I knew he was
someone to keep an eye on. So I did, as much as I could, but he didn’t
get a lot of air time between the initial auditions and the Top 32. So
it wasn’t until his knock-out performance of Open Arms in the
second week of semi-finals that I really fell for him. In the next three
weeks, I tried, mostly unsuccessfully, to find as much out about him as
I could. But after his Wild Card performance, the list of websites
dedicated to him began to steadily grow. Perhaps the most valuable
discovery I made was a list of songs he had recorded for two demo
albums. At this time, I have had no success in acquiring those albums,
entitled Redefined and Look What Love Has Done. They had
very limited availability, and I do not know whether there are any plans
to re-release them. It is possible to purchase copies from E-Bay, but
they run as high as $200. However, all of the songs from the demos are
widely available on the Internet and well worth checking out. What
follows is a list of Clay’s pre-American Idol recording efforts.
Redefined
1. Still the One
2. I Know How the River Feels
3. Go the Distance*
4. Love of My Life*
5. Open Arms*
6. More to This Life
7. In Not Of*
8. Not Supposed to Love You Anymore
9. I Will Be Here
10. Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me
* Does not appear on Look What Love Has Done
Look What Love Has Done
1. Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me
2. Look What Love Has Done
3. Still The One
4. More To This Life
5. Dream Lover
6. I Know How The River Feels
7. Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me
8. She Said Yes
9. I Will Be Here
10. My Girl
11. Not Supposed To Love You Anymore
12. Unchained Melody
13. Blood Will Never Lose Its Power
Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me - I like this song to begin with, so that doesn’t hurt. This was the song that turned Clay from Underdog to Teen Idol when he blew America away with it on the Wild Card round. His performance on that show was so terrific, I think he even outdid his studio version. Just a perfect rendition. Nonetheless, his studio version is very nice, extremely smooth and dynamic. His perfect enunciation came in handy for me here as there were a few lines I could never quite get listening to Elton John, but with Clay every word was unmistakable. I’m not crazy about the instrumentation on this track. I love the piano, but it sounds rather hollow, as though something is missing. Nonetheless, Clay does a great job with an old favorite of mine, and it’s one of my favorite of his demo recordings. “But you misread my meaning when I met you, closed the door and left me blinded by the light. Oh, don’t let the sun go down on me. Although I search myself, there’s always someone else I see. I just allow a fragment of your life to wander free.”
Look What Love Has Done - This is a nice song with which I was unfamiliar prior to hearing Clay’s version. Clay’s specialty seems to be romantic ballads, and this one fits that mold pretty well. A guy singing about how love has changed his outlook on life: “Was that lightning striking where I stand, or did you just reach out and take my hand?”
Still the One - This is one of the most upbeat songs in Clay’s catalogue. He shows that he is just as comfortable with an uptempo number as with a slow and pretty song. It’s one of his most fun tracks, and I imagine that as he was singing it he was grooving a bit to the beat. He sounds like he’s having a great time. “You’re still the one that turns my head. We’re still havin’ fun, and you’re still the one.”
More to This Life - Clearly a Christian track, this Steven Curtis Chapman song is fairly upbeat and asks listeners to remember that there is something beyond our realm of everyday mundane experience. Another unfamiliar song to me, it’s a nice gentle reminder to keep God in mind in spite of whatever struggles you may be facing. “There’s more to this life than livin’ and dyin’, more than just tryin’ to make it through the day…more than these eyes alone can see…”
Dream Lover - A classic oldie, often played on our local oldies station. It’s a pretty simple song, kinda snappy, about a guy dreaming his life away about a girlfriend who does not exist. He sounds pretty young in this song; his voice seems like it maybe hasn’t entirely settled itself in yet. Just a quick, fun tune with a couple of distinctive Clay touches, mainly extended notes in certain places. “I want a girl to call my own. I want a dream lover so I don’t have to dream alone.”
I Know How the River Feels - I’m a big fan of folk music, and a good friend of mine likes to tease me about it. Last year, she decided that my favorite musical instrument must be the mandolin; it just sounds like a folkie instrument, I guess. So I was amused when I heard this track and noted the pronounced presence of a mandolin. Also a new tune for me, it’s another slow love song with a very natural sound to it. The chorus includes some nice harmony as well. “Now I know how the river feels when it reaches the sea. It finally finds the place it was always meant to be.”
Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me - He sounds young in Dream Lover, but that’s nothing compared to this. Am I just imagining this? I think he sounds about 16; his voice seems higher and even a little squeaky at points. The interesting thing is that both of these songs are on the later CD, not on the first. I presume they were all recorded about the same time, in Clay’s early 20s. So I don’t know why he seems so much younger here; maybe he’s just trying to convey youthful naivety in these two songs. At any rate, I like this track a lot. I always thought the song was much older, perhaps from the 30s, but it apparently was from the late 50s or 60s. It has a sort of overdramatic simplicity to it that is very endearing, and the internal rhyme is pretty nifty. “Kiss me, kiss me, when you do I know that you will miss me, miss me, if we ever say adieu…”
She Said Yes - A very slow and sweet country song, and also a new one for me. It only has two verses, but they parallel one another nicely. First, it’s a shy young man working up the nerve to ask a girl to dance; later, it’s that same man asking, this time with much greater conviction, that same lady to marry him. Clay does a really nice job with country tunes, and this gentle tune shows off his lower range and suits him well. “They won’t let go; it’s beyond their control. They lit a flame with the match God had made when she said yes.”
I Will Be Here - I have a hunch I heard this song before I encountered Clay’s version, because there was something very familiar about it. Also by Steven Curtis Chapman, whom Clay has identified as a favorite artist, it’s a gorgeous love song, one which I believe he has performed at a number of weddings. Very quiet and contemplative, soft enough throughout most of it to be a lullabye, and deeply religious in nature as well. This is definitely one of my favorite of Clay’s demo tracks, and I’m very glad to have discovered it. “You can cry on my shoulder; when the mirror tells us we’re older, I will hold you… I will be true to the promise I have made to you and to the One who gave you to me.”
My Girl - Another very upbeat song, one of the most well-known songs on his demo albums. Again, he’s in his stride, sounding like he is having a grand old time and adding his trademark extended notes to the chorus to add his own flavor to the song. It’s hard to beat the Temptations, but Clay gives them a run for their money! “I’ve got sunshine on a cloudy day. When it’s cold outside I’ve got the month of May. I guess you say what can make me feel this way? My girl!”
Not Supposed to Love You Anymore - Another country song I never heard of before. Clay does a great job here of sounding like an anguished fella who has lost the love of his life. He’s going through a divorce, and instead of feeling liberated from a woman who doesn’t appreciate him, he can only feel misery because of what he has lost. “I shouldn’t care or wonder where or how you are, but I can’t hide this hurt inside my broken heart.”
Unchained Melody - Each of the American Idol semi-finalists had to fill out a questionnaire answering a number of questions about themselves. One was their favorite song to sing. When I saw that Clay’s favorite song to sing was Unchained Melody, I swooned along with several hundred other gals and kept my fingers crossed that he’d sing it in one of the last two shows, assuming (as I did) that he would get that far. I figured he was saving it for a big finish, which he basically did; it was his final song on the second-to-the-last night, and he blew everybody (except Simon :( ) away. What’s more, he revealed that this was his mom’s favorite song. Awwww!!! The difficult thing about this song is that the Righteous Brothers produced the definitive version of Unchained Melody, a perfect record. I do not believe it can be improved upon, and that includes Clay. He nonetheless does an admirable job, plowing through the song with gusto. He does perhaps make it a bit too “snappy,” as my brother complains, but it works. I love his version except for one small grumble: almost every time he says the word “to,” it comes out sounding like “tOW,” which is rather grating on the ears. He seems to have worked on this, though, as his live performance of the song is virtually free of this ideosyncracy. This is one of the greatest love songs of all time, and it’s great to hear Clay take a crack at it. “Oh, my love, my darlin’, I’ve hungered for your touch a long, lonely time. And time goes by so slowly, and time can do so much. Are you still mine?”
Blood Will Never Lose Its Power - This song, another I had never heard before, has a definite Gospel feel to it. It’s another clearly Christian song talking about the redemptive power of Christ and how it remains just as strong no matter what. Upbeat and full of conviction, it’s a nice song and has a sound that is unique to his demos. Also accentuates one of his vocal oddities: he has a very odd way of saying words with an “o” in them. In this case, the “ou” in “mountain” sounds more like a long “a,” but only for a split second, producing a very strange vowel indeed. Just one of Clay’s lovable quirks… “It reaches to the highest mountain. It flows to the lowest valley. The blood that gives me strength from day to day, it will never lose its power.”
Go the Distance - When I first saw that Clay sang this song, I was psyched because I think the theme song from Hercules is one of the prettiest in the recent Disney canon. I was really looking forward to hearing him sing it, so I was disappointed to discover that this was a totally different song that happened to have the same title. I still like the Hercules song better, but this one is also good. It’s a Christian song about how Christ was willing to go the distance for all his people, so we should be too. It encourages Christians to get out there and accept the Great Commission. “Even though I could choose the path of least resistance, Father, I will take the cross. I will go the distance.”
In Not Of - This song is mainly saying the same thing as the last song, but I don’t think it’s as successful. It just doesn’t appeal to me much for some reason, and I would list it as my least favorite Clay track. The instrumentation is heavy on the electric guitar and isn’t terribly melodic, and the message goes against itself and winds up sounding very sanctimonious – at least in my opinion. The idea is that Christians should not shield themselves from the rest of the world but should immerse themselves in it, embracing sinners and bringing them to Christ. I’m not sure why, but it just comes across to me as much too high-and-mighty – we’re too good for the rest of the world but lets try to save them from themselves. Or maybe it’s just me. It’s probably time I listened to it a couple more times… “Come take the Light to darker parts. Share His truth with hardened hearts. We are not like the world, but we can love it.”
Love of My Life - A very romantic Christian love song which Clay sings with passion. It’s hard to believe from all these songs that Clay has never been in a really serious romantic relationship. You wouldn’t know it from how he performs tunes like this. A beautiful number, with lots of poetic lyrics. “Now here we are, midnight closin’ in. Take my hand as our shadows dance with moonlight on your skin.”
Open Arms - I saved the best for last. This is the one that made me a certified Clayniac. And the weird thing is, I missed the beginning of his performance! I was very upset that I had missed part of it, but I came in during the middle of the chorus and my jaw dropped. He just floored me with this song, and I spent the next three weeks trying to get a clip of it. I would up finding the demo before I found the live performance. While I think the live performance of DLTSGDOM is better than the studio version, I think the studio version of Open Arms exceeds the live version, much as that impressed me. I mentioned that the Righteous Brothers had a perfect recording with Unchained Melody, and the same was the case with Simon and Garfunkel and Bridge Over Troubled Water. Bummer for Clay as these were his closing showstoppers of the second-to-last and last Tuesday on the show, but he did as well as he possibly could have. In this case, I believe Clay’s recording is the perfect one, improving upon the original. It sends shivers up my spine. The dynamic variation on this track is impressive; he starts out very quiet and works his way up to the chorus gradually. The first verse is rather quiet and melancholy, the second more pure anguish. It has the sort of dynamics that contributed so much to the success of the original version of Bridge. The instrumentation goes perfectly with his voice and the dynamics of the song, and it all comes together for a stunning performance. I get chills every time I hear him slide from the end of the first verse into the chorus. Absolutely masterful. My only complaint? That darn pronunciation again. I just can’t figure out what he’s doing with the word “nothing” in the chorus. It sounds like “wanting” to me, and I really, try as I might, can’t get it to sound like “nothing.” But it’s only a second long, and easy to overlook given the high quality of this track overall. I play this song more than any other of Clay’s. Well done. “We sailed on together, we drifted apart. Now here you are by my side. So now I come to you with open arms, nothing to hide. Believe what I say.”
Believe what I say, you will be missing out if you don’t give some of these tracks a try. I wish I could purchase his demo albums legitimately, but until that is a viable option (and I’m sorry, I’m not paying $200 for a copy on E-Bay) I am grateful to have access to these recordings. They are worth listening to over and over, and they prove that Clay was a star long before American Idol.
Redefined
1. Still the One
2. I Know How the River Feels
3. Go the Distance*
4. Love of My Life*
5. Open Arms*
6. More to This Life
7. In Not Of*
8. Not Supposed to Love You Anymore
9. I Will Be Here
10. Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me
* Does not appear on Look What Love Has Done
Look What Love Has Done
1. Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me
2. Look What Love Has Done
3. Still The One
4. More To This Life
5. Dream Lover
6. I Know How The River Feels
7. Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me
8. She Said Yes
9. I Will Be Here
10. My Girl
11. Not Supposed To Love You Anymore
12. Unchained Melody
13. Blood Will Never Lose Its Power
Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me - I like this song to begin with, so that doesn’t hurt. This was the song that turned Clay from Underdog to Teen Idol when he blew America away with it on the Wild Card round. His performance on that show was so terrific, I think he even outdid his studio version. Just a perfect rendition. Nonetheless, his studio version is very nice, extremely smooth and dynamic. His perfect enunciation came in handy for me here as there were a few lines I could never quite get listening to Elton John, but with Clay every word was unmistakable. I’m not crazy about the instrumentation on this track. I love the piano, but it sounds rather hollow, as though something is missing. Nonetheless, Clay does a great job with an old favorite of mine, and it’s one of my favorite of his demo recordings. “But you misread my meaning when I met you, closed the door and left me blinded by the light. Oh, don’t let the sun go down on me. Although I search myself, there’s always someone else I see. I just allow a fragment of your life to wander free.”
Look What Love Has Done - This is a nice song with which I was unfamiliar prior to hearing Clay’s version. Clay’s specialty seems to be romantic ballads, and this one fits that mold pretty well. A guy singing about how love has changed his outlook on life: “Was that lightning striking where I stand, or did you just reach out and take my hand?”
Still the One - This is one of the most upbeat songs in Clay’s catalogue. He shows that he is just as comfortable with an uptempo number as with a slow and pretty song. It’s one of his most fun tracks, and I imagine that as he was singing it he was grooving a bit to the beat. He sounds like he’s having a great time. “You’re still the one that turns my head. We’re still havin’ fun, and you’re still the one.”
More to This Life - Clearly a Christian track, this Steven Curtis Chapman song is fairly upbeat and asks listeners to remember that there is something beyond our realm of everyday mundane experience. Another unfamiliar song to me, it’s a nice gentle reminder to keep God in mind in spite of whatever struggles you may be facing. “There’s more to this life than livin’ and dyin’, more than just tryin’ to make it through the day…more than these eyes alone can see…”
Dream Lover - A classic oldie, often played on our local oldies station. It’s a pretty simple song, kinda snappy, about a guy dreaming his life away about a girlfriend who does not exist. He sounds pretty young in this song; his voice seems like it maybe hasn’t entirely settled itself in yet. Just a quick, fun tune with a couple of distinctive Clay touches, mainly extended notes in certain places. “I want a girl to call my own. I want a dream lover so I don’t have to dream alone.”
I Know How the River Feels - I’m a big fan of folk music, and a good friend of mine likes to tease me about it. Last year, she decided that my favorite musical instrument must be the mandolin; it just sounds like a folkie instrument, I guess. So I was amused when I heard this track and noted the pronounced presence of a mandolin. Also a new tune for me, it’s another slow love song with a very natural sound to it. The chorus includes some nice harmony as well. “Now I know how the river feels when it reaches the sea. It finally finds the place it was always meant to be.”
Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me - He sounds young in Dream Lover, but that’s nothing compared to this. Am I just imagining this? I think he sounds about 16; his voice seems higher and even a little squeaky at points. The interesting thing is that both of these songs are on the later CD, not on the first. I presume they were all recorded about the same time, in Clay’s early 20s. So I don’t know why he seems so much younger here; maybe he’s just trying to convey youthful naivety in these two songs. At any rate, I like this track a lot. I always thought the song was much older, perhaps from the 30s, but it apparently was from the late 50s or 60s. It has a sort of overdramatic simplicity to it that is very endearing, and the internal rhyme is pretty nifty. “Kiss me, kiss me, when you do I know that you will miss me, miss me, if we ever say adieu…”
She Said Yes - A very slow and sweet country song, and also a new one for me. It only has two verses, but they parallel one another nicely. First, it’s a shy young man working up the nerve to ask a girl to dance; later, it’s that same man asking, this time with much greater conviction, that same lady to marry him. Clay does a really nice job with country tunes, and this gentle tune shows off his lower range and suits him well. “They won’t let go; it’s beyond their control. They lit a flame with the match God had made when she said yes.”
I Will Be Here - I have a hunch I heard this song before I encountered Clay’s version, because there was something very familiar about it. Also by Steven Curtis Chapman, whom Clay has identified as a favorite artist, it’s a gorgeous love song, one which I believe he has performed at a number of weddings. Very quiet and contemplative, soft enough throughout most of it to be a lullabye, and deeply religious in nature as well. This is definitely one of my favorite of Clay’s demo tracks, and I’m very glad to have discovered it. “You can cry on my shoulder; when the mirror tells us we’re older, I will hold you… I will be true to the promise I have made to you and to the One who gave you to me.”
My Girl - Another very upbeat song, one of the most well-known songs on his demo albums. Again, he’s in his stride, sounding like he is having a grand old time and adding his trademark extended notes to the chorus to add his own flavor to the song. It’s hard to beat the Temptations, but Clay gives them a run for their money! “I’ve got sunshine on a cloudy day. When it’s cold outside I’ve got the month of May. I guess you say what can make me feel this way? My girl!”
Not Supposed to Love You Anymore - Another country song I never heard of before. Clay does a great job here of sounding like an anguished fella who has lost the love of his life. He’s going through a divorce, and instead of feeling liberated from a woman who doesn’t appreciate him, he can only feel misery because of what he has lost. “I shouldn’t care or wonder where or how you are, but I can’t hide this hurt inside my broken heart.”
Unchained Melody - Each of the American Idol semi-finalists had to fill out a questionnaire answering a number of questions about themselves. One was their favorite song to sing. When I saw that Clay’s favorite song to sing was Unchained Melody, I swooned along with several hundred other gals and kept my fingers crossed that he’d sing it in one of the last two shows, assuming (as I did) that he would get that far. I figured he was saving it for a big finish, which he basically did; it was his final song on the second-to-the-last night, and he blew everybody (except Simon :( ) away. What’s more, he revealed that this was his mom’s favorite song. Awwww!!! The difficult thing about this song is that the Righteous Brothers produced the definitive version of Unchained Melody, a perfect record. I do not believe it can be improved upon, and that includes Clay. He nonetheless does an admirable job, plowing through the song with gusto. He does perhaps make it a bit too “snappy,” as my brother complains, but it works. I love his version except for one small grumble: almost every time he says the word “to,” it comes out sounding like “tOW,” which is rather grating on the ears. He seems to have worked on this, though, as his live performance of the song is virtually free of this ideosyncracy. This is one of the greatest love songs of all time, and it’s great to hear Clay take a crack at it. “Oh, my love, my darlin’, I’ve hungered for your touch a long, lonely time. And time goes by so slowly, and time can do so much. Are you still mine?”
Blood Will Never Lose Its Power - This song, another I had never heard before, has a definite Gospel feel to it. It’s another clearly Christian song talking about the redemptive power of Christ and how it remains just as strong no matter what. Upbeat and full of conviction, it’s a nice song and has a sound that is unique to his demos. Also accentuates one of his vocal oddities: he has a very odd way of saying words with an “o” in them. In this case, the “ou” in “mountain” sounds more like a long “a,” but only for a split second, producing a very strange vowel indeed. Just one of Clay’s lovable quirks… “It reaches to the highest mountain. It flows to the lowest valley. The blood that gives me strength from day to day, it will never lose its power.”
Go the Distance - When I first saw that Clay sang this song, I was psyched because I think the theme song from Hercules is one of the prettiest in the recent Disney canon. I was really looking forward to hearing him sing it, so I was disappointed to discover that this was a totally different song that happened to have the same title. I still like the Hercules song better, but this one is also good. It’s a Christian song about how Christ was willing to go the distance for all his people, so we should be too. It encourages Christians to get out there and accept the Great Commission. “Even though I could choose the path of least resistance, Father, I will take the cross. I will go the distance.”
In Not Of - This song is mainly saying the same thing as the last song, but I don’t think it’s as successful. It just doesn’t appeal to me much for some reason, and I would list it as my least favorite Clay track. The instrumentation is heavy on the electric guitar and isn’t terribly melodic, and the message goes against itself and winds up sounding very sanctimonious – at least in my opinion. The idea is that Christians should not shield themselves from the rest of the world but should immerse themselves in it, embracing sinners and bringing them to Christ. I’m not sure why, but it just comes across to me as much too high-and-mighty – we’re too good for the rest of the world but lets try to save them from themselves. Or maybe it’s just me. It’s probably time I listened to it a couple more times… “Come take the Light to darker parts. Share His truth with hardened hearts. We are not like the world, but we can love it.”
Love of My Life - A very romantic Christian love song which Clay sings with passion. It’s hard to believe from all these songs that Clay has never been in a really serious romantic relationship. You wouldn’t know it from how he performs tunes like this. A beautiful number, with lots of poetic lyrics. “Now here we are, midnight closin’ in. Take my hand as our shadows dance with moonlight on your skin.”
Open Arms - I saved the best for last. This is the one that made me a certified Clayniac. And the weird thing is, I missed the beginning of his performance! I was very upset that I had missed part of it, but I came in during the middle of the chorus and my jaw dropped. He just floored me with this song, and I spent the next three weeks trying to get a clip of it. I would up finding the demo before I found the live performance. While I think the live performance of DLTSGDOM is better than the studio version, I think the studio version of Open Arms exceeds the live version, much as that impressed me. I mentioned that the Righteous Brothers had a perfect recording with Unchained Melody, and the same was the case with Simon and Garfunkel and Bridge Over Troubled Water. Bummer for Clay as these were his closing showstoppers of the second-to-last and last Tuesday on the show, but he did as well as he possibly could have. In this case, I believe Clay’s recording is the perfect one, improving upon the original. It sends shivers up my spine. The dynamic variation on this track is impressive; he starts out very quiet and works his way up to the chorus gradually. The first verse is rather quiet and melancholy, the second more pure anguish. It has the sort of dynamics that contributed so much to the success of the original version of Bridge. The instrumentation goes perfectly with his voice and the dynamics of the song, and it all comes together for a stunning performance. I get chills every time I hear him slide from the end of the first verse into the chorus. Absolutely masterful. My only complaint? That darn pronunciation again. I just can’t figure out what he’s doing with the word “nothing” in the chorus. It sounds like “wanting” to me, and I really, try as I might, can’t get it to sound like “nothing.” But it’s only a second long, and easy to overlook given the high quality of this track overall. I play this song more than any other of Clay’s. Well done. “We sailed on together, we drifted apart. Now here you are by my side. So now I come to you with open arms, nothing to hide. Believe what I say.”
Believe what I say, you will be missing out if you don’t give some of these tracks a try. I wish I could purchase his demo albums legitimately, but until that is a viable option (and I’m sorry, I’m not paying $200 for a copy on E-Bay) I am grateful to have access to these recordings. They are worth listening to over and over, and they prove that Clay was a star long before American Idol.
Tuesday, August 19, 2003
The Sun Won't Be Going Down on Elton for a Long Time
I haven’t always been a huge Elton John fan, but I started to develop an appreciation for his music around the time The Lion King
came out. We had several of his records, and I no doubt had listened to
them at some point, but it was really Disney that turned me on to Elton
John. Well, and my brother Benjamin. He was, at one point, just as
obsessed with Elton John as I am with Simon and Garfunkel – though he’ll
deny it heartily now - so we listened to a lot of Elton around out
house. This Greatest Hits album contains most of my favorite songs of his, other than
those from The Lion King, of course.
Your Song - I just learned that this was Elton’s first big hit. It was the first Elton song my dad ever heard (back when it first hit the US airwaves), and it was the first Elton song Benjamin learned to play on his guitar. This beautiful love song features gorgeous piano accompaniment and tender lyrics, showing a man who is deeply in love and struggling for the adequate means to express his affection. “I know it’s not much, but it’s the best I can do. My gift is my song, and this one’s for you… I hope you don’t mind that I put down in words how wonderful life is while you’re in the world.” I don’t know about her, but I don’t mind at all!
Daniel - This song seems to have a touch of a calypso feel to it. It’s a very nice song, a tribute to the speaker’s older brother who is “travelin’ tonight on a plane,” and he is sorry to see him go. “I miss Daniel, oh I miss him so much.” I’ve also heard Anne Murray do a nice cover of this song.
Honky Cat - This one is upbeat and rather raucous, with Elton really tearing up the keyboard. It’s the tale of a young man from out in the country looking for a new life in the city despite being discouraged from this course of action by everyone he knows. “They said get back honky cat, better get back to the woods. Well, I quit those days and my redneck ways and, oh, the change is gonna do me good.”
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road - Really great, dynamic song, sorta the opposite of Honky Cat in that this is a guy fed up with the cynicism of big city life and looking for an escape to a simpler way of living. “So goodbye yellow brick road where the dogs of society howl. You can’t plant me in your penthouse. I’m going back to my plough. Back to the howling old owl in the woods, hunting the horny back toad. Oh, I’ve finally decided my future lies beyond the yellow brick road.” His wistful, high-pitched “ah-ah-ah”s leading into and out of the chorus add an especially nice touch to the song. His upper register gets a good workout on this song, and he sounds just as great on the high notes as on the lower ones.
Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting - The loudest song on the album, he’s half-screaming throughout. He’s a young guy full of energy looking for a release now that it’s the weekend. He’s going to get himself good and drunk and make as much trouble as possible. “It’s 7:00 and I wanna rock, wanna get a belly full of beer.”
Rocket Man (I Think It’s Going to Be a Long Long Time - Elton goes astronomical with this pensive soliloquy by an astronaut missing his family as he’s hurtling through space. At least I’ve always taken it at face value; I suppose he could be speaking metaphorically. Either way, it’s a nice song. “I think it’s gonna be a long, long time till touch-down brings me ‘round again to find I’m not the man they think I am at home.”
Bennie and the Jets - A slower song, but not pretty; it’s a hip tune where he pounds out the chords with acute articulation. A song about going to see a rock band. For some reason I thought for years that it was about baseball; who knows where I got that idea? “Oh but they're weird and they're wonderful. Oh, Bennie, she's really keen. She's got electric boots a mohair suit. You know I read it in a magazine.”
Candle in the Wind - A really beautiful song, though also with an axe to grind. I actually prefer the tribute to Princess Diana with its gentle lyrics, elegant piano, and swooping violins, not to mention the depth of emotion apparent in Elton’s vocals. But this original hit, a tribute to Marilyn Monroe, is a great song. While he sings of his admiration for her (“I would have liked to have loved you, but I was just a kid. Your candle burned out long before your legend ever did.”), he spends a majority of the time focusing on how she was misunderstood and abused. “Even when you died, oh, the press still hounded you. All the papers had to say was that Marilyn was found in the nude.” The electric guitar adds a harsh tone that underscores the lyrics.
Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me - I’ve always liked this song, but since it was the song that won Clay Aiken the popular vote in American Idol’s Wild Card show and turned him from an underdog to a teen idol, it’s become one of my very favorite Elton tunes. In my opinion, Clay’s live version of the song, that segment anyway, exceeds even Elton John’s vocals. Definitely one of his finest moments on the show… but I digress. Elton sounds fantastic on this pleading love song, and I love the piano introduction. It’s a dynamic song, starting off rather quiet and building up to the chorus with increased intensity. Some really nice lyrics too. “I can’t light no more of your darkness. All my pictures seem to fade to black and white. I’m growin’ tired, and time stands still before me, frozen here on the ladder of my life.”
Border Song - A slow, rather mournful-sounding song. The speaker is tired of all the prejudice and injustice in the world and just wants to see some peace. “Holy Moses, I have been deceived. Holy Moses, let us live in peace. Let us strive to find a way to make all hatred cease.”
Crocodile Rock - One of Elton’s most enjoyable songs, it is very upbeat and recalls a time when life and music were both a little simpler. It’s nostalgic and, though there is some mourning the loss of the way things were, it focuses on the joy of those memories rather than the loss. Reminds me a bit of American Pie in its yearning for an earlier time in musical history. Very fun song. “Croc rockin’ was somethin’ shockin’ when your feet just can’t keep still. I never knew me a better time and I guess I never will.” I always get a kick out of singing along with his “la la la”s on the chorus, though I always wind up sounding like Charlie Brown’s teacher, much to the annoyance of my brother…
Well, that’s it for Elton. These are only a few of his big hits, of course, but it’s a very good representation of his best work. Great for long-time fans or those just looking to see what this pop star with the funny glasses is all about.
Your Song - I just learned that this was Elton’s first big hit. It was the first Elton song my dad ever heard (back when it first hit the US airwaves), and it was the first Elton song Benjamin learned to play on his guitar. This beautiful love song features gorgeous piano accompaniment and tender lyrics, showing a man who is deeply in love and struggling for the adequate means to express his affection. “I know it’s not much, but it’s the best I can do. My gift is my song, and this one’s for you… I hope you don’t mind that I put down in words how wonderful life is while you’re in the world.” I don’t know about her, but I don’t mind at all!
Daniel - This song seems to have a touch of a calypso feel to it. It’s a very nice song, a tribute to the speaker’s older brother who is “travelin’ tonight on a plane,” and he is sorry to see him go. “I miss Daniel, oh I miss him so much.” I’ve also heard Anne Murray do a nice cover of this song.
Honky Cat - This one is upbeat and rather raucous, with Elton really tearing up the keyboard. It’s the tale of a young man from out in the country looking for a new life in the city despite being discouraged from this course of action by everyone he knows. “They said get back honky cat, better get back to the woods. Well, I quit those days and my redneck ways and, oh, the change is gonna do me good.”
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road - Really great, dynamic song, sorta the opposite of Honky Cat in that this is a guy fed up with the cynicism of big city life and looking for an escape to a simpler way of living. “So goodbye yellow brick road where the dogs of society howl. You can’t plant me in your penthouse. I’m going back to my plough. Back to the howling old owl in the woods, hunting the horny back toad. Oh, I’ve finally decided my future lies beyond the yellow brick road.” His wistful, high-pitched “ah-ah-ah”s leading into and out of the chorus add an especially nice touch to the song. His upper register gets a good workout on this song, and he sounds just as great on the high notes as on the lower ones.
Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting - The loudest song on the album, he’s half-screaming throughout. He’s a young guy full of energy looking for a release now that it’s the weekend. He’s going to get himself good and drunk and make as much trouble as possible. “It’s 7:00 and I wanna rock, wanna get a belly full of beer.”
Rocket Man (I Think It’s Going to Be a Long Long Time - Elton goes astronomical with this pensive soliloquy by an astronaut missing his family as he’s hurtling through space. At least I’ve always taken it at face value; I suppose he could be speaking metaphorically. Either way, it’s a nice song. “I think it’s gonna be a long, long time till touch-down brings me ‘round again to find I’m not the man they think I am at home.”
Bennie and the Jets - A slower song, but not pretty; it’s a hip tune where he pounds out the chords with acute articulation. A song about going to see a rock band. For some reason I thought for years that it was about baseball; who knows where I got that idea? “Oh but they're weird and they're wonderful. Oh, Bennie, she's really keen. She's got electric boots a mohair suit. You know I read it in a magazine.”
Candle in the Wind - A really beautiful song, though also with an axe to grind. I actually prefer the tribute to Princess Diana with its gentle lyrics, elegant piano, and swooping violins, not to mention the depth of emotion apparent in Elton’s vocals. But this original hit, a tribute to Marilyn Monroe, is a great song. While he sings of his admiration for her (“I would have liked to have loved you, but I was just a kid. Your candle burned out long before your legend ever did.”), he spends a majority of the time focusing on how she was misunderstood and abused. “Even when you died, oh, the press still hounded you. All the papers had to say was that Marilyn was found in the nude.” The electric guitar adds a harsh tone that underscores the lyrics.
Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me - I’ve always liked this song, but since it was the song that won Clay Aiken the popular vote in American Idol’s Wild Card show and turned him from an underdog to a teen idol, it’s become one of my very favorite Elton tunes. In my opinion, Clay’s live version of the song, that segment anyway, exceeds even Elton John’s vocals. Definitely one of his finest moments on the show… but I digress. Elton sounds fantastic on this pleading love song, and I love the piano introduction. It’s a dynamic song, starting off rather quiet and building up to the chorus with increased intensity. Some really nice lyrics too. “I can’t light no more of your darkness. All my pictures seem to fade to black and white. I’m growin’ tired, and time stands still before me, frozen here on the ladder of my life.”
Border Song - A slow, rather mournful-sounding song. The speaker is tired of all the prejudice and injustice in the world and just wants to see some peace. “Holy Moses, I have been deceived. Holy Moses, let us live in peace. Let us strive to find a way to make all hatred cease.”
Crocodile Rock - One of Elton’s most enjoyable songs, it is very upbeat and recalls a time when life and music were both a little simpler. It’s nostalgic and, though there is some mourning the loss of the way things were, it focuses on the joy of those memories rather than the loss. Reminds me a bit of American Pie in its yearning for an earlier time in musical history. Very fun song. “Croc rockin’ was somethin’ shockin’ when your feet just can’t keep still. I never knew me a better time and I guess I never will.” I always get a kick out of singing along with his “la la la”s on the chorus, though I always wind up sounding like Charlie Brown’s teacher, much to the annoyance of my brother…
Well, that’s it for Elton. These are only a few of his big hits, of course, but it’s a very good representation of his best work. Great for long-time fans or those just looking to see what this pop star with the funny glasses is all about.
Monday, August 18, 2003
Alapalooza - Parody Lovers' Paradise
Around the time I was in eighth grade, my brother’s buddies introduced
him to an off-the-wall singer by the name of Weird Al Yankovic. As my
then-11-year-old brother’s fascination with Al increased, my irritation
level rose. Any new music Benjamin was bringing into the house, I
stubbornly decided, could not be a good thing. But, gosh darn it, Al
wore me down. And after that, there was no turning back…
Amish Paradise - The song that started it all for both Benjamin and me. I had actually heard Gangsta’s Paradise before, so I knew right away what this song was a take-off on. It’s a rap, though pretty “soft” as rap goes. I usually can’t stand even hearing rap (and Al’s new Eminem parody unsurprisingly gives me a bit of a headache), but this I can deal with. And I’ve always been fascinated by the Amish. It’s not exactly a reverent look at the life of these hard-working, old-fashioned, deeply religious Dutchmen, but it does touch on many aspects of Amish life and is also pretty darn funny.
The song is filled with wry comments such as “we’re gonna party like it’s 1699,” “we haven’t even paid a phone bill in 300 years,” “we’re just technologically impaired,” “I never wear buttons but I’ve got a cool hat and my homies agree I really look good in black,” and “I know I’m a million times as humble as thou art.” It also includes a nod to Gilligan’s Island with the line “no phone, no lights, no motorcar, not a single luxury; like Robinson Crusoe, it’s primitive as can be” popping up in one of the choruses. Top-notch.
Everything You Know is Wrong - This one just came out Al’s convoluted brain all by itself, melody included. Very fast-paced and ridiculously random, this song leaves me in stitches every time. It includes a number of pop culture references, including “the floating, disembodied head of Colonel Sanders,” “aliens from space who kinda looked like Jamie Farr,” Golden Grahams, and a Nehru jacket of which St. Peter does not approve. It’s a wild and crazy journey beginning with a wolverine in the narrator’s underwear and ending in an unsavory section of Heaven next to a noisy ice machine. Al’s voice is pitched at an especially whiny level here, and it adds to the hilarity.
Cavity Search - This parody of U2’s Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me has sent cold shivers down my spine on more than one occasion. The mood is loud, chaotic, horrifying. I, like many others out there, hate going to the dentist, and this song, complete with its arsenal of sound effects, is enough to make me ill at ease. The drill is especially unsettling. “Numb me, drill me, floss me, bill me.” Doesn’t sound like fun to me! Good parody, but it gives me the willies…
Callin’ In Sick - Another Al original, this one details all the great things that can be done with the day spent playing hooky from work. “Freedom’s just seven digits away,” the speaker declares, though his ideas for filling up his glorious free time are less than exciting. Shining pennies? Burping Tupperware? Making a tapestry of belly button lint? Wow. As languid as Everything You Know is Wrong is manic, this one’s not quite as absurd but still pretty fun.
The Alternative Polka - I have to admit, this one irritates the heck outta me. It’s just a long list of snippets from then-current songs strung together and sung at a different tempo. For me, it’s long, boring, and headache-inducing.
Since You’ve Been Gone - Short and sweet (or not so sweet), this more than makes up for the regrettable polka. This Al original is a fifties-style ditty with some nice back-up vocals. Very pleasant to listen to. The lyrics are increasingly violent and ultimately ironic. This poor guy is just miserable since his girlfriend/wife’s departure, and he demonstrates the depths of his despair in graphic terms. He compares his pain to chewing on tinfoil, sticking his hand in a blender and turning it on, having a cactus shoved up his nose, and getting a permanent ice cream headache. A surprise twist at the end makes the song all the more enjoyable.
Gump - A case in which the parody makes a lot more sense than the original. Presidents of the USA? I always was quick to point out that spelled out POTUSA. I humbly submit they were using pot, or perhaps something stronger, when composing Lump. My analysis: huh? Gump, however, is a great song poking fun at one of my favorite movies, just out in the theaters at that time. It’s basically a quick plot overview with a few soundbytes thrown in, but it definitely works. “Sittin’ on a bench with his hands in his pockets, he just kept sayin’ ‘Life is like a box of chocolates.”
I’m So Sick of You - Another Al original, and he sounds irritated. He’s stuck with the most aggravating gal on the planet, and he just can’t take it anymore. Her habits include drinking milk out of the carton and biting her toenails, and she boasts such traits as extreme body odor and yellow teeth. Includes some sly self-censoring: “You don’t have an ounce of class, you’re just one big pain in the neck.” An entertaining rant.
Syndicated, Inc. - This parody of Soul Asylum’s Misery is pretty miserable sounding. Perhaps it’s the drone of a man who has spent too much time in front of the television, as this person certainly has. Basically a listing of several syndicated shows, the song pokes fun at people who base their lives around a TV schedule. Show nods include Jeopardy, M*A*S*H (my favorite!), The Munsters, The Partridge Family and Laverne and Shirley.
I Remember Larry - A rather grotesque Al original. Fairly upbeat throughout most of the song, the tone slows towards the end as the speaker exacts vengeance on a neighbor fond of playing cruel and elaborate tricks on him. With such pranks as Nair shampoo, Ex-Lax brownies, and severed cars under his belt, it’s no wonder Larry has made a few enemies, but the ending is rather unnecessarily violent. The chorus is a cover for all the dreadful occurrences listed in the verses. Larry clearly was not a very funny guy, at least to his victims. And the speaker will not forget about Larry, but it won’t be good memories he is carrying.
Phony Calls - This parody of TLC’s Waterfalls makes use of clips of Bart Simpson’s classic phone pranks on Moe, enhancing an already song. The speaker is a cantankerous person who has been bothered often by crank callers. Someone with whom the gullible bartender Bart keeps fooling could definitely sympathize. Or maybe it’s even supposed to be him. At any rate, the song references the classic “Is your refrigerator running?” gag as well as a couple others and serves as a warning to unruly youths out to have some fun at the expense of adults: “If they ever figured out where you were callin’ ‘em from, they’d come and bust your head right in with a ratchet.”
The Night Santa Went Crazy - The album concludes with yet another Al original, and a pretty gruesome one at that. There are two versions of this song in existence because the first is simply too violent for most people’s tastes. The song begins innocently with a music box-like accompaniment for the opening, but that soon changes as Santa bursts in on the working elves and begins his rampage, killing and destroying whoever and whatever he can get his hands on. “Merry Christmas to all! Now you’re all gonna die!” The reindeer suffer an especially dire fate. Not a very cheery Christmas song, and a tad skewered for my tastes, though my brother loves it.
Well, that’s the album. I don’t love every song here, but most of them keep me in stitches. They are occasionally a little crude, but for the most part it’s pretty clean fun. Weird Al is hilarious, and I’m glad Benjamin brought him home after all.
Amish Paradise - The song that started it all for both Benjamin and me. I had actually heard Gangsta’s Paradise before, so I knew right away what this song was a take-off on. It’s a rap, though pretty “soft” as rap goes. I usually can’t stand even hearing rap (and Al’s new Eminem parody unsurprisingly gives me a bit of a headache), but this I can deal with. And I’ve always been fascinated by the Amish. It’s not exactly a reverent look at the life of these hard-working, old-fashioned, deeply religious Dutchmen, but it does touch on many aspects of Amish life and is also pretty darn funny.
The song is filled with wry comments such as “we’re gonna party like it’s 1699,” “we haven’t even paid a phone bill in 300 years,” “we’re just technologically impaired,” “I never wear buttons but I’ve got a cool hat and my homies agree I really look good in black,” and “I know I’m a million times as humble as thou art.” It also includes a nod to Gilligan’s Island with the line “no phone, no lights, no motorcar, not a single luxury; like Robinson Crusoe, it’s primitive as can be” popping up in one of the choruses. Top-notch.
Everything You Know is Wrong - This one just came out Al’s convoluted brain all by itself, melody included. Very fast-paced and ridiculously random, this song leaves me in stitches every time. It includes a number of pop culture references, including “the floating, disembodied head of Colonel Sanders,” “aliens from space who kinda looked like Jamie Farr,” Golden Grahams, and a Nehru jacket of which St. Peter does not approve. It’s a wild and crazy journey beginning with a wolverine in the narrator’s underwear and ending in an unsavory section of Heaven next to a noisy ice machine. Al’s voice is pitched at an especially whiny level here, and it adds to the hilarity.
Cavity Search - This parody of U2’s Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me has sent cold shivers down my spine on more than one occasion. The mood is loud, chaotic, horrifying. I, like many others out there, hate going to the dentist, and this song, complete with its arsenal of sound effects, is enough to make me ill at ease. The drill is especially unsettling. “Numb me, drill me, floss me, bill me.” Doesn’t sound like fun to me! Good parody, but it gives me the willies…
Callin’ In Sick - Another Al original, this one details all the great things that can be done with the day spent playing hooky from work. “Freedom’s just seven digits away,” the speaker declares, though his ideas for filling up his glorious free time are less than exciting. Shining pennies? Burping Tupperware? Making a tapestry of belly button lint? Wow. As languid as Everything You Know is Wrong is manic, this one’s not quite as absurd but still pretty fun.
The Alternative Polka - I have to admit, this one irritates the heck outta me. It’s just a long list of snippets from then-current songs strung together and sung at a different tempo. For me, it’s long, boring, and headache-inducing.
Since You’ve Been Gone - Short and sweet (or not so sweet), this more than makes up for the regrettable polka. This Al original is a fifties-style ditty with some nice back-up vocals. Very pleasant to listen to. The lyrics are increasingly violent and ultimately ironic. This poor guy is just miserable since his girlfriend/wife’s departure, and he demonstrates the depths of his despair in graphic terms. He compares his pain to chewing on tinfoil, sticking his hand in a blender and turning it on, having a cactus shoved up his nose, and getting a permanent ice cream headache. A surprise twist at the end makes the song all the more enjoyable.
Gump - A case in which the parody makes a lot more sense than the original. Presidents of the USA? I always was quick to point out that spelled out POTUSA. I humbly submit they were using pot, or perhaps something stronger, when composing Lump. My analysis: huh? Gump, however, is a great song poking fun at one of my favorite movies, just out in the theaters at that time. It’s basically a quick plot overview with a few soundbytes thrown in, but it definitely works. “Sittin’ on a bench with his hands in his pockets, he just kept sayin’ ‘Life is like a box of chocolates.”
I’m So Sick of You - Another Al original, and he sounds irritated. He’s stuck with the most aggravating gal on the planet, and he just can’t take it anymore. Her habits include drinking milk out of the carton and biting her toenails, and she boasts such traits as extreme body odor and yellow teeth. Includes some sly self-censoring: “You don’t have an ounce of class, you’re just one big pain in the neck.” An entertaining rant.
Syndicated, Inc. - This parody of Soul Asylum’s Misery is pretty miserable sounding. Perhaps it’s the drone of a man who has spent too much time in front of the television, as this person certainly has. Basically a listing of several syndicated shows, the song pokes fun at people who base their lives around a TV schedule. Show nods include Jeopardy, M*A*S*H (my favorite!), The Munsters, The Partridge Family and Laverne and Shirley.
I Remember Larry - A rather grotesque Al original. Fairly upbeat throughout most of the song, the tone slows towards the end as the speaker exacts vengeance on a neighbor fond of playing cruel and elaborate tricks on him. With such pranks as Nair shampoo, Ex-Lax brownies, and severed cars under his belt, it’s no wonder Larry has made a few enemies, but the ending is rather unnecessarily violent. The chorus is a cover for all the dreadful occurrences listed in the verses. Larry clearly was not a very funny guy, at least to his victims. And the speaker will not forget about Larry, but it won’t be good memories he is carrying.
Phony Calls - This parody of TLC’s Waterfalls makes use of clips of Bart Simpson’s classic phone pranks on Moe, enhancing an already song. The speaker is a cantankerous person who has been bothered often by crank callers. Someone with whom the gullible bartender Bart keeps fooling could definitely sympathize. Or maybe it’s even supposed to be him. At any rate, the song references the classic “Is your refrigerator running?” gag as well as a couple others and serves as a warning to unruly youths out to have some fun at the expense of adults: “If they ever figured out where you were callin’ ‘em from, they’d come and bust your head right in with a ratchet.”
The Night Santa Went Crazy - The album concludes with yet another Al original, and a pretty gruesome one at that. There are two versions of this song in existence because the first is simply too violent for most people’s tastes. The song begins innocently with a music box-like accompaniment for the opening, but that soon changes as Santa bursts in on the working elves and begins his rampage, killing and destroying whoever and whatever he can get his hands on. “Merry Christmas to all! Now you’re all gonna die!” The reindeer suffer an especially dire fate. Not a very cheery Christmas song, and a tad skewered for my tastes, though my brother loves it.
Well, that’s the album. I don’t love every song here, but most of them keep me in stitches. They are occasionally a little crude, but for the most part it’s pretty clean fun. Weird Al is hilarious, and I’m glad Benjamin brought him home after all.
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