Alison Moyet - Hometime album review
Alison Moyet - Hometime was one of the more overlooked dark pop albums of 2002 which used a tangent of jazz music but not much. The romantic love songs that are on this album are sophisticated and too many people will understand her style of songwriting. Only mature educated audiences will understand her style of songwriting. That is what is needed to really enjoy listening to this album.
If You Don’t Come Back to Me explained if Alison’s lover did not come back to her that she would not shed a tear.
If Alison’s lover did not come back to her, he will have saved her goodbyes. She won't lose a minute of sleep. Recovering what they made and meant not to keep. Alison won't measure by him every man that she sees. When and if by chance they meet, Alison will pass him by and not care if he is watching her.
Something's lost, something's found. And she won't hit the ground if he never came back to her. Life is sweet. Losing him more than loving him meant more to Alison. How it spins her around. Outside vermillion skies ease the ties. Why wrap it up so precisely?
The Train I Ride explained how Alison protected her lover with her sense of security. The song explored and explained her reluctance of letting go of her lover. Pain and tension are the themes and moods of/for the song.
Alison has been keeping her lover safe inside for the longest time. She’s being trying to keep the paper kisses he signs alive. And even now when anybody breathes his name she is prepared to feel that pain. Bearing down like the train coming through in a minute. It's one long ride an inch too far. Oh it's war, it's farce, it's cinema.
The louder you scream, the faster you go. The more that you learn the less that you know. Alison brought a ticket and there's no way she can ride but alone. But somewhere it stops and that's letting go. She didn't want to be right tonight. He was out of line.
Alison made a meal of this mess of hers for the very last time. And one day when he stumbles, she won't break his fall. It won't hurt any more. But she’ll ride on the train coming through in a minute. The train she rides won't always run. But it's going to stop and that's letting go that make it hard for her to let go.
Bilan is a French love song that is sung and performed in the French language by Alison Moyet. The song was about worn out love that overstayed its welcome. And it should have been better. It's the choice Alison made. It's his disinterest and her indifference. The song explained why Alison was hesitant to leave her current lover.
These were the lyrics that were sung in French.
Bilan Lyrics
C'est notre amour usé
C'est ton nom ridicule
C'est le bruit quand tu manges
Tes cadeaux débiles
C'est notre progéniture
C'est toi que je fatigue
C'est toi et c'est moi
Et c'aurait dû etre mieux
C'est le choix que j'ai fait
C'est la fée que tu chois
C'est ton désintérèt
Et mon indifference
C'est ta chanson ringarde
La porte que tu fermes
C'est toi et c'est moi
Et c'aurait dû etre mieux
Ce son des heures, et des jours
Passés à balancer; je m'en vais, je l'aime, je pars, je reste
Hésitante
C'est le noir du brulé
Le mégot dans l'évier
Ce sont les habitudes qui nous anesthésient
C'est ta dent ébréchée
Pour notre premier baiser
C'est toi et c'est moi
Voilà, c'est comme ça
Si je pouvais dire tout, se je pouvais dire
Tout ce qui m'étouffe, vraiment tout
Ce sont des heures, es des jours
Passés à balancer; je m'en vais, je l'aime, je pars, je reste
Hésitante
These were the lyrics that were sung in English.
It's our worn out love
That's your ridiculous name
It's the noise when you eat
Your stupid gifts
It's our offspring
It's you that I tire
It's you and it's me
And it should have been better
It's the choice I made
It's the fairy you choose
It's your disinterest
And my indifference
This is your corny song
The door you close
It's you and it's me
And it should have been better
This sound of hours, and days
Passed to swing; I’m leaving, I love it, I'm leaving, I’m staying
Hesitant
It's the black of the burned
The cigarette butt in the sink
It's the habits that anesthetize us
It's your chipped tooth
For our first kiss
It's you and it's me
There you go, that's how it is
If I could say everything, if I could say
Everything that chokes me, really everything
They are hours, they are days
Passed to swing; I’m leaving, I love it, I'm leaving, I’m staying
Hesitant
5/5*****!
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AKB48 - 桜の花びらたち 2008 (Sakura no Hanabiratachi 2008) single review
AKB48 - 桜の花びらたち 2008 (Sakura no Hanabiratachi 2008) is one of the lesser known J-Pop singles from 2008 that was produced by 秋元康 (Yasushi Akimoto). All of the songs revolves around the subject of high school graduation and the transition from childhood to adulthood. Or in this case girlhood to womanhood since AKB48 is an all female group.
桜の花びらたち 2008 (Sakura no Hanabiratachi 2008) is about life after high school graduation and the memories of a student who was once a high school student. The transition from childhood to adulthood. Or in this case girlhood to womanhood. The song revolves around the subject of high school graduation.
Her bright sun shines by the window of the classroom. Just a few more spring calendars until the high school graduation ceremony happens. If you look around during class, they are wearing the same uniform. Her friends look like adults.
Let's go on a journey to each future. Dream wings are growing on its back. When the cherry blossom petals bloom, somewhere the bell of hope rings. The bell of hope gives us the freedom and courage of tomorrow. When the cherry blossom petals bloom, somewhere someone is surely praying. Opening the door to a new world with your own hands. If you turn around, you'll find your way.
There were times when we fought, called, and cried. Times filled with joy and sorrow. For some reason she misses the days when she was troubled.
In the graduation photo, she smiles. The petals of tears are fluttering. Flow down these cheeks and start walking. She is looking up at the blue sky and taking a deep breath. As beautiful as the memories. Let's climb the adult stairs in front of us and wave our hands.
最後の制服 (Saigo no Seifuku) is about life after high school graduation. The transition from childhood to adulthood.
While that white cloud was swept away and torn to pieces. Like choosing each path in the blue sky. The windows of the same classroom. The days we looked at together. From tomorrow we will search for a different sky.
When the graduation ceremony ended, she took a deep breath and started crying. Sayonara friend. Every person starts a long way from this place once you leave the gate, step by step towards is a faraway dream. She won't forget today when she wore her last uniform.
Why are you taking pictures in the background of the old school building? The scenery that was taken for granted is now a treasure. On that day, the eastern connecting corridor where she handed over the letter. The art room where everyone cried, the landing where they played around. Swaying in the wind of March, like a branch of cherry blossoms waving
Everyone has a place to return to in their memories in hard times and sad times while looking back at the road they just came from. Everyone starts walking a long way from this place of theirs. She remembers the bright sunlight filtering through the trees that day. As she takes off her last uniform, her tears won't stop.
5/5*****!!
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Ruth Etting - It Happened In Monterey / Exactly Like You single review
Ruth Etting - It Happened In Monterey / Exactly Like You is one of the lesser known jazz pop singles of 1930 that went overlooked and flew under the music radar. Her soulful singing and jazzy vocals leave much to be desired.
It Happened In Monterey explained the monologue of how Ruth had got her heart broken by a Mexican cowboy in the country of Mexico. This Mexican cowboy broke Ruth’s heart. So she left him and threw away the key to paradise. However her indiscreet heart longs for the sweetheart that she left in old Monterey.
In Ruth’s imagination, she is finding consolation somewhere along the Rio Grande River. Sadly she is reminiscing that she is madly kissing again someone along the Rio Grande River.
It happened in Monterey, Mexico a long time ago. Ruth met him in Monterey in old Mexico. Stars, steel guitars, and luscious lips as red as wine broke somebody's heart. I'm afraid that it was her heart that was broken. Without thinking twice she left him and threw away the key to paradise. However her indiscreet heart longs for the sweetheart that she left in old Monterey. It was on a night like this in a little Spanish town when he held her in his arms and gave Ruth her my first kiss Her indiscreet heart longs for the sweetheart.
Exactly Like You explained how Ruth used to have a sweetheart that was liker her previous lover in a dream that she had.
Ruth used to have a perfect sweetheart. However this sweetheart was not a real one and only existed in her dream. A wonderful vision of them as a team. Can you imagine how she feels now?
Love is real now. It's ideal. He is just what she wanted. And now it's nice to live in paradise. She knows why she waited and knows why she has been blue. She prayed each night for someone exactly like him. He makes make her feel so grand. He seems to understand.
5/5*****!!
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MEG - LA JAPONAISE album review
MEG - LA JAPONAISE is a unique Japanese pop album with elements of electronic and swing jazz added. One could easily mistake this album as an electro swing album. Her album has the sexy provocative swing jazz song もってけ!セーラーふく (Take It! Sailor Clothes) (Motteke! Sailor Fuku). There are also love songs too.
Still Love Her (Lost Landscape) is about MEG wanting to send her love to her lover. The song discussed the memories her and her lover shared.
MEG wanted to sing because she couldn't express her thoughts. MEG wanted to send her lover her love. He doesn’t know where or what town she in. Even the reason she is there. If that time was in an old brick town. If she could be dyed, she wouldn't let him go.
Daily life begins across the park where time has stopped her heart. A double-decker bus overtakes. He invited MEG to go for a drive saying that the December constellations were the most beautiful. She used to look at the stars from the sunroof of her car. And he used to sing. Stare at the distant sky and play harmony. Bask in the winter sun.
Banana No Namida discussed how men’s feeling are strange and weird from a woman’s perspective.
Men's feelings strange and weird from a woman’s perspective. Even for MEG. She is in a bad mood when the bright red sunset falls. Even though the two of them came all the way to the beach. She used to talk like that. It can't be helped. He has banana tears glittering in his eyes banana tears. Now he is blaming MEG. What to do now.
She finds her squatting down on the sandy beach sulking. The reason is written with a big finger. It's okay to flirt like a lover even if she's not so sweet. MEG can't take care of him.
4/5****!!
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Jerry Garcia & David Grisman - Shady Grove album review
Jerry Garcia & David Grisman - Shady Grove is a folk album filled with classic American traditional folk songs and British sea shanties. The album is basically an American-British folk fusion. Fans of folk music will enjoy these American traditional folk songs and British sea shanties Jerry Garcia & David Grisman covered on this album.
Stealin’ is a traditional Appalachian folk song performed and sung in the bluegrass style/form. The song is a cover of the song Memphis Jug Band - Stealin’ from 1929. One can only guess or assume how this song became a love song.
These lyrics explain how these two are a match and are perfect for each other. “The woman I love she's just my height and size/A married girl, come to see me some time” These lyrics indicate that the man has dug himself deeper into the hole he dug. “You don't believe I'm sinking, look what a hole I'm in/Stealin', stealin', pretty momma don't you tell on me/I'm stealin' back to my same old used to be”
The Handsome Cabin Boy is a traditional sea shanty about a woman disguised as a cabin boy. The woman ends up getting pregnant. The crew treats her pregnancy is treated as a joke as the crew downplays the situation. The Handsome Cabin Boy one of a number of songs about girls impersonating sailors and heading off for a life on the briny.
A woman disguised as a cabin boy dressed herself in sailor's clothes and she was hired with a captain to serve him for a year. Her mind being bent for ramblin' all unto some foreign land.
The captain's wife being on board seemed to be in great joy. To think her husband had engaged such a handsome cabin boy. Now and then she'd slip him a kiss. And she would have liked to toy The captain found out the secret of the handsome cabin boy. Her lips they were like roses and her hair was always all in curls. The sailors often smiled and said, "She looks just like a girl."
But eating of the captain's biscuit, her color did destroy. The waist the handsome cabin boy did swell of pretty Nell.
It was in the Bay of Biscayne at France where their gallant ship ploughed. One night among the sailors was a fearful flurry and row. They tumbled from their hammocks for sleep. It did destroy the ship. They swore about the groaning of the handsome cabin boy.
The cabin boy did cry. "Oh doctor, dear. Oh doctor. My time has come. I am undone. surely I must die" The doctor came runnin' and smiling at the fun. To think a sailor lad should have a daughter or a son. The sailors, when they saw the joke, they all did stand and stare. child belonged to none of them. They solemnly swore. The captain's wife she says to him, "My dear, I wish you joy. For it's either you or me's betrayed the handsome cabin boy."
So each man took his tote of rum and drunk success to trade. And likewise to the cabin boy who was neither man nor maid. "Here's hoping wars don't rise again, our sailors to destroy And here's hoping for a jolly lot more like the handsome cabin boy."
Jackaroo is one of those antique British sea shanties. Jackaroo was about the daughter of a wealthy merchant in London, United Kingdom. The jackaroo had left his native country and gone sailing. He left his darling girl behind. She climbed on board a vessel to convey herself away to fight in a war and to find her lover. She went and looked around among the dead and she found her darling boy wounded. She picked him up all in her arms and carried him to town. After his wounds are healed by a physician, they become a married couple and get married.
There was a wealthy merchant in London, United Kingdom who was a jackaroo. A city where he did dwell. A jackaroo is a young man who works with sheep or cattle. He had a beautiful daughter. She had sweethearts a plenty and men of high degree. None but Jack the sailor was her only true love that could ever be.
Jackie's gone sailing with trouble on his mind. He's left his native country and his darling girl behind. She went down to a tailor's shop and dressed in man's array. She climbed on board a vessel to convey herself away.
She said, “Before you step on board, Sir, your name I'd like to know. She smiled all in her countenance. The man said, “They call me Jack A Roe.” He sees her waist is slender and her small fingers. Her cheeks are too red and rosy to face the cannonball. She knows his waist is slender and her fingers are small. But it would not make her tremble to see 10,000 fall.
The war was soon over. She went and looked around among the dead and she found her darling boy wounded. She picked him up all in her arms and carried him to town. She sent for a physician who quickly healed his wounds. After his wounds are healed by a physician, they become a married couple and get married.
Off to Sea Once More is a British sea shanty about a sailor named Jack Rack who gets very drunk and loses all his clothing once ashore. His hard-earned money is lost when a prostitute steals all his clothing. He is forced to accept a position on a whaling ship bound for the Arctic Sea. Jack Rack has to endure terrible conditions such as the freezing cold. The song urges sailors to avoid strong drink and the hard lifestyle that comes with it, and to "get married instead".
The sailor's name varies slightly in the different versions of the song, though typically he is named Jack Tarr, Jack Sprat, or Jack Wrack. The exact origins of the song can be traced to the English Merchant Navy, likely from the 1700 - 1900 period.
When this sailor named Jack Rack first came to Liverpool, England, he went upon a drinking spree and got drunk. Drunk as drunk could be. He spent his money too fast. When his money was all gone it was then he wanted more. Jack Rack vowed to never work at sea again. A man must be blind to make up his mind to go to sea once more.
Jack Rack spent the night with a prostitute named Angeline. Although he was too drunk to roll in bed. Angeline fled with his money and new watch in the morning. And as he roamed the streets about, the whores would all roar. Here comes Jack Rack. The young sailin' lad. He must go to sea once more.
As he was walking down the street, he met with Rapper Brown. Jack Rack asked for Rapper Brown to take him in and he looked at Jack Rack with a frown. He said, "Last time you was paid off with me you jobbed no score. But I'll take your advance and I'll give ya's a chance. And I'll send you to sea once more."
Jack Rack is bound for the Arctic seas aboard on a whaling ship. Where the cold winds blow through the frost and the snow and Jamaican rum would freeze. He had no hard weather gear for freeze weather conditions. The reason why he took a position on a whaling ship is because he lost all his money ashore. Some days they were catching whales me lads and some days they were catching none with a 20 foot oar cocked in their hands at 4 o'clock in the morning. It was then he wished that he was safe with the girls ashore
Take Jack’s advice. Don't go sleeping with no whores.Get married lads and have all night in. So you'll go to sea no more.
5/5*****!!
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Sabertooth Swing - Delta Bound album review
Sabertooth Swing explored new avenues in their album Sabertooth Swing - Delta Bound. They set an unprecedented trend in storytelling in swing jazz music. The album is filled with swinging ragtime jazz songs that are similar to ragtime jazz songs from the 1910s, 1920s, and the 1930s. The album gets deep by discussing history on songs such as Free Day and We’re A Very Young Country. These songs have political and historical value in them.
We’re A Very Young Country explained how the United States is a young country compared to over countries on planet Earth that have been in existence for several decades and several millenniums. We’re A Very Young Country explained the dark history about the United States of America such as genocide against Native Americans. The song was written from an “American perspective”. This is one of those songs that political and historical value in them. The song was narrated by Catholic religious sister Sister Helen Prejean.
The United States is a young country a very young country and violence has worked for us in the past. It began with the settling of this continent and the genocide against Native Americans Then was continued when we brought slaves over from the continent of Africa. Now we tend to blame the poor and see them as a criminal element instead of placing blame on the actual problems that caused them in the first place. We use coercion and violence to control them.
It’s part of a cultural understanding that says the only way to subdue evil is with violence. But it’s not part of human nature. Look at all thе countries in the world that don’t have thе death penalty. To some extent violence is part of our nature, but compassion is too. Seeking justice for everybody is also part of human nature.
The death penalty is the most important civil-rights issue of our time and is a politically symbolic issue. Because it says that the way we’re going to solve problems is by violence. It says that some among us are such a danger to who we are and what we stand for that they must be eliminated. To arrive at this mind-set, human beings have to flip a moral switch inside that says, “The Other is not human like us.” And so we can do whatever we want to them. And of course, the execution must be removed from the public eye. The chamber is behind prison walls. And we don’t hear about what goes on inside it.
Sister Helen Prejean discusses and explains how the death penalty is the most important civil-rights issue of our time and how the death penalty is a politically symbolic issue. This is discussed in Verses 2 and 3. For those who didn’t not know, Sister Helen Prejean is an opponent of the death penalty and is a leading advocate for the abolition of the death penalty.
[Verse 2]
It’s part of a cultural understanding
That says the only way to subdue evil is with violence
But it’s not part of human nature
Look at all thе countries in the world that don’t have thе death penalty
To some extent violence is part of our nature, but compassion is too
Seeking justice for everybody is also part of human nature
[Verse 3]
The death penalty is the most important civil-rights issue of our time
It’s a politically symbolic issue
Because it says that the way we’re going to solve problems is by violence
It says that some among us are such a danger to who we are and what we stand for
That they must be eliminated
To arrive at this mind-set, human beings have to flip a moral switch inside that says
“The Other is not human like us”
And so we can do whatever we want to them
And of course, the execution must be removed from the public eye
The chamber is behind prison walls
And we don’t hear about what goes on inside it
The song Free Day was about Code Noir which gave enslaved Africans the day off on Sundays. In Louisiana's French and Spanish colonial era of the 18th century, enslaved Africans were commonly allowed Sundays off from their work. The song explained how slaves would hear the calls of the drums. The song, in a way, explained slavery in the United States. This is one of those songs that political and historical value in them.
Back in those days, Sundays was free for the slaves. They’d be sleeping and they’d never know the time. But there was a clock for them in the dawn when it would come. And the dawn that woke them natural like. All they felt all that struggle to wake them up was knowing there was work all day until night. Sometimes if they dreamed, things would come to them out of Africa. Things they had heard about or had seen.
And in all that recollecting. Somehow there wasn’t any of it that didn’t have part of a music form in it. Maybe they’d hear someone from some tribe signaling to another. Beating the drums for a feast maybe. They’d sleep and it would come to them out of the bottom of their dream. They’d hear the drums of it. All sizes and all kinds of drums. They’d hear the chants and the dance calls. And always they’d hear that voice from the other tribe calling. Talking across the air from somewhere else.
That was how the Negro communicated when he was back in Africa. He had no house, no telegram, or newspaper. But he had a drum and he had a rhythm he could speak into the drum. And he could send it out through all the air to the rest of his people. And he could bring them to him. And when he got to the South, when he was a slave. Just before he was waking, before the sun rode out into the sky. When there was just that morning silence over the fields with maybe a few birds in it. Then, at that time, he was back there again, in Africa. Part of him was always there. Standing still with his head turned to hear it. Listening to someone from a distance. Hearing something that was kind of a promise, even then.
And when he awoke and remembered where he was. That chant and that memory got mixed up in a kind of melody that had a crying inside itself. The part of him that was the tribe and the drums. That part moved on and became a spiritual. And the part of him that was where he was now, in the South, a slave. That part was the melody. The part of him that was different from his ancestors. That melody was what he had to live. Every day, working, waiting for rest and joy. Trying to understand that the distance he had to reach was not his own people but white people. Day after day, like there was no end to it.
But Sunday mornings it was different. He'd wake up and start to be a slave. And then maybe someone would tell him, “Today's Sunday, man.” It ain't Monday and it ain't Tuesday. Today's free day.
And then he'd hear drums from the square. First one drum. Then another one answering it. Then a lot of drums. Then a voice. And then a refrain. A lot of voices joining and coming into each other. And all of it having to be heard. The music being born right inside itself. Not knowing how it was getting to be music. One thing being responsible for another.
Improvisation. That's what it was. It was primitive and it was crude. But down at the bottom of it. Inside it, where it starts and gets into itself. Down there it had the same thing there is at the bottom of ragtime. It was already born and making in the music they played at Congo Square.
Joie De Vivre is a French song performed in the French language about the Joy of Living. Joie De Vivre is “Joy of Living” in French. The song was performed by Zachary Richard. The song discussed how Zachary’s grandparents were from the last monolingual generation and had to learn English because they had never heard a word of English and then they had to speak English. Zachary talked about his experience of learning French.
Zachary’s grandparents were from the last monolingual generation. His grandparents didn't speak English and there was a kind of understanding. So his parents went to school. They had never heard a word of English and then they had to speak English, period. Which means that his parents' generation when they started raising their children stopped talking to them in their mother tongue and started talking to the kids in English. So, at home, they spoke English with his parents. But as soon as there was an old man who was a monolingual francophone, they spoke French, out of respect. And Zachary was always fascinated by these people because it seemed to him that they had so much more fun
The generation of my grandparents was really for him a kind of mythical generation. There was a joie de vivre that was truly incredible. His commitment to the Francophone is due to the search for this feeling of happiness that he found in the living room because everyone was laughing. Everyone was having fun. There was his grandmother who put her handkerchief on the floor then danced on the four corners. Only in the country that could do it. So there was this kind of exuberance and a way to get through. The life that was totally other than this very serious notion of American success and then. Working and then all that was really the legacy.
5/5*****!!
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Grand Funk Railroad - Closer To Home REMASTERED album review
The remaster of Grand Funk Railroad - Closer To Home called Grand Funk Railroad - Closer To Home REMASTERED has a bit lower quality sound to me. For example, the treble is lowered. The treble is terrible. The original treble was perfect. This might not be all remasters of this album. The original volume settings were fine they way they originally were.
This album started with Terry Knight and 2 other people. 3 faces are on the front cover. There are 8 tracks on this album. If this album were 5 or 6 tracks longer, I would have liked it more. It just seems to me that when any type of music gets released from Flint, Michigan; it goes under the radar. The 10 minute song should have been cut into 2 or 3 songs so the album could have been made to look longer, yet retain the original format for the albums original planning. This album needed some more Country, Funk, and Blues sound. Listen to this after midnight. You'll see why.
Of course this was when Grand Funk Railroad was just getting started on Capitol Records. They sure broke out in a lot of concerts. They had a lot of fans. Probably 11 million to 15 million. Grand Funk Railroad kept their garage rock roots and Blues styles even after firing Terry Knight because of contractual differences. As you know, Grand Funk Railroad is from Flint, Michigan. Grand Funk Railroad started out with 3 people originally in 1957. Then they recorded this album in 1967.
3/5***
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