Well, it's the Canadian-ist day of the week 'round here, Cancon Thursday.
Fortunately, we live in a country which, while new by global standards, has a rich history of producing a lot of kick ass music.
The Juno Award nominees were announced this week. Ordinarily, I pay little attention to things like awards because artists I like generally either don't get nominated OR if they do, never win. That could change this year. Three of my favourite 2018 releases are nominated for various things (the Barr Brothers for Queens of the Breakers, Destroyer for ken and Bahamas for Earthtones).
I hope that my liking them doesn't jinx them.
For this week's Canadian tune, I am sharing one which has a Juno nominated video (!!), No Depression by Bahamas. If you haven't had a chance yet to listen to Earthtones, it's streaming almost everywhere and if you like it, buy a copy for pity's sake!! I did, on vinyl, it's a great LP!
We are officially 1/2 way to the weekend and it's a good thing because this week is feeling rather long. In part I think because of the cold and snow (trudging is exhausting) and in part because I had some sad news this week and I have been struggling to get my head around it. Sad news will do that to you sometimes....
Now, to change the subject, let's talk about music. After all, that's why you 're here, correct? Given the historical significance of the date today, you might be thinking that I would be posting a Beatles song for Way Back Wednesday this week. Alas, you would be wrong. I figure enough other folks will be posting "Get Back" today, I don't need to.
A very wonderful and extremely wise person I know, who also happens to have excellent taste in music, suggested a song for me to share today. Not only is it a fantastic tune, it was released the same year as that famous Beatles roof-top concert and, for an added bonus, it's Canadian. It was pretty much a perfect suggestion for today's Way Back Wednesday song.
So, I'm sharing with you "Twilight Woman" by classic Canadian garage punk band, The 49th Parallel. Give it a listen, dance around the living room and enjoy some 60's Canadian rock... I promise you'll enjoy it AND the dancing will keep you warm today. xo
How was the first month of the year for you? Despite starting the month off having to say goodbye to Gracie, the month was not bad for me. The weather was a bit extreme at times but that's to be expected. The days also start to get longer in January and that's just nice.
As it's Tuesday, I'm going to be sharing a cover tune with you fine folks today.
As you know, I've been a big fan of the Smiths for a really fucking long time. Like... 35 years or something ridiculous like that. For a big chunk of that time, I've also been a fan of the one and only, Mr Mojo Nixon. Combining Morrissey and Mojo...well it's a delicious thing, sort of like peanut butter cups... it's two great tastes that taste great together!!
So, without further adieu, I leave for you today, Mojo Nixon's very fine version of the classic Smiths' song, "Girlfriend in a Coma." enjoy xo
We got through extreme cold, fairly mild, super icy and lots of snow.
Good job!!
Speaking of good job, Ralph does a very very good job at making songs I like.
I know that I'm writing about her a fair bit recently but I'm enjoying her stuff a lot so I feel like sharing. If you don't like her, well there is nothing I can do about that, you'll have to come back another day and see what non-Ralph songs I share next week... I'm probably not going to stop sharing her stuff though, it's my blog and I can talk about whatever songs I like, right? I think she has such a beautiful voice and it's nice to hear it in a stripped down version of one of her tunes.
Yesterday, a new video for her song "Cereal" was posted (it was filmed while she was in the UK last October by the Mahogany folks). The video is really pretty, the sound is fantastic. I just love this girl, you should check her out. Oh yeah, she's Canadian too... so she knows how to handle some cold weather just like you do!!
There are certain events that when they happen, they are seared into your memory and you can recall everything about the moment.
For me, I can recall exactly what I was doing and where I was when I heard about the Challenger explosion, the planes flying into the twin towers on September 11, when I learned that Reid Diamond, Joe Strummer, John Lennon, Kurt Cobain, John Candy, Jim Henson and John Hughes had died (obviously not the same day). Even though I was only 10 at the time, I also recall vividly where I was when I learned that Elvis Presley had passed away.
My family was visiting Smith Falls. We had been out somewhere (that I don't remember specifically) and had returned to my grandmother's house on Jasper Avenue. My brother and I raced into the living room to turn on the TV. The TV was tuned to channel 7 (WWNY in Watertown) and the CBS news was on. Roger Mudd was filling in for everyone's favourite and most trusted news dude, Walter Cronkite. He told us that the Elvis was dead and we grabbed my mother (a mid-level Elvis fan, she had some of his records and one of her favourite movies was "Blue Hawaii") to share the news with her. It seemed so strange that it was almost hard to believe that it was true but it was.
In other news, it's Thursday, which means it's Cancon day. Here is a little bit of Canadian pop/rock awesomeness from Odds... Wendy Under The Stars (and be warned, it's the original with the f-word in it). Enjoy xo
When I was in high school, I didn't know anyone else at my school who liked the Cure. It was the early 1980's, I had friends outside of school who had relatives in the UK who would send them records and magazines so I was into a lot of stuff that my classmates just didn't know about it. A couple of really evolved guys who rode the bus me referred to it as "f*g" music. Charming. They listened to a lot of David Wilcox and George Thorogood and didn't understand folks like Elvis Costello, The Cure, The Damned, Joy Division, The Smiths, Ultravox, Japan... well, not really didn't understand more, didn't know who they were so, it must be scary and weird and bad, right?
At that time, if you had told me that sometime in the mid 1990's, Robert Smith would be on American television singing just about the most perfect pop song ever crafted, I would laughed right in your face!! It's not that they didn't have poppy little gems here and there, it was just impossible for me to imagine that happening...
Alas, it happened. Today I'm sharing a clip with you from 1996 to prove it. Every once in a while, I listen to "Mint Car" and think about how much I love this song. I sometimes forget about how much I love it and then, I remember and listen to it on repeat about 20 times in a row. The Cure have so many amazing songs but there is something about this, and I have no idea what it is, that gets into my head and just wants to set up camp for a while. I'm not complaining, it's a good thing, it's just not something I have an explanation for.
This live version, from the Late Show with David Letterman, is lovely. I hope you enjoy it as much I did. Happy Way Back Wednesday kiddies xo
It's almost impossible to imagine that the air could feel colder today than it did yesterday but it does.
I think it does anyway. And there is no breeze this morning so it's just raw, still, cold. But I'm inside, where it's toasty roasty and warm so I cannot complain. After all, I live in Canada and it's January and sometimes it gets cold at this time of the year.
Not going to lie though, times like this makes me think about sunshine and warmer weather. I've never ever done a mid-winter escape. I'm not a real sun worshiper (fair skin) but I saw a photo on Instagram last night of Sandra Bernhard and Michele Lee, smiling in the California sunshine and for a second, I felt a pang of envy.
So, because it's Tuesday, I'm sharing a cover with you find folks. Today's cover is the incredible Bobby Womack's version of "California Dreaming." The original is fantastic but I also really love this cover. Hopefully warm thoughts of California will keep you moving today. Enjoy xo
Well, it's certainly wintery around there this morning.
It feels practically balmy after the last couple of days so you'll not hear me complaining about the temperature.
So...it's Friday again somehow and that means I get to share a song I like for no particular reason.
Ha!!
Actually, it's my blog so I can post anything I want whenever I want but I do try to stick to my self-prescribed themes.
Today's song is by the lovely Shelby Lynne. I have been a fan of hers for a long long time. When I took Gracie up to the vet's in Sydenham that last time, we were listening to a CDR in the van. The CD had John Prine's "In Spite of Ourselves" Album and Shelby Lynne's "I Am Shelby Lynne" on it. We listened to John Prine's covers all the way up and on the way home, "Gotta Get Back" started to play. I have no idea what it was about it but I kept hitting repeat and must have listened to it 5 or 6 times. It made me feel better even though I was softly crying for the entire drive.
So thanks Shelby Lynne. This version is a little groovier than the album version but it's fun and the video is slick. Enjoy & happy Friday (and stay safe!) xo
Over the holidays, I noticed that Netflix was running a show by that tidy up lady Marie Kondo. I watched about 1/2 of the first episode before turning it off. I need to purge stuff in my house and certainly, the way she folds clothes looks efficient and interesting but seriously, my stuff doesn't "spark joy." I mean, it's January so the house is dry and sometimes I get a shock from things but that's not what she was talking about I'm sure.
Since then, I've seen countless articles and tweets about Ms Kondo. Everytime I hear her name, I was reminded of another person with a similar sounding name. The one, the only, Ray Condo. I do love me some Canadian Rockabilly and Ray Condo and his Hardrock Goners were just super. When I realized that it's almost 15 years since Ray passed away, I was a bit surprised by how much time had passed and oh so glad that he left us with all of that good stuff that warms our hearts and makes our ears so happy.
As it's Cancon Thursday, I'm sharing Come on by Ray Condo and His Hardrock Goners. I suggest you take a break (a good long one) from your Marie Kondo tidying and listen to some Ray Condo. Your house might still be cluttered but your heart will be filled with joy!! xo
Well we made it this far so pat yourself on the back my friends... it's mid-week, hump day.... good old Wednesday.
Gracie
It's sort of dreary and really wet outside. We had freezing rain earlier and then snow on top of it, a wonderful combination.
As I've been puttering around the house today, I realized that it was 2 weeks ago today that I said good bye to my little sheltie puppy girl. It continues to be an odd adjustment for me to not have a little furry friend to be taking care of. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy spending time with the remaining two resident dogs (Bella and Sophie) who live in my house but it's not the same as it was with my Gracie.
In her honour, my Way Back Wednesday song is by Harry Nilsson...the Puppy Song. Originally released in 1969, it had a resurgence in popularity when it was featured in the rom-com, "You've Got Mail." in 1996. I don't think that there is an official video for the song but this one features pictures of cute puppies. Hope you enjoy it and if you have a wonderful furry family member, give them a squeeze and an ear scratch from me xo
So it's Tuesday once again. Because it's Tuesday, I'm sharing a cover with you.
As luck would have it, yesterday, the amazing and talented Dent May released a new song. It's a cover of Leon Ware's "That's Why I Came To California."
It's such a great, groovy song and it makes me feel warm and sunny despite the fact that in my part of the world, it's dreary and cold and just very very January. I don't like to complain about winter because I'm no fan of the humid weather we get here in the summer but the recent cold snap was a bit of a slap in the face. Of course, just around the time you start getting used to it, the temperature rises a bit. /weather report
Dent May is one of my favourite artists. I know that he's not originally from California so this song probably really spoke to him and his journey to the West Coast and all of that sunshine.
He's a pretty newish discovery to me, just in the past year or so, but I listen to him A LOT. There is no video for the track but you can listen to it on any of your favourite streaming services. Below is a link to the spotify stream. Hope you enjoy it as much I did.
Like really ridiculously cold, I'm not complaining, just saying.
I have lots of warm clothes, good boots, a roasty toasty house, a car that runs, not really in any danger when the temperatures drop. It's a worry though, when I think about folks who are actually out in this weather, without all of the stuff I have. It can be actually dangerous, I hope everyone is staying safe. We've been pretty spoiled so far this winter, very little snow, mild temperatures, we were due for this but it's still a little bit worrying.
So it's Friday again. As you know, on Friday's I post a song I like, just because I want to. For those of you who use Spotify, you will know that at the end of the year, they send you a list of the songs you listened to the most during the previous 12 months. I think that the list is generated in order of what got the most plays by you.
I was a little bit surprised to see that my most played song this year was "Tables Have Turned" by Ralph. I actually think Ralph is just the bees knees and I love that particular song (I would say it's my favourite of hers). So, in honour of that, I'm going to share it here today. She dropped a video for it just before the holidays and it's pretty cute. Once again, I'll suggest that you dance around (try her choreography out!) to warm your booty!! xo
It's going to be a cold one around here I hear. I guess I should move quickly and often to keep warm.
In an effort to maintain a healthy body temperature, I'll just keep this quick as well.
It's Thursday so that means I'm sharing a song by a Canadian band with you today. I've always liked Alvvays (ha!) and their song "Archie, Marry Me" is super catchy and toe-tappingly good. This live performance from the summer of 2016 (at the CBC Music Fest in Toronto) is particularly good.
I hope you enjoy it. Dancing around the room will also help keep you warm so I would encourage you to do just that while you're listening to this piece of wonderful Canadian pop perfection xo
For this week's "way back Wednesday" song, I'm sharing a fairly recently recorded version of an old song. This acoustic version of Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here" was recorded by Roger Waters and some members of his current band.
This is a song which, for a really long time after Mark died, was hard for me to think about hearing much less actually listen to. The whole album actually... prior to meeting Mark, it would have been impossible for me to say that I had a favourite Pink Floyd album. I wasn't really a fan, I dug Syd Barrett but that was the extent of it for me. As Mark was such a massive fan of Roger's, I quickly became familiar with the entire Pink Floyd / Roger Waters catalogue. If I had to pick a favourite album, for me, it was "Wish You Were Here." We used to play it every day in our restaurant, to start the day. Before the lights were even on in the dining room, the stereo (which was located in the kitchen) would be turned on and the opening notes of the album blasted through the place... it's a musical memory which is seared into my brain.
Because I so closely associate it with Mark, it took me a couple of years to be able to hear it again after he died. Last week, it was on my mind as I said good bye to my sweet sheltie girl (well really Mark's girl but I loved her too). As many of you know, she had health issues for many years. From the time she was quite young, she suffered with osteoarthritis. Later on, she developed skin growths which were early mast cell tumours. Add to that general skin issues, serious ear infections and recently, congestive heart failure. Her poor little body was getting worn out. She fought a good fight, was always a trooper about vet visits and medications but over the holidays, she was slowing down. I am still finding it difficult to talk about in any detail but I wanted to share that with you.
It feels incredibly strange to no longer have someone to take care of (besides myself). If I'm honest, I'm struggling just a little bit with the realization that I've lost Mark, Sam and Gracie within a span of 3 years and a few months. I'm focusing on the good memories I have, I'm very lucky to have been able to share my life with them for as long as I did. Dwelling on what I missed out by their absence is not healthy or productive. Joy, happiness, love, kindness... that's what I want in my life and that's what I put out there. You absolutely get back what you give, I know that and I experience it on a regular basis.
So, while I may wish that they were all here, I know that they are gone, forever, and I'm making my way without them. Hope you can find comfort in your warm memories of those you've loved and lost.
There is things that I am and things that I am not.
I am a fan of Kathleen Edwards.
I am NOT a fan of Roxette. I never have been, I never will be.
A really really long time ago (like in the mid-90's) I briefly dated a guy who was into them. I have to say, they annoyed me so much back then, it was a problem (but that's not why I stopped dating him).
Anyway, today is Tuesday and that means I'm sharing a cover with you. I'm sharing with you Kathleen Edward's cover of Roxette's "It Must Have Been Love." Kathleen's interpretation is a wee bit sad and sort of interesting and actually lovely and quiet good. These are not words I would ever use to describe the Roxette version.
See kiddies, sometimes the cover is much much much better than the original. Enjoy xo
Happy New Year everyone.
I've been taking an unplanned / unscheduled break from the blog to deal with some personal things.
I spent New Years Eve the same way I'm spending New Years Day, with my sweet wee sheltie girl, Gracie. It was peaceful and quiet and involved us both being glued to our seats as we indulged in a binge session of recent episodes of Ray Donovan. We are almost completely caught up on season 6. Some folks don't believe that dogs watch TV but Gracie does. Either that or she just really enjoys hanging out with me. I know I love spending time with her so if that's the case, the feeling is incredibly mutual.
I wish you peace, health and happiness for 2019. Regular posts will return soon, I promise xo
