Cancon Thursday - War On The East Coast

Well we made it to the last day of February.

That was a slog huh?? And that snow last night didn't really make me jump for joy.  In fact, it made me a bit nuts.  I had two people (two different incidents) walk in front of my vehicle and was almost creamed by a guy making a left turn while I was going straight (I had the right of way but he didn't seem to be bothered by that).  Ordinarily those things aren't a big deal. Yesterday however, it was really cold and it was snowing while this was happening.  The cold roads plus winds plus quickly accumulating snow made for tricky conditions.  I was a very happy kid when I finally got home.

So today, the sun is shining, the roads are plowed... it's still cold but it's manageable and spring is around the corner.

Yay!

...and it's Thursday so I'm going to share a Canadian tune with you lovely folks.  The song I'm sharing with you today has been stuck in my head for a couple of days.  Not sure why but it has.  It's a pretty good earworm, as earworms go, maybe you'll get it stuck in your head too.  There are literally thousands of songs which are worse than this one for sticking in your head...

So, yeah, the song.  It's the second single from The New Pornographers fantastic 2014 album, Brill Bruisers. That's right kids, I'm sharing the video for War On The East Coast with you today.  Hope you enjoy it as much as I do and if you get it stuck in your head, well, first of all, you're welcome and second...let me know, promise?  thanks!! xo

Way Back Wednesday - Mad About You

The other day, I was talking to a friend of mine about the song I'm going to share with you today.  As you know, on Wednesday's, I like to share an older song, one either that I really like or that has some special significance for me.

Back in the 1980's, videos were a big deal.  Sometimes, the video could draw you into a song that you didn't really care about, that perhaps wasn't particularly good, because the visuals were so stunning.  For today's song, I wouldn't say that the visuals were particularly stunning (although the singer, Belinda Carlisle, looked gorgeous).  What I always liked (and still do) about this video was her hair. The song was okay but the hair was amazing.

At the time of it's release, this song was a big hit in Canada and the video was in heavy rotation on the "nation's music station."  It was impossible to avoid.  I had huge hair envy.  Every time I stumbled across the video, I stopped and marveled at her hair.  Of course, she had hair dressers working on every time the camera stopped rolling but I didn't care, I wanted that hair.  For sure it was possible to have hair that looked that good in real life, right?

I tried, goodness knows I tried.  I had thick light brown / dark blonde hair at the time.  It was cut in a bob and I loved me some big hoop earrings (still do) but I could never get my hair to move like hers did.  Perhaps if I had invested in a wind machine I may have come close but alas, I didn't.

If you haven't figured it out yet, I'm sharing the video for "Mad About You" today.  Interesting tidbit about this song, it was one of the very first songs which was released as a cd single (this was 1986, cd's weren't really a thing yet).

Give yourself a big Belinda style hug and enjoy this dance on the beach down memory lane.  Happy hump day kids xo

Because It's Tuesday - week of February 26

Well, it's the last Tuesday of the month.

I'll be so glad to say goodbye to February, you have NO idea!!  Why does the shortest month always feel like the it's the longest?  gah...

So, it's Tuesday, that means I'm sharing a cover with you lovely people.

It would probably be hard to find a band who's songs have been covered more often than the Beatles.  Some of the covers are great and some are meh.  The Beatles cover I'm sharing today sits somewhere in the middle.  I like it but it's very true to the original with the exception that it's performed by some very talented young women, the Donnas.

That's right kids, today I'm sharing "Drive My Car" by the Donnas with you. You may recall back in 2005, a compilation was released called "This Bird Has Flown:  A 40th Anniversary Tribute to the Beatles' Rubber Soul."  In addition to the Donnas, Dar Williams, Ben Lee, Low and Ted Leo (and others) recorded tunes from Rubber Soul.  It's a fun compilation... Hard to believe that Rubber Soul will be 55 years old next year but it will be.  Yikes.

Hope you enjoy the Donnas xo

Not Guilty Just Pleasure - Let The Mystery Be

Iris DeMent.  She's a gem.  I could listen to her sing the phone book, seriously.  Iris, if you're reading this, record yourself singing some of the phone book and I will listen to it, I'll share it here.  Her voice is just fantastic.

So, as today is not guilty just pleasure day, I'm sharing a favourite song of mine.  I've always loved the lyrics to "Let The Mystery Be."  Today, as I write this, my heart is so heavy from receiving some sad news that the mother of a good friend of mine passed away last night.

Her mother was quite elderly and had been ill for a while but it's always such a shock whenever some passes away.  It's so final. You'll never ever get to see their smile or hear their voice again and you'll miss them forever and ever.  I think particularly when you lose your mother (and thankfully I have no personal reference for this) you feel untethered.  The person who (if you're lucky) nurtured you, gave you life, loved you unconditionally, protected you and accepted you, was your greatest cheerleader and biggest fan is no longer there. My heart breaks for them, I wish I could take away the sorrow that she and her siblings are experiencing right now.  As I know from my own personal experience with grief, you never really get over a loss like this but you do get through it, somehow.

So, on that note, I'm going to share Iris DeMent and "Let The Mystery Be" with you today.  If your mum is still around, track her down this weekend and give her a big hug xo

Everybody's wonderin' what and where they they all came from
Everybody's worryin' 'bout where they're gonna go
When the whole thing's done
But no one knows for certain
And so it's all the same to me
I think I'll just let the mystery be

Cancon Thursday - A Love Song

Because It's Thursday, I'm sharing a Canadian song with you today.

Today's song is a duet by two of the most beautiful voices to ever sing in Canada or any country, Anne Murray and kd lang.  I believe that the first time that they performed this song together was in 1993 as part of a Juno Awards tribute to our Snowbird songstress, Anne Murray.  There are clips of that performance on YouTube and I'd encourage you to check them out.  The quality is very poor but it's pretty adorable to see a very young kd lang in her overalls singing her heart out with Anne Murray. "A Love Song" was originally recorded in 1973 by Loggins and Messina but Anne's 1974 release of it was a BIG hit in Canada and the US. 

In 2007, Anne released a collection of songs called "Duets: Friends and Legends."  It featured Anne singing with folks like Dusty Springfield, Jann Arden, Emmylou Harris, Carole King, Shelby Lynn and, of course, kd lang.  Today I'm sharing that 2007 version of their duet for "A Love Song."

Enjoy xo

Way Back Wednesday - Heaven Knows

Disco was pretty huge when we were growing up in the 70's.  I mean, country music was big, rock music was big, it was a BIG decade for music in general.

Because I was a kid during the 70's, because I was a kid who loved music in the 70's, I often received records for birthday and Christmas gifts and sometimes they would be those compilation albums which were advertised incessantly on television.  A couple of the compilations I received were of disco tunes.  Some of the stuff I didn't care much for but Donna Summer, I loved her voice.  I remember one compilation we had called "Hot Stuff" (it was a yellow sleeve with red letters on it) had a Donna Summer song on it.  The record was not a disco album, it was more of a top hits thing.  In addition to Donna Summer it had Sammy Johns, The Amazing Rhythm Aces, Hot Chocolate and Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds on it.  Now, you might guess that the Donna Summer tune "hot stuff" would be on this record but you'd be wrong.  The album "Bad Girls" had not yet been released and Donna Summer song featured was "love to love you baby."

After hearing that, I was an instant fan of hers, the second record I ever bought with my own money was "Bad Girls." My dad took me to the mall and when my mum saw it, well she wasn't too impressed to see her 12 year old daughter listening to a record with women portrayed on the cover as prostitutes...

So, today, for Way Back Wednesday, I'm going to share one of my favourite Donna Summer songs, "Heaven Knows."  This live performance with Joe Esposito & Brooklyn Dreams is really really good.  I mean, the quality of the video isn't great but that doesn't diminish the performance at all.  Her voice was incredible and I'm so grateful for all of the wonderful music she left us with.

Happy Humpday kiddies xo

Because It's Tuesday - week of February 19

When I was ten years old, Elvis Presley died.

The death of the "king of rock'n'roll" was a big deal in our house.  My mum was a pretty big Elvis fan.  Now, she wasn't one of those ladies who would make pilgrimages to Memphis and she never made us dress up in sequins but she had a number of his records and we grew up watching his movies whenever they would show up on television.

In particular, my mum and dad loved Blue Hawaii.  I can't remember anything about the plot (but I suspects it was boy-meets-girl-boy-loses-girl-boy-win-back-girl) but the scenery was beautiful and we heard a lot of the soundtrack in our house.  One of the most popular songs from the film would have to be "Can't Help Falling In Love With You."

Over the years, it's been covered a bunch of times.  The cover I'm going to share with you today is by Kina Grannis.  I heard it last fall when I saw "Crazy Rich Asians."  Her voice is very pretty and it's a lovely version of a song you've probably heard a bazillion times.  So, here you go, for your Tuesday Cover, Kina Grannis singing "Can't Help Falling In Love With You."

enjoy xo

Not Guilty Just Pleasure - Friend Better

Happy Friday.

The week has flown by and today is going to be jam packed so I'm going to keep this short and sweet.

Since childhood I've been a fan of Joe Jackson (the British musician not the American dad of the Jacksons).  A few weeks ago I heard his newish song "Friend Better" and it's just stuck in my ear.  It's very much a Joe Jackson song (duh) but there is sort of Steely Dan sound in it that I really like. I hope you like it too. It's catchy and will make you tap your toe, I'm sure.

...wishing you all a really wonderful long weekend if you are in a part of the world that is enjoying (we are!).  bye for now kiddies xo

Cancon Thursday - Ghosts & Flowers

Happy Love Day everyone.

Hope you're all having a good day so far and haven't been tempted to shove some red paper hearts down the throat of a random stranger yet.

Valentine's Day and New Years Eve are okay as holidays go (and under the right circumstances I have been known to celebrate both of them) but there seems to be a lot of weirdly manufactured pressure for folks to have a date / significant other in order to celebrate them properly.  I do no buy into that.  Even when I have a special person in my life, I'm not a big fan of these particular holidays.  I don't like anything that has the ability, intentional or not, to make folks feel bad about themselves.  Sometimes VD and NYE can do just that.  No more I say, resist!!  Just love yourself, you are enough!!

And on that note, it might be Valentine's Day today but it's also Thursday so that means I'm sharing a Canadian song with you.  As you know, I only share songs that I really like.   In honour of Cancon Thursday, this week I'm going to share a song with you by Expanda Fuzz.

If you like super fuzzy pop music, this is totally in your wheelhouse.  Expanda Fuzz are a duo from Ottawa and if you were smart, you would buy their lovely Cotton Candy Jet Engine LP, on pink vinyl kids!

I'll leave you with the official video for "Ghosts & Flowers."  enjoy my lovelies xo

Way Back Wednesday - Blue Moon With Heartache

It's a dig out day here today.

In all of the years that I have been working, I don't think I have ever taken a vacation day to dig out after a storm.  I'm doing that today.  Last night, I didn't sleep for crap, I kept waking up worrying about the weather.  My anxiety about traveling in the snow is off the charts and there is a gigantic drift in my driveway which I know is going to take ages to clear.  There is no way I can get to work on time and I'm really not sure what it's going to be like trying to get around today.  I wimped out and opted to stay home and shovel and try to manage my anxiety.  Wish me luck!

So today it's Way Back Wednesday.  I'm sharing a song by the incredible Rosanne Cash today.  It's a song that she wrote and recorded when she was in early 20's.  I discovered it when I was in my early 20's and it's a song I've loved ever since (and I'm 51 now so that's a while). Her voice is angelic, the song is heart felt and the video was filmed at the Exit In in Nashville.  It's a nice slice of early 80's nostalgia (but the song itself is timeless and beautiful).

Wherever you are, I hope you are safe and warm and that you have coffee and good music.  Enjoy kiddies xo

Because It's Tuesday - week of February 12

It's love week everybody.

ugh.

Valentine's Day stuff is everywhere.  Red paper hearts, boxes of candy, flyers for way overpriced flowers, teddy bears, jewelry, it's tough to avoid.  What's more, it's been tough to avoid since Christmas.

Many folks complain about it and if they all actually actively boycotted the stuff in the stores and didn't acknowledge the day/week whatever it's become, it might be less in your face.  Truth is, folks like the discount candy that is in the stores on the 15th of February and it's nice to have something to moan about in the winter besides the crummy weather.

So today, in keeping with the theme of "love week," the cover I'm sharing today is an old Robert Palmer song.  It's one of those songs which was instantly annoying and impossible to avoid when it was first released.  The video for it alone is iconic and has been copied by too many people to count.  Where would you start?

Florence + The Machine recorded a great version of a mediocre song, Addicted To Love. I think Florence Welch has one of the very best voices in music today.  I really like what they did to this song.  They actually made it interesting and listenable.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I do xo

Not Guilty Just Pleasure - Space Gun

Happy Friday kids.

The weekend doesn't officially start for a while but it does start today.  Celebrate that!!

So because it's Friday, I'm sharing a song I like, just because.  Don't have to give a reason, no need for it fit into a theme.  For the hell of it.  Today, my choice is by the always kick ass Guided By Voices.

This is a single that they released in late 2017 to promote their forthcoming album (of the same name).  I just love "Space Gun" and I have no idea why.  The video, I'm not so sure about.  I watched it for the first time yesterday and think I would have rather just continued to listen to the song.

You may enjoy it, I hope you do.  Happy weekend kiddies xo

Cancon Thursday - Love Is

Well, did you get chippped out this morning?  It took me 30 minutes to get the ice off of my vehicle this morning.  It's a bit of a workout that I cursed at the time but now, I feel pretty good about it.  All of that cold, fresh air in my lungs is not a bad way to start the day.  

I'm sure there are folks who will need a lot more time than that to get out this morning.  If you're one of those folks, I am going to share something with you to help you along.  It's Cancon Thursday so I'm going to share a wonderful little tune by Jill Barber with you.  "Love Is" will get you dancing and if you listen to it while you're scraping the ice from your vehicle, it won't seem like such a chore.  I just love Jill's beautiful voice and the message in this song is really sweet (and her most adorable children are in the video - it's super cute!!). 

Enjoy and stay safe out there today xo

You are the apple of my eye
I picked you right from the tree
You're just as sweet and sinful as pie
And just as easy

Way Back Wednesday - Range Life

It occurred to me this week that the greatest valentine that ever was turns 25 next week.  That's right, Pavement's "Crooked Rain Crooked Rain" was released on February 14, 1994.  It's now officially old enough to rent a car (not sure if it has a drivers' license or a credit card but in theory it could totally rent a car).

I'm in my 50's now.  I find myself, from time to time, feeling surprised that I can say, "well I haven't seen so & so in 30 years." I don't feel like it's possible for that much time to have passed and inside, I don't feel any different now than I did in my 20's (well that's not entirely true, I feel wiser and kinder).  And today, as I think about "Crooked Rain Crooked Rain" turning 25, I just feel happy and grateful for the memories that watching this video for "Range Life" stirs up...

Also, in general, I'm happy that I'm still here and am able to remember stuff that happened in my life 20, 25, 30+ years ago.  I know that many folks don't get that privilege. I'm also working really hard at focusing on the good things in my life and looking for lessons in the bad things that happen.  Like I said, wiser and kinder...

I hope you enjoy this little snapshot of awesomeness from Pavement xo

Because It's Tuesday - week of February 5

How is February treating you so far?

My month started out much better than last month did but, considering how awful January began for me, just about anything would be considered an improvement.  So far, this month is leaps and bounds better than last month was and we're only 5 days in.

So it's Tuesday, which means I'm sharing a cover with you today.  As many folks know, and I understand that this is difficult for many music fans to believe and understand, I've never been a huge fan of Bob Dylan.  I absolutely respect what he has done, who he is, his contributions to music and culture over the last 50 some years but I was never one to sit down and listen to an album of his in it's entirety. Not sure why, people who are very close to me are massive fans of Bob.  I feel like I should be too but I'm not, c'est la vie...

The song I'm sharing with you today is, I believe, not one that was ever officially released on an album in North America (unless you count the Bootleg Series).  It was released as a single but didn't do very well.  About 10 years ago, some artists got together and recorded a "Subterranean Homesick Blues: A Tribute To Bob Dylan's Bringing It All Back Home."  The Morning Benders and Julie Doiron were on it and so was J. Tillman.  Mr Tillman's contribution was a beautiful (imho) version of "If You Gotta Go, Go Now."  I'm sharing that cover with you today. The lad in the song is not being a lunk head, in fact, he's being very sensitive and sweet when he asks his lady friend to stay with him, if she'd like to.  I hope you enjoy it xo

Not Guilty Just Pleasure - Eyes of Them

Happy February folks.

Now that we're officially into February, January doesn't feel so bad.  I'm leaving it behind me and will be optimistic about what the shortest month of the year has in store for me.

I'm starting off the month with my van in the shop, for the second time in as many weeks.  Fingers crossed whatever is going on with my steering will be sorted out today.  Super frosty temperatures, snow packed streets and poor steering are not good things when you bundle them together.

So, one of the good things about February is Andy Shauf.  He is performing next week at the Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts and we have tickets.  I'm really looking forward to this show.  I've never seen him perform before (well I don't count YouTube videos) but I love his songwriting and I think the show, particularly in the Isabel (possibly one of the finest concert venues I have ever been in - the sound is always AMAZING), will be something pretty special.  For more information or tickets (Haley Heynderickx is also performing), click here to visit the Isabel's website

I found this live clip of him and his band performing Eyes of Them and To You, from 2017.  Considering someone shot it from the floor, probably with a phone camera, it's really decent quality.  It made me really happy to watch and listen to it and I'm sure you'll feel the same way.

Happy Friday lovelies xo