Because It's Tuesday - week of April 11

You may not know this about me, but I love "train wreck" TV.  The funny thing is, I didn't realize that I did. Many years ago, while I was at work, Mark had popped home for a break (he drove a cab so he would stop by the house to grab lunch). He turned on CNN and saw that the Dannielynn Birkhead custody trial was on. He hit record on the PVR, and when I got home, I could watch that train wreck. It was a wonderful surprise for me. It was also the first time I realized that I loved to watch a "real life" shit show on the TV!

In the years since I became a regular viewer of Sister Wives on TLC. I lost track of how many seasons of the show have aired, but it's into the teens by now. Reality TV's favourite polygamists, the Brown Family, may not have started out as a train wreck, but they seem to be one now. The family has pretty much broken up, with only one wife remaining married to the patriarch. I enjoyed watching how the wives and children reacted to the ridiculous man at the centre of the family. It was amusing to me to see things blow up in his face (not very nice of me to admit that I know, but there you go).

Recently, because I'm waiting for a new season of Sister Wives, I decided to re-watch HBO's "Big Love." If you haven't seen it, it ran for 5 seasons on HBO, and the story followed a family of modern-day polygamists who are struggling to live a normal life while still practicing their faith. It's set in Utah, where, at the time, polygamy was considered a felony. When it first aired in 2006, it took the coveted Sunday night time slot, which had been previously filled by The Sopranos. Big shoes to fill. It had a great cast and spectacular writing.

I won't get into the nuts and bolts of the show, but today's song is a cover of the show's theme song, "God Only Knows," by the Beach Boys. It's possibly one of the most beautiful songs ever written. The song opened every episode of the first 3 seasons of "Big Love." Over the weekend, I watched the series finale and was reminded of Natalie Maine's cover of the Beach Boys classic. I'm not really a fan of hers, but I do like her version of the song (although it doesn't hold a candle to the David Bowie cover). This version played over the closing credits of the last show of the series. 

Hopefully, your week is off to a good start. Take care kiddos xo

God only knows what I'd be without you

If you should ever leave me

Though life would still go on believe me

The world could show nothing to me

So what good would living do me

Finally Friday - Go All The Way

While I get that Good Friday is a day of somber observance for many christians, when you're a big 'ole heathen like me, it's a holiday, so, Happy Friday to those of you who are enjoying a long weekend! As a kid, I always dreaded attending church on Good Friday. The place was always packed to the rafters, and there were some things happening that I wasn't a big fan of. When I was finally old enough to stop going, it felt good to me to miss it.

So, for your Finally Friday tune, I'm sharing "Go All The Way" by the Raspberries. I love me some Raspberries. When I was a little girl, and I'd hear their songs on the radio, I had not yet heard the term "power pop" but I knew that I loved their sound and was always drawn to bands of their ilk.

"Go All The Way" was released in July 1972 (and it really is a perfect summer song) and got to the number 5 position on the Canadian RPM Top Singles chart. The risque lyrics (she's pretty obviously begging for sex) the song was banned by the BBC. When you think about some of the stuff that has been played on the radio in the years since, it's hilarious.

I hope you have a lovely long weekend, however, you celebrate this time of the year. xo

Baby, please, go all the way

It feels so right (feels so right)

Being with you here tonight

Please, go all the way

Just hold me close (hold me close)

Don't ever let me go (don't let me go)

Can Con Thursday - Officer Down

Happy fake Friday everyone. I love a long weekend and am happy to have tomorrow off. I hope that you get to enjoy an extra day off this week.

For Can Con Thursday, I'm sharing "Officer Down" by Caroline Mark and NQ Arbuckle. I can't remember when I first heard this song but I loved it from the first listen and it remains, so many years later, a song I can hear every day and never tire of. I think that Neville and Caroline's voices blend together beautifully.

My interpretation of the song is that the guy is in a new relationship with a girl named Jen (Juliet-Echo-November). So far, things are going well. It seems that they may be going better than he expected and he's cautiously optimistic (even if he's yet to develop deep romantic feelings for Jen). Not exactly a passionate story of love's young dream but a far more realistic portrayal of a newish relationship, after you've been burnt a few times in the past.

Of course, I could be wrong. That's just what I'm hearing. I hope you give it a listen because it really is a great song by a group of very talented Canadian musicians.

Stay safe kiddos xo

Drunk while you're asleep

I sneak around the bed like a burglar

And you don't even notice when

I knock over your glass of water

It's hard to be a good man listening

To the Drive-By Truckers

But you're so good to me it's weird

I think I'm happy

Way Back Wednesday - Retreat From The Sun

This week, I've decided to spare you of another song from my 1970's childhood. I may return to that playlist sometime but I decided to take a break for the moment.

For Way Back Wednesday, I'm sharing something that was released on April 8, 1997, almost 26 years ago (wow, how did that happen!?). Retreat From The Sun is the title track from that dog.'s third studio album. The band had formed in Los Angeles in 1992 and sadly broke up a few months after Retreat From The Sun was released. They did regroup in 2011 and their fourth studio album, Old LP was released in 2019. 

Back in the day, I never had a chance to that dog. perform but I did listen to them a lot. The mid 1990's seemed like a good time for female / female lead bands and I had them in pretty heavy rotation (along with folks like cub, Jale, Velocity Girl, The Muffs, The Softies, The Vinaigrettes, Plumtree and Coal to name just a handful).

I found this live version of Retreat From The Sun which was recorded just a couple of weeks after the record's release, on April 21, 1997 at the Bottom of the Hill in San Francisco. What a little gem! It's a terrific performance and I hope you enjoy it.

Happy hump day kids xo

you may run

like a bitch in heat

but it's fun

to sometimes try to retreat from the sun

cause it's awful lonely where i'm coming from

where i'm coming from

 

Because It's Tuesday - week of April 4

It's a short week around here (and hopefully around where you are too). I'm not feeling super chatty but wanted to make a post anyway. I'll keep this brief (I can almost hear you saying "yay").

Today's cover song (I always share a cover on Tuesdays) was written for the Righteous Brothers. The song never made it them because Frankie Valli first. He released it as a single in 1965. It was kind of a dud for him. The Walker Brothers released their version a year later, which was a huge hit.

The song of the day is "The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore." It's been covered by many artists over the years. The version I'm sharing today was released in 2019 by The Explorers Club. You can pick up your very own copy it from their bandcamp page. It's their homage to the great Scott Walker.

I hope you give it a listen, I love their sound, and they did a terrific job with it.

Have a good Tuesday, kiddos xo

Emptiness is the place you're in

There's nothing to lose but no more to win

The sun ain't gonna shine anymore

The moon ain't gonna rise in the sky

The tears are always clouding your eyes

When you're without love