Author: Joe Parker

365 Day Song Challenge: Day 65 – “Find A Way To My Heart”

Posted on by Joe Parker

Day 65: Your favorite song by an actor turned singer.

“Find A Way To My Heart” – Phil Collins

Find A Way To My HeartIt’s funny how your memory can fail you. Like its counterpart—singers turned actors—I looked at this topic and racked my brain trying to come up with candidates. (I do a lot of brain-racking for this thing. I hope it’s not doing permanent damage.) And then even more trying to figure out if those candidates could possibly be a favorite.

  • Kylie Minogue? (Strong contender.)
  • Juliette Lewis? Joaquin Phoenix? (Maybe.)
  • Eddie Murphy? (Getting sketchy.)
  • John Travolta? (<Cough!> Yesterday’s selection was not on the strength of his performance.)
  • David Soul? (Are you freakin’ high?)

Not familiar with a song I’ve mentioned?
Click the > button above to hear samples.

And then it hit me. (That happens a lot too. This whole blog thing is really kinda violent.) Phil Collins started as a child actor! Believe it, it’s true. Now, Phil’s a pretty talented guy, so the path actually goes drummer turned actor turned back to drummer turned singer turned actor. And a bunch of those he did all at the same time. Did you get all that?

But in terms of professional gigs, he was an actor first. He actually appeared in The Beatles film Help! as an extra, but that doesn’t really count as acting. He played the Artful Dodger in theater productions of Oliver Twist (no, not the movie Oliver!, although there is a passing resemblance) but his breakthrough role was in 1967’s Calamity The Cow. (You have no idea how hard it was to type that without laughing out loud. I can’t imagine what would happen if I actually tried to say it.)

At any rate, you can see a clip here. Phil has a close-up at 1:18. Yes, that’s what he looks like with hair. Really bad hair. He may actually be better off that he lost it.

Twenty-two years later he would release an album called …But Seriously. You may not have heard of it. It didn’t sell too well. Only like 4 million copies or something like that in the US. It might have barely charted, too. I can’t remember.

Anyway, for my money, the best song on the album is not any of the four singles that charted in the Top 4 of the Billboard Hot 100. It was the song that closed out the CD (but not the LP, interestingly enough), “Find A Way To My Heart.”

The song starts with a quiet, distorted guitar growl that slowly grows louder. Then a tribal-sounding drumbeat kicks in, and then, finally, at 0:40 the rest of the instrumentation kicks in. The song features a lot of the Phil Collins calling cards. Aforementioned prominent drums. Horns. Lyrics that he belts out too high and loud to reliably recreate in concert.

But its message is simple:

Find a way to my heart
And I will always be with you
From wherever you are
I will be waiting.
I’ll keep a place in my heart
And you will see it shining through
So find a way to my heart
And I will follow you.

It plays to the sappy romantic that I am at heart. Plus, for a love song, it rocks. I guess I like that combination.

Before I remembered the Phil/actor connection, I had some other possibilities:

  • “Can’t Get You Out Of My Head”—Kylie Minogue. I was leaning heavily towards this one, actually. I’m not a huge fan of her music in general, but that one happened to catch my fancy for some reason. Maybe I’ll end up picking it for some other topic. And there will be more on Kylie later, anyway.
  • “Smash And Grab”—Juliette And The Licks. Juliette Lewis formed a band and this song is one of the products. It rocks. I like it. But “favorite” is pushing it.
  • “It Ain’t Me Babe”—Joaquin Phoenix. He did this as part of Walk The Line where he played Johnny Cash. I actually like this version better than Johnny’s.

So, apologies to David Soul. I had to go with someone who could actually sing. Better luck next time.

Hopefully the next few blogs with have less racking and hitting. I need to heal.

365 Day Song Challenge: Day 64 – “You’re The One That I Want”

Posted on by Joe Parker

Day 64: Your favorite song featured in a musical.

“You’re The One That I Want”
Olivia Newton-John with John Travolta

061-John-Travolta-Olivia-Newton-John-Youre-The-One-That-I-WantYou may be surprised that I didn’t pick something from The Blues Brothers. In a way, so am I. But The Blues Brothers is not what I would consider a “pure” musical. That is, where the songs are an integral part of the storyline, and actually help tell the story. (The fact that I know that makes me question my masculinity for a tiny second.)

I was not quite eight when Grease came out, and did not see the movie at the time. But I do remember Jolie Garvey’s birthday party in December of that year. I remember it for three reasons:

  1. I won a burping contest.
  2. I ate plaster. (The jury is out on whether I ate it just to eat it, or did it to ease some embarrassment on the part of my friend Mike after he had eaten it first)
  3. The soundtrack from Grease was all the rage with the girls.

Not familiar with a song I’ve mentioned?
Click the > button above to hear samples.

I didn’t care much then, and, outside of hearing “Hopelessly Devoted To You” pretty often during the “slow skates” at the roller rink for a while, I basically forgot about it until the fifteenth anniversary came around. Then there was this whole Grease revival where they re-released the soundtrack and made a big fuss about the movie in general. And that’s when I actually saw it. (Sadly, thanks to HBO, I’ve seen the fairly horrible Grease 2 way more than Grease. We can talk about the merits of “Cool Rider” and “Reproduction” in another post. Or not.)

It was also the first time I cared at all about the music from Grease.

“You’re The One The I Want,” as you probably know, is a rousing tune performed near the end of the movie when Sandy and Danny (Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta) finally get past all the crap and admit their love (and lust). The scene is memorable for its bubbly nature where everyone seems to be having a good time.

The scene with this song was also memorable because (and I may take flack for this) it was the only time in the movie (and possibly ever) that Olivia Newton-John looked hot (hey, look at that, masculinity intact). Sure, pre-Spandex-leggings Sandy was cute, but… man. While I could have done without the cigarette (I’m a fascist when it comes to smoking), that outfit was something. So skin-tight, in fact, that she had to literally be sewn into it. No wonder Danny’s chills were multiplying.

While I can’t discern any musical nods to the 50s that would make sense for its placement in the movie, it’s a good song that has help up remarkably well in the intervening 35 years since the film’s release. In fact, it might have been my choice for favorite duet had I not already had it slated for today’s post. It’s got many of the song elements that I gravitate towards. It’s upbeat; it’s got a decent, sort of sliding bass line; and it has (possibly fake) horns. What’s not to like?

There actually aren’t too many other songs from the soundtrack that I like at all, but there are a couple. None, however, get the plays that this one does. (It’s tied for 14th place on my iTunes “Most Played” list.) So there you have it.

So let the “Olivia Newton-John? Really?” comments begin. It’s okay. I’ve got thick skin.

In case you forgot…

365 Day Song Challenge: Day 63 – “I Got You Babe”

Posted on by Joe Parker

Day 63: Your favorite duet.

“I Got You Babe” – UB40 featuring Mo Birch

UB40 - CCCP: Live In MoscowI hear you saying “Who the hell is Mo Birch?” Well, if you’ll hold your horses and be patient for a minute, I’ll tell you. Chill out.

So when you think of a duet, what qualifies? Does it have to be boy/girl or are two singers of the same gender okay? Do the people have to actually sing together (like, same words at the same time)? Or is it enough to have two people who don’t normally perform together on the same track? Does the credit have to include “&” or “And” or can you include “featuring” or “with”?

Because if you swap those criteria in or out, I’d have different answers.

So it’s a little mind-boggling to try to work all that out. (Read: it’s handy that I can obfuscate my confusion and indecision by pushing the vagaries of the challenge back on its creators.)

Not familiar with a song I’ve mentioned?
Click the > button above to hear samples.

I wanted to avoid songs by artists I’ve already featured, but that’s getting harder to do with each passing day. So finally I just sucked it up and decided.

I’m going to get flack for not picking “Under Pressure” and I may lose my Genesis cred by not picking one of a few Phil Collins duets (for the record, I hate “Separate Lives,” so that wasn’t even an option, but “Easy Lover” was). For something more obscure I thought about “Candy” by Iggy Pop and Kate Pierson (of the B-52’s). I even considered “Just Give Me A Reason” by Pink and Nate Ruess (from fun.) which I like very much, but decided against it.

No, in the end I picked a song that most of you know, but a version most of you haven’t heard. “I Got You Babe” was originally by Sonny & Cher, and in 1985 UB40 and Chrissie Hynde (of The Pretenders) did a cover of it. While I like Sonny & Cher’s version for its period kitsch, I think the song does lend itself to a reggae beat quite well.

As I’ve mentioned, in 1985 when the UB40 version with Chrissie Hynde was released, I didn’t care much. It was only afterward that I really latched on to UB40 (and reggae in general). Even with that 20/20 hindsight, the recording on the album is a little flat. Chrissie Hynde is not the most dynamic vocalist and the keyboard voice chosen for the riff was so-so at best.

In 1988, after seeing UB40 live, my friend Amy bought me a copy of CCCP Live In Moscow for Christmas. Back then, the Iron Curtain had not yet fallen, and bands from the West were not generally allowed to play in the Soviet Union. So it was a special treat and the crowd was obviously very much into it. I enjoyed it because it reflected my then-recent live experience well. And overall, there was simply more life to the live renditions than the studio recordings.

But “I Got You Babe” was more. It was an epiphany. I loved it from the moment the band’s toaster, Astro (who recently left the band), announced “We’re going to do an old 60s number… originally done by Sonny & Cherski… ‘I Got You Babovich.'”

Mo Birch, (I told you I’d get there) was one of the band’s regular backup singers both live and on record. She took the Cher/Chrissie Hynde part in live shows and her performance gave the song more life than it had in either of the studio versions I’ve mentioned.

And then there were the horns. The weak keyboard voice from the album track was replaced with UB40’s horn section and the difference is amazing. So this duet has been high on my list for a long time, and as good (even great) as some of the other songs that I’ve mentioned are, this one has a special place in my heart.

That said, Laura told me about hearing the isolated vocals from “Under Pressure.” So I had to check it out. She was right. The domination of the bass line and the backing tracks in general hide how amazing the vocals really are.

It still wasn’t enough to sway me. The power of Mo Birch is just too much to overcome…

Have a listen, anyway:

365 Day Song Challenge: Day 62 – “Jessie’s Girl”

Posted on by Joe Parker

Day 62. Your favorite song by a singer turned actor.

“Jessie’s Girl” – Rick Springfield

Jessie's GirlWho would’ve thought it would be so hard to come up with singers turned actors? Sometimes it seems like every other singer on earth thinks they can act, and just about every actor thinks they can sing. So why is it so hard to find some that actually made the crossover? I mean even my buddy Ric Ocasek has some acting roles in things like Hairspray and others.

But since it’s looking for a favorite, this post seems to beg for someone who was actually successful at both. That list is even smaller.

In terms of actors who later became singers and were much more successful at the latter, I think Janet Jackson (Miss Jackson if you’re nasty) is probably the one that comes to mind first. She was on “Good Times” and had some other guest stints (like on “Diff’rent Strokes”) but I’m guessing no one really thinks of her as an actor. (She couldn’t even really feign surprise during the “wardrobe malfunction,” after all.)

Not familiar with a song I’ve mentioned?
Click the > button above to hear samples.

So when it came to favorites, I figured I had to go with Rick Springfield. And if you’re going to go with Rick Springfield, you probably have to go with “Jessie’s Girl.” (Although “I’ve Done Everything For You” is every bit as good a song.) The problem is, short of remembering hearing it while roller skating as a kid, I don’t really have a story to go with it. (And even less of one for “I’ve Done Everything For You.”)

I do have some commentary. though. What I find baffling is that the lyrics are apparently a true story (with the names changed to protect the innocent). Before he was a successful actor or singer or anything, Rick Springfield had a friend. And that friend had a girlfriend. And Rick wanted that girlfriend in a bad way. And Rick never got said girl. Ever.

For those that don’t know, Rick Springfield released Working Class Dog in 1981 and upon release it instantly went… nowhere. So he took a job on “General Hospital” as Dr. Noah Drake or Dr. Drake Ramoré or Dr. Dre or something like that. And then the music got popular. And because his music was popular, “General Hospital” got more popular. And as “General Hospital” got more popular… well, you get the picture. There was lots of popularity flying back and forth.

But back to “Jessie’s Girl.”

Now, songs about a guy wanting his friend’s girl are nothing new. The music world is filled with them. (Um, “My Best Friend’s Girl” anyone?) Heck, Country Music is practically built on the concept.

I’m told that Mr. Springfield was a good-looking guy. What are the odds that his buddy is better looking? Or more lovable? Or, in time, more rich? Because what I find bizarre is that after all this happened, that Jessie’s Girl didn’t have an epiphany.

Are you telling me that she couldn’t figure out “Hmm… We used to know Rick. We all used to hang out a lot. Hey! That song is about me?” Sure, at the time he’s a broke actor/singer/whatever, but once he’s famous and rolling in dough, wouldn’t you think she’d rethink things and maybe change her mind?

I dunno. Maybe I’m being cynical. Maybe Jessie and his girl had found true love and it conquered all. Maybe people aren’t as shallow as I think. Because, after all, I like to think I’m not that shallow. But maybe I am, since I’m on this train of thought?

At any rate, Rick had a string of hit singles and albums, and a good gig at GH for a while. And then the 80s ended and things didn’t go quite as well. His album sales trailed off and he ended up doing a bunch of weird sci-fi things that didn’t do much. And today, while I’m sure he’s not living in poverty, he’s not the hot commodity he once was. And reportedly he’s an abusive, cheating, sex addict.

So maybe Jessie’s girl was smart after all.

365 Day Song Challenge: Day 61 – “U Can’t Touch This”

Posted on by Joe Parker

Day 61. A song that you like to sing in the shower.

“U Can’t Touch This” – MC Hammer

U Can't Touch ThisThe issue with today’s post is that I generally don’t sing in the shower. I find that shower time is idea time for me. I tend to think about the things that are going on, and often I’ll get some of my best ideas while I’m thinking about the day, some problem that I’m trying to address, or some other challenge. So there’s usually no time for singing.

But every third Wednesday of the month, if I happen to be in the shower between 8:45 and 8:47 I might get crazy and sing a little something.

Many people might not know this, but I do voices. (I hear them, too, but that’s a whole different blog post.) And I’ve got a pretty good ear for accents. Most of the time, I do them for my own personal entertainment, but I’ve always had visions of doing voice-over work or finding some other creative outlet for them.

Not familiar with a song I’ve mentioned?
Click the > button above to hear samples.

Back in the day, before “U Can’t Touch This” was relegated to irrelevancy and MC Hammer still had money, I created this character (which, in retrospect, would likely be considered racist, even though I never meant it that way) called “MC Hammed.” Basically a guy with an Indian accent who wanted to be a rapper and thought “U Can’t Touch Dis” (sic) would be a great way to break into the business.

It never got very far as a concept (mostly because I could never find something that rhymed with “Vishnu” and, oh yeah, “Mohammed” isn’t really an Indian name). But at the very least I had spent enough time thinking about it that it’s permanently stuck in my head. (Hmm, that could be a good blog name.)

So occasionally, I will break into MC Hammed’s “U Can’t Touch Dis.” And then I might think about how it’s sad that I never really pursued it. I can’t believe I’m about to type this, but maybe I can ride the wave when there’s hoopla on the 25th anniversary of its release… next year.

That’s about it, though. Even if I do sing something in the shower, it’s most likely a one-off. Maybe “3AM” by Matchbox 20. Or a rousing rendition of “I Will Always Love You” (the Dolly Parton version, not the Whitney Houston version) or “Girl You Know It’s True” by Milli Vanilli (but not very often, because frankly, there isn’t enough room in the shower to do the dance justice).

Or not.