365 Day Song Challenge

365 Day Song Challenge: Day 99 – “Get Up”

Posted on by Joe Parker

Day 99: A song you would love to put in a movie.

“Get Up” – Mike + The Mechanics

GetUpFor as long as I’ve known this song, I’ve always wanted to put it in a movie. I’m not sure what originally made me think that way, but I guess the opening notes always evoked images of the sun rising over a city. And it went from there (as you’ll find out). I just think it lends itself to the opening scenes of a movie. And since I’m the Academy-Award winning director of a dozen films, I should know.

What’s that? I’m not? Oh. Well, then maybe this is my big break.

I should probably address the song itself before I describe the whole movie thing to you. “Get Up” opens Mike + The Mechanics’ third album Word Of Mouth. You probably never heard of either the album or the song. And that’s because this was the album where Atlantic Records decided they no longer gave a crap about Mike + The Mechanics, despite the millions that “The Living Years” had made for them a scant four years previous.

It was 1991, and everything was Grunge, Hip-Hop, or some sort of House/Dance/Europop thing. To be honest, the album didn’t fit what was “in,” so the record company simply didn’t (couldn’t?) promote it. I remember seeing many, many, many copies in the bargain bin during my pore-over-the-CD-bins-looking-for-gems phase. I’ll admit it: That killed a teeny little part of me each and every time.

To be honest, it’s not that great of an album. It’s probably my least favorite of theirs, at least until Rewired, but that one hardly counts because by then it was just Mike Rutherford and Paul Carrack. Word Of Mouth is not awful, it’s just very… blah. Nothing really stands out, except perhaps the title track.

But back to the song and the movie.

I should mention that this song has already been in a movie: 1993’s Rookie Of The Year. However, I didn’t know that until about 12 seconds ago and I’ve never seen the movie anyway. But at least someone in Hollywood has some taste. No matter what, I can pretty much guarantee they didn’t use it in the way I have always envisioned, anyway.

So, to help you along, here’s a snippet of the beginning of the song, which is the  important part from my directorial point of view.

0:00 – 0:09: Time-lapse photography of the sun rising over a city skyline.
0:09 – 0:18: Time-lapse photography of traffic moving, stop and go, through the city streets.
0:18 – 0:20: Shot of a subway car arriving gliding into the station.
0:20 – 0:25: Shots of people, many dressed for work, walking the sidewalks.
0:25 – 0:26: (As Paul Young says “Get Up!”) A shot of our protagonist looking at his/her watch.
0:26 – 0:35 (and beyond): Various establishing shots of an office, cubicles, etc.

And so on. Can you see it? Can you picture it in your head like I can? No? I’m just a lunatic? Okay, fine.

I have no idea what this movie is about. It’s set in an office, obviously, but beyond that, I haven’t got a clue. Perhaps there’s a script floating around inside me where this happens. Perhaps not. But anyway, I’ve always thought that would be a cool visual. Maybe it’s just me.

But an Academy Award-winning director has to start somewhere…

365 Day Song Challenge: Day 98 – “Holiday Road”

Posted on by Joe Parker

Day 98: Your favorite song by a band/artist whose name begins with “B”.

“Holiday Road” – Lindsey Buckingham

HolidayRoadI found out long ago it’s a long way down the holiday road.

It was probably 1984. I didn’t see National Lampoon’s Vacation in the theater, but thanks to HBO or Cinemax, or one of the other movie channels, I was exposed to the movie early on. (And many other things I shouldn’t have been exposed to. Some my parents knew about; most they did not.)

Right from the beginning, one of the things I liked about it was its theme song, “Holiday Road.” I liked its beat. I liked its vibe. I liked its simplicity. And I really liked the barking dogs at the end. They made me laugh.

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But for some reason, I didn’t think much about getting it at the time. I wasn’t even sure who it was, honestly (and I didn’t think to look at the credits). I seem to remember thinking it was by Gary “US” Bonds, for some unknown reason. (Sorry, Lindsey.)

I was probably a junior in high school when I watched the movie again. And that’s when the song really took hold. I was hooked and I needed to find it.

That’s also when I got the big ol’ middle finger from the music industry. I looked. And looked. And looked some more. You know what I found? Nothing. It was like every teenage boy’s nightmare. “Like” had turned to “love” and the object of my affections didn’t love me back.

Apparently, a soundtrack album was released, but I’d never seen a copy of it. It appears there was also a single release (as evidenced by the picture above), but I’d never found one of those, either. Not to be deterred, I kept on looking when it occurred to me.

And then something miraculous happened: I found Napster. There were choirs of angels. And beams of bright light. Dogs and cats slept together. Men and women slept together. It was beautiful. (Incidentally, the dogs and cats did not sleep together in the same way that the men and women did. Which is how it remained beautiful.)

Some of you may have heard of Napster. It basically allowed you to share music via the Internet with people you didn’t know. Free! It was the beginning of the end of the music industry as we knew it. And in 2000, it was very popular. Well, with most people it was. People like Lars Ulrich weren’t all that fond of it. But, then, not many people are fond of him, so I guess it all evens out in the end.

As soon as I discovered Napster, I put together a short list of the songs I’d been unsuccessfully seeking out for a long time, without success, for a very long time. “Holiday Road” was high on that list. It may have been number one. And although I do remember having some difficulty tracking down a good version, I found it relatively quickly. As much as I fret about digital music in general, it does have some advantages.

I proceeded to enjoy “Holiday Road” many times. And I still do.

Napster is gone now. After the lawsuits it was a shadow of its former self long before it merged with Rhapsody. The beams of light are gone. The choirs of angels silent.

Men and women are still sleeping together, though. I can’t figure that one out…

Take a ride on the West Coast kick…

365 Day Song Challenge: Day 97 – “The Ballad Of Earl Grey And Chamomile”

Posted on by Joe Parker

Day 97: A song that you like, in part, because the title is so good.

“The Ballad Of Earl Grey And Chamomile” – dada

dadaThis. Was. Painful.

I had this song in mind for this post already back when I wrote about dada last time. But as the time grew nearer, I began to doubt my choice.My self-imposed criterion was to pick something that was a good song, but not a great song; a song where the title sort of pushed it over the threshold.

As I explained to Laura when she suggested “Paradise By The Dashboard Light”: That song would still be great if with was named “Aloysius.” (All right, I said “Bob” at the time, but Aloysius makes the point better, I think. Oh, no, wait! Eugene! That’s the one.)

So, the plan was to pick a song that I like, but where the name gave it added likability. I think “The Ballad Of Earl Grey And Chamomile” fits that bill.


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The song’s lyrics tell the story of a somewhat mismatched couple and how they hit it off (that means they had sex). They were different, but sort of the same. Like the two titular teas. But, can you look at that title and not want to know just a little bit more about the song? I say no. So that’s why it’s my choice.

It’s a perfectly good song with an intriguing name. There are a ton of other ones out there, and, like posts that have come before, I’m sure I’ll find a better one in about an hour and kick myself for not picking it.

But, it really was a game-time decision. And the game was delayed in order to have more time to make the decision. (It was killing me.) In the end, I figured I’d go with my gut, because otherwise it would be June and I’d still be stressing over it. But it gives me the opportunity to talk about some of the other songs I thought about briefly, as well. (And gave me some good fodder for future posts.)

So, without further ado, an abridged list of other candidates, in reverse alphabetical order just to be weird:

  • “The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald“—Gordon Lightfoot. This unlikely hit tells the story of the final hours of the ill-fated freighter and her crew.
  • “When The World Is Running Down You Make The Best Of What’s Still Around”—The Police. Sting is arguably the most literate of the pop/rock songwriter elite. And he’s got some great titles.
  • “Um & Aargh”—Anthony Phillips. Yeah, I know. You have no idea who this guy is. I’ll explain it to you later (most likely). But it’s a cool name.
  • “Scenes From An Italian Restaurant”—Billy Joel. I had to nix this one because I really do think it qualifies as a great song. But I like how the title gives some context to the various disparate parts of the song.
  • “My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark”—Fall Out Boy. This is the most recently-released song on the list. Good rocking song. And the title makes you want to find out how they get that to work in the lyric.
  • “The Grand Parade Of Lifeless Packaging”—Genesis. It’s the last great invention left to mankind. Or so Peter Gabriel would have you believe. One of many great Genesis titles from the Gabriel era.
  • “By-Tor & The Snow Dog”—Rush. I bought Fly By Night for the title track and the big-ass owl on the cover. But once purchased, I was immediately drawn to this song by the name alone.
  • “Bohemian Rhapsody”—Queen. Yes, I used this already, but it really is a brilliant title, isn’t it?

As I mentioned, the list really could go on and on. And that’s why it was becoming just ridiculous. Eventually you have to draw a line in the sand, fish or cut bait, or any of myriad clichés. So that’s what I did.

By the way, my apologies to anyone named Aloysius or Eugene. Not because I might have offended you, but because you have an unfortunate name.

365 Day Song Challenge: Day 96 – “Three Is A Magic Number”

Posted on by Joe Parker

Day 96: Your favorite song that you remember from a kid’s show.

“Three Is A Magic Number” – Bob Dorough

There was nothing quite like waking up on a Saturday morning and plopping your butt down in front of the Magnavox or Zenith to watch hours of uninterrupted cartoons. Granted, in today’s cable-television world, kids can do that any day of the week, but back when I was a kid, it was a treat.

And, for many years on ABC, there were little interludes. You might get “Time For Timer” who hankered for a hunk of cheese, or the far more rare “Louis The Lifeguard”, but more often than not, what you got was an episode of “Schoolhouse Rock.” You’d be hard pressed to find someone of my generation who didn’t get their first lesson in how Congress works from “I’m Just A Bill” or about and, but & or from “Conjunction Junction,” or that they could get their adverbs from Lolly’s or that interjections show excitement, or emotion. (Hallelujah! Hallelujah!)

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In short, “Schoolhouse Rock” actually made learning history and English and math fun. Way more fun than learning dates, or diagramming sentences, or memorizing “times tables” (but only up to twelve; funny how no one thought we’d need to multiply anything by thirteen…).

It turns out the “Three Is A Magic Number” was the pilot episode of “Schoolhouse Rock.” It’s certainly not a bad place to start. And while it may not be the most beloved of the “Schoolhouse Rock” songs (it was #7 as voted on the 30th anniversary edition) I believe it is the one that holds up that best as a true song. That is, it’s regularly listenable outside the confines of the “Schoolhouse Rock” concept. It’s a little piece of brilliance that relates the number three to all kinds of everyday items, throws in a little geometry, teaches you the multiples of three (this time only up to ten) and includes a little slapstick violence just for grins.

It’s also a bit of an earworm. I’ve been walking around all day alternately singing “A man and a woman/had a little baby/yes they did/they had three in the family/it’s a magic number” and “Three, six, nine/Twelve, fifteen, eighteen/Twenty-one, twenty-four, twenty-seven/Thirty.” (If you’re drawing a blank on this, I’ve included the video.) It’s actually kind of driving me nuts at this point. (Guess I’ll have to listen to “Odds Are.”)

“Schoolhouse Rock” really was a brilliant idea. When adults, who likely haven’t seen a single episode in years, can quote you these songs verbatim, it’s pretty obvious that they did their job. (Too bad they didn’t make any “Schoolhouse Rock” episodes about to, too, and two; their, there and they’re; or your, you’re and the oft forgotten yore. Or proper use of apostrophes. Maybe we wouldn’t have so many idiots misusing them every day. Good thing I’m not bitter about it.)

“Schoolhouse Rock” was a big part of the tapestry of my childhood, and honestly, I can’t imagine growing up without it. Heck, “Sesame Street,” “The Electric Company” (Hey you guys!) and “Schoolhouse Rock” account for probably half of my grade school knowledge. Yes it was. It was those three.

And three is a magic number.

So tell me, what are your Saturday morning memories?

For those who forgot, or who want to remember fondly…

365 Day Song Challenge: Day 95 – “Venus And Mars”

Posted on by Joe Parker

Day 95: A song that makes you think about stars and the universe.

“Venus And Mars” – Wings

Venus And MarsThis is a bit of a stretch, because I don’t find myself pondering the stars and universe too often. Maybe if I’m watching “Cosmos” or “Star Trek” I think about it, but that usually doesn’t involve music (the “Star Trek” theme song not withstanding).

That said, “Venus And Mars” seems to fit the bill. There’s a reprise, too, so this is sort of a two-fer.

To be honest, apart from the mention of the two planets, a brief mention of a starship (number 21ZNA9 for those who care), and the narrator’s good friend who “studies the stars,” the song doesn’t have much to do with the universe. But, it was the cause of my first exposure to the solar system.

venusandmars_sticker

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Back  in the day, copies of Venus And Mars shipped with a sticker that showed the planets of the solar system. (It’s shown to the left.) My brother played the trumpet. (That is not the total non-sequitur that it might seem.) As you might expect, he had a case to put said trumpet in. He decided to place the sticker he received with Venus And Mars on his trumpet case (where it may still be today). When I was young, I used to look at that sticker from time to time, which gave the comparative sizes of the planets in the solar system, as well as some other information. I liked that sticker. There was something about it that spoke to me. (I guess I’m easily amused.)

I’m going to go on a tangential rant for a second: I’m a pretty technical guy. I’m not a Luddite, and I’m no technophobe. But something as simple as this sticker puts me off digital media. LPs used to have great artwork. And liner notes. And, if you were lucky, sometimes other goodies (like in this case). Stickers, posters, maybe even a 7″ record in addition to the album might be awaiting you inside that 12 inch square package. (It was like a hidden treasure! Anything could be in there!)

All that’s gone; the victim of the move away from physical media.

It was bad enough when they moved to CDs and that big beautiful artwork got smooshed down to the size of a postage stamp (because we all know postage stamps are 5 inches by 5 inches). It may not seem like a big deal, but you just don’t get the same experience looking at artwork in a 5×5 package as you do with an LP.

Now, with digital media, you get pretty much nothing. Maybe a PDF file along with the download (which you get to pay extra for!), but it’s hard to sit on the bed or in a chair and hold a PDF as you listen to an album, which in this case is on your iPod. Part of the joy that I had when I first got into music was poring over the liner notes of albums. It was a travesty in my mind when you didn’t get lyrics. Now you don’t even get liner notes. It’s all gone. (And I used to have to walk to school in two feet of snow, uphill, both ways, too.)

End of rant.

So anyway, if it wasn’t for “Venus And Mars” the album wouldn’t have been Venus And Mars and there probably wouldn’t have been a sticker with the planets on it for my brother to put on his trumpet case so I wouldn’t have been able to stare at it and think about the solar system, which is all part of the discussion about the stars and the universe. See? It all makes sense.

In so much as anything I say makes sense.