Week Thirty: iPod Picks - Icicle Works - "Whisper to a Scream (Birds Fly)" - Single

For Week Thirty, I'm turning my iPod loose (in the form of putting it on shuffle) and letting it do the picking... so the seven songs for this week were chosen by my trusty little iPod who is now holding close to 5000 of my favorite songs and who is slowly but surely dying battery-wise; however, I am too attached to do an upgrade just yet...

[?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?]

In one of my earlier Synthpop posts, I mentioned The Wall, which was one of my favorite nightclubs located in Deep Ellum. On Wednesday nights, they hosted a Synthpop night, but on Fridays, they hosted a retro night.

What I appreciated most about The Wall's retro night was that the DJs tended to steer clear of the mainstream retro tunes, and they would play more obscure retro tunes, even if it meant having a half-empty dance floor on occasion. Do you even know how much I respected them for that?!?!?!? Well, now you do!!

They were also not afraid to play retro tunes that were somewhat hard to dance to, like “Whisper to a Scream”, because songs like this definitely have a tendency to clear the floor.

I found that the secret to mastering this tune on the dance floor in order to prevent oneself from looking like a goofball is to resist the temptation to speed up your dancing once all of the drums kick in. Instead, keep a steady pace with the distinct bass line from the opening of the song. The bass line will kind of pop in and out of the song, which creates a bit of a challenge, but if you try to keep up with the drums, you will wear yourself out before the song is over. You will also eventually lose a definite beat and end up looking drunk and/or uncoordinated.

Try it next time you hear this tune being played at your favorite retro night. Instead of clearing the dance floor with the others who are weak of beat, find that bass line and see if it works for you – I guarantee you that the key is the bass line!

Some things take forever,
But with building bricks of trust and love,
Mountains can be moved

Love come, down upon us 'till you flow like water,
Burning, with the hope of insight,
Feathered, look they're covered with a bright elation,
Stolen, in the sight of love,

Chorus: We are, we are, we are but your children, finding our way
Around indecision, we are, we are, we are ever helpless,
Take us forever, a whisper to a scream

Birds fly, in the eye of the faithless daughter,
Broken, at the bitter end,
Wasted, sacrifice for a new nirvana,
Night time, send us on our way

Repeat Chorus

A whisper to a scream

Repeat Chorus

Week Thirty: iPod Picks - Cyndi Lauper - "Change of Heart" - The Essential Collection

For Week Thirty, I'm turning my iPod loose (in the form of putting it on shuffle) and letting it do the picking... so the seven songs for this week were chosen by my trusty little iPod who is now holding close to 5000 of my favorite songs and who is slowly but surely dying battery-wise; however, I am too attached to do an upgrade just yet...

[?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?]

Boy, oh boy! This song takes me way, way back. I remember going to a record store with my mom to purchase the album. My mom has always loved Cyndi Lauper, and she often breaks out into singing “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” at the most random times, even to this very day. Cyndi Lauper was a huge hit on MTV back when we first got cable. So three years later, when we heard “True Colors” (video below the lyrics), we just had to have a copy of it.

Little did I know that this tune, “Change of Heart”, would end up assuming the title of “my favorite” from this album, eventually passing up the song “True Colors”. I think that the video is really what sold me on this song. This video is partially responsible for helping me to fall so madly in love with London.

I guess that my little nine-year-old mind somehow figured that, in London, bands were all over the city, playing on street corners and in city squares. I just knew that if I could somehow get to London, I would meet Cyndi and all of my other musical idols of that time.

I did make it to London eight years later, but lo and behold, there was no Cyndi to be found anywhere. The street corners and city squares were filled with lame tourists, but the spirit of the '80s still permeated the city if I really used my imagination, which was damn near impossible because I was hardly sober for even a minute while I was there – so maybe it was actually drunken delirium that had kicked in!

Here I am
Just like I said I would be
I'm your friend
Just like you think it should be
Did you think I would stand here and lie
While our moment was passing us by
Oh I am here

Waiting for your change of heart
It just takes a beat
To turn it around
Yes I'm waiting for your change of heart
At the edge of my seat
Please turn it around

Days go by
Leaving me with a hunger
I could fly
Back to when we were younger
When adventures like cars we would ride
And the years lied ahead still untried
While I stand here

Waiting for your change of heart...

Blind leading blind
Never feel the laughter
Search through time
Nothing reveals the answer
If it's truth that you're looking to find
It is nowhere outside of your mind
I bide my time
Waiting for your change of heart...

Week Thirty: iPod Picks - Tammy Wynette - "'Til I Can Make It On My Own" - Classic Country Golden 70s

For Week Thirty, I'm turning my iPod loose (in the form of putting it on shuffle) and letting it do the picking... so the seven songs for this week were chosen by my trusty little iPod who is now holding close to 5000 of my favorite songs and who is slowly but surely dying battery-wise; however, I am too attached to do an upgrade just yet...

[?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?]

As I mentioned in a previous post, my paternal grandmother fell victim to a phone solicitor from Time Life Records, and I'm supposing that after she became the proud owner of every Elvis Presley album they offered, she moved on to the Classic Country albums. She had various Classic Country compilations, ranging from the 1950s and all the way up through 1979.

Now, I grew up on what would be considered Classic Country music – singers like Johnny Cash, Buck Owens, George Jones, Hank Williams, Marty Robbins, & Webb Pierce. C'mon, I come from a long line of Czech, German, and Russian farmers. My ancestors were definitely partial to fiddles and accordions. So what would you expect? 

I also attended at least one Czech dance every weekend during my youth with my maternal grandparents. How many of you can say that you are the grandchild of the former Polka King & Queen of Texas?!?!? --- very precious memories, especially in light of the fact that I just lost my last remaining grandparent - my maternal grandmother - this past Wednesday evening. 

Therefore, I'm not one to snub a good Classic Country tune, by any means. I even have a deep appreciation for the greats who came after them, especially the female singers, like Barbara Mandrell, Crystal Gayle, Dolly Parton, and today's artist, Tammy Wynette.

This song, “'Til I Can Make It On My Own”, just hits me right in the heart where it hurts the most. It is such a sad, sad song of loss, but I love it!!

To commemorate the wonderful lives of all my grandparents, I am going to include some snazzy pictures of them when they were young, vibrant, and full of life. Both sets of grandparents were phenomenal individuals. I am so lucky and so privileged to have had the opportunity to love them and to be loved by them, and I miss the hell out of all of 'em...

These are my paternal grandparents, W.J. & Mary, pictured above.

And these are my maternal grandparents, Albert & Esther, pictured above.

Finally, back in 1991, when The KLF released their song, “Justified and Ancient”, I was shocked and amazed to see that it featured Tammy Wynette. It's such an odd mash-up of genres, but it somehow works to perfection. Take a look and listen for yourself - I have posted it underneath the lyrics...

I'll need time to get you off my mind 
And I may sometimes bother you, try to be in touch with you 
Even ask too much of you from time to time 
Now and then, Lord, you know I'll need a friend
'Til I get used to losin’ you let me keep on usin’ you,
'Til I can make it on my own 

I'll get by but no matter how I try 
There'll be times you know I'll call
Chances are my tears will fall 
And I'll have no pride at all from time to time
But they say “Oh, there'll be a brighter day”
But 'til then I’ll lean on you, that's all I mean to do, 
'Til I can make it on my own 

Surely someday I'll look up and see the morning sun 
Without another lonely night behind me
Then I'll know I'm over you and all my cryin's done 
No more hurtin' memories can find me

But 'til then, Lord, you know I'm gonna need a friend
'Til I get used to losin’ you, let me keep on usin’ you 
'Til I can make it on my own
'Til I can make it on my own