The weather in Chicago these past few weeks has sucked. Today was no exception. It's been raining all morning long, and I have yet to even open one book to start my homework. It's been one of those days where I've just been ruminating on things that I shouldn't be reflecting on. But from stormy skies and rainy days come better things...like Missy.
I've been meaning to write a blog post exonerating all the amazing creativity that comes from this one woman. Missy Elliott is one of the few women artists that I truly respect and admire. Every video she puts out is unique and surprising. She is a woman who is always ahead of her time.
When The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly) first came out back in 1997, everyone was amazed at the trashbag on her body, the stopmotion camera work, and the overall weird feel of the video. Nothing like this had ever really been seen before in the pop music of the 90's. The angles of her body, the overly magnified facial features, and futuristic sets all came from the genius mind of Hype Williams, who's worked with the likes of Kanye West, Jamie Foxx, t.A.T.u., and Coldplay. Check out his extensive videography here.
What many people don't realize however, is that producer Timbaland sampled the chorus from an old 70's hit by Ann Peebles. Check out the original song along with some pictures of Ann from back in the day.
What can I say? Homegirl can still work it after all these years. (There's some great footage at the beginning of this next video of the the writers talking about what inspired them to write this song followed by Ms. Peebles singing it live. Definitely worth watching.)
So yes, the rain and haunting memories might suck right now, but there's always something just a bit better right around the corner, like the afternoon sunshine that's finally breaking through all these damn clouds.
Showing posts with label 90's. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 90's. Show all posts
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Goodness in the World
Did I mention that the new Dave Matthews Band CD is out today? Yeah, it is. And I have zero dollars to buy it. 'Tis a sad day indeed.
So instead, I'm just going to post another wonderful video, Everyday.
(I promise that this blog will not become a shrine to all that good and beautiful about the DMB)
The video features actor/comedian Judah Friedlander in the act of doing one of the most simple and humane things that anyone can do, giving a hug. After his first minute and twenty seconds of unsuccessful attempts, he finally gets some. Dave's lyrics of "all you need is, what you want is, all you need is love" are a powerful statement (as were the Beatles back in 1967) and take on a whole different meaning when that little old granny finally gives in and says yes. And later come the celebrities...Conan O'Brien, Vincent Pastore, Sheryl Crow, Blue Man Group, Tiki Barber and Hallie Kate Eisenberg, as well as the band themselves.
I love the fact that this video makes me think. I spend everyday commuting on a bus, my earbuds in my ears, not paying attention to those around me. Most of the other riders are also in that same catatonic state. Simple conversation has become a lost art. So what would happen if I were to turn down the music for a moment to say hello?
So get out there. Hug someone today. I dare you.
Bonus DMB trivia about Everyday:
When the song is played live, the song "#36" is mixed in with the song "Everyday." It is also a tradition for the crowd to sing, "Hani, Hani, [sometimes transcribed as 'Honey, Honey'] Come and dance with me" during the parts of the song that #36 mixes in with. The song "#36" was written in response to the assassination of Chris Hani, who worked to end South African apartheid (as Dave himself is from South Africa). Here's a clip of a live concert where the audience begins the familiar mix of songs. This is exactly why I go to Dave concerts. The play between the band and audience is beautiful to be a part of and there's a mutual love and respect that you can't find in most performing acts today.
So instead, I'm just going to post another wonderful video, Everyday.
(I promise that this blog will not become a shrine to all that good and beautiful about the DMB)
The video features actor/comedian Judah Friedlander in the act of doing one of the most simple and humane things that anyone can do, giving a hug. After his first minute and twenty seconds of unsuccessful attempts, he finally gets some. Dave's lyrics of "all you need is, what you want is, all you need is love" are a powerful statement (as were the Beatles back in 1967) and take on a whole different meaning when that little old granny finally gives in and says yes. And later come the celebrities...Conan O'Brien, Vincent Pastore, Sheryl Crow, Blue Man Group, Tiki Barber and Hallie Kate Eisenberg, as well as the band themselves.
I love the fact that this video makes me think. I spend everyday commuting on a bus, my earbuds in my ears, not paying attention to those around me. Most of the other riders are also in that same catatonic state. Simple conversation has become a lost art. So what would happen if I were to turn down the music for a moment to say hello?
So get out there. Hug someone today. I dare you.
Bonus DMB trivia about Everyday:
When the song is played live, the song "#36" is mixed in with the song "Everyday." It is also a tradition for the crowd to sing, "Hani, Hani, [sometimes transcribed as 'Honey, Honey'] Come and dance with me" during the parts of the song that #36 mixes in with. The song "#36" was written in response to the assassination of Chris Hani, who worked to end South African apartheid (as Dave himself is from South Africa). Here's a clip of a live concert where the audience begins the familiar mix of songs. This is exactly why I go to Dave concerts. The play between the band and audience is beautiful to be a part of and there's a mutual love and respect that you can't find in most performing acts today.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Summertime
I'm finally back from vacation and it's time for another round of videos! There's nothing like a summer trip to get out of the city and into nature. I spent the past week whitewater rafting in the woods of West Virginia, and made close friends with the bugs that inhabited my cabin and bathing area. As much as I love being in nature, it's really great to be home and showering without all the spiders. Did I mention I'm deathly afraid of spiders? Yeah. I showered quickly out there.
For me, summers always consist of two things: Grant Park and DMB.
From June through August, I sing with the chorus of the Grant Park Music Festival in Millennium Park. It's one of the best classical singing gigs in the city. And for those of you in the area, the concerts are FREE. So come check it out, and let me know when. I may just meet you out on the lawn afterward.
Summers also mean that the Dave Matthews Band is on tour! I've been a fan of DMB for over twelve years now, and my dream is to someday see them live at their three day at the Gorge Amphitheater in Washington. For now though, I'll have to settle for the videos.
One of the first Dave songs that I fell in love with was Crash Into Me, a staple in any DMB fan's playlist. The band is known for their inspired (though not always sensible) lyrics and use of nursery rhymes. What I love them best for though, is their artistry.
Crash Into Me is a serene song and the video follows suit. Hazy pictures of the band in the woods, nymph-like dancers, and a skirt made of violins show the playful, creative side of the group. What's so extraordinary about this video though is the use of camera focus. It's never static and always showing us a picture that is worth a thousand words. The slightest shift brings the curve of a violin, the face paint of a geisha, or one of the band members paying homage to the instrument that enlivens him.
The other beautifully artistic choice made for this video is the use of sexual tension drawn from simplicity. There is no nudity, or overly vulgar, sexed-up women in bathings suits playing the saxophone (old skool style). The women are covered head to toe in full length gowns and costumes, and their makeup is other worldly. The sexual charge comes from small nuances (such as the almost parting legs of the geishas) and the exquisite lyrics themselves:
You've got your ball
You’ve got your chain
Tied to me tight tie me up again
Who's got their claws
In you my friend
Into your heart I'll beat again
Sweet like candy to my soul
Sweet you rock
And sweet you roll
Lost for you I'm so lost for you
You come crash into me
And I come into you,
I come into you
In a boys dream
In a boys dream
Touch your lips just so I know
In your eyes, love, it glows so
I'm bare-boned and crazy for you
When you come crash
Into me, baby
And I come into you
In a boys dream
In a boys dream
If I've gone overboard
Then I'm begging you
To forgive me
In my haste
When I'm holding you so girl...
Close to me
Oh and you come crash
Into me, baby
And I come into you
Hike up your skirt a little more
And show the world to me
Hike up your skirt a little more
And show your world to me
In a boys dream... In a boys dream
Oh I watch you there
Through the window
And I stare at you
You wear nothing but you
Wear it so well
Tied up and twisted,
The way I'd like to be
For you, for me, come crash
Into me
Tonight the band is playing a live concert at the Beacon Theater and you can watch it here on hulu for free starting at 9 pm (but of course, I have rehearsal). Tomorrow, the band's newest album Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King (an almost memorial album for LeRoi Moore, the band's Saxophonist who died last August) will be available for sale.
And of course, since this is a DMB post, there must be bonus videos! Here's almost twenty full minutes of the band from their free live concert at Central Park.
For me, summers always consist of two things: Grant Park and DMB.
From June through August, I sing with the chorus of the Grant Park Music Festival in Millennium Park. It's one of the best classical singing gigs in the city. And for those of you in the area, the concerts are FREE. So come check it out, and let me know when. I may just meet you out on the lawn afterward.
Summers also mean that the Dave Matthews Band is on tour! I've been a fan of DMB for over twelve years now, and my dream is to someday see them live at their three day at the Gorge Amphitheater in Washington. For now though, I'll have to settle for the videos.
One of the first Dave songs that I fell in love with was Crash Into Me, a staple in any DMB fan's playlist. The band is known for their inspired (though not always sensible) lyrics and use of nursery rhymes. What I love them best for though, is their artistry.
Crash Into Me is a serene song and the video follows suit. Hazy pictures of the band in the woods, nymph-like dancers, and a skirt made of violins show the playful, creative side of the group. What's so extraordinary about this video though is the use of camera focus. It's never static and always showing us a picture that is worth a thousand words. The slightest shift brings the curve of a violin, the face paint of a geisha, or one of the band members paying homage to the instrument that enlivens him.
The other beautifully artistic choice made for this video is the use of sexual tension drawn from simplicity. There is no nudity, or overly vulgar, sexed-up women in bathings suits playing the saxophone (old skool style). The women are covered head to toe in full length gowns and costumes, and their makeup is other worldly. The sexual charge comes from small nuances (such as the almost parting legs of the geishas) and the exquisite lyrics themselves:
You've got your ball
You’ve got your chain
Tied to me tight tie me up again
Who's got their claws
In you my friend
Into your heart I'll beat again
Sweet like candy to my soul
Sweet you rock
And sweet you roll
Lost for you I'm so lost for you
You come crash into me
And I come into you,
I come into you
In a boys dream
In a boys dream
Touch your lips just so I know
In your eyes, love, it glows so
I'm bare-boned and crazy for you
When you come crash
Into me, baby
And I come into you
In a boys dream
In a boys dream
If I've gone overboard
Then I'm begging you
To forgive me
In my haste
When I'm holding you so girl...
Close to me
Oh and you come crash
Into me, baby
And I come into you
Hike up your skirt a little more
And show the world to me
Hike up your skirt a little more
And show your world to me
In a boys dream... In a boys dream
Oh I watch you there
Through the window
And I stare at you
You wear nothing but you
Wear it so well
Tied up and twisted,
The way I'd like to be
For you, for me, come crash
Into me
Tonight the band is playing a live concert at the Beacon Theater and you can watch it here on hulu for free starting at 9 pm (but of course, I have rehearsal). Tomorrow, the band's newest album Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King (an almost memorial album for LeRoi Moore, the band's Saxophonist who died last August) will be available for sale.
And of course, since this is a DMB post, there must be bonus videos! Here's almost twenty full minutes of the band from their free live concert at Central Park.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
For the Boys (otherwise entitled No Means No)
Dating in this day and age has drastically changed from the times when my mother was spending her Friday nights with my father. Even in the past ten years, there's been a radical shift in the way that people meet. The internet has changed everything.
Online dating sites are now a dime a dozen and I've got a profile on all of them. To tell you the truth, I don't get hundreds of men approaching me on a daily basis. I am not a skinny girl by any means, but I am pretty in my own little exotic way. The men that do approach me usually have a few things in common; They are drawn to some physical aspect of my pictures (my smile, eyes, lips, or other curvaceous feminine part). They are dorks in some way (trekkies, music lovers, history buffs -- I truly love men with brains), and 9 out of 10 times, they are desperate for anything that they can get. This last characteristic however, is where I draw the line.
I try to tell the desperate ones no in a nice way. Sorry, I'm not dating now or Sorry, our age difference is just too great. What I really mean though is that in no uncertain terms will I ever date you. Ever. I deserve better than desperate. Some of these men though simply can't take no for an answer. They keep writing back hoping for some glimmer of hope that I will respond in a different way. Maybe if they show me how wonderful and caring they truly are that I will change my mind. It's for these men that I post this video today.
One of the most classic girl groups of my generation is En Vogue. Without them, there would not have been a Destiny's Child, Pussycat Dolls, or Danity Kane (RIP DK). Winners of more MTV Music Awards than any other female group in history, they had raw vocal power, enticing harmonies, and appearances that were the definition of beauty. More importantly, their lyrics brought a woman's perspective to a male dominated music world.
My Lovin (Never Gonna Get It) is a perfect example of the classic girl-group video. There's great dance sequences, interesting wardrobe/hair/makeup, and a storyline unwrapped within the lyrical confines. The most unusual thing about this video however is that we never see a man's face. All the male dance sequences are shot in shadowed outlines, and the played-out narrative relationship is echoed through a somewhat creepy, latexed head-to-toe, dancer man.
The best part of the video (and song for that matter) however, is the "breakdown". The girls are singing in all their a cappella glory. The shots are quick cuts between the quartet members, reminiscent of the 50's & 60's girl groups that they were inspired by. It's classic and refined, just like the girls themselves.
Now, some twenty years later, En Vogue is (amazingly) still making music. Girl groups come and go with more ease than should be allowed, the latest tragedy being the breakup of Danity Kane (another insanely talented group of young girls). Lucky for us, En Vogue has stood the test of time.
And a bonus video (with someone you're all familiar with):
Online dating sites are now a dime a dozen and I've got a profile on all of them. To tell you the truth, I don't get hundreds of men approaching me on a daily basis. I am not a skinny girl by any means, but I am pretty in my own little exotic way. The men that do approach me usually have a few things in common; They are drawn to some physical aspect of my pictures (my smile, eyes, lips, or other curvaceous feminine part). They are dorks in some way (trekkies, music lovers, history buffs -- I truly love men with brains), and 9 out of 10 times, they are desperate for anything that they can get. This last characteristic however, is where I draw the line.
I try to tell the desperate ones no in a nice way. Sorry, I'm not dating now or Sorry, our age difference is just too great. What I really mean though is that in no uncertain terms will I ever date you. Ever. I deserve better than desperate. Some of these men though simply can't take no for an answer. They keep writing back hoping for some glimmer of hope that I will respond in a different way. Maybe if they show me how wonderful and caring they truly are that I will change my mind. It's for these men that I post this video today.
One of the most classic girl groups of my generation is En Vogue. Without them, there would not have been a Destiny's Child, Pussycat Dolls, or Danity Kane (RIP DK). Winners of more MTV Music Awards than any other female group in history, they had raw vocal power, enticing harmonies, and appearances that were the definition of beauty. More importantly, their lyrics brought a woman's perspective to a male dominated music world.
My Lovin (Never Gonna Get It) is a perfect example of the classic girl-group video. There's great dance sequences, interesting wardrobe/hair/makeup, and a storyline unwrapped within the lyrical confines. The most unusual thing about this video however is that we never see a man's face. All the male dance sequences are shot in shadowed outlines, and the played-out narrative relationship is echoed through a somewhat creepy, latexed head-to-toe, dancer man.
The best part of the video (and song for that matter) however, is the "breakdown". The girls are singing in all their a cappella glory. The shots are quick cuts between the quartet members, reminiscent of the 50's & 60's girl groups that they were inspired by. It's classic and refined, just like the girls themselves.
Now, some twenty years later, En Vogue is (amazingly) still making music. Girl groups come and go with more ease than should be allowed, the latest tragedy being the breakup of Danity Kane (another insanely talented group of young girls). Lucky for us, En Vogue has stood the test of time.
And a bonus video (with someone you're all familiar with):
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