Mike and the Mechanics: Over my shoulder
Anna Pires, who seems to share all my tastes in music, got this tip from Dave Tucker: “My students think I rock when I do ‘Over my Shoulder’ in class” she says. Of course! Coming up next in my backoffice skills classes too, to get people moving through that tired patch in the afternoon. Thanks […]
Atomic Tom: Take me out on iPhones
This iPhone event must have been sponsored. Advertizing is generally no-go on this blog. But since my Apple gadgets have really helped me get from one home office to the other, more or less sane, I’m sharing the love. I also like the title. “Take someone out” is NOT “jemanden ausnehmen” – which in German […]
Hello
On our first night in Potsdam it was still warm. We had the windows open, and actually had some glasses and a bottle of wine unpacked (thank you!), and I was swaying to Neil Young’s Harvest Moon and then of course Van Morrison’s Moondance, in view of the amazing full Harvest Moon that brought us […]
Lullaby of Birdland
The prolific and virtually unknown songwriter George David Weiss (April 9, 1921 – August 23, 2010) penned the lyrics to this jazz standard referring to the Birdland jazz club in New York named after Charlie “Bird” Parker. The melody is by blind pianist George Shearing. It was a hit for Ella Fitzgerald in 1954, but […]
Jack Johnson: You and your heart
Jack Johnson has a new “feeling good” record out, “To the Sea“, which sounds just right at these temperatures. I stumbled upon it because of the Eisbach thing. In a friendly interview he explains where his music comes from (his influences range from a family friend singing Cat Stevens to learning the Minor Threat songbook) […]
Janelle Monae: Tightrope
My exciting news this week is that we’re moving to Berlin. Helmut has a new job. He told me a few years ago that he didn’t want to climb the social ladder (Karriere machen), but here he is, with new challenges. So babe, this song is dedicated to you, with all of my love. Keep […]
Bobbie Gentry: Ode to Billie Joe
A novel of a song (1967) by Mississippi songwriter Bobbie Gentry, contrasting the tragedy of suicide with banal everyday talk round the kitchen table. It was the third of June, another sleepy, dusty Delta day I was out choppin’ cotton and my brother was balin’ hay And at dinner time we stopped and walked back […]
