Careless Whispers

Okay -- I did that on purpose.  We ALL know that the name of this tune is "Careless Whisper" -- especially after all the recent attention it's gotten from "Sexy Sax Man."  Can you believe that when I was at the 2012 NAMM Show, "Sexy Sax Man" came by our booth and did his schtick right across the aisle?  I thought, "UGH."  Not sure if it was his sax playing or the fact that I was sick from the infamous salmonella incident.  I apologize -- please do not let me ruin your opinion of the song with that image.  I have to say that I do enjoy the song and feel that George Michael's voice is so smooth and beautiful -- and versatile.  I can't think of one George Michael or Wham! tune that I didn't like.  Yeah, I'm not embarrassed to admit it -- even "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go."  I guess it all boils down to the fact that I was in middle school in 1984.  Can you believe George Michael and Tina Turner were on top of the charts at the very same time?  Amazing  And, just for the record, I titled this post "Careless Whispers" because that is what a caller on the Delilah show requested this evening.  We all know what he meant.  Seems kind of charming in a sense -- sort of like when you hear people say "Victoria's Secrets."

Anyway, George Michael had some terrific tunes -- "Freedom," "Father Figure," "Faith," and the list goes on.  Inspite of the extremely cheesy sax solo in this tune, there are some wonderful additional instrumentals -- like the beautiful acoustic guitar.  It compliments George's voice so perfectly, and I swear I even hear some soft bongos in the tune.  But that sax solo -- I guess we love to hate it and hate to love it.  I don't think I love it, although I do admit it's ensnaring.  Grabs a hold of your ear and won't let go!  Meanwhile, this is a simple tune about a man who cheated on his girlfriend/fiancée and now feels so, so incredibly sad and guilty.  "Guilty feet have got no rhythm..."  I never realized those were the words.  I always thought it was "guilty feeling's got no rhythm."  Makes so much more sense now!  I also hadn't seen the video in a long time -- maybe since '84!  Check it out.  George Michael looks terrific, and the ladies in the video are sporting some really '80s styles.  I don't think I have ever seen a more perfectly '80s swimsuit than the one worn by "the other woman" in this video.  Wow.  Don't see many like that on the beach anymore, but you also don't see many women who aren't pumped full of silicone in videos now.  Oh well...  Take a look at this video if you are longing for more natural times...

Hurts So Good

Yeah, I think we all know this John Cougar Mellencamp song from 1982.  I mean, how could you not have heard this at least a few dozen times?  It's got an excitingly naughty title and... well, is it really what we think?  I'm not so sure.  In fact, when I think about the tune and remember hearing it back in the day, I can't really say that I paid much attention to the lyrics.  As usual, I was distracted by the amazing guitar playing and John's voice.  "When I was a young boy..."  is basically all I hear, and then I stop listening to the lyrics.  His voice is really quite unique and seems to capture the American sound.  Yeah, he pretty much is the voice of America, or at least the "Heartland" as they say.  Anyway, back to the song.  So, I can think back to the chorus and note "sometimes love don't feel like it should." and it still doesn't convince me that this song is about what people might speculate.  In fact, I always thought it was a bit tongue-in-cheek and almost a parody.  I read some background information on the song, and it seems as though the song really was a joke.  It was kind of a dare from a friend -- a joking suggestion to write a tune with that title.  Well, in the end, the song came out quite well.  I always forget that so many of Mellencamp's songs have hand clapping, which really makes it cool.  Makes you want to get up and sing your heart out with him!  I know people have commented that the song is terrific and the video is "awful," but even the video is comical and a bit of a parody in my mind.  I say, "Kudos, Mr. Mellencamp,"  It is awful-ly funny in my opinion.

Only Time Will Tell

I realized that I had not posted at all in August, which is very unlike me.  Not sure why I have been so absent, since that is pretty much the opposite of my mission with this blog.  So, I've decided to get up off my posterior and write!  Actually, I am sitting as I type, so I am not really off my derrière.  Anyway, I've heard this one tune on Nights with Alice Cooper several times, and I had no idea of the title or the group.  I just knew that I liked the song and seemed to have the lyric "your insincerity" stuck in my head.  I did a bit of searching and discovered that the song was by Asia, and the title was "Only Time Will Tell."  Hmm...  I don't think I ever realized that!  I watched the video and sort of vaguely remembered it.  It came out in 1982, and I suppose I may have seen it once or twice.  The television sets in the video seemed familiar, but I don't think the video received much airplay back in the day.  Watching it this evening, I'm not sure I completely follow the concept, but early videos didn't always have a theme/concept/plot that matched the song's lyrics or message.  Nope.  I think this one was merely a "hey, this new music video thing is cool and modern" -- hence the many televisions.  I think it was pretty new technology to have one image spread over the multiple t.v. sets, which was pretty cool.  I'm not sure I follow the gymnast idea, either, but I think there were a few videos with gymnasts in the '80s.  It does kind of give a sense of perpetual motion, and hey, only time will tell...

So, what will time tell?  Well, the song is about a man who was in a relationship with a woman who just used him and pretended to be in love.  It was all a lie.  Her insincerity is the part of the lyric I remember!  I guess only time will tell what happens with this woman.  I have no idea.  Sounds like it was a good thing that the man discovered "the lie" and ended this thing.  Or maybe she did.  I don't know.  It doesn't really matter, anyway, because it's just a good tune.  It may be one of few songs I can remember where the guitar has a really melodic line that sort of echos the singer.  Now that is cool.  Cooler than television sets and gymnasts...