this weekend's essay: cover me!
i haven't really written on music lately. this mostly has to do with laziness; for some reason, i have to think a bit harder when i write about music. anyway, shuggie otis and steely dan have been my own personal soundtrack lately (can't get inspiration information or aja out of my stereo for some reason), and those are two acts that simply require me to sing along. that, along with my current contemplations about a novel i'd like to try to write--though i'm convinced i('d) suck at writing fiction--about a cover band started me thinking: 'if i was lead singer of a cover band, what songs would i sing?' i've come up with the following list:
(in no particular order)
- wishing well, terence
- baby i'm a star, prince
- a 'ladies first medley' which includes snippets from queen latifah's 'had it up to here', mc lyte's 'cha cha cha', lauryn hill's 'lost ones', bahamadia's 'cheap chicks', and jean grae's 'hater's anthem'
- criminal, fiona apple
- silent treatment, the roots
- hold my hand, van hunt
- a feminist version of the ying yang twins' 'the whisper song' featuring big.black.saf
- rapture, blondie
- do it again, steely dan
- she lives in my lap, out kast
- sweet thang, shuggie otis
have a great weekend.
posted by summer of sam @ 00:00
language alone protects us from the scariness of things with no names. language alone is meditation. ~toni morrison
9 Comments:
i would play guitar and maybe background vocals, and the songs are not necessarily chosen based on based on level of expertise/difficulty. i would play:
1. faithful by meshell ndegeocello
2. sister by lenny kravitz
3. no woman no cry by bob marley
4. fast car by tracy chapman
5. bitter by meshell ndegeocello
6. with or without you by u2
7. napoleon by ani difranco
8. let's go crazy by prince
9. cocaine by eric clapton
10. educated guess by ani difranco
i'd be covers of stevie wonder and lionel richie, otis redding and sam cook with some joan amatrading thrown in.
I have actually been thinking about this, for a few months I have been considering doing old verses at the next show (when I get my ass in gear). Check it:
Second Verse from the Beat Street Song (Grand Master Flash/Furious Five)
The Message (Grand Master Flash/Furious Five)
Time's Up (O.C.)
i have to think about it. but since you said, "silent treatment," you get gold stars and cookies. it is my favorite roots ditty everinmywholeentirelife. a little more points on the cyber crush. good job gumshoe.
@deshi: great pix, homie.
@diddy: joan armatrading!?!?!? you rock, yo. you're officially my favorite sort of-canadian.
@amadeo: i'd love to see you rock those verses at a show. you got skills, right?
@phoenix: i just fell more in internet love with you b/c you made me think about where in the world is carmen sandiego for the first time in i dunno how long.
do i get extra points and/or gold stars if i serenade you?
*in best black thought voice*
girl you know that you need to stop givin' me the silent...treatment baby/can't you see what you mean to me?/i wanna love you constantly/but you keep neglecting me/and treating me silently.
well i was gonna say great post but it seems like I may be interrupting something. ; )
i can confirm that phoenix is 5 7 caramel complexion although she tells the modeling scouts she's 5 9 or taller but back to the subject at hand.
this is diff cause i'm trying to differentiate between songs I would cover and songs that blanket me in whatever it is that I need to be blanketed in word to Esthero.
3 Tha Hard way-Bahamadia
Nuthin But Love-Heavy D
Slowly Surely-Jill Scott
Sweetest Thing-Lauryn
Superwoman-Karyn White
Weak-SWV
Who's Gonna Take The Weight-Gangstarr
Adrenaline-The Roots
Flipside-Freeway and the artist formerly known as Peedi Crakk
(so random and i'll probabaly renounce these selections tomorrow)
I would cover tracy chapman's fast car
I would team up with my no paying mentor Summer and we would cover Luther Vandross and Cheryl Lynn covering Marvin and Tammi in If this world were mine.
I would team up with Saf, jus cuz she cute and cover Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams Too Much Too Little Too Late
And then for the sake of diversity, I would hook up with Nick and and cover Stevie and Paul's Ebony and Ivory
And finally I, in a tribute to all the fabulous drag queens and wannabe divas who have tried and failed, cover Jennifer Holiday's grammy and tony award winning rendition of And I am Telling You I'm Not Going as tribute to all those who ride out hurricanes.
Since I can't sing for shit, I'd have to cover people who also can't sing: Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen. I'd have to skip "Mr. Tambourine Man," cause Shatner already did such a good job with that one.
So now I'm imagining listening to a recording of myself singing "Tangled Up in Blue." Those of you who know me, I'm sure, will join me in horrified nervous giggling.
@jalylah: i know this may be a little uncouth given that you and phoenix are apparently real-life pals, but the esthero reference pretty much means that i now have an internet crush on you, too.
gosh, i believe i am in internet love with two unavailable women. *sigh*
@harold: that was your funniest. comment. ever. we should all make an album: karaoke with the blogstars. or something like that.
@lee: if being able to sing is a requirement for leading a cover band, i'm soooo screwed. i now join you in horrified nervous giggling.
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