O'Pato

This is a kitschy samba song about a duck, a goose, and other water birds, all quacking about who each other are, the:

Quém, quém, quém, quém
Quém, quém, quém, quém

lines at the end are a bit of onomatopoeia meant to resemble the quacking of a duck, and can be translated into: who? who? who? who?

This is a samba song which means it is about impossible to play on guitar and sing at the same time. The combination of the samba rhythm and smooth contrapuntal singing defines the Tropicália movement in my opinion. Here are two legends of Tropicália: Joao Gilberto and Caetano Veloso, singing the song:


Natalia's version is by far the best though:


You can find tab for the song here, or get the song from amazon: O Pato (The Duck)

Hanna Montanna

My 5 year old niece is over today, and as it happens, Disney is running a Hanna Montana marathon. I am not going to admit outright that I am a fan of the show, but I will admit that I find myself watching it...helplessly, mindlessly.

The shows usually consists of an emotional hook. Someone gets mad at someone, or someone is going to be totally screwed unless...it keeps you absorbed, you want the resolution, you want the two people to make up, or the hero to be saved, you want to know that everything is going to be OK. The cheerfulness of the people in the comedy help with this. If they were all dressed Goth you might be OK with the fact that they go on hating each other endlessly, or Miley does fail gym, or whatever.

What is certainly true is that the show is popular. My niece likes the show, all her friends like the show. Like is too weak a word, they love the show, they are obsessed with the show, they sing the theme song in idle moments, they cheer when they find it on Disney, they have the Hanna Montana lunch box, socks, sweater, and shirt. It isn't just a show to them, it is a model of life.

That said, Disney does try to stick in some positive images. Hanna brushing her teeth, or eating spinach, or jogging. The themes of the show are also good: share, be considerate to others, study hard and do well...etc... The concept of the show itself is positive, Billy Ray proving that you can have a show and keep a family together. Finding a win win with the talent of his daughter and his own talent and giving her a truly intense unique experience for growing up. It is charming.

What will become of Hanna Montana, I wonder? Will she go on for a solo career that is still fresh and works? Will she be able to escape the fame and popularity of her Disney career? Will she go all Britney Spears? I try to think of the stars I was obsessed with when I was five? Vanilla Ice maybe *shudder*, well for the sake of Miley, and the world, let's hope she is spared that fate.

Piazza, New York Catcher

Piazza, New York Catcher by Belle and Sebastian is a light beat song with intelligent lyrics that tells the story of the relationship with a girl intertwined with allusions to baseball.



Elope with me, Miss Private, and we’ll sail around the world
I will be your Ferdinand and you my wayward girl
How many nights of talking in hotel rooms can you take?
How many nights of limping around on pagan holidays?
Oh, elope with me in private and we’ll set something ablaze
A trail for the devil to erase

Two people meet and set off for a grand adventure.


Come wave upon me from the wider family net absurd
“You’ll take care of her, I know it, you will do a better job”
Maybe, but not what she deserves

Family acceptance, marriage, and humble grace in "Maybe, but not what she deserves" when entering marriage.

I wish that you were here with me to pass the dull weekend
I know it wouldn’t come to love, my heroine pretend
A lady stepping from the songs we love until this day
You’d settle for an epitaph like “Walk Away, Renee”
The sun upon the roof in winter will draw you out like
a flower
Meet you at the statue in an hour
Meet you at the statue in an hour

Alas the lady has died but still lives on in the memories of songs, and the sun on the roof! The story ends like a classic tale with the lover secure in the knowledge of being fated to join his partner.

The guitar chords for this song are:
F#, B, F#, G#m, Ebm, G#m, C#, G#m, C#, B, Ebm, G#m, C#, Ebm.

Thanks to turtlish2 for the chords.

doodlebugamy

Doodlebugamy is a 20 year old lady out of Wales in the U.K. who can sketch, draw, play guitar and banjo, sing, and is crushingly humble about all of it! Her works are a kind of honest pouring of consciousness, from sketching butterflies to singing cute original songs about practical thoughts that go through all our heads.

Check out I've Got Soul:


I wish I'd been born with good looks
Big old brains so I could read lots of books
but looks will fade and your mind can slip away
but I've got one thing you can never misplace
I've got souuuuuul baby, I've got souuuul



And for the cool time lapsed sketch of butterflies:


Check out more of her videos:
http://www.youtube.com/user/doodlebugamy

Silver Favorites

Silver Favorites, by Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema



This painting reminds me of what it is like to lounge in the sun and experience those moments when the only thought in our head is that life is good. The fish in the center add the extra notion of carefree child-like distraction.

The scene is officially set along the Bay of Naples, and the painting is set along with lines from Wordsworth's poem Gold and Silver Fishes in a Vase:


Where, sensitive of every ray,
that smites this tiny sea,
Your scaly panoplies repay
the loan with usury.


The poem strikes the infinite feeling one might find in such a setting, enjoying the detail and beauty of every ray of sun, and yet feeling the pain of being in it, eventually craving the relief of shade.

The painting also inspires an interesting contrast, the woman like the fish in the painting are in a controlled and captive space, and both are there to be admired. The fish for the admiration of the woman, and the woman for the admiration of the viewer, dressed in their Himations and Chitons. Alma-Tadema, by the way, is often credited for inspiring the costumes in Hollywood depictions of ancient Greece and Rome.

Browse more Alma-Tadema paintings at ArtRenewal.org

Everythings gonna be allright

No Woh-mahn no cry



I don't know if it is because I grew up in Africa, but Marley is great, awesome, honest beyond honest. Actually, I think it is just because Marley is great, one of those artists associated with a movement and responsible for a million covers. One of those artists that gets the crowd singing to almost every song.

Everything's gonna be alright. A phrase worth repeating and sharing from time to time...or daily even...

Legend - The Best Of Bob Marley And The Wailers (New Packaging)

Red Light Arrest

Red Light Arrest delivers music in an authentic style that is becoming the hallmark of great youtube. Out of New Brunswick, Canada, Red Light Arrest is composed of 17 year of Danyka and 19 year old Tyler. Danyka does an amazing job dancing to the songs and emoting their spirit, she sings from the heart using a powerful voice lined with a cute French accent. Tyler keeps the movement of the songs going with great guitar arrangements, background vocals, and occasional dancing.

Check out this cover of Estelle's American Boy:



For more of their videos:
Red Light Arrest