Ear worm

Yesterday I woke up and an old friend had said in facebook "I'm getting married in the morning". Immediately I got that song from My Fair Lady going around in my head, "Ding, dong the bells are gonna chime!"... Also my grandpa used to sing that song quite often so it's really been burnt into the synapses. After 8 hours it had worn a bit thin.

This morning I heard Baker Street by Gerry Rafferty and thought oboyoboy wouldn't it be great if I got this song in my head today, but no, it's never the song you want, in fact an ear worm is by its very nature an unwanted tune. You can't will it into existence.

Tonight, I had one of those weird phenomena which I will call the obscure double earworm - or ODE.  I had a song in my head where, on the tip of my mind I could hear a vocal tone, and then a backing vocal hook line and no words at all for ages. After about half an hour of looking at the shape of the song in my mind and singing the line out loud, I got two words: He's racing... I went on Soundhound and tried singing the backing vocal, nothing close. Then I searched on the two words 'he's racing' in Soundhound, and I found something! It was ' the distance' by Cake.

I listened to the song in You Tube. Okay, that was definitely the vocal I was hearing, but it didn't have my backing vocal line. What the dickens was that tune?!!

Suddenly I heard the words. 'I want a girl with a short skirt and a looong jacket.' That's it, by Cake! O frabjous day!

Well, I must say, that meme arrived apropos of nothing...

Boys of summer

My partner is djing his playlist into the loungeroom and Don Henley's 'Boys of Summer' is playing.  I hated this song in year nine, but now it's strangely evocative, bringing back memories of swimming in a country channel and riding bikes home at the end of the day in togs and towels, and listening to the top 40 hits on the radio - the only couple of stations available. Casey Kasem's top 40 on Sunday night, like the Oracle of Delphi for a 14-year-old in nowheresville.

Now Prince's 'Sign of the Times' is playing. My final year in high school, when I was developing some understanding of the larger world around me.  I remember this being a very powerful funk anthem.

OH NO, now we've got Dave Edmunds' 'Girls' Talk' - back to year seven, a yellow skirt and neon pink sneakers with neon blue net socks, the fifties revival in 1979-1980.  We had a sort of social dance thing at high school and I remember I wore the dress my mother wore to the prom in the early 60's. I felt like a total bump on a log but I bet I was absolutely gorgeous.  I saw a photo of myself at 24 the other day, and was amazed that I could have worried about my looks, thinking I was fat etc.  If I had a time machine, I would go back and tell that girl not to worry about a thing because 'THIS IS THE PRETTIEST YOU ARE EVER GOING TO BE WITHOUT TRYING!'

Here comes John Cougar Mellencamp...

Gone country

Last month I made a few trips to the country on the weekends. On one trip my dad put my name on the list at the country music club in my hometown. I got up and did three songs with the house band. The audience seemed to enjoy my effort and I was asked back to do a guest spot later in the year. A good weekend all round!

A bite out of the moon

Tonight there is a partial lunar eclipse. I had a chance to see it for a little while before the sky clouded over. It was fun to see the shadow that all of us and our world is making on the moon. It is hard to look at the moon without hearing Noel Fielding's voice these days, but that's hardly a bad thing.

Earlier today I was listening to Denise Hylands' Twang on RRR & she played a new song by Barb Waters & the Mothers of Pearl. It was a cover of the Diana Trask hit 'O Boy' & it was perfect as I walked through the park to the shops. Really brightened up my day. Then I started wondering what Diana Trask was doing now. In fact there is a book available from her web page entitled 'Whatever happened to Diana Trask?' Reading her web bio, I had no idea she had been so successful. I just remembered and loved the song, which must have been released when I was about seven. Tonight I bought Barb's new version from iTunes & listened the original too, and had one of those moments where music is just EVERYTHING.

Coincidentally, it appears that Diana Trask is going to guest on Spicks 'n' Specks this Wednesay, June 30th on the ABC at 8:30 pm. O Boy!

Not very wordy June

Well, that didn't go so well...it's now the 26th of June & I didn't blog. Have been really busy with other things. Good things.

One of the things has been singing & rehearsing for the gig I'm playing with gorgeous partner: guitarist and walking archive of popular music. I also had two vocal coaching sessions in the last week, and am learnng a few new techniques to help my voice along. Sharing the night with us will be the wonderful Nick Creswell, whose energy and passion never fail to excite. He has a web page for online jamming which is fantastic for playing along & for beginners too. (I'm still a perpetual beginner on guitar...) So it should be an awesome night!

Last Spring I sang at a private shindig at a club, which was great fun. Next week will be my first gig in an actual bar in about 15 years. It's never too late!

Someone recommended a book which really inspired me, The Brain That Changes Itself.
It tells stories of people who have overcome incredible obstacles through rewiring their neural pathways by doing stuff over & over until new pathways are built. If you're feeling stuck, this book will rock your world. (Not so good for the monkeys, though...)

Rock and roll!

Rufus Wainwright

I'm really excited about going to the Rufus Wainwright concert next weekend. He is such a wonderful songwriter, can't wait to see him live!
To see the clip of Go or go ahead, go here.
To see the new video of Going to a town, go here.
Or for his web page, go here.

We love you, Rufus!