no static

Cat Stevens-'Sad Lisa' (1976)

2012-02-08T16:55:00.008-07:00

Sad Lisa is on the Cat Stevens album Tea for the Tillerman

Studio version with lyrics

Fleetwood Mac - 'Gold Dust Woman'

2012-01-21T09:17:00.014-07:00

Fleetwood Mac - Gold Dust Woman - kewego
Video from cerealspiller

'God is Alive, Magic is Afoot'

2012-01-17T13:11:00.000-07:00

words: Leonard Cohen
music: Buffy Sainte-Marie
© Stranger Music, Inc./Caleb Music-ASCAP

1...

God is alive; Magic is afoot
God is alive; Magic is afoot
God is afoot; Magic is alive
Alive is afoot.....
Magic never died.

God never sickened;
many poor men lied
many sick men lied
Magic never weakened
Magic never hid
Magic always ruled
God is afoot
God never died.

God was ruler
though his funeral lengthened
Though his mourners thickened
Magic never fled
Though his shrouds were hoisted
the naked God did live
Though his words were twisted
the naked Magic thrived
Though his death was published
round and round the world
the heart did not believe

Many hurt men wondered
many struck men bled
Magic never faltered
Magic always led.
Many stones were rolled
but God would not lie down
Many wild men lied
many fat men listened
Though they offered stones
Magic still was fed
Though they locked their coffers
God was always served.

2..

Magic is afoot. God rules.
Alive is afoot. Alive is in command.
Many weak men hungered
Many strong men thrived
Though they boasted solitude
God was at their side
Nor the dreamer in his cell
nor the captain on the hill
Magic is alive
Though his death was pardoned
round and round the world
the heart did not believe.

Though laws were carved in marble
they could not shelter men
Though altars built in parliaments
they could not order men
Police arrested Magic
and Magic went with them,
for Magic loves the hungry.

But Magic would not tarry
it moves from arm to arm
it would not stay with them
Magic is afoot
it cannot come to harm
it rests in an empty palm
it spawns in an empty mind
but Magic is no instrument
Magic is the end.

Many men drove Magic
but Magic stayed behind
Many strong men lied
they only passed through Magic
and out the other side
Many weak men lied
they came to God in secret
and though they left him nourished
they would not say who healed
Though mountains danced before them
they said that God was dead
Though his shrouds were hoisted
the naked God did live

3...

This I mean to whisper to my mind
This I mean to laugh with in my mind
This I mean my mind to serve 'til
service is but Magic
moving through the world
and mind itself is Magic
coursing through the flesh
and flesh itself is Magic
dancing on a clock
and time itself the magic length of God.

Vivaldi - 'The Four Seasons'

2012-01-03T16:46:00.002-07:00

'Your Very Flesh Shall Be a Great Poem'

2012-01-03T16:44:00.000-07:00

From the Preface to Leaves of Grass:

This is what you shall do: Love the earth and sun and the animals, despise riches, give alms to every one that asks, stand up for the stupid and crazy, devote your income and labor to others, hate tyrants, argue not concerning God, have patience and indulgence toward the people, take off your hat to nothing known or unknown or to any man or number of men, go freely with powerful uneducated persons and with the young and with the mothers of families, read these leaves in the open air every season of every year of your life, re examine all you have been told at school or church or in any book, dismiss whatever insults your own soul, and your very flesh shall be a great poem and have the richest fluency not only in its words but in the silent lines of its lips and face and between the lashes of your eyes and in every motion and joint of your body.

--Walt Whitman

Billie Holiday - 'Fine and Mellow'

2011-12-05T15:40:00.000-07:00

Leonard Cohen - 'Democracy'

2011-11-05T22:05:00.002-07:00

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Patty Griffin-'Heavenly Day'

2011-11-05T14:22:00.005-07:00

'Thank You, Story Lady'

2011-10-29T21:39:00.020-07:00

Back when radio broadcasting was still fun, there was a syndicated radio package by Mel Blanc that included fake commercials, parodies and other funny bits. It's most popular feature was The Story Lady. "Thank you, Story Lady" became a catch phrase around a station I worked for in 1969.

The Brave Little Tailor
The Magic Cloak
The Frog Prince
Rumpelstilskin
The Poor Shoemaker

You'll find many more here.

Red's Riding Hoods
Leaping Beauty
Goldilocks and the Three Bears

Tori Amos - 'A Sorta Fairytale'

2011-10-28T12:57:00.009-07:00

'How Music Works'

2011-10-15T20:50:00.019-07:00

This is a fascinating and easy to follow program from BBC4 that explains the basic elements of music.

(Via Brain Pickings)

Melody parts 2, 3, 4, 5

Click here to access all of the segments.

Rhythm parts 2, 3, 4 ,5

Harmony parts 2, 3, 4, 5

Bass parts 2, 3, 4, 5

Cookie Monster Sings Tom Waits

2011-09-29T15:27:00.009-07:00

Tom Waits (Wikipedia)
Tom Waits Lyrics
Cookie Monster (Wikipedia)
Cookie Monster Lyrics

Ocean's 11 (1960 film)
Ocean's Eleven (2001 film)

Playing for Change - 'Gimme Shelter'

2011-09-24T21:52:00.008-07:00

www.playingforchange.com

Louis Armstrong - 'West End Blues'

2011-09-24T16:57:00.004-07:00

West End Blues recorded in 1928 by Louis Armstrong. One of the masterpieces of early jazz.

Beatles - 'Get Back' (Rooftop Concert)

2011-09-24T14:22:00.007-07:00

Via Open Culture:

"On a cold day in January 1969, The Beatles, who hadn’t played live since 1965, took to the rooftop of the headquarters of Apple Records, located at 3 Savile Row, in central London. And there they played an impromptu last gig, much to the delight of Londoners on nearby rooftops … and to the chagrin of the police.

At the time, The Beatles were recording their final album, Let It Be, and the rooftop show let them run through various tracks from that last effort. Above, we have them playing 'Get Back,' accompanied by Billy Preston on the keyboards...

Famously, The Beatles’ live legacy ends with the police shutting down the show (it was a noise violation, you know?) and John Lennon uttering the immortal words, 'I’d like to say thank you on behalf of the group and ourselves, and I hope we passed the audition.' That’s going out in style.

Donna Murphy - 'Hit Me With A Hot Note'

2011-09-21T19:03:00.009-07:00

A scene from the What about Joan episode 'Ruby Doobie Doo' with Donna Murphy singing 'Hit Me with a Hot Note.'

Classic Duke Ellington song.

Donna Murphy (Wikipedia)
Duke Ellington (Wikipedia)

'Scheherazade'

2011-08-29T16:57:00.011-07:00

Hardison goes undercover as a violinist to perform Scheherazade in Leverage's "The Scheherazade Job."

Scheherazade
Scheherazade (Rimsky-Korsakov)
'Scheherazade,' 1001 Nights Retold in a Symphony

One Thousand and One Nights
Candlelight Stories: The Arabian Nights

Jimmy Cliff - 'Afghanistan' (Vietnam)

2011-06-24T22:35:00.007-07:00

Jimmy Cliff performs 'Afganistan'(Vietnam) at the Mezzanine in San Francisco, California on August 13, 2010.

Les McCann - 'Compared to What'

2011-02-20T15:54:00.005-07:00

Classic Les McCann performance from Montreux Jazz Festival 1969. Recorded for the live album Swiss Movement.

B. B. King - 'The Thrill Is Gone'

2011-02-14T17:02:00.002-07:00

BB King's classic "The Thrill is Gone" performed at the 1993 Montreux Jazz Festival

Lisa Hannigan - 'Braille'

2010-11-05T21:36:00.006-07:00

This song by Lisa Hannigan plays at the end of the movie Ondine. For the lyrics click here

(As for the film, the first two thirds are wonderful, but I agree with this reviewer that it is spoiled by a violent jolt of "reality" and a tacked on happy ending.)

Monty Python - 'Always Look on the Bright Side of Life' Sing-Along

2010-06-14T15:10:00.008-07:00

The Bright Side... Behind The Scenes
'Not the Messiah' Trailer
Not The Messiah (He's a Very Naughty Boy)

Graham Nash - 'Immigration Man'

2010-04-27T08:08:00.001-07:00

Vincil From Ummo - 'Saint Louis'

2010-04-25T21:35:00.000-07:00

Anoushka Shankar Live at Verbier Festival - 'Mishra Pilu'

2010-01-20T18:13:00.003-07:00

Anoushka Shankar is the daughter of Ravi Shankar and the half sister of Grammy winner Norah Jones.

This video is from a live performance at the Verbier Festival.

Diana Krall-'Temptation'

2010-01-18T10:03:00.007-07:00

Crusaders-'Rural Renewal'

2010-01-11T13:50:00.006-07:00

Emmylou Harris-'Boulder to Birmingham'

2010-01-08T09:14:00.016-07:00

Wailin' Jennys-'One Voice'

2010-01-06T11:38:00.010-07:00

Dave Stewart & Candy Dulfer-'Lily Was Here'

2010-01-05T16:55:00.005-07:00

The Onion: 'Army Holds Annual Bring Your Daughter To War Day'

2009-12-10T13:50:00.006-07:00

Army Holds Annual 'Bring Your Daughter To War' Day

40 Years Of Music Stars On Sesame Street

2009-11-12T09:00:00.010-07:00

Mr.Frost writes on MOG about the 40th anniversary of Sesame Street and how over the years many of our favorite musical artists appeared on the show. He features videos including Stevie Wonder, Feist, Ray Charles and this one with B.B. King.

Read his post here.

On the Web:
40 Years Of Lessons On 'Sesame Street'
'Sesame Street' Celebrates 40 Years In the Neighborhood

Sesame Street: 'Love the Ocean' Lyrics

M. Ward-'Chinese Translation'

2009-11-11T07:16:00.001-07:00

Watch M. Ward 'Chinese Translation' on Letterman

'La Paloma - The Melody of Longing'

2009-11-09T11:50:00.006-07:00

This fascinating documentary tells the story of the most played song in the world. The film is showing on Link TV and you can watch it here.

In Zanzibar they play it at the end of weddings, in Romania at the end of funerals, in Mexico it is the hymn of demonstrators against newly elected president, in Germany it is known as a sailor’s song from the North Sea. This film is a journey on the wings of La Paloma. What is the song’s secret? Why does it touch people of every color and creed?

First Hand Films:

No other piece of music has ever been interpreted, arranged or released as often as “La Paloma”. From Richard Tauber to Pavarotti, from Elvis Presley to Dean Martin, from Mariachi to Sinti – La Paloma is the Grande Dame of pop music. For 150 years she has been complimented with different lyrics, rhythms and instruments. But her soul, her melody, has always retained its spirit.

On the Web:
Watch 'La Paloma' Online at Link TV
La Paloma Official Website
La Paloma at First Hand Films

More on the Web: La Paloma

'India's Song - The Vanishing Art of Listening'

2009-09-24T09:22:00.007-07:00

Explore.org is a philanthropic multimedia organization that makes documentary films and photographs to showcase extraordinary nonprofit efforts and leaders around the world.

From the Link TV Web site:

Philanthropist and filmmaker Charles Annenberg Weingarten and the explore Team set out on a philanthropic fact-finding mission to India, where they see the challenge of keeping ancient customs alive in a fast-moving society. Over the ever-increasing white noise of traffic, cell phones, and street chatter, it can be difficult to hear the sounds of the natural world and the traditional music that is an essential part of India's cultural history.

On their journey, explore meets John Singh, Maneka Gandhi, and Sangeeta J.K., all extraordinary individuals who have mastered the art of listening and who have dedicated their lives to preserving India’s captivating melodies. With their guidance, explore discovers the possibility of modernity, without forgetting the sounds of the past.

On the Web:
Watch more Explore specials online
Link TV

Geo Sessions: 'Global Drum Project'

2009-09-10T12:53:00.000-07:00

National Geographic's Geo Sessions: Global Drum Project is presented here in two parts.

Ex-Grateful Dead Drummer Mickey Hart brings his band of international percussion masters to Geo Sessions, mesmerizing viewers with intricate patterns of rhythm. With performances of songs including 'Groove' and 'Baba', the band interlaces stories about how each drummer followed a different path to becoming a musician. Mickey also discusses how humans are creatures of rhythm, living in a world of rhythm – and how the mesmerizing trance of rhythm can uplift. Finally, the band performs the song 'Wood' on two giant tree roots – one a grapevine and the other a redwood – while also performing with a variety of hammers brushes, their fingers bringing out different pitches and patterns.

'Birds on the Wires'

2009-09-10T12:37:00.010-07:00

Birds on the Wires from Jarbas Agnelli on Vimeo.

This is cool. Here's the story behind the video:

Reading a newspaper, I saw a picture of birds on the electric wires. I cut out the photo and decided to make a song, using the exact location of the birds as notes (no Photoshop edit). I knew it wasn't the most original idea in the universe. I was just curious to hear what melody the birds were creating.

I sent the music to the photographer, Paulo Pinto, who I Googled on the internet. He told his editor, who told a reporter and the story ended up as an interview in the very same newspaper.

Here I've posted a short video made with the photo, the music and the score (composed by the birds).

The Bird on the Wire song below was originally recorded by Leonard Cohen in 1968 and released in 1969. Judy Collins was the first to release the song in her 1968 album Who Knows Where the Time Goes.

'Gimme a Letter'

2009-09-10T11:16:00.009-07:00

Gimme a Letter
Uploaded by retmia. - Independent web videos.

The music in this "arts video" is from the 60's hit The Letter by The Box Tops.

'A Trip to Spain with Miles Davis'

2009-09-07T11:48:00.015-07:00

From the wonderful photo blog it's just how i see things:

okay, so we didn't really go to spain. but in my heart, i badly needed to get away. and tonight was just the escape i was looking for.

remember me talking lately about the film we'd been watching on jazz? well, the portion that covered the career and work of miles davis mentioned that there are three must-have recordings that anyone interested in davis's music should add to their library. miles ahead, porgy and bess and sketches of spain--all collaborations of davis's playing and the arrangements of gil evans.

well, being that we are big lovers of jazz and really appreciate groovy album covers, we had to get sketches of spain after hearing a snippet of the album and after seeing the cover art...

while in the store, i said, 'oh, how fun would it be to have and/or make some spanish food while we listen to the cd tonight?'

Read how Georgia turned the evening into a much needed 'staycation.' Her blog post even includes a recipe for paella.

The jazz film Georgia is talking about is Jazz: A Film By Ken Burns.

Sketches of Spain was recorded between November 1959 and March 1960. Most of the compositions were inspired by the Spanish folk tradition.

You can read more about the album and listen to tracks here at the NPR Basic Jazz Record Library.

You may also listen on Rhapsody at this page.

Sean Murphy says

The secret to creating music that stands the test of time is to create timeless music: Sketches of Spain was, and remains, quite unlike anything else created in the jazz idiom.

'Reggae Music 101'

2009-09-04T19:32:00.003-07:00

Jimmy Cliff I Can See Clearly Now
by lucile18

About.com has just published an introductory article about Reggae.

Reggae is characterized by a heavy backbeated rhythm, meaning the emphasis of the beat is on, for example, beats 2 and 4, when in 4/4 time. This backbeat is characteristic of all African-based musics and is not found in traditional European or Asian music. Reggae drummers also emphasize the third beat when in 4/4 time with a kick to the bass drum.

Bob Marley was reggae's best-known international ambassador. From his early days in a Rocksteady band to his later years as a Rastafari convert and political activist, Bob Marley planted himself deeply into the hearts of reggae fans throughout the world. Some people consider Marley to be exclusively responsible for the popularity of reggae worldwide, but many other artists, including Jimmy Cliff and Peter Tosh, were integral to the spread of the genre.

Read the entire article here.

World Science Festival 2009: Bobby McFerrin Demonstrates the Power of the Pentatonic Scale

2009-08-20T16:03:00.006-07:00

World Science Festival 2009: Bobby McFerrin Demonstrates the Power of the Pentatonic Scale from World Science Festival on Vimeo.

Simon and Garfunkel-'Scarborough Fair' (1981)

2009-08-18T09:53:00.008-07:00

Simon and Garfunkel-Scarborough Fair
Uploaded by manon42. - Watch more music videos, in HD!

Concert in Central Park, September 19,1981.

'Uncommon'

2009-08-17T15:30:00.002-07:00

UNCOMMON
Written by: Matthew West
© 2009 Songs by Delaney (ASCAP)

What if there's something bigger for me out there
Than the comfort of a life on this middle ground?
I've played it safe but now I can't help but wonder
If maybe I've been missing out
'Cause I look around and see a sea of people
Everybody's moving in the same direction
And I think it's time to break away, break away

CHORUS
I wanna finally take the road less traveled
I wanna run away from anything typical
I want the world to see the life I'm livin'
And call it
Uncommon

What if the right thing was harder than the wrong thing
But I did it anyway?
Standing strong even when no one else was watching
What if I really lived that way?
Every heart has it's defining moment
This is mine and I'm not gonna miss it

CHORUS
I wanna finally take the road less traveled
I wanna run away from anything typical
I want the world to see the life I'm livin'
And call it
Uncommon

I don't care if it makes me look different
I'm never letting go of my convictions
Let the world see the life I'm livin'
And call it
Uncommon

What if I made it to the end of my days here
Only to find that my legacy is nowhere to be found
I don't wanna waste another second
Give me the strength to start right now

CHORUS
I wanna finally take the road less traveled
I wanna run away from anything typical
I want the world to see the life I'm livin'
And call it
Uncommon

Crosby, Stills & Nash-'Suite: Judy Blue Eyes' (Woodstock 1969)

2009-08-17T09:51:00.009-07:00

My first brief experience at an album rock FM station was in 1969. It introduced me to songs and artists I would love forever. The first album by Crosby Stills and Nash is still one of my favorites.

CSN made one of their first public appearances at Woodstock a couple of months later.

Pete Seeger on 'Smothers Brothers Show' (c. 1968)

2009-08-11T17:13:00.006-07:00

Steely Dan-'FM'

2009-07-15T12:25:00.004-07:00

August 12,2006

Guitar solo by Walter Becker
Sax solo by Roger Rosenberg

Donald Fagen - Keyboards and Vocals
Walter Becker - Guitar
Keith Carlock - Drums
Jon Herington - Guitar
Carolyn Leonhart-Escoffery - Backing Vocals
Michael Leonhart - Trumpet
Cindy Mizelle - Backing Vocals
Jim Pugh - Trombone
Roger Rosenberg - Baritone Sax
Freddie Washington - Bass
Walt Weiskopf - Sax
Jeff Young - Keyboards and Backing Vocals

Fair Use Notice and Creative Commons License

2009-07-15T12:00:00.013-07:00

This web site may contain copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. All such material is clearly attributed by name with a link to the original website. I make this material available in order to help expand conscious awareness, to provide moments of beauty and joy, to search for and collect the neglected gems that can be found between the junk found in most modern media, to promote an understanding of the sacredness of humanity and to celebrate the precious uniqueness of each individual as a part of the whole.

I believe this constitutes a "fair use" of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. A click on a hyperlink is a request for information.

This also means that you are welcome to make "fair use" of anything you find on this web site. However, if you wish to use copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond "fair use," you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

Any original material on this web site is covered by Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 United States License. This means that you may use the material, even commercial use, and you may modify, alter or build on the material, as long as you give credit, and as long as you do not impose restrictions beyond the provisions of this license.

You can read more about "fair use" and US Copyright Law at the Legal Information Institute of Cornell Law School.

No Static (Weblog) by Jon Roland Foster is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.