Welcome to the my Web site, v. XII. The blog is typically published Monday - Saturday. My primary topics tend to be the Nats, Penn State (esp. football), BeltwayLand, transportation, media, photos and more. The rest of the site gets updated as warranted and is noted on the blog.
The Scottish got bagpipes from Ireland. What we didn't tell them was that it was a joke.
- a friend from Belfast
ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- I don't get out much, so it figures that when I actually get an evening to hit Murphy's in Old Town for some Irish music they have...Scottish bagpipers. Now, I dont' feel the same way about pipers as my Northern Irish friend, but it was not what I was expecting. Just my luck right? Normally I'd get a photo of the band playing, but it turns out bagpipers sets are pretty short and I didn't have time, so I just went with the exterior of Murphy's. Also, I tried Bushmills while I was there and I won't bother again.
"The Band That Wouldn't Die" looks good - William World News
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
"The Band That Wouldn't Die" looks good
I have a soft spot for the Baltimore Colts.
While my antipathy towards Baltimore's baseball team is well documented, I have said on a few occasions that the Colts moving out of Baltimore is probably the worst franchise relocation in professional sports history. The fans were great, the team had great, memorable players and a marching band with a catchy fight song. The team moved away ultimately because the owner, Bob Irsay, was a really nasty individual who was also an alcoholic. Indianapolis was and still is completely unworthy of those horseshoe helmets and uniforms.
Noted film director Barry Levinson, a Baltimore native, has made a documentary for ESPN 30 for 30 about that marching band, "The Band That Wouldn't Die." The band played on even after the team abandoned them and eventually became the Marching Ravens after the Cleveland Browns (another bad move, but one that was corrected almost immediately) came to Baltimore. The whole story gets told tonight at 8 p.m.
Music Tuesday: People Who Died - William World News
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Music Tuesday: People Who Died
When he was growing up on the Lower East Side of New York City, Jim Carroll like to shoot hoops, heroin. He wrote The Basketball Diaries and started a band. "People Who Died" was his best known song. He died the other day at age 60.
Bob Dylan picked up in front of Bruce Springsteen's old house by Long Branch, NJ cops - William World News
Monday, August 17, 2009
Bob Dylan picked up in front of Bruce Springsteen's old house by Long Branch, NJ cops
Was Dylan Searching for the Home Where Springsteen Penned 'Born to Run'? - ABC News I am highly amused by this story about a 24 year old Long Branch, N.J.* cop picking up Bob Dylan for wandering around the house that Bruce Springsteen wrote "Born to Run" in. Apparently, Dylan didn't look like Bob Dylan to her and since he was not carrying identification, she had to go back to his tour buses with him for verification. I hope he writes a song about it.
If I wrote for The Onion, I'd write an article headlined "John Mellencamp hoping Dylan will look for his old house" and then have Dylan say something like "Who?" when asked about it. That or Dylan being found with a molotov cocktail where Mellencamp wrote "Smalltown."
*I used to got to Long Branch pretty regularly for over a decade. I've probably been to the beach at Seven Presidents Park twenty times or more, first with family and then Brad. We never looked for Springsteen's house though.
Sometime in the late 1970s, Elvis Costello got banned from Saturday Night Live for some reason after playing "Radio Radio." He and SNL have since made up and he crashed a Beastie Boys on the program apperance a while back. Clearly, he was predicting the demise of the Mike O'Meara Show and WJFK when he wrote the song.
Here is the original version back from when he was a still a New Wave nerd:
Music Tuesday: La Marseillaise - William World News
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Music Tuesday: La Marseillaise
Today is Bastille Day, so I'll celebrate with the best rendition of the French National Anthem. The Ombudsman is celebrating by being in France right now, lucky them. Anyway, this was one of the great scenes in Casablanca. How typical of Nazis to get mad because people were having fun.
Music Tuesday: So Long and Thanks for All the Fish - William World News
Tuesday, July 07, 2009
Music Tuesday: So Long and Thanks for All the Fish
My wife bought a new shower curtain for our son's bathroom. Upon seeing it, I immediately thought of this particular song:
"So Long and Thanks For All the Fish" may have been the best part of the movie "The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy." No, I take that back, Zooey Deschanel was the best part.
I reviewed it way back when it was out. It should have been much better or much worse, I didn't think you could make a bland version of that story. Terry Gilliam should have directed it.
Kodak is ending Kodachrome and legendary photographer Steve McCurry, a fellow graduate of the Penn State College of Communications ('74), is going to shoot one of the last rolls (The Penn Stater).
As for the song, it is probably already in rapid rotation on every oldies and adult contemporary station in the country. Paul Simon wrote it, after he was kicked out of Megadeth for being too wild, but before he was elected to the U.S. Senate. Great song, especially the piano parts.
The song is also amusing if you switch "chromosomes" for "Kodachrome."
Only trained musicians might understand exactly what gave the Paul Desmond-penned song its flow. It was all in the time signature: five beats to the measure, a departure from more traditional four-four time in jazz. It was cutting-edge and cool — a song millions would scoop up and savor. In an interview with Michele Norris, Brubeck explains what made the time signature so difficult.
"You were brought up playing in four-four," Brubeck says. "Everybody could walk to it and dance to it. Put an extra beat on it — everybody's tripping.
I am not a trained musician, so I'll just go with I really like it. When it comes to jazz, I know very little about it, but (how would Potter Stewart have put it?) I know it when I hear it and I know what I like.
I'm pretty sure my dad saw the Dave Brubeck Quartet back in the day, maybe he'll comment on the experience.
I love this song. 5/4 is very unique and it just works perfectly here. I played it in my high school jazz ensemble a few times and it was one of my favorites to play at the time.
Thanks for the info on this one! I may just have to share it on my site as well!
# posted by Kevin McGuire :
Tuesday, June 16, 2009 12:24:00 PM
Try switching 6/8 from 3 beats to 2 in the middle of a song. Now THAT throws everybody off.
# posted by Cliff :
Tuesday, June 16, 2009 2:25:00 PM
Post a CommentTwo for Music Tuesday: Grazing in the Grass - William World News
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Two for Music Tuesday: Grazing in the Grass
For years, I have been trying to find the name of this instrumental song (the same thing happened with "Rise" and "Feels So Good" which I have been meaning to use for MT) -- you've heard it too. Turns out it is 1968's "Grazing in the Grass," by Hugh Masekela, a South African trumpeter. Thanks to the 105.9 FM for playing it yesterday on my ride home and listing it on their Web site's playlist. It even gets played during pitching changes from time to time at Nats games.
Then Friends of Distinction did it too, a year later, but with lyrics. You know it too.
Music Tuesday: Knights of Cydonia - William World News
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Music Tuesday: Knights of Cydonia
I know nothing of Muse, but someone shared with me this video today. I like the song and any video that is a post-apocalyptic Spagetti Western is okay with me.
Portions of the video are kind of NSFW in an after 10 p.m. broadcast way, so just listen to it with your headphones if you are at work.
I was trying to find "Six Month Out of Every Year" but it is not on youtube (aside from a high school production) so I'll go with the signature tune from Damn Yankees.
Music Tuesday: March of the Swivelheads - William World News
Tuesday, March 03, 2009
Music Tuesday: March of the Swivelheads
A few weeks ago I was thinking about Ferris Buellar's Day Off which is probably the best teen movie ever. The soundtrack was pretty cool too, wasn't it? This is by The English Beat and it will forever be immortalized by Ferris running through Shermer to get home. Too bad I could not find the actual clip instead of just a still.
Admit it though, this is a fun earworm to get stuck with isn't it?
I have been hearing "Subdivisions" on the radio fairly frequently lately.* For synth-rock, it opens very strong, but I am not crazy about the chorus. It turns out Rush are not fans of the suburbs. They probably wouldn't mind a do-over on their clothes and hair, but hey, it was 1982 or whatever.
*For about three weeks I was hearing Rush and/or Bruce Springsteen on the ride into work every morning on either 94.7 or 100.3.
Not everyone is happy that Springsteen is playing the Super Bowl half-time - William World News
Sunday, February 01, 2009
Not everyone is happy that Springsteen is playing the Super Bowl half-time
He's the One - The Post Magazine Sportswriter Liz Clarke, a long-time Bruce Springsteen fan, plans to turn away when The Boss comes on for the half-time show. I bet she watches it.
The other day I stumbled onto this excellent video of "Whipped Cream" by Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass and decided I just had to post it, even though I prefer some of the other tunes more. The album it is from, Whipped Cream and Other Delights, is one my favorite album covers though.
Anyone hungry for a fried peanut butter and banana sandwich?
# posted by Fritz :
Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:38:00 PM
I think for the big birthday celebration, the nanner sandwiches need to yield to a Fool's Gold Loaf. The title of the MetaFilter post I link to is quite good.
# posted by WFY :
Thursday, January 08, 2009 9:18:00 PM
In honor of Elvis' birthday this week, my site is having Elvis week. We're featuring some collectors of all things Elvis and even interviewed some of them. Check it: http://www.collectorsquest.com/featured-week/Elvis.html
I did not get to see them march in the Rose Parade live, but from what I have seen on Facebook, they apparently handled the sharp turn well. Does anybody know if video of that is online?
Music Tuesday: The Hockey Song - William World News
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
Music Tuesday: The Hockey Song
Music Tuesday storms back from its unannounced and unnoticed hiatus with this classic by Stompin' Tom Connors. The Capitals used to play "The Hockey Song" about half way through the third period, but stopped this year. Apparently, many are pleased by this development, including a Canadian-American I know. Since the Caps are doing well at Verizon Center this season, so I won't complain too much, but to the haters out there -- I defy you!
Every few months this gets a lot of airplay on D.C. radio. Aside from the creepy falsetto portion and the very end, this is an epic song. It seems like this gets more airplay than Harry Chapin's other big hit, "Cats in the Cradle."
Huh? AC/DC on music distribution - William World News
Huh? AC/DC on music distribution
He's also concerned about the concentrated power of iTunes. "I get scared when one big monster rules music. Maybe I'm a bit daft and old-fashioned, but I see shades of George Orwell."
-- Brian Johnson of the band AC/DC. The only retail outlets carrying the album are Wal-Mart and Sam's Club.
Yeah this is senseless to me. Why limit the buyer's choices to purchase the album? AC/DC is clearly stuck in a time when they really did mean something.
# posted by Kevin McGuire :
Tuesday, October 21, 2008 1:00:00 PM
Oh LawdBabyJeebus,
Please fulfill my satirist's secret wish that WalMart one day will re-name some advertising peridiocal of theirs the "Big Saver".
TWH MofP of the WWN
# posted by Anonymous :
Wednesday, October 22, 2008 10:21:00 AM
Post a CommentMusic Tuesday: Brass Bonanza - William World News
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
Music Tuesday: Brass Bonanza
My only connection to the Hartford Whalers is that I saw the Capitals beat them once in the mid-90s. Other than that, I am generally indifferent except for one thing -- their theme. Brass Bonanza came about in the late 1970s and started being played after Whalers goals. It is catchy in that 70s way. I don't think it got played too often as the Whalers were never very good. They moved to North Carolina and became the Hurricanes in 1997 or so and have since won a Stanley Cup. They had a clever logo too -- note the letter "H" in the the negative space.
I really need to get my Caps season write-up done soon.
Music Tuesday: Eastbound and Down - William World News
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Music Tuesday: Eastbound and Down
Smokey and the Bandit, now that was cinema! Car chases/crashes. Jackie Gleason. CB radios. The sequel was fun too as were the Cannonball Run movies which finally realized the dream of bringing the rat pack and southern car culture together.
For no particular reason at all, I'm going with Garbage for this week's Music Tuesday entry. While I enjoy the sound of this Clash inspired song, I actually wanted to go with "Push It" but that video was too weird.
Last year Cliff pointed my in the direction of the excellent Esquire article from 1966, Frank Sinatra has a Cold. It is a great read and perhaps the birth of New Journalism. Among the great lines:
He seemed now to be also the embodiment of the fully emancipated male, perhaps the only one in America, the man who can do anything he wants, anything, can do it because he has money, the energy, and no apparent guilt.
Great writing and insight into the chairman of the board. I figured it was on topic because of this week's Music Tuesday entry.
Music Tuesday: Theme from "New York, New York" - William World News
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Music Tuesday: Theme from "New York, New York"
Since the end of the Yankees game, I have not been able to get this out of my head. This actually wasn't originally sung by Frank Sinatra, but Liza Minelli. However, he took it and made it his own and now they play it after every Yankees game. They used to play the Liza version after losses, but she was not real happy about that for obvious reasons. By the way, what this "to the ball team that lost" stuff Ol' Blue is talking about?"
Oh and I can't help but think of this whenever I think of the Chairman of the Board.
At the Hammond Organ...Ed Alstrom - William World News
Monday, August 18, 2008
At the Hammond Organ...Ed Alstrom
THE BRONX -- The Yankees have had an organ since 1967 when then Yankees president Michael Burke bought a Hammond organ and brought Eddie Layton over from CBS, the Yankees owners back then. Layton retired about five years ago and died shortly thereafter. I am glad that the Yankees kept the tradition going by bringing in a new organ player instead of recordings.
Actually, Issac Hayes didn't necessarily quit South Park of his own accord. Here's why:
During a guest call-in segment on an Opie and Anthony XM show after the "Trapped in the Closet" broadcast, a caller asked Hayes for his thoughts on the episode, knowing that Hayes was a Scientologist. Hayes responded by praising Matt (Stone) and Trey (Parker) for pushing the envelope, that the episode was in good fun, and ended the comment with, "[A]nd if you take that s*** serious, I'll sell you the Brooklyn Bridge for $2.00." I've heard the tape, the man said it.
It wasn't until after his stroke in January 2006 that he "quit" South Park, via a statement through his publicist (a Scientologist herself), in which his "offense" to the episode supposedly came to light.
Just some food for thought. Damn shame, either way.
# posted by Muha :
Tuesday, August 12, 2008 7:55:00 PM
Today is Wednesday, which means it must be time for another edition of....Music Tuesday.
A Stone Temple Pilots song with a video shot on...video.
Back in '96, I was simply bombarded with this song and video late in the spring semester. I gave up and decided I liked it and bought the album which still holds up pretty well.
Music Tuesday: I'm on Fire (Live) - William World News
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Music Tuesday: I'm on Fire (Live)
I am down the Shore this week, so I thought I would choose something by the favorite, Bruce Springsteen. I realize "Girls in Their Summer Clothes" would probably be more appropriate, but it is not one of my favorites. "Fire" on the other hand is one of his best. The staccato guitar is fantastic, exceeded only by some incredible lyrics like these:
Sometimes its like someone took a knife baby Edgy and dull and cut a six-inch valley Through the middle of my soul
At night I wake up with the sheets soaking wet And a freight train running through the Middle of my head
Music Tuesday: Classical Gas (Live) - William World News
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Music Tuesday: Classical Gas (Live)
You've heard it a million times, but may not have ever known the name of the song or that it was by Mason Williams. He was also a comedy-writer for the Smothers Bros.
This was probably taped from The Ed Sullivan Show.
If I had to describe it in one word, I would say "dreamy." I love the slide guitar and Hope Sandoval's breathy singing.
Happy Valley's late Revolution 101.1 seemed to play it every other day when I was at Penn State -- not that I was complaining. I just wish they had not played "Steal My Sunshine" every morning as I was waking up too.
Coastal Carolina is bringing its band - William World News
Coastal Carolina is bringing its band
I just noticed on the Blue Band Web site that two visiting bands have been announced -- Coastal Carolina and Oregon State. This means the first two games of the 2008 season will feature visiting bands. Hopefully, a Big11Ten band or two will make the trip as well. A Blue Band road game appearance has not been announced either.
More Music Tuesday: More Than Yesterday - William World News
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
More Music Tuesday: More Than Yesterday
Great 1970s tune by the Sprial Starecase that we put on the wedding CD. From the YouTube description: "This music and a video of the scenery are not relevant."
Music Tuesday: As Times Goes By - William World News
Music Tuesday: As Times Goes By
"As Time Goes By" was not written for Dooley Wilson or the movie Casablanca, but it might as well has been. Three years ago today, Erica and I danced to it at our wedding reception.
I'd consider going to a Nats game if Harriet Wheeler were singing.
# posted by bdure :
Wednesday, June 25, 2008 9:50:00 AM
Coincidently, today is her birthday according to The Timeshistory page.
# posted by WFY :
Thursday, June 26, 2008 9:11:00 AM
Post a CommentNats pitching change/walk to the mound music question - William World News
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Nats pitching change/walk to the mound music question
Does anybody know the name of the song that was played when Randy St. Claire went out to visit Joel Hanrahan* during the 8th inning today? It is a jazzy, almost smooth jazz kind of song. I say almost smooth jazz because it is actually enjoyable.
I checked We've Got Heart's iMix page which lists the at-bat music of each Nationals player along with some other music, but it wasn't on there.
So, can anyone name that tune?
* I don't know if I spelled his name correctly, but since I am mad he gave up two runs in the eighth, I am not going to bother to check. If the Nats come back, I will look it up.
UPDATE: They lost, going a disappointing 1-5 against former Washington teams. No spell check for the Nats pitcher of record.
White afros. Bass violins. Synthesizers. British people. Talkboxes. Electric Light Orchestra was as '70s as it gets. You almost expect Will Ferrelll to make a movie out of it. Great song though; I really like Jeff Lynne's work. This is getting used in commercials again too.
I think I have done a good job restraining myself from choosing a Dead Milkmen song for Music Tuesday for this long, believe I was tempted to go with them early on. This particular song features Dean Clean on vocals instead of the usual Rodney Anonymous. I like the rhythm guitar and the lyrics are goofy.
Music Tuesday: My Wife Thinks Your Dead - William World News
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Music Tuesday: My Wife Thinks Your Dead
Guit-Steel!
A housemate from the Old School, Good Ol' Boy, introduced me to Junior Brown way back in 1995. I like his take on surf the most, but this is a fun song. I would like to see him play Wolf Trap someday, it seems like an ideal venue for him.
Music Tuesday: The Intro and the Outro - William World News
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Music Tuesday: The Intro and the Outro
A classic from the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band. This probably much funnier if you were British in the late '60s, but it isn't bad now. This tune had YouTube written all over it too.
When I stared this feature, I knew I'd want to include Godzilla for a couple of reasons. One, it is a really good, if under appreciated Blue Öyster Cult song. The other reason is I knew sooner or later Olie Kölzig will be leaving D.C. Now that he has announced his intentions, the time is right. Plus, both have an umlaut in their name.
By the way, BOC has been touring for many years, never really stopping; they just stopped getting airplay for their singles after "Burnin' for You." Also, Gene Frenkle isn't real.
The latest edition of Radio Lab, a public radio program from WNYC featured locally on WAMU at 6 p.m. on Saturday, focused on pop music. Of particular interest is the segment about earworms -- songs that get stuck in your head. I have not listened to it yet, but look forward to when I get a little downtime.
My current earworm is "Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On)" by Robert Plant and Alison Krauss. I love the rhythm guitar.
Nats: Which is more annoying? - William World News
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
Nats: Which is more annoying?
In the last week it has been a cause célèbre in the blogosphere and elsewhere to dump on the song "Nuts About the Nats", (courtesy of Eliot In the Morning) created by p.a. announcer emeritus Charlie Brotman. A few blogs, which I won't bother to link to because I'm busy and don't want to reward bad behavior, have really gone off on it. The song, which strikes me as bland and seemingly inoffensive, has been called a train wreck and abortion; some have said they'll boycott Nats games over it. They also a lot of f-bombs flying around to make the point. OMG. You. Guys. Are. So. Baaaaad. Do you wear baseball caps sideways and use only one backpack strap too?
Anyway, I may be a little biased because Brotman is such a good guy. I profiled him back in 2005 and during my interview with him, he told me about a song that he was coming up with over 50 years ago when he was trying to figure what the first AL team's official nickname should be; it had lyrics similar to the ones in "Nuts About the Nats." I also met Brotman at the press conference announcing the Lerner group as the new owners.
As for the song, I kind of want it to stay since I have to listen to "In Da Club," "Twilight Zone," "Don't Stop Believin'," "Livin' On a Prayer," "Bring 'em Out, Bring 'em Out" I figure others should have to deal with something they don't like.
The other annoying thing is the constant articles about attendance. The team averaged over 29,000 for the month of April. That isn't great, but given the miscalculation by the Nats on getting to the ballpark and ticket prices, it isn't bad. It is all going to work out and they will have a solid total overall.
So, which is more annoying to you, the whining about "Nuts About the Nats" or the whining about the attendance?
This song just reminds me of summertime, driving around with windows down. Weezer has done nerd-rock as well as anyone ever did. Now, find me my copy of Windows95 so I can install this on my hard-drive.
If you were hoping for the real Buddy Holly, here he is:
Murphy's, Old Town, Alexandria, VA
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# posted by
A :
Tuesday, December 08, 2009 11:16:00 AM