Loser – Things are going to change. I can feel it. #MusicisLife #TedTocksCovers #Beck

Ted Tocks Covers submits today’s feature as the theme song for the Mandarin Mussolini’s campaign. He can play it at his Nazi rallies. All of the stunned sheep who follow him will have no problem singing along to the chorus because they have heard these words all their life, however they may struggle with the language barrier.

All they need to know is “Soy un perdedor” is Spanish for “I’m a loser.”

In the time of chimpanzees, MAGATs are like trained monkeys singing along with an orange (sometimes bronze) baboon who spews hate from the stage in a series of illiterate sentences and incoherent thoughts. They are mostly lies and always based in fear mongering rhetoric. Anyone capable of reading beyond a grade 2 level could refute anything he says with five minutes of research, or less, but sadly, reading is not the forte of the numbskulls who support this life-long con artist. Meanwhile, the self-serving grifter continues to implode before a global audience, but not before siphoning more money out of the pockets of the witless tools who support his schemes. At the time of writing, Mar-a-Lard-o was flogging fake gold, third-rate high-top shoes for $399 in order to pay down half a billion dollars in fines and settlement fees. The Con-Mander and Chief is also flogging a new brand of cologne. It smells like fermented bull shit. What ‘Cheato’ deems to be popularity is actually millions of people shaking their heads at the fact so many willfully ignorant people could support this twice impeached instrument of fascist doctrine. Their ‘imperfect vessel’ is facing 91 charges and four indictments. Only the worst of the worst lawyers will represent him at trial. Incredibly, their incompetence manages to exceed the high-level idiocy of the Moron-in-Chief. One useful idiot managed to turn a $5 million rape civil suit settlement into an $83.9 million settlement. Well done.

But in her own words, she is “would rather be pretty. She can fake being smart”.

“Habba habba”

Here’s a thought.

When you are this UGLY, no one sees you as pretty or smart.

You are judged by the company you keep. Anyone who still supports this misogynist; this liar; this rapist and disgusting bigot is seen the same way.

Anyone.

If you still support this adderall infused, disgusting and vile ingrate. This shit stain on humanity; you are indeed a LOSER.

There is simply no defense.

I have been saying this for nine years. Seriously folks…Wake up!

What will it take?

I understand though. It is a cult. It is all by design. The fascist playbook dictates that if you put a face on hate, millions of mediocre people will buy in, simply because they need someone to turn to in their pathetic existence. They look up to their Loser in Chief, and all he has to do is point at people to despise. Predictably, the mindless automatons fall immediately in line.

They need to be de-programmed.

In the meantime, let’s all sing along. Fascists stay to the far right and sing it loud and proud.

I’m a loser baby. Why Don’t you kill me.”

Beck

Then go to church and pray…or prey…whatever the leader of the cult commands.

And…End scene…

A big thank you to Beck David Hansen (born Bek David Campbell) for this wonderful free flowing poetry that serves as the feature song for today’s post. Of course, we all know him as Beck. Born in Los Angeles, Beck headed to New York City in 1989 and soon became a fixture in the NYC coffeehouse and club scene. The multi-capable musician gravitated to what became known as an anti-folk style which managed to combine an array of genres including hip hop, jazz, classical, country, psychedelic and funk. Eventually, this diversity made him a critics favourite.

In the early ‘90s Beck headed back to Los Angeles. His life was relatively aimless at this point. He was working a series of dead-end jobs and his existence was rife with financial struggles. It was on this unsteady ground that he began to combine all of his talents. ‘Loser’ was the product of an experimental period where he would combine rap beats with stream of conscience wordplay. The coffee house audience seemed to love the sound but the bizarre lyrics seems to flow by with nary a comment. Along with his friend and producer Carl Stephenson, Beck decided to test the theory that up until this point it was a matter of style over substance. The words flowed out of one self-deprecating thought.

I’m the worst rapper in the world. I’m just a loser.”

Beck

Beck wrote the essence of ‘Loser’ at Stephenson’s home, but he is pretty open about the fact that elements of the wordplay had been tumbling in his mind for several years.

I don’t think I would have been able to go in and do ‘Loser’ in a six-hour shot without having been somewhat prepared. It was accidental, but it was something that I’d been working toward for a long time.”

Beck

For Carl Stephenson’s part, he recalls being relatively unmoved by Beck’s rapping but intrigued by the basic strong structure. He came up with a guitar riff and recorded it on an 8-track. He looped it with a drum beat and Beck began ‘improvising’ lyrics in the style of Public Enemy’s Chuck D.

According to both parties, the song was written over the course of an afternoon. It was later that Stephenson added sitar and tremolo parts as well as the bassline and other samples.

Beck released ‘Loser’ on the independent record label known as Bong Load Custom Records in March of 1993. The combination of ‘Loser’ and ‘MTV Makes Me Wanna Smoke Crack’ generated some popularity on college radio. This drew the attention of some major labels. Beck ultimately opted to sign with Geffen who gave him the rare opportunity to exercise his creative freedom.

It wasn’t until a year later on March 1, 1994 that ‘Loser’ was released by Geffen as an album track on the album ‘Mellow Gold’. In this passage from ‘Rolling Stone’ Beck offers a satirical take on the journey.

The whole concept of ‘Mellow Gold’ is that it’s like a satanic K-Tel record that’s been found in a trash dumpster, quite matter-of-factly. A few people have molested it and slept with it and half-swallowed it before spitting it out. Someone played poker with it, someone tried to smoke it. Then the record was taken to Morocco and covered with hummus and tabouli. Then it was flown back to a convention of water-skiers, who skied on it and played Frisbee with it. Then the record was put on the turntable, and the original K-Tel album had reached a whole new level. I was just taking that whole Freedom Rock feeling, you understand.”

Beck

The re-release made its way to #10 on the Billboard Hot 100. On a global level, this success was repeated with top ten showings in Australia, Canada, Iceland, New Zealand and Sweden. The pinnacle of ‘Loser’s success was seen in Norway where the song went all the way to #1.

When it all comes down to it, Beck was speaking to an audience that could relate in a language that they could understand.

It sounds easy, but when you break down the most vivid of the lines within this prophetic masterpiece, you can sense the Dylanesque brilliance. It is to Beck what ‘Subterranean Homesick Blues’ was to Bob Dylan.

Like Beck says; you can’t write if you can’t relate.

If people try to tell you that you are insane to complain, let them know that silence and compliance is what the evil forces depend on in order to fulfill their agenda.

In the time of chimpanzees
I was a monkey
Butane in my veins
And I’m out to cut the junkie
With the plastic eyeballs,
Spray-paint the vegetables
Dog food stalls with the beefcake pantyhose
Kill the headlights
And put it in neutral
Stock car flaming with a loser
And the cruise control
Baby’s in Reno with the vitamin D
Got a couple of couches,
Sleep on the love seat
Someone keeps saying
I’m insane to complain
About a shotgun wedding
And a stain on my shirt
Don’t believe everything that you breathe
You get a parking violation
And a maggot on your sleeve
So shave your face
With some mace in the dark
Saving all your food stamps
And burning down the trailer park

(Yo. Cut it.)
Soy un perdedor
I’m a loser baby, so why don’t you kill me?

(Double-barrel buckshot)

Soy un perdedor
I’m a loser baby, so why don’t you kill me?

Forces of evil in a bozo nightmare
Ban all the music with a phony gas chamber
‘Cause one’s got a weasel
And the other’s got a flag
One’s on the pole, shove the other in a bag
With the rerun shows
And the cocaine nose-job
The daytime crap of the folksinger slob
He hung himself with a guitar string
Slab of turkey-neck
And it’s hanging from a pigeon wing
You can’t write if you can’t relate
Trade the cash for the beat
For the body for the hate
And my time is a piece of wax
Falling on a termite
Who’s choking on the splinters

Soy un perdedor
I’m a loser baby, so why don’t you kill me?
(Get crazy with the Cheeze Whiz)
Soy un perdedor
I’m a loser baby, so why don’t you kill me?
(Drive-by body-pierce)

(Yo, bring it on down)
Soy

(I’m a driver; I’m the winner;
Things are gonna change
I can feel it)

Soy un perdedor
I’m a loser baby, so why don’t you kill me?
(I can’t believe you)
Soy un perdedor
I’m a loser baby, so why don’t you kill me?

Soy un perdedor
I’m a loser baby, so why don’t you kill me?
(Sprechen Sie Deutsch, baby?)
Soy un perdedor
I’m a loser baby, so why don’t you kill me?
(Know what I’m saying?)”

Beck and Carl Stephenson

It truly is a ‘bozo nightmare’

Music and art threatens the powers that be. Artists and poets are labeled as subversive because they disturb the nest. Those who challenge the radical rhetoric are branded as fake and rebellious. From the pulpit, the demon figure suggests that the thought-provoking creativity produced by the thinking class, be locked away in the gas chamber of time. Let it be forgotten. Because the ability for individual thought is the worst enemy of a fascist doctrine.

This is what Beck is speaking of in ‘Loser’. He is reflecting his time.

I’d realized that a lot of what folk music is about taking a tradition and reflecting your own time. I knew my folk music would take off, if I put hip-hop beats behind it.”

Beck

When an artist manages to reflect his time effectively, the end result transcends to from a period piece to timeless.

This is where an important passage in ‘Loser’ jumps out. Becks actually borrowed a line from his friend Steve Hanft who wrote and produced the movie ‘Kill the Moonlight’. Hanft would go on to direct the ‘Loser’ video.

Things are going to change. I can feel it.”

STEVE HANFT

We can only hope.

In order for this to happen, we need to understand that change begins with you. If you need to wear a red hat with a bullshit slogan and bow down before a narcissistic tool who serves only himself, you are lost in the wilderness of time.

Like Beck said; “time is a piece of wax, falling on a termite”, and you are choking on the splinters. Because, when all you do is chew on other people’s crap, eventually the bullshit becomes too much to swallow.

And…End scene…

The best part about seeking quality cover versions of popular songs comes in those moments when I find recordings that make me smile as I listen. Each of the covers to follow do exactly that. Two of them are familiar names to Ted Tocks Covers readers and one may be new to you. Listen on.

Enjoy Richard Cheese from his 2002 album ‘Lounge Against the Machine’. This album has been featured on several occasions. The lounge style delivery works every time. My only complaint is he chooses to abbreviate ‘Loser’.

Here is my vote for the best cover of ‘Loser’. Listen and decide for yourself.

This is the Cleverlys. Their unique style has entertained music fans from their Ozark Mountain roots all the way to the stage of the Grand Ole Opry. Back when the New York Times was seen as the standard for news a journalist wrote this summary.

“If Dolly Parton, Earl Scruggs, and Spinal Tap spawned a litter of puppies, it would be The Cleverlys”

This video juxtaposes ‘Loser’ into a wild and crazy, backwoods wrestling scene. Chaos ensues. But, like every train wreck, you just have to watch until the end.

The third cover is from the ever-reliable Leo Moracchioli who recorded ‘Loser’ in 2020 on his phenomenal YouTube channel. If Leo covers it, Ted Tocks Covers is sharing it.

Hit it…

Today’s feature was intended to offer a little pause for thought.

Hopefully it succeeded to some degree My concern, as always is that typically we only manage to preach to the converted.

When Beck wrote ‘Loser’ there was a purpose. He was writing for one, but he knew he was speaking for many.

This fact intrigues me because Ted Tocks Covers also writes for one, but as each feature is shared, it becomes somewhat clear that on occasion, I speak for many.

This is just one more example of the fact that we all carry within ourselves the capacity for change.

This can only happen if we speak out against the madness before a figurative flaming clown car full of  losers gets set on cruise control, programmed to drive over a cliff.

Yellow – Look at the stars and how they shine for you and all the things you do. #MusicisLife #TedTocksCovers

Sometimes there are songs that we hear so much during their popularity that when the chart run is over, we tend to put it out of our mind.

The common term for this is ‘overplayed’.

So often, when you take a trip back and listen to it again the quality hits you right between the eyes.

I submit today’s Ted Tocks Covers feature as an example.

When it comes to ‘Yellow’ by Coldplay there are certain ghosts from the past that conspired to bring this music to your ears. It was Chris Martin of Coldplay who channeled this beautiful piece.

To think, it all began as somewhat of a joke while Coldplay was killing time in the studio. Apparently, some equipment had malfunctioned. In order to connect the story, it should be noted here that the studio in question is the same one that Queen recorded ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’. Enter Rockfield Studios in Monmouth, Wales.

Momentarily, Coldplay headed outside and inspired by the stars, producer Ken Nelson simply commented “look at the stars, lads”.

The majesty of the celestial landscape took hold and Chris Martin continued the thought using a basic melody. Everything began from that one line and a single chord that spoke to Chris Martin from an alternate guitar tuning. From this spontaneous beginning, the melody and music for ‘Yellow’ began to take shape. It started out slower according to drummer Will Champion, but once the lead guitar riff developed the song became slightly heavier.

Bassist Guy Berryman suggested that Nelson’s statement would make a great opening line. As a group the thought process continued as an homage to “all the girls”.

From here the next line became;

Look how they shine for you”

Chris Martin, Jonny Buckland, Guy Berryman and Will Champion

Kiddingly, Chris Martin threw the words out to his bandmates using a Neil Young imitation.

The song had the word ‘stars’ and that seemed like a word you should sing in a Neil Young voice.”

Chris Martin

Do you think Martin is speaking about ‘Helpless’?

Chris Martin stated on the Howard Stern Show that the lyrics took shape in about 10 minutes once he found the right word to summarize everything. That key word was ‘Yellow’. In keeping with the spontaneity, he looked around the studio and saw the Welsh edition of the ‘Yellow Pages’. Each member of Coldplay contributed thoughts to ‘Yellow’ and they all share writing credits.

Here is the Howard Stern interview.

I like you, Howard, so that’s the first time I’ve ever told anyone the truth behind ‘Yellow.”

Chris Martin

Here is the complete song.

Look at the stars
Look how they shine for you
And everything you do
Yeah, they were all yellow

I came along
I wrote a song for you
And all the things you do
And it was called “Yellow”

So then I took my turn
Oh what a thing to have done
And it was all yellow

Your skin
Oh yeah your skin and bones
Turn into something beautiful
Do you know
You know I love you so
You know I love you so

I swam across
I jumped across for you
Oh what a thing to do
‘Cause you were all yellow

I drew a line
I drew a line for you
Oh what a thing to do
And it was all yellow

Your skin
Oh yeah your skin and bones
Turn into something beautiful
Do you know
For you I’d bleed myself dry
For you I’d bleed myself dry

It’s true
Look how they shine for you
Look how they shine for you
Look how they shine for
Look how they shine for you
Look how they shine for you
Look how they shine

Look at the stars
Look how they shine for you
And all the things that you do”

Chris Martin, Jonny Buckland, Guy Berryman and Will Champion

Even with the foundation recorded in Wales, firmly in place, Coldplay and Ken Nelson struggled with the sustainability of ‘Yellow’ as an album track. At a basic level ’Yellow’ worked at several tempos, but no one tempo worked throughout, because in the words of Will Champion, it sounded like the song was either “rushed or dragging”.

We had so many debates and arguments about how fast it should be. Should we speed it up? Should we slow it down? It had a huge range of versions, and it was very difficult. It’s always the way; one song on an album will get the proper screwdriver treatment. ‘Yellow’ was the first one of those songs. You persist until it’s either dead or excellent.”

Will Champion

In order to improve the groove, they recorded it live over three takes at Liverpool’s Parr Street Studios. Then guitarist Jonny Buckland recorded his distinct lead track over the top of it all. If you listen to ‘Yellow’ again, you can almost hear the studio progression, right from the moment Ken Nelson directed Coldplay’s attention to the starry, starry night.

In this passage Chris Martin speaks to the significance of ‘Yellow’ as a metaphor.

 ‘Yellow’ refers to the mood of the band. Brightness and hope and devotion.”

Chris Martin

Through the years, Martin has been careful to explain that ‘Yellow’ does not speak specifically to romantic devotion. There is an element of brotherhood and respect built into the presentation that applies to a broader perspective. This speaks to the song’s universal popularity.

As a result, there is a definite timelessness to ‘Yellow’. A freshness. The spirit of its spontaneous creation reflects Coldplay’s mood in the early days. They were preparing to record their debut album which would become ‘Parachutes’. The album was released in July of 2000. Advance EPs of ‘Yellow’ and the album’s lead single ‘Shivers’ were released in the U.K. In North America, ‘Yellow’ became the lead single following the release of a limited-edition EP called ‘Minced Spies’. A limited distribution of 1000 copies was offered to the most devoted of fans, college radio stations and music journalists. Coupled with the acceptance of BBC Radio 1 in the U.K. and a groundswell of support in the United States which included a promotional video produced by ABC television centred around its upcoming season; ‘Yellow’ ascended the charts. This support began in the latter half of 2000 and by 2002 you couldn’t go anywhere without hearing ‘Yellow’.

It definitely stands the test of time.

Read and listen on…

First, enjoy a rapid-fire collection of ‘Yellow’ through the years.

Here is Coldplay in 2000 on a show called The Meter Sessions. You can feel the energy and the drive that propelled this band.

In early 2016 Coldplay was included as part of the Super Bowl 50 halftime show along with Bruno Mars and Beyonce. Enjoy this very candid version of ‘Carpool Karaoke’ that features host James Corden and guest Chris Martin making their way up the California coast to Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara.

Clearly, ‘Yellow’ has a strong acoustic appeal. Here is Chris Martin during a solo show performing a signature Coldplay song much to the crowd’s appreciation.

Even more recently, here is a very emotional version of ‘Yellow’ from Tokyo just last month.

“Let’s sing together now.”

Tokyo has me welling up.

Once again, Ted Tocks Covers offers an example of how music unites people. Every member of this audience represents a star. Look how they shine.

Listen to them sing along.

Perhaps it was this evocative spirit that inspired Elton John to make this statement as far back as 2005.

’Yellow’ is the only song from the last five years that I wish I had written.”

Elton John

What an endorsement.

Despite the song’s massive popularity, Chris Martin and Coldplay began to grow tired of ‘Yellow’ in the early days. For a period of time, they began to experiment with the song’s melodic structure during live performances. This caused Michael Stipe of R.E.M. to suggest to Chris Martin that this was not a good idea.

Stop doing that. People want to hear the songs the way they know them.”

Michael Stipe

This caused Chris Martin to reconsider his approach to the live setting and Coldplay has stuck to the original presentation ever since, much to their fans delight.

So often, successful songs inspire a combination of imitation and tribute, and ‘Yellow’ is no exception.

One of the first to sample ‘Yellow’ was Richard Cheese & Lounge Against the Machine. This combination of cover band and comedy act offered the Coldplay hit in their acclaimed swing style, and it works. This is from their 2006 album ‘I’d Take a Virgin’. My only criticism is that it is not long enough.

While writing this feature I listened to several cover versions of ‘Yellow’ and I found myself drawn to this performance by Sara Bareilles. It started out slow and thoughtful and I had a feeling that it was going to lead to a strong buildup. An emotional release. I was not disappointed. I love artists who do this. This is why I share it with you here. I hope you enjoy this delivery.

Since I began writing Ted Tocks Covers at the beginning of 2018 I have made many fun discoveries. One of them is Leo Moracchioli. Here he is with Davie504 on bass doing a heavy metal cover. Leo even takes it to the beach like Chris Martin back in 2000.

Sometimes we can just let the instrumentation do the talking. Here is an act called the Brooklyn Duo from 2019. Nice.  

One year later, an act that has come up a handful of times in Ted Tocks Covers. This is Boyce Avenue delivering a quality cover that captures the spirit of the original release.

Just last year the alluring artist, Lizzo produced am emotional piece called ‘Coldplay’ where she sampled the beauty of ‘Yellow’. Lizzo has openly stated that she was inspired by the Coldplay track when she wrote this song.

Watch this video as Apple Music host Zane Lowe connects Lizzo with Chris Martin. The conversation that develops is extremely candid. As you watch you gather a sense of the mutual admiration. The genuine connection makes for some fun viewing.

Further to Lizzo, we likely have her to thank, at least partially, for the fact that more than two decades later ‘Yellow’ is on Tik Tok’s list of most popular songs.

While Heather and I cruise around the area in the getting stuff done, we thrown on SIRIUS XM. Heather’s recent station of choice is Tik Tok Radio. As always, it took some convincing to move me from any combination of Deep Tracks, Classic Vinyl, the Grateful Dead Channel and Tom Petty Radio, but as always Heather pointed out that according to the calendar it is 2023.

So, I opened my mind and have been gravitating to some pretty interesting stories. All thanks to Heather.

A common theme in my life.

In order to bring everything back around to the introduction, there is a degree of personal connection to ‘Yellow’. It takes me back to the period of its breakthrough. The song definitely struck a chord in our increasingly active house back in the early 2000s

For Heather and I, music remained a backing track to our lives, even while our three sons became the primary focus. Distinct memories of changing Nathaniel as a toddler come flooding back as we managed to re-write the lyrics and laugh. As much as our world had changed immensely in the decade since we exchanged our vows, the small world we had created within our walls had become a combination of richly rewarding and eternally hectic. Through it all, there was a bond holding everything together.

Our house was a home, and our family was the foundation.

Over twenty years later, our world continues to evolve on a somewhat unpredictable axis but that one constant remains.

YOU!

Look at the stars
Look how they shine for you
And all the things that you do”

Chris Martin, Jonny Buckland, Guy Berryman and Will Champ

So, as I listen and reflect on the years that have seemingly flown by, one thing occurs to me.

‘Yellow’ is the colour of memories.

(Don’t Fear) The Reaper – Our spirit will prevail #MusicisLife #TedTocksCovers #BlueOysterCult #BuckDharma #GooGooDolls #BigCountry #ProzakforLovers #Heaven17 #LAGuns #DaveMatthewsBand #MikeMasse #GusBlack #HayseedDixie #LeoMoracchioli #KeepShellyinAthens #WillFarrell #ChadSmith #JoeBouchard #AlbertBouchard

Apparently over 135,000 people die every day.

When Blue Oyster Cult guitarist and vocalist Donald ‘Buck Dharma’ Roeser learned that he had a heart condition at the age of 22, he became obsessed with his own mortality. This personal contemplation led to the creation of ‘Don’t Fear the Reaper’.

Dharma missed the mark when he suggested 40,000 people die each day, but that was beside the point. He was speaking to his audience and suggesting that;

Your spirit will prevail.”

Buck Dharma

In a sense, it was personal therapy for Dharma, who through the writing determined that it would be foolish to live in fear. His message was to live life to its fullest and in a perfect world, find someone to take your hand and share in the enjoyment.

It was sort of inspired by a personal health scare – I thought I was going to maybe not live that long. I had been diagnosed with a heart condition, and your mind starts running away with you – especially when you’re young-ish. So, that’s why I wrote the story. It’s imagining you can survive death in terms of your spirit.”

Buck Dharma

Of course, the lyrics were somewhat misinterpreted.

The reference to Romeo and Juliet living in eternity caused some people to believe that the song was suggesting a suicide pact. This horrified Dharma who felt he had written a very positive piece of poetry.

It helped him. He was hoping it would help others.

I felt that I had just achieved some kind of resonance with the psychology of people when I came up with that, I was actually kind of appalled when I first realized that some people were seeing it as an advertisement for suicide or something that was not my intention at all. It is, like, not to be afraid of [death] (as opposed to actively bring it about). It’s basically a love song where the love transcends the actual physical existence of the partners.”

Buck Dharma

For songwriters, there is often a moment where they come to terms with the fact that people will take their lyrics and interpret them in a way that was purely unintended.

They’re certainly open to interpretation, and everybody seems to have their own thoughts about what stuff means. We purposely let people do that – draw their own conclusions from the lyric.”

Buck Dharma

Here you go…

All our times have come
Here but now they’re gone
Seasons don’t fear the reaper
Nor do the wind, the sun or the rain… we can be like they are
Come on baby… don’t fear the reaper
Baby take my hand… don’t fear the reaper
We’ll be able to fly… don’t fear the reaper
Baby I’m your man…

La la la la la
La la la la la

Valentine is done
Here but now they’re gone
Romeo and Juliet
Are together in eternity… Romeo and Juliet
40,000 men and women everyday… Like Romeo and Juliet
40,000 men and women everyday… Redefine happiness
Another 40,000 coming everyday… We can be like they are
Come on baby… don’t fear the reaper
Baby take my hand… don’t fear the reaper
We’ll be able to fly… don’t fear the reaper
Baby I’m your man…

La la la la la
La la la la la

Love of two is one
Here but now they’re gone
Came the last night of sadness
And it was clear she couldn’t go on
Then the door was open and the wind appeared
The candles blew and then disappeared
The curtains flew and then he appeared… saying don’t be afraid
Come on baby… and she had no fear
And she ran to him… then they started to fly
They looked backward and said goodbye… she had become like they are
She had taken his hand… she had become like they are
Come on baby… don’t fear the reaper”

Buck Dharma

For Blue Oyster Cult, the positive thing was ‘(Don’t Fear) The Reaper’ provided the hit single that had eluded the band through their first three albums. The good news was the song exposed them to a wider audience. The negative side of this success was they were expected to follow with another. For Dharma, this conflicted with his writing process. He was never one to write for commercial appeal. The pressure to repeat, disturbed his artistic integrity.

The Cult was never destined to be successful at a format. To be a singles band you have to win the casual buyer.”

Buck Dharma

This was never going to be Blue Oyster Cult.

Until…

The cowbell brought us all back.

Here is a summary of the back story that brought the Saturday Night Live crew, guest host Christopher Walken and Blue Oyster Cult together in eternity.

On April 8, 2000, Saturday Night Live introduced the now famous ‘Needs More Cowbell’ skit. This was the 25^th season of SNL, and the cast was considered to be among the upper echelon that the show ever offered. In retrospect, one would think that this skit led by guest Christopher Walken, and starring Will Farrell was part of the much desired first half hour, but the reality is, it was relegated to the show’s conclusion. Expectations were minimal. So much so, it was on a side stage that a good portion of the studio audience actually had to watch on the monitors.

Who knew there was obstructed view seating and stages on this set?

Anyway, the premise of the skit involved an imagined version of Blue Oyster Cult in studio recording ‘Don’t Fear the Reaper’. Written by Will Farrell, the skit describes a scene where the band is in the presence of ‘legendary’ producer Bruce Dickinson, who of course is played by Christopher Walken.

(Sidenote – Bruce Dickenson was actually the name of a producer who oversaw a Blue Oyster Cult greatest hits re-issue of ‘(Don’t Fear) The Reaper’. When an SNL intern was asked to go to a record store and grab a copy of ‘Agents of Fortune’ he returned with the Greatest Hits compilation instead. It listed Dickinson as the producer. This is how Bruce Dickenson was named in the skit. It is definitely not an homage to the lead singer of Iron Maiden.)

In the skit, Dickinson’s feel for the music is something to be revered, so when he proclaims that what the song needs was more cowbell, he invites ‘Gene Frenkle’ to take centre stage alongside the driving guitar and rhythm section. His mission is to;

Really explore the studio space.”

Christopher Walken

To the rest of the band the cowbell proves to be a distraction, but after a series of takes they succumb to Dickenson’s demand.

I got a fever, and the only prescription is more cowbell.”

Christopher Walken

The concept is brilliant, and the result remains hysterical nearly a quarter century later.

For Buck Dharma’s part, the Saturday Night Live skit remains funny. He seems more concerned about Chrisopher Walken.

Hilarious. It’s really funny. The band had no idea it was coming, either. It was quite a surprise and phenomenal in its endurance and the way it’s worked its way into the culture. If the cowbell has been at all an annoyance for Blue Öyster Cult, it’s got to be 10 times worse for Christopher Walken! So, I’m riding that horse in the direction it’s going.”

Buck Dharma

So, we know Will Farrell played the cowbell on the Saturday Night Live skit, but who played the percussion instrument on the original recording back in 1975 when the band was working on material for the album, ‘Agents of Fortune’?

This has become somewhat of a mystery lost in time. ‘Don’t Fear the Reaper’ was produced by David Lucas, Murray Krugman and Sandy Pearlman and engineered by Shelly Yakus. One of this collection of studio supporters suggested a nice cowbell rhythm would enhance the track. No less than three people who were there have stated that they played the original cowbell track.

Bassist Joe Bouchard recalls his brother, Albert being asked to play.

Albert thought he was crazy. But he put all this tape around a cowbell and played it. It really pulled the track together.”

Joe Bouchard

According to Bouchard, the cowbell was not the first choice. First it was a flugelhorn and then it was a triangle.

If you ask David Lucas, he played it, or was it guitarist Eric Bloom?

The truth is, nobody knows for sure because when the band was working on overdubs and the extended solo section, it took them longer to perfect that part than the song itself. In all likelihood each of these three people recorded a cowbell track and which one actually made the recording is anyone’s guess.

It’s not like anyone has a distinct cowbell style.

Well, except for Will Farrell.

It is difficult to find the actual SNL video because they protect their skits on public forums, but here is a Vimeo version to enjoy.

Although ‘(Don’t Fear) The Reaper was Blue Oyster Cult’s first hit song, rising to #12 on the Billboard Hot 100 in late 1976, one of the song’s most lucrative years was…you guessed it…2000.

All thanks to the exposure on Saturday Night Live.

Because of the broad appeal of ‘(Don’t Fear) The Reaper’ there is a long line of quality cover versions.

One of the earliest was a frantic presentation by Goo Goo Dolls from their 1987 self-titled debut album.

We like to ‘take the piss’ out of classic songs. We thought it was funny to play ‘Don’t Fear The Reaper’ five times as fast, and cut out everything but the three-chord structure. To me, that is hilarious. But it also allowed us to work on cover songs that fit what we did. Then we ‘put the piss’ back in them, if we will. So instead of making fun of them, we made them our own.”

Robby Takac

Remember Big Country? Here they are thirty years ago offering a strong take on ‘(Don’t Fear) The Reaper’.

Not too long ago I came across Prozak for Lovers covering ‘Blister in the Sun’ by Violent Femmes. When I saw that they had covered ‘(Don’t Fear) The Reaper’ I knew their unique take would slide in nicely.

Here’s another act from the ‘80s. Heaven 17 evolved out of Human League and effectively straddled the Punk and New Wave divide. When they were at their best, they were edgy. Here is a great cover of ‘(Don’t Fear) The Reaper’. This is from their 2005 album ‘Before/After’.

Here is another cover with interesting connections. In 2010, California metal band L.A. Guns added their name to a long list of acts to record ‘(Don’t Fear) The Reaper. This is from their album ‘Covered in Guns’. L.A. Guns is renowned for being the launching pad for Guns ‘n Roses vocalist Axl Rose.

This is just a special performance. As always, the Dave Matthews Band is flawless. Here they are, live from The Gorge in Quincy, Washington. Check out Tim Reynolds. Awesome!

 Another performer that I have stumbled across on several occasions is Mike Masse. Here he is again along with Jeff Hall in a quaint little bar in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Gus Black is perhaps best known for his work co-writing with Lisa Marie Presley on her debut album ‘To Whom It May Concern’, but he has also done some incredible production work for film and TV soundtracks. He offered this stunning cover of ‘(Don’t Fear) The Reaper’ for the ‘Scream’ soundtrack. This is haunting.

Today’s post has brought out an all-star lineup of Ted Tocks favourites. Here is Hayseed Dixie from their 2014 release ‘Hair Down to My Grass’. Tons of fun as always.

Ted Tocks Covers cover artist extraordinaire Leo Moracchioli also offers a cover of ‘(Don’t Fear) The Reaper’ and if Leo plays it, Ted Tocks Covers adds it to the list.

Keep Shelly in Athens is a Greek duo who offered this soothing version in 2019. Fortunately, it was included on the soundtrack of ‘Unhinged’ in 2020. When it played through the closing credits, many music fans needed to find out who had laid down this stunning cover.

Moving away from the cover versions for a moment, let’s head back to this memorable moment from The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. This is cool because it presents two actors who were on the stage that night back in 2000, Jimmy Fallon and Will Farrell, along with legendary Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer, Chad Smith. This is known as the Will and Chad Drum Off , which gives way to an abbreviated performance by Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Over the past 45 years ‘(Don’t Fear) The Reaper’ has been included in at least 75 different movies, videos and TV shows. Here are a handful.

‘(Don’t Fear) The Reaper’ has often been considered the “anthem for the apocalypse”. The ominous nature of the lyrics certainly gave rise to this reputation, but it could also have been the connection to Stephen King.

In his epic and famous novel ‘The Stand’, King asked his friend Buck Dharma if he could use a passage from the song in the novel’s epigraph. When you open the book, you will see ‘(Don’t Fear) The Reaper’ sandwiched between stanzas of ‘Jungleland’ by Bruce Springsteen and ‘Shelter from The Storm’ in the epigraph. Death is a central theme of the novel, which tells the story of a plague that wipes out most of the population.

King slightly modifies ‘(Don’t Fear) The Reaper’ by changing “baby” to “Mary” and he italicizes “he” in the line “the curtains flew and then he appeared,” indicating the supernatural. When the novel was adapted into a miniseries in 1994, ‘(Don’t Fear) The Reaper’ was used in the dark opening scene when the ‘Superflu’ first ravages the United States.

No mention of ‘(Don’t Fear) The Reaper’ can be offered without including a ‘Halloween’ compilation. Here is a full video which features Jamie Lee Curtis prominently.  

Before I conclude, please enjoy this really strong performance by the Bouchard Brothers. Joining them is artist/musician Joan Levy Hepburn. If you recognize the name, you are correct in assuming the connection to Katharine Hepburn. Joan is the famous actress’s niece. She is infinitely talented.

This is from the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center in Old Saybrook, Connecticut.

Before signing off, here is a very brief concert memory from back in 1984. That summer I would not be exaggerating if I said I saw a concert every week. It seemed like everyone was coming through Toronto and I had two part time jobs so in my mind, I had money to burn.

In early July, I had tickets to see Aerosmith and at the time I was a big fan of their work through the ‘70s. I paid full price for tickets and went to Kingswood Music Theatre at Canada’s Wonderland, in Vaughan, north of Toronto anticipating a really good show.

They sucked. The worst show I have ever seen. Ever…

They were a drug addled disaster.

When I think of Aerosmith my mind is never far from this horrendous show and how badly they disappointed the audience. Inexcusable.

Less than a week later, my friend Ken and I were working at my Uncle Don’s grocery store, A-B Foodland in Acton, and he asked if I wanted to go to Kingswood and see Blue Oyster Cult. They were part of what Canada’s Wonderland was branding as their $7 concert series. If you paid $7 plus a park admission which at the time was somewhere between $15 and $20 you could enjoy the amusement park for a period of time before entering the concert venue for the show. So, for approximately $25 you got a whole lot of entertainment value. I was all in. What have I got to lose?

Sometimes when you enter a situation with minimal expectations and a completely open mind you emerge with the best of experiences.

Blue Oyster Cult put on an incredible show.

Certainly, the highlight was ‘(Don’t Fear) The Reaper’ but there was so much more.

‘Godzilla’ was a crowd favourite.

‘Burnin’ for You’ which was likely Blue Oyster Cult’s next best known song.

‘Roadhouse Blues’ harkened back to The Doors classic from ‘Morrison Hotel’ in 1970.

Roadhouse Blues – The future’s uncertain and the end is always near. #MusicisLife #TedTocksCovers #TheDoors #BlueOysterCult

And if I recall, a version of ‘Born to Be Wild’ which involved a Harley being wheeled out on stage.

Born to be Wild – Heavy metal thunder. #MusicisLife #TedTocksCovers #Steppenwolf #MarsBonfire #TheCult #ACDC

The crowd went wild.

I was blown away.

Through the years, Blue Oyster Cult has been cast as a band who never quite reached the pinnacle. Kind of a working man’s hard rock band.

Meanwhile, Aerosmith has achieved legend status.

It says here, in terms of offering full value the roles should be reversed.

But that’s just my opinion…I could be wrong. I am after all, only speaking from my experience.

Roll credits…

Here are the closing credits from ‘The Parent Rap’ episode of ‘The Simpsons’.

Blitzkrieg Bop – Hey ho, let’s go! #MusicisLife #TedTocksCovers #TheRamones #BayCityRollers RufusThomas#TheRollingStones #GreenDay #HanoiRocks #TheMisfits #JoeStrummerandtheMescaleros #RobZombie #FooFighters #LeoMoracchioli

Influence in music is everywhere.

This punk rock anthem was inspired by a boy band.

Hey ho! Let’s go!

We can spend a ‘Saturday Night’ with The Ramones.

When the Ramones wrote ‘Blitzkrieg Bop’ their primary purpose was to create a chant song.

‘S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y NIGHT’ turned into “Hey ho! Let’s Go” and they were off.

Here is Joey Ramone (John Cummings).

I hate to blow the mystique, but at the time we really liked bubble gum music, and we really liked the Bay City Rollers. Their song ‘Saturday Night’ had a great chant in it, so we wanted a song with a chant in it: ‘Hey! Ho! Let’s Go!’. ‘Blitzkrieg Bop’ was our ‘Saturday Night’.”

Joey Ramone

The lyrics were written by Tommy Ramone (Thomas Erdelyi). They all flowed from a benign thought he had while (now get this), walking home from the grocery store. This is straight from Tommy Ramone’s mouth.

I came up with the chant walking home from the grocery store carrying a bag of groceries.”

Tommy Ramone

Of course, the line of influence goes much deeper. No one reading would be surprised that Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones offered a degree of inspiration. But, hands up if you are familiar with Rufus Thomas and his song ‘Walking the Dog’. Another beauty from Stax Records.

It was the line “High, low, tipsy toe” that evolved into the famous Ramones call and response. The Rolling Stones loved the Rufus Thomas song and it was a part of their earliest sets. It also appeared on their debut album which famously consisted of nine cover songs and just three Stones originals.

When Dee Dee Ramone (Douglas Colvin) was singing “Hey Ho. Let’s Go! It was in a somewhat mocking reverence toward Mick’s classic English delivery. Tommy thought when Mick sang “High, low”, it sounded like “Hey Ho” and this is what took form as the root of the ‘Blitzkrieg Bop’ walking through the streets of Queens.

It’s hard to believe something so ordinary could become a punk anthem.

But, that’s the beauty of the punk genre. Never pretentious, and always full of accessible attitude.

Hey ho, let’s go
Hey ho, let’s go
Hey ho, let’s go
Hey ho, let’s go

They’re forming in a straight line
They’re going through a tight wind
The kids are losing their minds
The Blitzkrieg Bop

They’re piling in the back seat
They’re generating steam heat
Pulsating to the back beat
The Blitzkrieg Bop

Hey ho, let’s go
Shoot ’em in the back now
What they want, I don’t know
They’re all revved up and ready to go

They’re forming in a straight line
They’re going through a tight wind
The kids are losing their minds
The Blitzkrieg Bop

They’re piling in the back seat
They’re generating steam heat
Pulsating to the back beat
The Blitzkrieg Bop

Hey ho, let’s go
Shoot ’em in the back now
What they want, I don’t know
They’re all revved up and ready to go

They’re forming in a straight line
They’re going through a tight wind
The kids are losing their minds
The Blitzkrieg Bop

They’re piling in the back seat
They’re generating steam heat
Pulsating to the back beat
The Blitzkrieg Bop

Hey ho, let’s go
Hey ho, let’s go
Hey ho, let’s go
Hey ho, let’s go

Tommy Ramone and Dee Dee Ramone

The songwriting credit goes to Tommy Ramone and Dee Dee Ramone. The latter contributed the line “Shoot him in the back now” which was changed from “They’re shouting in the back now.”

For the Ramones it was nothing more than a salute to their devoted audience. More appropriately, it was an invitation to a good time.

Because of the use of the word ‘Blitzkrieg’ a German connotation was added to the message. ‘Blitzkrieg’ literally translates to ‘Lighting War’ and it was interpreted as Hitler’s army, and the ‘Bop’ was seen as their compliant march to war.

While this is intriguing, it seems a stretch that Tommy Ramone was equating such depth to a one-line stage command in a three-chord delivery. He was bringing home some bread and a carton of milk, imagining how he might emulate Mick Jagger before his gradually increasing audience.

The album was released on this day in 1976. ‘Blitzkrieg Bop’ remains a fan favourite, not only in music venues, but as a rally cry at sporting events.

With the benefit of hindsight, it is easy to refer to ‘Blitzkrieg Bop’ as a song that defined an era, or even a genre. It’s always difficult to pinpoint exactly when punk arrived or when glam rock morphed into what became known as the punk scene. It is however, much easier to indicate on a timeline, key moments that speak to the evolution. What is clear is that punk took the most rebellious elements of what came before while firmly rejecting the glitz of glam rock.

One thing for sure, is that punk was an overt statement against a music scene that was beginning to take itself way too seriously and, horror of horrors becoming grossly commercialized. Mix in overproduction, and the advent of the antithesis of punk; prog rock and disco, take your pick. The bottom line is punk offered to tear everything down and reflect societal angst in a two-minute diatribe. Audiences who eschewed polish, dove into the mosh pit.

Bands like the Ramones spoke to an audience who felt society at large had nothing to offer.

Perhaps most importantly, it was delivered in a fast and furious musical explosion. Punk was a catalyst for change within society’s structure. Usually, marginalized people felt as though they had a voice. Here is a quote from Ryan Davey at Ceremonymusic.ca.

Punk was also sociological and political, also rejecting the societal forces and government policies that had rendered large segments of the working class and poor as disadvantaged, disenfranchised, and with diminished prospects for success. The music was angry and aggressive because its players were angry and wanted people to know it. Punk was a clarion call for change not just in music but in how society was structured. “

Ryan Davey

It was Seymour Stein who recognized that this unlikely band of Queens ‘brothers’ had something to offer the world at large. The fact that they were from Forest Hill didn’t matter. They had a concept that Stein knew could be sold. The Ramones put a face on the tried, and true spirit of rock and roll rebellion. Stein took them from the stages of CBGBs and Max’s Kansas City and introduced them to the world in 1976.

Here is a live recording from CBGBs in 1977. This was released as part of a live retrospective of the Ramones career called ‘It’s Alive 1974 -1996’.

You would like to think it happened as quick as 1-2-3-4, but it took some time to catch on. When it did, every band with a modicum of success pointed back to the Ramones and said thanks for the lift.

This assessment of the Ramones significance is summarized in a quote from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame when the Ramones were inducted in 2002.

When the [Ramones] hit the street in 1976 with their self-titled first album, the rock scene, in general, had become somewhat bloated and narcissistic. The Ramones got back to basics: simple, speedy, stripped-down rock and roll songs. Voice, guitar, bass, drums. No makeup, no egos, no light shows, no nonsense. And though the subject matter was sometimes dark, emanating from a sullen adolescent basement of the mind, the group also brought cartoonish fun and high-energy excitement back to rock and roll.”

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

During the Ramones 2002 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction, Green Day was invited to perform.

Green Day is one of many bands heavily influenced by the Ramones.

One of the remarkable things about ‘Blitzkrieg Bop’ is it sounds as genuine today as it did when it was released in 1976. Take a listen to significant shows through the years and decide for yourself.

Here is one more example. This is from their final show at the Palace in Hollywood in August of 1996. Famously, the farewell event included such prominent names as Lemmy, Eddie Vedder and Chris Cornell. This performance featured the return of Dee Dee.

The list of musicians and bands who consider the Ramones as a pivotal act in their development is seemingly endless and as diverse as it is long. Not only did they lead the charge for the punk movement, their rapid-fire guitar style has been credited as the dawn of punk-metal and the evolving thrash-metal style.

Here is a walk through the years, featuring just a handful of interesting names and styles.

Here is Hanoi Rocks in 1983. This speaks to the Ramones influence on the glam metal genre. Check out the audience.

Now enjoy The Misfits with special guest Dee Dee Ramone in 1998, along with a bonus of ‘I Wanna Be Sedated’

There is no doubt that you can draw a straight line from the Ramones to the Clash. Here is the great Joe Strummer along with the Mescaleros in 2003. This is a bonus track from the album ‘Streetcore’ which was released after Joe Strummer’s death in December of 2002.

That same year Rob Zombie covered ‘Blitzkrieg Bop’ on the Ramones tribute album ‘We’re a Happy Family – A Tribute to the Ramones’. It also appeared on his album ‘Past, Present & Future’. I admire this for a completely different approach. It’s heavy and scowling. A scathing indictment of society.

Moving deep into the 21^st century here are Foo Fighters from a 2018 show in Brazil. This features the guitar work of Pat Smear, who is introduced by his long-time friend, Dave Grohl.

Come on Pat! Give it to me.”

Dave Grohl

Pat just takes it all in stride.

Right on cue, Ted Tocks Covers favourite and cover artist extraordinaire Leo Moracchioli released his version of ‘Blitzkrieg Bop’ on April 14. Leo plays the part before a New York City backdrop. This is an homage to a band he clearly loves. Here you go.

With all of this renown one would think the Ramones had a litany of #1 songs and diamond albums. Picture an act that was filling stadiums the world over.

Right?

Not at all.

They had one gold record to their name.

Over the years the Ramones played clubs, and concert halls. A total of 2,263 shows are credited to their name. From 1974 through 1996 they played pretty much non-stop. The in fighting within the band was legendary.

In this quote Gene Simmons of KISS summarizes their extraordinary run.

We think of the Ramones as a classic, iconic band. They have one gold record to their name. They never played arenas; couldn’t sell them out. It was a failed band. It doesn’t mean they weren’t great. It means the masses didn’t care.”

Gene Simmons

But their fans were wholly devoted and the legend grew over generations.

I recently saw this quote from Iggy Pop. He was assessing his career but it speaks to the story of the Ramones quite accurately.

You make records that punks discover five or 10 years after the fact. You earn the respect of scores of mainstream hard rockers. You spend quality time with rock’s royalty. And you trawl through the rock ‘n’ roll gutter. Simultaneously.”

Iggy Pop

Soaring with the eagles while trawling through the gutter.

Music frequently offers these extremes. The best, capture the experience in song.

And generations just sing along, pulsating to the back beat. Fists held high, because they know the band they are listening to is speaking on their behalf.

That’s the Ramones.

99 Luftballoons – Who would have thought that someday it would come this far? #MusicisLife #TedTocksCovers #Nena #Goldfinger #LeoMoracchioli #PostModernJukebox

It has been exactly 40 years since Nena released ’99 Luftballoons’ and the anniversary of its release just happens to have coincided with the song coming back into prominence.

Or did it ever go away?

It’s an anti-war song. It was released during the height of the Cold War in 1983.

The concept came during a moment of reflection while an iconic rock and roll act blasted a timeless riff over ‘the wall’ and into the grey ether of East Germany.

Nena’s guitarist Carlo Karges took in a Rolling Stones concert in June of 1982 at Waldbuhne, Berlin, Germany. During the encore, the Stones played ‘(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction’ and as the band jammed away, they released hundreds of balloons onto the stage and out into the crowd. Karges was captivated. He imagined the balloons flying out over the Berlin Wall into communist territory, where they would be mistaken for enemy missiles. At the height of the Cold War era, where the proliferation of nuclear weapons was top of mind for people who only cherished peace, the result of this flight of fancy would be World War III.

Karges wrote the lyrics and Nena’s keyboardist Uwe Fahrenkrog-Petersen wrote the music.

The literal translation of the title is ’99 Air Balloons’. Here are the literally translated lyrics to the German version of the song.

If you have some time for me
Then I will sing a song for you
Of ninety-nine balloons
On their way to the horizon
Are you perhaps thinking of me right now?
Then I will sing a song for you
Of ninety-nine balloons
And something that came of them

Ninety-nine balloons
On their way to the horizon
Were taken for UFOs from space
Hence, a general sent
A squadron after them
To give the alarm
But there, on the horizon
Were just ninety-nine balloons

Ninety-nine jet fighters

Each was a great warriorRegarded themselves as Captain Kirk

There was a great display of fireworks
The neighbors didn’t understand
And instantly felt offended
But they shot at the horizon
At ninety-nine balloons

Ninety-nine ministers of war
Matches and petrol canisters
Regarded themselves as clever people
Already on the scent of a hunt
They shouted, “War,” and wanted power
Man, who would have thought?
That someday it would come this far
Because of ninety-nine balloons

Because of ninety-nine balloons
Ninety-nine balloons

Ninety-nine years of war
Left no place for winners
War ministers don’t exist anymore
Neither do the fighter jets
Today, I stroll around
See the world in ruins
I’ve found a balloon
I think of you and let it fly

Carlo Karges

The second verse famously captures an incident that actually took place in Red Rock Canyon in Nevada, in 1973. Five high school students played a prank on area residents by launching 99 Mylar balloons attached with ribbons connected to a traffic flare. The intention of the resulting pulsating presentation was to create a UFO effect. The gag generated a fair bit of local press coverage at the time.

In ’99 Lufballoons’ the balloons were meant to symbolize the dreams of peace-loving people everywhere, while the lyrics condemn the military industrial complex that perpetuated the Cold War. Take note, that no sides were chose. Blame is assigned equally. In the song, the Generals send their air force up to investigate.

Regarding themselves as Captain Kirk”

Carlo Karges

Finding only balloons they order the fighter pilots to shoot them all down in a display of might that only escalates as the military powers on each side take offense to the perceived intentions. In the end, devastation is the only result.

99 years of war left no room for victors.”

Carlo Karges

The video concludes with Nena walking through the ruins, finding just one balloon.

Today, I stroll around
See the world in ruins
I’ve found a balloon
I think of you and let it fly”

Carlo Karges

The paranoia continues to this day. It is often served up as a level of distraction by dubious factions who struggle for any semblance of independent thought or rational solutions to real problems. This is how ’99 Luftballoons’ came back into the public consciousness recently.

https://9gag.com/gag/aWG4Dyq?utm_source=copy_link&utm_medium=post_share

Earlier this year, a few Chinese ‘weather balloons’ were spotted floating over North American airspace, before they were shot down by order of the U.S. Department of Defense and the Canadian Department of National Defence. While this occurrence was handled efficiently mostly behind the scenes, and in terms of the public eye, without any form of jeopardizing the public, it caused quite an uproar in both countries, especially among the radical right fear mongering set.

It’s not that I implicitly trust the Chinese government and whatever nefarious activity they may be up to, and no doubt this was highly suspicious. But, do you want to know who I trust even less at this point?

The radical right, fear mongering fools made up of barking tools like Pierre Poilievre and Marjorie Taylor-Greene. These are people of the same ilk. Power hungry, yet they possess about as much substance as an amoeba. Sadly, the two I site here only scratch the surface of the seedy underbelly that has been exposed since the rock was lifted about a decade ago…actually longer…much longer. This is a pattern of behavior taken form a playbook drafted a long time ago. They offer nothing new. They are simple minded, destructive forces whose only mission is to conjure hatred and mistrust, while they worm their way into the roles of power they covet.

They don’t care about you. They never have and they never will.

Back to today’s song; when ’99 Luftballoons’ was released in Germany in 1983 there was no immediate intention to release it as a single in North America, but by chance a DJ at KROQ in Los Angeles, got his hands on a copy and began to play it. The popularity of the original resulted in a translation with a similar storyline written by Kevin McAlea. This became known as ‘99 Red Balloons’.

He literally wrote the lyrics on the back of an old envelope after being approached by Nena’s manager.

In the early ‘80s McAlea was touring with a band called Barclay James Harvest and they were frequently on the same bill as Nena.

I played with a band who did a lot of concerts in Germany (Barclay James Harvest). Their manager gave me a tape with the German song on it and asked me if I could come up with a lyric. Nena had already tried themselves – they all speak pretty good English… friends tried.. a University professor tried… they couldn’t come up with anything that sounded good.

Kevin McAlea

He went on to say;

I took the tape and first thing I did was record my own backtrack. I asked a German speaking friend what the general gist was and wrote the English version. I didn’t really pay much attention to the meaning of the song as it had to sound good as a lyric in its own right. I think the mistake in the previous attempts was in trying to adhere to the original meaning. I was more interested in the sound the lyrics were making than anything else.”

Kevin McAlea

Kevin McAlea has an interesting musical resume. Aside from his work on ’99 Red Balloons’, he has played integral roles in the careers of Kate Bush and the solo work of David Gilmour.

Initially, Nena was pleased with what McAlea presented, but they gradually soured on it for a few reasons.

Uwe Fahrenkrog Petersen is on record as saying the band was less than enamoured because key elements were lost in the translation.

We made a mistake there. I think the song loses something in translation and even sounds silly.”

Uwe Fahrenkrog Petersen

Here is that version. Same video, different subtitles.

Here are the lyrics that Kevin McAlea wrote for Nena.

You and I in a little toy shop
Buy a bag of balloons with the money we’ve got
Set them free at the break of dawn
‘Til one by one they were gone
Back at base bugs in the software
Flash the message: “something’s out there!”
Floating in the summer sky
Ninety-nine red balloons go by

Ninety-nine red balloons
Floating in the summer sky
Panic bells, it’s red alert
There’s something here from somewhere else
The war machine springs to life
Opens up one eager eye
Focusing it on the sky
Where ninety-nine red balloons go by

Ninety-nine Decision Street
Ninety-nine ministers meet
To worry, worry, super scurry
Call the troops out in a hurry
This is what we’ve waited for
This is it, boys, this is war
The president is on the line
As ninety-nine red balloons go by

Ninety-nine knights of the air
Ride super high-tech jet fighters
Everyone’s a Super Hero
Everyone’s a Captain Kirk
With orders to identify
To clarify and classify
Scramble in the summer sky
Ninety-nine red balloons go by

As ninety-nine red balloons go by

Ninety-nine dreams I have had
In every one a red balloon
It’s all over and I’m standing pretty
In this dust that was a city
If I could find a souvenir
Just to prove the world was here
And here is a red balloon
I think of you, and let it go

Kevin McAlea

In the end, it was the original German version that won out in the United States. In fact, it went all the way to #2 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. It was prevented from making it to #1 by Van Halen’s ‘Jump’.

Listeners in the U.K. Ireland and Canada were partial to the ’99 Red Balloons’ rewrite. In this countries it went to #1.

Through the years, Nena has been described as a ‘one hit wonder’; a term I despise. As this post illustrates, the message is timeless and its ability to resonate with audiences worldwide for four decades speaks for itself. Here is Nena in 2018.. Listen to the crowd.

This is awesome in any language.

“Eindrucksvoll”

Because of its success, Nena has released numerous versions, both in studio and live since its original release. Here is my favourite. This animated version could be one reason for its continued success. Keep marketing it to a younger audience.

You can tell Nena, whose real name is Gabriele Susanne Kerner, had fun creating this presentation.

The story continues to be told.

In 2000, an American punk/ska band called Goldfinger released a cover version of ’99 Luftballoons’ in a combination of English and German. It actually gained some traction in European countries.

Here is their version.

In a strange twist, it was also used in a 2015 commercial for Coca-Cola which commemorated the 100^th anniversary of their famous bottle.

“Open happiness”

Get it! The bubbles are the balloons.

Leo Moracchioli never lets me down. Sure enough, he released a cover of ’99 Luftballoons’ in 2019. Enjoy!

Here is yet another awesome cover by Postmodern Jukebox featuring Aly Ryan.

For those of us who grew up in the ‘80s, the Cold War was very real. It depicted master puppet Ronald ‘Ray Guns’ against a succession of Soviet leaders that included Leonid Brezhnev, Yuri Andropov, Konstantin Chernenko and finally Mikhail Gorbachev.

The openness and transparency that was supposed to emerge from ‘Glasnost’ never quite happened. It was introduced as an effort to make socialism work more efficiently and better meet the needs of Soviet citizens, but it only led to the ascent of nationalism and the ultimate evil of numerous greedy oligarchs who only exploited citizens. It also fed the puppet regime of Vladimir Putin whose corruption knows few rivals on a global scale. Sadly, the radical right that I cited above seem to be perfectly content in serving Vlad’s agenda.

Forty years later we deal with a whole new set of problems, but if you sit back and look at the timeline, everything makes sense.

Follow the money and the thirst for power. Mix in a whole lot of propaganda and the willful ignorance of about a quarter of the world population and the crises continue uncontested.

Who would have thought?

American Idiot – The age of hysteria continues. Do the propaganda at your own peril. #MusicisLife #TedTocksCovers #GreenDay #MidnightOil #LeoMoracchioli

When Green Day wrote ‘American Idiot’ they were likely at the peak of their exasperation in relation to the direction the United States was heading. 

Well, evidently about 40% of America just shrugged, grabbed their grossest t-shirt; the one that is two sizes too small and exposes a gruesome Budweiser belly, threw on their cute little camouflage outfits, put on their MAGA hat, made a donation to Kyle Rittenhouse’s legal fund, kissed their hollowed out bible and said;

“Here, hold my beer.”

‘American Idiot’ the album was released sixteen years ago, and it remains as essential as the day it was written, or perhaps more so. On this day in 2004 it hit #1 and Green Day has never looked back. 

The song ‘American Idiot’ kicks off the album with its driving riff and grabs the listener by the throat. It never lets you go, right through to the final note.

By the time the dust settled Green Day had won four Grammy Awards including; Record of the Year, Best Rock Performance by a Group, Best Rock Song and Best Music Video. They had left their mark in America and beyond. 

The musical inspiration for the ‘American Idiot’ album track came from one declared positive source and a rather intriguing, yet dubious source. In the early 2000s Lynyrd Skynyrd managed to hitch their once proud bandwagon to the obnoxious monster truck abomination known as Kid Rock. The result was an album called ‘Vicious Cycle’. A bonus track features the band playing a cover of ‘Gimme Back My Bullets’ with the ‘rock and roll Jesus’. Another track on this CD was called ‘That’s How I Like It’. Billie Joe Armstrong, happened to be listening to this song shortly after its release and was left shaking his head in bewilderment at what both this band and the country had become. 

Like my women hot and my beer ice cold, real fast car and my whiskey old, 

I can slow drive down an old dirt road that’s how I like it

I can turn my music way up loud, ain’t nothin better than the sound of a crowd, 

American flag it makes me proud, that’s how I like it”

Lynyrd Skynyrd (2003)

How the mighty have fallen…

These lyrics were a symptom of the post 9/11 flag waving ‘we’re proud to be an American’ propaganda. Circle the wagons and be proud to be an insular redneck. Education be damned. We are American and we are exceptional. God bless America! What a farce. Armstrong drew a direct line between this misplaced pride and the mass media, who managed to spread the age of hysteria, open paranoia and fear of anyone who presented ‘different’ in any way. It all culminated in their coverage of the ultimate American lie. The Bush/Cheney quest for the non-existent ‘weapons of mass destruction’ and CNN covering the decimation of Iraq, live. Mainstream news had become a reality TV show. Little did they know the charade was less than two decades away from being a 24/7 episode of ‘American Idiots Gone Wild’.

They had all these Geraldo like journalists in the tanks with the soldiers, getting the play-by-play.”

Billie Joe Armstrong

At first, Green Day was reluctant about releasing the song for fear of backlash, but they managed to frame it as a song for people to express their individuality. Instead of blindly following corrupt leaders they urged people to educate themselves and challenge authority.    

Dirnt was okay with portraying himself as the ‘faggot American’ because in this case, the allusion spoke to the desire for a more humane nation.

How the mighty have fallen…

I also mentioned the positive influence behind ‘American Idiot’. The inspiration that gave Billie Joe Armstrong the idea to turn this concept into a rebuttal to fake patriot tripe. Now, I don’t know Billie Joe’s wife but, based on this anecdote she strikes me as a pretty cool person. She was a fan of the overtly political Australian band Midnight Oil, and she played him a song called ‘U.S. Forces’.

Will you know it when you see it, high risk children dogs of war

Now market movements call the shots, business deals in parking lots

Waiting for the meat of tomorrow”

Midnight Oil – U.S. Forces

As you listen to this song it becomes clear that Green Day took the chanting protest cadence of the presentation and added their distinct alt punk style. The result is the stark delivery and the powerful message to the people who cared enough to listen. 

All of this leads to America’s laughable adulation for their ‘flag’. Seriously, these people are walking clichés, just waiting to be mocked. They wear their ignorance on their sleeve. If a stereotype had a face it would be an overweight middle-aged white man with a scruffy beard, baggy jeans and a faded ‘I Piss on Foreign Pick Up Trucks’ t-shirt. 

All you need to know about what a farce America has become stems from this change to the pledge of allegiance in 1954.

I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

Pledge of Allegiance

‘Under God’…my ass. Shove your fake religious bullshit up your ass because until you pay attention to the part that says “Indivisible, with liberty and justice for all” this oath is meaningless. If you think otherwise YOU ARE AN AMERICAN IDIOT.

Or as Mike Dirnt and Billie Joe Armstrong said in a 2004 interview with regards to the flag:

It means nothing to me. Let’s burn the fucking thing.”

Mike Dirnt and Billie Joe Armstrong

The flag is just material and the pledge is just words. The thought process behind the idolatry is borne of hypocrisy, marginalization, hatred and outright bigotry. Above all it has become a cover for overt racism. But when the Fake President and his band of traitorous hypocrites present a clear and present danger to all that is just and right this foolishness is the result.

How the mighty have fallen…

If you think otherwise YOU ARE AN AMERICAN IDIOT. 

So, when I see athletes like Tommie Smith and John Carlos raise their fists as a symbol for Black Power at the 1968 Olympics, I stand with them. For over fifty years athletes have attempted to take a stand. When I see Colin Kaepernick take a knee, I kneel beside him. These athletes paid dearly for the statements they made. I feel for them, but most of all I respect their courage because they stood for ‘liberty and justice for all’. They exercised their constitutional right. It boggles my mind how 40% of America cannot see this fact. I will NEVER understand. 

How the mighty have fallen…

For the sake of humanity, it must change and if that change needs to be inspired by a protest song, then musicians, do your thing. Get your message across in a torrent of protest songs that serve to educate one AMERICAN IDIOT at a time.

For the purpose of today’s post here is a Rogues’ gallery of American Idiots. This is a list of thirteen. There are about 60 million more stunned sheep, moronic lemmings and cultists who blindly follow. Their willful ignorance blows my mind.

Jim Jordan – Human waste. Shit on a stick without a jacket. A barking lap dog for Donald Trump. Sat idly by as he knew athletes at Ohio State University were being sexually abused. That says all you need to know about this sorry excuse for a human being.

Mitch McConnell – The picture of evil. Everything he does is abhorrent. Filthy rich, while many residents of the state he represents live in squalor. Uneducated, impoverished and without adequate and accessible healthcare. A master exploiter of the people. Disgraceful!

Lindsey Graham – Bought and paid for. Living a lie. Soulless scum. Ladybug boy makes me ill. Come clean Lindsey. Everyone knows the truth.

Rudy Giuliani – The poster boy for the 9/11 response, who managed to pass himself off as America’s Mayor. This man is an unhinged maniac. A parody of his former self. A senile septuagenarian barking at the wall. He should be institutionalized.

Bill Barr – Don’t even get me started. Another face of pure evil. Nothing more than an apologist for Trump’s wanton abuse of the law. These scumbags preach law and order, but they live in daily violation. Bill Barr wipes his fat ass with the constitution. He is the only man in the Trump administration that is actually uglier than Trump in every way. Answer one question? How did Jeffrey Epstein really die?

Roger Stone – This cretin should have been in prison long ago. They managed to lock him up briefly for his fifty year run of lawlessness, but through a litany of corruption, he was pardoned. His day will come. He needs to die in prison.

Sean Hannity – The voice of Faux News. It’s amazing how this imbecile goes live daily and lies to his audience and openly spreads misinformation to a hopelessly gullible public. 

Tucker Carlson – A slack jawed fool. An absolute idiot. Pretty boy, whine ass, fake journalist who only serves to lie and divide through lame rhetoric and mindless canned pro right falsehoods.

Jared Kushner – Why the hell does this eunuch have a role in the Trump administration? Nothing but a frat boy born into a rich family. For some reason he seems to be in charge of everything and true to his dubious pedigree, he fails at every turn.

Eric Trump – Gummy McJuiceBox is the poster boy for ignorant American. His sick excuse for a father has no faith in him. Imagine having all this privilege and still knowing the man who is supposed to be your moral guide is a liar, a cheater and a fraud. It all adds up to zero. How’s that charity working for you ‘Twizzlers’?

Donald Trump Jr. – Silver Spoon Boy. An entitled punk who has never worked a day in his life. Somehow, he has a voice. He makes me sick just looking at him. Not as sick as looking at his father, but sick, nonetheless. Him and Barbie Botox; a laughable couple with no integrity. Grifters of the highest order perpetrating an elaborate con on a nation of lemmings. What is the over/under on doomed relationships for this loser? Will he beat Daddy and his standard of two (soon to be three) or will he fall short because as soon as this administration is over, he will likely go to prison for his many transgressions. I will go with the latter.

Ivanka Trump – A complete fraud. Princess Ivanka is literally getting rich off of her portfolio of investments in China while her disgusting liar of a father spews bullshit about China being the enemy. She defines hypocrisy and entitlement. The living embodiment of the Pollyanna principle. Her marriage of convenience with Jar-Jar is yet another sleight of hand brought to you by the Trump Crime Family.

Donald Trump – Where to begin? This man is a life-long con man. He is a compulsive liar. He is a trust fund loser. He is a fraud. He would sell out his own mother for a dollar. He did. He is a rapist and a racist. He literally personifies the seven deadly sins. He represents the worst of humanity. How anyone can support this vile human being is beyond me.

If you still support this ingrate, YOU ARE AN AMERICAN IDIOT.

Honourable mention:

Kay’Lie McEnany – Ivanka lite. She trots herself out daily in her role as ‘Press Secretary’. Her first promise to the people was that she would not lie, and ever since, that is all that she has done. To think, she is a mother of a young baby daughter. I can’t fathom how she goes home every night and looks this innocent child in the eyes, knowing that she is a lying villain, luring the vulnerable into Cult45.

Melania Trump – The most pathetic excuse for a First Lady ever. In a loveless marriage by choice. Why? Follow the money. There is a word for her. You can’t say it in a public forum. She has threatened to sue. The truth hurts. Bring back Michelle Obama. The epitome of class. The chasm of contrast is as vast as the Grand Canyon. 

For today’s cover version I am presenting a Ted Tocks favourite. Here is the amazing Leo Moracchioli. Leo never disappoints. He plays every instrument and delivers…Big time.

Ever since Lord Farquaad rode the elevator at Trump Tower and announced to the world that he was going to run for president, which has been acknowledged as nothing more than a reality TV show publicity stunt, he has been looking for a theme song.

The truth is…’American Idiot’ may be as close as he will ever come, at least until somebody writes a song about an immoral con artist with countless allegations of sexual assault, multiple bankruptcies and a propensity for lying.

Oh America…How the mighty has fallen.

American Idiot to the sixty millionth exponent.

This is America – #HappyJuly4th Look what I’m whippin’ now. #MusicisLife #TedTocksCovers #ChildishGambino #DonaldGlover #LudwigGoransson #YoungThug #HiroMurai #Falz #LeoMoracchioli

This is important. ‘This is America’ by Donald Glover, or as he is known in the rapper world; Childish Gambino, is an incredibly poignant song/video that represents a scathing indictment of the United States of America. So…

Happy July 4^th America!

Happy ‘Independence’ Day!

This IS America!

The song, and by extension, the graphic video represents a reflection of America as interpreted by Glover and his co-writers Ludwig Goransson and Jeffery Lamar Williams (Young Thug). In less than five minutes these artists portray America in a troubling light that anyone who is paying attention is painfully aware. ‘This is America’ touches on such issues as oppression as far back as slavery, and how in many forms, symbolically the bondage continues. Too often, black culture has replaced being grossly exploited on plantations during colonization and the country’s first ninety years, with violence and crime on inner city streets. For too many, the result is death, crime and mass incarceration. On a broader level ‘This is America’ focuses on gun violence, the disturbing level of mass shootings, and as noted the unending trend of acceptance when it comes to racism and discrimination. Sadly, these patterns all exist right up to the moment I am writing this post.

When Donald Glover and his collaborators wrote ‘This is America’ they were responding to numerous instances of violence and hate and reflecting them in their art as an intense social commentary. Two years later, they could easily update the piece with five more minutes of footage and the message would still be the same.

Things need to change. The United States of America is a cesspool of hatred, discrimination, racism and violence. It needs to change. Many people are on board with this message. I am certain they represent the majority. They represent resistance to the forces that seem intent on creating a divide. It is so troubling to note that those intent on increasing the divide are also the ones in power. It is imperative that they be removed in order for this country to progress. There is no other way to interpret the atrocities that currently dominate U.S. culture.

Upon its release, ‘This is America’ became a massive hit. It debuted at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States. It also became a #1 in Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The accolades came pouring in for Childish Gambino in the form of four Grammys that included; Record of the Year, Best Rap/Sung Performance, and Song of the Year. Gambino/’This is America’ became the first hip-hop artist/song to win Record of the Year and Song of the Year. It also won Best Music Video. This is where ‘This is America’ transcends art and takes on the form of a cultural masterpiece that will be remembered for generations due to its honest portrayal of American society. Here is a walk through the video that was directed by filmmaker Hiro Murai.

The song/video opens with the soft sound of traditional black roots music. It is soulful and soothing but hidden in it is the angst of black culture in America. It denotes slavery and a cry for freedom. A black man portrayed by L.A. artist Calvin the Second is approached by Gambino and shot in the back of the head as he plays a guitar. At this point, the music turns into a pulsating rap style and the powerful message takes over. According to Guthrie Ramsey, Professor of Music History at University of Pennsylvania:

He’s talking about the contradictions of trying to get money, the idea of being a black man in America. It comes out of two different sound worlds. Part of the brilliance of the presentation is that you go from this happy major mode of choral singing that we associate with South African choral singing, and then after the first gunshot it moves right into the trap sound.”

Guthrie Ramsey – University of Pennsylvania

In this piece, Donald Glover becomes ‘America’ and the violence contained within represents the entertainment that serves as a distraction. Throughout the video, Glover becomes a caricature of the ‘violence culture’ and as the central focus; the ringleader. The symbolism contained within ‘This is America’ in its video form is captivating in its contemporary significance. As he enters the video, Gambino is seen wearing pants that bear a likeness to old Confederate soldier uniforms. As the camera moves closer you will notice two gold chains around his neck. It has been suggested that these represent both physical bondage in the form of slavery and on a more current level, America’s (western culture’s) fascination with consumerism. As noted, at 52 seconds the video turns violent with the killing of the innocent black man playing his guitar. There is no doubt that this establishes the song’s theme and portrays a clear effort to direct people’s attention to the violence that is occurring on the streets of America while its citizens are distracted by entertainment and focused on their day to day lives. As you look closer you will notice Childish Gambino’s dance moves. These are thought to mimic the movements of Jim Crow and the dancers in the old minstrel shows which included white actors in blackface. As the video develops, Childish Gambino takes on the movement of a South African form of dance known as ‘Gwara Gwara’. This is thought to be an act of solidarity to the apartheid movement.

For freedom we all lay down our lives. The struggle continues.”

Apartheid Slogan

The struggle is for survival. Survival as individuals and as a culture within a society that is bent on oppression and dominance. ‘Dominate’ is a word used in the past month by the man who calls himself ‘President’ as he moved to deny Americans their 1^st amendment right to peaceful protest. There is no denying elements of the overall protest took on a dark form, but the roots of the violence point back to the oppressor. It is interesting to observe that so often America simultaneously glorifies black culture, yet they turn their backs on their daily struggle and the socioeconomic challenges they face. They ignore the roots of this sad reality.

As the video continues, the symbolism becomes even more fraught with despair. You see a hooded man on a white horse, which is an ominous biblical symbol representing the apocalypse. The seemingly innocent image of a ten-member black choir singing a hymn denotes black culture’s strong ties to religious faith, but within seconds the group is mowed down by a gunman. This represents the nine black church goers in Charleston, South Carolina killed by a white supremacist in 2015. A tenth person was injured. Police responded to the scene and quietly escorted the assassin away, even grabbing him some take out from Burger King in case he got hungry during the interrogation. Contrast this to George Floyd, who was killed by Minneapolis police while being held down by a knee to his neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds for the crime of allegedly attempting to pass a counterfeit $20 bill. Later in the song, there is an eerie 17 second silence. This is thought to reflect the number of people killed in the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland. Florida. The viewer will notice after each shooting the gun is wrapped in a red cloth. This represents the Republican Party and their endless obsession with the 2^nd amendment, and the right to bear arms. Despite the carnage, these immoral cretins will fall all over themselves to protect the NRA and the sickness of the gun culture. Ignorant fools, clinging to a gross misinterpretation of the constitution.

Throughout the video the background is an anesthetic grey institution-style structure. This is a definite reference to prisons. As Childish Gambino sings:

This a celly (ha)
That’s a tool (yeah)
On my Kodak (woo, Black)”

Donald Glover, Ludwig Goransson and Jeffery Lamar Williams

In modern day America, incarceration of black people exists as yet another means to suppress. The cell phones have become the response of Americans who choose to rise against police brutality and the clear anti-black bias. More and more instances of atrocities aimed toward black Americans are being caught on cell phone video and going viral. This is capturing the systemic racism, and identifying the need for change. The only way there can be change is if there is a will to accept the fact that there is a problem.

In the final choreographed scene Gambino is first seen dancing amidst a grouping of ‘80s era American made cars. This reflects the Reagan era America first movement, out of which emerged the ‘War on Drugs’, which yet again led to the mass incarceration of black people from inner cities. Ultimately, turning the American inner city into war zones and furthered the mistrust between visible minorities and the police. This symbolizes the stagnation. They have yet to recover.

And the band plays on…

The video concludes with Childish Gambino running out of the darkness being chased by a band of white men. The ‘oppressors’? An effort to escape…but where do they go if no one is listening?

Recent events would suggest that more people are in tune than ever before. As always, change needs to be desired by the people. Out of that desire policy will ensue, because it is the only way those in power will survive. Presently, one thing is clear. In order to initiate change, our voice needs to be louder.

Here are the complete lyrics. Watch the video and follow along. It is quite a commentary.

‘This is America’

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, go, go away
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, go, go away
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, go, go away
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, go, go away

We just wanna party
Party just for you
We just want the money
Money just for you
I know you wanna party (yeah)
Party just for free
Girl, you got me dancin’ (girl, you got me dancin’)
Dance and shake the frame
We just wanna party (yeah)
Party just for you (yeah)
We just want the money (yeah)
Money just for you (ooh)
I know you wanna party (yeah)
Party just for free (yeah)
Girl, you got me dancin’ (girl, you got me dancin’)
Dance and shake the frame (ooh)

This is America
Don’t catch you slippin’ now
Don’t catch you slippin’ now
Look what I’m whippin’ now
This is America (woo)
Don’t catch you slippin’ now
Don’t catch you slippin’ now
Look what I’m whippin’ now

This is America (skrrt, skrrt, woo)
Don’t catch you slippin’ now (ayy)
Look at how I’m livin’ now
Police be trippin’ now (woo)
Yeah, this is America (woo, ayy)
Guns in my area (word, my area)
I got the strap (ayy, ayy)
I gotta carry ’em
Yeah, yeah, I’ma go into this (ugh)
Yeah, yeah, this is guerilla, woo
Yeah, yeah, I’ma go get the bag
Yeah, yeah, or I’ma get the pad
Yeah, yeah, I’m so cold like yeah (yeah)
I’m so dope like yeah (woo)
We gon’ blow like yeah (straight up, uh)

Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, tell somebody
You go tell somebody
Grandma told me
Get your money, black man (get your money)
Get your money, black man (get your money)
Get your money, black man (get your, black man)
Get your money, black man (get your, black man)
Black man

This is America (woo, ayy)
Don’t catch you slippin’ now (woo, woo, don’t catch you slippin’, now)
Don’t catch you slippin’ now (ayy, woah)
Look what I’m whippin’ now (Slime!)
This is America (yeah, yeah)
Don’t catch you slippin’ now (woah, ayy)
Don’t catch you slippin’ now (ayy, woo)
Look what I’m whippin’ now (ayy)

Look how I’m geekin’ out (hey)
I’m so fitted (I’m so fitted, woo)
I’m on Gucci (I’m on Gucci)
I’m so pretty (yeah, yeah)
I’m gon’ get it (ayy, I’m gon’ get it)
Watch me move (blaow)
This a celly (ha)
That’s a tool (yeah)
On my Kodak (woo, Black)
Ooh, know that (yeah, know that, hold on)
Get it (get it, get it)
Ooh, work it (21)
Hunnid bands, hunnid bands, hunnid bands (hunnid bands)
Contraband, contraband, contraband (contraband)
I got the plug on Oaxaca (woah)
They gonna find you like blocka (blaow)

Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, tell somebody
(America, I just checked my following list and)
You go tell somebody
(You mothafuckas owe me)
Grandma told me
Get your money, black man (black man)
Get your money, black man (black man)
Get your money, black man (black man)
Get your money, black man (black man)
Black man (one, two, three, get down)

Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, tell somebody
You go tell somebody
Grandma told me, “Get your money, ” black man
Get your money, black man (black man)
Get your money, black man (black man)
Get your money, black man (black man)
Black man

You just a black man in this world
You just a barcode, ayy
You just a black man in this world
Drivin’ expensive foreigns, ayy
You just a big dawg, yeah
I kenneled him in the backyard
No proper life to a dog
For a big dog

Donald Glover, Ludwig Goransson and Jeffery Lamar Williams

The fallout of ‘This is America’ has been extremely important, because it served to provide additional perspective on issues related to race in not only America but worldwide. Shortly after Childish Gambino’s release, Nigerian rapper Falz released his own cover that focused on corruption and organized crime in his country. It was called ‘This is Nigeria’.

A short time later ‘This is America’ was covered by one of Ted Tocks Covers’ favourite artists; Leo Moracchioli.

So, there you have it…

Happy 244th birthday to the United States of America. A nation of hate. Led by a racist who wishes to emulate dictators of the past and present. A con man, a fraud, a cheat. A man who has never earned an honest cent in his life. A misogynist. An accused rapist on several occasions. An adulterer. A horrid father. A compulsive liar. A man who has somehow derived a following of people who profess ‘Christian’ values. This is a charade. There is nothing ‘Christian’ about this man or these people. To far too many, ‘Christianity’ is just a veil for hate and a means to justify their intolerance. An intolerance fed by fear. Fear of any person who is not born in their Caucasian image. Fear of any person who does not live by their hypocritical religious doctrine. This intolerance is however, tolerated by those sycophants who serve their leaders’ will for personal gain. Politicians on the take, and corporate barons who put profit ahead of their fellow man. Appalling cretins who have no regard for anyone but themselves. America has become a cesspool of hate and intolerance fed by a doctrine that espouses the idea that every man must fend only for himself. An ideal that compassion, empathy and any sense of altruism is incompatible with human nature

The truth is quite the opposite. The sooner we recognize this fact, the better off ‘America’ will be as a culture.

At that point ‘This is America’ will be a different song. Wouldn’t that be a positive gift to society?

Putting this premise forth for consideration is my ‘gift’ to America on this occasion.

Happy Birthday America! You troubled, troubled child.

Come As You Are – A significant date in relation to the ‘Seattle’ music scene. #MusicisLife #TedTocksCovers #KurtCobain #Nirvana #AliceInChains #LayneStaley #KillingJoke #TheDamned #DaveGrohl #MadSeason #MikeMcCready #StoneGossard #ShawnSmith #Brad #LeoMoracchioli #LittleRoy

There is a welcome sign on the outskirts of Aberdeen, Washington that says

“Welcome to Aberdeen – Come as You Are”

This is an homage to Kurt Cobain. As you venture further into the community an additional memorial awaits. It is a replica sculpture of Cobain’s Fender Jag-Stang guitar. This tribute was created by Aberdeen artists Kim and Lora Malakoff. The inscription on the memorial is a line from a Nirvana song called ‘On a Plain’. It says;

One more special message to go and then I’m done, and I can go home.”

Kurt Cobain – On a Plain

Here is a live version of that song from the famous 1993 MTV ‘Unplugged’ performance.

All of this is a way of introducing today’s feature song ‘Come as You Are’ and how this date is intrinsically tied to music history on several fronts. You will see how the characters in this post become interwoven, forever connected by April 5^th.

Let’s go back to late 1988. A new band was forming in Seattle’s burgeoning ‘grunge’ music scene. In November, Nirvana released their debut single ‘Love Buzz’. In two December recording sessions that amounted to about thirty hours of recording, Nirvana produced their debut album that would become known as ‘Bleach’. The bill was $606.16. Their label ‘Sub Pop’ were huge supporters of the grunge scene so they channeled Nirvana’s creativity into that style.

There was this pressure from Sub Pop and the grunge scene to play ‘rock music. We stripped it down and made it sound like Aerosmith. We had to fit the expectations of the grunge sound to build a fanbase, so we suppressed my arty and pop songwriting traits while crafting the record.”

Kurt Cobain

In order to match that format, they created songs that were…

…deliberately bleak, claustrophobic, and lyrically sparse, with none of the manic derangement or sense of release of the live performance.”

 One song that really stood out against that form was ‘About a Girl’.

‘Bleach’ was a harbinger of great things to come. By the time their second album ‘Nevermind’ was released in 1991, ‘Bleach’ had sold approximately 40,000 copies in North America. Once ‘Nevermind’ burst upon the scene in 1991, Sub Pop gave permission to Geffen Records to release ‘Bleach’ on their label and sales of the debut album flourished, approaching the 2 million range.

As the rock and grunge subculture exploded in the Pacific northwest an act that was actually from Seattle gained international prominence with their debut album.

Enter, Alice in Chains. This act is widely associated with the grunge scene, but they had a strong heavy metal influence. Their debut album ‘Facelift’ was released in 1990. It featured the harsh condemnation of commercialism and conformity, known as ‘Man in the Box’. For many, this song was an assault on the senses and the conscience. The more I listen to it, the more I applaud this act for coming out of the gate with such a strong message. Powerful doesn’t begin to describe this timeless piece of music, nor the astute lyrics. Have a listen.

‘Man in the Box’ was released in January of 1991 and had an immediate impact on the Billboard Mainstream chart, penetrating the Top 20. It was nominated for a Grammy in 1992 for Best Hard Rock Performance. For guitarist Jerry Cantrell ‘Man in the Box’ was a career defining song that he was glad they were fortunate enough to create early.

That whole beat and grind of that is when we started to find ourselves; it helped Alice become what it was.”

Jerry Cantrell

The talk box and guitar effect was the idea of producer Dave Jerden who was listening to the radio on his drive in to the studio and heard Bon Jovi’s ‘Livin’ on a Prayer’. While I am not a Bon Jovi fan at all, I thank them for this influence.

Having said all that, for me it’s the lyrics. So many times, it comes down to the lyrics when it comes to my love of music. This is intense.

Vocalist Layne Staley explained the song from this perspective in a 1992 interview in Rolling Stone:

I started writing about censorship. Around the same time, we went out for dinner with some Columbia Records people who were vegetarians. They told me how veal was made from calves raised in these small boxes, and that image stuck in my head. So I went home and wrote about government censorship and eating meat as seen through the eyes of a doomed calf.”

Layne Staley

Jerry Cantrell added his thoughts by implying it is up to the individual to break out of the box and educate themselves, rather than accept force fed garbage from mainstream media. There are sources that can be trusted, but we need to dig, and we need to be discerning.

It’s basically about how government and media control the public’s perception of events in the world or whatever, and they build you into a box by feeding it to you in your home. And it’s about breaking out of that box and looking outside of that box that has been built for you.”

Jerry Cantrell

I can’t move on from Alice in Chains without sharing the lyrics to this important song.

“I’m the man in the box
Buried in my shit
Won’t you come and save me?
Save me

Feed my eyes, can you sew them shut?
Jesus Christ, deny your maker
He who tries, will be wasted
Feed my eyes now you’ve sewn them shut

I’m the dog who gets beat
Shove my nose in shit
Won’t you come and save me
Save me

Feed my eyes, can you sew them shut?
Jesus Christ, deny your maker
He who tries, will be wasted
Feed my eyes now you’ve sewn them shut

Feed my eyes, can you sew them shut?
Jesus Christ, deny your maker
He who tries, will be wasted
Feed my eyes now you’ve sewn them shut”

Layne Staley – Man in the Box

With the success of the ‘Seattle’ scene making waves across North America and around the world, music fans were watching closely for subsequent releases from acts like Nirvana and Alice in Chains. As a result of the success of these acts other bands were able to emerge and take the world by storm. The timing was perfect for acts like Soundgarden, Silverchair, Stone Temple Pilots and Pearl Jam (who I will get to shortly). Everything was ripe for Nirvana’s follow up release.

I alluded to ‘Nevermind’ earlier. I am not going to go into too much detail here because “I have miles to go before I sleep”. Everybody knows that ‘Nevermind’ is an essential album. It was a turning point for Nirvana and it epitomizes an important chapter in music history. The album marked the debut of drummer Dave Grohl who continues to be a prominent figure more than a quarter of a century later. For Nirvana, at the time they knew they needed to release something that would make a statement. It had to work within the framework of the evolving scene, but it needed to test the boundaries and push the narrative. They wouldn’t settle for any clichés. The result was what Kurt Cobain described this way.

The Knack and the Bay City Rollers getting molested by Black Flag and Black Sabbath“

Kurt Cobain

Cobain was unapologetic about his range of musical interests. He was as comfortable listening to ABBA and The Beatles or David Bowie as he was listening to The Pixies or The Sex Pistols. This open-mindedness to songwriting and creativity bore ‘Nevermind’.  In essence, ‘Nevermind’ was an invitation for everybody and everything to just throw away any pretense and be yourself. Literally, ‘Come as You Are’. Stop the charade.

Of course, the elephant in the room is the fact that Kurt Cobain repeats over and over again at the end of the song “no I don’t have a gun” which in light of the fateful conclusion of his life has been pointed to as one of music’s most ironic forms of lyrical foreshadowing.

Another intriguing thing about ‘Come as You Are’ is it has been suggested the song’s riff is a blatant rip off of ‘Eighties’ by an English post punk band called Killing Joke. It is widely reported that this act considered legal action but opted not to, due to the tragic circumstances that ensued. Singer Jaz Coleman explained:

(We were) very pissed off about that, but it’s obvious to everyone. We had two separate musicologists’ reports saying it was. Our publisher sent their publisher a letter saying it was and they went ‘Boo, never heard of ya!’, but the hysterical thing about Nirvana saying they’d never heard of us was that they’d already sent us a Christmas card!”

Jaz Coleman

He added this quip in another interview:

It’s a short f–king life, mate – we could be going fishing or something sensible” 

Jaz Coleman

Ironically, another British punk era called The Damned insisted that Killing Joke borrowed ‘Eighties’ from their song called ‘Life Goes On’ so the list goes on. What is the old saying about ‘three chords and the truth’?

Here is ‘Eighties’ by Killing Joke:

Fittingly, here is ‘Life Goes On’ by The Damned:

Naturally, Dave Grohl managed to smooth everything over by playing drums on Killing Joke’s 2003 self-titled album ‘Killing Joke’. A couple of interesting points here: The first is that Killing Joke has the distinction of being a band to have two self-titled alums in their library. They were going to call it ‘Axis of Evil’ after the Bush regime’s ‘weapons of mass destruction’ crusade, but they went the self-titled route. The second interesting point is;  Dave Grohl laid down the drum tracks after all the other tracks were complete. This is a very rare approach to recording which Grohl found to be a unique.

It’s the first record I’ve ever done where the drums come last. Usually drums are first. It’s nice, though, because once you put the drums down and all the percussion is done and everything, it’s done. You have a finished song. And also, all the programming and stuff that Andy is doing, the rhythms that they came up with are great. It’s not conventional “rock drumming”, it’s not like conventional rock rhythms. It’s challenging. Everything is a challenge.”

Dave Grohl

Other drummers considered to take part in this project were John Dolmayan from System of a Down and Danny Carey from Tool. When Dave Grohl heard the tracks, he was intrigued and offered to play the whole album…for free. Ever the class act, he gave his time for this project. What a guy.

The story continues and it gets dark.

As we all know, Kurt Cobain committed suicide in 1994. This is well documented, so I won’t go into detail. See ‘Heart Shaped Box’ and ‘The Man Who Sold the World’.

The death of Kurt Cobain in 1994 had a significant impact on Layne Staley who was struggling with depression and drug addiction. The captivating Alice in Chains singer had a strong support system working in his orbit and they did everything they could to channel his attention toward positive projects.

Alice in Chains released their follow up album to ‘Facelift’ in 1992; the critically acclaimed ‘Dirt’.  This was followed by ‘Jar of Flies’ which was an acoustic EP that brought out the best in the act from a fans perspective. The problem was, in the background the band was in turmoil. Bassist, Mike Starr was fired at the end of the ‘Dirt’ tour. He was replaced by former Ozzy Osbourne bassist, Mike Inez. While this was happening, Layne Staley was in a state of deterioration on a personal level, but the material on ‘Jar of Flies’ indicated that he was at a creative peak. By the time ‘Jar of Flies’ was released in January of 1994 the band was at a crossroads. The album was critically acclaimed, and it sold well but Staley’s condition had become so bad that the band opted not to tour. Layne Staley entered rehab and at the invitation of Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready, he participated in a project called Mad Season along with Seattle musicians, Barrett Martin of Screaming Trees, and John Baker Saunders of The Walkabouts.  This was an olive branch presented by McCready because his Pearl Jam bandmates were deeply impacted by Kurt Cobain’s death and they were terrified at their friend, Staley’s prospects. As a group the Mad Season mates hoped the creative outlet they offered would by a positive diversion. Although the group performed together and released an album called ‘Above’ in 1995 the effort to help Layne Staley fell short. The project resulted in some strong material which included ‘River of Deceit’. Check out these lyrics:

My pain… is self-chosen At least so the prophet says I could either burn Or cut off my pride and buy some time A head full of lies is the weight Tied to my waist The river of deceit pulls down The only direction we flow is down Down, oh down.”

Mad Season – River of Deceit

Here is the song. It is so honest. So sad.

To continue this portrayal of how interconnected the ‘Seattle’ scene was, I will move on to Pearl Jam bassist Stone Gossard, who had his own side project called ‘Brad’. This is yet another cool story. Along with drummer Regan Hagar, (who also played with Gossard and Pearl Jam bassist, Jeff Ament in Mother Love Bone) and Seattle songwriter Shawn Smith, Brad served as a strong creative outlet while Pearl Jam took a break from touring their hugely successful debut album, ‘Ten’. Brad’s first album was called ‘Shame’. It was released to a tepid response in 1993. It truly is a shame that it did not receive more attention because it has some great material.

Here is a funny story about how Brad chose the band name. It seems the ensemble wanted to call themselves ‘Shame’ but they quickly discovered that a fledgling act featuring a musician named Brad Wilson called themselves ‘Shame’. Gossard and his bandmates reached out to Wilson in an effort to acquire the rights to the name, but their request was declined. The group simply shrugged their shoulders and called the album ‘Shame’ and named their band ‘Brad’ in an ironic homage to the reluctant musician.

Brad followed up ‘Shame’ with four other releases between 1995 and 2012. Here is a taste of the work ‘Brad’ created from a live, in studio performance on KEXP in Seattle where they worked to support their final release as a band called ‘United We Stand’. This is really good.

As you watch this video you will see Stone Gossard take a back seat role. He gives a lot of credit to the driving force behind ‘Brad’. That person was Shawn Smith, who was a beautiful songwriter and strong vocalist with an artistic mystique. As you go through his library of music that includes projects such as Satchel, Pigeonhed and The Twilight Singers, you detect a wide range of influence. One fascinating item is that in his own words, he attributed his love of music and desire to create, to one artist; Prince. It is always interesting to see where musicians get their inspiration.

Throughout this post I have done my best to weave this ‘Seattle/Pacific northwest music scene’ together to show how connected the artists who emerged were. It was a fascinating exercise which opened the door to some fantastic material. It sent me down a rabbit hole and quite frankly, in today’s world there is really no reason to come out too soon. I hope you are inspired to explore some of these artists along with their deep tracks and side projects. This is often where the most honest creativity is borne because it is not bound by expectations.

In addition to the theme illustrated above, here is the significance to this day over the past 55 years.

April 5^th – A summary of its’ significance:

Mike McCready of Pearl Jam was born on April 5, 1965

Kurt Cobain of Nirvana committed suicide on April 5, 1994

Layne Staley of Alice in Chains died of a heroin/cocaine ‘speedball’ overdose on April 5, 2002

The guitar statue tribute in Aberdeen, Washington was unveiled on April 5, 2011

Shawn Smith of Brad, Satchel, Pigeonhed and The Twilight Singers died as a result of complications from diabetes on this day in 2019.

To me, Shawn Smith is the unsung hero of this post.

Cheers Shawn!

Just as an added bonus, may it be noted that one of many pop influences for Kurt Cobain was the artistic brilliance of ABBA and their ability to blend their artistic talent and great vision to create great music. Well, April 5^th just happens to be Agnetha Faltskog’s 70^th birthday. Here is ‘Dancing Queen’.

Influence can come from many places if you look at it right. Open your mind.

Back to today’s feature song ‘Come as You Are’, here is a great cover by one of my favourite cover artists, Leo Marachiolli doing his version along with his wife Stine, back in 2017.

To send you off with a smile on your face and a dancing groove, here is a reggae version of ‘Come as You Are’ by Little Roy.

Dance like nobody is watching.

To paraphrase Kurt Cobain:

This is my special message…I am done. I can go home.

Poker Face – A #1 hit in 20 countries. #MusicisLife #TedTocksCovers #LadyGaga #ChrisDaughtry #LeoMoracchioli #IdinaMenzel #LeaMichele

When songwriters aim to have fun with their lyrics by employing a series of innuendos in their creative process, the result can often become a talking point that takes the song to another level of cultural significance.  ‘Poker Face’ by Lady Gaga was released in 2008, and as a song it has definitely transcended the term, hit song and moved on to a socially relevant anthem. Here is a look at the song and a brief history of the artist behind its presentation.

For Stefani Germanotta (Lady Gaga), the attraction to music as a creative outlet began early. She described herself as “dedicated, studious and disciplined” as a young girl, but she was also mocked for “being either too provocative or too eccentric”. She had a choice. Either conform, or rebel against what she perceived to be ordinary and boring. Music became her escape and it began as early as three years old when she developed a natural aptitude for the piano.

I don’t know exactly where my affinity for music comes from, but it is the thing that comes easiest to me. When I was like three years old, I may have been even younger, my mom always tells this really embarrassing story of me propping myself up and playing the keys like this because I was too young and short to get all the way up there. Just go like this on the low end of the piano … I was really, really good at piano, so my first instincts were to work so hard at practicing piano, and I might not have been a natural dancer, but I am a natural musician. That is the thing that I believe I am the greatest at.”

Lady Gaga

At the age of 17, Germanotta was granted early admission into Collaborative Arts Project 21, which is a music school at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. This is important, because it was here that she developed a keen interest in music history and how it blended into art, history, social issues and politics. By gravitating to these themes, she recognized how she could develop her own persona and evolve as an individual. She knew it would take time, but she was headed in the right direction. She played several gigs around New York City with the SGBand and began to make a modest name for herself. Her television debut came from a rather unexpected source. Here is MTV’s ‘Boiling Points’, where she became a subject in a prank reality TV show, in 2005.

A year later, the budding star took part in the Songwriters Hall of Fame New Songwriters Showcase. It was here that she was discovered by talent scout Wendy Starland, who recommended her to music producer, Rob Fusari. Fusari is significant because he is thought to be the first person to call her ‘Lady Gaga’. A term of endearment that gave reference to the Queen song ‘Radio Gaga’ and the flamboyant style of one of Germanotta’s favourite artists, Freddie Mercury.

Fusari and Gaga formed a partnership called Team Lovechild. They recorded and produced a series of tracks for music executives hoping to attract attention. They were ultimately signed to Def Jam Recordings in Los Angeles, but the deal only lasted three months. At this time, a dejected Lady Gaga headed back to New York City where she began to perform in a series of neo burlesque shows. It was here that she met another career altering individual. Enter, Lady Starlight. Lady Gaga credits her evolution as a performer to this artist. The pair performed as ‘Lady Gaga and the Starlight Revue’ a tribute act that presented a series of ‘70s classics. If you have seen ‘A Star is Born’ you will get a sense of the presentation. While Lady Gaga and Starlight were defining their craft, Fusari was in the background pushing the songs he and Gaga were producing out to music executives. In 2007 he got a big bite. Vincent Herbert of Streamline Records liked what he heard and signed the promising artist. He identified her role as an apprentice songwriter who in time would create work for Britney Spears, New Kids on the Block, Fergie and The Pussycat Dolls. Her vocal abilities captured some key executive’s ears, while she sang what is known as a reference vocal on a studio track. An artist known as Akon convinced the legendary Jimmy Iovine of Interscope -Geffen-A&M to sign Lady Gaga. Soon after, the collaboration that created today’s feature song was formed.

Enter, songwriter/producer RedOne. To say the two hit it off would be an understatement. They wrote ‘Poker Face’ and its debut album predecessor ‘Just Dance’ each in about one hour. The sexual innuendos just rolled out. Lady Gaga used a series of references to her ‘rock and roll boyfriends’, juxtaposing sex and gambling.

It’s about a lot of different things. I gamble but I’ve also dated a lot of guys who are really into sex and booze and gambling, so I wanted to write a record my boyfriends would like too.”

Lady Gaga

In essence, ‘Poker Face’ became a cheeky combination of double entendres that provided a veil for bisexuality. Being with a man, but hiding her desire to be with a woman.

The lines within the song are absolute classics within this context.

Here is a passage from www.storyofsong.com featuring ‘Poker Face’.

In another interview with Rolling Stone magazine, Gaga was asked about the meaning of the line “bluffin’ with my muffin”, she explained: “Obviously, it’s my pussy’s poker face! I took that line from another song I wrote but never released, called ‘Blueberry Kisses.’ It was about a girl singing to her boyfriend about how she wants him to go down on her, and I used the lyric {singing} ‘Blueberry kisses, the muffin man misses them kisses’.” Gaga went on explaining more about ‘Poker Face’ to Fashionista101, she explained that the song is about her playing with guys as if she was a poker player. She said: “The song speaks in reference to the poker game, ‘Texas Hold Em.’ So I said, ‘I wanna hold him like they do in Texas, please.’ So, it’s basically saying like, I wanna hold that guy – I wanna be close to him.”

StoryofSong.com/Lady Gaga

To completely understand one must read her ‘Poker Face’ in order to know what is going through her mind.

Remember the ‘70s when Rod Stewart simply asked, “If you want my body and you think I’m sexy, just reach out and tell me so” in ‘Do Ya Think I’m Sexy’?

Like Bob Dylan said ‘The Times They Are a Changin’.

Artists like Lady Gaga have paved the way. She is a generational talent.

Vital

Essential

Embrace her brilliance.

Admittedly, I was slow off the mark, but I am on that train.

Here are a couple of amazing alternate versions of ‘Poker Face’ that I enjoyed listening to while researching this post. Enjoy this remarkable acoustic version which features just Lady Gaga and her piano.

Now let’s move on to cover versions of ‘Poker Face’. There are many good ones.

Here is Chris Daughtry doing a really solid acoustic version. Daughtry is a one time American Idol finalist, which I am willing to overlook because he is also the leader of an alternative rock band simply called Daughtry. This is a fantastic cover, released as a bonus track on his 2009 album ‘Leave this Town’.

As I considered cover versions of ‘Poker Face’ to share I recalled one of my absolute favourite ‘cover’ artists, Leo Moracchioli. I wondered if he had created his own version of this popular song, and sure enough he has. I love this guy. Check him out. He is in incredible.

This one is for my friend Nicole. I am pretty sure Lady Gaga and this artist, Idina Menzel reside one-two on her list of favourite celebrities. Here is Idina performing ‘Poker Face’ before an appreciative audience at the Royal Conservatory of Music headquarters in Toronto along with the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony Orchestra. This was known as her Barefoot at the Symphony concert. This is fun because she sets up her connection with the cast of Glee, with an interesting back story.

I couldn’t share this Barefoot at the Symphony performance without adding this duet with Lea Michele from Glee.

“I promise this…”

The more I see of Lady Gaga the more I respect everything she does. Consider this…

• In 2012 Lady Gaga initiated the Born This Way Foundation, a non-profit organization that focuses on youth empowerment.
• Supporters include, Oprah Winfrey, Deepak Chopra and one time U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius.
• Gaga launched the program with a donation of $1.2 million.
• Office Depot came on board as a corporate sponsor and a million dollar minimum donation based on proceeds from limited edition back to school products.
• An offshoot of this program was the ‘Born Brave Bus’ that followed her on tour, creating a youth drop in centre as an initiative against bullying.
• In 2016 Lady Gaga joined forces with Elton John to create a line of clothing and accessories known as ‘Love Bravery’ at Macy’s. Proceeds went to Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation and Elton John’s Aids Foundation.
• Corporate partnerships also exist with Starbucks and Staples.
• In 2018 Lady Gaga initiated a program in conjunction with Red Cross on World Kindness Day to bring food and relief to families impacted by the California wild fires.
• Last year Lady Gaga’s philanthropy extended to mental health issues when she announced the launch of a project called the National Council for Behavioral Health. As an advocate of this mission Lady Gaga reinforced her own struggles with mental health challenges.

“I know what it means to have someone support me and understand what I’m going through, and every young person in the world should have someone to turn to when they’re hurting. It saved my life, and it will save theirs.”

Lady Gaga

• Lady Gaga is an openly bisexual woman who has been a strong advocate for LGBTQ rights worldwide. She is considered a gay icon.
• She has come out in fierce opposition to the U.S military’s ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy, which banned open homosexuality in the military.
• She appeared at EuroPride in 2011 and sharply criticized the appalling state of gay rights in many European countries. She referred to gay people as ‘revolutionaries of love’.
• Lady Gaga became an ordained minister in 2011 so she could officiate the wedding of two female friends.
• Lady Gaga has also come out in opposition to many policies Donald Trump represents during his so called ‘presidency’ including his reactionary military transgender ban. When word spread of Trump’s efforts to change the legal definition of sex to exclude transgender Americans, Lady Gaga called him out by spreading the word to her 77 million+ Twitter followers with the #Won’tBeErased hashtag.
• She has also exposed the horrific behavior of the despicable religious zealots, Mike and Karen Pence. Karen (aka. ‘Mother’) Pence works at a school where LGBTQ people are rejected.

The points mentioned above are just some examples of the kind of person Lady Gaga is. She has influence and she channels it in many positive directions. I can’t say enough good things about this musical icon.

Virtual hugs to the artist formerly known as Stefani Germanotta. My adoration grows by the minute.

Ace of Spades – Born to lose, lived to win. #MusicisLife #TedTocksCovers #Lemmy #Motorhead #DaveGrohl #LittleRichard #LeoMorrachioli #HayseedDixie

Let me begin by saying I know today’s feature is not for everyone. Please take the time to read it because there are stories within this story that are really interesting and even touching.

Today’s feature is a tribute to one of the most instantly recognizable artists in the heavy metal genre. Lemmy, (born Ian Kilmister) from Motorhead was distinct in several ways. His look, his sound and his demeanor. While leading Motorhead for forty years with his thunderous bass guitar sound and gruff voice Lemmy became a respected musical icon with a vast library of songs and a legacy that has inspired some huge names in heavy metal, death metal, speed metal, punk and even grunge and alternative rock. In short, he pushed the limits and led the charge. Thousands followed suit and when he died on this day in 2015, the music world was left in a state of shock.

When choosing a feature song for today’s post the obvious choice was ‘Ace of Spades’. It was almost too easy, but when it comes to promoting Lemmy and Motorhead through this platform it was the best option. In terms of ongoing influence, ‘Ace of Spades checks all the boxes. The ode to what is simultaneously considered to be the most ominous card in the deck and the most valuable creates a perfect backdrop to the Motorhead style. When combining the ‘death card’ with a series of gambling metaphors, songwriters ‘Fast’ Eddie Clarke, Lemmy and Phil ‘Philthy Animal’ Taylor painted a picture of living life on the edge. Here are the lyrics for your reference:

If you like to gamble, I tell you I’m your man
You win some, lose some, all the same to me

The pleasure is to play, makes no difference what you say
I don’t share your greed, the only card I need is the Ace of Spades
The Ace of Spades

Playing for the high one, dancing with the devil
Going with the flow, it’s all a game to me

Seven or eleven, snake eyes watching you
Double up or quit, double stake or split, the Ace of Spades
The Ace of Spades

You know I’m born to lose, and gambling’s for fools
But that’s the way I like it baby
I don’t wanna live forever
And don’t forget the joker!

Pushing up the ante, I know you gotta see me
Read ’em and weep, the dead man’s hand again

I see it in your eyes, take one look and die
The only thing you see, you know it’s gonna be the Ace of Spades
The Ace of Spades

Motorhead

‘Ace of Spades’ was written and recorded in the summer of 1980, and released in late October. True to their carefully cultivated and overtly rebellious nature the initial release of the single saw a special 12” vinyl Christmas pressing that featured a photo of the band dressed in Santa outfits. Clarke and Taylor stood defiant with their arms folded over their chests while Lemmy thrusts his middle finger toward the camera. It is attitude personified. Out of curiosity, I looked up what that limited-edition vinyl would be worth today and it is going for just over $50 U.S.

The path to release was handled with a carefully crafted schedule of interviews and hype. Lemmy was interviewed on the BBC Radio 1 ‘Rock on Saturday’ show in early September, where the song was featured. In early and mid-October, Motorhead performed ‘Ace of Spades’ on two occasions on BBC’s Top of the Pops. This all occurred at a time where Motorhead was still struggling as a hand to mouth act. ‘Fast’ Eddie Clarke tells the story of working on the side as a house painter in between gigs and recording sessions. When Motorhead was featured on Top of the Pops he was working with a paint crew. The session was recorded on a Wednesday and when the show was aired on the following Saturday, he announced to the crew that the band was about to come on. He and his mates all stood around an available TV, in their paint splattered uniforms, brushes in hand and watched the career altering performance. Here is that tape. Watch right through the introduction. This is presented with such beautiful British dignity.

The contrast is priceless when you consider that this style was the farthest thing from mainstream at the time. The brilliance of Motorhead, was in their ability to bridge punk and heavy metal. On several occasions through the years Lemmy emphasized that although Motorhead were considered masters of metal, he felt way more kinship with his peers and fans in the punk genre.

Upon its original release ‘Ace of Spades’ spent thirteen weeks on the U.K. singles charts, peaking at 15. In January of 2016, following Lemmy’s death the ‘Ace of Spades’ reached the top 10 on the singles charts and more importantly the Motorhead album of the same name hit #1.

There was a period of time in the early to mid ‘80s that Motorhead tried to shed the popularity of ‘Ace of Spades’. This was very evident shortly after ‘Fast’ Eddie Clarke left the bad. Gradually, the group, in whatever incarnation, accepted the song’s importance. This acknowledgement happened in stages as you can see from these three quotes.

Here is Lemmy in 2000 referring to ‘Ace of Spades’.

I don’t see the song that way at all. I believe we’ve done our best work since Eddie left the band in 1982.”

Lemmy

Just two years later his stance softened a little when he acknowledged its importance in Motorhead’s evolution.

 (We) can’t ditch Ace of Spades, it wouldn’t be right. If I go to see Little Richard, I expect to hear Good Golly Miss Molly, or I’d be pissed off”

Lemmy

For the record, Lemmy loved Little Richard. Please read on for more about a connection between Lemmy and Little Richard. I promise, you will not be disappointed. This is one of the most genuine, emotional moments I have seen with one musician talking about another.

In an interview shortly before he died, he came right out and declared ‘Ace of Spades’ as one of his band’s finest accomplishments.

I used to have that thought occasionally, but I killed it. ‘Ace of Spades’ has been really good to us, and it’s one of the best songs that I ever wrote. So, I suppose you have to put up with it, because everybody wants to hear it, every night.”

Lemmy

Ian ‘Lemmy’ Kilmister performed virtually right up until the day he died. Briefly, here is how it went. Lemmy had been plagued with a series of health issues throughout the 2000s and he had been hospitalized on a handful of occasions. Despite the challenges he continued to perform because it was what he loved. He performed through December 11, 2015. His final tour culminated in a huge birthday party for him at the famous Los Angeles bar; the Whisky A Go Go.

He [Lemmy] gets home [from tour], we have a big birthday party for him at the Whisky A Go Go. His friends came down and played. Two days later I could tell he wasn’t feeling good. So, we took him to the hospital. They release him. Then after the brain scan, they found the cancer in his brain and his neck. The doctor comes with the result a couple of days later and says “It’s terminal”.”

Todd Singerman – Manager

Lemmy died on this day in 2015, just four days after his 70^th birthday.

By all indications, Lemmy was a guarded, but very sincere man. He chose his words carefully and he charted a very unique musical voyage. He began as a roadie for Jimi Hendrix and paid his dues as struggling musician through the ‘70s with a series of acts before his hard work paid off with Motorhead. It was as part of Motorhead that his legend grew and became carefully cultivated over time. Perhaps, the artist he influenced the most was Dave Grohl; the remarkably accessible, one-time drummer for Nirvana and eventual singer/guitarist for Foo Fighters. Grohl considered Lemmy one of his biggest inspirations, but more importantly, a friend.

We recorded [Lemmy’s] track in Los Angeles in maybe two takes about a year and a half ago. Until then I’d never met what I’d call a real rock ‘n’ roll hero before. Fuck Elvis and Keith Richards, Lemmy’s the king of rock ‘n’ roll—he told me he never considered Motörhead a metal band, he was quite adamant. Lemmy’s a living, breathing, drinking and snorting fucking legend. No one else comes close.”

Dave Grohl

Here is Dave Grohl delivering a eulogy to a captivated crowd at Lemmy’s memorial service. This ties the Little Richard reference together. It is precious.

Here is ‘Precious Lord Take My Hand’ as performed by Little Richard. Remember, Dave Grohl brought us here. What a tribute.

From here, it is only fitting that we feature Dave Grohl with his friend Lemmy, along with Slash performing ‘Ace of Spades’ at the Revolver Golden Gods Awards in 2010.

Here are two phenomenal covers from a couple of Ted Tocks Covers favourites.

First, we have the magnificent Leo Moracchioli. He posted this in tribute the day after Lemmy died and it now has well over 2.6 million views.

And now for something completely different. Here are the bluegrass giants Hayseed Dixie.

Priceless!

“Born to lose, lived to win.”

Lemmy’s epitaph

The one and only, Ian ‘Lemmy’ Kilmister.