I was going to post another song today (a ‘60s rockabilly’s which I’ll update tomorrow), but I saw one Matt Harding’s viral video on Youtube and started to look up for more videos. Enjoying his delightful way to make a better world I caught me whistling, then I payed attention in the soundtrack and… bang! there was a contagious whistling in that video.
This contagious whistling song was composed by Gary Schyman exclusively for Matt Harding’s travel. Schyman has already made a few songs for Matt’s recordings, including the award-winning “Praan”, this one.
“Dancing Outtakes Song” is practically instrumental, so I am not putting here its “lalarala”, okay? Okay! =)~
The Shins are an indie rock band from Albuquerque, New Mexico, formed only 10 years ago. I only knew one song of them, “New Slang,” thanks to my ex-girlfriend who has a fascination with indie rock bands. I enjoyed the sound of “New Slang” but I hadn’t gone after their other songs. Until yesterday, I must say. Because of “They’ll Soon Discover” and also I had nothing to do, I decided to hear their most famous album, “Wincing the Night Away”. It’s funny: their music makes me wonder about people surfing in low gravity. =P
This whistling song’s not on any album by The Shins. It was composed in 2004 for “The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie” and it’s in its soundtrack. The whistling appears at the beginning and is very tiny, only a “lalala”.
But it’s on anyway! The Shins have the song of today!
When you were young and wise, scratching your letters in the sand
And your imagination led you all around by the hand
La la la la
Did you ever wonder what dizzy adventures there might be
Unfolding in the currents under the waves at the bottom of the sea
He’s odd, but he’s got a lot of vision
And his buck teeth, cock eyed smile
Can’t stop this invertebrate on a mission
He’s in charge!!
A sinister design, a wild goose chase for a crown
With your eyes aligned, before they tear apart your town
If you wanna win, save all of your kin in the ocean
Stay your ground, don’t be discouraged
Don’t let ‘em turn our brains into porridge
Your odd, but you’ve got a lot of vision
Your buck teeth, stalwart heart
Can’t stop this invertebrate on a mission
He’s in charge!
But it’s a long hard fight, the corner turns, and it’s always another mile
People think day and night, they think they got your number,
But they’ll soon discover!
PS: I took this pic from The Shins official webpage. It’s beautiful, isn’t it?
“Wet Sand” is the 13th track on the disc 1 (Jupiter) of “Stadium Arcadium”, the Red Hot Chili Peppers latest album. This double album was the most acclaimed of all already released by the band, winning two Grammy Awards, one for “Best Rock Album” and other for “Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal”.
23 years after Kiedis and Flea having played their first riffs together, the band having gone through overdoses, breakdowns and a huge success around the world, having released 9 studio albums and recorded more than 130 songs, here comes “Wet Sand”, the only one in which Kiedis whistles while Frusciante soles his eletric guitar.
In Songfacts.com I discovered that Kiedis wrote it inspired “about a complicated, dysfunctional woman I’ve fallen in love with,” but I don’t know where they took it. So...
My shadow’s side so amplified
Keeps coming back dissatisfied
Elementary son, but it’s sooo...
My love affair with everywhere
Was innocent why do you care
Someone start the car, time to go...
You’re the best I know
My sunny side has up and died
I’m betting that when we collide
The Universe will shift into a low
The travesties that we have seen
Are treating me like benzedrine
Automatic laughter from a pro
My, what a good day for a walk outside
I’d like to get to know you a little better, baby
God knows that I really tried
My, what a good day for a take out bride
I’d like to say we did it for the better of...
I saw you there so unaware
Those hummingbirds all in your hair
Elementary son, but it’s so...
The disrepair of Norma Jean
Could not compare to your routine
Balarama beauty going toe to toe
My, what a good day for let it slide
I’d like to say we did it for the better of..
I thought about it and I brought it out
I’m motivated by the lack of doubt
I’m consecrated but I’m not devout
The mother, the father, the daughter
Right on the verge just one more dose
I’m traveling from coast to coast
My theory isn’t perfect but it’s close
I’m almost there why should I care
My heart is hurting when I share
Someone open up and let it show
My, what a good day for a walk outside
I’d like to think we did it for the better of...
I thought about it and I brought it out
I’m motivated by the lack of doubt
I consecrated but I’m not devout
The mother, the father, the daughter
Oh, you don’t form in the wet sand
You don’t form at all
Woah, you don’t form in the wet sand
I do, yeah...
You don’t form in the wet sand
You don’t form at all
Woah, you don’t form in the wet sand
I do, yeah!
“Helpless” is a song from “Album of the Year”, the latest Faith No More album. It’s not a single, nor a known song, not even is a B-side and it hasn’t a music video. But like all songs of this album it is very well laboured, what shows the technical quality that FNM reached in the end of the 90s.
In the Amazon.com website, there are two gorgeous analyses about this song that I must post here:
“Helpless is the song title of track five and clocks in at over five minutes long. A beautiful, serenading song that floats along with some great dreamy sounds and a simple, acoustic sounding guitar piece. Again, how talented is this band? The technical proficiency, songwriting, and structure of each song are unique and sound. Many felt this album had no ‘direction’ but who says it has to ‘go’ anywhere? This album has a collection of songs that vary greatly in theme and sound, and that is what makes it all the more enjoyable as a truly complete album. (...)
"Helpless is a spectacular quasi-ballad piece with dreamy synth passages, although again weighed down by Hudson’s lack of imagination and skill. Quips like ‘For every wish, I wonder why — Why all I want is something beautiful — A place to rest’ toss the listener rather casually into serious depression, while the eerie whistling and other sound effects hint that the band is laughing at your pain all along.”
That's all for today!
The air is warm
I hear the wind and the trees
I know I'm there, but I'll never be
The wind is soft tonight, the tide is low
And I know the way
(I never felt better now)
Sometimes life, it moves too slow
Slows to a crawl, and then the poetry is lost
And without speed, hope becomes certainty
And for once I'm certain
(I never felt better now)
A garden is it's own perfect world
Where everything has a place
Every leaf, every stone, every speck of dirt
But where's my place?
I even tried to get arrested today
But everyone looked the other way
I count the hours, and I count the days
But for once I'm certain
(whistling)
Don't want your help
Don't need your help
Don't want your help
Don't need your help
Helpless
You found a way to make me say
Help me please someone
The water's clear
I see that it's full of dimes
For every wish, I wonder why
Why all I want is something beautiful
A place to rest
(I never felt better now)
“Dream a Little Dream of Me” was composed in 1931 by Fabian Andre and Wilbur Schwandt and the lyrics was written by Gus Kahn. It was sung by many artists, especially by jazz singers, like Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Barbara Carroll, Nat King Cole, Bing Crosby... But it became better known when The Mamas & The Papas recorded it.*
In its Wikipedia article we can read that “the group had often sung the song for fun, having been familiarized with it by member Michelle Phillips whose father had been friends with the song’s co-writer Fabian Andre in Mexico City where Michelle Phillips’ family had resided when she was a young girl. Fellow ‘Mama’ Cass Elliot suggested to group leader John Phillips that the group record ‘Dream a Little Dream of Me’; according to him she was unhappy while recording the song, objecting to its campiness, but Elliot herself would tell Melody Maker: ‘I tried to sing it like it was 1943 and somebody had just come in and said, ‘Here’s a new song.’ I tried to sing it as if it were the first time’.”
The Mama & The Papa’s version was the only one that had the fade out whistling until 2008. Last year a singer called Nicole Atkins released a cover album named “Digs Others People’s Songs” and this “Dream a Little Dream” was recorded on it. Here is the link of her performance.
Ah! I almost forgot! Cass Elliot version reached #12 on the Billboard Hot 100 in August 1968, same year of its releasing.
Stars shining bright above you
Night breezes seem to whisper "I love you"
Birds singin' in the sycamore tree
Dream a little dream of me
Say nighty-night and kiss me
Just hold me tight and tell me you'll miss me
While I'm alone and blue as can be
Dream a little dream of me
Stars fading but I linger on dear
Still craving your kiss
I'm longing to linger till dawn dear
Just saying this
Sweet dreams till sunbeams find you
Sweet dreams that leave all worries behind you
But in your dreams whatever they be
Dream a little dream of me
Stars fading but I linger on dear
Still craving your kiss
I'm longing to linger till dawn dear
Just saying this
Sweet dreams till sunbeams find you
Sweet dreams that leave all worries far behind you
But in your dreams whatever they be
Dream a little dream of me
