That Was Music Week

Even if you don't follow my Twitter account, you might have noticed that this has been an unofficial "music week". I just decided to spend a little more time dealing with music than I usually do, in lieu of a better idea. I love talking music, but sometimes it gets short shrift here. This week has been an effort to rectify that, and it allowed me to cross a couple of long-standing topics from my to-do list.

Before I let you go, here's a quote from "Express Yourself" by Charles Wright and the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band:

"It's not what you look like when you're doin' what you're doin'; it's what you're doin' when you're doin' what you look like you're doin'."

Heavy, man.

Four-Color Love Story

I'm pretty sure I first came across the song "Four-Color Love Story" by the Metasciences shortly after it was released in 2005. I mean, that sounds right, and some of the more topical references would have definitely resonated more then. I sort of fell in love with the song on first listen, and that's a feeling that has not dissipated with the passage of time.

The premise of the song is achingly simple. It's about a comic book romance. Of course, it's not realistic. Who said superhero comics ever were? That last statement is meant to be sarcasm, by the way.

This is an almost stark, no frills piece of music. I think it works better that way, because it allows you to use your imagination to fill in the blanks. Just like a good comic book should.

I'm not sure the Metasciences are even still playing together. It doesn't appear there has been any activity on their official site for years. I do dearly love this song, and of all the songs I've been highlighting recently, it is both the most obscure and the one I recommend to you the most. Give it a listen, and see if you aren't swept away by both its scope of imagination and gentleness.

Super Robot Mach Baron Theme Song

SUPER ROBOT MACH BARON is not, as far as I know, a sequel to the show SUPER ROBOT RED BARON that we discussed in these parts about a year ago. It is VERY similar in some respects, but my understanding is that there is no direct link between the two narratives. I haven't seen much MACH BARON except in a roundabout fashion, but I can tell you this much - the theme song is awesome!

I love Japanese superhero music, as you might have gathered. The theme to MACH BARON manages to be great by embodying so much that is good about that musical sub-sub-genre, and then twisting it into a glam-rocking piece of music that requires no interest in superheroes and no comprehension of Japanese. It just plain rocks, simple as that. And when you delve into the longer single version, it STILL rocks!

Dancy's Dream

Yesterday, we looked at a case where a music video enhanced a song and made it even more memorable. Today, we're going to deal with the flipside and examine a case where a music video actually detracts from a song. I have a particular interest here, since the song in question is one of my favorites. However, the video almost ruins it.

Restless Heart was a band that had a fair amount of success on the country charts, but they were pop-tinged country. While I'd be hard-pressed to pick my choice for their best song, one that always stood out to me was "Dancy's Dream". I'm grateful I never got to see the video until just a couple of years ago. It takes the tale spun by the lyrics and stands it on its head.

In the song itself, the story seems pretty clear to me. The titular Dancy is a good, church-going man with a secret. His secret is a woman from his past that he can't forget. With the references to both "sins" and his "pretty hometown bride", the implication is that he had a one-night stand with her. Apparently, it was just a single indiscretion, but it still haunts him.

Then we see the video, and, uh, it doesn't play out the way the song describes. The performance aspect is fine, but I knew we were in trouble when the song references a church and we find ourselves in a revival tent. Dancy is an old man, which wasn't quite what I gathered from the song but no big deal. However, those flashbacks. That's not really the story. It doesn't even make much sense!

My feeling is that this video was crafted in this way to placate a segment of the theoretical audience. The message it seems to communicate is that it's OK to show murder, but God forbid we depict adultery. Or even worse, two people have meaningless, passionate sex. Can't have that. Better to have a crazy guy with a knife get killed!

"Dancy's Dream" is a great song, and Restless Heart was/is a great band. But the video for "Dancy's Dream"? It's not one I especially like. Too bad.

Hurt

A lot has been written about Johnny Cash's cover of the song "Hurt", including the famous quote from songwriter Trent Reznor. That is how it should be, as it is truly an amazing performance no matter how you look at it. The changes in Cash's voice due to age and sickness may make it even MORE effective. But beyond the effectiveness of the song is the music video, which probably elevated "Hurt" to legendary status.

I have mixed feeling about the music video as a form. Some are good, while some are so off-base that they almost compromise the song. And then there are songs that are amplified by the video. "Hurt" was certainly one of those. Would Johnny Cash have gotten nearly as much attention if he hadn't had the guts to film this video?

Make no mistake about it - "Hurt" is one gutsy video. So much about entertainment is appearance and image-driven that it's downright shocking to see something that pretty much flies in the face of that. Boy, "Hurt" does so in spades. Not only does it portray Johnny Cash as old, but it drives the point home by juxtaposing the then-contemporary Cash with the familiar and practically iconic Cash of years past.

Watching the "Hurt" video is difficult on many levels. It's hard to see Cash in such an advanced state of decline, to the point where his trembling hands are pretty obviously no act. It's a heart-rending little film that definitely feels like a good-bye. While Johnny didn't immediately pass away after making this, it's clear he knew the writing was on the wall, and he wanted to make an artistic statement about it. It's such a brave and dramatic video that I have a hard time imagining the person who isn't affected by it. I'm sure they are out there, but I also don't want to be in their frame of mind.

The Most Obscure Number One Song Of The 1980s?

Well, that's subjective, isn't it? If you've never heard a song, it's automatically obscure. Still, I'll bet there's a lot of people who have either never heard this song, or don't remember it. There's likely even more who don't realize it actually made it to the top of the pop charts.

What is it?

K-tel presents Right On!

20 Original Hits! Original Stars!

Let's dip back into the K-tel waters with this vintage spot for Right On. You automatically know it's going to be awesome as soon as K.C. and the Sunshine Band kick things off. But then, it gets even better when it turns out that the hot blonde on the album cover is ALSO in the commercial. And she's dancing. Sorta. She even does the finger point that segues right into the cover art!

This spot demonstrates one of the beautiful, amazing things about K-tel compilations. Is there a theme in evidence anywhere? No? Exactly. Though K-tel certainly could put together themed albums, they usually elected instead to toss random songs into a pile and call it good. Thin Lizzy and the Commodores? Sure! Firefall and Lou Rawls? Absolutely! "Love Machine" and "Nadia's Theme"? Heck, why not? It is my profound hope that those last two were sequenced together, for maximum enjoyment.

As long as there are K-tel albums out there, I will keep writing about them.