Pophistory: music, movies, history, and life.
The new video for Coldplay’s song “All My Friends” uses archival video footage from World War I. The song is from the band’s CD, Ghost Stories. Check it out.
The video will appear on a CD/DVD package Ghost Stories Live 2014, which will be released on November 24, 2014.
What do you think of the video for “All My Friends”? Leave your two cents in the comments.
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Now that there are eleven American Idol contestants standing and this week will determine the top ten, one might start wondering who will win season 13. One readers’ poll has Caleb Johnson at the top, followed by Sam Woolf and Jessica Meuse. Las Vegas oddsmakers currently have Sam Woolf as a 3/1 favorite, followed by Alex Preston (7/2), Majesty Rose (4/1), and Dexter Roberts (6/1).
A lot can happen week to week, and there is no way to tell who is going to develop into the American Idol. Some seasons, like in the first season, there is a very strong frontrunner who is solid through all of the performances. In other years, someone begins to shine more and more each week, rising to the top. At this point in the season, I would put my money on Majesty Rose, who has been my favorite since the auditions when she sang “Violet Hill” by Coldplay.
Rose, whose real name is Rochelle York, is a young preschool teacher from Goldsboro, North Carolina. So far, she has shown great potential with her voice and the ability to bring her personality into her performances. Last week, the judges criticized her song which started out great but did not finish so well. If Rose can use the criticism to grow as a performer, she could make it to the end. Her best performance so far has been when she showed her high-energy entertainment chops with Pharrell Williams’s “Happy” during the show with the top ten women.
Majesty Rose – Happy – American Idol 13 (Rush… by IdolxMuzic
Caleb Johnson may have the most powerful voice since Adam Lambert was on the show’s eighth season, so Johnson has potential to do well too. But his rock performances have not yet shown the versatility that Lambert displayed during his run on the show. Below is one of his highlights on the show so far, covering “Stay with Me” by the Faces.
Alex Preston may be the contestant who is most ready to make a hit record that would play on the radio today. He could end up being the person from this season who has the most successful career, whether or not he wins. Here, Preston sings Jason Mraz’s “A Beautiful Mess” during Top 13 week.
Sam Woolf, who has a good voice with great potential and the teen vote, understandably has the best betting odds. I was impressed this Top 12 week when he chose a more obscure song, Blind Pilot‘s “Just One,” showing he may have some surprises in store for us.
Dexter Roberts gave a solid country performance of Montgomery Gentry’s “Lucky Man” this week, and Jena Irene Ascuitto has the potential to rise from the bottom three. So those two would round out my top six . . . for now.
[March 14, 2014 Update: Two days after I wrote this post, Majesty Rose ended up in the bottom two, barely missing elimination. Voters have been disappointed by her performances the last two weeks. Her mistake may be going for big high notes that she cannot quite hit consistently. If I were her coach, I would tell her to stop trying to be Mariah Carey or Whitney Houston and to find the songs that fit the sweet spot of her talents. Not every American Idol has to hit those big high notes to win, and many of the contestants who did better than her this week did not even try to hit huge notes. She has the potential for a comeback.]
[March 28, 2014 Update: On the March 27 episode of American Idol, Majesty Rose was sent home after she ended up at the bottom of the voting and by a “narrow, narrow margin” the judges opted not to use their save. Rose is considering whether to pursue music, acting, or continue her teaching. But because she made the Top 10, she will be touring with other American Idol finalists. Now, who are the front-runners to win? From the last few weeks, I would put Jena Irene Ascuitto and Caleb Johnson as the favorites, with an edge to Jena.]
Who is your favorite contestant this season? Leave your two cents in the comments and do not forget to vote.
(Some related Chimesfreedom posts.)
Songs by Coldplay often seem ripe for reinterpretation despite the fact that lead vocalist Chris Martin does have a great voice. But his voice is so distinctive that sometimes hearing someone else sing a Coldplay song helps reveal another side of the song.
One cover, which may be the most familiar Coldplay cover because of its use in a Chipolte commercial, is Willie Nelson’s cover of “The Scientist,” which appears on his Heroes (2012) album. Willie Nelson, long known for his ability to interpret songs by other artists, takes the Coldplay song and gives it new meaning, aided by the video from Chipolte that addresses a message more serious than tacos. The accompanying “Back to the Start” short movie by film-maker Johnny Kelly made me see “The Scientist” in a whole new light.
Another animated video for a Coldplay cover is “Yellow” by Renee & Jeremy on their A Little Love (2012) CD. The singers Renee Stahl and Jeremy Toback record songs together as Renne & Jeremy for listeners of all ages with the idea of recording songs for kids that adults enjoy too. The following charming video was created and directed by Jon Izen.
My favorite cover of a Coldplay song appeared in the movie Young@Heart (2007). The film (reviewed by Cinematical here) is about senior citizens from Massachusetts who formed a singing group called Young@Heart. Hearing one of the elderly men sing Coldplay’s “Fix You” when he is himself near death and has lost a number of friends sends chills down your spine, giving the song a meaning that the younger singer cannot quite capture no matter how good they are.
What is your favorite Coldplay cover? Leave your two cents in the comments.
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Merry Christmas to our readers who celebrate the holiday. With some recent events, an appropriate song for this year is John Lennon’s beautiful “Happy Xmas (War is Over).” The song was released in 1971 while the Viet Nam conflict was still going strong, so the original single was a song of protest and hope instead of a statement of fact.
Of course, today, the song is still more of a wish than anything else even as violence around the world continues. But in our dreams for the future we can hope for peace.
Currently, there is not a live video of Lennon singing the song available. So, here is a video of Melissa Etheridge’s version of the song. While nobody can match Lennon, she does an excellent job.
Lennon’s original, which was recorded with the help of producer Phil Spector and the Harlem Community Choir, may be heard on YouTube without any performance footage. Youtube also has what sounds like a Lennon demo version of the song.
Of course, there are other covers, including ones by The Fray, Coldplay, The Coors, and Celine Dion.
Although many think the opening greetings in the original are John and Yoko telling each other “happy Christmas,” they are not. The couple is actually giving the greeting to their children, Kyoko and Julian.
And what about the music? In another piece of trivia, Wikipedia notes that the chord changes to the song come from “Stewball,” a sweet song about a drunk racehorse. If you listen to Peter, Paul, & Mary’s version of the traditional song, you can almost sing “Happy Xmas” along with them.
I bet on the grey mare, I bet on the bay
If I’d have bet on ol’ Stewball, I’d be a free man today.
Oh the hoot owl, she hollers, and the turtle dove moans.
I’m a poor boy in trouble, I’m a long way from home.
Here’s to a future Christmas where no soldiers are a long way from home and no civilians know of war. Happy Xmas.
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In case you might have missed some of the recent stories in popular culture, check out the following links from around the Internet:
In TV-related news . . .
– Conan O’Brien returned to NBC to pick up Triumph the Insult Comic Dog on Jimmy Fallon’s show.
– “Woo Hoo! I outlasted Andy Rooney!” — Homer Simpson, in Fox statement announcing The Simpsons has been renewed.
– Sorry Homer, the #1 choice for Halloween costume is. . . Charlie Sheen.
In Music news. . .
– Bids may go “high.” Willie Nelson’s tour bus is for sale.
– Coldplay will stream a live concert on YouTube on Oct. 26 (4 p.m. ET).
In Movie news. . .
– “I hear it’s happening. I think it’s got a ways to go.” — Laura Dern on Jurassic Park 4 sequel.
– A new book recounts the story of Rin Tin Tin in the context of Hollywood and U.S. culture.
– Arnold Schwarzenegger attended the opening of an Austrian museum dedicated to . . . Arnold Schwarzenegger.
– Are the “Toy Story” writers working on a Farmville movie?
– The popularity of this Audrey Hepburn classic film, which turned 50 years old this month, prompted a run on ginger tomcats when the film was released.
– After eighteen years in prison, The West Memphis 3 reunited this week for a screening of the films that helped secure their release.
. . . To keep up with events, check back here on Chimesfreedom and follow us on Twitter @Pophistory and on Facebook.
Any thoughts on the pop culture events of this month? Leave a comment.
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