Tag: Tom Waits

Pop Culture Roundup for Late October 2011

Below are links to some of the latest pop culture stories you might have missed. . .

Halloween

Prince Charles
The new Dracula costume?

The Chicago Tribune‘s listed the top 25 scariest movies for Halloween.

Batty? Prince Charles claims he is related to Dracula.

Salon is featuring a slide show of the top ten Halloween special moments from The Simpsons.

Zombies rise again in pop culture. Wait, what’s that at my door. . . arrrrrr.. . .


Literature

Renovation of Edgar Allen Poe’s cottage in the Bronx, where he wrote “Cask of Amontillado,” is almost finished.

Did you know the original Pinocchio is a tragedy that ends with Pinocchio’s execution?


Movies

The Guinness Book of World Records named Samuel L. Jackson as highest grossing actor of all time. Blessed is he who, in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the valley of the darkness.

“He’s brought the theater of the absurd to the masses.”- Jack Black on Will Ferrell receiving Mark Twain Prize.

Check out this review of new documentary about the band The Swell Season, which features Once stars Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova.

Tim Burton has designed a balloon for Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

A new biography delves into the life and career of Spencer Tracy.

The Princess Bride cast reunited for a recent photo shoot.

Washington Cougars Clock
Betty White is now a Cougar.

Television

Betty White received an honorary doctorate degree from Washington State Univ. She’s a Cougar now.

Survivor’s Rupert Boneham is running for governor of Indiana.

Music

U2 revisits Achtung Baby while pondering the band’s future.

Listen to Tom Waits’s new album, Bad as Me on the NPR website.

“I love to be in a barbershop where I know I don’t have to get a haircut.” — Tom Waits in interview about new CD.

The Flaming Lips will pay tribute to Steve Jobs by playing “Revolution” by the Beatles at the O Music Awards.

One writer gave a nice appreciation of Extreme’s “More Than Words” . . . with words. (from Popdose)

If you are a fan of Harry Smith’s Anthology of American Folk Music, you should check out this person’s blog.

Folk-singer Pete Seeger enters his ninth decade as an activist.

The iPod turns 10 this month. How has it changed music?


What are your favorite pop culture stories this month? Leave your two cents in the comments section.

  • Mississippi John Hurt: “Lonesome Valley”
  • The Heroic Death of Folksinger Victor Jara
  • Springsteen and Hansard “Drive All Night”
  • Bono and Glen Hansard: The Auld Triangle
  • “Falling Slowly” by Glen Hansard and . . . Eddie Vedder (Duet of the Day)
  • ‘Fairytale of New York’ at Shane MacGowan’s funeral

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    Tom Waits’s “San Diego Serenade”

    I recently purchased a copy of Dion’s Yo Frankie CD.  The album featured an excellent cover of Tom Waits’s “San Diego Serenade,” although Dion renamed the song “Serenade.” I love the Tom Waits version, which is hard to top, but Dion does a great job.

    Tom Waits Heart of Saturday Night “San Diego Serenade” originally appeared on The Heart Of Saturday Night (1974), which was the second album by Tom Waits. Waits is one of the great songwriters of his generation. I am not sure why more artists do not cover his songs, but it might be because Waits’s vocal style is so distinctive and memorable.

    In addition to Dion, Nancy Griffith also covered “San Diego Serenade” on Late Night Grande Hotel (1991).  But there are not as many covers of the beautiful song as one might expect. Nothing matches the original recording by Waits of this song about regret and about recognizing what you have lost only when it is too late.

    I never saw the morning ’til I stayed up all night;
    I never saw the sunshine ’til you turned out the light;
    I never saw my hometown until I stayed away too long;
    I never heard the melody, until I needed a song.

    The Voice of Tom Waits

    In later live versions, you hear a change in Waits’s voice, as later albums embraced a raspy gravely vocal sound. There are various theories arguing that the change was a choice, that it was due to a change or damage to his vocal cords, or that it was caused by cigarettes, alcohol and/or drugs.

    Waits briefly discussed his voice in this interview on NPR (starting around the 7:45 mark), but he does not clearly answer the question. The live version below was recorded in December 1975, which is less than two years from the release of the original above.  But you can already hear a big difference in his voice. Still, the interpretation is beautiful.

    A Nice Cover Version

    I looked through a number of other covers and amateur recordings. One usually finds interesting amateur recordings of songs on YouTube.  But there may be something about the emotion and voice needed for this song.  It is difficult to find any worthwhile versions of “San Diego Serenade.”

    A band called The Sensitives created one of the best covers of the song.  I had never heard of the band, and from their MySpace page, they are from Australia. Or were. They have not updated their MySpace page in more than two years.

    Since no label apparently singed The Sensitives, and there are some rough signs in this video — like the use of a music stand, I suspect they are no longer performing. But the lead singer has an excellent voice.  He is one of the rare singers who capture the meaning of the song in his performance. Whoever you are, dude, I hope you are still singing somewhere, just as I hope Tom Waits keeps writing and singing these beautiful songs.



    What do you think of “San Diego Serenade”? What do you think of the cover by The Sensitives? Leave a comment.

  • “Hello Christmas” from Dion and Amy Grant
  • Lou Reed Inducting Dion Into Rock Hall
  • “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs” (Short Review)
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  • Song of the Day: Dion’s “Sanctuary”
  • Dion’s Lost “Kickin’ Child” (Album Review)

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    Rock Hall Induction: Darlene Love

    Phil Spector A Christmas Gift for YouTonight, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame will induct the class of 2011: Darlene Love, Alice Cooper, Neil Diamond, Dr. John, Tom Waits, Leon Russell and record executives Jac Holzman and Art Rupe. Darlene Love was the voice for several great hits for Phil Spector that were labeled under the groups the Crystals, the Blossoms, and Bob B. Soxx & the Blue Jeans. For her performance at the induction, she said she plans to perform “He’s a Rebel,” “Da Doo Ron Ron,” “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah” and “(Today I Met) the Boy I’m Gonna Marry.”

    I hope she performs a Christmas song. Her song, “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” is one of the greatest songs of all time. David Letterman has featured her performing the song on his show every December since 1986 (with one year showing a repeat performance). She has had a great career, with a possible new album and a movie of her life on the way. But I never tire of hearing “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home),” even if it is March.

    Bonus Inductee Video: Tom Waits singing “Hold On.”

    Who is your favorite among this year’s inductees? What song do you want to hear them perform? Leave a comment.

  • Darlene Love’s Final Letterman Performance of “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)”
  • Top 10 Depressing Holiday Songs
  • 3 Depressing Holiday Songs
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  • There Will Be Another Christmas

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    Top 10 Depressing Holiday Songs

    The previous post on Three Depressing Holiday Songs got us started thinking about the best depressing holiday songs.  So, this post features Chimesfreedom’s Top Ten Depressing Holiday Songs.  We selected these top 10 based upon three categories. Points were given for (1) deep depression and sadness; (2) quality of song; and (3) familiarity of the song.

    Christmas cheer beer.(1) “Fairytale of New York” – The Pogues: Scored high in all three categories.  Discussed in previous post in more detail, but all you really need is the opening line of the song: “It was Christmas Eve, babe,/ In the drunk tank.” Score:  97 points.

    (2) “Blue Christmas” – Elvis Presley, etc.: Gets high on the list because very familiar and a good song, but the music is not that sad. For more, we discussed the story behind Elvis Presley’s most famous performance of the song. Score:  93 points.

    (3) “The River” – Joni Mitchell (and covers): Received most of its points from the deep depression category with both depressing lyrics and music.  Discussed in previous post in more detail.  Score:  91 points.

    (4) “Pretty Paper” – Roy Orbison:  The lyrics to “Pretty Paper,” which was written by a young songwriter named Willie Nelson in 1963, are a little vague. But a guy is alone on the sidewalk hoping “that you won’t pass him by.” “You’re in a hurry” so you leave him there crying as people laugh in the distance. You suck. Anyway, it has Roy Orbison’s voice, which automatically puts it high on the sounding-sad scale.  If he sang “Jingle Bells” it would make this list. Score:  89 points.

    (5) “Do They Know It Is Christmas?” – Band Aid: Very famous and depressing: “Where nothing ever grows/ No rain or rivers flow.” And then there is Bono wailing, “Tonight thank God it’s them instead of yooooooooooooo!”  “Do They Know It’s Christmas” would be higher on the list, but by the end we are happily singing “Feed the world” and letting people know it is Christmas Time whether they want to know it or not.   But while it did raise money for a good cause, the song has an extra tinge of sadness because it also reminds us that we did not find a solution to hunger in the 26 years since the song was released.  We mock, but we love the song. Just avoid the two remakes from 1989 and 2004. Score:  88 points. Trivia Question: Who sings the Bono part in the 2004 Band Aid 20 remake?

    (5) “Christmas in Prison” – John Prine. We like John Prine and the quality of “Christmas in Prison,” so we are putting it above some other songs even though you may never have heard it. Plus, you got prison: “The search light in the big yard / Swings round with the gun / And spotlights the snowflakes / Like the dust in the sun.” Check out John Prine’s version below (and hear a cover by Arlo McKinley here).  Score:  84 points.

    (7) “Christmas Card from a Hooker in Minneapolis” – Tom Waits: Scored high on the depression scale, but not a song for many repeated listenings and not as famous as some of the above songs.  Discussed in previous post in more detail.  Score:  79 points.

    (8) “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” and “White Christmas” (tie) – Bing Crosby and others: Familiarity got these two into the top ten. The music sounds depressing, but the person is missing one Christmas and seems to still have family they will see again. For “I’ll Be Home For Christmas,” the guy who wrote the lyrics was thinking of a homesick kid in college.  C’mon kid, there are people starving in Africa.  At least “White Christmas” gets bonus sad points from its popularity being connected to WWII soldiers missing home.  These songs are sad, but not hooker-in-prison sad.   Score:  78 points.

    (9) “Billy’s Christmas Wish” – Red Sovine: “Billy’s Christmas Wish” may not be as well known as the other songs here, but the song is unbeatable on the depression scale so it makes the list on that alone. Consider: (1) the little boy’s father is in prison for shooting the mother’s boyfriend; (2) the mother works in a bar and lives with an abusive “Mr. Brown;” and (3) then the little boy dies on Santa’s lap at the end. Seriously, that is the song. And then Santa has the nerve to tell us not to be sad because the boy wanted to live with God so “now everything’s alright.” That makes us think that Santa killed Billy.  Score:  72 points.

    (10) “The Rebel Jesus” – Jackson Browne. The Top Ten List must have room for a song that gets to the heart of Christmas and how the spirit of it gets corrupted, calling us out for our hypocrisy. Everyone may not know this song, but it is a beautiful song of the season. Score: 68 points.

    Well we guard our world with locks and guns,
    And we guard our fine possessions.
    And once a year when Christmas comes,
    We give to our relations.
    And perhaps we give a little to the poor,
    If the generosity should seize us.
    But if any one of us should interfere
    In the business of why there are poor,
    They get the same as the rebel Jesus

    I went shopping today and bought a present for my mom, and then I sang along to “Do They Know It’s Christmas” without doing anything about the poor.  I am a worthless human being.  Thanks Jackson Browne for making me feel like crap.   If you need to feel a little better, you may use the charity of your choice or use these links for CARE, Oxfam, or UNICEF.

    Honorable Mention: “Please Daddy Don’t Get Drunk This Christmas” – John Denver: You do not hear this one a lot, and I just discovered Alan Jackson covered the song. The song is sad with the kid worrying whether daddy will be drunk again this Christmas, but it is played as a clap-along song so not as depressing as it could be. Plus, the kid has it good compared to Billy in the Red Sovine song.  Score:  54 points.

    Bonus Recent Excellent Sad Holiday Song: Mike Ireland and Holler‘s “Christmas Past.” I found this song last year and really like it, and when you hear it, the melody sounds like a song you have heard many times before. The song features various memories floating by and ends with: “The only company I keep exists in memories / Leaving me alone on Christmas Day.” Sad, but a pretty song.

    Bonus Links: In preparing this post, I did some googling and saw that others had compiled similar lists that you may see and compare here, here, here, and here.

    What’s your favorite depressing holiday song? Post a comment.

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    Buy from Amazon

    3 Depressing Holiday Songs

    Pogues Christmas There are numerous places to go for happy holiday songs about snowmen, toys, and good cheer. But the holidays are often a depressing time of year for many, in part, because the songs and movies create such high expectations of perfection in our lives. So, to counter those expectations, here at Chimesfreedom we revisit three of the best depressing holiday songs, brought to you by Tom Waits, Joni Mitchell, and the Pogues. Because these songs lower one’s expectations, maybe they provide a source of joy for this time of year better than some of the syrupy happy songs.

    Christmas Card from  a Hooker in Minneapolis

    The title of Tom Waits’s song, “Christmas Card from a Hooker in Minneapolis” sums it up. The song starts off with “Silent Night” to give the Christmas setting of the song, and then the “hooker” describes her life to Charley. She spins a tale about a husband and her memories, but at the end she confesses:

    I don’t have a husband
    He don’t play the trombone
    And I need to borrow money
    To pay this lawyer
    And Charley, hey
    I’ll be eligible for parole
    Come Valentines day.

    Then the singer goes back into “Silent Night,” evoking the hidden sadness that underlies that melancholy song, which is about the birth of a savior born into a fate of suffering. If you are not a Tom Waits fan, I realize his voice takes a little getting used to, but his gravely voice highlights the sadness of this tale.

    The River

    From the first notes of the piano introduction to “The River,” on both Joni Mitchell’s original and Sarah McLachlan’s cover, you know you are in for a depressing song even if the initial notes are from the happiest of holiday songs, “Jingle Bells.” Like the two other songs here, “The River” begins by setting the scene for Christmas: “It’s coming on Christmas/ They’re cutting down trees / They’re putting up reindeer / And singing songs of joy and peace.”

    But then, the song centers on memories of a failed relationship. “Now I’ve gone and lost the best baby / That I ever had /Oh I wish I had a river /I could skate away on.”

    I love the Joni Mitchell version of “The River.” Since this post was originally published, Mitchell finally released her first official video for the song in 2022. Check it out below.

    Sarah McLachlan’s version may be even more well known, and it is outstanding too. So here is the McLachlan version of “The River.” But you are warned. It is depressing.

    Fairytale of New York

    The Pogue’s “Fairytale of New York” (1987) is probably my favorite depressing holiday song.  Jem Finer and Shane MacGowan wrote the song, which features MacGowan singing lead and trading vocals with featured British singer Kirsty MacColl.  Interestingly, when the Pogues began recording the song, MacGowan sang the male and female parts.  But record producer Steve Lillywhite suggested his wife Kirsty MacColl create guide vocals for the song, and the band realized she was perfect to use for the parts of the wife in the song.  MacGowan re-recorded his vocals to go with MacColl’s recording, so the two never actually sang together in the studio.

    Despite the depressing lyrics, the joyous Irish tune lifts my spirits, in much the same way we find joy in other sad holiday stories like “Blue Christmas.” You know it is not a typical Christmas song from the first line: “It was Christmas Eve babe/In the drunk tank.” The singer then turns to memories of his “Queen of New York City” as he “can see a better time/When all our dreams come true.”

    Then the band kicks in and the song features an exchange between a couple who are down on their luck.  They reflect on their hope in coming to America (“They got cars big as bars / They got rivers of gold”), tinged with dashed dreams (“But the wind goes right through you/It´s no place for the old”).

    The couple fight and curse each other.   They exchange several barbs, referring to “an old slut on junk” with the holiday wish, “Happy Christmas your arse/ I pray God it’s our last.”  I have read a few different interpretations of what is going on in the song — whether it is a current relationship or a past relationship.  Despite the broken dreams of the song (“You took my dreams from me”), I like to think the song ends with a tiny sparkle of hope, “Can’t make it all alone/ I’ve built my dreams around you.”

    Finally, we’re pulled back to the police station and the drunk tank,

    The boys of the NYPD choir
    Were singing “Galway Bay”
    And the bells were ringing out
    For Christmas day

    Beautiful.

    Bonus Video Information: Recognize the police officer at the beginning of this video? He’s Matt Dillon.

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