Who Am I? Do You Really Want To Know...

I'm the type of girl who

...at least once a week gets in the car and thinks of just driving away. not as much to leave things behind, but more to see what new things I can find.

...believes that chocolate is God's most perfect food.

...believes that dogs are the best people. this is not up for discussion.

...can read the most horrifying news of the day without batting an eyelash, but will sob at a song lyric. and don't ever show me an animal being hurt.

...feels more at home in an old blues bar than at a family dinner.

...stopped suffering fools a while back and consequently, I suffer less.

...decided I was way old enough to decide what makes me happy, and do it.

...still wants to be Grace Slick when I grow up,

...hopes in my next life I will be able to play a guitar.

...will look back on her life and be happy knowing I loved and was loved. 

Thanks to Lance for the idea for this post, who got it from Dawn. To try and pick one song that defines you is next to impossible, especially if you don't want to spend the next 34 1/2 hours doing it. So I picked one that kind of suits me fairly well.

Those of you who know me will probably agree with the second half of the title.

A little something by Melissa Etheridge

How Long Til My Soul Gets It Right

Unless you are both extremely talented and extremely lucky, the perks of being a writer are generally not the ones that buy you a new house, or a winter vacation in a wonderful tropical climate. Nope. For most of us it's a few comments from readers who like your stuff, and an occasional pat on the back from fellow writers. Some of those compliments mean more than others. 

Then once in a while someone asks you to do something fun. This week Lance from myblogcanbeatupyourblog asked me, yes me, to pick out the 100 Word Song Challenge. Now crazy music people like Lance and me have thousands of songs bouncing around in the empty space where those brain cells we've killed off, used to reside.

There is a lot of pressue in making this decision. I write a music blog, my choice could have major ramifications. lmao. Choosing a song to just listen to is a lot different than choosing one to use as a writing prompt. So after much thought and consideration, I came up with an old favorite of mine, and apparently an old favorite of Lance too. Go figure, the classic rock queen and the prince of punk actually agree.

From the 1992 album Rites of Passage, the song is "Galileo" from Indigo Girls. While the song is about reincarnation, verse by verse it can go in a hundred different directions. Usually for these challenges I try to take the road less traveled, but this time I'm going with the obvious.

In 100 words, Galileo

“It’s just déjà vu all over again. Something your mind makes up, it’s not real.” 

Misty stared at Franco, “How can you be so sure?”  

“Because, it’s an illusion.”

Misty shook her head. “What if it’s like that movie, you know Groundhog Day? What if you keep doing it, over and over, and when you get to where you screwed up, bang… that’s when you remember, that’s your déjà vu.”

“Honey, ya got one shot at life, then you’re worm food.”

“Yes, worm food to a worm to…”

“A stripper on a pole. So what were you last time around?”

How Are You Feeling Today? I'm Feeling Hot Hot Hot

Finally, the first day of Spring. Wonderful as March 20 is for that reason, this date also gives me another reason to be happy. Today is the Drum-Mama's birthday. Besides celebrating the anniversary of her popping  into the world, it is also the date she and I are back to being the same age.

Yes, I am twelve, it still bothers me that she is 3 months younger than I. But today, it's time to put on the dancin' boots and laugh like we have for the past 30-something years, give or take a decade.

Besides the family connection we once shared, it was always the music that connected us. Bruce of course, we are Jersey girls remember. And from there, other concerts too numerous to list and even harder to recall. Road trips, tail-gating, and a whole lot of dancing in the living room.

Then there's the humor, the attitude and the deep, dark secrets. The serious ones and the silly ones. The crush of single moments which define your friendship and your love for each other. Besides having each other's back, there's knowing that you have someone to pick you up off the floor, then laugh her ass off about you falling.

Soul-Sistas. Yeah that.

Today's musical selection is a song we've danced very animated to, sung very out of key to, laughed to and re-connected with.

Ole, Ole, Ole, Ole...hey Busta!

Shake up that martini baby, you're still hot, hot, hot.

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The Clash: A Little Car Jamming

Starting to catch up on my blog writing and hopefully you've been enjoying some of the musical choices. None of us has the same taste in music, so I never expect everyone to like everything I feature. But it's still a good thing to listen and hear different styles and genres. Just because you don't like it doesn't mean it's not good. And even though it might be good doesn't mean you should like it. Baby, that's what musical taste is all about. 

So being I was a busy girl this week, I thought I'd jump into the 100 Word Song Challenge again. This week Lance and t, two of my favorite writers of the moment (trust me they could be on my shit list in a heartbeat) got together to choose a band so universally adored, I don't know anyone who doesn't like at least some of their music. The band is The Clash and the song chosen is "Car Jamming," an interesting choice to say the least.

100 Words with the song used as inspiration.

"Car Jamming"

Nothing could beat turning 360’s in the Torino while Jimi wailed out “Crosstown Traffic.” Lying in his sweat-soaked bed, Danny cried at the memory. It was the last good day of his life. The day before his draft notice took his future and later his legs.

Now it had taken his mind.

Through the drug haze he saw the old movie on TV while checking the cylinder. What was her name… she was married to Bogie.  She had that line “Just put your lips together and blow.” Danny smiled at the irony as he put his mouth around the barrel.

An Irish Treat: Van Morrison

Happy St. Patty's Day.

While I'm not the biggest fan of this holiday, I can appreciate the traditional corned beef and cabbage dinner and a couple of Irish drinking songs. Green beer, not so much. I can however, appreciate some of the talented musicians from the Emerald Isle. Today is as good a day as any to feature one.

We all know the hits from Van Morrison. "Brown Eyed Girl," "Wild Nights," and "Moondance" to name a few. There are many more. And they have withstood the test of time. I don't know about you, but I still love hearing those songs on the radio and have never gotten tired of them.

But there is so much more to Van Morrison's catalog of music. There are times when he does blues, there are times when he does mystical. Seeing him live, you never know what to expect.

Respected universally by the music world, Morrison's work has been covered by everyone from John Mellencamp to John Lee Hooker. Van Morrison has received Grammys, both as an individual and in collaborations, and is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

He is quite simply, Van the Man.

"Into the Mystic" ...pared down version, wonderful
"Days Like This" ...great horn section, everything works
"Crazy Love" ...maybe my favorite, enjoy this version with Van and Ray Charles
"Bring it on Home/Trouble in Mind" ...great video with Van, Tom Jones (yes, that Tom Jones and Jeff Beck)

May Irish eyes be smiling today.

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Singing My Life With His Words

"Strumming my pain with his fingers

Singing my life with his words

Killing me softly with his song

Killing me softly with his song

Telling my whole life with his words

Killing me softly with his song"

On this day forty years ago, the song that hit number one on the charts summed up everything I felt about hearing live music. From getting lost in the melody to relating my life to the lyrics, it all comes together when you are watching a band and hearing a song flow from a talented singer. For me, it's as close to heaven as I may ever be.

The song I heard forty years ago was "Killing Me Softly" sung elegantly by Roberta Flack. Composed by Charles Fox and Norman Gimbel it was originally recorded by Lori Leiberman in 1971. It was on an airplane flight that Flack heard the Lieberman version and was so moved by the song, she wrote down as much as she could about the lyrics and melody. Upon landing she contacted Quincy Jones to ask him to arrange a meeting with the composers about recording the song.

It was released in January 1973, hit the top of the charts March 15 and was the number one record for five non-consecutive weeks. Roberta Flack won the 1973 Grammy for Record of the Year, Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Female Performer and Song of the Year. The song is in the Grammy Hall of Fame and is listed in both Rolling Stone's and Billboard's top songs of all time. In 1996, Lauryn Hill and The Fugees covered the song and once again the song was a hit on the charts.

Most people like music, some love it and then some of us live inside it. We can relate days, months and years of our lives through it. We can get through a bad day if we hear the right song, and we can cry tears of joy when a lyric or a melody seeps into your soul and flows through your veins.

That is what I feel listening to this song.

"I heard he sang a good song

I heard he had a style

And so I came to see him

To listen for a while

And there he was this young boy

A stranger to my eyes

Strumming my pain with his fingers

Singing my life with his words

Killing me softly with his song

Killing me softly with his song

Telling my whole life with his words

Killing me softly with his song"

And the Fugees cover.

Composed by Charles Fox and written by Norman Gimbel. All rights reserved
© Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music


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Smokin' Joe Kubek and Bnois King

And they don't call him Smokin' Joe for nothing.

Joe Kubek grew up in Irving Tx, and his guitar playing was so hot that he was touring with blues great Freddie "The Texas Cannonball" King, while still a teenager. That was in the 70's. In the 80's he met Louisiana vocalist/guitarist Bnois King and the two figured out that they were twice as good together than they were alone, and have been together ever since.

Kubek, as his nickname acknowledges, smokes on the guitar. Bluesy and burning hot, there's some real good guitar playing going on there. King delivers sweet blues vocals and plays a smoother guitar. Together they offer up music that you can feel in both your gut and your soul.

Some real tasty blues stew served up now.

Smokin' Joe Kubek and Bnois King

"I Need More"
"Smokin' Joe's Cafe"
"Make It Right"

I think this deserves a HELL YEAH.

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Boz Scaggs: Memphis

It's been five years since Boz Scaggs recorded a new album. That changed this week with the release of Memphis, a smooth R&B based album full of great 70's covers and musical history.

Recording down in Memphis at the famous Royal Studio, where Willie Mitchell produced the great artists of Hi Records, including the best by Al Green, Scaggs and producer Steve Jordan have invited all the ghosts held captive in the studio, to join in on the fun.What they have created is a soulful journey through the hit songs of the south in the 1970's, and beyond.

From Al Green to Steely Dan to Mink DeVille, the songs picked for this release fit Scaggs so perfectly they just ooze with his own style and tone.

For my full review on Memphis, the new album by Boz Scaggs, go to ourvinyl.com and read "Boz Scaggs - Memphis" Album Review

Have a taste of the album, listen to "Mixed Up, Shook Up Girl"

Howlin' Along with Jared Green

You can admit it. At some point in each of our lives, we've howled. Whether it was listening to Warren Zevon doing "Werewolves of London," or after having a really strange day and looking at the night sky you realize it's a full moon, or just singing along with dog. There are definitely times when we channel our inner wolf.

However, some of us do it better than others.

From out of Nashville, the Howlin' Brothers are making noise in the music business and it's not just a howl or two. Blending bluegrass, blues, Americana, roots and old-time music, the Howlin' Brothers have created a new album of songs crossing many genres. Once you take a listen, two things will happen: you'll notice your feet are tappin' and your face is smilin'.

I had the privilege of speaking with Jared Green (Guitar,Harmonica,Vocals) right before the release of the album. To read the interview, hear their sound and learn about the band, jump over to my page at musicstaruniverse.com for the Jared Green Interview

Check out their video for "Big Time"

Better Dig Two, Better Than One...Right?

For those who haven't read Kat's Theory of Life, a quick catch up. Family matters have crept into my brain, my sanity and my time. Spending a lot of time with a family member in the hospital has left we with not a lot of writing time. My apologies for not posting some new or old fascinating music, along with some information about it. Hopefully next week I can get back to a little more normalcy. But just to throw out a little something, and it is definitely something new, I give you another installment of Lance's 100-Word Song Challenge. 100 Words is about my energy limit today.

Today we have a selection from Deana, wife of Sir Lance. He said she wanted to pick the song and because she's a good kisser, he let her have her way. I think there might have been a little more of having their way with each other...but that's a story for another day.

Deana picked a country song... not usually my strong suit, but it is actually a band I have heard about. A brothers/sister trio from Tennessee, originally from Mississippi. They have won Grammys and have been nominated or won virtually every country music award.

The song is a wicked song of everlasting love...or obsession. The name is "Better Dig Two."

My 100 Word interpretation...

Four men waited beneath the surface while the thirty above pondered their options.

Only a partial collapse, but the extent of damage was unknown. Henry had seen worse in terms of volume, but the wild card was always the air. Was it breathable, was there enough to sustain the three workmen and the OSHA inspector who picked a real bad day to visit.

“Henry, the cave-in’s midline, they could be at either end of the tunnel. What do we do?”

The engineer knew time was the enemy. “Can’t chance it. Bring in the second drill. Tonight, we better dig two.”

Room 105: The Highs and Lows of Janis Joplin

Last week was an interesting one music wise for me. I was able to attend two live shows and you know how that makes me smile. The first show was Blues at the Crossroads 2, which I have already reviewed, and the second show was Room 105: The Highs and Lows of Janis Joplin.

The show features the great singer Sophie B. Hawkins as Janis, and takes you back in time through the memories of the spirit of Janis. Her hard and unhappy life is depicted through on ongoing monologue and of course through the kickass music of Joplin. Janis used to say that onstage she made love to thousands of people... but went home home. This show brings to life exactly what she meant.

The full review is now featured on ourvinyl.com as Room 105: The Highs and Lows of Janis Joplin. Click on the link and check it out.

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A Taste of the Bubbly and Elvis Costello

Because the artist picked in this week's 100 Word Song Challenge is an artist I've had on the list to showcase here on Kat's Theory of Music, and because word on the street is that he blew the doors off of Madison Square Garden the other night at a benefit for fighting teen cancer, it seemed as good a reason as any to enter the challenge again.

The artist for the day is Elvis Costello. It's been far too long to not have one of his songs featured here. The song for the challenge is "Brilliant Mistake."

For today's story, I thought I might combine a little history lesson as well. And even though it didn't happen quite like this, there is some fact behind this fiction.

I take you all to the wine making region of France, sometime in the late 1600's.

Today alone, nineteen bottles burst. The monk worried. With another shortened growing season the fermentation problems had continued. They could not stop the bubbles from forming.

The friar from the nearby Abbey burst through the door, barely containing his joy. “Dom Perignon, word comes from England. What we believed to be bad vintage is now the toast of London nobility. More, more, they cry.”

Hardly believing his ears, the monk rubbed his chin and spoke to his friend “We still have much work. The bottles, the wood stoppers… they must be changed. Perhaps these bubbles are not nature’s mistake. ”