Writers and books. Singers and songs.

[Katie-Ellen]

The best music makes you feel something. I'd say music's the highest art form, because it's also the 'lowest' - the most immediate and visceral. It has the power to bypass any and all words, but words also drove its development. But the best books make you feel something, though you might not even know exactly why.

No new stories under the sun? Perhaps not. Does it matter? A new issue will still contain old bones. If you're writing a techno-thriller with new ethical questions....is it OK what we do with spare embryos etc etc, it still comes back to the eternal questions. Who we are, what the world is, what it means to be here and how we should conduct ourselves on this stretch of the ride.

No real new story, so then, it boils down to the treatment, and the 'voice' - the guide whom the writers has designated to take us on the ride of this old new story.

The Sound of Silence always did raise the hairs on my neck. The sound and the story. This version, by 'Disturbed' - same song, same story, different treatment and 'voice', has them practically standing on end. And it's not just the facial piercings.

 

[Paul Whybrow]

Disturbed's version of The Sound of Silence is moving. It's interesting how cover versions of well-known songs sometimes reveal the lyrics better than the original musician did; it's worth bearing in mind that their performance was probably influenced by making it as safe and commercial as possible.

One cover version that I like is of the Kate Bush song Running Up That Hill, which was a major hit for her. Her single had quite an upbeat dance tempo, and the video featured her performing a contemporary dance routine with a male partner. The lyrics of the song are more meaningful than most listeners take in, though she had a bit of a battle to get them accepted.

Bush herself has said:

I was trying to say that, really, a man and a woman can't understand each other because we are a man and a woman. And if we could actually swap each other's roles, if we could actually be in each other's place for a while, I think we'd both be very surprised! [Laughs] And I think it would lead to a greater understanding. And really the only way I could think it could be done was either... you know, I thought a deal with the devil, you know. And I thought, 'well, no, why not a deal with God!' You know, because in a way it's so much more powerful the whole idea of asking God to make a deal with you. You see, for me it is still called "Deal With God", that was its title. But we were told that if we kept this title that it would not be played in any of the religious countries, Italy wouldn't play it, France wouldn't play it, and Australia wouldn't play it! Ireland wouldn't play it, and that generally we might get it blacked purely because it had God in the title.

I prefer the version by Placebo, which is a regular part of their stage repertoire, as the slower meditative pace makes the listener consider the meaning more. The lyrics go through my mind when writing multiple POV in psychological thrillers:

 

[Katie-Ellen]

The lyrics go through my mind when writing multiple POV in psychological thrillers:

I see why.

 

[Marc Joan]

Couple of good ones there. A propos of nothing other than this seems like an opportunity to share favourite songs, here is one of mine - - Bert Jansch's take on the classic English folk song, Blackwaterside. Definitely a man who cared more about his music than his image.

 

[Marc Joan]

Damn. Always makes me well up, that one [sniffle]

 

[Katie-Ellen]

Why does music make us cry?

ARTICLE, THE QUIETUS

 

[Jason Byrne]

Why does music make us cry?

ARTICLE, THE QUIETUS

Interesting that Gary Jules' Mad World is touted as "guaranteed to make you cry;" I actually just find it kind of annoying. But I have not once listened to Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings without getting a little teared-up.

 

[Jason Byrne]

The best music makes you feel something. I'd say music's the highest art form, because it's also the 'lowest' - the most immediate and visceral. It has the power to bypass any and all words, but words also drove its development. But the best books make you feel something, though you might not even know exactly why.

No new stories under the sun? Perhaps not. Does it matter? A new issue will still contain old bones. If you're writing a techno-thriller with new ethical questions....is it OK what we do with spare embryos etc etc, it still comes back to the eternal questions. Who we are, what the world is, what it means to be here and how we should conduct ourselves on this stretch of the ride.

No real new story, so then, it boils down to the treatment, and the 'voice' - the guide whom the writers has designated to take us on the ride of this old new story.

The Sound of Silence always did raise the hairs on my neck. The sound and the story. This version, by 'Disturbed' - same song, same story, different treatment and 'voice', has them practically standing on end. And it's not just the facial piercings.

Good damn job, Katie!

Make my get all weepy at work...

 

[Jason Byrne]

Here's another great folk song made new, by our pal Scarlett Johansson:


And a new one made awesome by the totally-awesome Holly Henry:

 

[Katie-Ellen]

Interesting that Gary Jules' Mad World is touted as "guaranteed to make you cry;" I actually just find it kind of annoying. But I have not once listened to Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings without getting a little teared-up.

Oh, me too....every time.

I think it's our essential loneliness. We're like islands, flashing lights at each other and making archipelagos.

 

[Jason Byrne]

Oh, me too....every time.

I think it's our essential loneliness. We're like islands, flashing lights at each other and making archipelagos.

I like that...

 

[Marc Joan]

Oh, me too....every time.

I think it's our essential loneliness. We're like islands, flashing lights at each other and making archipelagos.

And all the while, the seas are rising....

 

[Katie-Ellen]

Maybe then, we can be light-ships, making flotillas.

 

[Jason Byrne]

Maybe then, we can be light-ships, making flotillas.

I call commodore!

 

[Carol Rose]

I call commodore!

View attachment 1012

Commodore Byrne... that has a nice ring to it.

 

[Alistair Roberts]

Yes sir, what-ever you say sir Commodore

 

[Madeleine Conway]

This is the one I love:

 

[Jason Byrne]

Commodore Byrne... that has a nice ring to it.

DUNNIT?!

Yes sir, what-ever you say sir Commodore

There you are — legitimization.

Though, I generally went by Sir Jason in college, but that's improper as I'm not a citizen of the UK and it should have been Jason Byrne, MBE.
I also went by the Captain, but that was more for rum-drinking reasons. It would seem I got promoted!

 

[Alistair Roberts]

You could have gone with Jason Byrne Esq.

 

[Jason Byrne]

You could have gone with Jason Byrne Esq.

There is that. Looking it up though, I found that in the US it i generally used as a courtesy titles for lawyers.
The more you know!

 

[Alistair Roberts]

Alistair Roberts Esq, I can live with that lol

 

[Jason Byrne]

Alistair Roberts Esq, I can live with that lol

That does have a very lyrical quality to it!
"That's Alistair Roberts, Esquire to you, assh*le."

 

[Richard Sutton]

I'd rather be linked to a more noble profession... maybe plumber?
The songs that have always gotten me are the ones that I heard first when I was jus' a wee lil' thing. I also have a soft spot for Ralph McTell. Here's the url for my one and only guitar mp3 recording of Streets of London minus voice. You may sing along.
http://www.sailletales.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Streets01.mp3

Regarding songs that make you feel something, I always get a smile from the intro brass to Madness' "Our House" I really enjoyed how atypical their stuff was when it was new.

 

[Richard Sutton]

Here's a little winter relief music from recently departed master Allan Toussaint, performing back in '11 at Joes' Pub in NYC. He's doing a version of his song Southern Nights, then lapses into memory and the accompanied spoken word is just incredible...

 

[Patricia D]

The best music makes you feel something. I'd say music's the highest art form, because it's also the 'lowest' - the most immediate and visceral. It has the power to bypass any and all words, but words also drove its development. But the best books make you feel something, though you might not even know exactly why.

No new stories under the sun? Perhaps not. Does it matter? A new issue will still contain old bones. If you're writing a techno-thriller with new ethical questions....is it OK what we do with spare embryos etc etc, it still comes back to the eternal questions. Who we are, what the world is, what it means to be here and how we should conduct ourselves on this stretch of the ride.

No real new story, so then, it boils down to the treatment, and the 'voice' - the guide whom the writers has designated to take us on the ride of this old new story.

The Sound of Silence always did raise the hairs on my neck. The sound and the story. This version, by 'Disturbed' - same song, same story, different treatment and 'voice', has them practically standing on end. And it's not just the facial piercings.

Wow. Thank you for posting this. Simon and Garfunkle hid their angry words behind sweet voices, but this puts it all out there. Two other songs that I think are fully realized by covers are Me and Bobby McGee by Janis Joplin and Hallelujah by Jeff Buckley. And if could post the links I would, but it's not working for me.

 

[Jason Byrne]

Wow. Thank you for posting this. Simon and Garfunkle hid their angry words behind sweet voices, but this puts it all out there. Two other songs that I think are fully realized by covers are Me and Bobby McGee by Janis Joplin and Hallelujah by Jeff Buckley. And if could post the links I would, but it's not working for me.

Leonard Cohen is the only Hallelujah for me! I really makes you feel as dirty as the lyrics.

 

[Richard Sutton]

When it comes to LC, it's the Stranger Song for me, every time.

"Then sweeping up the jokers that he left behind, you'll find he didn't leave you very much, not even laughter. Like every dealer he was looking for the card that is so high and wild he'll never have to deal another...."

I think it is so deeply connected in my mind with Warren Beatty and Julie Christie that I get instant cold freeze-frames in my head whenever I hear it. Great, strange film, McCabe and Mrs. Miller

 

[Paul Whybrow]

DUNNIT?!


There you are — legitimization.

Though, I generally went by Sir Jason in college, but that's improper as I'm not a citizen of the UK and it should have been Jason Byrne, MBE.
I also went by the Captain, but that was more for rum-drinking reasons. It would seem I got promoted!

It's been done already! There's a real Captain Byrne in the U.S. navy—a distant relative perhaps, Jason?

http://www.capitalgazette.com/ph-ac-cn-admiral-0415-20150414-story.html

 

[Jason Byrne]

Rear Admiral Byrne. Like that even better! I'll bet he is — I'm probably related to half of County Wicklow, after all.