Post #12 - "Blowin' in the Wind"

It's finally getting to be windy and cold in the DC Metro area, so I decided "let's take a contrived approach and choose a song meaning that's literal." That and I haven't chosen one of Bob Dylan's recordings yet, and "Blowin' in the Wind" was the song that introduced me to his music.

This song is off Dylan second album The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan, which was ranked number 97 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. The song itself is considered one of Dylan's greatest, and indeed, one of the greatest ever, ranking number 14 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

I will assume that many of you (if there is anybody reading this) are unfamiliar with Dylan's works and the reason why this song sounds so familiar is because you saw Robin Wright Penn playing this song in Forrest Gump naked (remember that scene where they start grabbing her legs and then Tom Hanks comes in and beats the crap out of them?). Anywho, this song is your quintessential protest song, which is self-evidentiary in its lyrics, where Bob Dylan asks different questions, yet gives the same answer:

"The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind,/The answer is blowin' in the wind."

Off YouTube, the following video (the sound might be off-sync with the video, but good nonetheless) is from No Direction Home and from about four decades back. Anyway, hope you enjoy and go pick up some more Bob Dylan while you're at it.

Post #11 - "Gone for Good"

Yes, it's another Shins song, perhaps too soon, but I've been listening to this song on repeat for the past 12 hours and good God, it's great. It's off Chutes Too Narrow and is the second to last track. See what happens when you listen to an album the entire way through? You'll always discover something else you like. So whenever you buy a CD, don't just go to that overplayed single, go to track 1 and listen all the way through to the last track.

"Gone for Good" has that twangy, country sound, but don't let that sway you from listening to this song. Once it gets to the chorus, you'll be glad you stuck around for it. The song is about unrequited love, a girl who wants a guy, but he's not in the same boat as she is. My favorite lines from the song are in the chorus:

"I find a fatal flaw/In the logic of love/And go out of my head."

"You want to jump and dance/But you sat on your hands/And lost your only chance."

The video I've chosen off YouTube is an acoustic performance of the song (sorry, I didn't want some film kid's take on the meaning of the song) by James Mercer and Jesse Sandoval (I think). The album version is better, in my opinion, so "don't" download the MP3 and "don't" listen to it, and just go buy Chutes Too Narrow. Enjoy!

Post #10 - "Mexican Wine"

This is the first track off Fountains of Wayne's album Welcome Interstate Managers, the same album which "Stacy's Mom" came off of (this track is better though, and nobody knows about it!).


The song itself sounds like Weezer could have made it, although I hate Weezer (in retrospect, that Beverly Hills song sucked hairy testicles). I first listened to this song back in 2003 when I listened to a sample of the CD and what really attracted me to this song was the beginning. I really like the lyrics and instrumentation in the intro:

"He was killed by a cellular phone explosion/They scattered his ashes across the ocean/The water was used to make baby lotion/The wheels of promotion were set into motion."

"But the sun still shines in the summer time/I'll be yours if you'll be mine/I tried to change but I changed my mind/Think I'll have another glass of Mexican wine."

The YouTube video for "Mexican Wine" is apparently the official music video, featuring two girls lip-syncing the song in the beginning. The single was pulled due to the controversial lyrics (I guess when they lip-synced the line "Think I'll have another glass of Mexican wine"), which is really silly considering the number of teenage girls who drink themselves to death each year. Here's to you drunkards! Really though, stop drinking.

Post #9 - "I Want to Break Free"

This is one of my favorite Queen songs, coming off of 1984's The Works (AMG thought the album sucked, I don't know because I haven't listened to it). Anywho, you can also find the song off the Greatest Hits album (you know, the one with the purple background and the golden lions and shit?).


The song itself is contradictory in its lyrics, with the singer alternating between being infatuated and wanting to escape from his failed romances. I really liked the synthesizer solo in this because of the unique "fat" sound it produces (trying to reproduce it with your mouth alone will raise a few flags in peoples' minds). Also this part is my favorite in the song:

"It's strange but it's true/I cant get over the way you love me like you do/But I have to be sure/When I walk out that door/Oh how I want to be free baby/Oh how I want to be free/Oh how I want to break free."

As for the video I have provided via YouTube, it's the music video for "I Want to Break Free," featuring the band cross-dressing and vacuuming (Well, Freddie Mercury did have AIDS...). For those who don't want to watch four grown men in women's clothing, go out and buy Queen! For the rest, enjoy!

Post #8 - "Road Trippin'"

The Red Hot Chili Peppers are the band that got me into rock through their song "Californication." Years later, I'm still in awe of how the music they have produced have so much staying power. Arguably one of the best bands in recent memory, their range extends from rap-induced funk to the mellow and somber rock that makes teenyboppers swoon.

"Road Trippin'" is off RHCP's album Californication, which marked the return of guitarist John Frusciante to the band after a hiatus filled with drug experimentation and self-discovery (not sure that I would use those two hand-in-hand, but that's what he did). The album contains familiar hits such as the title track, "Scar Tissue" and "Otherside." I'll probably come back to those in the near future.

For the song itself, "Road Trippin'" is a quiet tune with finger-picking guitar and a driving bass line, suitable for anytime you feel the need to lay down and trip out, but don't have any drugs on you (I don't recommend drugs though). The vocals also make this song one of RHCP's better quiet songs, with Frusciante's voice backing up Anthony Kiedis.

The video posted below is the official music video (I think, I mean it has them, right?) off YouTube. Mainly just them playing alone at a beach house (filled with drugs?) and on the beach. It does seem like a song you would play at the beach, probably because the song's about a road trip. Anyway, enjoy!