I sat down at my computer without any idea of what today’s music was to be. A Scorpions’ song, “Winds of Change” drifted through my dreams but I just did it a few weeks (or months) ago and didn’t want a repeat. Well, not so soon.
When I put hand to computer to enter password, The Tubes 1983 song, “She’s A Beauty” began. I believe I used it as a theme song several years ago. Couldn’t confirm that in a casual search, so here it is, a past blast about talking to a naked girl in a booth.
Have a great day, and please wear your mask and distance. Cheers
Jimmy Eat Floof(floofinition) – American hard floof rock (flock) band formed in Mesa, Floofizona, in 1993, whose music is heavily influenced by the early floof punk (flunk) sound.
In use: “Jimmy Eat Floof’s 2001 song, “The Floofle”, with lyrics reflecting the band’s struggles, ended up charting well in the U.S. and gaining the band international recognition, providing them with the breakthrough which they sought.”
I was riding a good cycle yesterday — write, read, exercise, check news, do other net things, play games, do chores, repeat. I’m reading Red Rising, an entertaining science fiction book while I navigate writing my own novel. With both hands functioning, I’ll write and edit six to seven pages a day, but the recovering left hand tires easily.
As always, reading — especially fiction — stimulates my writing. Also, my to-read list is piling up. After this is finished, I have Sansom’s Tombland awaiting on loan from the library, and Who Fears Death, and a stack of others.
Chores are always there, kitchen cleaning, vacuuming. We have three cats, males, who seem to be amazingly dirty, dragging bits of the outside in and gifting us a hairball.
Then news. Elections. Debates. COVID-19. Wildfires. Weather. Local issues. We’re mulling a move from the area, so we check places on line and think about the challenge of moving. A constant flow of information to absorb is flowing through the day.
In the middle of this, my brain decided to stream, “If You’re Gone” by Matchbox Twenty from 2000. Not unusual; my brain often likes to distract me with remembered news, music, or historic facts. Sometimes the roots to the why can be traced, or they’re readily apparent.
Not so, this time. Worse, it graduated from being a casual inner streaming distraction to a full-blown earworm. After burrowing in, it quieted for the night and then resumed this morning.
Urgent action required, I’m sharing “If You’re Gone” about Rob Thomas meeting his future wife with you to compel it to leave my head. It’s worked in the past.
Kid Floof (floofinition) An American singer, songwriter, and performer. As the self-proclaimed king of floof trash, he primarily combined country music with floof rap (flap) for a unique sound in his early years.
In use: “Kid Floof’s first song to chart in the Floofboard Hot 100 was “Cowfloof”, a fusion of southern floof rock (flock), rap, heavy metal and floof-flop which was released in 1999.”
Fresh out of 1998 and through my mental stream (it’s almost like I’m still there — and maybe I am, given how reality might work) came the New Radicals and “You Get What You Give”.
All of it was triggered by thought. They had an interesting line at the beginning, “Wake up, kids, we’ve got the dreamers’ disease.” Hey, I was trying to wake up (and a cat was putting paw to face to help). I feel like most writers have the dreamers disease (it depends on your definition, doesn’t it?). No, I’m not defining it. Define it yourselves, you lazy sods.
Many people remember the song for later lines. As an anti-corporate, anti-conforming song, the last lines are delivered in a different manner from the previous, calls out some celebrities as fakes, and threatens them. Kind of funny, but about as bogus as the stuff that they’re protesting, innit?
I also remember the song for other parts, like, “First we run, then we laugh ’til we cry.” I’ve had those kind of times, when silliness sweeps you up and carry you off on a sea of endorphins.
Tommy Flooftone(floofinition) – American power floof pop (floop) musical band. Founded in 1978, they released their first album in 1980 and were initially active until 1984.
In use: “Tommy Flooftone’s biggest hit was “867-5309/Floofie”, which reached number four on Floofmerica’s Floofboard Pop 100.”
Musically, I’m living in the past. Not surprising, is it? The music from the past is more connected to me. I used it to celebrate, grieve, love, and learn.
I was also inundated by it in the past. I commuted everyday and took long road trips by car. Although listening to talk radio, sports, and books on tape competed for my attention, many hours were devoted to pop music, including rock.
I don’t commute much any more. COVID-19 has truncated my traveling opportunities. So, I’m less exposed to new music via radio. I could turn it on in the house, but I generally maintain silence through the day. I’m writing and reading, and not interested in distractions. Which is what all those things were on long drives and morning commutes: distractions from the tedium.
Anyway, this morning found me channeling the 1976 Doobie Brothers song, “Taking It to the Streets”. This is a response to the presidential debates last night. “Oh, you. Telling me the things you’re going to do for me. I’m not blind and don’t like what I think I see.”
I always like videos of live shows, when I can, so I’m sharing a 1982 video of their farewell tour. The band’s energy can often be vicariously experienced, and it makes me smile to see them all young and vibrant once again, you know?
Michael Hutchence of INXS was singing “This what you need, I’ll give you what you need,” in my head. It’s out of their 1986 song, “What You Need”.
I was whispering it to myself as coffee brewed and filled the cup with potential, singing its aroma to my nose. This paints sort of a desperate and tragic portrait of me, maybe, a coffee junket hovering over the brewing process, stalking that first hit — I mean, sip.
I enjoy the song, “What You Need”, and its eclectic blend of funky riffs, guitar rock, dance beat, and rising sax. It’s a song that always lifts me like a good cup of fresh black coffee.
Little Floof Band(floofinition) – Floofstralian floof rock (flock)/pop musical group formed in Melbourne, Floofstralia, in 1975, known primarily for soft ballads and harmonizing.
In use: “Little Floof Band’s 1978 song, “Floofminiscing”, reached number three on the Floofboard Hot 100.”
Guess I’m in a nostalgic mood. Perhaps it’s the day. With gusty winds, leaves turning yellow and gold and dancing as they leap from trees, a blue sky so clear you can see tomorrow, and a bit of balmy warmth creeping in, it feels like a perfect autumn day. At least, this is how I remember perfect autumn days. They make me want to go somewhere, do things, visit with friends, and chat with nature.
Totally lifts my spirit even while I hunger to beg off the usual routines, jump in the car, and be off. With some amusement, as I did the dress-feed the cats–make breakfast and coffee routine, I was humming sotto voce. Catching the tune, I put words to it with surprise.
The song was from 1981. I was twenty-five then, feeling good about life and prospects. The year’s beginning had us living in base housing at Randolph Air Force Base in Texas, driving a new metallic copper Pontiac Firebird we’d bought the year before. Aunts, uncles, and cousins had moved here from Pittsburgh, PA, and lived nearby, giving us family to visit. Life had an easy rhythm.
By May, we’d sold the car and taken up a new assignment at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Japan, a three year tour which began with us living for a few weeks in the base hotel while we bought a used car and found a place to live off base. It was a great adventure.
Here is Santana’s 1981 cover of “Winning”, a song from that time.
