Science fiction, fantasy, mystery and what-not
Went with “The Safety Dance” by Men Without Hats, 1982. Odd choice for this song, I think. It was a protest against the establishment. Yet, to me, you can dance at home in safety, if you wanna, instead of giving in to irrational exuberance that the worse is over and we’re all free to go shopping and dining in restaurants. I know it’s tough, made harder when you’re bored and frustrated, worried about your cash, your health, and your life.
Take a little time to dance and sing “The Safety Dance”.
Lots of science-y info has been in the news recently. An argument that started in the last century continues as people claim that the science behind climate change and human influence on it is wrong! That’s not why the glaciers are melting! They’ve always been melting, and the sea is not rising, and you’re not allowed to say, ‘climate change’ in some states because it’s fake science! Meanwhile, scientists tracked an asteroid that passed our planet. Surprisingly, no one yelled that it was fake science. Maybe they did, and I missed it.
Science has been in the news more frequently about COVID-19 and the difference between the novel coronavirus and the flu, and whether mitigating by SIP and closing businesses is worthwhile, or should we just sacrifice whoever needed to develop a herd immunity. Science! It’s everywhere.
No surprise that my morning musical stream featured “Blinded Me With Science” by Thomas Dolby (1982).
Doing yard work yesterday, looking at the dreadful state of the side yard.
Things have been planned for years. Yardwork is a low priority, but I thought this shit (I’m using the formal shit here to indicate improvements) would’ve been done by now. Stepping back, I thought of all the things that’ve occurred that I employ as excuses.
Friend dying of cancer. Cat dying of cancer. MIL dying and being moved into a nursing home. Wildfires and their smoke. Drought and water rationing. Extreme heat and poor air.
This year, it’s a novel coronavirus, wearing masks, social distancing, and SIP. (Yeah, a drought is also widening and extending, so it’s not looking good – and the wildfire season started early because of the extremely dry conditions. I also hear some murder hornets are on the way…)
Of course, that sort of stream gushes with vows not to take time for granted and do things when the chance comes, because that chance may not come again.
Long way to say that today’s theme music is Bryan Adams and “On A Day Like Today” (1998). Cheers
Have news and events finally done it to you? Are you, like me, comfortably numb from it all?
Pink Floyd put it to music back in 1980 as part of a little-known album called The Wall. Here is “Comfortably Numb”.
I remember when this was released. In the U.S. Air Force, stationed at Randolph AFB in Universal City, Texas, I lived not far from family. One cousin was a huge Pink Floyd fan. I’d not heard of any of it but he’d already bought the album. He brought it to my house and played it for me.
Admittedly, I slightly prefer the original studio recording, but David Gilmour playing at Pompei moved me, so here you go. Enjoy the light show. (Hey, it’s Pink Floyd. Well, David Gilmour.)
Seriously, enjoy the lyrics. Enjoy the powerful guitar solos. Enjoy the band members’ interaction with one another.
Radiofloof (floofinition) – English floof rock (flock) band hailing from Abingdon, Oxfloofshire, formed in 1985.
In use: “Radiofloof’s song, “Fleep” was banned from being played on some stations as it was deemed too depressing.”
Dire Floofs (floofintion) – Floof rockers (flockers) from England, formed in 1977 and disbanded in 1985, who combined sounds from multiple influences to create unique music.
In use: “Dire Floof songs “The Sultans of Floof”, “Walk of Night”, and “Kibble for Nothing” highlight the variety among the group’s musical offerings.”
Today’s song is actually the cats’ theme music. As I’m reduced to staying at home (see: novel coronavirus news), the cats have employed a shadowing technique. Wherever I’m at, here they come. That brought to my mind (and I’m sure it’s already in the cats’ minds), Blondie’s song – “One Way Or Another” (1979) – about stalking.
Listening to the news from various places but mostly the U.S., I’m hearing a lot of calls to open up businesses and start up the economy. I thought they needed theme music. I’m recommended the Rolling Stones with “Start Me Up” (1981).
As a point of order, I’m not in favor of most places in the U.S. starting up. Insufficient testing is in place, tracing has huge gaps, and not enough is known about COVID-19 at this point. It seems like many places are taking a shrugged shoulders, fingers crossed, half-assed approach. While plans don’t need to be perfect, half-assed rarely succeeds. History will be our judge.
Check out the moves from Jagger.
Mötley Floof (floofinition) – American heavy floof band originating in Floof Angeles.
In use: “With songs like “Doctor Feelfloof” and “Barfin’ in the Boys Room”, Mötley Floof has sold over 100 million albums worldwide.”
Stumbled down nostalgia lane this morning. Probably a combination of mood, weather, and personal struggles, the sort of thing that sometimes takes most of us. It ended up with a stream of what I used to do and used to be. That invited the 2008 Coldplay song, “Viva La Vida”, into my morning’s mental music stream.
It’s not a dance number but the way the song’s layers build always rouses me. It is at once a contemplative and reflective song about what had been, and a song that reinforces my will about what I will do. Does anyone else experience an effect like that? No? Well, maybe it’s the coffee.
