I’m trying to fall asleep and I’m trying to listen to a documentary on the ipad to lull me to sleep, but the only thing ringing through my head is this:
Why does this happen to me? I’d worry I was going insane except that insane people would never consider that in the first place…
Oh, and here was my earworm all day, and damned if it wasn’t a good one:
Brassy!
Comrade Mary
Ahhh. Thanks for the Ray!
I was just thinking tonight about any exceptions for my usual hatred of saxophones in pop music. They’re so often just plastered on top of mediocre music in order to evoke a mood, or to sound retro. Ugh. Ugh ugh ugh.
Saxophones in jazz? Hell, yeah! They sound fresh and vibrant and unpredictable. And good, solid r&b that swings and tickles like this is also a very worthy exception.
Thor Heyerdahl
I like this version of “Yes We Have No Bananas” from The Muppets youtube.com/watch?v=OuB4Jfw5n_8
Suzanne
I had one od my exams today, and the computer freaked out and I couldn’t finish. I lost my shit. Then drank a beer-rita. (Surprisingly good.)
Have contacted the national board about my test. I am upset.
JBP
John, that’s a great ear-worm to have. I mean, if you got to have one, Ray Charles is definitely the way to go. Mine is this one.
piratedan
@Suzanne: that sucks ass Suz…..sorry about that. I have my father in law in town for the weekend, hilarity should ensure because the old bastard hates me and the feeling is mutual but must make the much better half a happy lady so I will do my utmost to keep it civil. Undoubtedly it will not be reciprocated.
Death Panel Truck
@piratedan: Hear ya. My father-in-law isn’t wild about me, either. But I’ve been married to his daughter for 23 years, so he’s come to accept it. He thought she could do better, and hell, maybe she could have. He’s a retired minister, and he’s not happy his daughter married an atheist. But she’s still as wild about me as she was in 1984, when we started dating. And I’m still crazy about her, so fuck him. :)
NotMax
@Comrade Mary
Once emceed a concert with JF Murphy & Salt, a group with the gimmick of one member having the ability to play 2 different saxophones simultaneously.
Yatsuno
@Thor Heyerdahl: I am now lost in an eternal loop of random Muppet Show clips. I might have to repatriate just to kick you for this.
Origuy
Spike Jones! My junior high band teacher used to play his records for us. His name was Jerry Lewis, as I recall.
Mary G
I don’t know if they have it for iPad, but an app on Android called Sleepy Time works great for me. You pick from a long list of sounds, set each one’s volume independently and let it lull you to sleep. I use a water sound, a cat purring, a distant train and an air conditioner in descending order of loudness and it really helps me drop off.
Time Travelin
You could have worse ear worms, eh?
Steeplejack
@Comrade Mary:
Saxophones in pop music: “Baker Street” by Gerry Rafferty immediately came to mind—which I do not recommend. The next thing to occur, which I do recommend, is “Spooky” by the Classics IV. Really nice sax solo (starting at 1:20).
For wall-to-wall (good) sax in pop music,you have to go to the R&B side of the house, I think.
ETA: I think my favorite sax-o-centric rock album is John Mayall’s The Turning Point. But it does get close to the jazzy side (in a good way). “Thoughts About Roxanne.”
Steeplejack
@Steeplejack:
“California,” also from The Turning Point. A good late-night song.
And Van Morrison had good saxophone action, especially on Moondance.
SectionH
@Suzanne: You’ll win through though, extra added crap level notwithstanding.
Steeplejack
@NotMax:
Say hello to Rahsaan Roland Kirk.
NotMax
@Steeplejack
Have to admit it took some time to come up with the title, but always kind of liked the occasional use of saxophones in McDonald & Giles’ Tomorrow’s People.
Just Some Fuckhead, Thought Leader
Call me, John. I can sing the harmony part.
NotMax
Not rock ‘n’ roll, but little else beats the dynamic saxes of Glenn Miller’s In the Mood.
Steeplejack
@NotMax:
Man! I haven’t heard that since about 1971½. Talk about a deep track.
Steeplejack
@Just Some Fuckhead, Thought Leader:
I thought you had been furloughed from the blog. So, working for no pay?
Steeplejack (tablet)
Belated thought: if you’re gonna go Ray Charles, “Hit the Road, Jack” would be appropriate.
Amir Khalid
@Comrade Mary:
This and this may help persuade that saxophones in pop music are not all bad. (Rest easy, Big Man.)
Wally Ballou
Seger’s “Turn the Page”, in its rarely-heard studio version (from the severely underrated, and criminally out of print) Back in ’72 album.
Wally Ballou
Seger’s “Turn the Page”, in its rarely-heard studio version (from the severely underrated, and criminally out of print) Back in ’72 album.
different-church-lady
Thank you! The Spike Jones finally got “Heard it in a Love Song” out of my head after a week and a half.
mellowjohn
@Origuy: my band teacher father was a big spike jones fan. he used to say that it took a lot of talent to deliberately sound that bad.
snetzky
@different-church-lady:
you evil evil person. now ill have that in my head all day. had a guy on my dorm floor in college that played Marshall Tucker 24/7
Steeplejack
@different-church-lady:
“Heard It in a Love Song” is great, but, yeah, a week and a half is a bit long.