The Scariest Songs you know

Last week I asked everyone to share the scariest songs that they know. I said you could be serious or funny and that you could mention as many or as few songs as you would like.

Here in no particular order are your responses.

 

Scariest song???...anything by ABBA. How about William Shatner doing "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds", that's pretty scarey. One time I heard John Schnider (from Dukes of Hazzard fame) sing "Another One Bites The Dust", that gave me sharp stomach pains, does that count? .....Mike

 

Scary Song: Tubular Bells-Theme From The Exorcist by Mike Oldfield....You know why it is scary!
..........Corvette Sandy

Brooks and Dunn's  'Only In America'.

 Why?  Because it perpetuates a misguided and dangerous perception.

There are around 74 other democracies on the planet Earth and while some are definitely

worse than others and some are far richer than others, most offer the exact same kind of freedoms referred to in this song......Stan Mitchell

 

The scariest song I know? Barney's "I Love You" song. Scares the crap outta me. This song was used in Guantanamo to break the will of captured Al Queda operatives. True story........P.C.

 

The End - The Doors
Careful With that Axe, Eugene - Pink Floyd

Both songs are about murder by the insane (Jim Morrison and Roger Waters) and both have the creepy organ sound of the '60's. I hate hearing these songs alone! .....Rick, La Mirada, CA

 

The Doors' classic song THE END offers up well over 11 minutes of chilling music that is as powerful today as when the band recorded the song for its 1967 debut album.....Robert K. 

 

Nowadays I don't know if I think any songs are real scary, but I remember I did think "Somebody keeps calling my name" by a Swedish group called the Baby Grandmothers struck me as scary a loooong time ago - could have been August 1969....Stäni

 

Slayer - Hell Awaits or anything by Venom.....Chuck D




I think the scariest song is welcome To the machine by pink floyd Because there are weird noises in the background and his voice is creepy.....Patric M. 

 

I think the theme for The Shining is quite scary!.....Tina Bold - Vinylhours Radio

  My kids think any song I sing out loud is scary! I sound like Nat King Cole on the inside, more like Pee Wee Herman on the outside.....J Donahue

.......And now.......Here are my picks for Scariest Songs I know. 

1 "Timothy"  Recorded by the one hit wonder band "The Bouys" in the 70's and is a song about (of all things) Cannibalism! It tells the chilling story about three mine workers who get caught in a cave in. After they are pulled out, neither of the two survivors can remember what happened two the 3rd one named Timothy.....But they have a frightening suspicion what might have happened. This song is not available on any legal online digital distribution site that I can find. To bad, cause I'd like to get it. 

 2 Into The Night Written By David Lynch and Angelo Baladamenti and recorded by Julee Cruise. This is one of those songs that I just dare you to listen to with the light off....heh, heh, heh!

Thanks to everyone for all the great scary song pics. Maybe we will try this next year. Happy Halloween! 




 

 

 

Zeppelin - Plant = WTF?

Good idea: Led Zeppelin reuniting for a one off benefit concert a year ago

Bad idea: The non singing members of Led Zeppelin deciding to tour without Robert Plant 

Today  Billboard online reports that the remaining members of Led Zeppelin (Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones and Jason Bonham) want to tour and record without Robert Plant and they are already auditioning lead singers. 

In spite of the successful aforementioned benefit show, Robert Plant has continually stated that he has no real desire to turn that show into a prolonged tour. 

My feelings: Your not fooling anyone. Unless he's dead, Led Zeppelin should not tour or record with a different lead singer. It would be the same as if Plant, Jones and Bonham tried to tourand record without Jimmy Page.  

It just WONT be Led Zeppelin. 

So if you do, do this, Don't call it Led Zeppelin. I might be interested in hearing a new band that has Page, Jones, Bonham and someone else on lead vocals. But call it Led Zeppelin and I will just turn off and say your not fooling anyone.

Music Worth Buying - 10/27/08 Randy Newman

Artist: Randy Newman

Album: Harps And Angels

Worth Buying: Yes, every song is good.

Tell Me More: So many are the artists whose work I've heard about, but whose music I've never really heard (aside from their radio hits). Such was the case for me with Randy Newman. I was certainly aware of his reputation as a singer songwriter. I had read about his incisive and unaplogetic sense of wit and satire. I was also aware of his other very lucrative 2nd career as one of Hollywoods top songwriters.

But in spite of this (and like a lot of other people) for the longest time, my only exposure to Randy Newman as a singer songwriter was through the 3 songs that radio used to play: It's Money That Matters, I Love L.A., and of course the infamous Short People. I am happy to say that that has changed with Harps and Angels, his first album in ten years. Now that I've heard this album, I am sorry that it took me this long to actually delve past his radio hits.

There is a line in one his songs (A Piece Of The Pie) where he comments on the current growing divide between the rich and the poor. In it he has the frankness and humor to say. The rich are geting richer...I should know. Given that he has this lucrative career as one of Hollywood's top tune smiths, Harps and Angels is not music that he needs to do. It's the music that he wants to do. And that's just one of the many things that makes this album so special.

Stylistically most of the songs on the album borrow a lot of from dixieland and jazz but this is just the stylistic foundation upon which the songs are built. Elements of blues, pop and musical theater pop in and out to serve the stories that these songs tell. Randy Newman is 65 years old, and lyrically these songs say and express more than I hear from most of the youngsters out there. This is a man who will not go quietly and who can balance wit, anger, sarcasm and honest sentimentality (sometimes in the same song) with a level of craft that more of those aforementioned youngsters out there could stand to learn a little bit more about. No where is this attention to craft more on display than on the deceptively simple Losing You. This song is the only song on the album that sounds like it could have fit in with whatever recent Disney/Pixar film that me might be currently writing for without any changes. It's a real gem of a song that deals with regret and loss in a very honest and real way. Since anyone can relate to these feelings the song is smart enough to never be to specific. Is he singing about a lost love that he foolishly let slip from his grasp? or is he singing about a love who passed away? The songs brilliance lies in it's ability to be reinterpreted in numerous ways. On the other side of the coin, there is no way anyone could mis-interpret the lyics to the song Korean Parents, Where he basically lays it on the line about the current American work ethic.

What about the packaging? The CD comes in a standard Jewell case but the jewell case does come in a slipcover which is nice since they use additional artwork for the slipcase. There is also a nice lyrics booklet for all the songs which is essential to catch all the nuances that lyrics like this contain.

 listen to samples and buy in mp3 format here

CD Format

What if I am not ready to buy the whole album? Try downloading Losing You. I would be hard pressed to find a better song, so honest in it's feeling about regret and loss that you wont find yourself identifing with it on some level or another.

I am on the Grammy Ballott

I had just gotten home from my local chapter JPF songwriters meeting,
when my songwriting partner Kathy called me, screaming at me with the
following news....

Our song "Jesus Loves You, Everyone else thinks you're an A**Hole"
from my album "Another Roll of The Dice", has made the opening Grammy
Ballots for SONG OF THE YEAR. it is selection # 332 on the ballot

The album "Another Roll of The Dice" has made the opening ballots for
BEST ROCK ALBUM (selection # 234) and ALBUM OF THE YEAR (selection #
623).

When Kathy showed this to me, it was on of those "Is this really
happening?" kind of moments.

I think I said "holy f***ing sh**" about 5 times in a row while the
news sunk in.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

Being on the opening ballot does NOT mean that I have been nominated
for a Grammy.

It means that I COULD BE nominated for a Grammy if enough people vote
for me.

WHAT ARE THE CHANCES THAT I COULD GET NOMINATED

Slim. Not because I am not good enough. But because I am not famous.

But even still, just making it this far is something that we never
thought we'd see happen. In fact we're still reeling from the news.
:)

A Wikipedia for Musicians

Musowiki is the brainchild of Hugh Brown, AKA Hughe. It is a Wikipedia for musicians.

Here is the description on the homepage

Musowiki exists to help musicians of all ages, backgrounds and levels of ability find the best services to help them develop. Whether you need tips on songwriting, instructions on how to play bass (or where to buy one) or the help of a lawyer and manager, you can find them and lots more here.

Listen to an album like you are watching a movie

 

 Try doing this.

For best results put on your headphones. If it contains the lyrics, follow along with the lyrics.

Give it your undivided attention.

Does it hold your attention?

 

 If it does, it's a great album.

What is the scariest song you know?

Halloween is just around the corner, and that has me wondering.......... Songs are great at being happy, sad, funny, thought provoking, etc.

Songs can make you want to dance and make you want to cry. But can a song be scary?

Are there any songs that scare you?

Are there any songs that make a chill run down your spine?

Write me and tell me: What is the scariest song you know?

Tell me the name of the song and (if you can) who recorded it. Tell my why it's scary. You can write as much or as little as you want. You can write about more than one song if you want too. Your answers can be serious or funny.

They will all be featured on this blog in the next two weeks

Digipak vs Jewell Case

A songwriter friend of mine said that he preferred Jewel Case over Digipak. His reasons was that digipak was more fragile. It could be damaged easier. If  a jewel case breaks you can replace it for cheap.

I felt that his reasons made good practical sense. But for me there is no contest. I prefer digipak. Yes it is more fragile, but it comes closer to what vinyl albums used to be like. They are more beautiful to look at and and there are more possibilities for different types of packaging than with the jewel case. Also the fact that it is more fragile means that you have to take better care of them (Which is what you had to do with records). It makes you value them more.

Sadly, from the indie artist standpoint of things, it is also too expensive for me to use. All of my CDs have been released in the Jewell case format. I can't afford the digipak format yet......but maybe someday..........

Music Worth Buying - 10/12/08 - Brian Wilson

Artist: Brian Wilson

Album: That Lucky Old Sun 

Worth Buying: Yes the whole album

You will be interested in this album if you are a fan of: The Beach Boys, Brian Wilson, Concept albums

Tell Me More: After releasing Pet Sounds in 1966, and being inspired by the new ground that the Beatles where breaking; Brian Wilson wanted to up the ante. He announced that the Beach Boys next album would be an epic entitled Smile
He described it as a "Teenage Symphony to God".  The album would become legendary for never being finished as his descent into mental illness began. Many would debate if his illness was the cause of Smile's demise or if Smile's demise was one of the many triggers that began a journey into darkness that would take decades to recover from.

Brian Wilson's condition would get much worse before it got better and in interviews those close to him would say that he wouldn't even speak of the album, and that one of the songs frightened him and made him hear voices.

In 2004 after a long uphill battle to recover, "never" finally came. With his original Smile Collaborator Van Dyke Parks, He finished and released Smile.  It was worth the wait, it received great crtitial acclaim.  But most of all, it signaled that he had come to grips with the past. That he had come back, not just professionally.....but personally

All this would seem to be acheivement enough, but with the weight of Smile behind him (once again teaming up with lyrical collaborator Van Dyke Parks) Mr Wilson has done it again by releasing "That Lucky Old Sun". 

If Smile was a teenage symphony to God, then Lucky Old Sun is an older and wiser man's symphony to Southern California. With Smile he took care of unfinished business. But with Sun he is picking up where he left off and moving forward.

If you didn't know any of what I have just written you would never think that an album this optimistic, this romantic could have been written or performed by someone who ever had to suffer a form of schizoprenia for so long. Personally I like this album better than Smile. There is a sheer ubridled joy to this album that by the 3rd listen really started to get contagious for me. Also this album seems so much more personal. No Where is this better demonstrated than on the deceptively simple lyrics of the song "Going Home". In the first verse he reflects on his long journey out of darkness, the completion of Smile and how glad he is to be recovering. 

I'm going home, I'm going home

Back to the place where I belong

Found Peace of mind , Yeah one piece at a time

 

I'm going home, (Sure don't know why I'm rolling around heaven)

I heard my sound, and found my smile

living in love, yeah it's been a while.

  

Lucky Old Sun is the album that really made me Smile 

 

    

What if I am not ready to buy the whole album: Older fans of the Beach Boys will wonder if there are any songs that will compare to their hits? I want to say no because this is a concept album. like Smile or Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon it is broken up into separate tracks, but is meant to be listened to as one solid piece of music. But If I had to separate one track I would point out Forever She'll Be My Surfer Girl. Which at first glance might seem like a retread of the hit "Surfer Girl". It isn't. It's an homage to the girl who inspired the song.     

 

 

 

 

What about the packaging? This album comes packaged in a beautiful 3 way gatefold digipak.  I can only imagine how much more beautiful the packaging would have been in the vinyl album format. It also comes with a beautiful lyrics book which is good since you will want to listen to it from start to finish with the lyrics in front of you at least once. 

listen to samples and buy in mp3 format here

CD Format

Deluxe version with CD and DVD

Vinyl LP Version

The Value of Records

Over at the New Music Strategies blog page there is an excellent post regarding the value of record albums vs the value of digital files . I hope they don't mind me borrowing their picture, but it was to perfect for this post.  

I've been saying for years now, that when the industry switched to the CD, they should never have lost the packaging that came with records.

All that big artwork, gatefold covers, lyrics sheets, booklets, posters, etc.

You can't download that stuff.

It would have been so easy to just put the CD in a Mylar sleeve and include it with the record album packaging.

Notice how DVDs are packaged? There are often times various versions. Some with collectible items included.

Years ago, I thought to myself.....If I was big famous music star, I could afford to do just that. Release my CD w' record album packaging. I'd make sure it had a gatefold cover with cool artwork, and a lyrics booklet with even more artwork.

I really do believe that it would have sold big time. But I am not a huge famous music star so I can't afford to do that, and I don't have the fame needed to get any press coverage for doing it. I don't even know if I can afford to make CDs any more and may have to go digital only.
 
But I do believe the music industry would be in a different place right now if they had ditched the Jewell box and kept the album packaging.

Music Worth Buying 10/06/08 Dr. Horrible's Sing-along Blog

Artist: Original Cast Recording

Album: Dr Horrible's Sing-along Blog

Worth Buying: Yes the whole album

You Will be interested in this if you are a fan of:  Musicals and even if you are not a fan of musicals. 

 

Tell Me More:  This is the album soundtrack for the Internet musical of the same name. Dr Horrible was created by Joss Whedon (Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Angel) and produced during the recent writers strike as an experiment to create content by Hollywood professionals independently without the backing of a Hollywood studio. The musical stars Neil Patrick Harris, Nathan Fillion, & Felicia Day .  It tells the story of a low rent super villain (played by Harris) named Dr. Horrible (real name Billy) and his desire the join the Evil League Evil. Felicia Day plays the girl he is in love with (but can't get up the nerve to speak to) and  Nathan Fillon is the Superhero who keeps beating him up.  The story is funny, sad, touching and  tragic. And in 45 minutes it manages to do what George Lucas couldn't do with the last 3 Star  Wars movies: Make us feel sorry for the villain.  And the songs are GREAT FUN! (NOTE: There are a few adult gags so parents my not find this suitable for kids).

I've always noticed that you can't fully appreciate the songs in a musical by themselves without knowing the story first. And the great thing is that you can stream this musical for FREE on the official website.  You can purchase the entire musical for $4.99 (in the US) on itunes by choosing the season pass option (A DVD release will be coming soon).  The soundtrack is available as digital download only on and on the Amazon mp3 store (The best place to buy legal digital downloads and show your support). 

Watch or buy the video here 

Listen to samples and purchase the soundtrack in mp3 format here

Farm Aids Open Letter to Congress on the Bailout

Farm Aid Board of Directors Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Neil Young and Dave Matthews sent an open letter to Congressional leaders urging them to redirect funds to farm communities and working men and women, where they can be better used to address the country's economic, environment, energy and health crises.

Read the entire letter here