Music – Page 2 – Mind Stewing, Fingers Typing

I occasionally look for new music in Google with some key phrase like “Best Songs.” A list of songs will appear which I then listen to and buy. I thought I saw the song “Marie” by the Gleeman on one of these lists. Since I decided to write about “Marie” I tried to duplicate the search but I am somehow am unable to find it on any lists, so now I can’t really explain how I encountered Marie but I believe it was on somebody’s list of best songs.

The reason that I’m so interested in finding out how I found “Marie” is that it is not a song I would usually listen to. There are a lot of elements I don’t particularly like. The sentiment of being able to do anything you want is something I distrust and think is sometimes used destructively (see this post for more of my thoughts). The lyrics are a bit too saccharine for my taste. The singer’s voice is almost too overpoweringly good. I prefer, particularly in male singers, a more roughed voice, say like Tom Waits, then the Gleeman’s beautiful and perfect vocals.

Yet I find myself, after several listens, liking “Marie” so much that I keep repeating the song several times a day. The Gleeman sings with such vigor and excitement that I found myself enjoying it despite my reservations. I believe it will be one of the songs I will listen to so many times that I will become sick of it and stop listening to it for a long time and then rediscover it years down the road and fall in love with it all over again.All I can say is, right now, it made me feel really good for just a moment and, in the end, I think that is all you can really ask from a song. I know this is a terrible explanation because I can’t tell you why I like it, but I do like it and think that maybe some of you might find yourself in the same boat.

I am late to Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers. Richman, the leader of the group has been around since the late 1960’s. He followed the siren call of the Velvet Underground and moved to New York, while still in high school, to be in a band. Which seems to confirm Brian Eno’s famous quote, “The first Velvet Underground album only sold 10,000 copies, but everyone who bought it formed a band”

I stumbled across Richman when I went searching for new music. When I am in the mood for new music, I usually go other people’s favorite songs list. These lists remind of a song or group I liked in the past and I can add it to my collection. These lists are surprisingly diverse as everyone and their brother can create them. This how I first encountered the Modern Lovers and Jonathan Richman. I was blown away. I couldn’t understand how I missed them in the 1970’s when I was really listening to music and going to concerts on a weekly basis. Though a little stunned that I have spent 40 years unaware of Richman, I am happy to say I found him now.

Below is a video of Roadrunner

Soon after learning about Roadrunner, I came upon another Richman song while watching the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. The song was I Was Dancing in the Lesbian Bar. At first, the song seemed a little silly but I liked it enough to investigate it further and I soon discovered that this was a Jonathan Richman song. What I like about this song is it is both fun and danceable.

So if you are ever gazing up at our house on Curlew Street and see an old man dancing wildly (or as wild as I can at this age) know that there is a good chance that Roadrunner or I Was Dancing at a Lesbian Bar is playing.