Delta Dawn - Tanya Tucker

El diumenge passat SEO/BirdLife i la Plataforma en Defensa de l’Ebre van organitzar un acte al Delta per celebrar el Dia de les Zones Humides. Consistia en marcar fins a on arribaria el mar, dins la terra del Delta d’aquí uns 15, 25, i 35 anys si no fem res per impedir-ho.

A banda de la probable pujada del nivell del mar, també tenim la subsidència i salinització de la terra, i la erosió de les platges i la costa degut a la falta de caudal de l’Ebre, tant d’aigua com de sediments. Si no baixa aigua dolça, nutrients, i sediments per l’Ebre, tota la zona litoral del Delta es vera (i ara es veu) afectada. Molt interessant tot, tant les explicacions com l’acte en si. Aquí està la noticia (la foto és d'aqui, Diari de Tarragona).

La pega és que ja fa anys que sabem la teoria, però ningú fa res per aturar el procés ni per ajudar l’Ebre i el seu entorn.

Parlant del Delta, això ens porta (poc) sutilment a la cançó d’avui, Delta Dawn un altre hit country, de Tanya Tucker al 1973.

On Sunday SEO/BirdLife (Spanish/Catalan sister of the UK’s RSPB) and the local environmental group the Plataforma en Defensa de l’Ebre (campaign movement in defence of the river Ebro) organised an activity in the natural area of the Ebro Delta to celebrate the International Wetlands’ Day. This consisted in marking how far the sea would come inland over the next 15, 25, and 35 years if steps aren’t taken to protect the Delta.

Apart from the probable rise in sea level, the lack of river flow in the Ebro (due to overuse and mismanagement upstream) means there is very little fresh water, and hardly any nutrients or sediments reaching the sea. This has disastrous effects on the coastline and the Delta itself, leading to erosion, subsidence, salinisation, and so on.
The only problem is that we already know this, and have for some time, but when will local governments take steps to actually do something about protecting and conserving this wonderful natural area?

Speaking of Deltas brings us nicely on to today’s song, Delta Dawn! Sang by Tanya Tucker back in 1973.

Down Under - Men At Work

La setmana passada va sortir el dictamen del cas de plagi contra el grup australià Men At Work. El jutge ha decidit que si, que per a la seva cançó Down Under, van copiar la música del cançó infantil tradicional Kookaburra Sits in the Old Gum Tree. El cert és que, si les escoltem seguits, si que se semblen, especialment el tros instrumental amb la flauta, però fins avui jo – que fa 30 anys que conec la cançó - no m’havia adonat!

Si Joe Satriani (If I could fly) o Cat Stevens (Foreigner Suite) decideixen presentar una querella contra Coldplay per Viva la Vida, els recomano que busquen el advocat d’aquest cas ...

Aquí és la noticia sobre la decisió, i aquí la resposta del grup.

Down Under (Hay, Strykert) va ser el primer hit internacional dels Men At Work, del seu LP Business As Usual, any 1981.
A continuació el vídeo de Down Under, seguit per un vídeo de les noticies amb la comparació entre Kookaburra i Down Under, i un tercer vídeo amb els possibles avantpassats de Viva la Vida!

Turns out that Men At Work’s hit Down Under, from their 1981 album Business as Usual, was a copy of Kookaburra Sits in the Old Gum Tree! I’ve only known the song for 30 years and had never noticed this before, but on closer listening there is a certain resemblance, especially during the flute solo.

I think Joe Satriana (If I could fly) and Cat Stevens (Foreigner Suite) should look Kookaburra’s lawyer up if they decide to take Coldplay to court!

Here’s the BBC news item, and the group’s response.
Now, the video clip of Down Under, and a news item comparing the two songs, followed by the claims to be the original Viva la Vida!

Mr Blue Sky - ELO

Escoltant al President Zapatero l’altre dia (ja ho sé, és desagradable però algù els ha d'escoltar!), no sé perquè, però em va venir al cap la cançó del ELO (Lynne), Mr Blue Sky!

Senyor Cel Blau. El sol està brillant al cel, no hi ha ni un núvol a la vista, ja no plou, tots podem sortir a jugar, no ho sabies? Fa un dia meravellós.

Mr Blue Sky del LP Out of the Blue, 1978.

Crisis, what crisis?


Listening to the Spanish President, Mr Zapatero, insisting that all is well on the Spanish economic front – despite claims to the contrary by just about everyone else in Europe – I couldn’t hel but think of Mr Blue Sky (Lynne) by ELO, from their 1978 album Out of the Blue.

His political speeches are not too different from Jeff Lynne’s immortal words: Sun is shining in the sky, there ain’t a cloud in sight, it’s stopped raining, everybody’s in a play, don’t you know? It’s a wonderful new day.

Surf Solar - Fuck Buttons

Per acabar de repassar els favorits dels crítics del 2009, avui toca els Fuck Buttons amb Surf Solar – versió curta – del LP Tarot Sport.

And, last but not least, another one of the music critics’ favourites from last year, the Fuck Buttons with Surf Solar, from their album Tarot Sport.

I Got You Babe - Sonny and Cher

Resulta que ahir va ser el Dia de la Marmota (Groundhog Day) i jo sense dir res – imperdonable!
Bé, amb 24 hores de retard, I Got You Babe (Bono) de Sonny & Cher, del 1965. Potser us sonarà, us sonarà, us sonarà, us sonarà ...

Turns out that yesterday was Groundhog Day and I missed it – unforgiveable! Anyway, twenty-four hours late, here’s I Got You Babe (Bono) by Sonny & Cher, back in 1965. Maybe you’ve heard it before, maybe you’ve heard it before, maybe ...

Stillness Is The Move - Dirty Projectors

Segons els experts, un altre dels millors LPs de l’any passat va ser Bitte Orca dels Dirty Projectors.
Aquí tenim una de les peces més conegudes d’aquest LP, Stillness Is The Move.

According to the music critics, another of the best LPs of 2009 was Bitte Orca by Dirty Projectors.
One of the hits from this LP was Stillness Is The Move.

Who Wrote Holden Caulfield - Green day

El dijous passat va morir l’escriptor JD Salinger. La seva novel·la El Vigilant en el Camp de Sègol (The Catcher in the Rye) és tot un clàssic i només per això Salinger mereix estar, i està, a la llista dels millors autors nort-americans del segle 20. Si afegim la seva vida personal, sabent que es va fugir del mon i va viure tancat a casa seva sense comunicar-se en el món exterior durant els propers 40 anys fins ara, constantment escrivint i re-escrivint matèria nova però sense publicar res, tenim tot un misteri sobre els seus pensaments i motius per a escriure.

S’ha escrit i parlat molt sobre ell i utilitzant el Google podeu saber tot i més. No és veritat que no va parlar en ningú, es veu que tenia uns quants amics íntims però si que es cert que cap mitjan va aconseguir parlar en ell, llevat d’una única entrevista fa un parell de dècades.

Oblidant d'ell i tornant al llibre – és bonissim! No dic res més, ja ho heu llegit, o ho llegireu, espero.

El personatge principal del llibre és Holden Caulfield i és un referència cultural constant en llibres, pel·lícules, cançons americans. Aquí tenim a Green Day amb Who wrote Holden Caulfield (Armstrong) del LP Kerplunk!, de l’any 1992.
Gràcies, JD.

JD Salinger passed away last Thursday at the age of 91. His novel, Catcher in the Rye, is a modern classic and with for this major work alone, Salinger is recognised as one of the most important American authors of the 20th century. If we think of his personal life, basically living as a recluse for the last 40 years, constantly writing and re-writing new material, but never publishing, the mystery and myth becomes greater.

Much has been said about Salinger and doing a quick Google search will tell you all you need to know and more. Apparently he did have close friends, but never ventured into the public eye again refusing all contact with the media except for one interview a couple of decades ago. The book itself – a must!

The main character in the novel, Holden Caulfield, is constantly referenced in north-American culture; books, films, music. Today’s clip is Green Day singing Who wrote Holden Caulfield (Armstrong) from their LP Kerplunk!, released in 1992.

Sunday Morning Coming Down - Kris Kristofferson

Aquesta cançó acaba la setmana temàtica. Amb diumenge o sense diumenge al títol, però, igualment mereix estar escoltada – és molt molt bona! Les cançons country sempre saben evocar les emocions d’una manera o una altra, i amb la melancolia de la guitarra i la veu, Kris ho encerta de ple.
Sunday Morning Comin Down (diumenge de matí, baixant). S’han fet moltes versions però em quedo en les de Kris Kristofferson, l’autor original. Kris va incloure aquest tema al seu LP Kristofferson a l’any 1970, però aquest clip é relativament recent.

This classic country and western song deserves to be here independently of whether or not it fits in with the “days of the week” theme – it’s fantastic! C&W songs always tend to stir the emotions and here, Kris’ voice and guitar hit just the right melancholic note.
Sunday Morning Coming Down (Kristofferson) has been recorded by many artists, but I’ll stick with the original by Kris Kristofferson. This single was off his first LP, Kristofferson, in 1970 – although today’s video clip is from a much more recent performance.

Well, I woke up Sunday morning,
With no way to hold my head that didn't hurt.
And the beer I had for breakfast wasn't bad,
So I had one more for dessert.
Then I fumbled through my closet for my clothes,
And found my cleanest dirty shirt.
And I shaved my face and combed my hair,
And stumbled down the stairs to meet the day.
I'd smoked my brain the night before,
On cigarettes and songs I'd been pickin'.
But I lit my first and watched a small kid,
Cussin' at a can that he was kicking.
Then I crossed the empty street,
And caught the Sunday smell of someone fryin' chicken.
And it took me back to somethin',
That I'd lost somehow, somewhere along the way.

On the Sunday morning sidewalk,
Wishing, Lord, that I was stoned.
'Cos there's something in a Sunday,
Makes a body feel alone.
And there's nothin' short of dyin',
Half as lonesome as the sound,
On the sleepin' city sidewalks:
Sunday mornin' comin' down.

In the park I saw a daddy,
With a laughin' little girl who he was swingin'.
And I stopped beside a Sunday school,
And listened to the song they were singin'.
Then I headed back for home,
And somewhere far away a lonely bell was ringin'.
And it echoed through the canyons,
Like the disappearing dreams of yesterday.

On the Sunday morning sidewalk,
Wishing, Lord, that I was stoned.
'Cos there's something in a Sunday,
Makes a body feel alone.
And there's nothin' short of dyin',
Half as lonesome as the sound,
On the sleepin' city sidewalks:
Sunday mornin' comin' down.

Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting - Elton John

Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting (Taupin/John) – la nit del dissabte està bé per a les baralles – de Elton John. Aquest hit és del LP Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, del 1972, encara que en aquest concert Elton tenia uns 30 anys més!

Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting (Taupin/John) was one of Elton John’s hits from 1972’s LP, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. This clip is from a concert with a 30 year older Elton, though!

Friday's Child - Nancy Sinatra

Divendres i continuem amb la setmana temàtic. Avui, fill, o filla, dels divendres – Friday’s Child (Hazelwood) cantada per Nancy Sinatra en el LP Movin’ With Nancy, de l’any 1967.

Continuing with the “song titles featuring days of the week” theme, today it’s Nancy Sinatra’s turn with Friday’s Child (Hazelwood) from her 1967 LP Movin’ With Nancy.

Thursday's Child - David Bowie

Dijous, o sigui, Thursday. Per avui tenim David Bowie cantant Thursday’s Child (Bowie, Gabrels) del LP “hours ...” de l’any 1999. Aparentment la van escriure com a una peça de la banda sonora d’un joc de ordenadors, Omikron.

Thursday’s here again and today’s song is Thursday’s Child (Bowie, Gabrels) by David Bowie, form his 1999 LP “hours ...”. This track was apparently written to appear in the Omikron computer game.

Les Terres de l'Ebre existeixen i són a Catalunya

26.1.2010

RAC1 Jordi Basté.

Wednesday Week - The Undertones

Mentre no sé si estem en escac o escac i mat amb la situació del cementeri nuclear – suposo que tot depèn de la força de la Generalitat de fer prevaler la seva postura, la qual per fi sembla clar – pos, continuarem amb la música.

Wednesday Week (O’Neill) dels The Undertones. El grup nord-irlandès va incloure aquesta single, juntament amb el més conegut My Perfect Cousin, al seu LP de l’any 1980, Hypnotised.

We are still waiting for the final moves in the long fight regarding the nuclear waste site proposed for our area - the Catalan government, and local population are against it, but the mayor and town council have voted in favour. Let’s go on with the show ...

Wednesday Week (O’Neill) by the Northern Irish group, The Undertones. This single was included, together with the more well-known hit My Perfect Cousin, on their LP Hypnotised back in 1980.

Sun Comes Up, It's Tuesday Morning - Cowboy Junkies

De les moltes opcions per cançons sobre els dimarts, pos, aposto per Sun Comes Up, It’s Tuesday Morning (Timmins) dels Cowboy Junkies – de qui sentirem més, més endavant. Aquesta peça està inclòs al seu LP The Caution Horses de l’any 1990.
El sol surt, és dimarts de matí.

Of the many songs featuring Tuesday in their titles, we’ve gone for this one – Sun Comes Up, It’s Tuesday Morning (Timmins) by the Cowboy Junkies – of whom we’ll be hearing a lot more in future posts. This song is off their 1990 LP, The Caution Horses.