She's Got Her Own Hell To Raise

The above video is one of the most astonishing performances I have ever seen. When I caught this on the television a couple of weeks ago, I was a bit dumbfounded and rewound it immediately and watched it again (how will TV ever be the same? - topic for another day). Lucky for me, she was on tour this week and I saw her twice in two very intimate venues.

Bettye Lavette has had quite a life and is finding some success after 47 years in the business. The shows were amazing. It was the same each night, as if you had stepped back into the 1960's. The band was super tight and this woman, at the age of 62, was so remarkable, it is actually hard for me to find the words to explain what the experience was like. A friend who I went with the first night said that if you are lucky, you get to have this sort of experience maybe 5 times in your life. I would have to agree.

She was plucked out of relative obscurity a few years ago and has made two very interesting records of contemporary covers. The records are good, but there was something about the experience. It was theatrical in the sense that there were three dimensions to her performance live that just will not translate to CD, no matter what you do.

It was a very inspiring week. She kept signing all these years because she had too. Even when there was only one gig a year that paid 50 bucks. A lesson to us all to stay true to your heart.

Here's her take on Lucinda William's "Joy" and her own classic "Let Me Down Easy":



Her performance for nearly two hours was at this level of energy and performance.


Further listening:

From Conan last year doing "You Don't Know Me At All" - this was the band she played with - all very nice guys.
On Letterman: Dolly Parton's "Little Sparrow"
Elton John's "Talking Old Soldiers"
"Choices"

Blocked

So the holidays are finally and thankfully behind us. I spent yesterday afternoon dechristmasing the house which is always a bit bittersweet for me. I love Christmas and decorate like mad. On one hand I am sad to put it away and on the other, if I have to look at that god damned tree one more minute I will totally have a nervous breakdown.

Alas, I managed to get through the week or so of family activities relatively unscathed and I find myself having grand visions of 2009. I don't have resolutions for the new year as much as I have goals of shaking things up a bit. Is a goal a resolution with a fancy hat? I'm not sure. How you frame things makes a difference though. I feel like resolutions are made to be broken. And I feel like I am typing what I am thinking without a filter. It seems to be flowing quite nicely.

Anyhow, what need's shaking up and how to go about the shaking is the question. 2009 is already better than 2008. Last year was filled with many challenges (and lessons) for me and frankly I am ready (in my mind at least) to take the bull by the horns and go for it...whatever "it" may be. So many "it's" in life eh? The challenge now lies in where to begin. 2009 is the year of me. I deserve it after all these years.

This is stupid

I saw this commercial last night and I thought it was one of the more ridiculous holiday commercials I have seen. In case you didn't notice, it is for leasing the Lexxus. "Oh look honey, I got you a car payment for the next 36 moths for Christmas! Isn't that great?" Go ahead and buy me a car, don't sign me into a lease. Stupid.

Mercy!

I have been listening to all of the music I bought in 2008 on random on the trusty ol iPod. I will soon have my list of 2008 together (maybe we can do the failed CD swap with our favorites of '08?) Duffy's "Mercy" just came up and even though I have heard it a million times, I still love it. It reminded me of something else I loved this year.

Damn, the video is gone from YouTube!

Well did you watch So You Think You Can Dance? I loved the piece Twitch and Katee danced to this song. I loved the choreography. I love that show!

I mean, can I wait until June to see it? I guess we'll have Idol soon!

The Early Bird Gets The Worm

I am up really early today. Up even before the sunshine. There is a stillness you can find in the early hours of he morning that you can't find later in the day. It's as if I am the only one awake...like everyone else just decided to remain quiet and in there homes. Of course that will change as soon as I leave my apartment and enter the hustle and bustle of the season.

I am up to get a jump at the flea market by the way, not to be at some doorbuster sale at JCPenney's.

50 Years Of Song

I came across this random and cool list of 50 years of popular song condensed into single sentences. Do you see a theme?

The Beatles, "I Want to Hold Your Hand"

I want to do it with you.

Marvin Gaye, "Let's Get It On"

I want to do it with you.

Led Zeppelin, "Whole Lotta Love"

I want to do it with you.

Elvis Presley, "Hound Dog"

You're doing it with everyone.

Patsy Cline, "Crazy"

I want to do it with you so much I'm going fucking nuts.

Carly Simon, "You're So Vain"

We used to do it, but then you did it with someone else, and now I'm not going to do it with you, although I wish we were still doing it.

Radiohead, "Creep"

I'm filled with self-loathing, and, though outwardly I hate everything you represent, I want to do it with you.

Elvis Presley, "Jailhouse Rock"

Incarcerated men will on occasion do it with each other.

Céline Dion, "My Heart Will Go On"

Even your death has not stopped me wanting to do it with you.

Random Music Meme

Because I feel like doing a silly Meme.

* Put your IPod or MP3 player on shuffle.
* For each question, press the next button to get your answer
* YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS!
* Tag 10 friends who might enjoy doing the game as well as the person you got the note from.

Play if you want.

IF SOMEONE SAYS “IS THIS OKAY” YOU SAY?
Penny Lane - the Beatles

WHAT WOULD BEST DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONALITY?
Wonderful Shadow - Tanita Tikaram

WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY?
The Letter - Patty Larkin

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE’S PURPOSE?
Good Morning Baltimore - from Hairspray

WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?
Soul Of A Man - Etta James

WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
Criminal - the Pretenders

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
The Lady Is A Tramp - Rosemary Clooney

WHAT IS 2+2?
Kiss Me On My Neck - Erykah Badu

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?
You're The Top - Beegie Adair

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE? (this meme is so 8th grade!)
Voices - Madonna

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
Fake Your Way To The Top - from Dreamgirls

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
Some People - from Gypsy (the Bette Midler TV version for the record)

WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
Waltz for Eva and Che - from Evita (the Madonna version - this is the gayest meme ever)

WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
Locust Years - Kate Campbell

WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?
Johanna - from Sweeney Todd (not what we danced to at our wedding!)

WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
Most Beautiful - Frente!

WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?
Stairway to Heaven - Led Zeppelin (if only that was the last one LOL)

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
Wanna Be Loved - Jill Scott

WHAT’S THE WORST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN?
Narrow Escape - Ray LaMontagne

HOW WILL YOU DIE?
Hoodoo Voodoo - Billy Bragg & Wilco

WHAT IS THE ONE THING YOU REGRET?
Home - Duncan Sheik

WHAT MAKES YOU LAUGH?
American Crawl - David Garza

WHAT MAKES YOU CRY?
Be Still - Dish

WILL YOU EVER GET MARRIED?
Christian Street - Marah (we'll we are married but...)

WHAT SCARES YOU THE MOST?
Jesus Of Suburbia / City Of The Damned / I Don't Care / Dearly Beloved / Tales Of Another Broken Home - Green Day

IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME, WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE?
Field Below - Regina Spektor

WHAT HURTS RIGHT NOW?
Elvis Presley Blues - Gilian Welch

WHAT WILL YOU POST THIS AS?
Axis:Bold As Love - Joan Osborne