Monday, August 31, 2009

What a Fool Believes


Song: What a Fool Believes
Artist: Doobie Brothers
Album: Minute by Minute






30 Rock had been doing some serious Michael McDonald jokes that were cracking me up. But if I'm honest, I'd surely admit that this song, if found on some Lite FM Adult Contemporary Radio, would be sung along to. And his voice? It really is something else. The hipsters may disagree, but this one belongs in every collection.

"What a Fool Believes" is a song written by Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins, and recorded by The Doobie Brothers for their 1978 album Minute by Minute (with McDonald singing lead vocals). The single reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on April 14, 1979, remaining in that position for one week. The song received Grammy Awards in 1980 for both Song of the Year and Record of the Year.

"What a Fool Believes" was one of the few non-disco No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 during 1979.

Michael Jackson claimed to have contributed at least one backing track to the original recording, but was not credited for having done so.


Lyrics

The song tells the story of a meeting between a man and a woman who had dated some time ago. The man is the titular "fool" who discovers, but is unable to accept, that the woman meant far more to him than he did to her. Although he clings fondly to the memories of their previous time together and yearns to restore their bond as he remembers it, it is clear that in actuality, their relationship was never particularly special to her. Even as she attempts, with a polite apology, to end his fantasy, he continues to hold fast the belief that some day they may be reunited as a couple.

Other versions by Loggins and McDonald

Loggins released a version of the song (five months prior to The Doobie Brothers) on his 1978 albumNightwatch, and a live version on his 1980 album Kenny Loggins Alive.

There is a Loggins/McDonald live duet on Loggins' 1993 album Outside: From the Redwoods.

Warner Brothers also released a 12" single disco version by The Doobie Brothers (backed with "Don't Stop to Watch the Wheels"). Mixed by disco producer Jim Burgess, at 5:31 the song is considerably longer than 3:41 versions on the 7" single and the Minute by Minute LP. The 12" version also has a more pronounced bass-driven drumbeat.

Live versions of the song often feature a guitar bridge after the second verse.

Cover versions

Numerous cover versions of the song have been recorded, including:

While not a cover version, the 1980 hit "Steal Away" by Robbie Dupree is built around a keyboard riff which is notably similar to that of the Doobie Brothers hit.

Appearances in other media

  • A fictional account of the creation of this song was featured in the first episode (June 2005) of Yacht Rock, an Internet series featuring characters of Michael McDonald and the Doobies. In the parody, Kenny Loggins inspires McDonald to write the song after Doobie guitarist Jeff "Skunk" Baxterthreatens to kick McDonald out of the band unless he writes a hit song for them.
  • The song was used in "The Monkey Suit", the 21st episode of the 17th season (14 May 2006) of the The Simpsons TV show. It was used as background music for an animatronic representation of biblical creation theory.
  • The song was used in one of the Stella shorts.
  • The song was featured on the original movie soundtrack of Frankie and Johnny.
  • A cover of the song was featured on an episode of the television show 30 Rock entitled "St. Valentine's Day".
  • The song featured in Jeremy Clarkson's Top Gear review of the BMW M5.
  • A cover of Petula Clark's "Downtown" on the Canadian sketch comedy series SCTV includes a variation of the beginning of "What a Fool Believes". A Michael McDonald impersonator sings backup in the song.
  • Another Michael McDonald lookalike sings the song's melody with different words in the Late Night with Conan O'Brien sketch "The Camp Michael McDonald Channel". The McDonald impersonator also sings different words to the tune of "Takin' It to the Streets" and McDonald's solo hit "Sweet Freedom".
Enjoy


What a Fool Believes (live)
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Friday, August 28, 2009

Walk the Night


Song: Walk the Night
Artist: Skatt Brothers
Album: Walk the Night






So you can say that you have least one sleazy 70's gay disco track... I give you the Skatt Brothers' "Walk the Night." This song is so outrageously gay... I'm even a little embarrassed. Just read about this one and had to check it out. I feel dirty just listening to it.

The Skatt Brothers (or Skatt Bros.) was a band from Ontario, Canada formed in 1979. They have been compared to "gay" bands like the Village People and Ingram Brothers for parallels in music.

History

Delaney formed the band in 1979. The original lineup consisted of Delaney himself as well as Peter Sweval, Richard Martin-Ross, David Andez, Richie Fontana and Craig Krampf. Delaney later replaced Andez and Krampf with Danny Brant.

In 1980, the band released Walk the Night (written by Fontana and Andez), which has been widely popular, reaching #9 in theBillboard charts and #1 on various national charts. Walk the Night is considered the band's cult classic and most famous release.

Popular culture

The band's classic Walk the Night appeared on the official soundtrack of the video game Grand Theft Auto IV. According to Rockstar Games, the company thought the song so important to have on the soundtrack that they hired an private investigator to locate Delayney's (who passed away in 2003) surviving relatives and secure the rights to include it.

Discography

Strange Spirits
Casablanca supported this release with a single release in the US of "Dancing' For The Man" backed with "Walk The Night." A Village People-inspired video was also filmed for "Life At The Outpost," released as a single in other markets, notably in Australia where it was backed with "Midnight Companion." The KISS connections continue on this album, apart from the obvious Sean Delaney one: A KISS pinball machine features on the album's rear cover photograph, suitably obscured. "Walk The Night" was included on the "The Casablanca Records Story" 4-CD box set in 1994.

Track listing

  1. "Dancin' For The Man" (Delaney) – 3:46
  2. "Fear Of Flying" (Morrison) - 3:44
  3. "Midnight Companion" (Delaney, Sweval) – 3:25
  4. "Walk The Night" (Andez, Fontana) – 3:53
  5. "Strange Spirits" (Sweval) – 4:21
  6. "Someone's Taken My Baby" (Delaney, Martin, Ross, Sweval) – 4:29
  7. "Life At The Outpost" (Delaney, Sweval) – 4:56
  8. "Old Enough" (Delaney, Sweval) – 5:43)

Enjoy.

Walk the Night

Life at the Outpost

I can't explain this...

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Thursday, August 27, 2009

Change


Song: Change (w/Wale)
Artist: Daniel Merriweather
Album: Love & War






Daniel Paul Merriweather (born February 17, 1982 in Melbourne, Australia) is an Australian R&B singer/songwriter. After several successful collaborations with artists such as Mark Ronson, he released his official debut album, Love & War, in June 2009. It entered the UK Albums Chart at number two. He had a debut album entitled The Fifth Season in 2006, but it was never released.

Biography

Music

Merriweather's first commercially released recording was a guest appearance on the track "All I Want" from Australian dance actDisco Montego's self-titled album in 2002. This was followed by a guest appearance on DJ/Producer Mark Ronson's Here Comes the Fuzz album ("She's Got Me") in 2003. His debut solo single "City Rules" (produced by Ronson and featuring raps from New York MCSaigon) followed in early 2004 with the aforementioned "She's Got Me" released as its follow-up. While neither song had any huge commercial success, both songs became favourites in Australian clubs and urban music circles; and won APRA and ARIA awards; with "City Rules" also getting some airplay on the major Australian commercial radio stations FOX FM (Melbourne)/2Day FMand B105. In 2005 he cowrote and coproduced much of friend Phrase's debut album Talk With Force; also lending vocals to three tracks including the single "Catch Phrase". A 2006/7 collaboration with Ronson (a version of The Smiths' "Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before"), had huge commercial success in the UK where it was released as the lead-off single for Ronson's album "Version" (reaching number two on the chart).

Daniel's first commercially available album Love & War was released in June 2009, reaching #2 on the UK albums chart. The album was preceded by the singles "Change" and "Red", which both made the top 10 on the UK singles charts.

Daniel cites Stevie Wonder, Prince, Jeff Buckley and Herbie Hancock as his major influences.

Personal life

Growing up in the Dandenong ranges area of Melbourne, Australia, Daniel attended The Patch Primary School, Billanook College, Blackburn High Schoo and Swinburne Senior Secondary College. His musical education began with violin lessons at the age of four; after dropping out of school, he focused all his attention on music, taking vocal lessons and performing in clubs around Melbourne He currently divides his time mostly between New York, and London.

Tours

Daniel has supported Kanye West on his Australian tour, opened for Biz Markie in Brooklyn and Justin Timberlake in London; and headlined 2004's "City Rules" tour of Australia with Mark Ronson, Scribe and P-Money. He has performed live on various radio and television programs, including Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Triple J's Hip Hop show, Radio 1's Live Lounge show, and Sunrise. He has performed at various festivals and events including the Montreux Jazz Festival (alongside Erick Sermon); the 2004 St Kilda Festivaland 2004 Melbourne World AIDS Day Concert.

During 2007, he toured the UK with Mark Ronson (as well as performing several solo shows). He also performed with Mark and the BBC Concert Orchestra at the 2007 BBC Electric Proms. He also performed at the MTV Video Music Awards on 9 September 2007 alongside Ronson who acted as the official DJ for the proceedings. On 22 February 2008, he appeared on BBC Radio One with Mark Ronson to perform a special version of his track 'Stop Me' as part of the early morning Chris Moyles breakfast show.

He also played at the 2008 Brit Awards alongside Mark Ronson. Also, he sang "Stop Me" on stage during Mark Ronson's Glastonbury 2008 set.Daniel performed in Australia for the first time since 2006 at the Global Gathering shows in November 2008 with Mark Ronson's Version Players.

At the 2009 02 Wireless festival in Hyde Park London, Daniel headlined the second stage where Mark Ronson supported him for half a set on guitar.

Daniel is set to play at this year's Oxegen festival in Punchestown Racecourse, Co. Kildare, Ireland. He has appeared on The Justin Lee Collins Show and Britain's Got More Talent.

Daniel appeared as the musical guest on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon on 14 July 2009 performing "Change" with rapper Wale

Discography

Main article: Daniel Merriweather discography
  • The Fifth Season (2006) (unreleased)
  • Love & War (2009)

Enjoy.

Change

Red

"Stop Me" Mark Ronson ft Danniel Merriweather - Live on Jimmy Kimmel
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