Odds & Ends

[stoutfellow]

Sindbad: The 13th Voyage is, indeed, a strange book. I think it's best that I regard it as a series of adventures, not progressing towards anything in particular. I'm just not sure what the point is, if any.

I didn't expect Iron Butterfly's music to be quite as interesting as it is. (It probably helps that I generally don't pay attention to the words.) I like their use of the organ. It seems to me that there's not enough variety in instrumentation in popular music these days. I don't recall good use of the saxophone since Gerry Rafferty - I'm not counting pure instrumentals - or of the more subtle kinds of percussion, for instance. On the other hand, I'm not exactly up on the popular music scene, so I may be mistaken here.

A couple of days ago, I was the only person on the bus en route to work. The driver amused himself by singing a medley of soul music. I don't recall what-all he sang, but "Dock of the Bay" was one of them. Not a bad voice, although I might quarrel with his pacing. (See what I'd miss if I drove?)

Comments

[kd5mdk.livejournal.com]

"Dock of the Bay" is one of a long list of popular 60s folk songs (and some earlier, perhaps) I first heard of on a CD I have of Vietnam filk, taken from recordings distributed in theatre by Army & Air Force semi-offical bands. It's very interesting, and remarkably different, I'd say, from what a lot of people think of. This one in particular is done as "Sitting in the cab of my truck", a Ho Chi Minh trail truckdriver describing the war from his point of view (there are several of these). Very interesting, and quite sympathetic.

Iron Butterfly

[hornedhopper.livejournal.com]

The only song from Iron Butterfly that I remember was "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida." When I was around 14-15, they came to give a concert. Being the little hippie that I was from 13-15, of course I was in attendance. What MOST struck me after they began playing said song: it seemed to go on FORRRRRever. After about 40 minutes, I went out into the hall to walk around the Coliseum. When I returned 20 minutes or so later, they were STILL playing it. Man, I've had boring moments in my life, but that hour of "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" ranks right up there among the top 5. (g)

Re: Iron Butterfly

[stoutfellow.livejournal.com]

The version on my album (the original version, I think) is 17:05 long. A little background: in Brin's The Uplift War, if I recall correctly, Fiben Bolger mentions "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" as very popular among neochimps. After I read that, I remembered a time when that song seemed to be playing constantly in my big brother's room. I didn't remember the group, though, so I called him to find out. It seemed to me that that song was one which any decent collection of '60s music ought to contain, so I ordered the album.

I frequently do that - take a flyer on an album for the sake of one song. More often than not it pays off, and it did in this case. I'm not saying that I'm delighted with the other tracks, but they do do things that I don't often hear, and rather like.

Re: Iron Butterfly

[hornedhopper.livejournal.com]

Heh. When you write "constantly," it seems to me that it was probably the *same* song, and your brother most likely just had to lift the needle from the turntable for dinner and homework, only to set it back down where he'd left off! (g)

Re discovering songs unknown from album purchases, yes, I've enjoyed the thrill, too, of finding an unexpected treat. I also agree that "Dock of The Bay" has to be one of the all-time, best songs. "A Rainy Night in Georgia" ranks up there, too.