Redartz: Greetings, gang! Once again, we have a couple of things for you to ponder over. Let's get right to them, shall we?
1. What songs bring to mind, for you, a particular season?
I was thinking about this recently, as Summer is rapidly nearing it's end here in the USA. There's a whole genre known as 'summer songs', and each year much debate can be found on chat sites debating which song will be the 'song of the summer'. But what struck me is that nobody ever speaks about the other seasons! Sure, 'seasonal music' can refer to the holiday-themed tunes you are surrounded with at the end of each year. But discounting those, what songs are linked, for you anyway, to a specific season? I'll give my example right now: Gordon Lightfoots's "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald". This great tune will be forever associated with Autumn, in my mind. Perhaps because it was popular in the fall of 1976; I still recall hearing it playing on a radio while helping my Dad rake leaves in the yard. And lyrically, it has some fall-ish elements: referring to the "gales of November". Even the production, the sound of the song, has a wistful feel that almost chills you. So, that's my Fall song.
Gordon Lightfoot, "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald"
2. Name an unusual Team-up / Mash-up that you'd love to see in a comic.
In the recent post about 'fun' comics, I mentioned the "Archie Meets Batman '66" comics. These days crossovers between companies are returning (although Marvel seems the exception to this), and even crossovers between different media (Green Lantern and the Planet of the Apes) are becoming a 'thing'. In that spirit, what oddball combo would you like to see; any pairing is fair game. I'm going for some haunted humor in my answer: Casper the Friendly Ghost meets the Ghostbusters! Would Peter and the crew immediately try to capture the ethereal youngster, or would Casper convince the 'busters' to help him corral the "Ghostly Trio"? I'd buy this book sight unseen...
Okay, there's my questions and answers. Now let's hear from you!
11 comments:
At the risk of being pilloried for stating the obvious... LOL... Vivaldi's "Four Seasons."
The ode to the ore boat, Edmund's Fitzgerald, does indeed invoke late Autumn for me, and resonates strongly! Living on Lake Michigan, I daily watched a few dozen ore boats as they sailed between Gary, Indiana, and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan (and Wisconsin) bringing their loads of ore to feed the furnaces of Gary's Steel Mills.
Golden Brown by The Stranglers also puts me in a Fall mindset. Not sure if it is the title itself, or the harpsichord reminding me of leaves falling as I contemplate a girlfriend.
Enemy Ace and Phantom Eagle.
Blackhawks and The Howling Commandoes - by Marvel, not DC - since Marvel's war comics tended more towards swashbuckling style as did the Blawkhawks under Quality Comics Group.
Same as CH47, Red--- yep, Edmund Fitzgerald is one of the few songs I can think of that makes me think & feel of Autumn.
The seasonal association for me tends to be rooted more in when I would have bought a particular album, and then listened to it to death. So, Alan Parson's PYRAMID has a huge autumnal feel for me, as I bought it in the very late summer, and it turned into my back-in-the-dorm album at the start of every college year. BEST OF CARLY SIMON also has similar deep associations with Fall. . . a staple of the going-to-sleep-with-headphones turntable stack. "Haven't Got Time For the Pain" particularly resonates with brisk night winds, lonely drives home on rural roads, and the rustle of dry, fallen leaves. . .
Ha! The Caspar/Ghostbusters mash-up is brilliant!
And this is always a fun exercise----
One that I'm sure pops up all the time (and perhaps it's happened?) is Edwin Jarvis and Alfred Pennyworth getting together. . . but I would totally add PG Wodehouse's Jeeves to that mix. Like Alfred Hitchcock's Three Investigators--- but with butlers. . . ha!
Or, if you wanted a more ill-matched, volatile mix detectives--- Shawn Spencer (from PSYCH), Hercule Poirot, and Sam Spade--- all on the case!
Polly Purebread and Lois Lane--- Ace Reporters on the Scene!
Machine Man, Inspector Gadget, and Mr Data---- What Price Humanity?
Cyborg, Steve Austin, and 7of9--- (and oh wow, the unfortunate love-triangle THAT would create, no matter which pairing you went with--)
Ah-- gotta go build scenery!
HB
Charlie, I too thought of Vivaldi's Four Seasons - the Spring section is the most joyful, springlike thing you'll ever hear!
The first Autumn song that comes to mind is "Forever Autumn" by Justin Hayward, from Jeff Wayne's musical version of "The War Of The Worlds". The single came out in 1978 and it reminds me of my final pre-teen Autumn before I turned 13 in February 1979. In those pre-teen days it was still acceptable to bring games to school in the last few days before Christmas - but by the following Christmas in 1979 we were teenagers and therefore too "grown-up" for such childish things!
A mash-up? Planet Of The Apes meets The Monkees.
Hmm. . . I can't think of a particular autumn song - but have full albums I tend to listen to during certain seasons.
Beck's Sea Change album as a whole has that autumn feeling, as does Bon Iver's For Emma.
I always associate Prince's 1999 with winter. Part of that has to do with New Year's and the theme of the title track, but also b/c I first heard it around XMas of 1981.
My summertime albums are XTC's Skylarking but also Digable Planet's Reachin' (A New Refutation of Time and Space).
Stevie Wonder's Songs in the Key of Life for spring.
Like Colin, I immediately thought of Justin Hayward's Forever Autumn when the subject of autumn songs was raised.
Pretty much any Christmas song will do for winter.
I can't think of any spring-related songs.
In the Summertime by Mungo Jerry is the first summery song that pops into my head, for obvious reasons.
When it comes to comic book mash-ups, I'd go for Manhunter and Dr Strange, simply because I can see no reason at all why that would ever happen.
Even though the lyrics note that it's 'on a winter's day,' I associate "California Dreaming" by the Mamas & the Papas with both autumn and winter - really, any time the weather is cold, gray and miserable and you're longing for a little sunshine.
As for team-ups, I remember way back when I was a little kid watching my favorite TV shows, I thought it would have been cool to see Wonder Woman meet the Man from Atlantis. Now, given how much time has passed, that idea could pretty much only be carried out in comics - and I'm surprised that it hasn't been done yet, since a few years ago there was a comic book mini-series featuring another team-up I would have loved back in the day: Wonder Woman and the Bionic Woman.
And since HB mentioned Jeeves, on the more absurd side, I'd love a comic-book team-up between Jeeves and Wooster and, say, Dominic Fortune, or really any of the pulp heroes of the 1930s, like Doc Savage, the Shadow, or - especially - the Domino Lady.
Charlie- good call on "Four Seasons"; get 'em all covered in one shot!
Also, great suggestion of Enemy Ace and Phantom Eagle. Drama in the high skies of WW1...
HB- you're right, the personal aspect of 'when you first got the record' definitely affects the temporal perceptions of the song (just spent my 'five dollar word' allotment for the day). Which only makes sense, most songs don't have particular lyrical reference to a season; so it's all an individual thing.
The Butlers; sounds like a miniseries for the ages. And "Polly Purebred meets Lois Lane" would be perfect- can you just see Lex Luthor and Simon Bar Sinister working together on that one...
Colin J- okay, another song to look up and listen to. That's fine; Justin Hayward is well worth the effort. Also, bringing games to school sounds like a fine way to ease into Christmas vacation!
Osvaldo- kudos for tackling all four seasons. And that Stevie Wonder lp is indeed a perfect Spring sound.
Steve D.C.- Manhunter and Dr. Strange; terrific! I love total randomness (to my wife's occasional frustration). That could start a floodtide of possibilities; say Wonder Woman and It, the Living Colossus...
Edo- yes, "California Dreaming" certainly evokes the colder, grayer months. Fabulous tune, amazingly performed.
Annnnd, "Wonder Woman and the Bionic Woman"? Wow, how did I miss that one? Thanks for enlightening me...
Music... ?
I know summer always meant "camp songs" but when was the last time you heard "When you're running down to first and your pants about to burst, diarrhea, diarrhea" or "Comet, it taste like gasoline, Comet, will make your insides clean..."?
Mash-ups?
I would love to see a "Raising Arizona" remake where H.I. is pitted against The Ghost Rider for the baby...
Also, a 4 part crossover on Charmed, Supernatural, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. The forces of darkness are trying to wrest control of the Nexus or some such thing.
WAIT!!! Veronica Mars is brought in to try and solve the kidnapping!!!
(Spread out now Rosie, doctor come cut loose her mama's reins
You know playin' blind man's bluff is a little baby's game
You pick up Little Dynamite, I'll pick up Little Gun
And together we're gonna go out tonight and make that highway run
You don't have to call me lieutenant, Rosie, and I don't want to be your son
The only lover I'm ever gonna need's your soft, sweet, little girl's tongue
And Rosie, you're the one
Dynamite's in the belfry, baby, playin' with the bats
Little Gun's downtown in front of Woolworth's tryin' out his attitude on all the cats
Papa's on the corner, waitin' for the bus
Mama, she's home in the window, waitin' up for us
She'll be there in that chair when they wrestle her upstairs, 'cause you know we ain't gonna come
I ain't here on business, baby, I'm only here for fun
And Rosie, you're the one
Rosalita, jump a little higher
Senorita, come sit by my fire
I just want to be your lover, ain't no liar
Rosalita, you're my stone desire
Jack the Rabbit and Weak Knee Willie, don't you know they're gonna be there
Sloppy Sue and Big Bone Billy, they'll be coming up for air
We're gonna play some pool, skip some school
Act real cool, stay out all night, it's gonna feel alright
So Rosie, come out tonight, little baby, come out tonight
Windows are for cheaters, chimneys for the poor
Closets are for hangers, winners use the door
So use it, Rosie, that's what it's there for
Rosalita, jump a little higher
Senorita, come sit by my fire
I just want to be your lover, ain't no liar
Rosalita, you're my stone desire
Now, I know your mama, she don't like me, 'cause I play in a rock and roll band
And I know your daddy, he don't dig me, but he never did understand
Your papa lowered the boom, he locked you in your room-- I'm comin' to lend a hand
I'm comin' to liberate you, confiscate you, I want to be your man
Someday we'll look back on this and it will all seem funny
But now you're sad, your mama's mad
And your papa says he knows that I don't have any money
Your papa says he knows that I don't have any money
Oh, your daddy says he knows that I don't have any money
Well, tell him this is his last chance to get his daughter in a fine romance
'Cause a record company, Rosie, just gave me a big advance
And my tires were slashed and I almost crashed, but the Lord had mercy
And my machine, she's a dud, out stuck in the mud somewhere in the swamps of Jersey
Well, hold on tight, stay up all night, 'cause Rosie, I'm comin' on strong
By the time we meet the morning light, I will hold you in my arms
I know a pretty little place in Southern California, down San Diego way
There's a little cafe, where they play guitars all night and all day
You can hear them in the back room strummin'
So hold tight, baby, 'cause don't you know Daddy's comin'
Everybody sing
Rosalita, jump a little higher
Senorita, come sit by my fire
I just want to be your lover, ain't no liar
Oh Baby, you're my stone desire
Hey hey hey hey
Hey hey hey hey
Hey hey hey hey
Hey hey hey hey).
Red, re: WW meets the Bionic Woman, yep, that happened. Here's the listings for the individual issues. The trade collection of that series is one I'm keeping an eye out for on secondary markets (i.e., I'm waiting for a dirt-cheap copy). Otherwise, that mini followed up on the Wonder Woman '77 series that was done in the same spirit as Batman '66 - and yes, there was a Batman '66 meets Wonder Woman '77 team-up. Last year there was also a Wonder Woman and Conan mini-series, written by Gail Simone.
By the way, this talk of crossovers reminded me of one my older brother and I used to joke about back in late '70s: Star Trek meets Star Wars meets Battlestar Galactica (which I'm pretty sure I mentioned before at the BAB). The seminal scene features Spock on the bridge of the Galactica, looking at the Death Star in a viewscreen and saying, "Fascinating!"
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