QU Spring Break Play List

My music for the week is the "1812 Overture" by Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893).   It took me nearly a week to figure out why it has been on my mind, but it finally dawned on me that it matches the music from (the 2001 HBO series) "Band of Brothers", which I’ve been watching all week.  

"1812 Overture" - www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DFsF_0tfiM.

"Band of Brothers" theme song composed by Michael Kamen  (1948-2003) - www.youtube.com/watch?v=GA2FOVlNb6Q.

(Thomas Williams)

"Ohio" - Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young - In a world of increasing crack down on dissent, this is a fitting song (Daniele Dugre-Martin).
(Editor's note - The tragic shooting at Kent State University took place on May 4, 1970. David Crosby saw the famous picture on the cover of LIFE Magazine (see below), gave it to Neil Young, and several hours later, the Canadian-born guitarist has written the song. Crosby booked a studio and, within three hours, the quartet had produced both the A and B sides of 45 rpm. Side B was the acoustic version of Stephen Stills' "Find the Cost of Freedom."  The single was released to radio stations within the week and then to the public 12 days after the tragic event.)

"Fortunate Son" - Creedence Clearwater Revival - John Fogerty and company put out five albums from 1968 - 1970 and each one was a mix of blues, rock, folk, and more and better than the one before it.  Fogerty knew a great "hook" when he heard it and this song built on Doug "Cosmo" Clifford's speaker-rattling drums tells the story of how rich kids get out of serving their country, how old folks, especially politicians, have no issue sending young men off to die.  Fogerty wrote several other "protest" songs ("Who'll Stop The Rain" and "Don't Look Now") and liked to poke fun at the California governor at the time ("Ronnie the Popular") but mostly the band is known for the songs, "Proud Mary" and "Down On The Corner."
(Richard Kamins)

"2am" - Bear Hands - It has a very relaxed sound, and is actually a very good song to listen to at 2am (especially because I am usually the only one I know awake at 2am if I do stay up that late). I like that it really reflects how you (or at least I) often think when it's 2am.

(Megan Winslow)



Because it's Break Week, I leave you with two songs, one from 1970 and the other from 2011. The older song is Bobby Bloom's only hit, "Montego Bay", with its Caribbean feel, whistling, and easy feelings. This version has the surprise ending that the original 45 cut out!



The other is Bruno Mars and "The Lazy Song."  A bit profane but it's another song with whistling, an Islands beat, and, most of the time, you can sing along. Come on, it's a vacation song!

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Enjoy!