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!

-

Enjoy!

Welcome - Week One

The purpose of this blog is to share music that members of the Quinnipiac University are listening to these days.  At this point in time, the list only reflects the two classes I am teaching this semester, an FYS-101 and a QU 301, plus contributions from invited members of the QU community. The latter group will grow as the blog continues through the semester.  Feel free to comment but no spam!

CRO - "Einmal un de Welt" - Chose this song because we briefly talked about German music. I think this one is really upbeat and fun. I don't understand it, but from what I know he's just talking about girls and money and traveling. Basically the same thing that American singers/rappers talk about. Languages may be different but it seems to me that wherever you go in the world, mainstream music culture is the same. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2pySXCmwpc
Haniya Ahmed (FYS)

John Prine - "Clay Pigeons" - I've been listening to Clay Pigeons sung and played by John Prine.  This is written by another fellow named Blaze.  I’m just curious what others think of this song/ballad, and if Theresa or may not be a greater or lesser appreciation dependent on age.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3zNl6NsOyY
Alden Mead (Faculty)

Billie Holiday - "Strange Fruit" - Thought I might share a song we’re singing in the spring concert of Another Octave – Connecticut Women’s Chorus.  The concert theme is “Heroes & Villains”; I’m sure you can guess which category this song falls under.  The song is “Strange Fruit,” an eerie song where the tempo and the way the words are sung are vital to the meaning in the song.  The Billie Holiday version is the version you should include in your blog; it’s probably the best known, although many singers have sung.  Be sure to post a version with the words…and be careful choosing because I found some errors, such as “popular trees” instead of “poplar trees”!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mO92ll_q0k
Anne Harrigan (Faculty)

Imagine Dragons - "Radioactive" - This song has a mix of hard rock and a touch of heavy metal genres. It is slow beat with a chorus that repeats a few times. When I listen to the song it projects a heavy rhythmic beat, which is ideal for difficult cardio-vascular exercises like cycle, elliptical, treadmill, running stadium steps or bicycling. By increasing the resistance or slope of the machines used or the number of repetitions, the ‘heaviness’ of the song provides a beat that can help you work through the heaviness of the exercise when your legs, lungs and heart are challenged. The lyrics of the song (below) are not necessarily upbeat, it is the tune that is the take-away and very applicable to the toughest part of the particular cardio exercise at that moment.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktvTqknDobU
Joe Gaffney (Faculty)

Barry Phillips - "The World Turned Upside Down" - The music is colonial American. The album's title song is well known as a dance tune played by both colonial forces and the Regulars (particularly when they surrendered at Yorktown in 1781!)

I play the album when I read and write as I find it calming and contemplative.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUcH0Of_sxs
Thomas Williams (faculty)

Panic! At The Disco - "Northern Downpour" - I chose this song because the lyrics may seem nonsensical at first, but have a deeper meaning when you think about them. I really appreciate the metaphors that they use since they're very descriptive, and I also like how many different meanings the song can have to different people, or even at different times in your life. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zouSojyIi94
Megan Winslow (QU class of 2020)

Led Zeppelin - "Immigrant Song" - It has powerful lyrics with Viking overtones (I love the Orkney Islands where most of the males have been identified as having “Viking” DNA).  I saw this performed in concert and it simply gave goosebumps.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8OtzJtp-EM
Daniele Dugre- Martin (Learning Commons)

Green Day - "Poprocks and Coke" - The lyrics are terrific. At one point in my life, I was at a bad point. This song, and the lyrics of the song, were just what I needed at that time to help me deal with some of the things I was struggling with.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zxw2Iwu__IY
Chris Hakala (faculty)

"The Band's Visit" - Original Cast Recording - Katrina Lenk - "Omar Sharif" - I listen to a lot of music and it's hard to pick one track but I am quite enamored of the music from the Broadway play "The Band's Visit". Based on a 2007 Israeli movie, the play tells the following story:
"After a mix-up at the border, an Egyptian Police Band is sent to a remote village in the middle of the Israeli desert. With no bus until morning and no hotel in sight, these unlikely travelers are taken in by the locals. Under the spell of the desert sky, their lives become intertwined in the most unexpected ways." The music was composed by David Yazbek ("The Full Monty") and combines all sorts of influences.  I really enjoy the story (Israeli humor can be quite sarcastic and ironic) and the project plays to my idealistic belief that music can heal a fractured world.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDgm61Jnc7g
RB Kamins (faculty)

That's all I have for this first edition - I'll update the blog, at least, twice a week. Hope you find new sounds!