House of the Rising Sun*

There is a house in New Orleans
They call the "Rising Sun."
And it's been the ruin of many a poor girl,
And me, I know, for one.

My mother was a tailor.
She sewed my new blue jeans.
My father was a gamblin' man
Down in New Orleans.

And the only thing a gambler needs
Is a suitcase and a trunk.
The only time a gambler is satisfied
Is when he's on a drunk.

Oh mother tell your children
Not to do what I have done
Spend your lives in sin and misery
In the House of the Rising Sun

Well, I got one foot on the platform
The other foot on the train
I'm goin' back to New Orleans
To wear that ball and chain

Well, there is a house in New Orleans
They call the Rising Sun
And it's been the ruin of many a poor girl
And God I know I'm one.

--Traditional, though covered by a number of artists in all different ways. Also called *Rising Sun Blues.

I love this song. (And no, it's not just because of my southern adventure.) The line about having one foot on the platform and one foot on the train was borrowed for my own song, "Girl on a Platform," as it fit my song's indecisive and ambiguous nature. Regarding this particular song, no one knows exactly what the house is, or if it even existed. There are several explanations of what or where the house is, but nothing is really conclusive. Some say the house was a brothel and that the singer is a sex worker, but if you notice, there is nothing in the song that specifically mentions sex work. Some say it's a prison, since there's a line about a ball and chain, and others say it's a gambling hall. Another explanation is that the house is a facility where the sex workers were treated for STI's, and because the treatments were largely ineffective, the sex workers had to keep going back there. It's traditionally sung by women, so it could be any of the explanations. I kind of like the mysterious nature of its origins and its haunting tone. The most famous version is by the British band the Animals (with "girl" changed to "boy"), but I like Sinead O'Connor and Nina Simone's versions best. Maybe when I'm on my adventure, I'll see if I can figure out where and what the House is! Or maybe I'll find that sometimes, like Freud would say, sometimes lyrics are just lyrics.

No Man's Woman

So, in honor of St. Patrick's Day, this southern-European descended lady with no Irish in her is listening only to performers from The Emerald Isle. So here's what I have on repeat.

No Man's Woman

I don't wanna be no man's woman
It don't make me happy, this mantrolling
Thing that you got for me, so I become
No man's woman

I don't wanna be no man's woman
I've other work I want to get done
I have not traveled this far to become
No man's woman
No man's woman

Cause I'm TIRED of it
And I'm SO sick of it
That I'll never trust again.
Cause a man can take you,
Take your soul and make you
Miserable in so much pain.

My friends think I'm alone, but I've got secrets.
I don't tell everyone 'bout the love I get.
I've got a lovin' man, but He's a spirit...

He never does me harm, never treats me bad.
He never takes away all the love he has
And I'm forgiven, oh a million times

I've never tired of it
And I'm not so sick of it
Cause it doesn't cause me pain
Like a man can fake you,
Take your soul and make you
Never be yourself again.

I NEVER wanna be no man's woman.
I only wanna be MY OWN woman
I haven't traveled this far to become
No man's woman
No man's woman
No man's woman

By Sinead O'Connor. Put aside any preconceptions you might have of her off-stage antics; the woman is super-talented.

Fired up!

Fired up ain't gonna take it no more
Tied up ain't gonna take it no more
You say cool down, we say step down
You're breaking my mother's heart

Fired up ain't gonna take it no more
Tied up ain't gonna take it no more
You say cool down, we say step down
You're breaking my mother's heart

Children need schools more than they need jails
That's where our society fails
First seven years creates the child's foundation
Mandatory for a healthy nation

How could we forget that the children come first
We left them alone and they died of thirst
Mothers and fathers confused and forlorn
When the children are missing there's something wrong

Can't just focus on kids with wealth
Can't pick and choose who gets the health care
Take an honest look at the great divide
Looks dangerously similar to genocide

Fired up ain't gonna take it no more
Tied up ain't gonna take it no more
You say cool down, we say step down
You're breaking my mother's heart

Shame shame!

Ain't gonna take it no more
Tied up ain't gonna take it no more
You say cool down, we say step down
You break another mother's heart

Performed by Holly Near. I love how she sang at the very first Take Back the Night on the back of a big truck.

The Bug

In looking back at 2011, I think this song sums it up best (though it was not written in 2011). More blog posts to follow...

The Bug
By Mary Chapin Carpenter

Well it's a strange old game, you learn it slow
One step forward and it's back you go
You're standing on the throttle
You're standing on the brake
In the groove 'til you make a mistake

Sometimes you're the windshield
Sometimes you're the bug
Sometimes it all comes together baby
Sometimes you're just a fool in love
Sometimes you're the Louisville Slugger
Sometimes you're the ball
Sometimes it all comes together
Sometimes you're gonna lose it all

You gotta know happy - you gotta know glad
Because you're gonna know lonely
And you're gonna know sad
When you're rippin' and you're ridin'
And you're coming on strong
You start slippin' and slidin'
And it all goes wrong because

Sometimes you're the windshield
Sometimes you're the bug
Sometimes it all comes together baby
Sometimes you're just a fool in love
Sometimes you're the Louisville Slugger
Sometimes you're the ball
Sometimes it all comes together
Sometimes you're gonna lose it all

One day you got the glory and then you got none
One day you're a diamond and then you're a stone
Everything can change in the blink of an eye
So let the good times roll before we say goodbye because

Sometimes you're the windshield
Sometimes you're the bug
Sometimes it all comes together baby
Sometimes you're just a fool in love
Sometimes you're the Louisville Slugger
Sometimes you're the ball
Sometimes it all comes together
Sometimes you're gonna lose it all

Sometimes you're the windshield
Sometimes you're the bug
Sometimes it all comes together baby
Sometimes you're just a fool in love

Sometimes you're the windshield
Sometimes you're the bug
Sometimes it all comes together baby
Sometimes you're just a fool in love

Girl on the platform

Three girls catch the eyes of everyone around.
They bask in the attention, they're new in this town.
Two girls step out of the room and into the light.
Same situation, but something's not right.

Now I'm once again the girl on the platform
And I'm figuring out what I should do
The last time I ever walked these streets
Was when I walked the streets with you.

I've got one foot on the platform
I've got one foot on the train.
I know what I need to do,
But do I make my choice in vain?

Only two girls will return this time around.
All eyes are upon them as they wander through town.
Though they can speak out and stand up for what they believe,
Each one feels an emotional aching that never will leave.

Now I've gotta stand up and let myself be counted for,
Even if I'm not sure of my direction.
Make my choice at this crossroads and not look back
And ignore my thoughts of apprehension.

I've got one foot on the platform
I've got one foot on the train.
I know what I need to do,
But do I make my choice in vain?

Two girls leave the hotel and head through the town.
They'll find a way though their path to take.
What happened is in the past, this is the now
And they're prepared for what is at stake.

I can't forget you or my sisters before me
But now this path is mine to tread.
I'm heading back firm in my resolve,
And I'm ready for what is ahead.
Yes, I'm ready for what is ahead.

I've been working on this number for a while. The apprehension and emotional tension was all there, but I couldn't get it out for a while. Sometimes, emotion cannot be logic-ed away or explained--it's just there! I play acoustic guitar, and it seems like everybody's got a folk song with a train in it, so now I do. And I've shamelessly added some quotes from songs I like (but as a tribute, not as a copycat!). See if you can spot them. I need to find a way to set it to music....as I am a far better lyricist than composer.

The Doctor Could Fly

The Doctor
By David Hunt

I once had a minor case of African flu
So I sent for a doctor who would know what to do
A stranger came to see me and he said he had the cure
But he had no credentials so I wasn't too sure
He claimed he was a doctor and he knew how to fly!
But no one believed him until he took to the sky
He flew up and down for everybody to see
And that's how he proved he was a doctor to me

Oh, the doctor who knew how to fly!
Every one of his patients somehow managed to die!
I'm sure a lot of people would have seen through his lie
If they weren't so impressed because the doctor could fly!

He poked and he prodded me with pieces of straw
He depressed my tongue, and then he made me say "aah!"
He took my pulse, and then my temperature
He looked at it once and then again to be sure
He said I was only sixty-six degrees
And I needed some heat or else my blood would freeze
He reached in his bag, and then he drew forth a pill
He said if this one doesn't do it then another one ... might!

Oh, the doctor who knew how to fly!
Every one of his patients somehow managed to die!
I'm sure a lot of people would have seen through his lie
If they weren't so impressed because the doctor could fly!

I woke up feeling twice as bad the next day
"Relax!" he said, "that means it's going away!
I'll give you this pill, do you want purple or green?
They're all from the same supermarket vending machine!"

Oh, the doctor who knew how to fly!
Every one of his patients somehow managed to die!
I'm sure a lot of people would have seen through his lie
If they weren't so impressed because the doctor could fly!

Of course there's a moral, as you may have guessed
Every claim must be put to a legitimate test
Remember this when someone tries to prove theirs to you
The flying man who couldn't cure a case of the flu

Oh, the doctor who knew how to fly!
Every one of his patients somehow managed to die!
Remember this when someone tries to throw you a line
It doesn't really matter if he knows how to fly!

It Won't Take Long

They said some men would be warriors,
and some men would be kings.
And some men would be owners of land
and other man-made things.
And false love as the eternal flame
would move some to think in rings.
And gold would be our power
and other foolish things.

But you who dream of liberty
must not yourselves be fooled.
Before you get to plead for freedom,
you have agreed to being ruled.
If the body stays a shackle,
then the mind remains a chain
That'll link you to a destiny
whereby all good souls are slain.

And it won't take long,
it won't take too long at all
It won't take long, and you may say
"What has that got to do with me?"
and I say "You mean to tell me that's all?"

Of three men in a desert wandering,
one is knowing and two are scared.
They say time is in the river,
but the river is not there.
Dry in spirit, dry in body
two will lend themselves to death
And in grief one weeps into his hands
and drinks his bitter tears

'Cause it don't take long,
it don't take too long at all
It don't take long, and you may say,
"I don't know what you're talking about,"
and I say "You mean to tell me that's all?"

And as I stand before you now,
I am hopeful in my rage
You know love has finally called for me,
I will not wilt upon its stage
But still smaller than my nightmare
do I print upon the page
Do we have to live inside its walls
to identify the cage?

'Cause it takes so long,
why does it take so long,
But it takes so long, and you may say,
"I don't really care what you're talking about,"
and I say, "Are you trying to say you don't belong?"

I am my mother's daughter,
but I have seen myself in you
It's this blessing that I follow now,
and so I must speak true
I dreamed of thousands dying,
it was you and you and you,
And while the city sleeps so quietly
there is something we must do

And it wont' take long,
it won't take too long at all,
It won't take long, and you may say,
"I don't know if I wanna know what you're getting at,"
and it makes me wanna say, "So long."

Because grief will come in measures,
only grief alone will know
And you'll see it on your family,
on your own face it will grow
And they'll try to keep you hungry,
then they'll tell you to eat snow
You know pride can be a moving thing
if we learn the strength of "NO!"

And it won't take long,
it won't take too long at all,
It won't take long, and you may say,
"I don't think this has anything to do with me,"
"But did you ever think you could be wrong?"

At noon on one day coming,
human strength will fill the streets
Of every city on our planet,
hear the sound of angry feet
With business freezed up in the harbour,
the kings will pull upon their hair
And the banks will shudder to a halt,
and the artists will be there

'Cause it won't take long,
it won't take too long at all,
It won't take long, and you may say,
"I don't think I can be a part of that,"
and it makes me want to say,
"Don't you want to see yourself that strong?"

Division between the peoples
will disappear that honoured day
And though oceans lie between us,
lifted candles light the way
Half will join their hands by moonlight,
the rest under a rising sun
As underneath the sun and moon,
a ritual'd wailing has begun.

And it won't take long,
it won't take too long at all,
It won't take long, and you may say,
"I don't know how to be a part of what you're talking about,"
and it makes me want to say, "Come on! Come on!"

And beware you sagging diplomats,
for you will not hear one gun
And though our homes be torn
and ransacked we will not be undone
For as we let ourselves be bought,
we're gonna let ourselves be free
And if you think we stand alone,
look again and you will see:

We are children in the rafters,
We are babies in the park,
We are lovers at the movies,
We are candles in the dark,
We are changes in the weather,
We are snowflakes in July,
We are women grown together,
We are men who easily cry,
We are words not quickly spoken,
We're the deeper side of try,
We are dreamers in the making,
We are not afraid of "Why?

Performed by Ferron
Improved incredibly by the Indigo Girls

I love this poetical, powerful, nine minute song. It never fails to get me really inspired and pumped up, and on days when I'm feeling unsure, it gets me back to my kickass self. Consider it an acoustical form of audio caffeine. And my coloring of the words is intentional. Right now I'm kind of in need of some audio caffeine.

I need to move forward. In the end, that's really all I can do. And though we certainly don't have to live inside its walls to identify the cage, that doesn't mean we can't break the damn cage and move on.

Another One Bites the Dust

Performed by Queen

Steve walks warily down the street
With his brim pulled way down low
Ain't no sound but the sound of his feet
Machine guns ready to go

Are you ready hey are you ready for this?
Are you hanging on the edge of your seat?
Out of the doorway the bullets rip
To the sound of the beat yeah

Another one bites the dust
Another one bites the dust
And another one gone and another one gone
Another one bites the dust
Hey I'm gonna get you too
Another one bites the dust

How do you think I'm going to get along
Without you when you're gone
You took me for everything that I had
And kicked me out on my own

Are you happy are you satisfied?
How long can you stand the heat
Out of the doorway the bullets rip
To the sound of the beat look out

Another one bites the dust
Another one bites the dust
And another one gone and another one gone
Another one bites the dust
Hey I'm gonna get you too
Another one bites the dust

Hey
Oh take it - Bite the dust! Bite the dust!
Hey! Another one bites the dust
Another one bites the dust ow
Another one bites the dust he he
Another one bites the dust
Ooh shoot out!

There are plenty of ways that you can hurt a man
And bring him to the ground
You can beat him
You can cheat him
You can treat him bad and leave him
When he's down
But I'm ready, yes, I'm ready for you
I'm standing on my own two feet
Out of the doorway the bullets rip
Repeating to the sound of the beat

Another one bites the dust
Another one bites the dust
And another one gone and another one gone
Another one bites the dust yeah
Hey I'm gonna get you too
Another one bites the dust
Shoot out!

Shame on You

My friends, they wash the windows.
They shine in the sun.
They say, "Wake up early in the morning sometime.
See what a beautiful job we've done."
Let's go down to Chicano city park and do a little all day.
Go to the riverside, take off your shoes, and wash your blues away,

And the river said, la la la la la shame on you.
The river said, la la la la la shame on you.

I go down to Chicano city park cause it makes me feel so fine.
When the leaves are down, you can see up close in the dead of the wintertime.
But when the springtime's come, everything's in bloom,
And you wouldn't know it's there.
And all of the white folks like to pretend it's not, but their music's in the air.

And you can hear 'em singing la la la la la shame on you.
See 'em dancing la la la la la shame on you.

My friend Tanner says, "You know me and Jesus,
We're of the same heart,
The only thing that keeps us distant is I keep f**king up."
Let's go down to Chicano city park and wash your blues away.
All the beautiful ladies walk right by.
You know, I never know what to say.

And you can hear 'em singing ooh la la la la shame on you.
See 'em dancing ooh la la la la shame on you.

Let's go road block tripping in the middle of the night
Up in Gainesville town,
There'll be blue lights flashing when the cops pull up.
When they ask us to step out,
They'll say, "We're looking for illegal immigrants!
May we check your car?"
I say, "You know, that's funny, I think we were on the same boat back in 1694!"

And you can hear 'em singing la la la la la shame on you.
Hear 'em saying la la la la la shame on you.
Shame on you.

--Amy Ray

This is my favorite of the Indigo Girls songs! I swear, I still marvel over the fact that it was written in 1997 and unfortunately could've been written yesterday. I first heard it when I was in grade school and fell in love with the chorus and the snarky attitude, but now that I am older and wiser and far more radical I can appreciate it for what it is.

I Love Playing With Fire

My one and only shining star
Said "Stick with me and I'll take you far."
Your eyes are sparkling with wild fire
I'll satisfy your mad desires, cause
I love playin' with fire
And I don't wanna get burned
I love playin' with fire,
I don't think I'll ever learn.

My heart is achin' to see your face
And I can't wait till another day.
The way you shake it is really hot.
You know how to use what you got!
You know, I love playin' with fire
And I don't wanna get burned
I love playin' with fire,
I don't think I'll ever learn.

Yeah!

Acting tough with looks to kill
You got me goin' and I can't sit still!
You know I wanna get you through the night,
You're like a little ball of dynamite,
That's why I love playin' with fire
And I don't wanna get burned
I love playin' with fire,
I don't think I'll ever learn.

--The Runaways

Born

I was born to laugh
I learned to laugh through my tears.
I was born to love.
I'm gonna learn to love without fear.

Pour me a glass of wine
Talk deep into the night.
Who knows what we'll find?

Intuition, deja vu
The Holy Ghost haunting you,
Whatever you got, I don't mind.

Put your elbows on the table.
I will listen long as I am able.
There is nowhere I'd rather be.

Secret fears, the supernatural,
Thank god for this new laughter.
Thank god the joke's on me.

We've seen the landfill rainbow,
We've seen the junkyard love.
Baby, that's no place for you and me.

I was born to laugh
I learned to laugh through my tears.
I was born to love.
I'm gonna learn to love without fear.

--Linford Detweiler and Karen Bergquist (Over the Rhine)

Unforgiven

Always tried to clean up my catastrophe
Taking full responsibility
Living my life like every day's the last
Remodeling the wreckage of my past.

But when it comes to you, I know I said I do
BUT I DON'T!
No I don't!
You're unforgiven so go on livin
Knowing that I've unforgiven you.
And my thanksgiving came the day I saw it was okay to unforgive you.

Confessing every sin doesn't make me a saint.
Even though it's obvious I changed.
One time I forgave you, but I did not forget,
But now I'm taking back everything I said.

You're unforgiven so go on livin
Knowing that I've unforgiven you.
And my thanksgiving came the day I saw it was okay to unforgive you.

But when it comes to you, I know I said I do
But I DON'T!
No, I don't!

You're unforgiven so go on livin
Knowing that I've unforgiven you.
And my thanksgiving came the day I saw it was okay to unforgive you.

--Charlotte Caffey/Jane Wiedlin

Baby, I had a dream

When you get a week off, you go to Cancun. When you get three months off, you work. Yeah...that makes sense...

But I am feeling silly after spending the evening with friends, so here goes another song of love and loss.

Baby, I Had a Dream

You bought me a kitty cat.
It made me cry.
I've always been allergic to kitty cats...and I'm pretty sure you knew that.

Baby, I had a dream the other night.
I can't forget!
I can't forget the awful sight
Of your head STUCK IN THE FREEZER!
Baby, I couldn't tell if you were experimenting with poor man's cryogenics or just looking for the ice cream.

So Baby, if you want out, then tell me you're out,
And I'll get going on my way.
If you want out, then tell me you're out,
And I'll get going on my way.

Baby, I had a dream the other night.
There in your hand was a knife!
A very sharp knife!
You said YOU'D CUT YOUR HEART OUT!
Baby, there you stood with your heart in your hand.
You said, "Here is my heart! You wanted the damn thing so bad, here, now take it!"

So Baby, if you want out, then tell me you're out,
And I'll get going on my way.
If you want out, then tell me you're out,
And I'll get going on my way.

Baby, I have overheard you complaining on the phone to your mother.
And the only reason I mention this now is that book I saw on your night table:
"There must be 50 ways to kill your lover."
Fifty ways to kill your lover??!!

Baby, I had a dream the other night.
I can't forget!
I can't forget the awful sight
Of the bookcase toppling DOWN ON ME!
Baby, the bookcase missed my head.
Now I am really well-read.
I was stuck under there for hours!

So Baby, if you want out, then tell me you're out,
And I'll get going on my way.
If you want out, then tell me you're out,
And I'll get going on my way.

You bought me that kitty cat,
And you know what? That's just fine.
My dog enjoys chewing on your kitty cat.
...Good dog.

--Robbie Schaefer

Sunset Boulevard

There is lithium in the sunset.
There are rats in the trees,
And the temperature is always 76 degrees.
When the mighty fall here,
They're gonna fall real hard.
And the Marlboro man is watching them down on Sunset Boulevard.

I cannot get a breath.
I cannot get a break.
I can taste that desperation 'cause the deal is at stake.
For every nip and tuck
There is a vicious little scar,
And the Marlboro man is peering down Sunset Boulevard.

Be careful how you talk to her.
She might be someone you'll need.
And it's such an easy leap from sincerity to greed.
Now everybody's waiting
Just to see the next card,
And Marlboro man is smoking down on Sunset Boulevard.

There's a body on the beach,
And it doesn't make the news.
It's sweeps month here,
And nobody wants to lose.
He didn't have connections,
Didn't even own a car.
So it's not worth reporting 'cause he's not a superstar.
Yeah yeah.

You can never be too rich.
You can never be too thin.
Don't bother entering the fray unless you're certain you can win.
Take a look around you, baby.
Every blade of grass is charred.
And the Marlboro man is laughing down on Sunset Boulevard.

You know grooming is everything,
And your car is your purse.
Don't dare give the right of way, even if it's a hearse.
Forget about that loser.
He won't be going far.
Anyway, the Marlboro man is waitin' for you down on Sunset Boulevard.

There's a body on the beach,
And it doesn't make the news.
It's sweeps month here,
And nobody wants to lose.
He didn't have connections,
Didn't even own a car.
So it's not worth reporting 'cause he's not a superstar.
Yeah yeah.

The horses are chomping at their bits,
And the dam is going to burst.
The ground is going to rumble,
And the sun is a curse.
So don't look excited,
But never let down your guard.
Cause the Marlboro man is watching you down on Sunset Boulevard.

--Lynn Miles (whom I had the lovely pleasure of seeing in concert and meeting afterward at the David Adler Cultural Center in Libertyville)

The Town, It is a-Changin'

Come gather 'round sudents
It's almost time to go.
Your schooling's almost over,
Can you believe this is so?
This town looks similar,
But some things sure don't
If you've heard what some folks are sayin'.
Then you best pay attention,
In your last months to go
For this town, it is a changin'.

Come DI and Buzz,
Write this down with your pen,
You need some good subject matter,
It won't come again.
Le Shoppe changed owners,
And Impasta had to go,
For Champaign wasn't where it'd be stayin'.
And Luna expanded,
It's in a depot.
For this town, it is a changin'.

Now the feminist folk
Should be pacified
Cause they have a women's center
With new events inside.
Meanwhile the domestics
Learned they had to fight,
For their funding supply was decaying.
And Illini Orange was demolished,
It's now a construction site,
For this campus, it is a-changin'.

PAR has gone trayless,
And Lincoln has too,
And the luxury apartments
Are frighteningly huge.
The co-ops are wild,
And it's certain that you
Have many options of where you'll be staying!
And the South Quad is sporting
A bell tower that's new.
For the campus, it is a-changin'.

Come down, Alumni
Come and reminisce.
Your obnoxious reflections
Will get us all pissed.
Your good old days are over,
Though it's true they are missed,
But they're a time you won't be regaining.
So let's toast our grads,
And wish them all the best,
For without them, UI will be a-changin'!

Last laugh

I dance with you in the sparkling lights,
You say I'm pretty and we talk all night.
Your words and moves are smooth, but frankly,
You know nothing about me.

So what was it that made you act this way?
Anything in particular that made you say
That you liked the way I made you feel
And that you weren't going home without me.

You're not what I wanted that particular time.
But you're what I would have since you looked so sublime.
You were more familiar than that party was,
But would I forget you all the same?

Sentimental attachment is hardly for me.
When I want something, I want it immediately.
It doesn't matter if it's for a night or a year,
To me, it's only a game.

Well, there was something about the look on your face
That convinced me to spend the night at your place.
I made you scream, and you made me wonder
How so much trouble could look so damned fine.

The next morning I'm off and back to normal life.
You told me you'd call me as you kissed me goodbye.
You may have last night but I have the last laugh
Cause the number I gave wasn't mine.

Out of the blue (and into the black)

My, my, hey, hey
Rock and roll is here to stay.
It's better to burn out
Than to fade away.
My, my, hey, hey.

Out of the blue and into the black
They give you this, but you pay for that.
And once you're gone
You can never come back.
When you're out of the blue and into the black.

The king is gone, but he's not forgotten.
This is the story of Johnny Rotten.
It's better to burn out than it is to rust.
The king is gone, but he's not forgotten.

Hey, hey, my my
Rock and roll can never die.
There is more to a picture
Than meets the eye.
Hey, hey, my, my.

--Neil Young (early version)

What's cookin at the Beat Kitchen?

Take some funky grooves, solid strong vocals, a ten-piece band, horns, and a seriously modern twist on classic R&B...

And you have the recipe for the perfect weekend band!

Meet the Beat Kitchen. They're ten folks from Champaign-Urbana (there is also a restaurant in Chytown with that name, but this article isn't about them), and can they play! They play some R&B/funk with some solid, danceable grooves, and their songs get everybody up and dancing. Most of the songs are originals, but they've been known to do a funkified cover or two (think an R&B cover of Radiohead's "Karma Police" for starters!). My friend DoMonique and I went to see them, and their worldbeat co-headliner Mhondoro, this Saturday. We were in for a fabulous double act, as both groups did not disappoint. They just kept us dancing and singing along, and the crowd in the whole bar, the Iron Post, was on its feet. I've liked R&B for a while now, but this only cemented my love for it. This band really knew how to work a crowd while also staying soulful and emotive. And that singer has a terrific set of pipes! He has a big deep voice, with a wide range for a guy.

The rhythm and blues crowd also knows how to behave, think the manners of the folk crowd mixed with the good exuberance of the rock one. Sure, the Iron Post was crowded and a small venue. But, there was no shoving, moshing, feeling-up when you don't want to be felt up, or creepies being creepy like I've seen at other shows. The fans behave, but that doesn't mean they can't get excited and energized. And their dancing is so much fun. You don't have to know any particular steps or anything, but rather to find your own groove. Some folks were doing West African style dancing to Mhondoro, since that group does have Zimbabwean and Guinea influences, but the rest of us were simply doing what we liked. Our friends Jane and Megan, who are more into social dances with lots of rules and steps (Megan's been known to ballroom and swing dance during punk shows--and pull it off), also could find their groove. It wasn't hard at all.

Only drawback is that the "comfortable" boots we both had on turned out to be not so comfortable after dancing for four hours straight! The bus ride we took to IHOP and then back home provided a welcome opportunity to sit down for once that night! Definitely a fantastic night and show, and one to hopefully be repeated!

And if you would like to cook up some grooves at the Beat Kitchen, hie thee hence to http://www.myspace.com/beatkitchenfunk, and find out when you can see them next!

One Thousand Sarahs*

*No offense to my fellow Feminist or panelist named Sarah...this song is not about you, I swear!*

Sarah's the kind of girl who's three feet tall, but she's built like an Amazon woman.
Sarah's the kind of girl who's three feet tall, but she's built like an Amazon woman.
And all the boys think she's sexy,
And all the girls think she dresses real well,
And all the teachers think she is the smartest one in class,
And I think...
SHE OUGHTA GO TO HELL!

Sarah's the kind of girl who pierced her ears years before anybody else.
Sarah's the kind of girl who pierced her ears years before anybody else.
And all the mothers say her mother was,
And all the mothers say her mother was a SLUT!
Cause we couldn't pierce our ears till we turned twelve, no matter what.
And I think...
Well, I think you know what I think.

One thousand Sarahs in my head!
One thousand Sarahs
Circling me in my bed.
I thought I got rid of her, but she multiplied instead!
One thousand Sarahs...
One thousand Sarahs...

I don't like her.
I don't like her.
I don't like her, and you can't make me!
I don't like her,
I don't like her,
I don't like her,
I don't like her, and YOU CAN'T MAKE ME!

One thousand Sarahs in my head!
One thousand Sarahs
Circling me in my bed.
I thought I got rid of her, but she multiplied instead!
One thousand Sarahs...
One thousand Sarahs...
Yeah!

--Michael Clem

This wisdom is Wicked!

Listen up, all you metal heads and rock and rollers!!

Normally, when they start handing out recording contracts to actors, conventional wisdom dictates you head for the hills (think Jennifer Lopez, Jared Leto from 30 Seconds to Mars, Keanu Reeves and Dogstar, or Minnie Driver). Not in this case!

I have just discovered this excellent nu metal band, WICKED WISDOM! You can find them at www.wickedwisdom.net. They come from California and are considered nu metal (incorporating some rap and thrash elements into their music). Their lyrics are intelligent, the guitars and basses are thundering, and the vocals are melodic. They have all of the attitude with little posturing, and at times they sound a lot like Rage Against the Machine with a less whiney vocalist (I'm a Rage fan and have seen their farewell tour, I can criticize them if I want). The best part is that their lead singer is an actress I like, Jada Pinkett Smith. Wicked Wisdom gives her the spotlight as the lead singer as opposed to being merely defined as Will's wife (although Will is skilled at rapping, I think that with a little more press, his wife could easily overshadow him). Jada does not disappoint, as her vocals can shred your speakers and get you moshing but not destroy your hearing. Her band is tight and spot-on. Definitely worth a listen.