Have you heard it?
It’s very raido friendly but it’s just another song on the radio for me.
He debuted it on the May 6th episode of “American Idol” (which explains why I never heard it) and the new album is set to come out on July 14, 2009.
Give it a listen:
Purchase it on iTunes: Here
And since I’m cool like that, here it is for you to download. Choose your format:
128 kbps mp3: Download
320 kbps mp3: Download
Give it a listen and let me know what you think!!!
Good lord.
As if I didn’t need another slap in the face, profound reason NOT to buy U2’s next album, they’ve gone and released the title track “No Line on the Horizon.”
Man, I really had hope for this album even after hearing “Get On Your Boots“, but in my eyes they’re 0 for 2. This just plain sucks.
Give it a listen and tell me what you think:
U2 – No Line On The Horizon
As an avid music listener, Cover songs rarely draw my attention or even garner any respect from me. I don’t know, but I guess I’m just a purist. It would be like someone trying to rewrite The Bible for Cliff’s Notes….the original is always better.
I now eat my words.
It’s always a strange feeling when you know someone is going to do a cover of a song….not just any song, YOUR song. So with mixed feelings and tons of hesitation, I watched and listened as my friend Benton Blount covered a song that I had the privaledge of co-writing called “Carolina.”
What is that? Do I write music? That’s a different story, for a different time, that I may or may not blog about…but back to the point.
I must say, you did and outstanding job Benton.
Here’s our version of “Carolina” Available on iTunes:
And here’s Benton’s version:
Check out Benton here: MySpace
Check out Parmalee here: MySpace
Okay so this song has been stuck in my head for ages. It’s ingrained in my soul.
Maybe it’s because every time an Atlanta Braves player hits a home run at a home game, they play it. Maybe it’s because I can’t get the Will and Carlton (as “Will the Thrill and Boogaloo Shrimp”) Dance out of my head from “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air.”
Maybe it’s because I’m just an idiot. Who Knows.
Either way, I never realized how much of a history the song has. It’s been re-recorded, covered and sampled more times than I can count or list here. Just follow along as I take you on the musical journey of “Apache.”
V
“Apache” is an instrumental written by Jerry Lordan. It has been recorded by many artists, but the first released version was recorded by British group The Shadows in June 1960 and released the following month. The song topped the UK singles chart for five weeks. In March 2005, Q magazine placed “Apache” at number 96 in its list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Tracks.
The Shadows Version (1960)
The recording was at the EMI Abbey Road Studio in London. Singer-guitarist Joe Brown had bought an Italian-built guitar echo chamber. He didn’t like it and gave it to Hank Marvin. Marvin developed a new sound using the chamber with heavy vibrato using the tremolo arm of his Fender Stratocaster. Bruce Welch borrowed an acoustic Gibson J200 guitar from Cliff Richard, a revolutionary step for a rock and roll band. These sounds, with a heavy melodic bass by Jet Harris, created a revolutionary sound. Percussion was by Tony Meehan (drums) and Cliff Richard, who played a Chinese drum at the beginning and at end to provide an atmosphere of stereotypically Native American music.
Record producer Norrie Paramor preferred the flip side, an instrumental of the army song “The Quartermaster’s Stores”, now called “The Quatermasster’s Stores” after the TV series Quatermass. Paramor changed his mind after his daughter preferred “Apache”. The Shadows version of “Apache” was considered revolutionary in the UK for twangy guitar and tribal rhythms. It has been cited by a generation of guitarists as inspirational and is considered one of the most influential British rock 45s of the pre-Beatles era.
Incredible Bongo Band version (1973)
“Apache” has been cited by Afrika Bambaataa as an early element of hip hop music with the record sampled and scratched by DJs. But it wasn’t the hit version by The Shadows, Ingmann or Weedon that Bambaataa, Kool Herc and the like turned into “hip-hop’s anthem”: it was the 1973 version by Michael Viner and an ad hoc group called the Incredible Bongo Band. They added a bongo drum intro and added more percussion. This version was not a hit on release but became the sampled foundation of rap and hip-hop classics, reworked by hip hop performers “ranging from the Sugarhill Gang and L.L. Cool J to The Roots and Nas, not to mention sampling by techno performers Future Sound of London and Moby and drum and bass acts J. Majik and Goldie
Sugarhill Gang: “Apache” (1981)
In 1981, the rap group Sugarhill Gang covered the Incredible Bongo Band version of the song, on their second album 8th Wonder. In addition to using the distinctive beat and bongo drums, the Sugarhill Gang added rap lyrics on top, with some of their signature references
Sir Mix-A-Lot: “Jump on It” (1996)
In 1996, Sir Mix-A-Lot played off of the lyrics to Sugarhill Gang’s “Apache” in his hit version of “Jump on It”.
Fatboy Slim: “Apache” (1998 )
The Snatch movie soundtrack has an extract of a DJ mix CD (On The Floor At The Boutique) by Fatboy Slim, which contained the Incredible Bongo Band version of Apache
Okay…so this is different. Apparently, this remix is found on Matrix Reloaded: The Album. WTF? It’s different, just give it a listen.
So finally, after 5 years of waiting, U2 is releasing a new studio album entitled “No Line on the Horizon.” It will be released in Ireland on February 27th and worldwide on March 2nd.
The first single off the album entitled “Get On Your Boots,” features a quickly paced Bono vocal delivery over poly-rhythmic percussion and a scuzzy guitar riff.
I’m not quite sure how I feel about it just yet, but maybe after a few more listens I’ll make up my mind.
Why don’t you give it a listen and tell me what you think?
U2 – “Get On Your Boots”
As I layed awake at 5:45 on a Saturday Morning (Damn you insomnia!!!), I was thinking that some of you will be getting up shortly or will be up and just might need some music to get you motivated.
Well, here I am coming to the rescue yet again.
Moments With You – Gran Torino
I hope you enjoy it and have a great Saturday Morning!!!
For more info on Gran Torino, check out thse links:
