(For those of you embedded in academia and/or standardized test prep)
1. Cause and Effect
The Chiffons, “He’s So Fine” is to George Harrison, “My Sweet Lord”
as
T-Rex “Metal Guru” is to Louis XIV, “Letter to Dominique.”
2. Part to Whole
Vanilla Ice, “Ice Ice Baby” is to David Bowie and Queen, “Under Pressure”
as
A Tribe Called Quest, “Lyrics to Go” is to Minnie Ripperton,
“Inside My Love.”
3. Attribute
Black Flag, “Rise Above” is to Dirty Projectors, “Rise Above”
as
Billy Idol, “Dancing With Myself” is to Nouvelle Vague, “Dancing With Myself.”
Here’s the mix. Now, practice. Create your own analogy.
iMix strikes me as a great way to go about the Thursday playlist. Fun stuff.
as Red Hot Chili Peppers’ “Dani California” is to Tom Petty’s “Mary Jane’s Last Dance”; as The Strokes’ “Last Nite” is to Tom Petty’s “American Girl.”
Yay Dirty Projectors! “Rise Above” is a seriously great album, and the live show is stunning.
Pearl Jam’s “Better Man” is to the English Beat’s “Sooner or Later” as Bruce Springsteen’s “Radio Nowhere” is to Tommy Tutone’s “876-5309,” only more so . . . Extra credit vocabulary: “Plagiarism”
That Louis XIV was a big old girl.
The Jam’s “Start!” is to The Beatles’ “Tax Man” as Steely Dan’s “Rikki Don’t Lose that Number” is to Horace Silver’s “Song for My Father.” It’s all about the bass line.
P.S. Stephanie, I can’t believe that (a) you didn’t immediately point out the Jam/Beatles equivalence and (b) you know a Bruce Springsteen song well enough to place it in such an analogy.
P.S. I agree with Bryan re: using iMix or something like it for these playlists…
Tim: Actually I don’t know it well; I heard it once and actually thought it was a cover (of “Jenny”) until the lyrics began. Then I listened with incredulity as the verses came in, the chorus, and even the bridge (which echoes “I got it–I got it–I got your number on the wall”) sounded just like the bassline and chords of Mr. TT himself.
Speaking of bass lines and The Jam, Henry Mancini’s “Peter Gunn” theme is to the B-52’s’ “Planet Claire” as The Supremes’ “You Can’t Hurry Love” is to The Jam’s “A Town Called Malice.”
I surprised that no one has commented on the analogous legs of t-rex and louis XIV. Who’s legs are better– the dino or the “big ol’ girl”?
Super happy that y’all are correlating your own songs! This, friends, is learning.
s/b “I” with “I’m”
btw, Tim and Stephanie, you are blowing my mind with “Radio Nowhere” and “Song For My Father.” I had no idea the resemblances were SO close.
Burce Springsteen, I got your number! On the wall!
I never really got analogies, but I love the mix. If the SAT study books would have put the whole concept into musical terms (an analogy for analogies? or is that still not right?) I probably would have aced this section come test time.
several tracks from sufjan stevens’s _michigan_ album are to steve reich’s _music for 18 musicians_ as several tracks from beck’s _sea change_ are to serge gainsbourg’s _history of melodie nelson_.
Yay! Lisa T is back!
Analogies might have been the section I got entirely wrong on the SATs. But, I enjoyed your playlist and the idea of of learning things in a different way.
the hair puddle is to music as awesomeness is to life.
I was just listening to the Music for 18 Musicians on the way to work today. OMFG. People, if you haven’t heard this, go get it.
Dave - that’s really funny. I was listening to a radio show just last week about the evolution from atonality to minimalism, and the host ended with that piece by Reich (for me it was also an OMFG moment). I’ve been thinking about it ever since, and meaning to pick it up – thanks for the reminder.
Jeremy - I’m sorry to say it, but sometimes your taste slips past me – I mean, what’s so awesome about life anyway?
Nonesuch came out with a great 5-disk Reich retrospective last year. All the essentials, very inexpensive.
There’s also a new recording of the piece by that state school ensemble I linked to back on the Bang on a Can post. Here’s the trailer for their CD. It’s sweet.
John’s been obsessed with Music for 18 Musicians since your post, Bryan.
Also, thanks to Dave, who tried to help me create a linked mix for FREE, but itunes is kinda nazi about protected files. I wish that everyone didn’t have to actually purchase the mix in order to hear complete songs.
i didn’t say life was awesome, scott. my analogy implies that the hair puddle = awesome and that music = life.
Well I guess I’m just a big ol’ dummy then…
Geez, learn to read, man.
I like T-Rex’s legs best. Louis has to have heels to make his calves look sexy and he wears pantaloons to hide the uber-flab on top. T-Rex shows it all and his toes hold up his buff calves.
Where is Louis’ other arm/hand, anyway? One is held up my the stick, but the other is so buried in quilt that I can’t see where the end of the arm is.
I just have to say that not one person of the many I tried to convince, other than the very perceptive Rachel, believed me when I said Springsteen’s new song was the same as 867-5309/Jenny, but it was in the LA Times yesterday!!! (Sorry I can’t link it because the archives aren’t free.)
I found a link here.
i [heart] TGW