You hear a song and it immediately brings back memories.
I have several songs like that.
I remember the first time I heard Nirvana “Smells Like Teen Spirit”. I remember where I was. I was at work and one of my co-workers couldn’t wait to play me this song on a CD he just bought.
Here’s another such song.
It was my freshman year of college – 1st day – 1st class.
7:50 am and it was the 1st floor of Devilbisss Hall. I don’t remember the room # (Sorry, it’s been a few decades)
My very first college class. I had already been away on a cross country trip, we took a few days to train in the Roanoke Virginia hills, but this was my 1st academic class in college.
Not knowing what to expect, it kind of looked like a normal high school classroom: desks, a desk for the teacher, a chalkboard and windows.
None of us really knew each other. I assume we were all freshman.
The class was Introduction to Philosophy. Phil 101
At 7:50 am the teacher walked in carrying a boombox (remember those)? Without a word, he pushed “play”, the music started and he got up on the desk and started dancing.
A few laughs, but mainly we just stared this this scene, not sure what to think.
Which I guess was the whole idea.
The song was Paul Simon “Kodachrome”. The song was about how we all see reality differently.
I knew this song and I liked Paul Simon. One of my favorite songs at the time was Paul Simon’s, “One Trick Pony”, but I never really stopped and thought about the lyrics of “Kodachrome” and what it might mean.
Even today – I can’t hear that song without thinking about that 1st day of college.
I recently did a post about backup singers on songs that you might or might not have known. Perhaps you remember it?
I also did a post (2 posts actually) about how bands came up with their names. Perhaps you remember THOSE posts ….
This time I thought I’d try something different. Maybe a few songs and what’s going on in the background.
One of the most recognizable songs in the world is “Roxanne” by The Police.
*Side Note 1 – How rewarding it must be to write a song that is known the world over.
We all know it’s about some guy that falls in love with a prostitute, and he wants her to not go to work in the red light district.
But – in the very beginning of the song, before the famous chorus that we have all sung in the car, is a short laugh, listen to it, you’ll hear it. You’ve heard it 100s of times.
While in the studio and getting ready to record the singing, Sting accidentally backed up into a keyboard and sat on the keys. The keys made a sound and Sting laughed out loud. It fit into the song and the mixer played with it and ended up keeping both the piano chord Sting hit by sitting on it, and his laugh.
WHO KNEW ?????
I’ve always liked the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Saw them once in the late 1980s, before they became the crazy big stars they are now. One of my favorite songs of RHCP is Aeroplane. It’s about drug use and the lead singer Anthony Kiedis did have a relapse or two. When he sings “Sitting in my kitchen, I’m turning into dust again”, is a reference to doing drugs in the kitchen, where Kiedis often did his drugs.
*Side Note 2 – in the song he also makes reference to band I like, Mazzy Star (give them a listen)
But what I didn’t know is the kids in the background towards the end singing the chorus have a connection to the band. Clara is the daughter of Flea, the bass player, and it’s her kindergarten class doing the singing.
HOW COOL IS THAT !!!!
You’re a kindergarten kid and your dad is one of the most outlandish bass players EVER, and he asks your class to be in one of their songs.
And then there was another group of kids that appear to not be so grateful to be part of a big song.
Pink Floyd’s biggest song, by far, is “Another Brick in the Wall”. It’s a song about a boy who, after his father’s death, builds a wall around himself. Haunted by the rigid and strict discipline in England’s school at the time, the boy considered his mother and teachers as the bricks in the wall he’s built.
At the end, a group of kids are heard singing with the band.
These kids are from The Islington Green School” in London. The school received about $1,800 and did get a platinum record of the song. However, the headmistress of the song banned the children from appearing on any video or television appearance. The headmistress was very upset that children from her school would be singing a song about not needing education. The music director at the school arranged for the children to sing. It wasn’t done behind her back, but it was done without her knowledge.
Some of the children in the song have sued to collect unpaid royalties. The students did settle their dispute and there were two that for some reason did not want to accept the royalties.
It was a tough suit to settle, because no proper records were kept as to which specific students were there and because the Head Mistress forbid any photos or recordings showing the children singing about not needed education.
Not big money and it’s paid every year, not in a lump sum. The figure is estimated to be anywhere from $20-$50 a year for those students that signed onto the lawsuit.
You never know when you’ll be on Jeopardy.
And I do expect a shout out.
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