today’s tunes: off the ground by the record company

this song is groovy.

Things are lookin clear as they’ve ever been
Don’t know how it’ll end but I know where to begin

today’s tunes: “I’m On A Boat” – with classroom instruments

a clever little revision to the “I’m on a boat” song by The Lonely Island, this time with Jimmy Fallon and the Roots for the Tonight Show, with the music all from classroom instruments.

you can see the original version of the song here.

I’ve got a nautical themed pashmina afghan.

today’s tunes: the Grateful Dead’s “Morning Dew” by The National

one of the early releases from ‘Day of the Dead’, a tribute album to the Grateful Dead.

Day of the Dead was created and curated by brothers Aaron and Bryce Dessner of The National.  The compilation is a wide-ranging tribute to the songwriting and experimentalism of the Dead which took four years to record, features over 60 artists from varied musical backgrounds, 59 tracks and is almost 6 hours long.  Day of the Dead will be released digitally, on 5 X CD, and as a limited edition vinyl boxed set.  All profits will help fight for AIDS/ HIV and related health issues around the world through the Red Hot Organization, a 501(c)3.  This is the 20th album of original music produced by Red Hot to further its mission.  Day of the Dead is the follow up to 2009’s Dark Was The Night (4AD), a 32-track, multi-artist compilation also produced by Aaron and Bryce for Red Hot.  Dark Was The Night has raised over $1.5 million for the organizations fighting AIDS to date.

additional information can be found at 4AD’s release.

today’s tunes: under pressure

RIP David Bowie.

my room-mate from college and I used to argue about who sang this song.  this was in the dark ages before smartphones allowed you to instantly look things like this up on the google or wikipedia, so we never did come to a conclusion.  I argued it was Queen, he insisted it was David Bowie.

a few years later, after we had both graduated, my friend called me on the phone with great excitement:

him: Thad, remember how we would argue about ‘Under Pressure’ as being Queen OR David Bowie?

me: yes, I remember.  it is Queen.

him: no! I just heard it on the radio… and it is David Bowie AND Queen! we were both right all along!

me: whoa. mind blown.

or something like that.

today’s tunes: Peggy-O

word on the street is that The National is deep in the midst of a major project: a tribute record(s?) of 70 or more songs by the Grateful Dead.

here’s a little sample of things to come:

As we rode out to Fennario
As we rode out to Fennario
Our captain fell in love with a lady like a dove
And he called her by name pretty Peggy-O

h/t: @brassland

sailors in your mouth – happy thanksgiving

hope you have a blessed day of Thanksgiving with delicious foods and fellowship with friends and family.

enjoy this, um…. strange song, performed by The National, for the TV show “Bob’s Burgers.

What’s that sound
It’s the gravy boat comin’ around
It’s not a Navy boat, it’s the gravy boat
Filled with bravery, savory sailor folk stuff
And sailors disembark
Fill our plates
Fill our hearts
Fill our hearts