Optimus Omnium
Premier Boston Real Estate Agent
I always attributed the Tribe with coining the term "Fake News" but apparently what they're really saying is "fake moves"
I think it makes just as much sense:
If you fake moves (Fake News), don't fix your mouth to word it
Get in the zone of positivity, not negativity
Cos we gotta strive for longevity
Does this count as Ancient Knowledge? It is from 1979.
Not to pick favorites or anything.
Monday Morning Pick Me Up:
Huge Ryan Adams fan. He's my favorite way to listen to Taylor Swift. Nothing against TSwift.
And a follow up:
A classic.
To most of my friends' dismay, I enjoy "world music." I love hearing foreign tunes in foreign languages. One of my friends won't listen to music in languages other than English. Instrumental is fine though.
This is a music festival in Mali, called Festival in the Desert. For some reason, in 2004 my friend and I thought we could convince our parents to let us go, without them. It didn't work out, and I still haven't made it.
I'm getting closer though. One band that plays at the festival, Tinariwen, is apparently pretty popular. They're Touareg, so I'm sure they've got pretty sick yurts. This one night I got an Uber driver in a GL450 to drive me around all night. Turns out he was from Morocco and knows a guy who owns a guy who does sound for them.
Then a few weeks ago, I went to the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show. So there I was, holding a piece of the moon that was on sale for $58,000.00 and next thing I know, the guy that found it is telling me he loves Tinariwen too. He found the moon-meteorite in Mali, while traveling with the Touareg!
I want to say that I'll see you there! But there hasn't been a festival since 2013. The organizers have put a hold on the festival, due to civil unrest.
I don't think Popcorn Behavior gets the press they deserve. They're the perfect junction of jazz, classical and folk music to me. This has always been one of my favorite songs. I love how the start and end are completely different. Have a listen!
While Two Princes is a great song, it's not my favorite Spin Doctor's song. I love the bluesiness of this. It makes me thing of Paul Butterfield. Maybe it's the cowbell.
In case anyone was looking for advice on anything this Monday morning. You can't not like this tune.
The Alan Parsons Project - Hyper-Gamma-Spaces (Demo)
I find it interesting that not many people know who Alan Parsons is, but I'd say 95% of the world has heard his work. He was an audio engineer on The Beatle's Abbey Road, and also Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon. There were plenty others, but I think those are probably the two most notable. Pyramid is a very experimental studio album, featuring 15 or so different vocalists through the whole album. He worked with Eric Woolfson to try and create a new type of album. Their goal was to not put excessive focus on individual musicians, but to highlight the production and composition of the album.
Things Can Only Get Better - Howard Jones
To me, this song is the epitome of 80s synthpop. Especially now, after seeing the music video. I don't exactly see how it ties into the song, maybe someone can explain that to me. I like the music, but I like the message even more. Below are the lyrics. What I get form this song is: Let things go, especially fear, we make our dreams come true regardless of anyone else's input (even you, mom), the best use of time is to be in the moment, and it's more about the journey than the destination. And things can only get better. Howard Jone is himself a buddhist, and uses that as a source of inspiration for lyrics. He's also worked with a Buddhist lyricist and spiritual speaker, Bill Bryant.
“We’re not scared to lose it all
Security throw through the wall
Future dreams we have to realize
A thousand skeptic hands
Won’t keep us from the things we plan
Unless we’re clinging to the things we prize
And do you feel scared, I do
But I won’t stop and falter
And if we threw it all away
Things can only get better
Whoa whoa whoa-oh-oh whoa-whoa whoa-oh-oh
(Whoa whoa whoa-oh-oh whoa-whoa whoa-oh-oh)
Whoa whoa whoa-oh-oh whoa-whoa whoa-oh-oh
(Whoa whoa whoa-oh-oh whoa-whoa whoa-oh-oh)
Treating today as though it was
The last, the final show
Get to sixty and feel no regret
It may take a little time
A lonely path, an uphill climb
Success or failure will not alter it
And do you feel scared, I do
And I won’t stop and falter
And if we threw it all away
Things can only get better
Whoa whoa whoa-oh-oh whoa-whoa whoa-oh-oh
(Whoa whoa whoa-oh-oh whoa-whoa whoa-oh-oh)
Whoa whoa whoa-oh-oh whoa-whoa whoa-oh-oh
(Whoa whoa whoa-oh-oh whoa-whoa whoa-oh-oh)
And do you feel scared, I do
And I won’t stop and falter
And if we threw it all away
Things can only get better
Ah!
Whoa whoa whoa-oh-oh whoa-whoa whoa-oh-oh
(Whoa whoa whoa-oh-oh whoa-whoa whoa-oh-oh)
Whoa whoa whoa-oh-oh whoa-whoa whoa-oh-oh
(Whoa whoa whoa-oh-oh whoa-whoa whoa-oh-oh)
Whoa whoa whoa-oh-oh whoa-whoa oh-oh-oh-oh
(Whoa whoa whoa-oh-oh whoa-whoa whoa-oh-oh)
Whoa whoa whoa-whoa oh-oh-oh
(Whoa whoa whoa-oh-oh whoa-whoa whoa-oh-oh)
Whoa whoa whoa-oh-oh whoa-whoa whoa-oh-oh
”
“God had to create disco music so I could be born and be successful.”
Got To Be Real - CHERYL LYNN 1978 Album ''CHERYL LYNN''
I don't know that much about Cheryl Lynn, but I do know I'm a huge fan of this song. While the lyrics aren't as clearly motivational as Move On Up, I think they leave more to the imagination. My take away from this song is that what's real is what you feel and what you know. And what you feel and what you know is ultimately love. The instrumentals are great too!
“What you find-ah
What you feel now
What you know-a
To be real
What you find, ah
(I think I love you, baby)
What you feel now
(I feel I need you, baby)
What you know-a
To be real
Ooh, your love’s for real now
You know that your love is my love
My love is your love
Our love is here to stay
What you find-ah
What you feel now
What you know-a
To be real
Ooh, your love’s for real now
You know that your love is my love
My love is your love
Our love is here to stay
What you find, ah
(I think I love you, baby)
What you feel now
(I feel I need you, baby)
What you know-a
To be real
What you find, ah
(I think I love you, baby)
What you feel now
(I feel I need you)
What you know-a
To be real...”
“Our purpose is to educate as well as to entertain. Painless preaching is as good a term as any for what we do. If you’re going to come away from a party singing the lyrics of a song, it is better that you sing of self-pride like ‘We’re a Winner’ instead of ‘Do the Boo-ga-loo!’”
Curtis Mayfield - Move On Up Original extended LP version from the album "Curtis" produced in 1970. All rights reserved © Warner Bros. Records
This is one of my most favorite songs of all time. Not only are the instrumentals genius, but the lyrics are so motivational, as were many of his songs released before Move On Up, at the height of the Civil Rights Movement. Curtis Mayfield is an icon. Growing up in the projects of Chicago with only his mother, he managed to become one of the greatest musicians of all time. He influenced artists across the board, from Bob Marley, to Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton and Bill Withers. I think Mayfield had a really good grasp of magic. He knew the power of language and of intent, and put that knowledge to use. He wanted to uplift anyone that heard his music.
“Maybe the words I say is just another way to pray.”
“Hush now child, and don’t you cry
Your folks might understand you, by and by
Move on up, toward your destination
You may find from time to time
Complication
Bight your lip, and take a trip
Though there may be wet road ahead
And you cannot slip
So move on up for peace will find
Into the steeple of beautiful people
Where there’s only one kind
So hush now child, and don’t you cry
Your folks might understand you, by and by
Move on up, and keep on wishing
Remember your dream is your only scheme
So keep on pushing
Take nothing less, than the second best
Do not obey, you must keep your say
You can past the test
Just move on up, to a greater day
With just a little faith
If you put your mind to it you can surely do it
Just move on up
Move on up
But move on up
Oh child, but just move on up
But move on up
Move on up”
