The Opera Guy was much, much better. I'm a sap, but I was genuinely moved. Both times I watched it.
Y'know I watched that little girl clip earlier today, and I totally did tear up.
It seems to have escaped your attention that Opera Guy is singing opera.
Amanda's comments about the frog/prince, coal/diamond thing were pretty awful.
Things that make me cry -- well, tear up a little: "Even God Loves America."
That awful "do'nt wanna close my eyes..." song at the end really ruined it for me.
I think 'somewhere over the rainbow' stands up to nessun dorma. pretty equal songs i'd say.
What's he got against Navajos?
Buncha damn nipple-hiders.
I'd image gamespot geeks would be all about the sci-fi symbol shit on petra nemcova.
song at the end really ruined it for me
Really, a factory guy completely nails Puccini on national TV, and he gets sent off with an Aerosmith power ballad?
I know someone who knows Petra Nemcova. Cool, huh?
I suppose long-sleeved velvet blouses aren't very sexy to the demographic in question. But still.
6: You really hate the plebs, don't you?
If i knew what she might say, what would be the point of her posting?
Nemcova is the one whose fiancee was killed in the tsunami (which she barely survived); I'm sure she's got stuff to say.
23: Actually, I've heard a good deal of it secondhand.
MAybe she got that star tattoo out of emo-ness.
I knew you'd notice that McQueen. Indeed I do.
A lot of closeted gays pretend to hate opera.
It takes guts to admit you hate opera.
Ogged, dude, I offered you Anna Netrebko, you heathen.
It takes guts to admit you hate opera.
People, only a tiny sliver of the population even listens to opera. And I'm sorry, Jesus, I can watch only about three seconds of that: the soundtrack to my vision of hell is all opera (and a little reggae, during commercial breaks).
Oh, and a lot of jazz, particularly any brass instruments. No, YOU'RE the heathens!
You don't like brass instruments?
Huh.
Were you beaten with a Tuba as a child?
So I take it I won't be seeing you at the Zoyres/Yiddiots show on Sunday, ogged?
I've probably linked to this before, but all my knowledge of opera comes from this.
I know someone who knows Petra Nemcova.
Is that someone Drew Barrymore?
I've probably linked to this before, but all my knowledge of opera comes from this.
I like the narrator's Canadian accent.
31: Agreed on the opera.
Though if you also rule out reggae and jazz, I have to think about what you're left with. I render a bizarre visual, cutting out swaths left and right (with a broadsword, no doubt) until you're left with a narrowing tunnel which leads .. where? Straight to heaven?
Blues?
Blues and old-timey music are ogged's drugs of choice.
Blues, precisely. But also old-timey stuff and bluesy rock. But enough about me. Let's talk of the celebrities AWB knows.
I don't think Ogged has ever been so Other to me as after his last few posts.
I'll cop to hating a lot of opera, even perhaps most opera. But only a philistine hates all opera. And no heterosexual man averts his eyes from Anna Netrebko after three seconds.
Ogged, I am your connection to Foghorn Leghorn, America's premier old-timey band.
However, I think that Journey, Kansas, Boston, Foreigner, etc. etc. are what you really love.
I don't love opera; I don't know opera. But I can feel elated for someone who appears to be the prototypical less than average Joe stepping up like that. When they removed half your kidney, they must have taken the have with the soul.
I will also cop to still owning a copy of Boston's first album.
My love for Journey is well-known and boundless. And hooray for the average Joe; it's just that the singing didn't do anything for me. I'll watch the friggin thing again.
When they removed half your kidney, they must have taken the have with the soul.
We all must take the ruvv with the smooth.
Here, ogged. You can watch this classic scene with the sound off, if you like.
Goddamn, I like Kansas. Whichever album it is,
Ah! Leftoverture. I know the freakin' songs and lyrics by heart. From 8th grade. Next time I'm in, you know, that mood, I will listen to it again. Not now, please.
Jesus, you mistake me for a shallower man. Plus, she's Russian! Avoid!
Plus, she's Russian! Avoid!
Come on Ogged, the war is over.
Cheap Trick, REO Speedwagon, Bachman-Turner-Overdrive, Styx, Kiss, Rush, Def Leppard, Air Supply.
Just do what I say and I'll quit.
You haven't told him to do anything yet.
If you want to tell people about Foghat Leghat so badly, go ahead and tell us.
I thought you might be intrigued enough to turn up the sound. What's wrong with Russians?
55: Styx! Some goddam Styx song was the anthem of our junior prom.
Emerson's list at 55 puts me in mind of Tom Petty (and the Heartbreakers).
I saw a marvelous interview on maybe David Letterman years ago in which Letterman mistakenly identified the band as "The Heartbreaks," and Petty directed an icy stare at the host and corrected him: Heartbreakers
I clicked on McQueen's link. She's very pretty, yadda yadda, but what's striking to me is that--perhaps b/c of the ready availibility of near porn everywhere, or maybe just age--her prettiness is not a particular plus. What I mean is that Kournikova is pretty, but I wouldn't watch a tennis match just to see her. I think that when I was younger I would have. Same thing with opera lady--nice voice, but not enough to make me stay, and the attractiveness doesn't add anything.
When did American Idol turn into a show with British people singing pretty stuff? And why did it keep the obnoxiously lame judges?
(Perhaps "lamely obnoxious" would be better.)
I know someone who survived the tsunami and who is cuter than Nemcova.
you must spend an awful lot of time with porn, tim.
i dunno, even very average girls paralise me on a regular basis.
I know someone who survived the tsunami and who is cuter than Nemcova.
Any dead people in her story?
I suspect there are dead people in most people's stories of surviving tsunamis.
61: That's interesting, because in the context of opera she and Villazon (the tenor in the clip linked to in 51) are fairly unusual, in that they're physically not what people expect opera singers to look like, and they're far better actors than most singers. Plus, she really does have an amazing voice, and she's young enough that she could become substantially better yet. Plus, she's famously foul-mouthed -- always a nice touch.
There is something about a foul-mouthed woman isn't there?
I'm with ogged, even though I like a lot of opera. Because I know what it means to walk along the lonley street of dreams. Not sure how that follows, but it needed to be said.
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation had a version of "American Idol" where the goal was to find an Opera singer. It was great, and the winner got to sing at the Sydney Opera House.
As for little girls singing songs to make the audience cry, what about that kid from the Langley Schools Music Project singing "Desperado"? Google it or iTunes it or whatever it is you kids do.
69: Thank you for adding some explanation. I can't look at video links on dial-up. I'd been stifling a diatribe on what appeared, from the comments, to be feedback primarily on the singer's looks.
70: But surely, what's wrong with Russians is not that ogged won't date them, it's the as-yet-unknown reason for ogged not dating them. Or more precisely, for his not wanting to date them, as there are likely myriad reasons for ogged not dating certain women whether he wants to or not.
You want a hot fashion show, you should let high school jocks and the staff at GameSpot run one.
Uh-uh. The nerds would want to make the models all dress like Queen Amadala and the jocks would insist on making them walk naked. They'd start fighting over that and at the sight of nerd blood some of the girls would leave, followed by the rest when the triumphant jocks began snapping towels at them, so that finally the entire fashion show would be only a bunch of horny, bloody nerds and jocks laughing at each other's farts. And that isn't very hot at all. The end.
And that isn't very hot at all.
I'm sure there's a specialty website somewhere.
Ah, I see; I kind of like that, actually.
More important, shouldn't you go back and redact that emoticon?
singing "Desperado"
Wow, that is beautiful. Look it up, people.
78: The emoticon should remain but be googleproofed. For ogged's sake.
The thread linked at 75 is a conversation stopper.
#80. Yeah, that whole CD is affecting in a weird sort of way.
In the same vein, "Creek Lullaby" by "Margaret" is another beautiful song sung by a child. On one of the library of congress field recording albums, and also on the Deadwood soundtrack.
Boo, boo, boo to the byproducts of Don Henley.
An idiosyncratic sentiment. Don't try to argue.
Wow, that is beautiful. Look it up, people.
Oh, sure, nobody pays attention when I say it.
I am performing epistemic deeds beyond your ken. Donhenlic protoplasms whisper their badness to me.
Also, "page not found" at NickS's old comment. Linky?
Hmm, I listened on Rhapsody. Maybe Amazon has a clip?
The Eagles were the secret weapon with which I was to have destroyed Ogged utterly, but I fear that 85 has tipped him off.
Eagles! Don Henley! Joe Walsh! Glenn Frey! Bob Seger! Ted Nugent! Meat Loaf!
Meh. I'll stick with the protoplasms.
iTunes URL. I do all the work in this relationship, SB.
Psychobilly musician Mojo Nixon, long-time satirist of George W. Bush, wrote a song called "Don Henley Must Die". Some years later, Mojo was playing at Austin's Hole in the Wall when the Eagles, who were also scheduled to play in Austin, came in. Mojo announced he was going to play the song when Don Henley himself climbed up on stage and began to sing along, which left Mojo utterly speechless. The two have since become friends.
Domestic labor is work, ogged.
In 1990, Henley founded the Walden Woods Project to help protect Walden Pond from development. The Thoreau Institute at Walden Woods was started in 1998 to provide for research and education regarding Henry David Thoreau.
Henley co-founded the non-profit Caddo Lake Institute in 1993 to underwrite ecological education and research. As part of the Caddo Lake Coalition, CLI helps protect the Texas wetland where Henley spent much of his childhood.
It's true, I haven't blown you in a while.
Henley would have to end global warming single-handed to make up for his music, Ogged.
Barbra Streisand! Bette Midler! Tiny Tim! Engelbert Humperdinck! Seals and Crofts! Hall and Oates!
Next, a blockquote of Henley's dog rescue mission statement.
Some scientists believe Henley to be the Christ.
Walden Pond is basically paved over now, by the way. No diss against Henley, but the paths are paved. With asphalt. Bummer.
A free copy. More information here.
My two other favorite Langely Schools cuts are "Rhiannon"--the first cymbal crash is marvelous--and "Wildfire."
Seasons in the Sun! Little Drummer Boy! In the Year 2525!
I fear the battle is lost.
90, 99 -- odd, the link works for me. Let me try again.
98 is awesome. My favorite Mojo Nixon song is his version of "this land is your land" which is awesome.
Irony has destroyed hatred, John. Now that we know that everything is stupid, we can love unconditionally in a way that you in the Sixties never could.
105, 107: No no, the problem link is the aitch tee tee pee mumble bastamusic whatever.
Certainly some musician is kryptonite to Ogged's invulnerabilty. Joni Mitchell? Melanie? Billy J Kramer? Frampton?
I feel my strength waning/
Ogged is the Stay-puff man of the third millenium. I cannot touch him.
He said that Blue was like, the best album evar.
This is a guy who blogs about Paris Hilton going to m-jail, Dandas and cute little girls singing a song from Wizard of Fucking Oz, etc., and he's pissed at We Fags for fucking up heterosexual fantasy lives? Neighba, please don't.
mentioning that you liked journey didn't stop him.
Fuck Ye, Jesus.
Oh, somewhere in my psyche my United Methodist upbringing just cringed.
Everyone was enjoying being heterosexual until you gays came along.
Vigorously heterosexual.
My dad's summer camp had a recording made of the kids singing back in the 1940s or 50s. I don't think they sang anyone else's songs like the Langley kids, though. I'd actually be interested in digitizing the record, which is in my parents' house somewhere and which I haven't heard in years, except I have no idea how one would go about doing that.
the problem link is the aitch tee tee pee mumble bastamusic whatever.
So it is. If anyone really doesn't want to buy "Desperado" off itunes, wait 'till tomorrow. I'll post a yousendit link.
Wait, Ogged professed to liking Joni Mitchell and you gave him shit?
he's pissed at We Fags for fucking up heterosexual fantasy lives?
I missed that part.
parsimon, I love Joni Mitchell's music. I gave him shit because that's what we do.
The radio features on the keyofz page work, at least.
Joni Mitchell and tennis. Basically, we're staying together for the kids.
Olivia Newton-John.....
[dies]
Joni Mitchell is a genius, like Jackson C. Frank.
eb, get a cable to connect the line-out (or headphone jack) of the thing you're playing the music from to your computer's line-in, and use some recording software (I know Total Recorder, but there are probably free ones) to record. Should be pretty easy, actually.
129: Gotta keep fightin' the good fight: Steve Winwood!
I know The Hero hates Joni Mitchell, but based on Blue, I'd have to say you're right, Ned.
Mr. Emerson forgot to mention ABBA, the BeeGees, and Rick James.
Yes, I realize I have no idea what's going on. It's liberating, when you think about it.
Some of us are unable to use iTunes, populuxe.
Some of us are unable to use iTunes, populuxe.
Apparently you can run iTunes in Wine under Linux, Benjamin Dub.
131: Thanks. In that case, all I have to do next time I'm there is find the record and the record player, which should still be in working condition.
A record player/turntable doesn't usually have a pre-amplified line-out. You'll probably have to go turntable->receiver with phono input->line out (etc), or find a separate pre-amp designed for a turntable.
Just when you thought life was simple.
God, s/he's so undermining. Try the headphone jack first; might work; I've recorded things that way before.
If you go the Bridgeshrew route, there are some instructions here.
We can be happy undermined.
The last time the record player was connected, it was connected to a tuner or receiver or whatever you kids call this stuff that I'm pretty sure had a line out. I don't actually listen to music enough to pay attention to what's been connected to what in what ways, but it doesn't sound that complicated.
You could just listen to the albums and tell people about them later. Sorta like in the old country.
140: How do you get from the turntable/sound system/pre-amp to the computer?
Is this a stupid question? I'd like to digitize some of my albums.
There are some audio-head (dj) lists I'm subscribed to who have these things under their belts; embarrassing to ask them for such petty details.
I don't understand what ogged is saying. The jacks are not of the same type between audio system and 'puter. Feel free to tell me if I'm missing something obvious.
Speaking of music by young people, you should all listen to the version of Iko Iko on this collection.
I have no skills at finding mp3s, but This has a "listen" link.
Apparently you can run iTunes in Wine under Linux, Benjamin Dub.
Seems like an awful lot of trouble to go to just to pay for something.
From pitchfork media:
Part schoolyard taunt, part Mardi Gras chant, part found-sound experiment, "Iko Iko" was allegedly born when New Orleans' Dixie Cups started singing a hometown melody during downtime in the studio, accompanying themselves by hitting an ashtray, a bottle, and a chair for percussion. Not until the reign of the Neptunes would anything this weirdly minimal again reach the top of the charts.
Just because you say "'puter" like a helpless girl doesn't mean we're going to help you, parsimon.
147: How do you get from the turntable/sound system/pre-amp to the computer?
You need to adjust the gain stage. Basically, the signal from a record player isn't sufficient for an amplifier. It needs help. Many receivers have an input that adjusts for it, and you can go from there (or, as ogged notes, right from the headphone jack with a cable adapter [probably quarter-inch to mini-jack, which is what your computer has]). Or you can buy something like this. N.B., not a specific product recommendation.
Wait. Disregard 152. What ogged said.
I know a 2 year old that calls them 'puters too. Parsimon's true age revealed!
The link in 122 is like the plot summary of the movie 'The 300' in convenient dictionary form.
152: Thanks. Adaptor, but I just wasn't getting what kind. My sound system is pretty old, so I'll have to see.
Ogged, I don't feign helplessness. I just ask when I don't know. Don't make me regret that.
Of course, the asking isn't what I noted, trickster. But I'm willing to have comity on "adaptor," even if you do spell it like a foreigner.
Oh. Adapter? Looks wrong. Anyways* my sound system is from, like, the 70s or 80s or something.
*Canadian spelling
Or something like this -- just google USB turntable:
http://www.amazon.com/Ion-iTTUSB-Turntable-USB-Record/dp/B000BUEMOO
J
Way off-topic, but I'm watching Daily Show clips, and Harry Reid sucks. Can he be replaced and soon?
With whom? I dunno. Chuck Schumer? Barbara Boxer? Russ Feingold? Anyone with some fight in 'em. Gah.
159: Beautiful. More what I was thinking.
160: Reid's a terrible spokesman, but he's a brilliant parliamentarian, and that's what really matters in a majority leader.
he's a brilliant parliamentarian
Show me the Dems' accomplishments since the 2006 elections.
I haven't been keeping track. Surely they've done something.
Minimum wage. That's about it, by my count.
What more do you want?
Such low expectations from one so young. Truly this is the twilight of the Republic.
the flower fades to make fruit, the fruit rots to make earth, you know, Jesus.
In fairness, there's a good amount of investigation going on.
My youthful cynicism aside, Reid's only got a one-vote majority, and the Senate's a notoriously undemocratic institution. This level of accomplishment seems about right for this point in the session.
Okay, but he's a brilliant parliamentarian suggests he could get an immigration bill supported by the president through the cloture vote.
If Reid kills this bullshit about subsidizing coal liquification or whatever they call it, should I be happy with Reid or pissed that so many Democrats are parochial enough and clueless enough to support it?
True, Ben. But for my children, I would have them keep their distance from the thickening center.
I also don't think it's asking too much that we kill abstinence only sex ed.
Reid looks worse to me since the election, in contrast to Pelosi who looks much better
(as far as results--neither of them is much as a speaker). I think this must be partly because the Senate is set up so that the minority can stop stuff from passing, & the House isn't...
175: I agree, and I think that was teo's point. But grandstand, yo, GRANDSTAND.
171: With a one-vote majority? He's not a miracle-worker.
175: Pretty much, yeah. It's mostly just really, really hard to get stuff through the Senate.
Reid's only got a one-vote majority
And that one vote is Joe Lieberman, so really only sort of.
Here is Desperado for anyone who's still interested. Also, two of my other favorites off the CD , Rhiannon and Wildfire.
Provided for evaluative purposes only. Offer good until it isn't. Prizes are subject to availability and blackout. Coupon must be presented at time of write-up. No cash value. Void where prohibited by law, including the countries of Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Sudan and Syria. Do not taunt Super Magic Happy Fun Ball. Dilute! Dilute!
I think there should be an "is" at the end of the hovertext. On the other hand, I like it the way it is.
an "is" at the end of the hovertext
Or, a "to" prior to "Kim".
(Come to think of it, "is" would be better positioned immediately before "Kim" than at the end of the clause.)
Ok, so can I be a horrible person and say that, despite Simon Cowell's lovely comments, the adorable little girl was not, in fact, pitch-perfect?
But, totally adorable and ridiculously talented for her age! She and Opera Guy should form an unstoppably heartwrenching duo.