"They say 'Jump'"

They say hey that's really something

They feel he should get some time

I say he should watch his ass

My friend don't listen to the crowd

They say 'Jump'

Got to believe somebody

Got to believe

"Jump They Say", 

off the album Black Tie White Noise

David Bowie

1993

(I only took the last section of the songs to post).

I was thinking about this song last night... if I stand corrected, I think the original concept was about Terry Jones, David's schizophrenic older brother (half brother). Terry had committed suicide some time in the early 80s and this song had become David's way of "memorializing" his idol (he looked up to his brother, as a lot of younger siblings do to their family members). I remember the video being aired on Mtv, and it was David in a suit, spending a lot of time on the roof of a high rise office building. As I write this, I am not looking up the information, so I definitely could stand corrected on it. I just looked the lyrics up, and left it at that (I partially posted the lyrics. Youtube the song if you can find it).

Some things just stay with you...such as the fact I remember the first time I saw the Sex and Candy music video by Marcy Playground. It was 3 o'clock in the morning, I had fallen asleep on the futon in front of the TV and I woke up with a strange ass music video playing... I thought it was odd as hell, but left it on as I put the futon away. I shut the TV off right after, and went to my bedroom.  Other things you just want to forget. Things happen.

But the whole reason I was thinking about Jump They Say,  is because it's meaning relates to the post I made the other day about db and death. The lyrics sound more trivial and political than he intended, but it's yet another point written down in the Reaper category.

I have a correction to make from my last post as well: I was asking what happened to the Scooby Gang and failed to mention other key players, such as Reeves Gabrels. Where is he? Passed? Under a rock? I haven't researched it yet to give a solid answer, but I know he's another long standing guitarist that was missing from the ★ album.

I also must point a "positive" out with this record. I feel it's a much needed throwback to early work (1970s and a couple from the 1980s), in regards to numbers of tracks and their length. I'm thinking Station To Station and Young Americans. I know there might be others that were put out with 8 or less songs, and at least 1 song had more than eight minutes in duration (See title track to Station To Station). Others ranged from 5 minutes and thirty seconds to just under 7 minutes. I recently read that when Bowie wanted to list ★  with a good single, he knew he wanted to keep the title track the length it was (9:47, or there about). So he picked Lazarus as his main front runner, because the download sites (iTunes, Amazon) didn't look highly upon singles being super long. Especially if you're going to judge how the audience accepts the music (rate the singles put out / the album as a whole), no one will want to listen to a 10 minute song, or at least accept it with open arms as the main bread winner for singles. But sometimes people do; it's a matter of time. That's why I think the title track of Blackstar came out as a second single.

I could be wrong.

"Quick" change of topic and to other news for a minute.

Some celebrity death round ups (only change is it's not completely about db. lol):

We ended the year with:

Lemmy Kilmister, the front man to Motorhead. He passed on December 28, 2015. I don't know much about either, but only know Lemmy had an unforgettable look to him - between a somewhat bushy set of Muttons and a black cowboy hat, I can't tell you any more. Motorhead was not one of those bands I can name a song from.

Natalie Cole, who was the daughter of Nat "King" Cole. She died December 31, 2015. I only know of duet-ting"Unforgettable" with her father.

M*A*S*H fans will be saddened that Wayne Rogers ("Trapper" John) also passed on December 31.

After this, the deaths take a slow roll for January. It was quiet until the fifth, when a French composer / conductor by the name of Pierre Boulez passed away. Followed by Pat Harrington ("Schneider" on "One Day At A Time) and big band singer Kitty Kallen on the seventh. Things got silent again, but only for three days when it was Bowie's passing was announced on the 10th. That got the ball rolling for the 11th (Monte Irvin) and Brian Bedford on the 13th. The following day, January 14th, Professor Snapes (Alan Rickman) held his final potions class. Céline Dion's husband, René Angélil, also died on the 14th. The 15th saw Dan Haggerty - "Grizzly Adams" pass away.  Even as I sit here writing this, I find out that Céline's brother passed today, January 16, 2016 (partial death list sources here). 

It seems the majority lost their battle(s) with cancer. 

I'm bummed over Wayne Rogers. I think there's only a handful left standing from the 4077 and Alan Alda keeps getting older the more I see him on PBS. Every time I hear his voice, I just want to shut my eyes and forever picture him with high energy and thick black hair. Not that he's lazy-ing around these days, but the "grandpa" features (balding, salt and pepper hair) are messing with my mind. 

I vaguely recognize the name of Kitty Kallen. I have been known to have Big Band music in my record collection, so maybe she's on something I own. I don't have any of her albums, although I probably could find one somewhere. I know I've heard various people cover Bésame Mucho, so maybe that's the other way I know her. 

I can't believe Alan Rickman died, four days after Bowie. Both men were 69 and died of cancer. People have been joking that it's the "best age to go out at" (mainly because it's sexual). 69 is not "old" these days; it's fairly young. I know a lot of people were fans of Professor Snape (some Potterheads in general). When I found out, the first thing I said was "Wendi must be so gutted" - a friend of my mother's, is a big Alan Rickman fan, so I asked my mom to tell her friend I was thinking of her. I remember of the first movies I saw him in was Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves when I was younger. I have to admit, I'm not a Bruce Willis fan, so I have not seen any of the Die Hard movies. I'm glad, however, Rickman finished filming the new Alice In Wonderland movie, but how strange will it be when they release it? Knowing his voice has been led to the Blue Caterpillar will be just as sadly awkward as receiving Blackstar in the mail yesterday (I'm super glad I pre-ordered.. Amazon is "temporarily out of stock" on all Bowie albums, and the prices have skyrocketed). I'll probably be renting that movie once it goes to DVD. 

Okay... so I'm re-reading what I've written so far, and I'm officially starting to ramble. Thanks for the +1 on the other posts (B) and I'll check in with this place again soon..

Take care of yourselves!!

Cheers;