http://www.bluetights.net/theplanet/blog.php A DC Comics Discussion board. en Mon, 15 Mar 2010 10:09:21 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.bluetights.net/theplanet/muggled/misc/rss.jpg http://www.bluetights.net/theplanet/blog.php http://www.bluetights.net/theplanet/blog.php?b=1318 Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:32:20 GMT Let me start by saying that it irks me that some people call themselves "Superman fans". It just does. Now, what kind of people are you talking about, SB? Naturally, no names will be named, but these "if my imaginary boy toy isn't the star of the film I won't be seeing it!" people really make me want to do the crazy.

Also, those people saying "Oh, Nolan is involved, then it's going to be the dumbest movie ever, instead of the spectacularly brainy character-driven movie that was SR"... those have the same effect on me.

Y'know what, people? Get over yourselves. ]]> superboy13 http://www.bluetights.net/theplanet/blog.php?b=1318 http://www.bluetights.net/theplanet/blog.php?b=1317 Thu, 11 Mar 2010 07:38:00 GMT The Word for Today (http://www.thevine.co.nz/word/archive/2010/03/11) with Bob Gass Read Your... The Word for Today
with Bob Gass

Read Your Bible!
Your word is a light to my path.
Psalm 119:105 NKJV
When asked, 'What book has most influenced your life?' most people say the Bible. Yet fewer than 14% of us read it every day. How come? Here are some of our most common excuses:

1)'I've no time.' Really? Many of the books in your Bible can be read in 10 to 45 minutes, some in less than 20 minutes. By taking a chapter a day you can complete the book of Proverbs in a month and the Epistle of James in five days. 2)'I don't know where to begin.' If starting in Genesis and working your way through seems overwhelming, break it into bite-sized pieces. Pick a Gospel and read the life of Christ. Just get started! 3)'It's not exciting.' Do you like romance? Read the book of Ruth. Looking for adventure? Try Judges or Acts. Enjoy poetry? Explore Song of Solomon. From history to how-to, it's all in Scripture. 4)'Isn't going to church every week good enough?' Billy Graham says, 'The Bible is the road map for life, and while your pastor can highlight the best route to take, you learn how to navigate life's twists and turns for yourself.' 5)'It makes me uncomfortable.' When you don't know what God's Word actually says, it's easy to equate it with negative experiences and hypocrisy you've observed, then throw out the baby with the bathwater. No question, the Bible makes you face hard truths: '… it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart' (Hebrews 4:12 NIV). It gives you a check-up from the neck up. But you'll discover who you are, what you're called to do, and become empowered to do it! ]]> brdwaybebe http://www.bluetights.net/theplanet/blog.php?b=1317 http://www.bluetights.net/theplanet/blog.php?b=1316 Fri, 05 Mar 2010 07:28:16 GMT What's interesting to me today is gossip. I have been blessed to not have very much exprience with the rumormill. I managed to stay out of the eye of the people who start rumors all through school and even in my adult life.

Recently I had the 'oppurtunity' to be considered a good target for desparaging remarks. Not sure what I did to tick whoever it was off, but it was a pretty interesting experience.

The obvious conclusion is that it sucks to have anyone believe something about you that isn't true. In this case it proved to be a BIG fake something and the someone at the time was very dear to me. This is a total departure from anything else in my life, as I'm used to being trusted - because I strive so hard to be trustworthy.

Anyway. It bothered me a lot at the time and to be honest, bugs me still. But the whole thing did teach me a few helpful things.

Gossip and rumors, show you where the people around you stand. If something horrible is said about you and it's either believed or rejected as a lie - you see what the people you care about are willing (or not willing) to believe about you.

Also it taught me to let go of control a little bit. You can't control what people say or what people think. Theya re going to think their thoughts and speak their speech. You just have to be satisfied with knowing the truth about yourself and letting people deal with the rest.

Am I over it? Eh. Maybe. Maybe not really lol. But I think I'm learning to be. I am learning that there is a silver lining in every situation, even the ones that totally suck. If you look at them right, you just might learn something good. ]]> brdwaybebe http://www.bluetights.net/theplanet/blog.php?b=1316 http://www.bluetights.net/theplanet/blog.php?b=1315 Mon, 01 Mar 2010 09:49:18 GMT Not exactly the quiz I thought I was getting when I got my results. But my result was only shared... Not exactly the quiz I thought I was getting when I got my results. But my result was only shared by 1.6% of people. So I feel special.

http://www.pentagram.com/what-type-are-you/ ]]> brdwaybebe http://www.bluetights.net/theplanet/blog.php?b=1315 http://www.bluetights.net/theplanet/blog.php?b=1314 Tue, 12 Jan 2010 03:41:18 GMT At some point, everyone is faced with their mortality. They no longer are 30, or even 40...and I... At some point, everyone is faced with their mortality. They no longer are 30, or even 40...and I ask the question, is it really something to be afraid of?

There are those who see the elderly stage of life as their twilight, their time to wind down. Others find their lives renewed. There are some 50 or 60 year olds out there who are more young in spirit than those in their 30s.

I look at my grandmothers, who are both still living and 84 years of age. They can't move around as well as they could in previous years, but it has to be amazing for them at this time in their lives. To see their children grown, and to have grandchildren. And then to live through history. They grew up during the days of segregation and have seen a black person become President.

Old age is nothing to fear. I'd be more concerned with how I've used my time, if it's been spent wisely. What do you think? ]]> The Sage http://www.bluetights.net/theplanet/blog.php?b=1314 http://www.bluetights.net/theplanet/blog.php?b=1313 Wed, 16 Dec 2009 11:26:47 GMT Wednesday, December 16, 2009 Safe Passage On the same day, when evening had come, He said to... Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Safe Passage

On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side." —Mark 4:35

Jesus once said to His disciples, "Let us cross over to the other side." So they boarded their boat and began cruising across the Sea of Galilee, a very large, freshwater lake known for storms that arrive quickly and without warning. And sure enough, a storm came. This one was a doozy, because even the seasoned sailors were despairing of their lives.

Meanwhile, Jesus was asleep in the boat. So the disciples woke Him and said, "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?" (Mark 4:38). In other words, "Hey, Lord? Are You paying attention? Don't you care that we are going through this? Wake up and do something!" So Jesus rebuked both the storm and His boys. He turned to the storm and said, "Peace, be still!" and it stopped. But then He turned to His own disciples and said, "Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?" Or literally, "Why are you so timid and fearful?"

Jesus was essentially saying, "Haven't you learned anything? I said, 'Let's cross over to the other side.' I didn't say, 'Let's go to the middle of the Sea of Galilee and drown.' " Jesus didn't promise smooth sailing, but He did promise a safe passage.

It is better to be in a storm with Jesus than to be anywhere else without Him. I would rather be in a fiery furnace with Jesus than in a palace without Him. I would rather be in a lion's den with Jesus, or in a prison, or even shipwrecked, than to be elsewhere without Him. As long as I know Jesus is there, then I can get through it.

God is with you regardless of what storm, or even shipwreck, you are going through right now. You are not alone.

Copyright © 2009 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ]]> brdwaybebe http://www.bluetights.net/theplanet/blog.php?b=1313 http://www.bluetights.net/theplanet/blog.php?b=1312 Tue, 01 Dec 2009 11:59:33 GMT Dr. David Hawkins
http://www.crosswalk.com/spirituallife/

"Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

So says a famous passage of Scripture. We often take this to mean that we should be careful about becoming too attached to objects or money. We recognize that objects and money can be fleeting, and if we're too attached to them, and they disappear through natural calamity or perhaps even our own recklessness, we're in for a world of hurt.

But, what if we've become too attached to our own story. What if we have unwittingly allowed ourselves to become welded to a particular view of ourselves—our story—so that we become immobilized? Let me explain.

Pamela has been obese her entire life. For over thirty years she has known obesity. She has always struggled with her eating disorder, obsessing about her "comfort foods," ways to rid herself of her excess weight, and even ways to pretend she doesn't have the disorder. She secretly eats the wrong foods, laughs uncomfortably when caught, buys clothes so that her weight issue isn't so apparent, and wraps her life around her disorder. Not surprisingly, she has never sought treatment for her disorder.

Pamela has sadly begun defining herself by her obesity. She is overweight and that is the central aspect of how she thinks of herself. No matter that she is also an accomplished pianist, or an excellent hostess for gatherings in her home—she still thinks of herself primarily as a woman with an eating disorder. She rarely allows herself to think about a life without her obesity.

Jim defines himself narrowly as well. Listen to his story:

Dear Dr. David. I have been divorced for five years and can't seem to find anyone interested in me to date. I was hurt very badly by the divorce and think of myself as a loser. I don't think any worthwhile woman would want to date me. I felt abandoned by my ex-wife, and now feel abandoned again and again when I become too frightened to even ask a woman out on a date. When I look in the mirror all I see is someone who is divorced and who will never have another significant relationship. What can I do to change the way I look at myself so I can have success in dating? Please help.

While Jim and Pamela's stories are quite different, you can see they both wrap their lives around a particular theme: Pamela is an obese woman who can't seem to live beyond her eating disorder. She doesn't seek treatment for her disorder, which suggests she obtains secondary gain out of her story.

Jim obsesses about being divorced, and his divorce, while an incredibly painful event, seems to define him. He rehearses being single, rejected and alone. He rarely takes chances to move out of these painful circumstances. Both live out their story again and again despite the pain, slipping into an excruciating rut.

To rehearse our life patterns is a common phenomenon. We often define ourselves by the "stories" we repeat again and again. Consider the story of the Samaritan woman whom Jesus encounters at the well. She immediately recognizes that as a Samaritan woman she should not be talking to a Jew, moreover giving Jesus a drink. But Jesus knew what he was doing. He entered her life at a point when she was living out a pattern of behavior—five husbands and counting---and offered her not only water, "living water"— but a chance to live beyond her painful story.

Jesus goes on to share some new opportunities with the woman:

"Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." (John 4: 13)

You can be sure that this encounter is an opportunity for this woman to redefine her life. Through her encounter with Jesus she will have the chance to review her life. She may well ask herself some new questions, perhaps the same questions we might ask:

What is the story of my life?
What are the patterns I repeat over and over again?
How am I attached to these patterns?
What would my life be like if I didn't define myself so narrowly?
How would I like to define my life?
How might God define my life?
Living beyond our "stories" can be incredibly refreshing and even life-giving. God wants to offer us a new life, and even declares that through His Spirit is always ready to do a fresh work in our lives. The life of Christ dwelling in us shakes up our old ways of doing things and provides the impetus for shattering crusty self-images, self-destructive patterns, and stories that too narrowly define us. Consider taking a few small steps to crack the mold on your self-defeating life patterns.

First, recognize the stories you tell yourself, and others, again and again. Have you begun to define yourself by some tragedy that occurred in your life years ago? Do you keep doing the same things, expecting different results? Or do you do the same things and give up on expecting new results? Consider rewriting your script, updating it with current information. How would others describe you? How do you want to be seen? Become familiar with your "story."

Second, imagine a new life. Who could you be if you weren't packing around old baggage? Who would you like to become? Become familiar with the dreams you secretly hold and ask yourself how you and God might begin to make them a reality. Let your imagination run free, making notes about your images and ideas.

Third, what patterns of behavior will you have to give up to embrace this new identity? As you allow yourself to dream you will have to crack the mold on old behaviors. You may have to make new friends, risk taking classes at college or pick up that musical instrument again. You may join a writer's group, sing in the church choir or take painting classes.

Fourth, find an encouraging audience. Seek out people who see you in new ways. Find those people who dare to embrace your dreams with you, championing the fledgling beginner. Stay away from naysayers who want to view you in your old, soon-to-be-outdated story.

Finally, rehearse your new story. In present tense, practice saying "I'm taking piano lessons again." "I'm excited about the support group on Tuesday nights." "I can't wait to find the girl of my dreams." "I'm starting that business I've been thinking about for years." Then, rehearse those thoughts. Allow the Spirit of God to be like a spring of living water welling up inside that feeds the dreams He has for you. ]]> brdwaybebe http://www.bluetights.net/theplanet/blog.php?b=1312 http://www.bluetights.net/theplanet/blog.php?b=1311 Fri, 27 Nov 2009 10:43:12 GMT Read Your Life Backward by Max Lucado God is working in you to help you want to do and be able to... Read Your Life Backward
by Max Lucado

God is working in you to help you want to do and be able to do what pleases him.
Philippians 2:13 NCV

What God said about Jeremiah, he said about you: "Before I made you in your mother's womb, I chose you. Before you were born, I set you apart for a special work" (Jer. 1:5 NCV).

Set apart for a special work.

God shaped you according to yours. How else can you explain yourself? Your ability to diagnose an engine problem by the noise it makes, to bake a cake without a recipe. You knew the Civil War better than your American history teacher. You know the name of every child in the orphanage. How do you explain such quirks of skill?

God. He knew young Israel would need a code, so he gave Moses a love for the law. He knew the doctrine of grace would need a fiery advocate, so he set Paul ablaze. And in your case, he knew what your generation would need and gave it. He designed you. And his design defines your destiny. Remember Peter's admonition? "If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies" (1 Pet. 4:11).

I encountered walking proof of this truth on a trip to Central America. Dave, a fellow American, was celebrating his sixty-first birthday with friends at the language school where my daughter was studying Spanish. My question—"What brings you here?"—opened a biographical floodgate. Drugs, sex, divorce, jail—Dave's first four decades read like a gangster's diary. But then God called him. Just as God called Moses, Paul, and millions, God called Dave.

His explanation went something like this. "I've always been able to fix things. All my life when stuff broke, people called me. A friend told me about poor children in Central America, so I came up with an idea. I find homes with no fathers and no plumbing. I install sinks and toilets and love kids. That's what I do. That's what I was made to do."

Sounds like Dave has found the cure for the common life. He's living in his sweet spot. What about you? What have you always done well? And what have you always loved to do?

That last question trips up a lot of well-meaning folks. God wouldn't let me do what I like to do—would he? According to Paul, he would. "God is working in you to help you want to do and be able to do what pleases him" (Phil. 2:13 NCV). Your Designer couples the "want to" with the "be able to." Desire shares the driver's seat with ability. "Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart" (Ps. 37:4 NIV). Your Father is too gracious to assign you to a life of misery. As Thomas Aquinas wrote, "Human life would seem to consist in that in which each man most delights, that for which he especially strives, and that which he particularly wishes to share with his friends."

So go ahead; reflect on your life. What have you always done well and loved to do?

Some find such a question too simple. Don't we need to measure something? Aptitude or temperament? We consult teachers and tea leaves, read manuals and horoscopes. We inventory spiritual gifts and ancestors. While some of these strategies might aid us, a simpler answer lies before us. Or, better stated, lies within us.

The oak indwells the acorn. Read your life backward and check your supplies. Rerelish your moments of success and satisfaction. For in the merger of the two, you find your uniqueness.



From Cure for the Common Life
Copyright (Thomas Nelson, 2006) Max Lucado ]]> brdwaybebe http://www.bluetights.net/theplanet/blog.php?b=1311 http://www.bluetights.net/theplanet/blog.php?b=1307 Wed, 25 Nov 2009 10:05:52 GMT I found this little website that analyzes your first name. Normally I kinda roll my eyes at these... I found this little website that analyzes your first name. Normally I kinda roll my eyes at these things - they are fun and all but usually inaccurate.

This one was VERY accurate.
http://www.kabalarians.com/cfm/DisplayNameAnalysis.cfm

Your name of Christy gives you a very happy-go-lucky, spontaneous nature.

You see the humorous side of many situations and can laugh at yourself as well as at others.

This name gives you a musical, artistic nature and you would do well in any occupation in the entertainment field.

You have many friends because of your generous, happy nature, but if crossed you have a quick temper, although your annoyance does not last too long.

You do enjoy an argument and will at times say things just to get others going and then you sit back and enjoy the debate.

You lack system and order and find it very difficult to budget and save money.

Although the name Christy creates idealism and the urge to help others, we emphasize that it frustrates you through a scattered and emotional nature.

This name, when combined with the last name, can frustrate happiness, contentment, and success, as well as cause health weaknesses in the nervous system, liver, and bloodstream.
]]> brdwaybebe http://www.bluetights.net/theplanet/blog.php?b=1307 http://www.bluetights.net/theplanet/blog.php?b=1306 Mon, 23 Nov 2009 04:11:13 GMT Get Back turned out to be a disaster and The Beatles breaking up seemed inevitable at that point.... Get Back turned out to be a disaster and The Beatles breaking up seemed inevitable at that point. Paul decided that if that were to be the case, the band shoul go out on a high note. So, in 1969, they got together in Abbey Road studios and did just that.

John Lennon - Rhythm guitar
Paul McCartney - Bass guitar
George Harrison - Lead guitar
Ringo Starr - drums

They all sang. Now, here we go.

Come Together - John rips off Chuck Berry (which led to a solo album, Rock ’n’ Roll, that‘s worth checking out), does it in a more modern (at the time) style, and comes up with a great chorus. Not for nothing was this a number 1 hit. 10/10

Something - Although this might also have had something to do with it. The first, and unfortunately, only George song to be released as the A-side of a Beatles single (a double-A side with Come Together), this has been called one of the greatest love songs of all time. And I don’t know about that, but it sure is up there - it’s since been covered by, among others, Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra (who, hilariously, called it one of his favorite Lennon/McCartney compositions…man, George can‘t get a break in this group, can he?). Who am I to argue with that? 10/10

Maxwell’s Silver Hammer - Paul sings about a serial killer. It’s one of the weaker tracks on the album, but it’s not all that bad. 7/10

Oh! Darling - It’s hard to believe this was a brand new song - it sounds like the biggest hit from 1955 or something. Which isn’t meant as an insult - it’s a great song and Paul sings it well, so, yeah. 8/10

Octopus’s Garden - Granted, Ringo never became a great composer like his bandmates (in fact, I think there are only about ten or so songs which are credited solely to him), but when I say this is probably the best song he ever wrote, that is not meant lightly. George called the song “cosmic” because it’s “so peaceful”. And it’s really hard to argue. I mean, you could never get tired of this song. I’m amazed ‘m giving this rating to a song written by Ringo (his second, too), but…well, it really is just that good. 10/10

I Want You (She‘s So Heavy) - Considering its length (7:47), you’d think the track was too long, but it really doesn’t feel that way. 8/10

Here Comes The Sun - This has to be the best song George ever wrote, in or out of the Beatles. And if you haven’t heard any of them, trust me - he wrote some great songs. This was never released as a single, but that didn’t stop it from becoming one of the Beatles’ best-remembered songs. 10/10

Because - John, Paul and George sand, then overdubbed themselves twice, so there are a total of nine voices here. The story goes that Because is Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata backwards - it’s not quite that simple, but the two pieces to seem to be related somehow. And when you put Beethoven and the Beatles in the same place, then…well, it’s, like, physically impossible for the resulting track not to be good. 9/10

You Never Give Me Your Money - The way this track starts, you know it’s the beginning of something epic. And you’re right. This is the start of the famous medley, which continues until the album is almost over (the last song is, appropriately, The End). It’s kind of like Happiness is a Warm Gun with its different sections in different styles…Gun is the better track, but this one ain’t bad either. 8/10

Sun King - This track is so calm and peaceful (in a different way from Octopus‘s Garden), it’s almost surreal, and the voices don’t help. 8/10

Mean Mr. Mustard - Not the greatest thing since sliced bread, but not really all that bad, and it certainly sounds appropriate for it’s subject. 8/10

Polythene Pam - This one isn’t the greatest thing since sliced bread either, but it’s better than Mean Mr. Mustard. 8/10

She Came In Through The Bathroom Window - True story. Anyway, this one is also pretty good. The momentum seems to be really picking up here, building up to the big finale…then it stops. 8/10

Golden Slumbers - This is the beginning of the end, you can tell. Lyrically, it’s kind of a lullaby. And lack of greatness from Paul (and there really hasn‘t been one) is made up for here - this, along with the following two tracks, is easily one of his best. 10/10

Carry That Weight - The Beatles singing about The Beatles. All four are present here, and it’s kind of hard not to notice how easy Ringo is to hear in a crowd. We’re given reprises of bits of music we heard way back in You Never Give Me your Money, which is incredibly satisfying. But it’s not over yet…10/10

The End - The track starts off with a drum solo from Ringo which is truly epic. Then, guitar solos from all three. They all rock. Then they all drop out, and we hear just a piano, and Paul’s lyric: “And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make”. It’s like All You Need Is Love’s little brother. The Beatles do some vocal harmonizing, an orchestra comes in, and the book is closed on The Beatles in suitably epic fashion. 10/10

Her Majesty - Or not. After about 15 seconds of silence, a loud, crashing chord shocks you, and Paul delivers this charming little thing by himself on acoustic guitar. It lasts all of 23 seconds, and goes away just as quickly as it came. It is nice while it lasts, but it’s nothing great…I mean, it is only 23 seconds. Still, it’s okay. 8/10


When Rolling Stone made their list of the 500 best albums, they rated Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band as the greatest album of all time. Personally, I don’t agree. I mean, Abbey Road outdoes Sgt. Pepper in every department. It’s better produced, the songs are generally better, and all four members of the band are represented as creative entities, which only the White Album could claim before now - and when you compare Georges and Ringos songs on the White Album to the ones here…no contest - the Abbey Road ones win - the only George song that approaches the ones here is While My Guitar Gently Weeps, and…it’s not quite that good. And Octopus’s Garden is much better than Don’t Pass Me By.

As for John and Paul, while this batch of songs isn’t quite as iconic as some of their previous efforts, they all fit together here much better than on the White Album, and at least as well as on Sgt. Pepper.
And, frankly, any flaws this album has (not many) are more than made up for by the medley. In fact, I know the scores all average out to around 9, but I’m going to give the album an extra point just because the medley is so awesome, making a perfect…

10/10

]]> Returns06 http://www.bluetights.net/theplanet/blog.php?b=1306 http://www.bluetights.net/theplanet/blog.php?b=1305 Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:20:02 GMT Yeah, I know, Abbey Road before Let It Be, but Let It Be was (mostly) recorded first, so I’ll cover... Yeah, I know, Abbey Road before Let It Be, but Let It Be was (mostly) recorded first, so I’ll cover it first.

Let It Be is kind of a complicated story - Paul felt that some of the problems the group was having at the time came from the way they’d been doing their songs in recent years - the sons were heavy on overdubs and edits, which meant that none of The Beatles had to be together to record a song. Paul wanted to do an album with no overdubs (which would be called Get Back), and have the group perform a concert - and all of this would be filmed so that a movie about the album and concert could be released, turning The Beatles’ return to live performances into a multimedia extravaganza. So The Beatles met in a film studio in January 1969 to rehearse their new songs and be filmed.

Which turned out not to be such a good idea - the conditions in the studio were such that the rehearsals were very unpleasant, which certainly didn’t help Paul accomplish his goal of bringing the band back together. George even quit the band for a brief period of time (Ringo had as well during the making of the white album). He came back on the condition that The Beatles would move to an actual recording studio and thet he could bring keyboardist Billy Preston in to play on some of the songs. So that’s what they did.

After they spent the remainder of the month recording take after take after take of their songs and performing an impromptu concert of the roof of heir building, The Beatles found that they had recorded so much material that none of them wanted to sort through it all to make a releasable album, so they handed it to engineer Glyn Johns, who made a couple of potential versions of the album (still called Get Back at this stage), but they were all rejected. Get Back and Don’t Let Me down were released as a single, but otherwise, the Get Back sessions remained unreleased for the time being.

The Beatles recorded and released Abbey Road and that was supposed to be their final album - but so much time and money had been spent on Get Back that they couldn’t afford to simply do nothing with all that tape, so after numerous failed attempts at making an album, the recorded material was handed to producer Phil Spector, who did make an album out of what he had been given - although a new recording of I Me Mine was needed (since it would be included in the film and the group had never done it outside of the rehearsal shown in the movie). Spector decided to treat the tracks with his trademark “Wall Of Sound”, putting lots of echo on some of them, and overdubbing other instrumentation onto others (most famously The Long and Winding Road). Paul hated the result and tried to block it’s release, but it was too late, and the album came out the way Spector had prepared it.

Whoo. You got all that?

John Lennon - Rhythm guitar
Paul McCartney - Bass guitar
George Harrison - Lead guitar
Ringo Starr - drums

They all sang. Now, here we go.

Two Of Us - John and Paul start off the album with a duet for this mostly acoustic number. I really don’t have any problem with the song itself -it’s a nice song- but I don’t know if it’s the best song to start the album with. But, whatever. 8/10

Dig a Pony - John sings a mostly nonsensical set of lyrics, although the tune isn’t as memorable as Lucy or Walrus. Still, it’s all right. 7/10

Across The Universe - Ugh. This is a great song, an’ all, but in the hands of Phil Spector, it sounds like total crap. It sounds like the tape he was given wasn’t the best quality as it was, but on top of that it’s given lots of echo, slowed down, and has a female choir dubbed onto it. I’d recommend it on the basis of the song itself being so good, but honestly, there are better version available. 6/10

I Me Mine - Okay, so it isn’t the best song George ever wrote, but it’s not horrible, either. 7/10

Dig It - Nothing much to comment on, here - just 50 seconds of John improvising and making stuff up. 7/10

Let It Be - One of the best songs Paul ever wrote, hands down. There’s really no way around it. Unfortunately, it doesn’t sound the best it possibly could here - the cymbals at the beginning have a ton of echo on them, the backing vocals, which can be heard on other versions, are removed and there appears to be some brass overdubbed. And who thought putting that guitar solo into this song was a good idea? Still, it manages not to completely ruin the song, so…eh. 7/10

Maggie Mae - Um…okay. 6/10

I’ve Got A Feeling - Now, that’s better. I’ve never really had strong feelings about this one, but it’s a good song. 7/10

One After 909 - John and Paul revive one of their older songs that they never put out before - this was apparently written as early as 1957 but never came out because The Beatles apparently weren’t satisfied with it before now (they still might not have been). As a result, the song has a really old-scholl rock and roll kind of sound. 8/10

The Long and Winding Road - Paul writes gentle piano ballad. Phil Spector takes a recording of said ballad and dubs a huge orchestra, harp, and female choir onto the song, resulting in it sounding nothing at all like its composer had intended. Now, don’t get me wrong, I find this a perfectly valid take on the song, but I’m not sure if the original recording was the best vehicle for it. 7/10

For You Blue - After heavy stuff like I Me Mine, While My Guitar Gently Weeps, and just about every other song George has written up to this point, it’s nice to see him do something that’s fairly light and upbeat. It’s not exactly an undiscovered classic, but it’s okay, and I like it. 7/10

Get Back - The original title song for the project, it certainly does demonstrate what they were going for - nothing fancy here, just some of that Rock and Roll Music John mentioned liking all those albums ago. 8/10

Considering what The Beatles had achieved with their past few albums, it’s kind of surprising that the batch of songs present here are so much…I dunno, they’re just less than what The Beatles had achieved recently. I mean, you could say that it’s because so many of the best songs from the project wound up on Abbey road, but if you look at the lineups for the aborted Get Back albums, they don’t contain any of the songs that they would revisit on that album.

I know it’s something of a cliché to blame Spector for the album not being as good as it could have been, but I’ll do it anyway. It’s actually kind of bizarre, too - I mean, Spector could clearly produce an album - listen to John’s later Plastic Ono Band and Imagine, or George’s All Things Must Pass, both of which Spector produced, and they sound good - Let It Be, on the other hand, often sounds kind of…harsh. But the songs are good, so whatever.

7/10

]]> Returns06 http://www.bluetights.net/theplanet/blog.php?b=1305 http://www.bluetights.net/theplanet/blog.php?b=1304 Fri, 20 Nov 2009 03:18:45 GMT The Beatles were the stars of an animated movie in 1968. Unlike A Hard Day’s Night and Help!,... The Beatles were the stars of an animated movie in 1968. Unlike A Hard Day’s Night and Help!, however, The Beatles only contributed four new songs to the accompanying album this time. I’m only going to cover those four, so this’ll be pretty quick.

John Lennon - Rhythm guitar
Paul McCartney - Bass guitar
George Harrison - Lead guitar
Ringo Starr - drums

They all sang. Now, here we go.

Only A Northern Song - George expresses frustration at being overshadowed by the Lennon/McCartney team. It’s pretty good. Also, I can’t be the only one who noticed the similarity between this track and George’s earlier If I Needed Someone (“If I needed someone to love, you‘re the one that I‘d be thinking of”/“If you‘re listening to this song, you might think the chords are going wrong”). Considering the subject matter, I can’t help but think it was intentional. 8/10

All Together Now - If it hadn’t been for All You Need Is Love, this would have been what The Beatles performed during the Our World broadcast. Now, don’t get me wrong, this is a good song, but for the first-ever live international satellite broadcast? No. It’s charming, though, and reminds me of Juno (the movie, not the web browser or mythological figure), oddly enough. 7/10

Hey Bulldog - Nothing fancy here - just straight rock, not unlike the White Album’s Yer Blues. It’s also much better than that track - I mean, that main riff by itself is pretty awesome. 9/10

It’s All Too Much - George gets psychedelic, moreso than with Only A Northern song, and only really surpassed in that department by Blue Jay Way. It may go on a little too long, but it’s much, much better than Blue Jay Way. It’s probably one of the most underrated songs The Beatles ever did, and is, by itself, worth the price of the album. I'd take a point off for the overly long, somewhat pointless jam at the end, but the rest of the song is so good that I think I won't. 10/10

In addition to those four, the first side of the album featured Yellow Submarine (obviously) and All You Need Is Love book ending the first side of the album. The other side is the instrumental score by the Beatles’ producer, George Martin. It’s really a Beatles album in name only - you kind of have to wonder why they didn’t just put out these four on their own as an EP. Still, I have to say, the four originals aren’t a bad batch of songs, even if they are a short one.

8/10 for the originals.

]]> Returns06 http://www.bluetights.net/theplanet/blog.php?b=1304 http://www.bluetights.net/theplanet/blog.php?b=1303 Fri, 20 Nov 2009 02:31:22 GMT Or, as it’s more commonly known, The White Album. The studio experimentation of the band’s past two... Or, as it’s more commonly known, The White Album. The studio experimentation of the band’s past two (three if one includes Magical Mystery Tour) is still present, but the psychedelic atmosphere seems to have disappeared without a trace.

In the time between the group’s last release and this one, they had built up a large backlog of songs, so they released their 1968 LP as a double album.

John Lennon - Rhythm guitar
Paul McCartney - Bass guitar
George Harrison - Lead guitar
Ringo Starr - drums

They all sang. Now, here we go.

Back in the USSR - Paul does the Beach Boys. He’s also at his most rockin’ here since, probably, the first album - while not quite as iconic, Back in the USSR rocks just as hard as I Saw Her Standing There. Great way to start the album. 8/10

Dear Prudence - Then, all of a sudden, we switch to John singing a much softer, very different song. A little background: The Beatles had gone to India for a Transcendental Meditation course with a number of other celebrities, among them Mia Farrow, and her sister, Prudence. Lennon was worried that Pruidence might be depressed, so he wrote this song for her - now, based on that, you can probably picture what kind of song this is. It’s good. 8/10

Glass Onion - The music is pretty good -really good, actually- but what’s most notable here is John’s making fun of people analyzing The Beatles’ lyrics, including the famous statement “Here‘s another clue for you all - the walrus was Paul”. 8/10

Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da - I don’t care what you say, this song is freaking awesome. 9/10

Wild Honey Pie - Unfortunately, this one isn’t. Weird, atonalk guitars and Paul screaming “Honey Pie!” in a weird voice. Fortunately, it’s only 53 seconds long, so it’s over before you can really get to hate it. 4/10

The Continuing Story Of Bungalow Bill - It almost sounds like a children’s song - kind of like Yellow Submarine if John had written it, only more folky. I doubt that was how it was intended, though. It’s about a man in India who went tiger hunting during the TM course. Not many people liked him, apparently. Well, the song is good. 7/10

While My Guitar Gently Weeps - One of George’s best, most remembered songs, this definitely could have been a single. But it wound up on the album. And it’s one of the best songs there. 10/10

Happiness Is A Warm Gun - Another good one from John (about 3 or 4, actually). 8/10

Martha My Dear - Not bad, kinda charming, but not especially memorable. 6/10

I’m So Tired - John takes the “I need sleep” theme and does it better than George did on Magical Mystery Tour . While Blue Jay Way could be boring if you’re not in the mood for it, I’m So Tired isn’t. Oh, and by the way, I don’t know if it’s true or not, but I’ve heard that those supposedly nonsense syllables John sings at the end are actually “Monsieur, monsieur, let‘s have another one”. 8/10

Blackbird - I dunno about you, but it took me a couple of listens to get into this one. Once you do, though, it’s pretty good. 8/10

Piggies - With the instrumentation being what it is, and George singing about “piggies”, you’d think this was a children’s song, when it’s really anything but. In reality, it’s closer to Animal Farm than Dr. Seuss. Ian McDonald described the song as “an embarrassing blot on [George‘s] discography” - I’m not the biggest fan in the world of Piggies, but it’s not anywhere near that bad. 7/10

Rocky Racoon - It isn’t technically a bad song, but I’ll tell you the truth, I never minded skipping this one. 6/10

Don’t Pass Me By - FINALLY! Ringo Starr makes his debut as a songwriter. So, what’s the verdict? Well, he’s okay, but not anywhere near the level of his bandmates. It’s a fun country tune, and it doesn’t really try to pretend it’s anything else. 7/10

Why Don’t We Do It In The Road - Could accurately be described as filler. But it’s okay. 7/10

I Will - You know, I Will sounds like it could have been a good substitute for Till There Was You back on With The Beatles. It’s just as good, and it’s also probably the best song from Paul on the entire album. Really, though, it works best as a companion for the following track. 9/10

Julia - Julia, in case you were wondering, was John Lennon’s mother, who died when he was 17. The song is appropriately soft and tender - in fact, John is the only person playing or singing on this track, and it’s easily one of his best. 10/10

Birthday - I don’t know if this would have topped the charts had it been a single, it would have made a very good B-side, I though. Hmm…Back in the USSR/Birthday…yeah, I could see that as a single. 8/10

Yer Blues - John gets loud and depressed here. It’s a really good song, though I kind of prefer the version played by the Dirty Mac, (John with Eric Clapton, Keith Richards and Mitch Mitchell). 8/10

Mother Nature’s Son - A mostly acoustic number by Paul. If you’ve ever heard a John Denver song, you’ll know what to expect here (no surprise, then, that Denver covered it). If you happen not to like John Denver, then imagine a good John Denver song. 8/10

Everybody’s Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey - I’m tempted to give this song a 10 on the basis of it’s title alone. But, no. I will, however, give it an 8, just for sheer insanity. It’s kind of like Good Morning Good Morning, minus the LSD. 8/10

Sexy Sadie - Mildly memorable tune, John’s mad at someone for “[making] a fool of everyone”. It’s okay, I guess. 7/10

Helter Skelter - Who ever thought The Beatles could do heavy metal? Well, pre-metal, Heavy Metal as it is now didn’t exist yet, but it’s close enough. Helter Skelter is loud and scary, and that’s evidently exactly what Paul wanted. 8/10

Long, Long, Long - George seems to be attempting to make a song that sounds more tired than I’m so tired and Blue Jay Way. It at least equals them. It’s almost hypnotic until the end, when it gets scary. Really, what else could they have done after Helter Skelter? 7/10

Revolution 1 - *sigh* Okay, I’ll get it out of the way. In 1968, John wanted to record a song he’d written called evolution. The Beatles recorded a number of takes of it. He wanted to release it as a single, but the other Beatles objected because it was too slow. So, he reworked it to make it loud and insane, and they recorded it that way - that version of Revolution was issued as the B-side to Hey Jude. This is one of those earlier takes of the song the way John originally wanted to do it. Revolution 9, which I’ll get to later, is a whole different can of worms. Revolution 1 is pretty good, but it doesn’t have quite the immediate intensity of its single counterpart. He may have been trying to achieve the effect of sounding level-headed, but it winds ups sounding somewhat bored. Kind of hard to believe this became that other track. 7/10

Honey Pie - Another of Paul’s dance music hall tunes. It’s better than Your Mother Should Know, but not quite as good as When I’m Sixty-Four. 7/10

Savoy Truffle - George criticizes Eric Clapton for eating too much candy - and I don’t know if this is what he was going for, but the song kinda sounds like candy…if you know what mean. You don’t? Oh, well. 8/10

Cry Baby Cry - It’s pretty good. Personally, though, like the “hidden” track here, “Can you Take Me Back” better, especially considering the next track. 7/10

Revolution 9 - Oh, man…I don’t know where to begin. I don’t know what to rate it. I don’t even know if I should be touching it here. Well, I’ll take a crack at it. People hate this track, and understandably so. This was supposed to be a rock album, and they got this, which isn’t even really a song. I’ll admit, I don’t actually hate this track, though it clearly is the kind of thing you need to be in the mood for. And, be honest, it really wouldn’t be the White Album without it, would it? Hmm…well, I’ll give it a 7, ‘cause I don’t love it, but I don’t really dislike it, but don’t take this as me endorsing the track, because, to be perfectly honest with you, I’m still trying to figure out what to think. 7/10

Good Night - Revolution 9, I’ve found, will alter your brain works - it just puts you on edge. Everything seems wrong somehow. Good night may be over the top, but it really is the only “cure”, so to speak, for Revolution 9. I always liked it. 8/10

You know, for all it’s cultural impact, the White Album really plays like a collection of B-sides…really, really good B-sides, but still…the songs mostly seem to lack that iconic quality that most of the Beatles’ best songs have lots of - While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Julia, and Back in the USSR being the only real exceptions. But don’t take that the wrong way - I did say they were good, didn’t I?

8/10

]]> Returns06 http://www.bluetights.net/theplanet/blog.php?b=1303 http://www.bluetights.net/theplanet/blog.php?b=1302 Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:42:00 GMT One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do.

Finally, he decided the animal was old, and the well needed to be covered up anyway; it just wasn't worth it to retrieve the donkey.

He invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well.. At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone's amazement he quieted down.

A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well. He was astonished at what he saw. With each shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was doing something amazing. He would shake it off and take a step up.

As the farmer's neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up.

Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and happily trotted off!

Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. The trick to getting out of the well is to shake it off and take a step up. Each of our troubles is a steppingstone. We can get out of the deepest wells just by not stopping, never giving up! Shake it off and take a step up. ]]> brdwaybebe http://www.bluetights.net/theplanet/blog.php?b=1302 http://www.bluetights.net/theplanet/blog.php?b=1301 Thu, 19 Nov 2009 04:04:21 GMT Following Sgt. Pepper in 1967, The Beatles directed and starred in a TV movie called Magical... Following Sgt. Pepper in 1967, The Beatles directed and starred in a TV movie called Magical Mystery Tour. This, you’ve probably already guessed, is (partially) the soundtrack to that film.

John Lennon - Rhythm guitar
Paul McCartney - Bass guitar
George Harrison - Lead guitar
Ringo Starr - drums

They all sang. Now, here we go.

Magical Mystery Tour - Kind of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’s little brother - it introduces the album as kind of a narrative (which none of the other songs follow up on). Like that other title song, it’s pretty light on substance, but it’s not bad. 7/10

The Fool On The Hill - I don’t know if it’s great, really, but it’s definitely better than Magical Mystery Tour. 8/10

Flying - One of the few instrumentals ever put out by The Beatles, and I think the only one put out during their recording career. I think this might be one of the most insubstantial song that the group ever put out (at least, that lasts longer than 30 seconds). But it’s nice and relaxing, so there. 7/10

Blue Jay Way - This song seems to have been designed specifically to put you to sleep. Which is not altogether inappropriate, since the song is about how tired George is and how badly he wants sleep. It’s not exactly a bad song, but you do need to be in the mood for it. So…7/10

Your Mother Should Know - Paul attempts to follow up When I’m Sixty-Four, and it’s an okay tune, but not particularly memorable, and Paul seems to run out of words halfway through. 7/10

I Am The Walrus - Probably the highlight of the soundtrack half of the album. John makes a conscious attempt at making absolutely no sense and succeeds - “I am he as you are he as you are me and we are all together”. The siren-like piano and crazy orchestra make it sound like a bad drug trip. Seriously, it’s so completely insane you almost like it based on that alone. Well, I do, anyway. 9/10

Hello, Goodbye - John Lennon criticized Hello, Goodbye, saying that the lyrics didn’t say anything. You gotta admit, he kind of has a point. Still, the music more than makes up for anything the lyrics lack, so there. 8/10

Strawberry Fields Forever - Undeniably one of the most influential songs in the history of popular music, there really is no other word for this one except “genius”. Allegedly, Brian Wilson pulled the plug on the Beach Boys project he was working on at the time after he heard this because he realized that The Beatles had accomplished what he was attempting (to be fair, there were other issues involved there). 10/10
Penny Lane - Issued on a double A-side with Strawberry Fields Forever, Penny Lane isn’t quite as obviously psychadelic as its disc-mate. Nevertheless, it’s certainly a worthy companion, and itself a great song. 10/10

Baby, You’re A Rich Man - The verse of this song sounds amazingly like Put A Little Love In Your Heart. Nothing much to say here except that, yeah. Good song. 8/10

All You Need Is Love - The music alone would make it a classic, but the real reason this song will be remembered is the lyrics - of all of John Lennon’s “statement” songs (other songs in this category include Revolution, Give Peace A Chance, Imagine and Mind Games), this is probably the best. And to anyone wishing to bash it on the basis of “you need food, shelter, oxygen, etc”, I would like to point out that if you try to interpret any other song John wrote in 1967 literally, your brain will explode - I see no reason why that should change now. Anyway, great song. 10/10

Magical Mystery Tour is unique. I may have mentioned this in a previous review, but the Beatles’ albums were completely re-sequenced in the American market. Since songs from singles were often kept off of albums in Britain, when transplanted to America, the songs from the singles would be placed on the albums, with other songs dropped to bring it down to what was then a normal album running time. They were also placed in a different order, given different covers, and re-titled. When putting out another Beatles album, they would include songs ay yet unreleased, while also gathering singles together and putting them onto a disc with whatever other songs The Beatles had just delivered. It wasn’t uncommon, in fact, for new albums to be created entirely from leftovers. Anyway, Magical Mystery Tour is one example of this practice - in Britain, it was released as a double-EP, with a total of six songs. The American version, however, combined those six songs with the various non-album singles released by The Beatles in 1967 and released it as a full album.

Nothing surprising there.

The surprising part comes about 20 years later. In 1987, all of The Beatles’ songs were being released on CD, so they decided to take this opportunity to standardize the catalogue. The British versions of the albums were all made the “official” versions, with one exception - that is, of course, this one.

It wasn’t quite the cultural phenomenon Sgt. Pepper was, but it’s arguably just as good of an album.

8/10

]]> Returns06 http://www.bluetights.net/theplanet/blog.php?b=1301