Culture Clashes

I’ve been tagged by Brian Sibley. This is a new concept for me, but it seems to mean that I’m supposed to highlight seven songs that I’m into right now. I can’t do all seven right now, but let’s start with one that runs over the end credits of the excellent Japanese movie Linda, Linda, Linda, featured here one year ago.

The movie is about a high school girl band practicing a song by the Japanese punk band The Blue Hearts for a high school talent show. The DVD supplementary material includes lengthy commentary from Patrick Macias, an American expert in Japanese Pop culture. Here, Macias provides a one minute introduction to The Blue Hearts.

[audio:http://www.dograt.com/Audio/2008/JUN/PatrickMacias.mp3]

This is “An Endless Song,” the Blue Hearts record that runs over the closing credits…

[audio:http://www.dograt.com/Audio/2008/JUN/BlueHeartsEndlessSong.mp3]

…and this is The Clash from 1977.

[audio:http://www.dograt.com/Audio/2008/JUN/CareerOpportunities.mp3]

That recording came from a British import LP, and it has the nice full and smooth sound that’s characteristic of better vinyl pressings.

Petula Clark, International Star

XUXA’s stardom in Latin America failed to translate into American success. Of K3 and Free Souffriau in Belgium, I would suspect that Free has a better chance at finding an audience here in the states, or at least in the UK. English-speaking performers don’t necessarily have an advantage, otherwise Cilla Black would have been a much bigger name than she is in the U.S.

The point I’ve been leading up to is that Petula Clark’s career is unique. From child star on radio, to movie star, to adult French singing sensation, to 60’s Pop icon, to TV specials, to adult contemporary performer, to Broadway, and on and on, Petula Clark stands alone. No other entertainer, not even Madonna (in whom I have no interest) has reinvented herself so many times. And Petula has done it with apparent ease and without false fronts.

Here is Petula Clark’s recent appearance on Paul O’Grady’s BBC TV show. It features the hot, new Disney boy band, the Jonas Brothers. I love how the kids have to sit behind the old ladies.

[MYPLAYLIST=2]

Tech note: YouTube has the image shape wrong, so I downloaded the files and I’m giving this playlist a try. You’ll notice that you have to click outside of the player to change focus back to the page.

The Great Jun-Nov Waste

How can anybody not already be sure whether they’re voting for McCain or Obama in November? Millions of dollars will go to TV networks and stations, and I think it’s a waste of money, because everything that everybody needs to know to make a decision is already known, and from here on out all there will be are personal attacks.

I’m appalled by the Hillary supporters who are so strident in their refusal to vote for Obama. They’re negligent if they don’t vote, and those who vote for McCain are outright fools, because they’ll be voting against their own interests and further undermining the Democratic Party.

After Hillary’s divisive campaign I don’t want to see her as Obama’s running mate. If I were Obama I’d offer Secretary of State to Hillary and caution her to think before she refuses. And if she balked anyway and insisted on VP, I’d knock the offer down to Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare, take it or leave it.

If Hillary does end up on the ticket, then I will think that Obama isn’t perhaps as tough and willing to play hard ball as he should be, but I certainly wouldn’t vote for McCain. I can’t understand why he’s viewed in polls as being better equipped to handle Iraq. With 80% of Americans unhappy with the direction of the country, why vote for somebody who wants to keep things the way they are?

Eric’s Anime Pick — Grave of the Fireflies

Eric says we’ve depleted his selections of superior Anime, but we’ll be looking through some other titles to see what might be worthy. This one is an oldie we watched before I started blogging. Grave of the Fireflies is from 1988, and it’s one of the most tragic and heart-wrenching movies I’ve ever seen. A teenage boy does everything he can to keep himself and his baby sister alive in Japan during World War II.

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