Glee "One Of Us"

I've written about this song before, but it popped into my head a bunch of times yesterday as the White Smoke from Vatican had cleared and news stories about the new Pope circulated.

One of the tidbits that seemed to provoke a bit of hand-scratching/bemusement of the media, was that archbishop Jorge Bergoglio was known in Buenos Aires to fore-go a driver or special car, but rather take the bus from his downtown apartment (foregoing the mansion), to his office.

And when he was elected Pope, the new Pope Francis declined to take a limousine back to the place he was staying, opting instead to ride the transport bus he'd arrived in, along with the other Cardinals.

Will this continue?  Could you get on a bus in Rome with plans to climb the Spanish Steps, only to find yourself seated next to the Pope?  Since every news report of the last 48 hours has included the words "humility" and "modesty" can we expect to see the Catholic Church's hierarchy reject the trappings of a Monarch-like existence?


There are a lot of reasons I stopped going to church and stopped participating in organized religion.  I did so long before the clergy abuse scandals came to light, and long before I traveled to Rome.  But that trip in 2003 did as much as anything to steel my feelings that the Catholic Church was not the place for me.

We spent a day in Vatican City, touring the Sistine Chapel, and the many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many halls filled with priceless artwork, statues, sculptures, pottery and gold-covered everything.  I remember lying in bed that night, trying to close my eyes and fall asleep, my brain on overload processing and organizing the completely overwhelming rush of images flickering through my memory.

There was so much money, so much wealth, so much accumulation, that it was hard to square that with the vows of poverty, the life of service, the administering to the poor, that are supposed to be the crux of the church's mission.

If you had a choice between a Pope mobile or a bus, which would you take?  Or a helicopter flown by the Italian Air Force, or the rail-train with local stops, which would you take?   Or having a butler prepare your clothing, or going to the laundromat to wash your vestments, which would you take?

Speaking realistically, even if Pope Francis wants to buy a bus pass, security concerns are unlikely to make that feasible.  He's going to have to ride in the armor-plated vehicle.  And doesn't that eventually corrupt and separate you?

So I'm not as optimistic as the folks who hear "The Pope Takes A Bus" stories and believe it's a new day for the Catholic Church.

Nor am I as cynical as the folks who, hours after Francis was elected Pope, started posting about how his positions on Marriage Equality and other social issues are no change whatsoever from the Church's previous, conservative positions.  Being surprised the Cardinals elected a Pope who holds most of the same positions as his predecessor, is like being surprised the Patriots drafted a football player, instead of, you know, an Olympic Swimmer.

As I toss and turn the "what does this all mean" in my head, and think about the future of the Catholic Church, I eventually circle back to where I have been for sometime.

I stopped practicing organized religion because I don't need anything but my own awareness, to know that I need to recognize both the humanity, and the Godliness, of that person riding next to me on the bus, be he The Pope, or just a "slob like one of us."

The rest of religion, to me, is just a lot of white smoke.


Hear the song on Youtube.

Matisyahu "Miracle"

So I got this message from an old friend, over the weekend . . .

I'm writing to throw down the gauntlet. I realize that you are turning to Christmas on your blog. However, in the spirit of our UMASS background, I'd like to challenge your musicological expertise to find a great Chanukah song. (Choosing Adam Sandler's song would constitute automatic forfeiture.) If you are successful, I will include your pick and blog link in my social media networks. If you are not successful, your having listened to all the heinous Chanukah music out there is punishment enough. My pick to date would be Stephen Page & the Bare Naked Ladies' Hanukkah Blessings.

Your former RA,
Andrea

Well she's right. Despite giving a pretty thorough run-down of Jewish songwriters who've penned Christmas tunes, I haven't posted anything Chanukah-related. Is it because (as she intimates) there aren't any good Chanukah songs?

I wracked by brain for a bit, and the first things that came to mind were pretty goofy---nothing that could hold up to the religious reverence of "Do You Hear What I Hear?" or the secular reverence of "White Christmas."

Then again, the majority of Christmas hits are way over the novelty border, too (Rudolph, Frosty, Gramma Got Run Over By A Reindeer, You're A Mean On Mr. Grinch, etc).

So here are a few faves, ordered from most reverent to least (while still staying on the tasteful side of that fence, for the most part).

Let's start with painfully earnest:


Hear Peter Paul and Mary on Youtube.


This brand new Matisyahu song is also earnest, coming out of the artist's desire "to get across some of the depth and spirituality inherent in the holiday in a fun, celebratory song." Lyrically, it does that. So don't be fooled by the super-goofy video.


See "Miracle" on Youtube.


The Maccabeats also seem pretty earnest. But the "Glee"/Boy Band vibe isn't my style. But I suppose if you are trying to explain The Festival Of Lights to "Glee" and Boy Band fans, it's a pretty solid genre-effort.


Hear "Candlelight" on Youtube.


And while this scene from "Colbert Christmas" is slathered in holiday irony, it does neatly, sweetly, smartly portray the awkward compare/contrast game that inevitably ensues when Jews try to explain Chanukah to their unaware Christian friends.

Check out "Can I Interest You In Hannukah?" on Youtube.

Tina Fey & Christopher Cross "All My Nights I've Been Waiting"

Are we about to witness the poisonous side-effects of the success of Glee?

Glee is a hit in the ratings, which is a lovely success story. But they are also an amazing music sales story. They now have more Billboard Hot 100 Chart Hits than the freakin' Beatles!

When CSI became a hit, what did we get? CSI Miami. CSI New York. Criminal Minds. NCIS. And other attempts to cash in on the crime procedurals.

When Lost became a hit, what did we get? Fringe. Jericho. The Event. Surface. Invasion. And other attempts to cash in on the mythology-rich psuedo-supernatural series.

So now that Glee has hit, expect plenty of knock-offs. And soundtracks. Even from unlikely places.

30 Rock?

Definitely one of my favorite shows, but not one that I'd think was ripe for its own CD. Let alone a double-CD.

And yet, here we are.

Full versions of songs shared in snippet form on the show, like "Werewolf Bar Mitzvah," "Muffin Top" and the fictional-when-mentioned-on-the-show-but-now-real "All My Nights I've Been Waiting." (Right click on the last one, for a free download)

Okay, so this might be fun.

But I DON'T want to hear the CSI double-disc.

Buy the 30 Rock Soundtrack here.



And somehow, THIS song IS NOT on the CD!?!?

Glee "Time Warp"

Glee is doing a "Rocky Horror Picture Show" episode tonight, so I thought I'd share a preview. It's pretty good.

But mostly, today's post is just an excuse to have this first clip. See if you recognize the future rock star, interviewed at the 1:25 mark.