Monday Music

‘ Dolly Parton is my Spirit Animal

Good Evening FabNerds. How was your Monday? Mine was stressful and, I don’t  know about you, but when I’m stressed I need to sit back with some Yogi Tea and listen to different covers of one of my favorite songs on Youtube. Tonight it was the Dolly Parton classic “Jolene”.

Now, I am not the biggest country music fan – but I am a big Dolly fan (did you know she’s written over 3,000 and has been married to her husband for 45 years?) and “Jolene” is just a lovely little tune that – despite it’s sad tale – always makes me feel better.

 

 

Now that you’re up to speed with Dolly, let’s break down some covers. And just a reminder FabNerds: I know I’ve said this before, but if you see a cover you like, you should click the link to their youtube page of that artist and support them. Especially the unknowns. I didn’t ask permission to use these videos, so the least we can do is present a supportive environment for new music. And without any further ado…

 

THE ACOUSTIC BEDROOM:

 

 

This video by K McManus is a perfect into to watching cover videos. Very standard; a bedroom and and acoustic guitar and a sweet voice. It’s nothing new, but it’s certainly enjoyable. I would also check out her cover of MGMT’s “Electric Feel” is also really cool. I’d check it out if I were you.

 

THE ALTERNATIVE DUO:

 

 

Youtube’s Natalie Lungley and her nameless guitar-weilding side kick are breaking down this song a bit more. It’s sad and sleepy listening to this and that’s how we like it. I also find it adorable when people outside of the US do country covers (I’m looking at you Keith Urban).

 

THE HIPSTER POP:

 

 

This another cover with an accent! Ellie Goulding (of “Lights”) fame, makes this song even more painful than usual. I totally dig that sort of screechy part near the end, normally it would bug me, but for Jolene I make an exception. BTWs, I’m aware that I’m just making up genres. You want accuracy, read Rolling Stone.

 

THE NINE YEAR OLD:

 

 

This is Eva Ricci – she is a fetus and a power house. I’m kind of in awe of her. You go girl. (I think she might be older than nine, but you know what I mean)

 

THE POP GARDEN:

 

 

Why is it that when celebrities record covers they always seem to be at some weird garden party? What’s interesting about this one is that Miley Cyrus (not Hannah Montana) is Dolly Parton’s goddaughter. For the most part, she sounds better than I’ve heard her- this is probably due to her killer band – you know, when she doesn’t mess up the lyrics.

 

THE SINGER-SONGWRITER:

 

 

I got to admit, I have no idea who Mindy Smith is, but she must be somebody if she got Dolly Parton for her music video. I totally dig this. Enough said.

 

THE ONE THAT GOT WIGGY WITH IT:

 

 

Right? That is a wig, right? I’m always bad at recognizing those things. Well good for you Julie Lavery – embrace your inner Dolly. The song’s cute too.

 

THE FAMOUS ONE:

 

This is The White Stripes‘ “Jolene” cover. If you haven’t ever seen it, I’m honestly shocked. I was pretty sure everyone already had. But maybe not everyone has a brother as obsessed with Jack White as. Whatever. I like that it’s a guy singing it. Dolly is universal. We don’t need to play into gender stereotypes to honor her work.

 

So this ends our Monday Music. Hopefully it’s made you feel a little better. Unless the Bruins lost the Stanley Cup while you were reading. In which case, I’m sorry. Nothing will ever be better ever again.

JK, (kinda)

Jess

 

 

American Royalty

Royals from Across the Pond

 

FabNerds, this post comes to you late because I have a job at a movie theatre and I worked late for the opening of The Bling Ring.

 

 

You know, that Sofia Coppola movie based on that E! reality show?

 

 

The movie looks awesome, but that’s beside the point. I was watching a morning show segment about the movie and some reporter said the film was about our obsession with celebrity (true) and cited people like Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton as “American Royalty”.

 

Our Kate and Wills?

I have a problem with this. Not because America was a country built on the idea that there was no royalty, but because I always grew up thinking “American Royalty” was THIS:

OR THIS:

OR (more recently) THIS: 

Celebrities are not America’s equivalent to royalty. Royalty is something untouchable. You don’t pick apart royalty the way you do celebrity. That’s why when something truly scandalous happens   with them it’s a big deal.

If this was a Jersey Shore photo, you wouldn’t look twice.

A celebrity is much more exciting than that. With famous people something is always happening, they have a movie or a sex tape or they’re on The View for the movie/sex tape. Celebrities are not royalty. Royalty is boring. Royalty doesn’t throw up onstage.

 

 

Don’t get me wrong. I love royalty. Like seriously: let’s have a a Kate Middleton tribute for a sec:

…get the difference? If you are going to call someone American Royalty, let it be someone boring. The beautiful famous people who spend most of their time doing things (writing legislation, working for charities) and are only news-worthy when they sleep with interns, but you don’t hold it against them because they are too likable – these people are royal. Celebrities are only infamous.

The only exception is Joe Biden.

Cheers,

Jess