Arachnophonia: The Beach Boys “Smile”

Posted on April 4, 2022 by marmstr3

Editor’s note: Arachnophonia (“Arachno” = spider / “-phonia” = sound) is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library‘s collection.

All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record for the item in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by student assistant Amy (class of 2025) and features The Beach Boys’ unfinished album Smile. Thanks, Amy!

The Beach Boys

Smile

Referred to as the most renowned unreleased album in pop music history, Smile was supposed to be the 12th studio album by the American band the Beach Boys, projected to be released after their album Pet Sounds. However, they did not officially release the album, potentially because of legality issues with Capitol Records and the producer and composer of the album – Brian Wilson’s – rocky emotional state.

The album had fully completed musical tracks, but only a few of the songs have vocal recordings. Potentially because of his fear of ridicule, Brian Wilson refused to finish the album, but when bootleg versions of the album became popular among the Beach Boys’ audience in the 80s, Capitol Records released a portion of the album to the public in the 90s.

Wilson drew inspiration from astrology, numerology, and the occult when composing Smile. He also became fascinated with religion, even adopting meditation and vegetarianism. Wilson wanted this album to be a “teenage symphony to God.” The group named the album Smile because it focused on good thought and happiness.

You can find the Beach Boys Smile album at the Parsons Music Library. The box set includes 40 tracks, many of which are unfinished but include parts of the structure of the original Smile album. The box also includes a small book of notes from Wilson and photos from the recording sessions.

Arachnophonia: “La flor de la canela” by Chabuca Granda

Posted on March 30, 2022 by marmstr3

All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record for the item in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by student assistant Nicole (class of 2024) and features popular song from Peru called “La flor de la canela”. Thanks, Nicole!

“La flor de la canela” – Chabuca Granda

“La flor de la Canela,” which translates to: “ The Cinnamon flower” in English, is a vals criollo song first recorded by the group Los Morochucos in 1950, and later popularized by the singer and composer Chabuca Granda in the same year. Chabuca is a symbol of música criolla in Peru, a genre that exhibits influences from European, African, and Andean music.

Chabuca Grande singing on a Peruvian TV show circa 1960

I have grown up hearing this popular song on the radio since it has become the unofficial anthem of the citizens of Lima, the capital of Peru. The song also conveys a beautiful meaning. The expression itself, “to be a cinnamon flower” means to be proud and far from reach.

Chabuca was inspired to write the song because of a friend who would always come to her performances, an African Peruvian woman named Victoria Angulo Castillo. During their meetings, Victoria would tell Chabuca about her journey home after the shows, crossing an old wooden bridge: “el Viejo Puente de Palo”. The lyrics tell the story of a young beautiful woman on her journey home. This woman is described as “the cinnamon flower.”

A CD with Chabuca’s greatest hits, including “La flor de la Canela,” is available to check out at the Parsons Music Library!

Parsons Playlists: Disney Tears

Posted on March 23, 2022 by marmstr3

Welcome back to Parsons Playlists! Today’s playlist features a playlist of tear inducing Disney songs curated by Music Library student manager Eliana (class of 2024).

Disney Tears: Disney Songs That Make Me Cry

Sometimes, you just need a good cry. What better way to do it than by listening to Disney movie hits? Curl up, grab a box of tissues, and get your cry on.

“Go The Distance” from Hercules

“Dos Oruguitas” from Encanto

“Remember Me” from Coco

“The Next Right Thing” from Frozen II

“Can You Feel The Love Tonight” from The Lion King

“I See The Light” from Tangled

“Beauty and the Beast (Tale As Old As Time)” from Beauty and the Beast

“A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes” from Cinderella

“Reflection” from Mulan

“Just Around The Riverbend” from Pocahontas

Here is a link to the whole playlist on YouTube:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLU94rco57Zez8MPSzhhLbHR1OEA3Mup4k

And here is a version on Spotify:

Arachnophonia: Green Day “American Idiot”

Posted on March 21, 2022 by marmstr3

All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record for the item in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by student manager Deisy (class of 2024) and features Green Day’s 2004 album American Idiot. Thanks, Deisy!

Green Day

American Idiot

Green Day is a band that many are fans of and many have heard of. I remember going to my local dentist and waiting to be attended to when their infamous song “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” begins to play. Without fail, every year I would step into this dentist and the song would start playing on the radio. As time went on, I discovered the name of the song and eventually got into listening to the band and have since fallen in love with many of their songs. And I wonder, was this song such a prominent part of other people’s lives just as it was to me, or was I just exposed to it too consistently in that dentist room?

The band’s official beginnings started in 1989 as a group of teenagers in Northern California came together to create Green Day. Their most successful and biggest hit album, American Idiot, shook the world when it came out in 2004. This album contains songs like “Boulevard of Broken Dreams“, “Holiday“, and “Wake Me Up When September Ends“.

While this music may not be to everyone’s taste, it is certainly a genre that can allow one to feel free and youthful. Green Day was known as a band that empowered the youth and was not scared to point out the faults of today’s society. They are the type of band one listens to when trying to de-stress and feel that sense of freedom many young adults crave.

Currently, the Pearsons Music Library has a copy of American Idiot and other notable albums such as 21st-Century Breakdown (2009) and Dookie, which are available for loans or to simply listen to in our study rooms. If at any moment in the semester you feel like decompressing with some pop-punk, try giving Green Day a listen!

Arachnophonia: Queen Greatest Hits

Posted on February 16, 2022 by marmstr3

All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record for the item in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by student manager Deisy (class of 2024) and features insert title info here. Thanks, Deisy!

Queen – Greatest Hits

I am ashamed to say that I did not know of Queen until after the movie Bohemian Rhapsody came out in 2018. But it was one of the best decisions I ever made when I decided to do my research and listen to their songs.

My favorite Queen song has to be “Love of My Life” which was released in 1975, beginning with the soft piano music, adding Mercury’s vocals, and finishing off with some electric guitar allowing the listeners to feel the emotions of the singer. The Parsons Music Library has access to all of the band’s greatest hits in a CD form which contains hits such as “Bohemian Rhapsody“, “Somebody to Love“, “Another One Bites the Dust“, and much more.

Queen is the type of band that gets you in the mood to take over the world. Listening to these songs first thing in the morning will allow you to finish the day with a sense of accomplishment. Perfect to get you pumped up for the day or before an exam, it is the type of music you must give a try!

Arachnophonia: The Killers “Hot Fuss”

Posted on January 12, 2022 by marmstr3

All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record for the item in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by student manager Danny (class of 2023) and features the Killers’ 2004 album Hot Fuss. Thanks, Danny!

The Killers

Hot Fuss

Everybody – and I mean everybody – seems to know the Killers from one song: “Mr. Brightside.” The song has become a party and nightclub staple, garnering tons of partygoer enthusiasm as everyone shouts the lyrics in unison.
But what if I said that although it is the group’s most popular song, it is not one of their best songs? What if I said that the Killers have been very prominent in the alternative rock industry for years, pumping out album after album over the years, with some of the core members remaining in the band for its entire existence?

I can go on for hours talking in-depth about every single one of the Killers’ albums, from Hot Fuss all the way to Pressure Machine. My favorite album of all time, Sam’s Town, is also by the Killers. However, in terms of popularity, I feel that Hot Fuss takes the awards. Therefore, to appeal to the general public of those reading this post, my focus will be on this 45 minute masterpiece.

Hot Fuss was released on June 7th 2004 and reached seventh on the Billboard 200. Although being extremely popular in America, the album was actually more of a commercial success in Ireland and England. This album, was the beginning of a 17 year (and counting) career. It was the very first album by the Killers and has been the one that most people adore most.

The track list is absolutely amazing. The four band members, Brandon Flowers, Ronnie Vannucci, Dave Keuning, and Mark Stoermer each had significant roles in writing most of the songs. Vanucci, the drummer of the band, had the least writing credits on the album, but only 3 of the 11 songs on the album were written alone by Brandon Flowers. The rest all involved some sort of mix of the 4.

One of the most interesting easter eggs within the album is the connection between two of the songs and “Leave the Bourbon on the Shelf” which was included in their album Sawdust (a compilation of unreleased songs). The two songs in Hot Fuss that are connected are “Jenny was a Friend of Mine” (the opening track) and “Midnight Show.” The three songs all tell the story of a criminal case concerning Robert Chambers.

This was also the album that featured the anthem “Mr. Brightside.” Some other notable songs of theirs include “Smile Like you Mean It,” “Somebody Told Me” and “All These Things I’ve Done.”

Despite these being the most popular songs on the album, the tracks I have enjoyed the most are “Everything Will be Alright,” “Believe me Natalie,” and “Change your Mind.” The second of the trio is the most upbeat and encapsulates most of the rock elements the Killers were known for. The other two are much slower and are just as good in my opinion.

In conclusion, Hot Fuss is one of my all time favorites. My ranking for all Killers albums goes as follows:
1. Sam’s Town
2. Hot Fuss
3. Day & Age
4. Battle Born
5. Imploding the Mirage
6. Sawdust
7. Wonderful Wonderful
8. Pressure Machine

Arachnophonia: Beyoncé in Formation: Remixing Black Feminism

Posted on December 6, 2021 by marmstr3

All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record for the item in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by student assistant Eliana (class of 2024) and features a book that takes a deep dive into the 2016 Beyoncé album Lemonade from a feminist/LGBTQ+ perspective. Thanks, Eliana!

Beyoncé in Formation: Remixing Black Feminism
by Omise’eke Natasha Tinsley

Beyoncé in Formation offers a deep-dive into the lyrics and meaning of Beyoncé’s 2016 album Lemonade through a Black feminist and LGBTQ+ lens, creating a deeply nuanced and complex view of the Billboard #1 album.

Tinsley effectively combines her personal life, renowned Black feminist and LGBTQ+ artists, and Beyoncé’s album into one cohesive story wherein she breaks down the ways in which Beyoncé’s album is not only a Black-empowerment album, but an album that introduces complex feminist and LGBTQ+ ideas rarely seen in mainstream music.

I originally picked up this book because I love picking apart lyrics and delving into hidden messages in songs and music videos, however I quickly realized that it would be about much more than song inspection. I appreciate the way in which Tinsley was able to integrate her life into the greater story of Black feminism in a way that felt raw and real, much like the rest of the book. She doesn’t dance around any subject, and no subject matter is too grandiose to take on. Whether it’s gender and sexuality, racism, or the history of music, Tinsley covers it all.

Of course, this book would be nothing without the album Lemonade itself. The CD is also available at Parsons Music Library — feel free to check out both the CD and the book to heighten your experience!

Picture of the author (Eliana class of 2024) at a Beyonce concert in 2016

Parsons Playlist: Bands Make the World Go Round

Posted on November 23, 2021 by marmstr3

Welcome back to Parsons Playlists! Today we’re featuring a playlist entitled “Bands Make the World Go Round” curated by Music Library student manager Danny (class of 2023).

Twenty One Pilots – “Ode to Sleep”

Twenty One Pilots – “Tear In My Heart”

Twenty One Pilots – “Not Today”

Paramore – “That’s What You Get”

Paramore – “Still Into You”

Paramore – “Misery Business”

The Struts – “Could Have Been Me”

The Struts – “One Night Only”

The Struts – “Fire – Part 1”

The Struts – “Ashes – Part 2”

Queen – “Don’t Stop Me Now”

The Script – “Breakeven”

The Script – “If You Could See Me Now”

Fall Out Boy – “Sugar, We’re Goin’ Down”

Fall Out Boy – “Alone Together”

The Killers – “Mr. Brightside”

The Killers – “When You Were Young”

The Killers – “This River Is Wild”

The Killers – “Bones”

My Chemical Romance – “I’m Not Okay (I Promise)”

My Chemical Romance – “Welcome to the Black Parade”

My Chemical Romance – “Helena”

My Chemical Romance – “I Don’t Love You”

The Strokes – “Someday”

Boys Like Girls – “The Great Escape”

Matchbox Twenty – “Unwell”

All Time Low – “Dear Maria, Count Me In”

We the Kings – “Check Yes, Juliet”

Here is the playlist on Spotify:

And here is a YouTube version: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLU94rco57ZeyChf4LFI5mPm1kgDK1aR4e

Arachnophonia: “Rocky Raccoon”

Posted on November 15, 2021 by marmstr3

All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record for the item in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by student manager Allison (class of 2022) and features “Rocky Raccoon”, a 1968 song by the Beatles. Thanks, Allison!

The Beatles – “Rocky Raccoon”

Rocky Raccoon illustration by Jim McHugh of mcillustrator.com (used with permission of artist)

I was first introduced to “Rocky Raccoon” in middle school during a guitar lesson. My teacher gave me the song to learn because I was gaining more interest in The Beatles and he thought it was a fun one. This further introduced me to some of the more eclectic and trippy songs among their lengthy discography.

The Beatles were an English rock band during the 1960s. Although their music is still very prevalent today, the band was only together for approximately a decade. Throughout this period, they produced numerous albums which were all regarded very highly by their global audience. “Rocky Raccoon” was one of many songs on The Beatles’ “White album” which was released in 1968.

Throughout the years, “Rocky Raccoon” has remained one of my favorite songs by The Beatles and is definitely one of my favorite songs to play on guitar. What I like most about the song is the chord progression. It’s written in a way that you could just keep playing it over and over. It may just be a silly song about a raccoon; however, the chord progression is what makes the song in my opinion.

Parsons Playlists: Bollywood Jams

Posted on November 5, 2021 by marmstr3

Welcome back to Parsons Playlists! Today we’re featuring a collection of Bollywood music from the 2000s curated by Music Library student assistant Kiran (class of 2024). Editor’s Note: since Bollywood songs are often from films, I’ve linked to some titles that are available to check out in the library catalog so you can see them in their full context if you want!

Bollywood music has always been a staple of my childhood. On my way home from school, my grandmother would put in a CD with over her favorite songs and we would listen to new ones every day. I love how upbeat it is and the variety of instrumentation used. It is so different from Western music, but just as good in my opinion. These songs are from the early 2000s to 2010.