She and Him - Why do you let me stay here?

I've been working towards graduating, so I haven't had a lot of spare time to write good blog posts. I'm sorry. To entertain you today, check out this utterly charming music video with Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. No, this is not a particularly new video, but it has such a cute dance routine. Enjoy.

Walking on Broken Glass

First of all, HUGH LAURIE.

Second of all, why is she so upset? She has Hugh Laurie. Third of all, her feet probably just hurt from running down all those stairs... the guy knows how to teleport or use the elevator, which is faster anyway. WAIT A SECOND, is that Prince George?Oh, wait... it's Hugh Laurie!

Dick Turpin on Horrible History

When I was young, I went to England for a week with my family. While there, I discovered the coolest book series for 12 year olds EVER. It was called "Horrible Histories," and it was these really funny illustrated books fully of silly or absurd facts about different historical time periods. They all had great alliterative titles (like the Ruthless Romans or the Terrible Tudors). They were really charming and silly books.If you pay any attention to this blog, you may have noticed that I also adore Adam Ant, a fabulous 1980s British pop star. Of particular note is his song "Stand and Deliver," a great song with an amazing music video starring Adam And as a fashion-conscious romantic highwayman. Fantastic!

Just recently, I've discovered that the Horrible Histories have become a television show! Which features skits ranging from gross (clearly aimed at the 12 year old audience) to absolutely brilliant. Among the very best? Check out this music video about Dick Turpin, a totally unromanticized look at the life of a highwayman.
For comparison, here is Stand and Deliver. Oh, this is no accident.

CAKE!

I think it is time for a break from regency, and all the fascinating historical things I have in mind. When I take a break, I like to listen to Cake. This is because Cake is a fantastically cool band. Have some Cake. Short Skirt Long Jacket is one of the more brilliantly constructed songs ever, and the music video for The Distance is very clever. Enjoy.

Thomas Dolby Blinded Me with Science

I recently posted about Rockula, a fantastically silly movie from the 80s about a vampire who becomes a rock star. But did you figure out the really cool thing I didn't point out? Stanley, the ex-boyfriend of the most recently incarnated Mona, the owner of a discount coffin shop (Come to Stanley's, Stan's the man! Come to Stanley's Death Park!), and the "egotistical, psuedo-intellectual, money grubbing slut"... yes, that Stanley. That Stanley was played by none other than Thomas Dolby. Do you recognize him?
Isn't that fantastic? What's that you say? Who's Thomas Dolby? You don't know him? Of course you do know him! Or are you truly unfamiliar with "She Blinded Me with Science!" Anyway, run over to youtube and watch the lovely remasterd music video for it, because embedding has been disabled for that video. Boo. But enjoy some pictures!

Where did Robinson Crusoe Go - Ian Whitcomb

Ian Whitcomb is a very neat fellow. In the 1960s, he was a british rock star (check out his hit - "You turn me on"). At some point, he started playing ukulele and doing really adorable ragtime music. Too much fun. But for something incredibly neat, check out this video of him, in the 1960s, playing the adorable vintage song "Where did Robinson Crusoe Go with Friday on Saturday Night." Check out his entertaining outfit, and be certain to note the Shindig dancing girls, doing some variety of suspicious charleston in their faux-flapper fringe dresses.

Wuthering Heights - Kate Bush

This is one of the most ridiculous and frightening and wonderful things you may ever see. I have to learn the choreography for this. While the dancing (is it dancing? really?) may be fantastic, make sure you also listen to the words. You know, I really hated Wuthering Heights when I read it. But this song will haunt you. You will wake in the night hearing "Heathcliff, its me, Cathy, I've come home...." Don't watch this if you aren't prepared for that to happen.

Two Hundred Years Too Late to Apologize

I don't listen to modern music frequently. I used to hear the current songs on radio on the bus to school, but college has fixed that. I do know about Lady Gaga, but only because she is such standard party-fare for college-campus parties that if I walk down the street on a Friday or Saturday night, I will hear final clubs (what we have instead of fraternities, basically) BLASTING her songs. On my own, I really don't listen to modern music.

But I do love a good parody. So, since you are almost certainly more familiar with modern music than I am, you probably know the song "Too Late to Apologize." First of all, I have a friend who is fairly obsessed with the movie of 1776, and she introduced me to the 1776 version of this. It is pretty funny... I would suggest that you watch the original music video for the song, because this mimics its format pretty effectively. And to great comedic effect. I also must admit to really enjoying the "No liberty, no tea" line. Well done.

The second one I just saw in section for a science class. The production value is not nearly so high, and the science is quite specific. So if you know a bit about apoptosis and regulated cell death systems, it is shockingly clever, but I bet the mass appeal is not so great as for the 1776 version.

So here they are, for your viewing pleasure...

More Adam Ant

Because I am terribly ill right now, here are a couple lovely music videos by Adam Ant for you to watch. I will write more interesting things when I am less ill, probably.

From the rockabilly phase...

I bet it would have been really fun to go to an Adam Ant concert, once upon a time. Check out what they've done here... he is on a rope ladder, hanging from a screen on which appears a rope ladder. Subtle, but clever. I like it.

Also, some good ones with scantly-historically-clad women.

Adam Ant, Ultimate Role Model

Adam Ant is one of the coolest things to come out of the 80s. Not only did he have a wonderful sense of dramatic fashion (excessively trimmed military jackets, tall boots, ruffly poet's shirts, and more!), which is enough to make him a role model for me, he also had a number of songs with wonderful messages. From
"No method to our madness, just pride about our manner" to
"It's so sad, when you're young, to be told you're having fun" to
"Prince Charming, Prince Charming, Ridicule is nothing to be scared of. Don't you ever, don't you ever stop being dandy, showing me you're handsome." Now those are words to live by. Dramatic, romantic, completely over the top words to live by. My very favorite kind!

I was listening to Adam Ant a few weeks ago, and I made a comment about what a good role model he would make. I mean, he is quite obviously a cool guy, and the messages in so many of his songs are about being your own person, not caring about what others think of you, etc etc etc... the sort of things teachers and parents are always trying to teach children. At least, I think that's why I brought up the role model thing... as a personal role model his impeccable use of poet's shirts might really be sufficient.

My little sister's reaction was that she had once seen a television special on him, and he had, "gotten arrested for throwing some kind of fit. He was dressed as a pirate."

My reaction was that getting arrested does not rule you out as a role model, as long as you do it dressed like a pirate!

Anyway, here is his very best video, for the song Stand and Deliver. I honestly could not tell you whether the lyrics or costumes make me happier, so take a little time to appreciate both. This is why Adam Ant is my hero. If you like this, consider also looking up the music videos for Puss in Boots (a fantastic specimen of the poet's shirt, with quite a lot of plot going for it) and Room at the Top (hilarious women from various historical time periods, in various levels of undress), or any others really. If Adam Ant did it, it is probably fantastic.

Can't Speak French - Girls Aloud

I love beautiful underwear. It is just too much fun. I recently made a black and white striped corset, and I have another several corset projects in various states waiting to be worked on. I also find the 18th century to be very inspiring. In honor of these things, I urge you to watch the music video for "Can't Speak French," by the British band Girls Aloud. Embedding has been disabled for it, but you can find it easily on youtube. Here are pictures, if you're too lazy to look up the song. The point is the hilarious modernized and impractical 18th century underwear. The music video also includes some men in relatively 18th century coats and wigs. I'm not sure if they count as props or fashion acccessories, but something like that.Isn't that entertaining? It makes me want to wear candy colored underwear all the time. Or something.

Clearly these are not good reproductions of 18th century corsets and underwear, but they are a lot of fun and draw inspiration from the very well-dressed Marie Antoinette. I think the weirdest thing is the cage hoop. I love it, but... why is it round? 18th century, and this is clearly meant to be, is all about the wide hips. I would understand some lovely cage panniers... some kind of oval shaped contraption... but round? I love it anyway, but it makes no sense to me.

Emily Loizeau

I say it again - the French are good at Steampunk. If you live in a super mechanical old fashioned looking carousel, you might be Steampunk. If you sound like a demented music box, you might be Steampunk.

This is another song of Mother's, but I have stolen it! Seriously, I think this would make the best dance choreography. Listen carefully - it is part normal waltz (3 or 6 steps, depending on how you think of it... we say 6, usually), but also part 5 step waltz. So bizarre, but wonderful! This means you could never use this music for social dancing. People would get very confused by the transitions, even if they knew five step waltz (not something I would count on). But you could do it as a performance, with dancers who knew the transitions were coming. I have a number of ideas for a choreography, but as yet no dancers to do these choreographies. I will continue looking for them, I suppose.

I turn everything into dance terms. If you don't care, then this is wonderful listening music. If you do care, you will just have to hold your breath until I unleash this as a Steampunk dance performance. Well, don't literally hold your breath... but figuratively. One day...

Tais Toi Mon Coeur

More evidence that Steampunk is French. Not all of the songs by this band (Dionysos) are what I would call Steampunk. Actually, some of them sound very Elvis inspired, except a hilariously awkward French-accented Elvis. Fantastic.

Regardless, there is no doubt in my mind that this song is Steampunk, with a capital S! It is all clanky and mechanical sounding, and has a lovely accompanying video with fashions pillaged from history, a parasol, and gears. If that is not Steampunk, please tell me what is. And don't tell me that it is Particularly-Well-Dressed-Ex-Goth-Bands-That-Claim-To-Be-Steampunk-But-Have-Only-A-Couple-Songs-With-Genuinely-Steampunk-Styling-Rather-Than-A-Recycled-Goth-Bellydancing-Sound. I really mean no offense to such very well dressed and no longer Goth bands, but I feel very strongly about the necessity for clank-ines or a little historical inspiration in my Steampunk music, not just a lovely wardrobe for performing. Steampunk music ought to sound like a demented music box. At least, that is what I say. I have heard some lovely individual songs that are intended to be Steampunk (or, like this one, not explicitly intended but pretty clearly so), but I am not convinced that the world has any truly Steampunk bands. Yet. I will keep my eyes peeled.

Isn't that just wonderful, though? Really lovely. By the way, credit to my mother for finding this. It is sometimes embarrassing how cool she is, or at least embarrassing that she finds cooler things than I do. She's had more practice, I guess.

Steampunk... Smashing Pumpkins

Embedding has been disabled on this really beautiful video, so you'll have to look it up for yourself. It is the music video for "Tonight, Tonight" by the Smashing Pumpkins. Really, go watch it now. Here are stills to tempt you!


To be honest, the music doesn't impress me in particular. But the music video impresses me VERY much. Isn't it beautiful? And shockingly familiar (see yesterday's post).

Notice that they added a girl. This is always a good idea, I think. It is my understanding that a lot of film adaptations of Jules Verne books add a heroine where there was none. Similarly, the original Trip to the Moon has only male participants, but the Smashing Pumpkins took a girl. And why? Because she has lovely clothing that is fun to look at! I am glad when people realize how important it is to have a well-dressed heroine.

Muppets!

Alright, the Muppets may not be elegant, but they are cool. One of my classes always starts with a totally unrelated music video. Really... they choose something completely random to play before class starts. I guess it is to get our attention.

For one of these, my professor choose this, which he found hilarious. I must agree. Start with the actual music video for Bohemian Rhapsody, by Queen.

Ok. Now watch this version.

Have you noticed how excited I am that I've figured out how to put youtube videos into blog posts? Yes, it is ridiculously easy, but I am so technologically inept that I count this as a great victory!

Also, that last comment about video conferences makes me think of most meetings. I wish all unproductive meetings were that much fun to watch. For that matter, I wish all science classes were that much fun to watch.