Day Five of the Music Challenge. (Thanks Hex'm Jai )
Today I choose Michelle Shocked, a very talented writer and singer whose music I have enjoyed but whose career seems to have been marked by tragic attempts at self-sabotage and visible problems with mental health. Still, Anchorage and this one, as well as many others, were great songs.
Which is kind of interesting because there is also a lot there to like and be excited about and a lot of interesting stories about activism and personal attitude. (She reportedly told the record company that first tried to sign her that their offer was too much and wouldn't it be better if they gave her about a third of the amount offered and gave the other two thirds to two other deserving, struggling musicians.
Her politics are an interesting mix of left wing activism fueled by Biblical literalism (yes, she's a fundamentalist Christian with extreme progressive politics. Remember the part in there about Jesus hanging out and making friends with prostitutes,healing the sick, helping the needy, washing the feet of lepers, and chasing money lenders out of the temple? The parts America needs to think about more? She takes those parts seriously.)
Unfortunately, this manifests itself in ways that are inconvenient to her fans. Like right now, when I can't just link to youtube to share her songs. Instead you've got to go to Vimeo and watch them there. But I recommend you do. It will be worth it.
May '92 "Come a Long Way" single hits Billboard Top 100 from Michelle Shocked on Vimeo.
https://vimeo.com/99293685
I used to show this one a lot while setting up for my classes at Fudan University in Shanghai.
Sep '88 "Anchorage" hits Billboard Top 100 from Michelle Shocked on Vimeo.
https://vimeo.com/99288663This one's a classic.
Today I choose Michelle Shocked, a very talented writer and singer whose music I have enjoyed but whose career seems to have been marked by tragic attempts at self-sabotage and visible problems with mental health. Still, Anchorage and this one, as well as many others, were great songs.
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| Taken from http://www.metroactive.com/papers/sonoma/08.22.02/shocked-0234.html No copyright infringment intended. |
Which is kind of interesting because there is also a lot there to like and be excited about and a lot of interesting stories about activism and personal attitude. (She reportedly told the record company that first tried to sign her that their offer was too much and wouldn't it be better if they gave her about a third of the amount offered and gave the other two thirds to two other deserving, struggling musicians.
Her politics are an interesting mix of left wing activism fueled by Biblical literalism (yes, she's a fundamentalist Christian with extreme progressive politics. Remember the part in there about Jesus hanging out and making friends with prostitutes,healing the sick, helping the needy, washing the feet of lepers, and chasing money lenders out of the temple? The parts America needs to think about more? She takes those parts seriously.)
Unfortunately, this manifests itself in ways that are inconvenient to her fans. Like right now, when I can't just link to youtube to share her songs. Instead you've got to go to Vimeo and watch them there. But I recommend you do. It will be worth it.
May '92 "Come a Long Way" single hits Billboard Top 100 from Michelle Shocked on Vimeo.
https://vimeo.com/99293685
I used to show this one a lot while setting up for my classes at Fudan University in Shanghai.
Sep '88 "Anchorage" hits Billboard Top 100 from Michelle Shocked on Vimeo.
https://vimeo.com/99288663This one's a classic.
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