Run For Cover(s)!

[note on the links - all song titles are to videos of that song.  "cover" is to videos of the covers.  my internet connection is slow so i couldn't preview the videos; sorry if they're not great]
 

Last night I purchased a new cover album, brought to my notice by my adorable, punk-loving little sister. The album is called Punk Goes Crunk and has, if I'm generous, 3 crunk songs on it's 11 track list. I guess "Punk Goes Hip Hop and R&B" doesn't sound as nice since it doesn't rhyme, and "Crackers Go Blacker" isn't really politically correct.

I'm a sucker for cover songs, especially really bizarre ones. For example, Pat Boone's In a Metal Mood, great album! And the Paul Anka version of "Smells Like Teen Spirit", fabulous. Part of the reason I like random cover versions is that it helps me learn the real words. The punk hip-hop covers especially do that. These skinny white kids speak slower and enunciate, they say the wh-o-le wo-rd, li-ike thi-is.  Same goes for Pat Boone turning heavy metal hits into lounge songs.
The Album
But there is one thing about covering hip hop songs that doesn't work so well. Hip hop artists tend to give a lot of shout outs in their songs, to themselves, their labels, other people on their songs, etc. When it's a cover, this doesn't really work so well. Different groups on the Punk Goes Crunk album have taken different approaches to this problem.
Say Anything, in their cover of ODB's "Got Your Money" changes all references to ODB to references to Bemis. Lines like "God made Beem and Beem...." doesn't really work the same as "God made Dirt and Dirt..." since that's the beginning of an actual common phrase.  Then there's the opposite approach, leaving things alone. This way we get Scary Kids, Scaring Kids singing "It's Bone and Biggie Biggie, it's Bone and Biggie Biggie" for their cover of The Notorious B.I.G. and Bone Thugs song "Notorious Thugs."  And it's just weird when The Maine calls out "Konvict Music and you know we in charge" at the beginning of their cover of Akon's "I Wanna Love You."

The same type of problem can exist for some of the lyrics. Apparently in an attempt to make the song more "them," Set Your Goals changed the hoods called out at the beginning of Lil' Jon's "Put Your Hood Up" to things like Pleasant Hill, Crescent Drive, Creekside, and Obi Wan's light saber. Somehow, this is like reppin' Timid Deer Lane. [The replacement of the N-word with a recorded voice saying "African-American people" may have been necessary. But the phrase, "I need all my real African-American people to go around the mother-f*ing club" is nothing short of hilariously stupid.) Again, there's the opposite approach: leave the lyrics alone. This results in New Found Glory singing "Although I am black and proud" and "climb the trees my forefathers hung from," as they cover Arrested Development's "Tennessee" (even if you don't know hip hop, you know this song, "take me to another place…").
How/Why I Got the Album
My getting this album was actually a bit of a misunderstanding. It takes all night to download an album, and there were two I was contemplating. This one and Bun B's II Trill. So, I asked one of my friends for advice (or an arbitrary decision). I thought the conversation went something like this:

me (23:24:38):  now, i just have to decide do i get "punk goes crunk" or "ii trill" tonight?

The L e g e n ol (23:24:58): knowing nothing about either

The L e g e n ol (23:25:04): i would suggest punk goes crunk

me (23:26:01): (thinking) well that seems like an odd choice from him, but maybe he doesn't like Bun B. Sure, why not; Katrina said some of it was pretty amusing.

The thing is, I discovered later that I missed something in our little exchange. My revelation (edited for relevance and language):

me (23:44:32): pretty soon i'll be able to listen to a punk cover of lil jon's put yo hood up

The L e g e n ol (23:45:05): luckily for you, you won't have to

me (23:45:13): won't have to what?

The L e g e n ol (23:45:29): listen to that

me (23:46:16): but i just bought it!

me (23:46:18): you told me to

me (23:46:25): so i'm going to listen to it now

The L e g e n ol (23:46:38): no i didn't!

The L e g e n ol (23:46:43): i specifically advised against it!

me (23:46:48): you did, you said "get punk goes crunk"

The L e g e n ol (23:47:27): The L e g e n ol (3:25:11 PM): knowing nothing about either

The L e g e n ol (3:25:17 PM): i would suggest against punk goes crunk

me (23:47:31): i missed the word against

me (23:47:32): vampire

The L e g e n ol (23:47:45): lol

The L e g e n ol (23:47:50): that was an important one

me (23:47:55): vampire it and i was thinking bun b wld be better

me (23:48:01): cuz it would remind me of my friend

me (23:48:04): vampire it

me (23:48:12): well at least i'm laughing so hard i can barely type

The L e g e n ol (23:48:29): lol

The L e g e n ol (23:48:31): that's good

me (23:48:42): now, let's see if this lil jon cover

me (23:48:44): is

me (23:49:24): ummmm.... it's ummm.....

me (23:49:38): they're throwing up white-people suburbs

me (23:49:45): like "pleasant hill"

The L e g e n ol (23:50:05): ...

The L e g e n ol (23:50:09): rough

me (23:51:03): darn it, why didn't you bold "against" or something

The L e g e n ol (23:52:50): i did bold against

me (23:53:00): you bolded everything

The L e g e n ol (23:53:04): i just happen to also bold everything else i write

me (23:53:07): it in no way was distinguished

me (23:54:10): oh good, it's over

The L e g e n ol (23:54:25): lol

Over all though, I like the album. It amuses me greatly! Thanks munchkinhead for the heads-up, and The Legend for bolding all your words. ;0

One of These Things is Not Like the Others

I learned yesterday that Young Jeezy has a new album out (thanks Mel!), debuted about a month ago.  I really like Jeezy; his music has a way of getting me off my bum and motivated about whatever it is I need to do.

So, being the audiophile that I am, I went straight to amazon.com and got the mp3 version of the album.  As usual, Amazon presented me with a list of cds other Young Jeezy customers purchased.  Here's that list:

Can you tell me which one of these doesn't belong?

(Incidentally, while I do have music from each one of these artists, the only one of those particular albums that I actually own is the one that doesn't belong.)

Strange Things Happen When I Leave the Country

Mel and I haven't actually talked in awhile, you know how that whole other-side-of-the-world thing can be a bit of an impediment.  Our 'conversation' has instead been through blogger posts and comments.  However, if we were to have spoken in person, I think the conversation might have gone something like this:

Mel: I am sooooooo excited!  jumping up and down and clapping I'm going to a New Kids on the Block concert!!! Actually, two of them!!!!

Me: skeptical What?  The New Kids are touring again?  Is this like the Spice Girls reunion tour?  Aren't those guys like 50 by now?

Mel: No.  It is way better!  It's the New Kids!  It's going to be stupendous!  And they're only in their mid 30s.

After the concert

Me: Hi Mel.  How was your New Kids concert?

Mel: Fabulous!  There were all these pregnant women and they were buying cute little "Step by Step" onesies.  The guys had so much energy and put on a spectacular show.  They did almost all my favorite old hits and did a bunch of new songs, too.

Me: That's cool.  Wait?  Did you say "new songs"?  What new songs?

Mel: Check out "The Block."

And so, that's what I did.  I googled "The Block" and got a bunch of entries that said "New Kids on the Block."  As well as some random websites about an Australian tv show and knitting.  Not very helpful, so I clicked the Wikipedia entry for New Kids on the Block, and there it was - released Sept. 2, 2008 The Block, the newest New Kids album.  WTV?  (that's 'what the vampire')

I don't know what shocked me more, that this album debuted at #2 (go Young Jeezy!) or that they got Ne-Yo, Akon and the Pussycat Dolls to be on it!  Any of those 3 artists right there could sell an album of cats howling if they guest-ed on it.  There's even a track produced by Timbaland!

Incidentally, the first two singles, one of them featuring Ne-Yo, were released before I left the country, and I didn't hear either of them.  But, I'm aware that I was in the Yay, and radio stations in the Yay don't exactly play the same music as the rest of the country.  Guess I'll just have to check it out when I get back.

Me: Mel, can I listen to your copy instead of buying my own?

A Drama-Filled Weekend

There was a whole lot of drama this weekend, some of it expected, some of it a surprise.

Things Fall Apart

On Saturday, I took Dara and Feyi to see a stage production of Things Fall Apart.  Dara and Feyi are six and seven and spend most of their time watching the Disney channel.  Before we left, I sat down with them and attempted to give them some background about Chinua Achebe and the story.

"How can Ibo people not know about Ibo culture?" asks the Yoruba girl who can hardly speak Yoruba and knows more about toast and milkshakes than amala and akara as I explain some of the reasons Achebe wrote the story.

Their father also tried talking to them a bit about the book and author before we left.  This is a seminal piece of literature in general, even more important here as the author is Nigerian.  He wanted his daughters to understand this.  If you didn't read Things Fall Apart in high school or college, if it's been so long that you've forgotten what it was about, pick up a copy and read it.

When I Read the Book

Before sitting down with Dara, Feyi and the computer to prep for the show, I couldn't really remember the story-line from the book.  What I did remember was that I didn't like the way it made me feel.  After seeing the production, I remember why.  The story deals with changes in an African village brought on by the influx of British colonizers and missionaries.  When I read Things Fall Apart, I was living in a village in Zambia, the only muzungu in a village heavily influenced by the nearby Catholic mission.  Let's just say my setting gave the book a very distinct feel.

The Play

Watching the play with Dara, Feyi and a friend of mine who works for the American Foreign Services (and freely admitted he was supposed to read the book in college but didn't) made me feel even stranger.  Here I am, sitting with two little African girls, watching this play written by somebody from their country, and I'm the only one in the group who's actually lived in a village.  The girls couldn't even understand the actors sometimes; they had to ask me what was said.

The play was really well done, and though much of the story was cut due to time constraints, I felt the adaptation did justice to the book.  I did feel sorry for the one light-skinned actor who had to play ever single white character.  He just kept changing wigs.

Dara and Feyi both said they enjoyed the show, although I couldn't have guessed that during it.  They were playing Miss Mary Mack, jumping, sleeping, whining "I'm hungry, I'm tired, I'm thirsty, Auntie Dara is bothering me" "Auntie Feyi won't sit still", etc.  And we were in the second row.  I didn't mind when Feyi stood; she's short.  But when Dara stood up, I had to tell her to sit so the people behind could see.

Heading Home

The girls wanted to walk home.  I had no problem with this; I'm cheap and I like walking.  The theater is about a mile from our house.  The girls did ok up until the British Council (read expensive fancy restaurant for expats and people who want to rub elbows with expats).  Our friend the foreign service man treated us to drinks: ice tea and apple juice.  (Feyi had the iced tea.)  But then, sitting high up on the patio, we were attacked by these horrible little flies.  That put Dara in such a bad mood she ran away from the table and started crying.  We left and said goodbye to Mr. Embassy-man.

Dara was so sour that I had to give her a piggyback ride just to get her to smile again.  And of course, then Feyi needed one, too.  I was alternating with them, until I saw a man selling roasted corn on the side of the road.  I love roasted corn!  I tried continuing the piggyback rides while eating my roasted corn, but it didn't work so well.  Corn wins, girls walk.  The girls didn't want any of the corn; they said it was too hard.  But the others at home quickly scooped up the rest.

The Other Drama

I thought I was going to hear a sermon when I went to church Sunday morning.  But I was wrong.  The church drama group performed a sketch instead.  Others must have known this was going to happen, because the large auditorium-sized church was full to capacity.

As we finished our hymns, I was staring at the Union Jack flying on stage.  "Why is the British flag on stage?"  I wondered.  Then, two men came out, one dressed like the Nigerian military, the other dressed like the helper boys from Things Fall Apart the day before.  They took down the British flag, to a rousing cheer from the crowd, put up the Nigerian flag and then began the national anthem.

Flashing lights, those weird electric displays like at the Tommy Bartlett show (when there was a Lake Delton), fanfare and a fog machine, and the sketch began.  It was celebrating the 48th wedding anniversary of a couple.  Nigeria turned 48 last Wednesday.  Different guests at their party asked the couple how they stayed happy so long, and then gave their deepest confessions to the crowd.   Sleeping with the registrar to get into college, internet scams, bad land deals, adultery, prostitution, murder, witchcraft, corruption, you name it, they covered it.

And none of it was shocking.  Not only is this all the regular subject matter of Nollywood films and Naija television dramas, it's the in the magazines and newspapers.  It's normal everyday stuff.  It's Naija.

OH Yeah,

And I got to watch Vandy beat Auburn on ESPN.  GO DORES!!!!

Thankful

WARNING: This post is not for mommies or other people who worry.

Last night I had the opportunity to go out with a few other expats, one guy from the American embassy and several people from Doctor's Without Borders.  They briefly mentioned a volunteer who had recently arrived in Nigeria.  His body was flown home about two weeks ago.  His program was in Port Harcourt, an area that can be quite dangerous.  But he never made it there.  His first day in the country, right here in Abuja, he was electrocuted in the shower.

On hearing the story, I remembered Peace Corps volunteers who had died or come very close to dying in Zambia.  (Besides my friends and family members in my village.)  There was a girl just the year before I arrived who died in a bicycle accident.  Another volunteer died while I was there.  The day before his graduation ceremony from training, he fell out a window several stories up.  Then, there was the volunteer who didn't take a single pill of his malaria medication.  His malaria symptoms didn't show until he was on vacation in a non-malaria zone.  Not recognizing his illness for what it was, the doctors were unable to give him the proper treatment.  I have heard many say it's a miracle he is still alive, and he will have health problems for the rest of his life.

Being in the capital, with cars and electricity and running water and internet, it's easy to forget that it's still Africa and still dangerous.   And really, no matter where we live, we can't take life for granted.

I'm glad I'm lucky enough to be here enjoying everything.  God said He'd watch over me, and He's doing it.  Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some adorable little girls to go play with.