Watermelon Seed: A Poem

Here is a poem about a watermelon seed I found on the ground of my brother's room.  I thought the find was quite evocative, but I wasn't sure of what, so I made a poem to help me figure out.

Enjoy!
SoundOutLoud

Watermelon Seed

I found you, lying,
on the floor, spit and forgotten,
from some sweet moment, gone and forgotten

I could put you in the soil,
but I know I never will.
Watch you grow, lush and ripe
entangled vines brushed with dirt,
basking in sun.

Summer of Soul... Spotted!!: Baden Powell or Tony Clifton?

I love Baden Powell, but the similarity is a little uncanny.



?

Summer of Soul: Socialist Healthcare Jammin'

So here it is.  Finally.  The moment  that I've deluded myself into thinking you've all been waiting for, my official Summer of Soul mix, coyly declaring this third funky summer as the summer of "Socialist Healthcare Jammin'".  The title implicates some of the political aspects of the mix, but more so I think it really just captures the feeling of this past year-- the fear, the tragedies, the neuroses, and the challenges that beg for some uplifting jams as well as compassion.  Much of it gleaned from the Blog-o-Sphere, Summer of Soul may be steeped in nostalgia (for summers past and such) but this and the S.O.S. Electric Boogaloo mix are both a product of the present.  Present tastes in soul music are themselves current interpretations of the past, and in their collection and presentation I have always tried to capture the feeling of the year for me as well as the world at large.  This mix is dedicated to all the wonderful friends in New York I have had in the past four years, and will be leaving shortly.  A reminder of the time we shared, and the strange history that has framed that time.  That being said I will leave you with a poem by Wallace Stevens.... cause I've been jamming on  that of late too.

Jasmine's Beautiful Thoughts Underneath The Willow -Wallace Stevens

My titillations have no foot-notes

And their memorials are the phrases

Of idiosyncratic music.

The love that will not be transported

In an old, frizzled, flambeaud manner,

But muses on its eccentricity,

Is like a vivid apprehension

Of bliss beyond the mutes of plaster,

Or paper souvenirs of rapture,

Of bliss submerged beneath appearance,

In an interior ocean's rocking

Of long, capricious fugues and chorals

FOR THE GOODS, CLICK HERE!!!

01-Intimate Friends    5:48    Eddie Kendricks

02-Earthquake Shake    3:04    Undisputed Truth    Comic Truth

03-Back in the U.S.S.R.    2:56    Ramsey Lewis    Mojo Club - Dancefloor Jazz Vol 08

04-Could it be I'm Falling in Love    4:10    The Spinners    Smash Hits

05-Good Old Music    3:17    The Parliaments

06-California Soul    3:01    Marlena Shaw    The Spice of Life

07-beggin' (pilooski edit)    5:34    Franki Valli and the Four Seasons

08-Plenty Action    2:52    SOFT TOUCH    Bay Area Funk

09-Lady Day and John Coltrane    3:31    Gil Scott Heron    Mastercuts Bar Social: The Early Hours  10-Tightrope (Feat. Big Boi)    4:23    Janelle Monáe    The ArchAndroid

11-Who is He? (And What is He to You)    3:10    Bill Withers

12-Mercy Mercy Me    3:16    Marvin Gaye    What's Going On

13-I'm Controlled by Your Love    3:07    Helene Smith    Eccentric Soul: The Deep City Label          14-Call Me    3:05    Al Green    Call Me

15-That's the Way it is    2:26    Eddie Bo    Eddie Bo's Funky Funky New Orleans

16-Donde    3:27    Bronx River Parkway    An Introduction to Truth & Soul Records

17-Up Against Tha Wall (Getaway Car Mix)    4:34    Group Home    Livin' Proof    

18-What You Won't Do For Love    3:25    Bobby Caldwell 

19-Come in Out of the Rain    2:45    Parliament    Osmium

Summer of Soul: Some Like it Hot, Others think it's too Hot.

I think its too damn hot...

Reflection Eternal: Black Gold

This is the first video off of the new Reflection Eternal album Revolutions Per Minute.  This is Talib Kweli and DJ Hi-Teks first venture since their eminent 2000 album Train of Thought.   This video is a timely release done by director Sam Ellison.  I really like the way it is done, mixing stock footage with images of everyday people draped in oil.   I think the message the video has is especially important now with the current BP fiasco.  The visuals only serve to bring the post home.  I love the shots of the shots of the smoking drum, a speaker spewing oil, Mobutu, the stock exchange; just great.  Black Gold is one of my favorite off of the album and I am really happy to see the video done so well.  Great job Sam!


p.s. If you pause it at 4:17 at just the right moment you get a surprise on the right side of the screen ;-)...


Reflection Eternal "Ballad of the Black Gold" from Sam Ellison on Vimeo.

Egberto Gismonti: Guitarist/Pianist/Composer Extraordinaire

If you waste a half hour watching these videos, I doubt you actually wasted it. Knuff said... 

  

Summer of Soul: Funky Funky Independence Day.

2 great U.S. folk standards, done by two of the funkiest voices alive...

Summer of Soul: Summer Slaps

In honor of the summer sun I have put together a mix of my favorite summer slaps. From the Bay Area down to Long Beach and Inglewood, and all the way out to Bed-Stuy, this mix has everything you need for beach going, beer drinking and barbecuing. There should be plenty to keep you entertained until Josh finally comes through with his latest Summer of Soul mix. Enjoy!

In The PJ's 4:06  Big Daddy Kane Daddy's Home
Young thugs 4:24  Bone Thugs-N-Harmony
Sunshine in the "O" 5:12  3 X Krazy Sick-O
Father Dom Story 5:25  Father Dom Bust The Facts
Baby Bubba 4:13  Dru Down Can You Feel Me
Let's Ride 4:35  Richie Rich Seasoned Veteran
West Coast Shit 4:19  3X Krazy Stackin Chips
Spur Of The Moment (Feat. Ludacris) 4:20   DJ Quik Balance And Options
We'll Never Stop 4:20  Rakim The Master
Players Holliday 5:02     TWDY Derty Work
Jump Ta This 2:54  The Twinz Conversation
I'll Be Around 5:48  Rappin' 4-Tay Don't Fight The Feelin'
Getto Jam 4:18  Domino Domino
Hot Sunny Day 4:57  Celly Cell
Indo Smoke 5:24        Mista Grimm
What The FAM Like 3:55  The Done Deal Fam Runs In The Family
The Mack Hand 4:16  JT The Bigga Figga  Dwellin' In Tha Labb
Hittin' Corners   4:43    K-Dee Ass, Gas, or Cash (No One Rides for Free)
You Know How We Do It 3:53  Ice Cube Lethal Injection
Hittin' Switches  3:34  Mack 10 Presents Da Hood
Playah's Mode  4:25   Young Lay Black 'N Dangerous
Another Summer 4:13  213 The Hard Way
This D.J. 3:23 Warren G Regulate...G Funk Era
All for the Money 4:06  Mc Eiht When We Wuz Bangin' 1989-1999: The Hitz
Playaz Do What'cha Like 3:36 Da Dangla Straight Maxin'
The Love Of Money 3:46 Scarface Presents The Product One Hunid
Last Nite 5:01 Ray Luv Forever Hustlin'
Summertime In The LBC (Rap) 3:56 The Dove Shack This Is The Shack
Cool 5:11 Tha Eastsidaz Duces 'n Trayz: The Old Fashioned Way
Dippin' (Remix) 4:10 King Tee IV Life
Geto Highlites 5:00 Coolio Gangsta's Paradise
Garcia Vegas 3:02 11/5 Fiendin 4 Tha Funk
Real Soon 4:31 Snoop Dogg

Summer of Soul: Summer Slaps (Full)

-Boots

P.S.
This is a great mix of by my good friend Boots to kick off the Summer of Soul.  This time around we here are extending our offerings with more than a single mix. I got a fresh one coming up so watch out!!!
Yours Truly,
SoundOutLoud

The Creator's Project

The history of electricity and music is a fascinating one.  Beyond analog vs. digital, there is also the debate of how synthesizers and other devices inhibit or enhance the control of a musician.  Lending fear to the hearts of many purists, silicon chips forged their way further and further into music production.  Today, however, we can breathe.  Though some personal touch may be lost on some sides of the equation, the expanse of our listening environment has become ever wider.  Besides enabling technology.  Today, musical trends are broad and far reaching.  The internet has enabled us to have as much access to rare soul 45's as the latest digitally chopped remixes.  

On the side of performance technology, in particular technology has heightened the ability to produce ever more complicated music.  Take Mario Davidovsky's Synchronisms no. 6, a piece that creates the illusion of a piano making sounds never thought possible.  The seamless conversation between tape and piano brings new challenges to the performer as well but the results are out of this world.

This trend has certainly not subsided and historically speaking made a quick transition from academic theory and esoteric technology into an essential piece of the modern music industry.  Today from the synth laden indie pop anthems to Akon and Kanye's vocoder I don't have to tell you that it's is true. The most recent development is the way, with the advent of super powerful personal computers, technology has enabled the armchair musician to use advanced technology to enhance their creative experience.  Loads of commercial and open source digital audio editing programs allow anyone to clip, reverse, copy, overlay, filter, or even synthesize what we hear.  In suburban basements kids all across the country are recording their shitty first bands and the children of the iPod generation are using Serato or Ableton to mix their favorite mp3's, which for proponents of the creative process is cause for celebration even despite the shittyness of their bands.  Or take Kutiman and his efforts in making original compositions based on amateur Youtube videos.  Here a person is using the computer to share their craft with others, and in their attempt and further computerized mumbo-jumbo unwittingly become part of collaboration on a massive scale.  I love his work for many reasons but I most like how he takes everyday people's work and makes it into something undeniably virtuosic.

Such trends, however, have become so commonplace and prevalent that when I first heard of the Creator's Project from my friend Kaley, a collaboration between Vice Magazine and Intel, I thought little of it. But after thinking about it more the event as a whole has become more interesting.  Bringing together Mark Ronson, Phoenix, Interpol, Spike Jonze and other artists from a variety of backrounds this world wide venture features panels, concerts, screenings, and exhibits with the artists.  The event lends both new high brow exposure to Vice's dogged hipster veneer as well adds new vitality and direction to Intel's chip deeply established microchip empire.   

Vice being the essential culture magazine for card carrying hipsterati and Intel the inventor of the world's first microprocessor the two coming together says something larger about the direction music and technologies relationship has taken in the past decade.  No longer is it a statement on a conservative present or a deep exploration into uncharted territory.  The future is now as they say, and more than ever technology in music is part of our daily life.  A reason to come together, to learn a new program, to write a new program, to cut and mix as we please.   The Creator's Project shows in glaring detail how multinational corporations and counterculture have co-existed in the past decade, giving and taking from one another.  Computers have seemingly provided a bridge between the two, bringing creative and social possibility beyond our wildest imagination.   I am excited to see what Vice and Intel have in store for New York when they launch on June 26th in lower Manhattan, then the world thereafter. Hopefully the Creators Project will be more than just a fashionable technological exposition, with the excitement of progress, innovation, and the new social world it creates.  The same biting amazement of symbiosis between man and machine a la Davidovsky or man... I hope.    

A nice little vid. by "Creator" Mark Ronson...

Reed's Bass Drum

Based in Brooklyn, Reed's Bass Drum is a dynamic trio beginning to lay their imprint on the city.  Despite their youth, this relative newcomer to the scene has appeared with rare force.  Having rereleased  their debut album, Which is Which, this past January at  Lou Reed and John Zorn's The Stone, the band is again booked to take on another New York jazz establishment with an upcoming performance at the Blue Note on May 20th.  Comprised of baritone sax player Jonah Parzen-Johnson, bassist Noah Garabedian, and drummer Aaron Ewing the band is a delicate grouping of young talent.  Whether its a smooth roll of the drums, sly fill on the bass, or sultry remark from the baritone sax their teamwork does good work to drive even the heaviest lines steadily home.  Taking influence from mentors like Bryan Lynch, Joe Lavano, and Tower of Power's Lenny Picket as Parzen-Johnson's lyrical talent sets the band apart with their hard hitting baritone driven arrangements.  They occupy a certain space close to the jutting groove of Medeski, Martin, and Wood but with a classic trio warmth, lending to an innovative style with palpable sincerity.  With the low register of the bari sax and the band's attentive rhythm there is a certain resonating charm that fill's each room Bass Drum plays.  Their rich timbre lends to a mellow sound swirling with space for innovative co-operation, working to set them apart from other sax-drum-bass trios such as New York's Fly. Their new album is filled with thoughtful and hard hitting original tunes sure to excite at their upcoming Blue Note performance.  Coming with a strong endorsement from Sound Out Loud you can buy their cd or download the albumWhich is Which at cd baby.

Reed's Bass Drum performs 5/20 6:30 p.m. at Blue Note

Tickets: $15 bar/$25 table

131 West 3rd St.

New York, NY 10012

212-475-8592

Reed's Bass Drum - After the Almond's Fell (Which is Which, 2010)

Reed's Bass Drum - When You Listen (Which is Which, 2010)

Loisaida Burger: Royale in Alphabet City

      Making claim to the best burger in New York City is controversial in its nature.  In Manhattan popular lore rumors swell between Shake Shack, Burger Joint, Corner Bistro (though not as frequently these days), Red Head, or some extravagant $50 burger of the moment.  Yet hidden away on Ave. C  Royale manages to escape the gaze of all except for the most dedicated appreciators of NYC burger artistry.  With a table always free, standards always high, and a $6.50 for a burger (pictured here as the $8.50 bacon/cheese) it serves as the perfect little joint to have down the street.
      What makes these burgers so special is the quality of their meat.  A special blend of grass-fed beef ground/delivered daily by the oldest meat purveyor in the meat packing district (further details are shrouded in secrecy, as my waitress made me aware) this patty can even be ordered rare if you like.  Its rich juicy flavor is further complimented by the meticulous attention to it construction.  The boston bibb lettuce, the new pickles, the crisp bacon, the perfectly "sesamied" challah bun, its the small things I think that really get me.  In addition the compliment of lightly battered onion rings or thin and crisp fries make this one of only a few meals where I reach near spiritual enlightenment upon completion.
      Countless visits following rave reviews at its opening four years ago I can say these burgers have only gotten better through time.  A bit off the beaten track, this is one great New York burger experience, well worth the trip off.  If you can find a more homey better tasting burger joint in Manhattan I'd love to hear about it.  Somehow I doubt I will for a while to come, plus where else in America can you order a Royale with Cheese?

R.I.P. Alex Chilton

So I was pretty sad to hear about the passing of Alex Chilton this afternoon.  A great song writing talent from the Box Tops (see The Letter, you've heard it before) to Big Star (who penned the original version of the theme for That Seventies Show, also making an appearance on my Senior Year Mix) and beyond.  Funky16Corners wrote a great obituary on Soul Strut which I will pass along to you because I don't think I could do him the same justice.  Instead I will leave you with the song by Big Star and a tribute by the Replacements, aptly titled Alex Chilton.  And we sing "I'm in love, What's That Song?"...

The Replacements Alex Chilton
Uploaded by Celtiemama. - Watch more music videos, in HD!

p.s.   My apologies for not keeping up with posting of late.  For some reason sitting down to write is seeming like more of a chore these days.  I predict that will change, I need some time to build up the creative juices.  In better news I never announced that Sound Out Loud is now over a year old far surpassing my own expectations of not going past a month.

Garfunkel & Oates

So a while ago I was asked if I wanted to write some things about music (and or food... I believe) on this blog. Being interested in both those things I said sure. And I did. Once. But, I was a bit toasty and incoherent (probably mostly because I'm not a very good writer... but I there was a point in time where I thought I was) so to make it up I'll make a legit post here.

I just stumbled across Garfunkel & Oates, whom apparently get some press (and tv time on scrubs) but have seem to eluded me to now. Garfunkel & Oates are a quirky folksy musical comedy duo of Kate Micucci and Riki Lindhome. Now don't get me wrong. Normally I detest comedy music because it's usually ...well... not funny, but these two seem to have something with their genuinely humorous songs. So check em out, let me know what you think and how late I am to the game.

Pregnant Women are Smug


I Would Never (Have Sex With You)


Me, You, and Steve


Fuck You

Slavic Soul Party in Coney Island

So in my last semester I at NYU I am trying to do all those New York things that I've never done, see all the places I've never been, eat all the foods I've been meaning to eat, and so on and so forth.  Last weekend was one of those firsts for me because, believe it or not in my three and a half years living in New York, I have never been to Coney Island.  This atypical trip in the dead of winter to Coney Island was spurred by a free show sponsored by the Carnegie Hall neighborhood series and the company of my good friend Elena, taking place at the Coney Island branch of the Brooklyn Public Library.   The band I was trying to check out was Slavic Soul Party.  Touting a frankenstein combination of slavic feel and soulful groove, the result is surprisingly jazzy with an eerie down to the ground funk that is hard to deny.  The show was a reserved yet celebratory affair, as to be expected in the upstairs of a library.

Coney Island is home to many people of slavic origin, as was highlighted by the audience's questions (also an untraditional, yet welcome performance practice owed to the library setting) on their knowledge of slavic music.  These questions led to an interesting discussion of why they don't play in Manhattan anymore.  There response is, there aren't any intimate places.  Having residency every Tuesday at Barbes in Park Slope probably helps them to say this, but I thought it was an interesting comment despite its perhaps contrarian nature.  They mentioned they used to play in Lower East Side establishments Mehenatta, but I doubt they would fit in anywhere like like the Rockwood Music Hall, the Mercury Lounge, or Arlene's Grocery for the fact that they have already earned their keep in the New York music scene.  Where would they play in Manhattan is a pretty good question? Besides places that specialize in jazz or prototypical types of dance music, it seems most places either specialize in low paying, not well promoted shows or hosting some of the biggest acts in the country.  This weird aspect of the island is one I have never really thought about, that the sheer competition often squeezes the middle sized man out, leaving me to make an excursion to a Coney Island public library....

Here is a video of them from the great music show Soundcheck on public radio WNYC. Enjoy!

Where I'm From, It's Called "Pop"...

The dedication of people to the simplest of pleasures is something I always enjoy seeing. John Nese, the owner of Galco Soda Pop Stop loves the simple pleasures of drinking pop. Now, I don't really drink it much myself. Nor do I recommend others to. However this video is a pretty interesting portrait of a man's passion for the sweetness of a bygone era.

The Heavy: Can We Do That Again?

And yes, that is the Dap King's horn section behind them...

Beyond the Aughts: This Time a Little Somethin' Soulful

I have been thinking of what I want from the year to come, and for lack of good insight have been hesitant to write about it.  Right now, however I feel perfectly fine that I did not impart to you my greeting card sentiments in proper haste.  This is because in time for Martin Luther King Day, from my own library and some of the blog-o-sphere's best offerings of the year, I whipped up one steaming hot extra concentrated dose of funk.   This mix I hope will impart to readers and passerby alike the smooth grooves and great performances to bring out the vinyl junkie, soul sister, rare groover, and funk soul brother in all of us for the year to come.  My fascination with funk and soul began with my band Marajo Funk, but if I had this mix I would have started a lot earliear.  Hopefully this will bring loyal readers and passerby alike will make you think about clicking around a bit more on the blogroll to the right of your screen and impart to you the impulse to lead your own funky journey in this coming decade. Enjoy!

Samplin' the Soul:

Lee Fields and the Expressions - Love Comes and Goes

Controller 7 - Get Ready for the Young Folks

Bobby Reed - Time is Right for Love

Nina Simone - To Love Somebody

Funkadelic - Hit it and Quit It

The Whole Damn Thing:

The Mix - Beyond the Aughts.zip


01-Love Comes And Goes 3:11 Lee Fields & The Expressions My World
02-Beverly 2:53 Eldridge Holmes Deep Southern Soul
03-Ecstasy 2:23 Ohio Players Ecstasy
04-Good Times 2:10 Aretha Franklin I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You
05-Holdin' On To My Baby's Love 2:24 Bobby Womack Anthology: Bobby Womack [Disc 2]
06-Get Ready For the Young Folks 4:02 Controller 7 12"
07-Horsin' Up 3:51 Orchestra Harlow Presenta A Ismael Miranda Latin Soul/Boogaloo
08-Time Is Right For Love 2:04 Bobby Reed Soul Sides - Nov. 3rd
09-I Love You Still (comp version) 3:32 Zilla Mayes matthewafrica.blogspot.com/
10-Move Over 2:57 Soul Children
11-To Love Somebody 2:40 Nina Simone Anthology
12-Hey You! Don't Fight It! 2:29 Montclairs Soulful Thangs Vol. 3 R&B/Soul
13-I Don't Want To Loose You 2:24 Carolyn Franklin Baby Dynamite
14-I Want To Hold Your Hand 2:20 Al Green 7"
15-Piece Of My Heart 2:43 Erma Franklin Soul Sides: Volume One
16-Your Time Is Gonna Come 3:12 The Highlighters 7"
17-We're Almost There 3:45 Michael Jackson The Motown Years 50
18-(I Wanna) Testify 3:04 The Parliaments Testify! The Best of the Early Years
19-I'm In Love 2:47 Bobby Womack Fly Me To The Moon
20-Your Easy Lovin' Ain't Pleasin' Nothin' 3:03 Mayer Hawthorne A Strange Arrangement
21-Baby Baby Baby 2:55 Aretha Franklin I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You
22-Across 110th Street 3:51 Bobby Womack Anthology: Bobby Womack [Disc 2]
23-What If We Stopped Paying Taxes? - Sharon Jones and the Dap King 5:01 Impeach the Precedent
24-Hit It And Quit It 3:50 Funkadelic Maggot Brain

Sounding Out Loud...

So I think it is worth mentioning that some of my blog posts are now being used on a new music review web site called Review Posse.  CHECK IT OUT!!!

How to Make a Jewish Brisket...

So a few weeks ago I made my first brisket.  Brisket is a delicious, cheap, and impressive way to feed a large crowd, or feed yourself to the point of considering vegetarianism.  On top of all that it is incredibly difficult to screw up.  A lot of people barbecue brisket but for a jewish brisket the basic principle is to braze the meat in enough liquid for long enough to get an incredibly flavorful sauce with a delectably tender cut of meat of course infused with the aforementioned incredible flavor of the sauce.  The sauce is usually more like a stew, filled with soft pieces of vegetables and infused with the flavor of the meat.  For the type of brisket I like the basic flavor platform for the brisket should be sweet, dark, rich, and highly aromatic.  In the brisket I made I did this with mushrooms, a little ground coffee (which was in a rub for the meat), worcestershire and wine for richness, coke and brown sugar for sweetness (also in the rub),  carrots, onions, bay leaves, and celery as the aromatics.  In addition to this I used some homemade pizza sauce to add to the liquid as well as impart more sweetness and tartness to the sauce. None of these ingredients are essential but the idea of their collective flavor I think is.  Here is a list of some common ingredients including the ones I just mentioned

Vegetables:                    Liquid:                                  Spices:

Celery                            Simple Tomato Sauce           Any of your favorite barbecue rub

Carrots                           Red Wine                              Salt (you don't need too much maybe 1 or 2 tsp)

Potato                             Coca-Cola (one can or so)    Pepper

Onion                             Ketchup                                Bay Leaves (I love this flavor in my brisket)

Mushrooms                    Chili Sauce                            Thyme

Tomatoes                       Coffee                                   

Any combinations of those flavors and a bit of creative discretion should yield a rich and very flavorful brisket, but the preparation is important too.  For this brisket I used a crock pot to keep the juices in the pot and ensure the tenderness of the brisket, but a baking pan covered in aluminum foil should get the trick done.

To cook the meat, if you have chosen to use a spice rub, cover the meat with your rub. Whether or not you have a rub I recommend browning the meat in your crock pot or a large pan on each side.  Some people think that this seals in the juices of the meat, this is debatable.  However what this does is create a chemical reaction on the outside of the meat that yields the deep flavor of seared meat without burning or drying out the meat.  After this preheat oven to around 300 F and chop vegetables how you want and put them in the pot with brisket.  Add liquid and spices, cover, and bake till fork tender (should be around four hours or more).   

Here comes the tough part, waiting.  After your brisket is done, you can sample and enjoy but 99% of that brisket (after it has cooled) should go into the fridge overnight to let the connective tissue that has now converted into gelatin solidify because after gelatin has solidified, it is much harder to revert to a liquid state thus making your meat tender yet able stay together when you slice the brisket.  After waiting  jewish brisket is not pulled like many bbq recipes, it is sliced ACCROSS THE GRAIN of the meat into strips.  Serve strips with sauce on the side or ladled on top, make sure you've got some challah around and enjoy.  Soooo Gooood...

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Homer: Happy 20th Anniversary Simpsons!

So the the list of my major childhood development goes as follows. At about age one I ate my first real food when I broke down at the dinner table demanding I had the same pizza the rest of my family was eating. Five years later, I had my first piano lesson. And finally in fourth grade, I first watched and fell in love with the Simpsons. From then on out I can safely say, any place I've been to anything I have done, if not being directly related to one of the three has probably been vaguely (sometimes not so vaguely) influenced by my perspective on them. 
This realization is not new to me or those who know me well (another important developmental landmark worth mentioning perhaps was my journey into manhood at age thirteen with my Simpsons themed "Bart-Mitzvah"), but tonight I was reminded how special the Simpsons truly are in my heart. While watching the Simpsons 20th anniversary special this evening, I could hardly keep the grin off of my face hearing all the producers, actors, and writers talk about the show. Though my dedication has waned (I have gone from watching it three times a day, to about once if that) nothing makes me happier than hearing Mr. Burn beckoning for his hounds to be released, or seeing America's favorite family plop down on that same old couch at the beginning of every episode. 
One of my favorite things about the Simpsons though, is its music. Along with its theme essentially now firmly placed among the American popular musical canon, all episodes are completely scored by Alf Clausen, and scored well to boot! Before my CD case was stolen/lost in 8th grade I would listen religiously to Songs in the Key of Springfield, enjoying both the tunes and the memories of their respective episodes. 
Though the Simpsons mean a lot to me one thing I easily recognized watching the special tonight was that I am by no means the only one. So today, to represent this point I am going to share with you some of the best Simpsons songs sung by random everyday fanatics like myself, plus a real version of Flaming Moes (cause that one's, I think, my fave). Some are pretty good, some are others just goofing around, though each to me represents the same curious power the Simpsons had on me at the young age of ten years old, that has brought it into history and to the far reaches of the globe.