I Bless The Rains Down In Africa

This video may have just made me hate this song. Which sucks, cause we are mere days (hours even!) away from being on the beach with all our beloved classic soft rock hits playing on a constant loop. Toto's Africa is like the first song I want to play when I get here:

I don't know why. We aren't going to be any closer to Africa than we are now, but it's not the song's subject matter that's important here. It's that damned synth solo that sounds like steel drums. It just assumes that you are staring at an ocean, fruity beverage in hand, drunken grin on your face. Right? But this video is full of nerdy librarians in big glasses. And yes, I realize I am myself a member of that particular tribe, but these guys take things a bit over the top. According to the band, this is what the song is about: "A white boy is trying to write a song on Africa, but since he's never been there, he can only tell what he's seen on TV or remembers in the past." What? First off, why is this dude writing a song about a place he's never been? (Hmmm, Toto?) And B) if he's never seen or done Africa, what past is he remembering from? No, let's not try to get too real here, Toto. You guys weren't making a statement or saving any African children with this one. It's just a nice song to pass out in the sun to. OK?

So, note to self, watch this once (because the part where the "white boy" has some sort of revelation after finding the one book on the shelf titled Africa is so redonkulous) and then never watch it again. Just close your eyes and listen...and drink...and make sure the tide isn't coming in before you nod off. And for a refresher course on appropriate and top-rated beach jams for Hubby, Bug and I, just revisit last year's pre-vacay post. Some things just don't need changin'.





I Have Watched You On The Shore

Yesterday Hubby found a surfboard.

This is important because for the past two weeks he's been telling me he was going to buy a surfboard. And then yesterday he just found one. On the side of the road. On his way to take Bug to school. Seriously? Seriously. He found a frickin' SURFBOARD. In downtown Atlanta. Where there is no surf. Are we all clear on this? Ok, good.

So in his excitement over said surfboard (ok, in all honesty it's a wakeboard, but surfboard sounds cooler to me) he began to hum (ok, in all honesty he was full out singing and then I joined in with my perfect harmony) The Beach Boys' Surfer Girl. Yep, there we sat on our front porch watching Bug play a wicked game of T-ball all by himself, randomly singing Surfer Girl for all our neighbors' listening pleasure. It was a moment, people. A really special moment.

And naturally this lovely tune is still stuck in my head this morning. It really is a pretty song in all of it's beachy, romantic simplicity. And I hadn't heard (let alone thought) about it in a very long time. Probably since I threw away my Beach Boys Greatest Hits cassette tape sometime back in the 90's after realizing that the only "cool" Beach Boys album allowed in the realm of Indie/Punk rock fandom was Pet Sounds. So I think it's about time I revisit the pre-marijuana influenced music of these guys! Hey, does anybody else remember that made for TV movie about the Beach Boys (that was also sometime back in the 90's?) No? Well I do. The scene where a supremely intoxicated and depressed Brian Wilson tries to drown himself in a pool was riveting. Just riveting.

Anyway, here's what the Boys have taught me today. A Woody (as sung about in Surfer Girl) is not just a character in Toy Story or a reference to, well, you know. It's this. Which is pretty cool, man.

Now, let's hit the damn beach already!

Sundown All Around

In exactly two weeks we'll be heading to the beach. In my brain I am already there, so to celebrate my pre-vacation vacation, I played hooky yesterday and sat in the sun drinking cerveza and listening to my and Hubby's favorite beach jams. Granted I had to pretend the sound of the city bus going up and down the street was something akin to a crashing wave on the shore, but still, it was nice. And even though all I really wanted to do was listen to Toto's Africa on repeat for a few hours, I stumbled upon this little gem and decided it definitely needed to be added to the regular beach jams rotation. Sweet, sweet Belinda Carlisle with Circle in the Sand. I mean, it's about sand and the beach and also it's Belinda Carlisle so it works on several levels.

According to Wikipedia, there is absolutely nothing interesting about this song. Huh.

But if we're talking about Belinda then we have to mention the Go-Gos, and they can claim the fun factoid of being the first all girl band who wrote their own music and played their own instruments to have a No.1 hit record, Beauty and the Beat. Let's hear it for girl power and stuff! VAGINAS! Sorry.

Hey, remeber when Jane Wiedlin was on that show The Surreal Life? Yes? No?   ...   Well, I do.

So, you'll just have to pretend that the quality of this video is better. And is it just me or is she a bit overdressed for a beach stroll. Hubby, Bug and I could definitely give Belinda some pointers on the finer points of beach etiquette. Rule number one would definitely be something like: No Black Coats...or creepy abandoned crosses...or hard backed wooden chairs. I mean, come on girl, you're at the beach! Chillax!

Rule number two is: Always bring extra Doritos for the Donalds (that's seagulls to you land lubbers.)

Belinda Carlisle - Circle In The Sand by jpdc11

See you soon, Frank.