Too funny!

Posted at 08:56 AM in Humor, Video | Permalink

1969

Dig a Pony/Get Back

Posted at 08:19 AM in Music, The Beatles, Video | Permalink

My pal Gene, who represents Dave Stewart, sent along this letter from Stewart about his new single:

Earlier this year when I was recording "American Prayer," a song I originally co-wrote with Bono, the phrase, "When you get to the top of the mountain, remember me" seemed to take on a whole new resonance, given the inspirational candidacy of Barack Obama.

The song always contained one of my favorite passages from Dr. King, which was hauntingly delivered the night before he was assassinated. King says: "I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the Promised Land!"

People long for a connection -- whether it is to music, to their country, or to a big idea. Regardless of what happens in November, Senator Obama has reminded millions of people that they have the power to connect to bigger ideas. He is, in essence, the embodiment of a new anthem for change. He has continued King's narrative from what was once thought of as a dream to a reality. I find it especially relevant that Barack Obama will accept the Democratic Party Nomination for President 45 years to the day of King's "I Have a Dream" speech.

When we were originally writing the song, Bono was crafting the words in a way that would make people think about the fact that 'America' as a concept was a truly great idea, based on the bedrock of equality. I find it more pertinent than ever to release it now; to the moment America finds itself in, daring to re-imagine itself and its place in the world.

When I set out to make a video for the new version of this song, I wanted to honor all of those millions of people, especially young people, who are, for the first time, feeling empowered to voice their beliefs. I wanted to capture how Obama's message of change has echoed across the broad fabric of what is America. To do that, we've cast the film with an eclectic array of personalities, including Forest Whitaker, Jason Alexander, Whoopi Goldberg, Cyndi Lauper, Barry Manilow, Joan Baez, Macy Gray and Joss Stone. They appear alongside veterans, teachers and everyday citizens -- all of whom have been touched by this simple idea of change.

As an Englishman, I'm not an expert in all the intricate details of American politics. But as an artist, I understand how rare it is to inspire a connection to a bigger idea or purpose. This video isn't so much an endorsement of Barack Obama as much as it is a celebration of all those who have picked up a sign, who have registered to vote and are working to make the world a better place. So as Senator Barack Obama ascends to the mountain top, let us not forget all of the others who for the past 40 years have sung anthems of change to make this moment possible.

Watch the video for "American Prayer" here:

Fans are invited to upload their own video for the anthem at MyAmericanPrayer.com

Click here to download Dave Stewart's "American Prayer" from iTunes and here to download the ringtone from MyXer.

Source:
Exclusive Premiere: An Anthem For Change
August 22, 2008 | 10:24 AM
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dave-stewart/an-anthem-for-change_b_120514.html

Posted at 06:06 PM in Music, Philosophy, Video | Permalink

Amusing:

Posted at 08:30 AM in Film, Humor, Video | Permalink

The Beatles Rooftop Concert 1969

I've Got a Feeling/One After 909

Posted at 08:17 AM in Music, The Beatles, Video | Permalink

Interesting concept as a way to teach music: Virtual Zeppelin  

Posted at 05:00 PM in Music, Video | Permalink

The Beatles Rooftop Concert 1/3

Get Back/Don't Let Me Down

Posted at 08:16 AM in Music, The Beatles, Video | Permalink

In 1969, a 14-year-old Beatle fanatic named Jerry Levitan, armed with a reel-to-reel tape deck, snuck into John Lennon's hotel room in Toronto and convinced John to do an interview about peace. 38 years later, Jerry has produced a film about it. Using the original interview recording as the soundtrack, director Josh Raskin has woven a visual narrative which tenderly romances Lennon's every word in a cascading flood of multipronged animation. Raskin marries the terrifyingly genius pen work of James Braithwaite with masterful digital illustration by Alex Kurina, resulting in a spell-binding vessel for Lennon's boundless wit, and timeless message.

Posted at 06:14 AM in Music, The Beatles, Video | Permalink

"He ventured forth to bring light to the world". This is something you won't see on CNN, or MSNBC. It kind of gets right to the heart of all the Obama worshiping going on. Good job Gerard Bakaker, Fox News, Hannity and Colmes, and there producers who are responsible for this video, in this case it had nothing to do with their News people, it was their opinion show people, and yes there is a difference.

Gerard Baker Zings Barack Obama
'He Ventured Forth to Bring Light to the World' a Satirical Classic
By Mark Whittington, published Jul 25, 2008

Gerard Baker, the American editor and the assistant editor of the Times of London, has answered the question: Can one laugh at Barack Obama? His piece, entitled "He ventured forth to bring light to the world," resoundingly says, "Yes we can!"

"And it came to pass, in the eighth year of the reign of the evil Bush the Younger (The Ignorant), when the whole land from the Arabian desert to the shores of the Great Lakes had been laid barren, that a Child appeared in the wilderness," Gerard Baker writers.

One might as well call the piece, "The Gospel of Barack the Messiah." Forget about depicting the Democratic Presidential candidate as a Muslim Imam or any of that rubbish. Gerard Baker's piece surpasses even the segment in the JibJab video that depicts Obama riding a unicorn down a rainbow in a Disney cartoon universe.

Gerard Baker's piece captures neatly the attitude toward Barack Obama of the mainstream media and Obama's teenaged followers, the ones who faint in the aisles upon Barack Obama's very word.

"From there the Child went up to the city of Jerusalem, and entered through the gate seated on an ass. The crowds of network anchors who had followed him from afar cheered "Hosanna" and waved great palm fronds and strewed them at his feet."

Barack Obama has been called "the Messiah" and "Obamessiah" by observers of the political scene who have looked upon Obama and his arrogant megalomania, his promises to lower the oceans and tear down every wall. Gerard Baker has finally put all that into words what a lot of people are thinking when they see Barack Obama make an inane speech and then see people, including the media, slobber over him like besotted teenage girls.

Here the Obama Child brings peace to the Middle East just by showing it the benificence of his countenance. There the Obama Child heals the sick at a distance (even the uninsured) and causes oil to gush forth from the ground without even having to drill. No one can stop him. Not the evil George Bush the Younger (the Ignorant), not "the conniving Hillary, wife of the deposed King Bill the Priapic and their barbarian hordes of Working Class Whites", and not even "the imperial warrior Petraeus."

It is the lot of politicians to be laughed at, from time to time, some gently, some nastily, too many unhumorously. But it is a bad sign for any politician to be laughed at, as Obama is starting to be laughed at, with such zest and incisiveness. When one becomes a joke to too many people, one does not become President.

All that is left is for Obama's electoral defeat in November to be compared to the Crucifixion. A lot of overheated media types who feel tingling going up and down their legs are capable of doing it, of making the whole 2008 Election "The Passion of St. Barack." But by then the story will not be about the man who got beat, but the man who won. And it's looking more and more likely that man will be John McCain. John McCain is a fine man in many ways with fine qualities and, despite having suffered torments that Barack Obama and indeed most people can only imagine, is not a man who is ever compared to Our Lord.

Source: He ventured forth to bring light to the world, Gerard Baker, Times of London, July 25th, 2008




Obama Takes Stump to Europe
Democrat Greets 200,000 in Berlin,
Pledges Closer Ties
By JAY SOLOMON and MIKE ESTERL
July 25, 2008; Page A4

BERLIN -- Barack Obama, seeking to burnish his image as a global statesman ahead of U.S. presidential elections, told an estimated 200,000 Germans here that he will work for rejuvenated U.S.-European ties.

Sen. Obama drew on Washington's historic role in rebuilding post-World War II Berlin to call for an enhanced alliance that would work to combat the resurgent Taliban in Afghanistan and the spread of nuclear weapons. He sought to help heal the trans-Atlantic rift following President George W. Bush's 2003 invasion of Iraq by pledging a more humble and engaged U.S. administration should he be elected in November.

"I know my country has not perfected itself. At times, we've struggled to keep the promise of liberty and equality for all of our people," Sen. Obama said, generating perhaps the loudest applause during his 25-minute address at the historic downtown Tiergarten, Berlin's version of New York's Central Park.

A spokesman for Sen. McCain called the Berlin speech "a premature victory lap."

Posted at 06:30 AM in Humor, Politics, Video | Permalink

Live:

Posted at 06:29 AM in Music, The Beatles, Video | Permalink