August 25, 2006
Bob Dylan: The Charlie Gives A Top Ten
1) "Tangled Up In Blue"
2) "Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands"
3) "Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues"
4) "Visions of Johanna"
5) "Don't Think Twice, It's All-Right"
6) "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue"
7) "It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry"
8) "Subterreanen Homesick Blues"
9) "Tombstone Blues"
10) "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere"
All of this is subject to debate. Dylanheads, unite! Tell me what I left off the list (a shitload of songs).
Posted by emily at 12:41 AM | Comments (0)
August 1, 2005
Fat Charlie's Favorite Hip-Hop
I know that the people who read my blog are namely my brother and his friends. Y'alls are not into hip-hop. At least, none of you have had any discussions with me about Wu-Tang's place in history or Jay-Z's "Black Album."
I love hip-hop. Not all of it, but a great deal of the fantastic jams of the last twenty-five years. I'd be an MC, but I don't think the world's ready for a white chick rapper from a small town.
Top Ten albums, not in the correct order (Roots should be much higher up!)
Posted by emily at 1:51 AM | Comments (1)
(1) My Own Mix Rap CD
Hip-Hop is known for a certain DIY spirit and for phat mixes.
1) Jay-Z "Hard-Knock Life"
2) Notorious BIG "Hypnotize"
3) Wu-Tang Clan "Uzi (Pinky Ring)"
4) Wu-Tang Clan "Reunited"
5) Supernatural "Suckaz"
6) Jurassic 5 "Quality Control"
7) Outkast "Bombs Over Baghdad"
8) Nas "Nas Is Like"
9) Gang Starr "Soliloquy of Chaos"
10) Sugerhill Gang "Rapper's Delight"
11) Afrika Bambaata "Planet Rock"
12) Jedi Mind Tricks "some track I downloaded that I don't have the title for, but is HOT"
13) Ton Loc "Funky Cole Medina" (don't preted like you don't like it!)
Posted by emily at 1:43 AM | Comments (1)
(2) Anthology (1996)
Fat Charlie could've chosen one of the many great albums by A Tribe Called Quest. "Midnight Marauders", perhaps. But Tribe had so many jams on all their albums, this seems like the best route.
I've been to many people's houses. People who are into Dave Matthews, people who are into Metallica, people who are into Dave Brubeck. They all own this album. It has been played at literally every party I've ever been to that has been attended by people under forty. Q-Tip, yes, you can kick it.
Favorite Tracks: "Check The Rhime", "Bonita Applebum", "Can I Kick It?", "I Left My Wallet..."
Posted by emily at 1:33 AM | Comments (0)
(3) Reachin' (A New Refutation of Time and Space) (1993)
Why should we just sample funk and disco? Samplin' jazz made their sound one of the finest. Too bad they slipped away; we could use a rebirth of slick right about now. Great album.
Favorite Tracks: "Rebirth of Slick", "Femme Fetal" (one of the only pro-choice raps I've ever heard) "Nickel Bags"
Posted by emily at 1:22 AM | Comments (0)
(4) 3 Years, 5 Months, 2 Days In The Life Of... (1992)
One of the first CDs Fat Charlie ever bought, and we all have a copy. And if we don't, we want one. We all remember and wonder what the hell happened to Speech? Where is he? Have we checked Tennessee?
Fat Charlie's introduction to the power of hip-hop and the world's introduction to hip-hop that didn't have to come from one of the coasts or the inner city. Still great, even after middle-school.
Favorite Tracks: "Mama's Always On Stage", "Give A Man A Fish", "Tennessee", "People Everyday"
Posted by emily at 1:15 AM | Comments (0)
(6) and (5) The Chronic (1992) and Doggystyle (1993)
I am twenty-six years of age. Formative albums, even though I admit I've never owned either one. But we've all heard them. Years before "shizzle" became acceptable slang. The two biggest selling rap albums, perhaps of all time. And you still know all the words "Nothing But A G Thing" motherfucker. So just chill til the next episode.
Favorite Tracks: The hits: "Nothing but A G Thing", "What's My Name?", "Gin and Juice"
Posted by emily at 1:10 AM | Comments (0)
(7) Blazing Arrow (2002)
Blackalicious... what to say. They sound like nothing that came before them, they sound like everything that came before them. This album remains one of my favorites, over critic fav "Nia." Nia's good... but this one's better.
Favorite Tracks: "Blazing Arrow", "Sky Is Falling", "First In Flight" (Featuring the Great Gil Scott Heron) "Release Pt. 1, 2 ,3"
Posted by emily at 1:01 AM | Comments (0)
(8) It Takes A Nation of Millions To Hold Us Back (1988)
True hip-hop historians are smacking upside the head going "NUMBER 8!!!" On every other rap list, this album is usually top five, if not the crowned the greatest hop-hop album of all time. Well, I loves it, but this is Fat Charlie's list.
True visionaries. The first true political hip-hop. The greatness of Chuck D. (Forget that Flavor Flav is now a VH1 staple; that clock neck piece was fabu, dahling.) And the way "Bring The Noise" begins... you should always start your car with that track in your player... "Bass! How low can you go..."
Favorite Tracks: "Bring The Noise", "Don't Believe The Hype" (Obvious choice... In England, I saw a whiter than white folk singer COVER this.) "Terminator X at The Edge of Panic", "Show 'Em Whatcha Got"
Posted by emily at 12:51 AM | Comments (0)
(9) Wyclef Jean Presents The Carnival Featuring Refugee Allstars (1997)
There are some who don't see it, but Wyclef is one of the greats of hip-hop. Yes, it is a "whathaveyoudoneformelately" world and this album is both commercial and, cough, NOT the Fugees. Perhaps it's the Freshman year in college thing; you don't forget walking around Sarah Lawrence hearing "Bubblegoose" coming from everyone's room. Anyway, we all know why this album is great. One song. As Wyclef says "January, February, March, April, May, I see you crying, but girl I can't stay, I'll be gone 'til November, I'll be gone 'til November... and give a kiss to my mother."
Favorite Tracks: "Apocalypse", "Bubblegoose", "Gone Til November". "Stayin' Alive" (so sue me!)
Posted by emily at 12:41 AM | Comments (0)
(10) Things Fall Apart (1999)
This remains one of the few CDs I have in my car. Oh the love. For all of you not into hip-hop, this may be a good starting point. Again, maybe not. Nobody quite sounds like The Roots.
Favorite Tracks: "The Next Movement", "100% Dundee", "Step Into The Realm"
Posted by emily at 12:29 AM | Comments (0)
April 23, 2005
The Origins of Fat Charlie
Crazy Love Pt. II
(Paul Simon)
From the album "Graceland"
Fat Charlie the Archangel
Sloped into the room
He said I have no opinion about this
And I have no opinion about that
Sad as a lonely little wrinkled balloon
He said well I don't claim to be happy about this, boys
And I don't seem to be happy about that
I don't want no part of this crazy love
I don't want no part of your love
I don't want no part of this crazy love
I don't want no part of your love
I don't want no part of this crazy love
I don't want no part of your love
I don't want no part of this crazy love
I don't want no part of this crazy love
She says she knows about jokes
This time the joke is on me
Well, I have no opinion about that
And I have no opinion about me
Somebody could walk into this room
And say your life is on fire
It's all over the evening news
All about the fire in your life
On the evening news
I don't want no part of this crazy love
I don't want no part of your love
I don't want no part of this crazy love
I don't want no part of your love
Fat Charlie the Archangel
Files for divorce
He says well this will eat up a year of my life
And then there's all that weight to be lost
She says the joke is on me
I say the joke is on her
I said I have no opinion about that
Well, we'll just have to wait and confer
I don't want no part of this crazy love
I don't want no part of your love
I don't want no part of this crazy love
I don't want no part of your love
I don't want no part of this crazy love
I don't want no part of your love
I don't want no part of this crazy love
I don't want no part of this crazy love
Posted by emily at 2:47 AM | Comments (0)
April 21, 2005
And Once More, For The Heads
Posted by emily at 12:08 AM | Comments (0)
Can You Pass The Acid Test?
Posted by emily at 12:00 AM | Comments (0)
April 20, 2005
Are You On The Bus Or Off The Bus (aka Never Trust A Prankster)
Posted by emily at 11:57 PM | Comments (0)
It's Been Awhile, But Still, Deadheads Of The World Unite!
Posted by emily at 11:52 PM | Comments (0)
April 2, 2005
Get Well Soon, Neil
Fat Charlie wishes to extend get well wishes to Neil Young, who is recovering from a brain aneurysm. We also want to lambast the entertainment journalist who opened the story with "Neil Young may have a heart of gold, but his head hasn't been doing so good."
Don't worry, schmucko, Neil'll be rockin' in the free world soon and everybody knows that the world of E! journalists is nowhere. He may need some help recovering, like a man needs a maid, but for what it's worth, after the gold rush, he'll still be an awesome old man. Take a look at your life, you're a lot like he was.
Posted by emily at 1:19 AM | Comments (0)
March 1, 2005
Head Alert 2!
Again, for Fat Charlie's benefit, more Dead news.
They have uploaded most of the Dick's Picks series onto the iMusic store, along with several of the Vault recordings. The albums are cheaper then they are at GD.com, but you can't EVER seem to find a whole one that they'll let you download. But etree does not carry a show if the Dead have released it to CD, so some classics will have to be purchased. I love ya, Dick Latavala, but really!
Posted by emily at 3:55 PM | Comments (0)
February 28, 2005
Head Alert!
In Other Music News:
For all two of you who read Fat Charlie and are my fellow Deadheads, there is a site called etree that has literally hundreds of shows to download. Even from '65, when there weren't any tapers or Betty boards.
My recommendations:
June 14, 1976 at the Beacon Theater. One of my all time favorite versions of "Franklin's Tower."
May 8, 1977 at Cornell University. 25 min Scarlet/Fire. Killer "Jack Straw." All of May '77 is incredible and should be appreciated by heads and the headless alike.
March 29, 1990 at Nassau Coliseum. The Dead w/Branford Marsalis. I shouldn't have to say more, but I will. "Bird Song." "Turn On Your Lovelight." And although I am loath to admit it, "Dark Star."
Posted by emily at 11:15 PM | Comments (0)
February 23, 2005
Just Another Head
"Cosmic Charley" Words by Robert Hunter; music by Jerry Garcia
Copyright Ice Nine Publishing
Cosmic Charley how do you do?
Truckin' in style along the avenue
Dumdeedumdee doodley doo
Go on home, your mama's calling you
Calico Kahlia come tell me the news
Calamity's waiting for a way to get to her
Rosy red and electric blue
I bought you a paddle for your paper canoe
Say you'll come back when you can
Whenever your airplane happens to land
Maybe I'll be back here too
It all depends on what's with you
Hung up waitin for a windy day
Kite on ice since the first of February
Mama Bee saying that the wind might blow
But standin here I say I just don't know
New ones comin as the old ones go
Everything's movin here but much too slowly
Little bit quicker and we might have time
to say 'how do you do?" before we're left behind
Calliope wail like a seaside zoo
The very last lately inquired about you
It's really very one or two
The first you wanted, the last I knew
I just wonder if you shouldn't feel
less concern about the deep unreal
The very first word is : How do you do?
The last: go home, your mama's callin you
Go on home
Your mama's calling you
Calling you.....
Posted by emily at 12:21 AM | Comments (0)