Today, the Shattered Lens is in the business of wishing a happy birthday to Jermaine Clement, one half of the “Flight of the Conchords” musical group. And you know what that means… it’s BUSINESS TIME!
A friend of mine shared this song with me many years ago, and I still refer to it often. I just laughed my ass off watching this video again. Enjoy, my friends!
Today, the Shattered Lens wishes a happy birthday to Jermaine Clement, who is half of Flight of the Conchords. For today’s song of the day, we have Jeremaine and Bret performing my favorite of their songs, Hurt Feelings (a.k.a. Tears of a Rapper.)
Some people say that rappers don’t have feelings
We have feelings. (We have feelings)
Some people say that we are not rappers. (We’re rappers.)
That hurts our feelings.
(Hurts our feelings when you say we’re not rappers.)
Some people say that rappers are invincible
We’re vincible. (We’re vincible.)
What you are about to hear are true stories
(Real experiences)
Autobiographical raps.
Things that happened to us, all true
Bring the rhyme!
I make a meal for my friends,
Try to make it delicious,
Try to keep it nutritious,
Create wonderful dishes.
Not one of them thinks about the way I feel
Nobody compliments the meal
I got hurt feelings, I got hurt feelings
I feel like a prize asshole
No one even mentions my casserole.
I got hurt feelings, I got hurt feelings.
You coulda said something nice about my profiteroles
Here’s a little story to bring a tear to your eye,
I was shopping for a wetsuit to scuba dive,
But every suit I tried is too big around the thighs,
And the assistant suggested I try a ladies’ size
I got hurt feelings, I got hurt feelings
I’m not gonna wear a ladies’ wetsuit I’m a man!
I got hurt feelings, I got hurt feelings
Get me a small man’s wetsuit, please
It’s my birthday, 2003
Waitin’ for a call from my family
They forgot about me
I got hurt feelings, I got hurt feelings
The day after my birthday is not my birthday, Mum
I call my friends and say, “Let’s go into town”
But they’re all too busy to go into town
So I go by myself, I go into town
Then I see all my friends, they’re all in town
I got hurt feelings, I got hurt feelings.
They’re all lined up to watch that movie
“Maid in Manhattan.”
Have you even been told that your ass is too big?
Have you ever been asked if your hair is a wig?
Have you ever been told you’re mediocre in bed?
Have you ever been told you’ve got a weird-shaped head?
Has your family ever forgotten you and driven away?
Once again, they forgot about J
Were you ever called “homo” ’cause at school you took drama?
Have you ever been told that you look like a llama?
Tears of a rapper
(don’t wanna make a rapper cry then watch what you say)
I’m crying tears of a rapper
(I pouring out the bullets of my Icannon)
Go play the tears of a rapper
(These are the tears of a rapper now)
The diamond tears of a rapper
(These are the bullet proof 24 karat of tears, of a rapper)
Songwriters: Bret Mckenzie / Jemaine Clement
You know, this is a good song by a good singer and good group of backing musicians. (The Wallflowers have had many personnel changes over the years, with Jakob remaining the one consistent member.) Jakob Dylan has always been a little overshadowed by his famous father and, while that’s understandable, it’s definitely a shame. Jakob is a talented artist in his own right and this video shows that.
That said, the main reason I like this video is because of Jakob emerging from the ocean with those big blue eyes. Hi, Jakob!
Enjoy!
Today, the Shattered Lens wishes a happy 81st birthday to the one and only Jimmy Page!
In honor of one of the world’s greatest guitarists, today’s song of the day is one of the few Led Zeppelin songs that I like. Page originally came up with the lyrics for the song while driving through Morocco but clearly, Kashmir was a better title.
Oh, let the sun beat down upon my face
And stars fill my dream
I’m a traveler of both time and space
To be where I have been
To sit with elders of the gentle race
This world has seldom seen
They talk of days for which they sit and wait
All will be revealed
Talk in song from tongues of lilting grace
Sounds caress my ear
And not a word I heard could I relate
The story was quite clear
Oh, baby, I been blind
Oh, yeah, mama, there ain’t no denyin’
Oh, ooh yes, I been blind
Mama, mama, ain’t no denyin’, no denyin’
All I see turns to brown
As the sun burns the ground
And my eyes fill with sand
As I scan this wasted land
Try to find, try to find the way I feel
Oh, pilot of the storm who leaves no trace
Like sorts inside a dream
Leave the path that led me to that place
Yellow desert stream
My shangri la beneath the summer moon
I will return again
As the dust that floats high in June
We’re moving through Kashmir
Oh, father of the four winds fill my sails
Cross the sea of years
With no provision but an open face
Along the straits of fear
Oh, when I want, when I’m on my way, yeah
And my feet wear my fickle way to stay
Ooh, yeah yeah, oh, yeah yeah,
But I’m down oh, yeah yeah, oh, yeah
Yeah, but I’m down, so down
Ooh, my baby, oh, my baby
Let me take you there
Come on, oh let me take you there
Let me take you there
Songwriters: James Patrick (Jimmy) Page / John Bonham / Robert Anthony Plant
I’m sitting here right now, at 2 in the morning, looking out my bedroom window for any sign of the snow storm that the local media has been warning me about for an entire week. The snow may not be here yet but the freezing cold is. Today’s music video of the day feels appropriate.
Enjoy!
For today’s song of the day, we have my favorite David Bowie song, Heroes. Heroes was also featured in one of my favorite downbeat movies, 1981’s Christiane F.
I, I will be king
And you, you will be queen
Though nothing will drive them away
We can beat them, just for one day
We can be heroes, just for one day
And you, you can be mean
And I, I’ll drink all the time
‘Cause we’re lovers, and that is a fact
Yes we’re lovers, and that is that
Though nothing will keep us together
We could steal time just for one day
We can be heroes for ever and ever
What d’you say?
I, I wish you could swim
Like the dolphins, like dolphins can swim
Though nothing, nothing will keep us together
We can beat them, for ever and ever
Oh we can be Heroes, just for one day
I, I will be king
And you, you will be queen
Though nothing will drive them away
We can be Heroes, just for one day
We can be us, just for one day
I, I can remember (I remember)
Standing, by the wall (by the wall)
And the guns, shot above our heads (over our heads)
And we kissed, as though nothing could fall (nothing could fall)
And the shame, was on the other side
Oh we can beat them, for ever and ever
Then we could be Heroes, just for one day
We can be Heroes
We can be Heroes
We can be Heroes
Just for one day
We can be Heroes
We’re nothing, and nothing will help us
Maybe we’re lying, then you better not stay
But we could be safer, just for one day
Oh-oh-oh-ohh, oh-oh-oh-ohh, just for one day
Songwriters: Brian Eno / David Bowie
Today’s music video of the day comes to us from David Bowie, who would have been 78 years old on this day.
Look Back In Anger has nothing to do with the John Osborne play of the same name but the music video is based on The Picture of Dorian Gray.
Enjoy!
In honor composer Clint Mansell’s 62nd birthday, today’s song of the day is Mansell’s haunting Lux Aeterna from 2000’s Requiem For A Dream.
Today, we wish a happy 78 birthday to signer Kenny Loggins. Our music video of the day is for the Oscar-nominated theme song from 1984’s Footloose, which was written and performed by Mr. Loggins.
Enjoy!
Since we’re in a Back to the Future sort of mood at the site today, today’s song of the day is an obvious one. Here is The Power of Love, by Huey Lewis and the News!
The power of love is a curious thing
Make a one man weep, make another man sing
Change a hawk to a little white dove
More than a feeling, that’s the power of love
Tougher than diamonds, rich like cream
Stronger and harder than a bad girl’s dream
Make a bad one good, mm, make a wrong one right
Power of love that keep you home at night
You don’t need money, don’t take fame
Don’t need no credit card to ride this train
It’s strong and it’s sudden, and it’s cruel sometimes
But it might just save your life
That’s the power of love
That’s the power of love
First time you feel it, it might make you sad
Next time you feel it, it might make you mad
But you’ll be glad, baby, when you’ve found
That’s the power makes the world go ’round
And it don’t take money, don’t take fame
Don’t need no credit card to ride this train
It’s strong and it’s sudden, it can be cruel sometimes
But it might just save your life
They say that all in love is fair
Yeah, but you don’t care (ooh)
But you know what to do (what to do)
When it gets hold of you
And with a little help from above
You feel the power of love
You feel the power of love
Can you feel it?
Hm-hm
It don’t take money, and it don’t take fame
Don’t need no credit card to ride this train
Tougher than diamonds and stronger than steel
But you won’t feel nothin’ ’til you feel
You feel the power, just feel the power of love
That’s the power, mm, that’s the power of love
You feel the power of love
You feel the power of love
Feel the power of love
Songwriters: Huey Lewis / John Victor Colla / Christopher John Hayes
Through the Shattered Lens 