Manic Mondays

The song Manic Mondays by The Bangles is very apt to listen to on a Monday morning on the way to work which I did today. A song that will help us to sing out our sorrows with pleasure and makes me feel good for some reason.

For me, monday blues usually start by Sunday night itself and extra energy is required to force myself out of bed on a dreaded Monday !!

I like the lyrics of this song - easy, naughty and fun to sing along.

Six o'clock already
I was just in the middle of a dream
I was kissin' Valentino
By a crystal blue Italian stream
But I can't be late
'Cause then I guess I just won't get paid
These are the days
When you wish your bed was already made


It's just another manic Monday
I wish it was Sunday
'Cause that's my fun day
I don't have to run a day
It's just another manic Monday


Have to catch an early train
Got to be to work by nine
And if I had an air-o-plane
I still couldn't make it on time
'Cause it takes me so long
Just to figure out what I'm gonna wear
Blame it on the train
But the boss is already there


All of the nights
Why did my lover have to pick last night
To get down
Doesn't it matter
I have to feed both of us
Employment's down
He tells me in his bedroom voice
C'mon honey, let's go make some noise
Time it goes so fast
When you're having fun

Avial fever

It was another mad day at work with mad people. Mentally drained out, I was on my way back from the office and I was listening to the radio. As usual, I was checking out my favourite radio stations when I came across the Rock show at 8pm on Radio Indigo 91.9. Some of my favourite songs were being played back to back. After listening to these and feeling lightheaded, I heard the RJ mentioning what’s up next on his playlist. I was taken aback when I heard that a song from the band Avial would be played next. Wait a minute; this show usually plays English rock songs, right? Felt awesome listening to the 'Nada Nada' song that was played on the radio.

For those who do not know, Avial is a rock band from Trivandrum (Kerala) which has become a household name in the Indian rock music scene for their brand of music. Their songs are essentially based on folk songs and alternative rock and the way they bring in the rock elements to their music is simply brilliant. Their songs are in Malayalam. It is this band that changed my view that Malayalam songs should just stick to the melody genre just like the 80s and early 90s. I  had often felt that the nature of the language was such that it could not accommodate elements of pop and Tamil music influence. The Tamil music industry is so versatile and they do a good job of adapting different music genres but that is not the case with the Malayalam music industry. An interesting trend is emerging - rock bands like MotherJane and Avial are part of the OSTs of new Malayalam movies and these songs are well received.

Another surprising observation was my mom's liking towards the songs of Avial. Mummy often referred to rock music as 'Chevy Vedana paattu' (songs that pain the ears!) but when I heard her crooning to one of their songs 'Karukara' one day, I was surprised and asked her - 'Mummy, ithu chevy vendane alle?' (Mummy, isn't this 'ear pain music'?). She told me that she likes folk songs and could grasp the lyrics, unlike the usual rock songs which just seemed to her like a bunch of people screaming (well, that's her way of describing it!!). Of lately she has been crooning to Kolaveri Di but more on that later in another post! :-D

 The latest Avial song 'Ayyo' is finally out and has got me excited at the prospect of all Mallus singing loud and clear- 'AYYO' !!  :-)

My love for Cranberries

The band called The Cranberries is definitely one of the most rocking bands of all time. It is an Irish rock band and is not really active these days except for the world tours and concerts that take place from time to time. They rocked the 90’s.

I was introduced to this band and its music quite late, just like all other bands I have been introduced to. The first song that made me notice the band was the song called ‘Salvation’. I used to hear it on the radio very often. I was in the 5^th grade back then and I had not really started listening to music as I do these days.

Many years later, in college, I came across songs of this band in one of my friend’s collections. I heard the song called ‘Salvation’ and I felt I was going through a flashback. But it’s the other songs that I heard that made me fall in love with the band, especially the song ‘The Animal Instinct’. It is an amazing song and is sort of an anthem for me and Smitha. I remember the endless number of times we used to croon this one together!! Ah…I miss those days!

Some of the other songs that I like –

• Zombie
• Promises
• Ode To My Family - This one is my ringtone when I get a call from Home
• Dreams
• I Just Shot John Lennon – This one is eerie, especially the bullet shots you hear at the end of the song!!
• Just My Imagination – This is a song I love to hear while taking a walk outside.

Last April, I happened to be in Hard Rock café in Bangalore, catching up with some of my friends and celebrating Divs bday. Towards late evening, the DJ started playing some of my favourite songs one of them was Zombie. The song could not have sounded more awesome that night. Before I knew it, I was already singing along with Chinchu and when it ended I wanted to shout out ‘Encore’.

Three years back, thanks to Chinchu, I discovered that the lead singer of this band - Dolores O'Riordan had gone solo. I immediately downloaded all the songs of her solo album - Are You Listening? I like the following songs from this album -

• In the Garden
• October
• Ordinary Day
• When we were young

My playlists will always have at least one song from The Cranberries or Dolores O'Riordan and even if I do take a break from listening to these songs, it won't last more than two or three days.

Some people tell me that I am lost in a different era when it comes to music. That's true to some extent, and it's a great era to be lost in!!

Check out Jango.com

For some of my close friends, the name 'Jango' will ring a bell for different reasons. :D

However, Jango.com (http://www.jango.com) is a website which has a lot of online radio stations. I came across this one a long time ago. Today evening I suddenly remembered this website and was in the mood to listen to anything random.

I end up discovering a lot of songs this way. I turn on the volume to the music while I cook and do a bit of household cleaning.

By the way, this website is only for English music lovers!

The King of Pop - MJ

It’s been years since I had listened to any of Michael Jackson’s songs. This could be because, in a way, he kind of got phased out from the current Pop scene. But his all-time hits like Thriller, Black or White, Beat It, etc just cannot be forgotten. Unfortunately, the reasons for which he used to hit the news most of the time almost made me blur him out of my mind. I just did not know what to believe. But he is undoubtedly the King of Pop.

Just before I left for work this morning, I saw one of my roommates hurriedly switching on the television to see a news channel. That’s when I saw the breaking news of “Michael Jackson died of cardiac arrest”. I did gape looking at it for a few seconds but soon snapped out of it as I had to hurry to catch the company bus.

During the entire day, my mind used to wander away back to memories as to when and how I had heard of Michael Jackson for the very first time. Although I had heard of him during my early childhood I think it was when I was 10 or 11 years old that I heard his songs for the first time in my uncle’s house. My cousin Mathew, a huge fan of MJ, had a collection of all of his songs if I am not mistaken. Even today, the background music that plays in my head when I enter his room would be one of MJ’s songs. I think it was my beginning to listen to English music.

I remember when I used to use my initials M.J., my friends used to tease me saying that I was trying to be Michael Jordan or Michael Jackson who had the same initials.

His death did come as a shock; my reaction surprised me the most. It just goes to show that there are a lot of fans out there, and also people like me who would have relived some moments back in time, cherishing his music and moves, while watching the tragic news of his death.

Dreams by The Cranberries

Dreams is one of my favourite songs. I like the music and the lyrics for no particular reason. At times I relate to it. Just thought of posting the lyrics of the same. This song is also one of the soundtracks of the movie 'You Have Got Mail'.....a favourite for many!

Dreams

Oh my life is changing every day
Every possible way
Though my dreams,
it's never quite as it seems
Never quite as it seems

I know I felt like this before
But now I'm feeling it even more
Because it came from you

Then I open up and see
The person fumbling here is me
A different way to be

I want more, impossible to ignore
Impossible to ignore
They'll come true, impossible not to do
Impossible not to do

Now I tell you openly
You have my heart so don't hurt me
From what I couldn't find

Talk to me amazing mind
So understanding and so kind
You're everything to me

Oh my life is changing every day
Every possible way
Though my dreams, it's never quite as it seems
cause you're a dream to me
Dream to me