Category: music

WHAT will replace your Phone and Laptop?

On By Rick McIn Apple, internet, movies, music, photos, videoLeave a comment

Former lead Apple designer and founder of io Jony Ive and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman believe you will eventually simply stand in front of a monitor a tell it what to do. (Elon Musk would claim that you could simply THINK it what to do. 😀)

Create a feature film, for example.

A.I. image

The new A.I. device MIGHT look something like an iPod Shuffle you can wear around your neck.

Click PLAY or watch an opinion on YouTube. I don’t agree with Matthew regarding Apple Vision Pro — it’s likely an intermediate step towards the future. Eventually you won’t need A.I. glasses

Pink Floyd – Great Gig in the Sky

On By Rick McIn musicLeave a comment

One of the great, original vocals of all time in my opinion.

“The Great Gig in the Sky” is the 5th track on The Dark Side of the Moon, a 1973 album Pink Floyd.

The song features music by keyboard player Richard Wright and improvised, wordless vocals by session singer Clare Torry.

On the recommendation of Alan Parsons, the band brought in Clare for a 3 hour session and asked her to improvise. She was paid the session standard  £30.

In a 2005 out-of-court settlement, Clare was awarded more. 😀

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube. This is not Clare Torry.

Here’s another LIVE version with different vocalists.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

In Praise of Street Musicians

On By Rick McIn music, travelLeave a comment

It’s a treat when happening upon a busker who can entertain.

Here are two musicians I enjoyed while traveling in Europe.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

History of the Canadian National Anthem

On By Rick McIn government, musicLeave a comment

Originally, the current Canadian National anthem was composed in French, celebrating Quebec.

The lyrics are totally … separate and distinct … in the 2 official languages.

“O Canada” (French: Ô Canada) is the national anthem of Canada. The song was originally commissioned by Lieutenant Governor of Quebec Théodore Robitaille for the 1880 Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day ceremony; Calixa Lavallée composed the music, after which French-language words were written by the poet and judge Sir Adolphe-Basile Routhier.

The original French lyrics were translated to English in 1906.  Multiple English versions ensued, with Robert Stanley Weir‘s 1908 version (which was not a translation of the French lyrics) gaining the most popularity; the Weir lyrics eventually served as the basis for the official lyrics enacted by Parliament.  Weir’s English-language lyrics have been revised three times, most recently when An Act to amend the National Anthem Act (gender) was enacted in 2018. 

The French lyrics remain unaltered.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

‘Gens du pays’, written by Gilles Vigneault and Gaston Rochon for the 1975 St-Jean-Baptiste celebrations on Mount Royal, Montreal is almost a national anthem in Quebec.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

All Too Well by Taylor Swift

On By Rick McIn musicLeave a comment

Brilliant poetry.

“Rolling Stone” contributing editor Rob Sheffield wrote the book:

“Heartbreak Is the National Anthem: How Taylor Swift Reinvented Pop Music“

He feels this is Taylor’s finest song.

“All Too Well” is a song by Taylor Swift and Liz Rose.

A 10 minute song LIVE in concert? Fans love it.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Years later, Taylor directed this short film set to the song. It won the Grammy Award for Best Music Video.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.