National Geographic music podcasts and more

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I want to spread the word about a few great music podcasts. They just give you a tiny taste – they’re both less than 15 minutes per episode – but they can really broaden and deepen your musical horizons.

Afropop Worldwide

World Music Profiles

and a video podcast –

World Music Spotlight

You usually get a short interview with the artist(s) as well as a taste of the music. Amadou & Mariam got two episodes: an interview and a fragment of a live concert.

I also enjoy Coverville and Morning Becomes Eclectic.

I recommend all these podcasts highly! And if you’re new to podcasts, you don’t need an iPod; you can play them on your computer. They’re just audio tracks.

By the way, my favorite non-musical podcasts are Ask Dr. Dawn, This American Life, Mac Geek Gab and Grammar Girl.

All can be found in the iTunes podcast directory.

Rediscovering Buffy Sainte-Marie

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Several albums of Buffy Sainte-Marie recently came my way, and I realized I’d forgotten her several years ago after getting rid of all my lps (no space) and that I’d simply forgotten about her. How very, very sad that I’ve been deprived all this time.

Now I’m reexperiencing how fiercely inspiring so many of her songs are. In fact, her life as a whole, as an activist, artist, educator and mother, is inspiring as well.

For the uninitiated, I actually suggest starting with her last album to date, Coincidence and Likely Stories. I also highly recommend It’s My Way, Little Wheel Spin and Spin, and Illuminations.

The other albums I’ve heard don’t appeal to me much. She recorded a few country albums with what I consider cheesy arrangements.

Go read up on her Web site, http://www.creative-native.com/. I guarantee you’ll be impressed and uplifted.

I think we could all use some inspiration these days. I like to believe, as Buffy sings, that we’re only getting started.

p.s. Follow-up: I just rented the video Up Where We Belong and loved it. Great powwow singers backing her up. And if you want to know why I love this woman’s outlook so much, just listen to her intro to Starwalker.

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Song shuffle tarot

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OK, I’m playing this game that user waitingtoderail introduced
and I love it, you can play it as many times as you like and still amuse yourself, at least. I love accidental meaning in general; the illusion of meaning, that is, arising from randomness. The million monkeys pounding keyboards and that sort of thing. Oh, and this game also reminds me of the "interviews" they’d do on the Dr Demento radio show when I was a kid, where the "answers" would be song clips.

I first excluded my classical and Christmas music, as well as songs in languages other than English, since all of those will decrease readability or would just not be as interesting.

The rules:
1. Put your music player on shuffle.
2. Press forward for each question.
3. Use the song title as the answer to the question even if it doesn’t make sense. NO CHEATING!

The questions, and my answers:

Will it be ok?
Long As I Can See the Light


How are you feeling today?
Cannonball Rag


How do your friends see you?
Up On the Roof


Will you get married?
Woe is Me


What is your best friend’s theme song?
My Wife


What is the story of your life?
The Deserter


What was high school like?
Falling From Above


How can you get ahead in life?
Postcard Blues


What is the best thing about your friends?
When You Walk In the Room


What is today going to be like?
The Unwelcome Guest


What is in store for this weekend?
House on the Lake


What song describes you?
Nothing to Say


To describe your grandparents?
King of Bohemia


How is your life going?
Waiting Room


What song will they play at your funeral?
Keep Your Distance


How does the world see you?
Running Dry (Requiem for the Rockets)


Will you have a happy life?
Seven Sisters


What do your friends really think of you?
It Might As Well Be Spring


Do people secretly lust after you?
Dark the Night


How can I make myself happy?
All Together Now


What should you do with your life?
Step Into the Light


Will you ever have children?
The Lovers’ Rights

Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, The Drifters, Ella Fitzgerald, The Who, Oysterband, Neil Young, Cowboy Junkies, Karla Bonoff, Billy Bragg & Wilco, Rosanne Cash, The Kinks, Richard Thompson, Emm Gryner, Patty Loveless, The Mother Hips, Martin & Jessica Simpson, Stan Getz & Astrud Gilberto, Sandy Denny, The Beatles, Patty Larkin, The Rosebuds

Audio: Sharon Shannon

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You’re up for some Irish accordion and fiddle, I just know you are. (Skip down to start listening and to rate the music.) Some years ago, I was lucky enough to first hear Sharon Shannon and the Woodchoppers in concert. What a rousing, joyous party of a show!

What I didn’t know until recently is that Shannon was part of The Waterboys for 18 months. No wonder I liked them right away.

I highly recommend her Live in Galway album. I don’t care for any of the other recordings. They sound fussy and overly gussied up to me. Shannon’s live performances are so perfectly wonderful and vital – case in point:

The Four Jimmy’s

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