Give her the false-hearted lover's blues and leave her stranded on the pebbles

[sovay]

Reasons I have not written much on LJ in the last couple of days: I have been doing things. Also not sleeping very much. Last night I had to remember where the middle of the week went. (I managed to.) The nightmares aren't helping.

Yesterday morning I met with a visiting historian for whom I am running slides during a conference and then I spent the rest of the day with rushthatspeaks and gaudior. I introduced them to Postmodern Jukebox. The group would be a fun novelty act if their musicianship weren't so good, but it really is: I enjoy listening to them for non-ironic reasons. So far my favorites of theirs appear to be their versions of Taylor Swift's "Blank Space" (with fan dancers), Fountains of Wayne's "Stacy's Mom" (with melodica solo), and Meghan Trainor's "All About That (Upright) Bass" (exactly what the parenthesis sounds like). In return I got Nicki Minaj's frankly amazing "Anaconda" and Astronautalis' "Two Years Before the Mast," which includes a rap about the age of sail.

Today is the conference for which I am running a set of slides: "Beyond the Western Front in World War I." I expect it to be really interesting. I haven't been to anything this academic in seven years.

Films I have seen recently include Fiesta (1947) with Esther Williams and Ricard Montalbán, the mermaid comedy Miranda (1948), Jan Švankmajer's Alice (1988), and Michael Curtiz's two-strip Technicolor horror-mystery Mystery of the Wax Museum (1933). I hope to write about at least one of these tonight.

Everything is just very exhausting right now. At least I have a book of Pasolini's poetry.

Comments

[handful-ofdust.livejournal.com]

I've never heard the Postmodern Jukebox version of "Blank Space," so thanks a lot! "Stacey's Mom" is also pretty crazy.

[sovay]

I've never heard the Postmodern Jukebox version of "Blank Space," so thanks a lot! "Stacey's Mom" is also pretty crazy.

You're welcome! I hadn't actually heard "Stacy's Mom" before the PMJ cover, so I had no idea it was a massive Cars homage in its original form. It's been kind of stuck in my head for days.

[ashlyme.livejournal.com]

Postmodern Jukebox are great. The conference looks fascinating; good luck!

[sovay]

The conference looks fascinating; good luck!

I had a wonderful time! I did not attend the related conference today, but I will attempt to keep track of some of the scholars whose papers I really liked. There are some things I miss very much about being in an academic environment.

[gwynnega]

I watched Mystery of the Wax Museum too! I hadn't realized that House of Wax was basically a lavish remake of the earlier film.

[sovay]

I watched Mystery of the Wax Museum too! I hadn't realized that House of Wax was basically a lavish remake of the earlier film.

I haven't seen House of Wax—I knew the horror trope, which is one of the reasons I wanted to see the original film. How closely do the two versions follow one another?

[gwynnega]

The main storyline is very similar. The subplot with the female journalist doesn't make it into the remake, however.

[sovay]

The subplot with the female journalist doesn't make it into the remake, however.

Dammit! That's one of the best things about it!

[kdsorceress.livejournal.com]

Ooo, have you heard other of Astronautalis's stuff? You may be charmed by Trouble Hunters, which is about the Battle of Trenton.

(My theme for two winters now has been Contrails --"Survive another winter and on, straight through the thaw" "the real risk is not the slipping off the edge of the peak, the real danger's just to linger at the base of the thing")

~Sor

[sovay]

Ooo, have you heard other of Astronautalis's stuff? You may be charmed by Trouble Hunters, which is about the Battle of Trenton.

rushthatspeaks played me "The Story of My Life," which I also loved, and recommended "Secrets of the Diving Bell." I haven't heard anything else.

(My theme for two winters now has been Contrails --"Survive another winter and on, straight through the thaw" "the real risk is not the slipping off the edge of the peak, the real danger's just to linger at the base of the thing")

Okay, nice. Thanks!

[nineweaving.livejournal.com]

Hope the sliding goes smoothly, and you get to enjoy the rest of the conference. Those papers look interesting!

Nine

[sovay]

Hope the sliding goes smoothly, and you get to enjoy the rest of the conference. Those papers look interesting!

I had a wonderful time.

[moon-custafer.livejournal.com]

PMJ highlights also include a klezmer version of Talk Dirty, (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvEWNlcefAw) but I especially like the 1920s Fancy, (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzPGzGUNZbs) and the bittersweet, doo-wop take on Timber. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZQJrM09jbU)

[sovay]

PMJ highlights also include a klezmer version of Talk Dirty, but I especially like the 1920s Fancy, and the bittersweet, doo-wop take on Timber.

I'd heard the first two, but not the third. Thank you!

[larryhammer]

Taylor Swift's "Blank Space" (with fan dancers)

That is awesome. I'd missed that.

---L.

[sovay]

That is awesome. I'd missed that.

My brain keeps splicing the original video with the big-band treatment of the cover. It works.

[desperance.livejournal.com]

People you don't know have been introducing us to Postmodern Jukebox. I do love serendipity. Or is this mere coincidence?

[sovay]

I do love serendipity. Or is this mere coincidence?

It could just be synchronicity.