Love ‘Em and “Leo” Fast: Holiday Sidewinder’s Ode to the One-Night Stand
In the summer of 2018, Australian pop singer, Holiday Sidewinder released her catchy single, “Leo,” with its refrain including a synthesized rhyming roll call of lovers, everyone from Leo to Rodrigo, Marco to Diego, and a few others. The track could be seen as one woman’s reinterpretation of Prince’s “Little Red Corvette,” the tale now told listing the names of “the jockeys that were there before me,” as His Royal Badness once sang.
“Leo” is certainly intriguing, for it manages to sound like one thing, but say something completely different. Sidewinder’s vocal style suggests coy innocence, while the lyrics point to a woman who doesn’t mince words (“I’ll give you tonight, but I won’t call you tomorrow”), even brazenly forewarning: “Lock up your husbands, and lock up your sons.”
Provocative content aside, and there’s lots of it, “Leo” works on its own as a smartly constructed pop song. The first verse features a bass-synthesizer as the hero instrument, giving it all kinds of ‘80s feels, with Sidewinder’s aforementioned vocal delivery adding a dreamy effect; her character mojito-intoxicated in the nightlife. After the roll-call refrain, the rapid-fire drums give way to the carefree-sounding chorus, the morning walk of (no) shame has never sounded sunnier, thanks, in part, to more melodic vocals, reminiscent of Gwen Stefani’s. And with the start of the second verse, the bass-synthesizer gets replaced by a deep bass-guitar riff, only solidifying its ‘80s new-wave nostalgia. Take a listen, and you too might quickly love it; if not, just move on.
The Pop Zeal Project (Track 78): Jay-Z; Bono; The Edge; Rihanna: “Stranded”
Some of the biggest names in music contributed to the benefit album, Hope for Haiti Now, in response to a catastrophic 2010 earthquake that occurred in the country. A telethon was organized, and included several on-air musical interludes. One such featured the song, “Stranded (Haiti Mon Amour),” as performed by Jay-Z, Rihanna, and from U2, the lead singer, Bono and lead guitarist, The Edge.
The track, created especially for the album, features rap verses by Jay-Z. They’re a reflection on the devastation, and at times a prayer to heaven, as well as a call to those on earth for immediate unity and assistance, a call which also includes a brief political critique, reminding “New Orleans was flooded/So we know we just can’t rely on the government.” In the chorus, Bono and Rihanna send additional messages of commitment and protection into the ether to those in that extremely difficult circumstance.
The Pop Zeal Project (Track 77): Kylie Minogue: Bittersweet Goodbye
It’s no wonder the word, lullaby appears in Kylie Minogue’s “Bittersweet Goodbye” from her 2000 album, Light Years. The song itself sounds as if it is one, with its tender piano and sweet, comforting vocals. However, it’s not the traditional kind of tale from parent to child, but this time from one lover to another, during the night into the dawn, before the couple parts. The song is written ambiguously to allow for interpretation; the story doesn’t automatically deduce that a breakup per se is about to happen. Yet this still doesn’t lessen the curiosity as to what makes the goodbye bittersweet, eluding, in part, that there is some benefit or joy that comes as a result. Perhaps it’s the future reunion that can only happen after one leaves in the morning light.
Hold this Note: Kylie hardly performs this track live in concert, but did so during her 2012 Anti-Tour, a scaled-down outing, which stopped only in select cities in Australia (Melbourne; Sydney) and England (Manchester; London), where b-sides, demos and rarities were performed in smaller venues.
The Pop Zeal Project: Sheryl Crow: “Safe and Sound”
In 1997, pop/rock musician, Sheryl Crow sang the theme song to the James Bond film, Tomorrow Never Dies. Unfortunately, the song and the film, separately and as a pairing, failed to create any lasting memories, unlike many that had come before. However, five years later, Crow released her cool, Southern-California-inspired album, C’mon, C’mon, which featured a song entitled, “Safe and Sound.” Now THAT was what “Tomorrow Never Dies” should’ve been.
Granted Bond-film theme songs have varied in style, but there are some core elements that tend to be incorporated, giving the tracks immediate recognition, and, in many cases, help contribute to their longevity. Here’s why “Safe and Sound,” at least musically speaking, works as the Bond theme that never was:
Quieter verses with hints of piano harken to Sheena Easton’s “For Your Eyes Only.” (In a live capacity, Crow has been known to play piano when performing “Safe and Sound.”)
Those pop-ballad verses erupt to a rock-inspired chorus, not unlike Paul McCartney and Wings’ “Live and Let Die.”
As showcased on “Tomorrow Never Dies,” Crow’s vocal range still lends to that impassioned, big-voice quality reminiscent of Shirley Bassey’s work on “Goldfinger” and “Diamonds Are Forever,” and Lulu’s “The Man with the Golden Gun.”
Take a listen, and as the track plays, it’s easy to imagine the classic silhouettes and other artistic imagery featured in Bond-film opening credits. In particular, take note of the climactic crescendo and Crow’s vocal run; both cement the song as soundtrack worthy.
Sounds Like Summer: Five Songs for the New Season
Is it Monday or Tuesday? There have been times recently when it felt like it was going to be an endless spring, but a new season has in fact arrived. Here are five tracks that can help put you in a summer vibe state of mind, no matter what day (or season) it is:
Nothing like George Harrison’s “Here Comes the Sun” to start the season right. The version from the “Beatles Love” show blended Harrison’s signature track with instrumentation from two other Harrison-penned songs: the magnificent meditation, “Within You, Without You,” and “Inner Light,” a 1968 B-Side to “Lady Madonna”:
Belinda Carlisle’s “Mad About You” is all kinds of sunshine. It’s (literally) upbeat (note the double-time bass drum in the chorus), and of course the video: Carlisle busting out signature dance moves; rockin’ the Ray-Bans; channeling ‘60s Ann-Margret in a convertible. Post-guitar-solo, Carlisle’s lower-register vocals rise to the sunny chorus, musically “pushing the night into the daytime”:
“Just get in and close the door” is what the driver encourages in “Stop for Nothing,” by the indie-pop duo, courtship. (lowercase and with a period). Airy electric guitar (one riff evoking ‘60s surf-music reverb) and deep bass lines (particularly the one after the above lyric) capture that carefree feeling of a sunny drive along the coast:
Kick back with Michael Kiwanuka’s “Light,” a soothing, soulful, symphonic track from the singer/songwriter. In the bridge, the sudden slide down the guitar neck, followed by angelic backing vocals is the sound a sunrise would make:
Harry Styles’ “Watermelon Sugar” references “that summer feeling” and a series of signature seasonal items to describe how love—and something more physical as the title suggests—can be intoxicating and addicting. The transition from first chorus into the second verse is brilliant, and how ‘bout this lovely lyric: “Strawberries on a summer evening/Baby, you’re the end of June.” Styles’ vocals also shine on the romantic declaration that is “Adore You,” which includes another nod to the season: “Your wonder under summer skies”:
The Pop Zeal Project: She & Him: “In the Sun”
Indie-pop group, She & Him, consisting of Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward, released “In the Sun” in 2010 as the first single from their second album, the aptly titled, Volume Two. Their sound has often incorporated a wink and a nod to cheerful-sounding ‘60s pop, with Deschanel’s lyrical content at times providing stark contrast to anything but. “In the Sun” is one such track, featuring a bouncy piano intro that sounds like the musical equivalent of summer, only to be eclipsed by the opening lyric that describes a relationship reaching its winter: “It’s hard to be ignored/When I look at you, you look so bored.” The choice for now it seems is the ignorance-is-bliss approach, perhaps until the one day when the sun goes down on creating excuses instead of facing reality, when feeling “ashamed sometime, every day” can no longer be kept inside.
The Pop Zeal Project: The Rolling Stones: “Angie”
Whether it was in the ‘60s when The Beach Boys sang about Barbara Ann, or in the ‘80s when Toto sang about Rosanna, women have been the source of inspiration behind many songs. Recently, Lady Gaga dedicated an entire album to her departed aunt, Joanne, and even with 2020’s Chromatica, Gaga includes a song entitled, “Alice,” and the list goes on.
But for today, we go back to 1973 when The Rolling Stones released “Angie,” with Mick Jagger lamenting to Angie that “ain’t it time we say goodbye,” although ironically still claiming to love her and that there “ain’t a woman that comes close to you.” There’s much continued speculation as to who the inspiration is for this track; one theory is that Jagger’s lyrical contribution is based on his breakup with the singer, Marianne Faithful, yet most of the writing credit steers more toward Keith Richards, who around this time became the father of a daughter who would eventually be called Angela. Richards claimed the song “wasn’t about any particular person.”
The track is perhaps more memorable as one (of many) that features Jagger’s exaggerated vocal delivery, as he calls out (and at one point whispers) Angie’s name quickly, followed by elongating the first syllable in the name for dramatic effect. As far as breakup songs go, “Angie” is one for the ages.
The Pop Zeal Project: Alanis Morissette: “Head Over Feet”
Track eight on Alanis Morissette’s Jagged Little Pill is “Head Over Feet.” It was the fifth single (of six) from the album that goes down as one that defined the ‘90s. Written by Morissette and Glen Ballard, the song is about friends who are now lovers, with reflections on the clarity and appreciation one feels for the other’s love, patience, even chivalry (“You held your breath and the door for me”).
The track is yet another from the artist that is full of lyrical prowess, for example, taking the classic phrase, head over heels, which has traditionally been used to describe falling in love, and kickin’ it up a notch. The main character referencing not just the heels, but both feet, to describe how much this newfound relationship with a friend (a “best friend with benefits”) has truly knocked her socks off. What’s also of significance is how kindness and “unconditional things” almost come off as completely foreign to her (“I’m not used to liking that”). But now, she’s taken those tiny steps toward letting her guard down (“What took me so long”; “I am aware now”) and falling in love, seemingly for the first time.
You’re my best friend…
… Best friend with benefits.
Jagged Little Pill Art Direction, Design: Tom Recchion.
With Jagged featuring the ultimate hell-hath-no-fury song, “You Oughta Know,” it’s “Head Over Feet” that serves as confirmation that loving someone post-bad-breakup (really bad) is quite possible.
Random Acts
I’ve always found the shuffle-play system of listening to music appealing, never knowing what song will be next. Ironically, I love routine and predictability, yet it’s the shuffle that allows me sometimes to embrace the unexpected, smile at a surprise. Don’t get me wrong, there are days when Fast Forward is used when listening to music on my phone: “No, not that one… skip… skip.”
When I first started blogging on Tumblr six years ago, I created a recurring series called The Poptimum Project, in which I wrote a post about every song that was Autofilled onto my iPod shuffle®. (Wow, remember that device?) The project was inspired by the film, Julie & Julia, where government employee by day and writer by night, Julie Powell cooks every recipe from Julia Child’s “Mastering the Art of French Cooking,” and chronicles her experience on a blog. Instead of a cookbook, I kept a document with the track list.
Now that this website has launched, you’ll from time to time see a continuation of this project, now renamed The Pop Zeal Project. One post might feature Carole King’s “I Feel the Earth Move,” followed by Gwen Stefani’s “The Real Thing,” then LL Cool J’s “Around the Way Girl” and so on. Come what may. Keep in mind: Not every music post will be part of this list, but if the headline includes, The Pop Zeal Project, then it falls under this continuing endeavor.
Ready to embrace the random? I am… I think.
Stitch Mix: Music, Mood and the Chanel Fashion Show
Like a belt or purse matching the shoes, fashion and music can be coordinated perfectly. Whether it was during Karl Lagerfeld’s iconic run as creative director, or now with Virgine Viard at the lead, the Chanel fashion house knows all about, all of the above.
In December 2019, Chanel posted its Métiers d’art (art professions) show, a yearly event highlighting the artistry of the many ateliers with whom the house works. (Think, in part, meticulous beadwork applied by master embroiderers.) Held at the Grand Palais in Paris, this year’s show—the first for Viard since Lagerfeld’s passing—was entitled “31 Rue Cambon,” the address of Chanel’s Paris store. The set was co-designed by the film director, Sofia Coppola and was inspired by Coco Chanel’s apartment, with its curved staircase surrounded by angled mirrors; large chandeliers descend from the rafters to illuminate the already brilliant homage.
Stylin’; Profilin’
“Dress shabbily and they remember the dress; dress impeccably and they remember the woman.”
— Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel (1883 - 1971)
As the old adage goes: Perfection is in the details, and this rings true regarding Viard’s use of a ‘70s/‘80s-inspired soundtrack. When the model, Vittoria Ceritti opens the show, she glides elegantly down the staircase to Roxy Music’s “To Turn You On” from Avalon, with Bryan Ferry’s ethereal vocals further setting the tranquil tone.
Other songs include:
Sam Taylor Wood produced by the Pet Shop Boys on “I’m In Love with a German Film Star”;
Soft Cell’s jazzy, peppy, yet ironically moody, “Torch”;
The French singer, Amanda Lear’s Euro-Disco, “Follow Me.”
If you need to edit your time, watch the Roxy Music section, then skip to 10:30, featuring LCD Soundsystem’s “Oh Baby,” with its dark, yet dreamy, synth-pop sound. Thanks to the music choices and the models (including Kaia Gerber near the end) walking and weaving around each other in perfect harmony, these two sections are meditative, hypnotic, couture with a calming effect, certainly something to embrace in these times. Note that Ceritti closes the show as well, creating a satisfying sense of completion.
Watch as fashion and music fit beautifully like hand to glove:
Oh Boy!: Kylie Minogue’s “Better the Devil You Know” Turns 30
April 30, 2020 marks the 30th anniversary of one of Kylie Minogue’s signature songs, “Better the Devil You Know.” The lead single from her third studio album, Rhythm of Love, it goes down as one of her biggest career-defining moments, marking her transition from bubble-gum pop (and soap opera) star to slightly more brazen pop siren. (Kylie was no longer with fellow soap star, Jason Donovan, and had started dating Michael Hutchence at this time, representing a shift in her personal life as well.)
With its stuttering synthesizer sounds, rattling tambourine and thumping beat, never before has a song about repeatedly forgiving an unfaithful partner sounded so good. “Devil” has become a staple in many of Kylie’s concerts throughout the decades, as seen in the brilliant compilation below, created by “Kylie Minogue Video.” As one comment states, rightly so: “This made me emotional.”
The compilation captures Kylie:
Devil horns and all from Intimate and Live (1998);
Donning top hat and tails from Live in Sydney (2001);
As the braided beauty from KylieFever2002: Live in Manchester;
Decked out in blue feathers from Showgirl: The Greatest Hits Tour (2005);
Presenting a pink plume in Showgirl Homecoming (2006);
Rocking the cutoff shorts in Aphrodite Les Folies (2011);
As a cowgirl in pink from Golden - Live in Concert (2019);
In the legends slot at the Glastonbury Festival 2019.
Some favorite moments: 0:21 captures the blast of brilliance at the start of Showgirl Homecoming; that million-dollar smile at 2:15 in the blue Showgirl outfit; 2:57 as she bows to the fans that made this song a Kylie classic.
Sing It Ain’t So: Sheryl Crow is Done with the Album Thing
Sheryl Crow recently appeared as part of a round-table discussion, hosted by Linda Perry, singer, producer, and co-founder of “We Are Hear,” an artist empowerment company focused on developing and nurturing the creative. Along with Grimes (representing the younger voice in music) and Dolly Parton (the legendary one), Crow shared her thoughts on where’s she at today as far as creating music, leading her to disclose that she’s “done with the album thing,” seeing as “people don’t buy records anymore.” Regardless of what Crow’s career looks like going forward, she will always be a writer… and so much more. This prompted me to revisit a post I wrote about Crow’s “Now That You’re Gone” from Detours:
As much as Sheryl Crow is known for wanting to have some fun or soak up the sun, she is one of the best at chronicling breakups. From 1998’s basically perfect, Stones-inspired “My Favorite Mistake,” to 2005’s deeply somber release, Wildflower, she can get down in the dumps—“the real low down,” as she once sang on 1996’s “If It Makes You Happy.” Crow can certainly craft songs that drip with loneliness, anger and uncertainty over the derailment of a relationship. Her 2008 release, Detours, was her most political album, this time expressing her sadness over the derailment of our nation as a whole, the world at large off course. One of the tracks, “Now That You’re Gone,” is a return to classic Crow, feeling almost Wildflower low. With strings making a prevalent appearance, it’s another reason the song sounds like it could’ve originated on that strongly symphonic Wildflower.
“Gone” reflects Crow’s ability to write lyrics that sound seemingly romantic and positive, yet by their end quickly turn to the dark and negative (“We made a bed of roses/But I got pricked by thorns.”). And just as a silver lining appears regarding the separation, that she’ll be able to move on unscathed, hesitation creeps back in: “And I’m afraid some long, lonely road will lead me back to you again.” Thankfully, Crow does make it unscathed. After a year on that long, lonely road, she arrived back home, secure and certain, to more soulfully sunny roots, in the form of 100 Miles From Memphis, with the realization that favorite mistakes happen, wildflowers wither, and detours eventually get you back on track.
Pop Playlist: Kylie Minogue: In Your Eyes (Live in New York)
As some of you may already know, Kylie Minogue brings a smile to my face, and if my ears could smile, they'd beam too. One of the best songs from the iconic Fever album is “In Your Eyes.” She’s performed this signature track on many tours, but the one recorded in 2009 at the Hammerstein Ballroom during her For You, For Me tour, and for the subsequent audio release, Kylie: Live in New York, is a fave. Let’s take a look (and listen) back to this live track:
Pop royalty in most other parts of the globe, the legendary Australian performer never before launched a tour specifically through North America. After her Kylie X 2008 tour, she felt it was (finally) time to alleviate the longing that filled millions of fans (including her devoted gay following) who, up until that point, were only able to see the dynamic dynamo on DVD.
In a thoughtful gesture, Kylie and her team, led by her creative director William Baker, launched For You, For Me with the “mashup” in mind—part X tour (complete with X-tour musicians, backing vocalists and most of the dancers), part Showgirl 2005 and 2006 tours. This provided the chance to see a version, albeit a smaller-scale version, of the large concert spectacle, for which she is known. I had the pleasure of seeing Kylie for the first time on this tour, during a stop at the Fox Theater in Oakland, CA in Sept. 2009.*
This X-tour arrangement of “In Your Eyes” is heavy on bass-synth and bass guitar, and it sounds amazing. The New-York recording captures the crowd’s command of the lyrics (which was also displayed opening night in Oakland and probably every stop thereafter), proving her visit to the U.S. was not a waste, and that for the previous 8 years, copies of Fever were definitely being played in America. Kylie finishes big by confidently holding a high note at the end of the lyric, “I don’t feel like coming down.” As you can hear in the clip below, everyone in the audience seems to concur.
*Both photos courtesy of Rob Miller.
Music as Meditative Mantra: Alanis Morissette’s “Thank U”
Some of the best music in the ‘90s came from Alanis Morissette. Period. Just one of the examples is “Thank U” from 1998’s Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie, the album that followed the album, Jagged Little Pill. After the meteoric success of Jagged, Morissette ventured to India to take a break, to regroup, and this soul-baring song came from the experience.
The breathtaking track features verses that display emotional vulnerability (represented as physical nakedness in the accompanying music video) and capture those all-too-relatable moments of self-reflection, posed as questions which many of us, in some way, shape or form, could relate to at some point in our lives. (Certain passersby in the video indicate connection in the/our shared experience.) The second verse in particular goes straight to the head and heart, followed in the video by Morissette offering the most comforting smile to a fellow subway rider. Its choruses are hopeful, steeped in gratitude for what (good and bad) life lessons can bring, everything from terror and disillusionment to clarity and silence, with the bridge including this beautiful lyric about feeling almost overwhelmed by life’s blessings: “The moment I let go of it was the moment I got more than I could handle.” Isn’t it ironic?
“Thank U” was way ahead of its time; Alanis was offering music as meditation before the availability of apps, promoting mindfulness before its popular practice in the new millennium.
Pop Playlist: Madonna: “Nothing Really Matters”
For 1998’s Ray of Light, Madonna wondered what dance/electronica would sound like if it was infused with a spiritual sensibility. It sounded like the singer’s most mature album to date since Like a Prayer. One of the songs on Ray of Light, “Nothing Really Matters,” with co-writer, Patrick Leonard, and co-producers, William Orbit and Marius De Vries, reveals the singer’s reawakening to what is of real significance, compared to the life she was living “so selfishly.” Her career-changing experience playing Eva Peron in the film, Evita, and the life-changing experience of becoming a mother, both of which occurred in 1996, served as eye-opening catalysts. (Her daughter, Lourdes is also the source of inspiration for the tender, electro-lullaby, “Little Star.”) “Nothing Really Matters” keeps to Madonna’s dance roots, but sprouts introspective lyrics and, as demonstrated throughout the album, some of Madonna’s best recorded vocals, thanks in part to the vocal training she received for Evita.
Pop Playlist: Kylie Minogue: “Aphrodite”
The title track to Kylie Minogue’s 2010 album, Aphrodite finds Kylie confidently stating her case to another as a goddess incarnate. The track could be considered the stronger, more-direct sister to the sweeter “The One” from X, for the chorus in “Aphrodite” features a fabulous list of powerful statements: “I’m fierce and I’m feeling mighty/I’m a golden girl/I’m an Aphrodite, alright.” And by the bridge: “You know that I’m magical/I am the original/I am the only one…”
Even musically, the song embraces harder-sounding beats as if pounded out by a marching band. If one listens to her KylieX2008 show, Act Two’s cheerleading theme starts with a drumbeat that sounds remarkably similar to the one in “Aphrodite.” Perhaps at that time a preview of things to come.
The Aphrodite period holds major significance in Kylie’s career, as it created another moniker still associated with her, one that catapulted her from “the Princess of Pop” to “the Goddess of Pop.” Simply put: from royalty to deity.
Disco Playlist: Thelma Houston: “Don’t Leave Me This Way”
Thelma Houston’s “Don’t Leave Me This Way” starts seductively slow through its intro and first verse, only to be offset by a powerhouse chorus. These slow and fast moments create a beautiful balance, all while showcasing Houston’s passionate vocals to convey that necessary tone of desperation. Musically, the disco era embraced violin and bass as prominent instruments, and this track features both, providing another merge of classical meets club. Yet it’s when the tambourine comes in at the outro that the song is at its fullest, a perfect companion to the drums, poppin’ bass and Houston’s commanding vocal run.
Pop Playlist: Deee-Lite: “Deep Ending”
Shuffle through and land on just about any track on Deee-Lite’s World Clique album and it’ll be a good one. Such is the case with “Deep Ending,” which features a plethora of piano, plus an in-your-ears hi-hat, and other groovy, funky features for which the trio was renowned. A clever play on lyrics also runs through the track, as Lady Miss Kier goes from “I’m depending on you…” to “I’m deep-ending” to “I’m at the deep end,” as she sings of a relationship about to… end.
Pop Playlist: Sheena Easton: “For Your Eyes Only”
This theme song to the 1981 James Bond film, featured Sheena Easton on vocals and in the opening credits, the only singer to appear as part of these signature, silhouette-heavy sequences. Easton’s vocals are crisp; the song’s verses are soft and seductive, using the classic espionage phrase as a parallel to convey the love, devotion and “fantasy you freed in me/only for you.” By the chorus, Easton lets this classified secret out, only to hide in the shadows of those intentionally softer verses once again, confirming “For Your Eyes Only” as a smartly constructed track. (Other Poptimum picks from this sensational singer: “Morning Train” as sweet pop vocalist, but by mid-’80s steered toward “bad-girl” singer [“Strut”; “Sugar Walls,” written by Prince; “U Got the Look” with Prince].)
Double Duty: Actors Who Sing; Singers Who Act
The latest telling of A Star is Born was released this weekend, starring Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga. Some actors surprise audiences with their singing chops, while some singers do the same with their acting abilities. Here are a few memorable examples (by no means the only examples):
Actors who sing: Amy Adams (“If I Didn’t Care” from Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day; as Mary in The Muppets); Zooey Deschanel (lead singer of She & Him); Sissy Spacek and Beverly D’Angelo (as Loretta Lynn and Patsy Cline respectively in Coal Miner’s Daughter); Antonio Banderas (Evita); Hugh Jackman (Les Miserables); Eddie Murphy (Dreamgirls).
Singers who act: Diana Ross (Lady Sings the Blues); “Think” Aretha Franklin in The Blues Brothers; although Cher won an Academy Award for Moonstruck, her heartbreaking performance in Mask comes to mind; Madonna was born to play the lead in Evita and is impressive in the role, especially in The Lament scene; Will Smith, the rapper turned actor in Pursuit of Happyness (spoiler alert below, if you haven’t seen the film).