Episode 153.5 - Minisode 153.5

[Cameron H. 23786]

In keeping with my Duty Before Self characters, my favorite X-Person was always Cyclops. He was always so... sad to me, but always trying to be the Good Guy. Like, he just wanted to be a combination of Captain America and Professor X, but he could never be either. All he wanted was to achieve the dream of Charles Xavier, of achieving peace between humans and mutants, but his only tool to achieve that peace of fucking LASER VISION?!?! Not helpful. No weather control, no mental powers, just laser vision; the tool of a soldier. He's destined for failure but never let that stop him.

 

And then Wolverine, for a whole host of reasons. I love both of those Best Frenemies.

 

I just can't forgive the amount of times Cyclops misses his target considering all he has to do is look at it.

 

He has also suffered a ton of Editorially mandated character assassination. However, over the past year or so, I've been reading basically everything from Giant Sized on, and before the whole Madelyne Pryor stuff, he was pretty rad.

 

Oh, and if i were able to extend my pick beyond X-men to all X characters, I think my number one might be Madrox (written by Peter David, of course)

 

[taylor anne photo 11311]

Seeing as we're 90% Team Donatello, let's next draw from a slightly larger pool. Favourite X-Men?

Depends on the iteration pour moi

 

90s cartoon also gotta go with Rogue and Gambit! One of my best friends got me this beautiful painting of the two of them from the last Comic Con and I treasure it so much!

 

(Gambit in the comics is trash but watching him and Rogue growing up was the best so really I'll just say Rogue)

[Elektra Boogaloo 3371]

 

He has also suffered a ton of Editorially mandated character assassination. However, over the past year or so, I've been reading basically everything from Giant Sized on, and before the whole Madelyne Pryor stuff, he was pretty rad.

 

I used to hate Cyclops (because all he ever did was yell "Jean!" in the animated show) but I've come to feel really bad for him. He was more fun with Emma Frost. And I was mad that he died in X3 and no one gave a shit.

 

90s cartoon also gotta go with Rogue and Gambit! One of my best friends got me this beautiful painting of the two of them from the last Comic Con and I treasure it so much!

 

(Gambit in the comics is trash but watching him and Rogue growing up was the best so really I'll just say Rogue)

 

I shipped them on the show. But it got old in the comics, especially since you had to put up with their terrible fake Southern/Cajun dialogue. It was pretty painful to read. Though Gambit was cool in Liu's X-23 run. So I guess it depends on who is writing him. I would've liked to have seen him show up in the movie as an X-kid who tried to kiss Anna Paquin's Rogue because he's not quite right in the head. I don't think he works as super serious.

[Cameron H. 23786]

So, after watching the movie Tommy yesterday morning I felt the need to cleanse my palate a bit and listen to the actual album while I was doing the dishes. My wife walked just as "Pinball Wizard" was starting and said with a smile, "That's the first song I ever remember hearing!"

 

I thought that was an interesting little bit of trivia. I'm not sure if it really gives any insight into a one's personality or not, but I thought I'd ask the question: what is the first song you remember hearing? This has nothing to do with whether or not you like the song, just when you think back, what was first song that made an impact?

 

Mine was...

 

[Cakebug Tranch 6873]

I have plenty of different answers for this, but this seems to be a prime contender (others include anything from Cats, Chess, or Phantom of the Opera and also, for some reason, George Harrison's I've Got My Mind Set On You):

 

My parents are responsible: cassettes on long car trips.

 

[tomspanks 9039]

Not a song, but...The Jaws theme.

[taylor anne photo 11311]

Well my dad used to sing "Stand by Me" to me a lot but I really don't have many memories of that so idk if it counts.

 

Something that I do remember and will definitely show my age is The Toadies - Possum Kingdom

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkwD5rQ-_d4

 

I was 4 years old when this was released and I couldn't properly pronounce "Jesus" and my mom thought it was the cutest thing she'd ever heard. TO THIS DAY if we hear this song together she'll say "Jejus" (it's also one of those stories that she loves to tell significant others and friends because that's not embarrassing at all).

[Cameron H. 23786]

Well my dad used to sing "Stand by Me" to me a lot but I really don't have many memories of that so idk if it counts.

 

No, the answer I was looking for was "Possum Kingdom." I mean, I'm sure I heard hundreds of songs before "Karma Chameleon," that's just the first song I have any memory of knowing. I was basically just wondering, why this specific song? What was it that made my tiny brain say, "This memory is a keeper?"

[FisterRoboto 7499]

I was 4 years old when this was released

 

Jejus. That was my freshman year in high school....

 

Anyway, I grew up in a super Southern Baptist/Pentecostal household, so most of the songs I knew growing up were Christian songs. I might have owned a Carman album or two...

 

But the first non-Christian song I really remember hearing and getting into was "Lump" by The Presidents. It was also the first CD I bought (well, technically, I bought that and Blues Traveler's Four at the same time). Since y'all are talking about Sing Street in the musical thread, though, I'll say that my first real musical awakening was a couple years later when I moved to a new city and was in a new school. My first friend gave me a cassette with Propagandhi's How to Clean Everything on it.

 

 

"Anti-Manifesto" was unlike anything I had ever heard before. It was fast, loud, angry....and awesome. It's really unfortunate that the band totally changed their sound when Todd Kowalski joined. They used to be awesome skate punk and now are some kind of metal-influenced trash.

 

Oh, and the correct answer for best X-Person...

 

 

 

Orora fuckin' Monroe, bitches.

 

 

[JammerLea 2070]

I WAS HAVING TROUBLE WITH THIS BUT THEN IT CAME TO ME. IT'S NOT ANY SONG FROM THE RADIO BUT THIS

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJ9yAV8uQ7g

 

My mom has mentioned various times how as a baby I would not let them leave me alone unless The Muppets was on. To this day my dad will still randomly whistle the theme song (and I have myself a time or two). And thanks to various The Muppets VHS tapes, this led to my enjoyment of other songs that have stuck with me forever (such as the HDTGM favorite "Blue Bayou"), and my introduction to a variety of musical talent like Alice Cooper and Harry Belafonte.

 

So yeah, it has to be this, because like Cakebug, the other music I listened to was whatever my parents selected on roadtrips, so while I do remember some of it, there's not a lot that I had any particular attachment to. And it would be mostly Peter, Paul and Mary.

[taylor anne photo 11311]

Jejus. That was my freshman year in high school....

Damn you're old

 

[jarrycanada 2483]

So, after watching the movie Tommy yesterday morning I felt the need to cleanse my palate a bit and listen to the actual album while I was doing the dishes. My wife walked just as "Pinball Wizard" was starting and said with a smile, "That's the first song I ever remember hearing!"

 

I thought that was an interesting little bit of trivia. I'm not sure if it really gives any insight into a one's personality or not, but I thought I'd ask the question: what is the first song you remember hearing? This has nothing to do with whether or not you like the song, just when you think back, what was first song that made an impact?

 

Mine was...

 

did you more important did your wife get to this part? of tommy?

 

best worst part of the movie.

 

[Cameron H. 23786]

 

did you more important did your wife get to this part? of tommy?

 

best worst part of the movie.

 

 

 

Nope. That's the specific reason she won't watch it.

[Cameron H. 23786]

So, aside from keeping up with HDTGM movies and Musical Mondays, because I'm crazy, every Sunday night my family is also going through Disney's Animated Filmography in as close to chronological order as their "Vault" will allow. Tonight we watched Pinocchio.

 

Ho-Lee Shit!

 

Do you guys realize that there is a whole herd of little boys that are turned into donkeys, and subsequently carted off to the Salt Mines and other terrible places, and the movie never resolves this!!!

[JammerLea 2070]

So, aside from keeping up with HDTGM movies and Musical Mondays, because I'm crazy, every Sunday night my family is also going through Disney's Animated Filmography in as close to chronological order as their "Vault" will allow. Tonight we watched Pinocchio.

 

Ho-Lee Shit!

 

Do you guys realize that there is a whole herd of little boys that were turned into donkeys, and subsequently carted off to the Salt Mines and other terrible places, and the movie never resolves this!!!

I remember Pinocchio as being kinda dark, but it's been ages since I've watched it. Totally forgot about the extra donkey-boys.

 

I do have a book of the original story of Pinocchio and I recommend it, because Pinocchio is an absolute little dick. Not quite a magical Disney tale, but pretty hilarious.

[Quasar Sniffer 4174]

If we're talking early songs, I don't actually remember this, but when my uncle would babysit me as an infant, since we each share the first name "John," he would sing Jimmy Dean's "Big Bad John" to me to put me to sleep. Since this Uncle John was younger than my dad, his brother, I was kind of his practice baby for when he would get married and have kids a few years later. To this day, I find that adorable.

 

 

We also continue to connect to this day over our shared unabashed love for Bruce Springsteen. My own brother and I have pitched a 'U Talking U2 to Me?"-type podcast, in which the two of us and my uncle talk Springsteen and other New Jersey (my dad's family's home state)-related music called "Johns Bon jOver Bruce Springsteen." I am terrible.

[Chainsaw Starring Nic Cage 95]

If everyone who shows up at a show isn't cosplaying as Dom Toretta, then what's the fucking point?

[Chainsaw Starring Nic Cage 95]

And to answer the pressing questions of the day:

-Team Donny (bo staffs are cool)

-Colossus

-I honestly can't remember what the first song I ever listened to as a kid, but I'm fairly sure it was probably in a Charlie Brown cartoon.

[Cam Bert 8145]

Hmmmm.... I'm going to cheat a little and give three answers.

 

The first song I remember loving is Joshua Giraffe by Raffi. This is a bit hard to explain to anyone who is not a Canadian over the age of 25, but when I was growing up Raffi was the man. He was like a one man Wiggles. He sang a combination of classic folk songs and originals. Joshua Giraffe is this weird story song with weird sounds and shifts in tones. I think I loved it as a kid because it was a story and not so much a song. The first non-kids song I remember having an impact on me would be Spinning Wheel by Blood Sweat and Tears. My parents car radio I think was permanently stuck on some oldies station because that's all I ever remember hearing. Anyway, maybe because of how the song starts with these horns, but I remember that song sticking out in my mind and noticing it every time it popped up. To this day I can sing this song by heart.

 

 

And lastly, the first song I remember hearing that I thought "this is mine" was Firestarter by The Prodigy. My parents were all about the oldies with nothing past the mid 70s, my sister into rap and R&B, so I have no idea how I stumbled upon this. It must have been going from elementary school to middle school and meeting new friends, but when I did I remember thinking "I love this and I want to hear more." Ultimately this lead to me buying my first CD with my own money.

[Cam Bert 8145]

Also, an interesting follow up. I think I've mentioned before that I work with young children. Every Monday I show them an "English" video which consists of age appropriate things they might enjoy often English language movies or TV shows. It's very interesting to me what stuff they love and what stuff they hate, but that's for another time perhaps. Anyway, I have a DVD of the current Nickelodeon TMNT series and play it sometimes for them. Today I played it for them, and when it was done I decided to take a poll of the kids as to which turtle they liked most. So out of 30 Japanese kids the results were..

 

15 votes for Leonardo - Most common reason was he had swords and was cool

12 votes for Michelangelo - Most common reason was he's funny

3 votes for Donatello - Only reason given, he has cool things

0 votes Raphael - When I asked about him, they forgot who he was.

[JammerLea 2070]

On mobile so not gonna fuss with quoting, but to respond to Cam Bert...

 

Raffi is awesome. I don't recall Joshua Giraffe, but I can definitely say that Apples and Bananas has never left me. Also always enjoyed his cover of Octopus's Garden.

 

And thanks for sharing that poll from your students! Poor Raphael lol

[Cakebug Tranch 6873]

 

Also, Taylor Anne, you play the ukulele, right? Any tips on making a C-chord not sound like total garbage? Do you play with just your finger on the third fret on the A-String or do you play it like a B-Chord just moved up a fret? It's really starting to piss me off...

 

Cameron, I finally got a chance to ask my wife your question! Here's her answer, almost verbatim:

 

"What kind of ukulele does he have? Is it a $40 piece of shit or a $300 concert ukulele, because that makes a difference?"

(I said I don't know, likely not the second one)

"I would play it the first way (third fret, A string), why make your life harder?"

 

Her wisdom is the first way you're describing is the best way, but there are limitations depending on the instrument you have. The better the instrument (and strings) the easier it is to keep in tune. I realise this is not a very helpful note at all, but she is confirming that your first instinct is right about how to play the chord, and the 'total garbage' may be due to the instrument you have... Taylor Anne, I'm still in the process of seeing whether chords for your two songs are possible! Stay tuned (so to speak).

[Cameron H. 23786]

Hmmmm.... I'm going to cheat a little and give three answers.

 

The first song I remember loving is Joshua Giraffe by Raffi. This is a bit hard to explain to anyone who is not a Canadian over the age of 25, but when I was growing up Raffi was the man. He was like a one man Wiggles. He sang a combination of classic folk songs and originals. Joshua Giraffe is this weird story song with weird sounds and shifts in tones. I think I loved it as a kid because it was a story and not so much a song. .

 

I never realized it, but is Raffi a Canadian thing? I moved to America from Canada when I was only 6 months old, but my sister and I grew up listening to him. "Baby Beluga" was, and continues to be, the shit.

 

 

15 votes for Leonardo - Most common reason was he had swords and was cool

 

 

It sounds like you've got a group of really fantastic kids!

[Cakebug Tranch 6873]

 

I never realized it, but is Raffi a Canadian thing? I moved to America from Canada when I was only 6 months old, but my sister and I grew up listening to him. "Baby Beluga" was, and continues to be, the shit.

 

 

Raffi's from (and still lives in!* edit: he moved to BC last decade) Toronto, motherfuckaz!

 

I was always concerned about the boy's neglect of his mother in Down By the Bay. Seriously, if you read it as a song about a boy not able to visit his mother's watermelon farm because he's unable to cope with her psychotic hallucinations about the crazy shit she's seeing Down By the Bay, it becomes a much sadder song.

 

Down by the bay

Where the watermelons grow

Back to my home

I dare not go

For if I do

My mother will say

"Did you ever you ever see a goose

kissing a moose?"

Down by the bay

 

Down by the bay

Where the watermelons grow

Back to my home

I dare not go

For if I do

My mother will say

"Did you ever see a whale

With a polka dot tail?"

Down by the bay

 

Down by the bay

Where the watermelons grow

Back to my home

I dare not go

For if I do

My mother will say

"Did you ever see a fly

Wearing a tie?"

Down by the bay

 

Down by the bay

Where the watermelons grow

Back to my home

I dare not go

For if I do

My mother will say

"Did you ever see a bear

Combing his hear?"

Down by the bay

 

Down by the bay

Where the watermelons grow

Back to my home

I dare not go

For if I do

My mother will say

"Did you ever see a llama

Eating pajamas?"

Down by the bay

[Cam Bert 8145]

I never realized it, but is Raffi a Canadian thing? I moved to America from Canada when I was only 6 months old, but my sister and I grew up listening to him. "Baby Beluga" was, and continues to be, the shit.

 

I kinda assumed he was. I know he is a big deal in Canada. He has the Order of Canada and everything. I think a lot of this is based on the fact that working here in Japan I meet a lot of Americans, Australians and British people and I've never met one who knew who he was. I thought things like Bananaphone and that were so well known that everybody would know him but I just got blank stares. Again it could be an age thing but Lea seems to know him.

 

I could go super Canadian and bring up Fred Penner and Charlotte Diamond.

 

I was always concerned about the boy's neglect of his mother in Down By the Bay. Seriously, if you read it as a song about a boy not able to visit his mother's watermelon farm because he's unable to cope with her psychotic hallucinations about the crazy shit she's seeing Down By the Bay, it becomes a much sadder song.

A few years ago a music teacher at my school had a big theory that if kids were to understand a song's meaning they could sing it better. I tried teaching this song to some kids which meant having to explain the lyrics in detail. They kept asking why are there so many animals in the watermelon field. I explained that the boy is there, and it was his mom asking if he had seen this things. To which they responded, "Yea, saw them in the watermelon field!" Later they drew pictures of the song which were animals eating watermelons.