jackhammer

I haven't had time to delve into this journal too much but it's always interesting reading a different approach to music and musical upbringing. Consider me subscribed.

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NumberNineDream

^ I never thought anyone would ever subscribe, glad my journal is being read.



To the next year now, I'm 9 years old and it's 1999. We discovered mp3s this year, a lot of audio CDs and a lot of mixed discs, scattered around the house till this very day.
I remember falling in love with contemporary Arabic music, there was still no internet here (at least cell phones were already introduced), so radio was our only source of music, plus the newly opened Virgin MegaStore (the first and only media megastore), so many randomly bought audio CDs.

So let's move to my first discovery that year: Raï Music.
I still enjoy the late 90s tracks I used to listen to, don't enjoy much of the later songs as the great Raï artists got more and more into the French scene, and the original Raï music has gotten more and more undetectable covered by generic French pop, hip-hop and R n'B (called Raï n'B - whatever this means).



So let's explain what Raï is before we begin,

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:
There was a big Raï hype this year in many places in the world, and especially in Lebanon, it was the music of the year, but it was really good music. Even all local artists had minimum one track featuring one of the best Raï artists then, and that made local music very much enjoyable. However, I'll begin with the Raï artists, before I move to the many contributions around the world.

All the hype began, when 3 Raï artists, considered as the best, joined to make a concert together. It was the 1, 2, 3, Soleil concert performed at Bercy-Paris, France in 1998; an album of the concert was released a year later. Here's a song from that concert, it's Abdel Qader, sang by Rachid Taha, Cheb Khaled and Faudel.



I have many favorite artists from then, as i do love that kind of music pretty passionately. So I decided to make this journal entry entirely dedicated to that genre, as the rest of it (that will be in another entry, some time later) is also pretty charged.

So I'll begin with my favorite tracks by the artists mentioned above.
From Faudel, comes this real beauty, the song that first introduced me to this singer. You can notice the mix of languages, like just in the title there's a French word "tellement" with an Arabic word, specially Algerian term, "nebghik" (meaning "love you") which is a very usual thing in this genre. The mix of languages is found in almost all Raï songs... so the title tellement nebghik is roughly translated to "I love you so much".



From Cheb Khaled, considered the King of Raï, the very known song Aicha. I used to love this song, even sang it in some school karaoke event, but now it has become so cliché it can get annoying some times, but still very great song. It was even covered by an American boys band some few years ago, it was an ugly ugly cover song. Here's the original:



And another very lovely song, that dates from the 1992:



From my favorite of them all, Rachid Taha, just love the guy, love his voice, and specially his presence on stage, he even performed with Robert Plant, Patti Smith and Brian Eno, in 2005. Plus this song, is just the greatest. From the opening with the traditional Goblet drum (an instrument I then passionately loved, and the first instrument I ever played), then the oud that just enters and gives the whole spark to that song, and finally the roaring voice of Taha that just seals the deal. You better enjoy, Ya Rayeh (as in addressing the emigrant with "Hey, goer", just sublime:



Now to show the Raï that was just spread to the world, here's some contributions by the many artists with artists from all around the world.
Beginning with a great song, released in 1999 also, a collaboration between Sting and Cheb Mami, I'm obviously talking about Desert Rose. I used to know Mami then, but I had never heard of Sting, I think these collaborations were the first bridges that got me to the occidental world. And here's the song, that just sums up the true spirit of the desert, so much better than this whole collection of Paulo Cuelho Sahara fever books:



And another song, this time between Faudel and a local singer called Amal Hegazy (there's not much to that female singer, but I guess this song is a perfect example of the 90s local pop scene that got injected with a big dose of Raï)

This song is called E'inak, as in "your eye":

-Conclusion-

Getting a bit off of Raï for the end of the entry, for a conclusion of this part of 1999. With all the Arabic artists, after this whole Raï hype, have also began collaborating with American artists. Some examples of this side of the loved then contemporary Arabic music. I'll post a couple of songs, that have been released as hidden tracks or special remixed tracks in the album, that meant the world to our deluded population. I won't be talking about them, they will be just here for you to enjoy:

First, a collaboration of the American rapper, Foxy Brown with the Lebanese singer Ragheb Alama, on of my favorite tracks of that year (weirdly enough, I don't think that song has a title or even got released somewhere):



Another one would be, the duo between Chris Deburgh and another Lebanese singer, this time called Elissa, with a song called Lebanese night. So it was obviously a big event for us, thinking that Elissa's going to be this whole universal star, but I don't think anyone heard of that song outside this country. Here we go:



Finally, I wanted to post a track of an official remix of a Ricky Martin song called One night man by a local DJ called Hany Siblini, which is a lot better than the original, but doesn't seem to be available anywhere on the net (or an info about it, like it was all a part of my imagination). I do have it on an original album I purchased then, just to have this song in specific. I would be able to upload it later, just needs a bit of work to see where the album is.


P.S: There are a LOT of other Raï artists that I forgot or that I just never heard of, these are just some of the songs and the artists that were a part of my life.

Be free to ask any question, if anyone needed more info, about these kind of artists, or if anyone has something to edit, cause I have to admit that I might be doing some presumptions on parts.

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NumberNineDream

Still in 1999 (slightly slipping to 2000, my memory isn't that accurate).

I just gonna mention some songs I really liked that year, and maybe talk a bit about them. All released that same year, as my main source of music was mainstream radio.

Santana - Smooth



That is the first song that just brings me back to those days. Obviously great guitar, as we are talking about Santana here, and maybe the first song that made me love the sound of an electric guitar in general.

Santana - Maria Maria



That song just comes with the previous one. Whenever there's Smooth, you have to stay assured that Maria Maria is the one that follows. Not one of his best, but surely a song that brings back memories.

Natacha Atlas - Mon amie la rose



A cover of the French song by Françoise Hardy (1964), that adds an Oriental sensibility to it. A song that never fails to make the little hairs at the back of my neck rise.

Shakira - Ojos Asi



Yes. I used to love Shakira, and I still enjoy that song. Well, there is a whole story underneath it all. It is expected, in this country, when you discover that Shakira is originated from Lebanon (as her father was a Lebanese immigrant) you kind of force yourself to love her. She even says "Beirut" in that song, and have the chorus sing in Arabic at the end. The oriental background of the artist is very noticeable in the melody, plus the excessive belly dancing all over the place made us adopt her as one of the local artists.
The song is much better in its original Spanish version.

Eiffel 65 - Blue



I think that song just sums up the 90s pop era. So yeah, I listened to that song A LOT! I don't think I can listen to that song anymore, but I guess I can hum it from time to time.

Demis Roussos (feat. Hasna) - Far Away



I'm not sure in what year this version of the song was released, but I think it was in this 99/00 period of time, when everything was turning oriental. I was forced to listen to that song at first, cause my dad was a big fan of Roussos, and then I just found myself loving that song and requesting it whenever we're in the car. Just a lovely nostalgic tune.

Alphaville - Big in Japan



Tho this song was released in 1984, it's only in 1999 that this song got repetitive listens. I always thought it was released the same year as Blue. I just discovered it was an 80s release just now. Anyway, a great song that reminds me the simpler days of my childhood.

So, like it seems, in these days I didn't listen to any of the songs or bands that I would listen to now. Can't know if it's positive or negative, but I surely missed a lot of that period.



We don't have a unified version of History, so for now we are just taught in school Lebanon's History from 1415 till 1965. Not too healthy I would say, but nobody seems to care.


The first sentence I remember uttering, was at my first year of primary school (I don't know how they call it in the outside world, so I'm not gonna name it anything). I was about 3 years old, our teacher had bought each of us a popsicle, mine was lemon flavoured, when I said, in French and after a lot of thinking, as I recall: "My teeth ache when I bite into my popsicle"

To those who understand French, the original version was: "J'ai mal au dent, quand je croque la glace".

And I really think, that is the first and last thing I said that year. I wouldn't speak in my early years cause I was extremely shy. I still can't speak when meeting people for the first time, alcohol is a must.


+ I felt like reading the lyrics to Costello's song Watching the Detectives yesterday, when I noticed that it's the first time I get immersed in a story that was so briefly written. I have to agree with Bulldog in this one, Elvis Costello is a great writer. So I thought I'll post the lyrics for you:

Nice girls, not one with a defect
Cellophane shrink-wrapped, so correct
Red dogs under illegal legs
She looks so good that he gets down and begs

She is watching the detectives
"Ooh, he's so cute"
She is watching the detectives
When they shoot, shoot, shoot, shoot
They beat him up until the teardrops start
But he can't be wounded 'cause he's got no heart

Long shot at that jumping sign
Invisible shivers running down my spine
Cut to baby taking off her clothes
Close-up of the sign that says "We never close"
He snatches at you and you match his cigarette
She pulls the eyes out with a face like a magnet
I don't know how much more of this I can take
She's filing her nails while they're dragging the lake

She is watching the detectives
"Ooh, he's so cute"
She is watching the detectives
When they shoot, shoot, shoot, shoot
They beat him up until the teardrops start
But he can't be wounded 'cause he's got no heart

You think you're alone until you realize you're in it
Now fear is here to stay, love is here for a visit
They call it instant justice when it's past the legal limit
Someone's scratching at the window, I wonder who is it?
The detectives come to check if you belong to the parents
Who are ready to hear the worst about their daughter's disappearance
Though it nearly took a miracle to get you to stay
It only took my little fingers to blow you away

Just like watching the detectives
Don't get cute
It's just like watching the detectives
I get so angry when the teardrops start
But he can't be wounded 'cause he's got no heart

Watching the detectives
It's just like watching the detectives
Watching the detectives
Watching the detectives


The song itself is not to be missed, the first song by Costello that I found myself loving:



+ What I found myself digging today, was an album that I truly got to own by sheer accident. It was on one of these many boring days, sitting in front of my laptop, logged in to MB, just waiting for anyone to hopefully write something in the deserted shout box. When suddenly, from nowhere, the grand Cardboard Adolescent posts a link to an album. He asks me of I heard of it, and I, of course, say no. He tells me to download it, and so I did, a month later, today. And so I find myself listening to that album ever since, that makes a good hour and a half for now, and still counting.

He was talking about John Cale's collaboration with minimalist composer Terry Riley, and the album is Church of Anthrax. Some of the greatest sounds I've ever heard,it's mainly experimental, a whole mix of Jazz, noise, rock and classical... and the list goes on.

Here are some samples for you, that can surely describe themselves better than my poor words:


^The title track and opening one. Surely a good example for the whole album's atmosphere.



^The only sung track on the album, and my least favourite, but the only other video on youtube. Still a really good song, but it kind of breaks the whole state of mind built up from the beginning with the instrumental chaotic jazz.

Enjoy.

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Bulldog

Congratulations for name-checking two of my favourite ever songs! While My Aim Is True wasn't the first Costello album I ever bought (that was Armed Forces... I think), Watching the Detectives was definitely an early favourite of mine too, and among the first that convinced me it was more than just some old geezer with a few decent songs to his name that I was dealing with.

As for Smooth, I only really started listening to music on the radio around the time that came out (1999...what a year!) and that's one of the few songs I picked out as a favourite then that I still love to this day. It's probably the first song that made me love the sound of a guitar too. I do absolutely despise Rob Thomas and Matchbox 20 though.

NumberNineDream

I have had an idea about what to write in this entry for a long time now, but I was a bit wondering what I'd be writing exactly. So I thought I'll just give it a go and see where mind gets me.

I- My beginnings in music 4.0

So we move on to the year 2000, the new millennium.So that's what this year was about:


That was the first copied album I got, that I found by accident at home. It seemed very weird, with this cheaply printed front cover, but I think it all added to my curiosity to find out what this album was about.
It was a big change from my previous year's music, as I had never heard of anything called "rap" before this album. At first, it was just a first experience. I never heard this kind of talking on music, and I had never heard this much roughness in lyrics. I wasn't able to understand much English then, so I don't think the lyrics got this strong impact it was supposed to have on ten year olds, but I was able to understand what the story was about, and what this man was singing about in his music, and the stories alone were able to send shivers down my spine. As my love for this album grew, I printed the lyrics and memorised the whole songs. I do remember, I was able to rap Stan entirely. This song was my door to the album. Maybe because it starts with the soft voice of Dido singing the beginning of her own Thank You , the continuous sound of the rain that just weakens you to be cold, or maybe it was this rough music video depicting what the song was about. I have to say, the music video itself was very interesting. The depiction of this fan that would rather throw his own life and pregnant wife just for a simple word from his idol, and the tragic ending as Eminem looks at the tombstone with " his name was.. it was you, damn".

Some very powerful lyrics that hit me to the core, first time listening to this song,
The first verse that really touched at the beginning, a very seemingly banal sentence, that for me just summarized this whole idolisation,

If I have a daughter, guess what I'ma call her?
I'ma name her Bonnie

And with the anger starting to rage, some powerful words started to flow out as the song continues,

We waited in the blistering cold for you,
four hours and you just said, "No."
That's pretty shitty man - you're like his fuckin idol
He wants to be just like you man, he likes you more than I do

about that guy who coulda saved that other guy from drowning
but didn't, then Phil saw it all, then at a a show he found him?
That's kinda how this is, you coulda rescued me from drowning
Now it's too late - I'm on a 1000 downers now, I'm drowsy
and all I wanted was a lousy letter or a call

and the best, as it this whole song just climaxes to this point, when Stan is driving under the rain

I love you Slim, we coulda been together, think about it
You ruined it now, I hope you can't sleep and you dream about it
And when you dream I hope you can't sleep and you scream about it
I hope your conscience eats at you and you can't breathe without me

And now for you to enjoy, or just give you this nostalgic feeling I get myself when listening to the song, enjoy.



Another powerful song from that album, would surely be Kim. Maybe because it was extracted in its entirely from his personal life, or maybe this whole raw scene of hate and beating that was played in this record. All I know, that it really succeeded in transmitting this hate to us. From his violent wounded words, to "Kim's" loud screams, interrupted by the brief bursts of a baby crying, it just hits you. You feel like a witness to a very ugly side of this world, and it hits because you know how genuine it all is. And I do think, that is the first song that really got me speechless facing this abundance of curse words. It was the first time I hear the usual fuck and bitch used to hurt so violently:

Bullshit you bitch don't fucking lie to me
What the fuck's this guy's problem on the side of me?
Fuck you asshole, yeah bite me
Kim, KIM!
Why don't you like me?

I guess this whole song was mostly for therapeutic purposes. It's obvious how cathartic a song like this can be, specially with Eminem playing both his and Kim's part, like one of those shrink's switching role exercises. One of the rawest most brutal songs on this album. Enjoy.



After this album I moved to a whole year filled with rap and hip-hop, from Eminem to Dr.Dre and D12 then Snoop Dog. I even had a brief crush on Lil' Bow Wow. All I can remember, this whole year consisted of a heavy exposure to strong words and African American nudity.




As I'm talking about 2000, that year was pretty creepy in Lebanon, specially with this whole Eminem phenomena. This year, the minister of interior affairs has declared a war against Satanism and devil worshippers. In other words, it was about arresting every metalhead teenager with a goatee, or just anyone listening publicly to Eminem and Metallica, as rumours has it: listening to an Eminem record in reverse makes you hear the devil speaking to you.
In this year, Eminem, Metallica, Iron Maiden and Nirvana records were banned from all the music stores. I don't know why, but in Lebanon, Nirvana is considered "metal". The ban was off in 2005 I guess, but we all already had these artists' discography on mp3 by then, so it didn't really matter.




I was born on the last week of the civil war, in a very small public clinic. The umbilical cord was rolled around my neck suffocating me, which made me turn blue. There was no doctor around, so it was a nurse that assisted my birth. Throughout my mum's 9 months of pregnancy I was thought to be a boy, so I guess it was a very happy surprise when I turned out to be the opposite, as I already had 2 brothers. My parents were sure that having 3 boys can turn out to be a nightmare.


About the 4th section of the entry, I'm thinking of postponing it a bit, as I want to make a full review this time... We'll see you then.

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Astronomer

Great entry, NumberNine. I used to love Eminem went I was much younger, which I look back on now and think "God, what was I thinking?!" But I agree that Stan is a really powerful song and when Eminem first came onto the scene he really was something oddly different from the rest of the music circulating the charts at that time. His stuff isn't really parallel with my tastes anymore, but I still have the guilty pleasure of rapping along when something comes on. He does have some really powerful songs.

I know this is my first comment in your journal but I just wanted to let you know that I've been reading all along and you're doing a great job! I am thoroughly enjoying reading about all of your musical adventures Keep it up!

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Dieselboy

I got into eminem the album before this one, and then kinda phased out of rap and more into metal. I don't think I ever bought this album, but I definitely remember how crazy Stan was since reading this now. That video was just so incredibly depressing...
I actually ended up buying Dido's album, just based on her part in that song cause I wanted to hear more of her. Those two together were a powerful combination.


Also, me and my brothers absolutely wore out this song and their entire Europop CD really, for like a year straight. Fun stuff.

Rickenbacker

So...

The Marshall Mathers LP is one of the greatest albums ever.

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last.fm
rym
Talk About the Passion - R.E.M.'s Discography Reviewed

FETCHER.

I'm impressed with your journal. I liked the Eminem review best as I used to sing it with my best friend when I was a pup basically. Also, I ****ing love the eiffel 65 tune! Easily one of the biggest songs from my childhood! Great review mate .

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My Journal.
Last.Fm if your interested...

NumberNineDream

Thank you mate I still need to work on my review structure, but I'm glad you got impressed... and it seems eminem played a big role in everyone's childhood. My next journal entry should be in a couple of days, just to gather the info I want to talk about.

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