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Celebration of "Strange Weather"
On this day in 1992 Glenn's Strange Weather was released.
This is my all time favorite Eagles solo album. There are simply no weak songs on it, IMHO. For any of you who have not ever heard it, I would encourage you to give it a listen. It is Glenn at his finest. I've got to run some errands this afternoon so I think this will be the featured album of the day in my car's CD player. :-)
Happy Birthday Strange Weather!!!
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Re: Happy Birthday "Strange Weather"
This is my favorite Glenn Frey album, I love every song from the album!
To celebrate the day, I had listen the CD on the way to work and again at home!
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Re: Happy Birthday "Strange Weather"
Of course I, like everyone (I assume), loves POMPOY. Others that stick out to me are Love In The 21st Century, Brave New World and I really like I've Got Mine. Not my fave album of his but still a really outstanding one I think.
Anxious to get others take on this album.
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Re: Happy Birthday "Strange Weather"
Definitely my favorite of his. I like every song on it. My favorites are POMPOY, River of Dreams, and Brave New World. The first two are very melodic, romantic, and uplifting both lyrically and musically. Brave New World is exciting, like a novel. More thoughts when I have more time!
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Re: Happy Birthday "Strange Weather"
This is off topic, but does anyone know why Itunes doesn't carry any of Glenn's albums? They have Don's and Joe's (none of Timothy's)... what's up with that?
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Re: Happy Birthday "Strange Weather"
The last time I looked for Glenn on iTunes you could get the Masters Collection. Sadly, I think most of his work is no longer available commercially and so it was never made available to iTunes.
I have a great deal to say about Strange Weather because as with Dreamer, it is my absolute favourite solo album by ANY Eagle. However, I will save that for tomorrow when I have a long time to think about it.
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Re: Happy Birthday "Strange Weather"
In honor, I'm listening to Strange Weather today at work. I have the office to myself today! :yay:
Of course as with most of you, my favorite track is POMPOY. I also really love I've Got Mine and River of Dreams.
Here's the track listing. I will rate it later.
1. Silent Spring [instrumental prelude]
2. Long Hot Summer
3. Strange Weather
4. Agua Tranquilla [instrumental]
5. Love in the 21st Century
6. He Took Advantage [Blues for Ronald Reagan]
7. River of Dreams
8. I've Got Mine
9. Rising Sun [instrumental]
10.Brave New World
11.Delicious
12.A Walk in the Dark
13.Before the Ship Goes Down
14.Big Life
15.Part of Me, Part of You
He was quite ambitious putting 15 songs on it!
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Re: Happy Birthday "Strange Weather"
This is probably my second favourite Glenn :heart: album, after "No Fun Aloud". The album is on my mp3 player (along with all Glenn's :heart: other solo albums), so I listen to the songs constantly, albeit along with other unrelated songs.
My favourite song of Glenn's :heart: hands down is "Love In The 21st Century", which features on this album. I love the rocking rhythm, the lyrics are clever, and Glenn's :heart: vocal is superb. I especially love the guitar parts and solo at the end. His version in "Live In Dublin" rocks even harder.
Other highlights for me are "Part Of Me, Part Of You" (just a beautiful lyric and powerfully sung), "A Walk In The Dark" (:sigh:), "He Took Advantage" (a great piece of blues) and "Brave New World", on which I love his overdubbed harmonies - it sounds fantastic. I just close my eyes when listening to it on my earphones, and absorb Glenn's :heart: voice on it. Wow.
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Re: Happy Birthday "Strange Weather"
OK, some thoughts on the songs.
Silent Spring
Beautiful instrumental that would become a part of the Eagles set for a long time as a prelude to Tequila Sunrise. I think this song, along with a couple others, were the products of Glenn's scoring his episode of Expedition Earth and really liking it. He has a talent for writing expressive instrumentals that accomplish more emotionally without words than some songs with lyrics ever achieve. This would later be evident in I Dreamed There Was No War on Long Road Out of Eden.
Long Hot Summer
Man, I'm in Houston, Texas as I'm writing this, and they're having record-breaking high temperatures. Let's just say I can relate. He really effectively conveys that oppressive feeling of the heat, and the connection to a broader theme of breaking emotionally under strain works well. I believe Glenn has said this was inspired by global warming, which adds an extra thematic element.
Strange Weather
The use of a storm to describe dark emotions could have been trite, but Glenn pulls it off by adding an extra layer of uncertainty to it. That's the heart of the song: trepidation, insecurity, a mix of despair and hope. My favorite part is that way the vocal grows more empathic at the end: "I remember how it used to be, and it can be that way again." Makes me believe it. I have noticed that the majority of Glenn's songs do seem to have a positive or hopeful message, and it's one of the things I love about his work.
Agua Tranquila
Another instrumental that, judging from the name, was probably inspired by his trip down the river. I really enjoy it.
Love in the 21st Century
You know, with the proliferation of internet dating, this rings true more than ever, doesn't it? An upbeat tune that belies the darker lyrics of desperate, lonely people turning to false, faceless "love" that's shallow and meaningless. I think the contrast between the tune and the lyrics demonstrates how any excitement the people are getting from this kind of "love" is also only on the surface. As the lyrics make a mockery of the brightness of the tune, they also make a mockery of the use of the word "love" to describe anything that's going on here.
He Took Advantage (Blues for Ronald Reagan)
I love the tune of this, especially the key change at the end. I find the lyrics intriguing, as they seem to imply that the singer believed in Ronald Reagan and feels betrayed. True of Glenn and Jack Tempchin? Surprising but possible. Of course they could simply be speaking for the majority of America and not themselves, but it feels personal to me. Interesting.
River of Dreams
Ah, River of Dreams. Beautiful and brilliant from start to finish. Such lovely word pictures in the lyrics, and a great build to the chorus which gives the impression of the expansiveness of their dream home "way up in the mountains high." The instrumental beginning also really leads well into the song and is a nice touch, although I understand why it was cropped off for the single version. The basis for this tune also appears in the Expedition Earth soundtrack. That trip and experience really seemed to affect him greatly, as I said before. The romantic lyrics are absolutely lovely. Lines such as "If I could, I'd lift you up on angel's wings"; "People don't run out of dreams, people just run out of time" - really have an emotional effect. My favorite part, though, is the last chorus:
And we'll have stars to wish on every single night
We'll build a fire and make love by candlelight
We'll do our moondance 'til we get it right
What woman isn't going to sigh at that? The song is one of my absolute favorites of Glenn's work.
I've Got Mine
This song is also one that really works. Some people gave him a hard time about writing a song about the plight of the poor when he's rich - but just because he has money doesn't mean he's ignorant of people struggling without it. Indeed, it conveys an anger that many people with money do act oblivious; this song is one of his ways to combat that. Even the discussions he had with interviewers about whether or not he was "allowed" to write about the feelings of the poor raised awareness about the issue. As for the tune, it's surprisingly catchy in a dark way, especially the tag line: "I've got mine." Some of Glenn's thoughts on it:
"I'll be the first person to tell you that it's a lot easier to think about the world's problems when you've got money in the bank, can put food on the table and you're not worried about where your next paycheck is comin' from. [...] It just became apparent to me that, although I know a lot of people who are committed to many charitable causes, there are also really a lot of people out there who are committed more to running their personal empires and don't really care enough about other people." (Los Angeles Times 1992)
"People thought I was hypocritical for writing a song about the haves & have nots. Hey - it's just a song." (San Diego 1992)
"Rich people don't give a damn. Nine out of ten don't care - and it bugs the shit out of us. [...] It's amazing how the world is such a wonderful place once you get your first million." (Washington DC 1993)
Rising Sun
I think this is my favorite of his instrumentals, and I don't know why. I just love it - perhaps in part because it leads very well to another favorite:
Brave New World
In my opinion, this song is VERY underrated. I think it's terrific. That melody of the verse has an urgency, a dark anticipation to it, and again a great build to the chorus. I love the shift from that dark anticipation to the reassurance and hope of the chorus. It's a melodic shift that matches the mood of the lyrics in an original and interesting way. This is a sophisticated song and I don't get why it doesn't receive more attention. My favorite part: when he adds that extra "you're my girl" to the chorus. Those kind of nuances always appeal to me.
Delicious
The only song that I occasionally skip simply because it has that falsetto which doesn't do justice to Glenn's voice, but that he utilizes every now again. Hot images, though. That's some extended metaphor there that screams SEX, especially "Sweet juices running down your fingertips
It's nothing like the taste of your sweet lips." Dang. The fact that it's for Taylor... well, I try not to think about that because then I feel icky for finding it hot.
A Walk in the Dark
No such qualms here. Wow, these lyrics sound like they're out of a romance novel... the risque kind. And that sexy vocal... NICE.
Before the Ship Goes Down
I think I read somewhere, or perhaps heard in an interview, that the "get the most out of life because you're not going to live forever" mentality was inspired by his health problems in the late eighties, that would unfortunately recur with a vengeance during the Hell Freezes Over tour. Regardless of whether he said it then, he explicitly tied the experience to his positive attitude in a conversation at Pebble Beach. He said something like he had a lot to appreciate in his life - a lovely wife, kids, success, recovery from two colon surgeries - and you gotta enjoy your life while you can and not let a couple bad golf shots get you down. ;) The fact that the vocal and the tune are so upbeat despite the apparent imminent death of the guy in the song - and the people all around him - tells you all you need to know right there. Carpe diem!
Big Life
Glenn pulls a Joe Walsh here and basically writes a song designed to make you laugh. With lines like "We'll find some peace, just you, my staff and I" and a great comedic delivery... how can you not? Not to mention those cheesy pick up lines! What a hoot. Catchy too! His thoughts on it:
"You know, I’ve heard two phrases that have really stuck with me. One is, 'Money is seldom accompanied by taste.' If you were to go into ten homes in Beverly Hills, I swear to God, nine of them would be horribly decorated, and you’d wonder, 'What a waste of money.' And the other one is that 'Money never cared who it hung out with' – which is also true. So I just started thinking... I’ve run into some people who I think give money a bad name. [Laughs] And so I just imagined this sort of obnoxious guy who was sort of a combination of Donald Trump and Ted Turner and George Steinbrenner and other media-type people who would be getting onto an MGM Grand flight from New York to LA and immediately, everybody in the plane hears what this guy’s talking about. You know, he’s 'just been with Stallone, and I’m skiing in Aspen with Jack and Cher, and I own a baseball team, and by the way do you want to get into the movies, and what’s your name, and I’m going out to Hollywood, maybe you wanna come with me, we’ll just go in my limousine, we’re having a big party....'
I’ve seen this thing play out so often, and I just decided to take a crack at writing this song called, 'Big Life.' And so, I wrote this tune, and basically it’s this sort of braggadocious, obnoxious guy who gets on this airplane and is trying to impress this girl with this long list of why he’s cool.... all his money and his accomplishments and his investments and stuff. Actually, 'Big Life' – the phrase 'Big Life' – it’s funny, I’ve come to work.... my life has gotten more complicated in the last fifteen years. Life does get more complicated. I would just come into work sometimes and go [Huge sigh.] Like that. And Elliot would say, 'What’s wrong?' And I’d go, 'Nothing, just Big Life Syndrome.' You know, I’ve got a big life. So I’ve just been keepin’ that phrase. So that’s how that song came about." (Strange Weather Promo Interview 1992)
Part of Me, Part of You
The big finish - and what a finish it is. This is the kind of song that can change your mood, that can lift you up... the best kind of song, in other words. The sweeping melody that brings you along with it as it rises - "Until we find the bridge across forever - until this grand illusion brings us home"; "Whatever time may take away, it cannot change the way we feel today." Just a couple examples of a song that is moving throughout. And his vocal... what can I say but WOW? It has such power, packs such an emotional impact. Well done, Glenn, well done. Another absolute favorite of his entire catalog. Indeed, this and River of Dreams are some of my favorites by ANY artist.
Ain't It Love
I have to give a special mention to Ain't It Love, a special track added to the Japanese version of the album and which he played live for them (lucky Japanese!) A straightforward celebration that the genuineness of Glenn's vocal along with the upbeat melody really sell. The instrumentation works very well too - bright horns and those little sparkly chime sounds sprinkled throughout. I love it! If you haven't heard it yet, you can download the rarity here.
To sum up: Strange Weather is the most consistently strong album of any Eagle, I believe, and a brilliant work in total. Kudos to Glenn.
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Re: Happy Birthday "Strange Weather"
Just realized that some people may not be familiar with Glenn's appearance on Expedition Earth. Read more about it here:
http://www.glennfreyonline.com/solo/...itionearth.htm
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Re: Happy Birthday "Strange Weather"
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Originally Posted by
Prettymaid
This is off topic, but does anyone know why Itunes doesn't carry any of Glenn's albums? They have Don's and Joe's (none of Timothy's)... what's up with that?
legalsounds.com a lesser known legal music downloading site have Solo Collection and Live in Dublin available. They cost 9 cents per track.
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Re: Happy Birthday "Strange Weather"
Thank you, GA! :thumbsup:
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Re: Happy Birthday "Strange Weather"
Soda, that is excellent. I am not sure I can add to what you have said.
NB: You have listed one of the instrumentals as 'Agua Tranquila' which is of course what it should be called (the adjective should agree with the noun). However on the CD case it is listed as 'Agua Tranquillo'. Regarding this and the other instrumentals, they all appear to be variations on a theme to some extent. My favourite is Rising Sun - in that last chord you hear the whole mystery of the Orient (Glenn has expressed his appreciation of Japanese culture).
Long Hot Summer - perfect, eerie opening which sets the tone for the album in its opening line, 'Lord I ain't ever seen weather like this'. Both the environmental themes and the sense of dislocation and 'not belonging' are expressed perfectly here. This really is unlike anything he's ever done before (like the rest of the album).
Strange Weather - fantastic evocation of a relationship under stress. The jazzy piano is something new. He has not done anything as close to jazz musically as this song. It's good to sing along with too, although it's so sad, but as Soda said he still thinks 'it can be that way again' so he's sending a message of hope.
Love In The 21st Century - some of the most acerbic lyrics this team has written. He referred to the 'loneliness industry' and, bless him, quoted Eleanor Rigby, perhaps the greatest song ever written about alienation. And yet there is a lot of dark humour in the protagonist's situation here (I don't know her/she don't know me/she's my video date/she's my destiny'). Just the juxtaposition of a banal term like 'video date' with the all-encompassing 'destiny' sums it up. Great slide guitar and sung superbly. He does some of the best singing of his career on this album.
He Took Advantage (Blues For Ronald Reagan) - I am not sure about Soda's hypothesis that Frey and Tempchin started out feeling postive about Reagan given that Glenn has always been a Democrat, to my knowledge. But the way he makes Reagan a cheating lover, as opposed to the 'tired old man we elected king' in EOTI, gives the song a different perspective. I love Glenn when he's bluesy and I love this vocal, the way it rises and falls, and as Soda does, I love that key change.
River Of Dreams - a deeply felt personal experience which has to be heard to be believed. Incredibly moving. The sax just adds to the mood of life changing and exhilaration.
I've Got Mine - some political commentary! The surprises never end on this album! Again he juxtaposes the imagery of the rich man drinking champagne with the poor guy on the sidewalk. He makes you really feel the injustice of the situation.
Brave New World - Glenn quotes Shakespeare and Aldous Huxley! If this isn't about the war in Bosnia, that is what I think about when I hear it. Beautiful sweeping melody, with great urgency. I particularly like the way he sings 'everything that we worked for/they took from our hands'. Again he's used more 'weather' imagery here too.
Delicious - ahem. This is quirky, it is audacious (love that abrupt ending)! and it is hot, as Soda said. OOHEE. No further comment.
A Walk In The Dark - and then comes THIS just when you think you can't take any more excitement. This is intimate, sensual, everything I could wish for. The chord change before 'this is the way I want to dance with you' is stunning. The way he sings the line 'follow the road in your heart' - the way he pronounces the last T - oh yes. This song means far too much to me to describe in any further detail.
Before The Ship Goes Down - here he takes a dark and ironic look at more lighthearted earlier songs like Partytown and turns it into a celebration of mortality. To quote him 'Let's have the Dom Perignon'!
Big Life - Soda summed this up very well indeed. I think it is interesting the way it mentions several places that have loomed large in Glenn's own life - Aspen, LA, Hawaii (we'll find some peace/just you, my staff and I)! Not to mention the 'getting into the movies' part which is somewhat more ironic. I love the way it follows the trajectory of the man's career and yet 'he's still the boss', or so he thinks despite evidence to the contrary.
Part Of Me, Part Of You - the highlight of his entire solo career, one of the most uplifiting, transcendent, joyous pieces of music by anyone at any time. I am grateful for its existence and he sings the absolute shit out of it (I can't mince words here).
I think I did better there than I thought I would. :rockguitar:
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Re: Happy Birthday "Strange Weather"
Wow, Soda and FP, those are very impressive reviews from both of you. I can't add anything to it. :applause: :applause:
FP, I just wanted to say that, after reading your review of "A Walk In The Dark", I realised just how naughty you are! :shock: :wink:
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Re: Happy Birthday "Strange Weather"
I really cannot add to either Soda's or FP's reviews. Girls they are stunning. For my own part I would say that Strange Weather is probably Glenn :heart:'s finest solo work. It combines Intstrumentals with vocals, ballads with social commentary and fun with the more serious sides of life, and to have 15 tracks of such quality on 1 album in indeed an achievement. I have to say I dither between it and and Soul Searchin' as my 'Favourite' album of Glenn :heart:'s (Hell its like trying to pick a favourite kid or something).
In terms of favourite songs on it I would have to go with POMPOY - Its a sheer 'feel good' song, and no matter how often I hear it I still grin from ear to ear.
I also love 'Brave New World'. My heart always does a little flip on 'Remember you will always be my girl......' Yeah, I can wish I suppose....
River of Dreams - melting......
'A Walk in the Dark'......he could seduce me with that song anytime......:inlove:
And finally both instrumentals sre a joy to listen and relax to.......
I picked this up for a fiver on eBay last year
http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...n/SignedSW.gif
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Re: Happy Birthday "Strange Weather"
Nice job Soda and FP. There's nothing much I can add. As I said before, I really don't think there are any weak tracks on the Strange Weather album, so I'll do the same thing I did for No Fun Aloud. I have to divide them up into "I absolutely love the song" or "I like the song a whole lot". So...
"I absolutely love the song"
Silent Spring [instrumental prelude]
Long Hot Summer
Aqua Tranquillo [instrumental]
Love in the 21st Century
He Took Advantage [Blues for Ronald Reagan]
River of Dreams
I've Got Mine
Brave New World
Before the Ship Goes Down
Big Life (Probably one of the most underrated songs on the album. I think it is a great, clever satirical commentary. Glenn's acting abilities are really showcased here with his masterful delivery.)
Part of Me, Part of You
"I like the song a whole lot"
Strange Weather
Rising Sun [instrumental] (This song is such a perfect prelude to Brave New World that I think part of the song is missing if I don't hear it.)
Delicious (Although I'm usually in agreement with Soda about Glenn's falsettos, this one is an exception. It works well in this song for me because I think of it as his 'daddy' voice talking to Taylor. The lyrics can definitely be interpreted as sugary sweet or hot and sexy here. Where I object to the falsetto is when a song is blatantly sexy such as Let's Go Home - I'd just rather hear a guy ask me to go home in a low, masculine, sexy voice. :lol:)
A Walk in the Dark
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Re: Happy Birthday "Strange Weather"
Ok, I've come to the conclusion that I don't really listen to songs, any songs, well enough. Soda and Fp, you guys are good! I've learned more from you two that I could never get from just the song itself! I find myself needing to go home, put the cd in, print out a copy of your analysis' and close my eyes and try to take it all in!
I give! :thumbsup:
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Re: Happy Birthday "Strange Weather"
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Freypower
Part Of Me, Part Of You - the highlight of his entire solo career, one of the most uplifiting, transcendent, joyous pieces of music by anyone at any time. I am grateful for its existence and he sings the absolute shit out of it (I can't mince words here).
I think I did better there than I thought I would. :rockguitar:
You certainly did. What a fantastic analysis! As for your statement that he "sings the absolute shit out of it" - I try to avoid cussing but sometimes it's understandable. ;)
His voice is absolutely amazing on POMPOY, so strong, so vibrant, so full of heart. It is one of the best examples of the vocal power that makes him the favorite of many Eagles fans, myself included. Textured, rich, evocative, so drenched in emotion that it draws you to the song like a magnet - we all want to experience that powerful feeling as much as he does. Thanks to his talent, we can.
Magnificent.
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Re: Happy Birthday "Strange Weather"
Thanks to people who liked the reviews. In my case, I wanted to try very hard. MF, I am glad you thought I was 'naughty' regarding AWITD. I had to think about what I wrote for that song. I could possibly have written a page about it and about every other song on this album.
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Re: Happy Birthday "Strange Weather"
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Brooke
Ok, I've come to the conclusion that I don't really listen to songs, any songs, well enough. Soda and Fp, you guys are good! I've learned more from you two that I could never get from just the song itself! I find myself needing to go home, put the cd in, print out a copy of your analysis' and close my eyes and try to take it all in!
I give! :thumbsup:
I know what you mean---I'm feeling a wee bit inadequate when it comes to my review. :hilarious: I need to start listening and dissecting the songs a little more and see if I get more out of it. I've always just loved music but never thought about it any further than that--I need to pay more attention perhaps.
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Re: Happy Birthday "Strange Weather"
Brooke and Willie, not everybody likes to dissect and analyze songs. Some people do just like to enjoy the music without thinking about the song too hard. And there certainly ain't nothing wrong with that, IMHO. I'm probably somewhere in between. When I first hear a song, I tend to decide if I like it first based on the music and melody. Then, after I hear it awhile, I usually then will listen closer to the lyrics. I often love simple, straightforward lyrics that you don't have to think too much about. But then, I am also intrigued by the more complex lyrics that are ambiguous or open to the listener's interpretation. That's when my analytical side kicks in. That what's so great about it - there ain't no right or wrong way! :wink:
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Re: Happy Birthday "Strange Weather"
Well, I do believe Soda and Freypower should try writing reviews of songs or cds for pay. Or fun, possibly, in their case. I'm sure there is a market for this talent. Now, maybe they could only do it for artists they like, but have either of you thought of it? Seriously!
My daughter actually did a bit of this a while back and was quite good, imo. She didn't get it from me! :lol:
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Re: Happy Birthday "Strange Weather"
Brooke, thank you so much for saying that, but if you go back and re-read what I wrote about No Fun Aloud and The Allnighter, I think I barely scratched the surface with those. I felt I needed to make a special effort for Strange Weather, partly because I believe it sadly never received the attention it deserved. In my case I'm not trained in writing about the music itself - I can throw in the occasional 'good chord change' but that's about it.
Dreamer is correct - sometimes it's better just to enjoy it!
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Re: Happy Birthday "Strange Weather"
Well, you guys do an exceptional job with this. I really enjoy reading them and it makes the music all the more enjoyable when I listen and remember some of your thoughts about it. Carry on!
:thumbsup:
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Re: Happy Birthday "Strange Weather"
I agree with you, I really enjoy to read the reviews, thanks for that!
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Re: Happy Birthday "Strange Weather"
Aw, you guys are sweet! I didn't do the song-by-song review for the other albums, but I figured the album that I felt was the most brilliant of Glenn's solo career deserved the kind of time it takes to write these up.
Not that the others didn't. And with this kind of positive response, I'll go back and do those too when I get a chance!
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Re: Happy Birthday "Strange Weather"
Also, let's not forget the videos from this! Here's the streaming ones:
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mlD1OEj-6g"]Part of Me, Part of You[/ame]
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igADRpd7ncc"]I've Got Mine[/ame]
The guy who posted "Love in the 21st Century" on YouTube disabled embedding so you'll have to click on the title in the top bar above the video itself to see it. Honestly, since he got this from my site, it kind of disappoints me that he's disabled embedding.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4ffKTxUwnc"]Love in the 21st Century[/ame]
You gotta stream this one using another site:
River of Dreams
Of course, if you want to download them instead of stream them, they're all here:
http://www.glennfreyonline.com/solo/videoindex.htm
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Re: Happy Birthday "Strange Weather"
Good Grief, his hair in the Love In The 21st Century video looks like Vanilla Ice :hilarious:
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Re: Happy Birthday "Strange Weather"
Honestly when we do Glenn's video Survivor I think that one will be the first to go. Let's just say the video isn't as good as the song.
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Re: Happy Birthday "Strange Weather"
That video makes EIDN look good, and that's hard to do :hilarious:
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Re: Happy Birthday "Strange Weather"
Quote:
Originally Posted by
sodascouts
Aw, you guys are sweet! I didn't do the song-by-song review for the other albums, but I figured the album that I felt was the most brilliant of Glenn's solo career deserved the kind of time it takes to write these up.
Not that the others didn't. And with this kind of positive response, I'll go back and do those too when I get a chance!
OMG - this is too funny! I was just sitting at the pc typing up a song-by-song review for The End of the Innocence album that also celebrated an anniversary this past week. I felt the same way - this album also deserves a that kind of extra time as well. I'm almost finished and will be posting it shortly. :-)
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Happy Anniversary "Strange Weather"
Today marks the 18th anniversary of what I believe is Glenn's best solo album - Strange Weather. Around these parts, I don’t think it’s any secret about how much I love this album. It is my very favorite of any of the Eagles’ solo albums. IMO, it is very strong from start to finish, and is Glenn’s only solo album where he tackles so much serious topical subject matter. Maybe it is Glenn confronting his mortality. In addition, the album has a perfect mix and variety of songs with regard to musical styles, tempo and subject matter. Even the placement order of the songs is masterful because it very effectively holds your interest for over 60 minutes and 15 tracks. It’s such a shame that this album didn’t achieve more recognition and promotion so more people were aware of it, and could experience its wonderful music. Unfortunately, there is so much great work out there that is never brought to the attention of the general public. While I know everyone may not love it as much as I do, I would encourage you to buy it. If you are even a casual fan of Glenn, then you won’t be sorry once you hear this. I’ve not done a thorough review of this album before, so I thought I'd give it a shot. I tried not to make this too repetitive, but it is a bit difficult to do. Anyway, here I go with the system I always use to rate the songs in the order that I love/like them …
I Love It (5)
Part of Me, Part of You (5+) – This song is masterful and flawless, IMHO. I’ll never understand why it was overlooked for an Academy Award nomination - but such is life. I love the way this wonderfully exhilarating song begins to play right at the end of that famous final scene of Thelma and Louise as the credits begin to roll. For me, this is the embodiment of a perfect song.
River of Dreams (5) – Wow! What a beautiful song! The music, the lyrics, the vocals, the melody, the cadence, the arrangement – all amazing! Talk about how lyrics can create certain imagery - Glenn and Jack Tempchin may as well have had a canvass and paint brush when they wrote this one.
I've Got Mine (5) – I love everything about this song, including the message. Again, Glenn’s word imagery in his song about “the haves and the have-nots” paints exactly the right mood, and the awesome music is the perfect complement. He manages to deliver a rather scathing admonishment about the greedy and compassion for the less fortunate all wrapped up into one.
Before the Ship Goes Down (5) – Okay – this may be getting repetitious, but I love everything about this rockin’ song, too. What a wonderful commentary on mortality here. Loving the way he plans to check out – all summed up perfectly in the final verse …
“If somebody told you this was your last night
Wouldn't you want somebody to treat you right
Throw you a party, take you for a ride downtown
And be with all your old friends
Before the ship goes down
Just love me one more time
Before the ship goes down”
He Took Advantage [Blues for Ronald Reagan] (5) – The way Glenn uses his voice here allows him to deliver this scathing chastisement in a way that doesn’t come across as a rant. I love it when someone can tell someone off and they don’t even realize what hit ‘em. :lol: Glenn rarely does political commentary, but he made some excellent choices here, which get the song’s message across very effectively. Great “blues” music too.
Long Hot Summer (5) – One again, the amazing thing about this song is how the lyrics and music set the mood. By the time you finish listening to this one, you’re ready to shed a few layers cause you are feelin’ the heat. Another huge :thumbsup: in every way!!!
Big Life (5) – This is probably one of the most underrated songs on the album. I think it is an awesome, clever satirical commentary. Glenn's acting abilities are really showcased here with his masterful delivery. I’m normally not a fan of this ‘talking‘ (or in this case sometimes boisterous ‘shouting’) style, but in this case it works to actually enhance the song’s effectiveness.
Love in the 21st Century (5) – Again, this is an extremely clever song to me. I get the message and can really relate to it. Actually, the message is more applicable today than it was when the song was written almost 20 years ago i.e. “she’s my video date, she’s my destiny”. Wow – how prophetic! :wink: I love the music (it rocks) and the lyrics, especially this part of the last verse …
"I can't touch you and you can't touch me
It's love in the 21st Century
It's all imagination and fantasy
That's love in the 21st Century
You can get it by mail; you can get it by phone
You can get it late at night when you're all alone”
Brave New World (5) – Alrighty then – sure, it’s kind of the same old “love will keep us alive’ kind of theme, but this story is told with sophisticated lyrical imagery. The music is great and serves to extenuate the hopeful mood of the song. Yet another winner!
Silent Spring [instrumental prelude] (5) – This is a simply beautiful timeless piece of music. I love it’s placement on the album and I loved how they played it live to open the second set in the Farewell I Tour. This used to be my favorite musical composition by Glenn until I Dreamed There Was No War.
Agua Tranquillo [instrumental] (5) – Very beautiful composition. Again, I love the placement of the song between Strange Weather and Love In the 21st Century.
I Really Like It (4)
Delicious (4) – Although I'm usually in agreement with Soda about Glenn's falsettos, this one is an exception. It works well in this song for me because I think of it as his 'daddy' voice talking to Taylor. The lyrics can definitely be interpreted as sugary sweet or hot and sexy here. Where I object to the falsetto is when a song is blatantly sexy such as Let's Go Home - I'd just rather hear a guy ask me to go home in a low, masculine, sexy voice. :lol:
A Walk in the Dark (4) – This song is beautiful as well, although I find that Glenn’s understated delivery, melody, and the slow tempo all combine to cause it to drag a little too much for me to rate it as one that I love. I realize the slow tempo is probably for effect, but I just think it makes the song a little less interesting. However, the lyrics are incredibly sexy – the line “surrender to the rapture, deep within” come to mind. The images conjured up with such lyrics call to mind that canvass and paintbrush analogy again.
Strange Weather (4) – Well, I guess it speaks volumes about the quality of this album that I think my least favorite is still a great song. I love how Glenn ties this ‘love’ song in with the concept of the album by using the weather references. The mixed messages of hope and despair also fit in very well thematically with the rest of the album. Although, I love the fact that Glenn experimented with so many different musical styles on the album, the jazz style here is not my favorite.
Rising Sun [instrumental] (4) – This song is such a perfect prelude to Brave New World that I think part of the song is missing if I don't hear it. I like it a whole lot, but don’t think it is quite as melodic as the other two instrumentals on the album.
key:
5 - I love it
4 - I really like it
3 - I like it
2 - meh
1 – yikes
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Re: Happy Anniversary "Strange Weather"
Dreamer, that is perfect. I have hardly anything to add except that my list of favourites is slightly different from yours. I will think about this and write a review tomorrow (although I did one in another topic):
https://www.eaglesonlinecentral.com/...ead.php?t=1780
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Re: Happy Anniversary "Strange Weather"
My review that I wrote in the thread FP linked to is pretty thorough and I don't want to repeat myself, but I will reiterate that this is indeed my favorite album of Glenn's.
The standout tracks for me are the magnificent and uplifting POMPOY, the melodic and romantic River of Dreams, and the dramatic, compelling urgency that is Brave New World. I realize the last one is not as popular with others as it is with me, but I always am drawn to the dramatic!
Another favorite that was sadly left off of all but the Japanese version: Ain't It Love. That one puts a huge smile on my fave every single time.
You can tell Glenn really poured himself into this one. It paid off big time. I just wish its commercial success had been commensurate with its quality.
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Re: Happy Anniversary "Strange Weather"
He has not performed ONE SONG from this album since 2000 in Royal Oak when he did Before The Ship Goes Down. That is pretty sad. It's also indicative of his apparent reluctance to make another solo album, desperately as his fans wish he would.
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Re: Happy Anniversary "Strange Weather"
I agree that the album is a must-have for any Frey fan. It's out of print, but you can get it online from resellers on sites like [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Strange-Weather-Glenn-Frey/dp/B000002OKX/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1277342273&sr=8-1"]Amazon[/ame] - in fact, you can get it brand new there for as little as $4.15 plus shipping and handling!
Check out these for examples of awesomeness:[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uu-qCH_wPbw"][/ame]
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShJyICHOXYM[/ame]
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Re: Happy Anniversary "Strange Weather"
♥Strange Weather♥ is definitely my favorite album from Glenn! It is no weak song on the album! I simple love this album!
Dreamer, like your review of this album, My rating would not be much different.
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Re: Happy Anniversary "Strange Weather"
Sorry to say I actually do not have this one but I apparently need to make it a priority from what all of you are saying!! Will have my eye on the lookout for this one!
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Re: Happy Anniversary "Strange Weather"
Dreamer, what a fantastic review! I loved it and you are right on! :thumbsup:
I don't know what I could possibly add other than I love pretty much the whole darn thing. :nod:
Favorite song over all: POMPOY of course!
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Re: Celebration of "Strange Weather"
Here comes another anniversary - Glenn's masterpieces (IMHO) - Strange Weather!
Happy 19th birthday, Strange Weather!