Wilco: "Please Be Patient with Me"

All of us have times in our lives when we feel like someone just needs to chill out and be patient with us.  It could be our parents, our siblings, friends, spouse, etc... anyone.  When someone doesn't understand where you are coming from and they just react out of that fear it makes things harder.  In many ways this song is someone pleading with the other for patience.  Asking, begging "please be patient with me." 

Often that person who is asking for patience needs to go on that journey regardless of the outcome.  Often the outcome is not what the other feared and often the journey is not what we thought it would be.  Rarely are things clear - there is a point when you just have to love a person who is going through something, because that is all you can do.   You can't just change them, you have to be patient with that person.  

So be patient with someone out there. 

"Please Be Patient With Me"

First Ladies Sing Off: Clinton vs. Bruni

There is little doubt that the First Ladies and Gentlemen of the world play an important role in influencing their significant others in both domestic and international affairs.  However, here we must ask ourselves a much more important and relevant question - "can they sing?"  So I begin to think to myself - "how can we accomplish an event of such monumental and historic proportions?" And then it hits me - A Sing Off!  Brilliant! 

Who do we pick as the contestants of the first ever annual Sing Off (est. 2008), you ask.  Why not former First Lady Clinton and the current first lady of France Carla Bruni I tell you.  "What great choices," you say.  "Thanks," I say. 

Now, I know what you are thinking - "How are you going to make that happen Jared?"  Well, I will tell you how.  After months of writing letters, picketing and eventually physically strapping myself to Bill Clinton for a few days as a form of peaceful protest - I got what I wanted.  Well, at least kinda of what I wanted: a video of Hillary singing the National Anthem of the United States of America off YouTube. 

In vivid contrast to Former President Bill, President Sarkozy was a bit easier to deal with - not sure why.  He told me that he would post a video of Carla singing just last night.  However, I have heard rummers that Sarkozy has been drinking.  Either way it makes no difference to me, easy peasy, done.  Now we have all the material needed to judge this sing off.  Brilliant!

So without further adieu, I give you the first ever Music Matters Sing Off!  Let us begin first with the current First Lady of France Carla Bruni and here video.  After which Hillary Clinton's video challenge will immediately follow.  You can even play them at the same time if you like.  As for the winner -  you be the judge. 

First Lady of  France Carla Bruni - "Quelqu'un m'a dit"

First Lady of the US of A Hillary Clinton - "The National Anthem" 

Seu Jorge: Covering David Bowie - "Life on Mars", "Changes"

Cover songs often just get a bad wrap. Cover bands, for example, are often considered to be the Diet Pepsi version of the real thing. Often they fall short of expectations. However, from time to time, someone comes along and covers another's music and something magical happens. 

Case in point, Seu Jorge, a Brazlian musician, covered a number of David Bowie songs for the film "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou" (which just happens to be an amazing picture). The outcome - some amazing songs. The cool thing about these songs is that everyone - fans, embarrassed closet David Bowie fans like myself, and those who simply can't stand his music can find something special in these songs. 

Here are some of my favorites. By the way, if you are interested, click on the titles above the videos to go to the David Bowie versions of these songs on YouTube - just as awesome in my opinion. 

"Life on Mars"

"Changes"

Feist: The Reminder - "So Sorry" , "1 2 3 4"

The Canadian musician Feist... all I can tell you is that her album - "The Reminder" - was on my top 2 albums list last year.  It is a classic, the music is timeless and fresh all at the same time.  Here are two song from this little Canadian friend of ours.  The whole album is amazing by the way.

"So Sorry"

" 1 2 3 4"

,

Panda Bear: "Comfy In Nautica"

I'll  be honest - as a rule I'm not crazy about Panda Bear, but this song just makes me feel good and there is nothing wrong with that.  It is very Beach Boys and quite honestly, the Beach Boys are better yet nevertheless, this song is pretty cool.  

"Comfy In Nautica"