Wednesday, February 08, 2012

The TV Listings (10)

A roundup of my YouTube postings from the third quarter of 2011.



The Comedy/Movie Channel

Anything Goes - a Beijing woman's extraordinary fashion faux pas puts me in mind of this classic Monty Python skit.

Remembering 9/11 and its aftermath - no embedded video here, but a link to Time's excellent 9/11 tribute site, comprising dozens of filmed interviews (in black & white) of people most affected by the terrible day: both the victims and rescuers embroiled in the terrorist attacks themselves, and government officials and military personnel involved in the subsequent wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Bluebird - a charming short animation accompanying Charles Bukowski's poem of that name.

Hai Karate commercial - 1970s glamour girl Valerie Leon becomes the latest of my 'fantasy girlfriends'; best known for depicting an unstoppable vamp in this wonderfully silly series of Christmas TV ads for a really awful aftershave.

Blame Canada! - to mark Canada Day, I post Matt Stone's and Trey Parker's tongue-in-cheek Canada-bashing song from the South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut movie.



The Music Channel

Lying Eyes - a particularly vexing experience with a Chinese employer prompts me to seek musical consolation in the all too apposite Eagles song.

Chiraa Khoor - a traditional Mongol song performed by the celebrated Tuvan folk band Huun-Huur-Tu (unfortunately, it's embedded in a post lamenting how their appearance in Beijing was ruined by the shortcomings of the venue).

Beat The Devil's Tattoo - two versions of the mesmerising song from Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, who played in Beijing at the Chaoyang Park Festival at the start of September.

King of the Road - Roger Miller's defiant celebration of the hobo life is one of the first songs I can remember hearing; and I think that may have had a profound impact on the subsequent course of my life.

Dreams - I didn't get to see The Cranberries playing in Beijing, but I thought I should mark the occasion by posting the weird early video for their great love song. I was intrigued to discover in my online researches on them that they've also done a fine version of Fleetwood Mac's Go Your Own Way in some of their live shows.

Nothing To My Name - honouring the 25th anniversary of Cui Jian's breakthrough hit, commonly viewed as the genesis of Chinese rock'n'roll (and continuing to live up to its reputation as a 'protest song', being just recently appropriated by an online satirist to pour scorn on the bungling official response to the Wenzhou train crash tragedy).

She Drives Me Crazy - ah, this might have been "our song" for any of the handful of women I've truly loved! I don't like much of the Fine Young Cannibals, but I like this.

Leaving On A Jetplane - the departure (for good, it appears) of my oldest friend in China impels me to dig up (rather tearfully) this great clip of Mama Cass helping John Denver to sing one of his best-known songs.

Rehab - shortly before Amy Winehouse's unfortunate death, I happened to post this version of her signature hit by The Jolly Boys, a wonderful septuagenarian dance band from Jamaica.

Blame Canada! - see above, under Comedy.



The Sports Channel

Multi-Level Moves - a stunning demonstration of the proprietary freestyle exercise form developed by Canadian stuntman Joe Eigo: a giddying mélange of kung fu, tumbling, le parkour, and breakdancing.


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