SongOTD: Sweet Dreams Edition
After work I took an 80 minute bike ride through the Beijing traffic which, although it probably did my health more harm than good, gave me a chance to enjoy a lovely chemical sunset and listen to an NPR Intelligence Squared debate over whether Google violates their oath to do evil or not. The podcast was mostly drowned out by the roar of several million citizens returning home, and the sound of my prostate dying. When that was done, and I was lost somewhere around the mid Third Ring, I switched to a debate over whether or not diplomacy with Iran was working. Liz Cheney was arguing against. Like all Cheney’s, it’s impossible to imagine a laugh of joy floating free from her steely fangs. A cackle as her enemy croaked his final words at her feet sure, but I imagine when a Cheney tries to sing Happy Birthday a wind slams the door shut and blows the candle out.
On a lighter note, the songs of the day both riff on the Eurythmics classic ‘Sweet Dreams’. A classic dance jam if there ever was one. Much has already been made of the merits of that song so we’ll move onto…
’20k Money Making Brothers on the Corner’ by Re-Up Gang off of ‘We Got it for Cheap Vol 3.’
First up we got the Re-Up Gang, which is basically Clipse+Ab Liva and Sandman, with their song ’20k Money Making Brothers on the Corner’ off of ‘We Got it for Cheap Vol 3.’ Produced by Dame Grease it’s got a great laid back Sweet Dreams inspired synth beat matched with great swagger by the MCs, most notably in the opening verse from Pusha T, see the excerpt below, where he manages to name check 2 movies by Chinese directors, 1 luxury sport, 1 icon of said luxury sport, 1 luxury brand (and this is not your normal Burberry), 1-2 rap groups — depending on how you want to consider the ‘living legends’ bit, and Ray Charles. And he makes a weird tiger/hocking a loogie noise. Excellent. The other verses aren’t as good, but how could they be?
raisin the bar, im tiger below par
im the hidden dragon and crouchin tiger with that raw
from off beams to gulf streams, who fuckin with my golf swing?
yuch! all you Niggas is my offspring
from ye tall i was in MJG with the 8ball
a livin legend i played them keys like ray charles
you can’t copy the style, or even trace off,
they wanna pusha t mardi gras mask like a face off
(you can lean to it herre)
‘China Girl (Diplo mix)’ by M.I.A. and Diplo off of Piracy Funds Terrorism Vol. 1
Despite his inexplicable fondness for crappy indie rock, Diplo understands the way music from different genres can mesh together far better than most DJs. M.I.A. has a different but equally dope ability to blend genres into a musical product that both retains the flair of the originals yet combines it into something fresh. This track cuts together M.I.A.s vocals, which showed up officially on ’10 Dollar’ with the chorus from ‘Sweet Dreams’ and some dubbed out electro-y dancehall riddims. Diplo most leaves the ‘Sweet Dreams’ synth alone except for the addition of something that sounds like the croak of a frog and occasional Miami bass-style 808 rolls. But instead of snare rolling his way into a barn burner, every time the momentum gets going he drops back into the echo-y dancehall beat. It’s pretty sweet.
Best line: “Need a visa? Got wth a geezer”
(for a listen click herre)
Honorary Sweet Dreams Edition mention – Pink’s ‘Get the Party Started’ Sweet Dreams remix featuring Redman
It features a classic verse from Redman, who with partner in rhyme (and co-star in How High — one of the greatest movies of our time) was for years one of the most dependable MCs a producer could have on their speed dial. It starts with, “Yo, Funk Doc walk into the club actin’ rowdy,” and you can pretty much guess what happens after that. As a rather hirsute individual — especially in hairless China — I’ll always love Redman for his verse off ‘Da Rockwilder’ (which features one of the baddest drops on any hip song out there) :
Got the cable chooked up. All channels / Lift my shirt, all mammal
(party starter here)
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