Songs About Librarians

About eight years ago (wow, time has flown!), as part of a post titled "Libraries are Awesome!", I posted this video by the fictional Norwegian boy band, Boyzvoice.

That's just a clip (I think it's from a mockumentary the group made), but if you want to hear the entire song, here's a link. (I love the lyrics where, to show how much he loves his library girl, he reads a thousand books about a girl called Nancy Drew).

Then, recently, I heard a song called "The Librarian" by Honor Finnegan. It was the second time I'd heard it, and given my weakness for books, libraries and love songs, it caught my attention (and reminded me of the "Library Girl" song above).

So, I set out on a search for more songs about libraries and librarians. There are more than I would have imagined. Some are by librarians, singing about the library's services. (Note: I had another song here, but it disappeared, so my apologies for the dearth of actual songs in this post).

There were some songs that had library in the title, but didn't seem to be about libraries or librarians (or maybe just one incidental line), and there were a number meant for children. Which is cool, just not what I was looking for.

There were songs by apparent amateurs, such as "I'm in Love with a Librarian" by Beatnik.

Amazingly enough (to me, anyway), there were a number of songs by name artists. Tom Chapin sang "Library Song." Jimmy Buffett had a song called Love in the Library. "Marian the Librarian" is from the musical The Music Man. 

And, of course, "Librarian" by My Morning Jacket.

I could go on, but these were some of the most interesting. If you've run across other songs about libraries or librarians, feel free to chime in.

Eight years later, libraries are still amazing, aren't they?

Best,

Happy Birthday, Audrey Hepburn

If you've been to the front page of Google today, you know that it's Audrey Hepburn's 85th birthday. Here's a tribute featuring the song Moon River.

Although she passed away in 1993, she is still viewed as an icon of fashion and film (and philanthropy). Here is an article (with several video re: her history--Keep watching after the commercials, as there are a number of Audrey Hepburn videos separated by ads) from biography.com.

Yesterday when I was watching part of the Kentucky Derby, I thought of Audrey Hepburn. She looked lovely in hats and would have fit right in. Always elegant. 

Happy Birthday, Audrey

Catch Up on Les Miserables

I'm late posting this, but a couple of weeks ago I went to see Les Miserables. I'd never seen a stage production, so I was thrilled that Ivan Rutherford played Jean Valjean. It's a role he had already performed more than 2,000 times, and he did not disappoint. Here's a video (not from the performance I saw, but from one of those other 2,000 on Broadway, in touring companies and regional theatres). This video was posted on his website. Very powerful stuff.

And from last June, a Les Miserables flash mob in a shopping mall (I believe this was in San Francisco).

Libraries: Here for the Long Haul

Over the years, people have worried about "the end of things." VCRs would mean the end of theaters, for example. Having the ability to tape a song off the radio would be the end of people buying music. Neither of those things have happened, but...let's face it, we can all think of many industries/items/jobs that have vanished, become less prominent or have been replaced by alternatives. Think of the horse and carriage, the ice delivery man, chimney sweeps, switchboard operators. Times change, and the world changes with it.

The end of the community library has been predicted at one time or another, but libraries have proven themselves to be adaptable to a changing world. At one time, they were merely repositories of books. Then they added music and movies in the form of VHS tapes (which were then replaced with DVDs).

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And today, in the era of the ebook and streaming video, they have made even more adjustments. I was on my local library's website the other day, and from the website alone, I can check out ebooks, download movies or music, access databases, get book suggestions, ask a librarian a question, make book purchase suggestions for the library, and take part in an online book club.

If I physically visit the library, I can attend lectures or music performances, rent meeting space, borrow passes to local museums, borrow an ereader if I don't own one, or borrow a "book club in a bag" (a bag with 10 copies of a book, info on the author, suggested discussion topics, questions and other info). I can access computers to do research if I don't have my own, or I can simply use my own laptop to log onto the library's wifi.

This library at Keene State University is in charge of the "Green bikes" program, and students can check out a bicycle via the library.

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The library in Skokie, Illinois, has a digital media lab (equipped with computers, cameras, video cameras, scanners, microphones, musical instruments, mp3 recorders, and lots of other equipment and software, including a green screen) which patrons can use for videos, music, photos, presentations, podcasts, websites, graphic design and other types of digital presentation.

Libraries are at the cutting edge, always looking for new ways to engage the community. Some offer 3D printers, media kiosks (one article equated them to library Red Boxes) and apps for cell phones that help patrons locate materials in the library, learn more about books or get book recommendations. 

And yes, since libraries rely on tax dollars to operate, many of them are struggling these days. But they are also powerhouses of innovation. 

Long live libraries!

It's Harry Potter Day

This morning I saw a video of the Harp Twins electric playing "Hedwig's Theme" on harps (of course).

And in the usual way of the internet, one click led to another, and I found this great piano solo by Jarrod Radnich.

Which led me to this video about people who have never read or seen Harry Potter, but attempt to explain what it's about using the info that they've heard about the books and movies.

I could have gone on and on. There are videos (the Honest Harry Potter trailer; the Everything Wrong With...videos regarding the errors or odd things in various Harry Potter movies). There are blooper reels, trailers and more.

Just putting the words Harry Potter in a Google search turns up 226 million results, but maybe I should just take the time to watch some of the movies or read some of the books again. I'm clearly in a Harry Potter mood!

For All of You in the Frozen (and Snowy) North

First of all, my apologies to those of you who have been suffering through a heat wave (or drought or anything else awful that isn't snow related). But for those of us who have had near record snow and cold this year, February is getting to be very loooong (as in seemingly interminable). So, here's a little something to (hopefully) make you smile. Traffic reporter Bob Herzog (WKRC in Cincinnati) produced a video called Just Don't Go to the tune of "Let it Go" from the movie Frozen.

I hope your weather today is perfect!

Best,

Myrna

Music's Effect on Athletes

Back when I was a cross country and track mom, I got very used to the runners wearing headphones before events or when they were training on their own. Here's some scientific evidence about music and athletes.

Could We Hear a 2013 Music Mashup, Please?

Scott Bradlee and the Post Modern Jukebox got together with Cosmo and did a mashup of 2013 songs at the Cosmopolitan offices in New York. (I like things like this, because I can't write to music, and I spend so much time writing and reading that I often don't get to devote as much time to listening to music as I'd like to). I'm trying to get into walking at the rec center since it's been so cold and snowy here that I really miss my walks, so maybe I can incorporate more music into my life that way.

And here's TwentyForSeven performing some of the top hits of the year:

The Evolution of Christmas Cards

I'm not going to pretend that I'm an expert on the history of Christmas cards, but it's hard not to notice how many changes have taken place on the Christmas greetings front over the years. First there were (probably, just guessing here)...notes. Or simply visiting people to wish them well on the big day. And then, of course, the standard Christmas card as we know it.

Eventually, there was the family photo Christmas card and the annual Christmas letter and even the e-card. Of course, all of those are still in operation, but lately (for the last few years?) there's been something new: the family video card. Some of these have musical backgrounds with fun videos, like this one from the Exum family:

And this one by the Brushwood family, who created a charming, time-lapse scene:

(The Exums and the Brushwoods made the cut for this blog entry because they're fun, well-planned and--almost as important--they got their delightful messages across quickly). 

There are also some innovative families who are singing and writing their own lyrics. If you've been online this week, you've probably seen the "Christmas Jammies" video card by the Holderness family (with over 12 million hits, I'm going to assume you've seen it and not show the actual video, but if you haven't I've included the link). Here's their far less well known 2012 video.

And here's my personal favorite, the Bock family's 2013 card with their own Christmas lyrics to Miley Cyrus's We Can't Stop.

I don't have what it takes to create something like that, but I love watching them, and I'm grateful to the people who have shared their videos publicly (I love YouTube). 

If you'd like to see more, I found these by entering the search term "Family Christmas Card" on YouTube. 

Enjoy, and Best Wishes!

Myrna

It's a Sesame Street Kind of Day

I don't get many opportunities to see Sesame Street anymore, but the show will always be a favorite of mine. So I was thrilled when Mashable posted this new video, pairing Oscar the Grouch with the popular Grumpy Cat. Oscar is as fun and funny and grouchy as ever, and Grumpy Cat is...grumpy. Watch what happens when the two get together.

Of course, once I had seen a bit of Oscar, I wanted more Sesame Street, so here's an old favorite, Ernie singing "I Don't Want to Live on the Moon." It takes me back.

Lessons from Canadian Astronaut Chris Hadfield

If you've been in the United States (and maybe other places) lately, you've heard of astronaut Chris Hadfield. He retired in July after an illustrious career, but he's written a book that is getting raves: An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth: What Going to Space Taught Me About Ingenuity, Determination and Being Prepared for Anything

He has also given numerous interviews, including this one on NPR. But what has caught the attention of even more people of late is the fact that when he was on the International Space Station during his last mission there earlier this year, he recorded a YouTube video of David Bowie's Space Oddity. At the moment it has more than 18 million views.

Just a Fun Tap Dance Video

I never took tap dancing lessons (I'm sure dance instructors everywhere are grateful, since I'm a bit of a klutz. I'm always the one in the back of an aerobics class who is on the wrong step. Let's not even discuss that whole business of starting on the wrong foot during a grapevine).

But I digress. The fact is that while I can't tap dance myself, I love watching people who can. Here Broadway dancer Christoper Rice gathers some of his dancer friends and colleagues and dances to the song "Cups." I thoroughly enjoyed it and even watched it twice! I hope you enjoy it, too.

Make Your Own Ocarina...from a Carrot

I'm not a musician (there's an understatement), but I've enjoyed plunking around on the piano (and took lessons for a brief time before I realized that I could write or I could devote myself to learning to play piano, but I probably didn't have time to do both well). And back in the day, when 3rd graders all had to take lessons in school on the recorder, I'm sure I learned (sort of) a few songs. So an ocarina from a carrot seems as if it would be fun (what is an ocarina? Is that just another name for a recorder...or vice versa)? Here's how it's done.

Just a Musical Warm Up...That Sounds Fantastic!

According to Wikipedia, The Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corp is a competitive junior drum and bugle corp based in Concord, California. And, oh yes, they're also 15-time world champions. After reading that, I was expecting something pretty amazing and this video, which is simply the brass warming up before the championships in Indianapolis in 2010, doesn't disappoint.

Where I've Been - From Bicyclists to Pink Martini

I've been in and out for the past few days. Over the weekend (well, really Monday into Tuesday, not counting prep work), we hosted the Illini 4000, the group of University of Illinois students who bicycle from New York to San Francisco raising money for cancer research. This is our sixth year hosting them and it's always an honor and a lot of fun. They're interesting people doing something important and useful. This year there are 21 riders.

Then tonight, we headed to downtown Chicago's Millennium Park (beautiful place with great acoustics). We picnicked, drank a little wine and were treated to a concert by the wonderful group Pink Martini.

They're from Portland, Oregon, but they perform internationally and in various languages. Here's a preview of a song that will be on their upcoming album (it's fun, so I wanted to include it).

And a shot of Millennium Park's Cloud Gate (commonly called "the Bean").

And the band shell

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Tulip Time

I know that it isn't spring all over the world, but here in Chicago, it's time for tulips, and I'm in a tulip kind of mood. So even if it's autumn in your part of the world, I hope you enjoy the flowers here today (and enjoy your own pretty autumn finery if you're experiencing autumn right now).

If You Like Game of Thrones...

Here's a video of the carillon at the University of Wisconsin-Madison playing the theme music from the show (rather, the music is being played by Lyle Anderson). I've always been a fan of both the city of Madison as well as the U of Wisconsin-Madison (except when the University of Illinois is competing against them in sports), so this is just one more thing to like.

Here's the text beneath the video on YouTube:

The Game of Thrones theme music performed by Lyle Anderson on the UW-Madison Carillon. The carillon was originally dedicated in 1936 and has 56 bells ranging in size from 15 to 6,823 pounds. Anderson has been UW-Madison's official carillonneur for almost 30 years.

Sutton Foster in Rehearsal of Anything Goes

I may have said this before (somewhere, anyway, if not here), but I'm a fan of the TV show Bunheads starring Tony award winner Sutton Foster. The show is through for the season (still waiting to see if it gets renewed), so here's a bit of Sutton Foster in rehearsals to fill the empty Bunheads space.

Time for Some Irish Music!

It's the annual post featuring Danny Boy (sung by the Lyons Township High School Varsity Choir in 2004).

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

A Baker with Flair

This video is long, but I couldn't stop watching this guy bake bread. Such fun!