I haven't blogged in a while... working five jobs and trying to get both academic and creative publications completed makes blogging a little difficult. I resolve to do better in 2014.
So this is just a little drunken Christmas Eve musical post. And it begins with a confession: I don't really care for Lady Gaga. I'm a child of the 80s, so the blonde pop star with controversial sexual under/overtones and bizarre imagery will always be Madonna. Lady Gaga can't compete.
Imagine my surprise, then, when I discovered that if you mix Lady Gaga with three of my favourite things (Eric Cartman, political history and the bassoon), you can create the BEST THINGS EVER.
And here they are... you are welcome.
Cartman sings Poker Face
I adore Eric Cartman (in a way that suggests he's some sort of expression of repressed id that my therapist would have a field day with). In my defence, I would like to say that I do give a crap about whales, and have been a fully paid-up supporter of the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society for over twenty years. That probably just supports the repressed id theory though.
History Teachers sing Bad Romance
This Hawaiian couple's take on Bad Romance is so unbelievably stylish and catchy that I have now forgotten the words to the original. Even when I hear Lady Gaga's song, I still sing 'La-la-liberte, e-egalite, fra-fra-ternite...' I also think they capture a certain grandeur and threat when they introduce Robespierre that is surprising and impressive, given that they're working within the constraints of the song. Check out their YouTube channel; I particularly recommend the Charlemagne, Constantine and Beowulf songs (if you can forgive a rather definite, early dating of Beowulf).
The Breaking Winds play a Lady Gaga Medley
I love this. I played bassoon all through my teen years and I miss it so much nowadays. The arrangement is great, but the girls' performances are AWESOME. I really wish I still played.
Happy Atheistically-inflected (but I know the theory) Holidays to you all!