By Dave Cusick (CIVL Director of Programming / Hamburgler) – Email
School is back in, and it’s time to get down to business. Here are some songs that will make a great study break.
Daniel Romano
“I’m Gonna Teach You”
Though he’s a graphic designer from the northern side of Niagara Falls, Daniel Romano is more country than any of the frosted-tipped, designer-denimed products coming out of Nashville. If I’ve Only One Time Askin’ is his fifth studio full-length; give it a listen if you’re under the impression that you don’t like country.
Camera Obscura
“Suspended from Class”
Camera Obscura formed in Glasgow, Scotland in 1996, the same city and year that Belle & Sebastian also formed. So it’s no surprise that the first time I heard their their twee lines, “I should be suspended from class/I don’t know my elbow from my ass,” I assumed it was Belle & Sebastian I was hearing, until I learned otherwise.
Twisted Sister
“Be Chrool To Your Scuel”
It’s hard to imagine a world, in September of 1985, when rock music was still considered so controversial that the US Senate held hearings on it. The video to Twisted Sister’s parody of the Beach Boys’ “Be True to Your School” opens with a quote from the band’s singer, Dee Snider: “Our videos are simply meant to be cartoons with human actors.” Elsewhere in the hearings, senators dissected Van Halen’s video for “Hot for Teacher.” Who, ultimately, in this scenario, were the cartoon characters?
Daft Punk
“Teachers”
In pre-Napster 1999, two friends and I heard a song somewhere in Langley on a Friday night that BLEW OUR MINDS, and so we drove as fast as we could to the only record store still open, HMV on Robson & Burrard, bought Daft Punk’s Homework just before closing, brought it home, and danced to it until morning. That HMV is a Victoria’s Secret now.
Daniel Romano
“Learning to Live Without Me”
Did I mention I really love Daniel Romano’s new album?
this song does not seem to exist on YouTube.
