Dear Lazyweb,

While I’ll be away for the weekend, I want you to solve something for me.

You see, after I posted on the various Bonnie Tyler singles last months, one of my contacts provided me with two alternative single versions. One was a four minute edit, and the other (from the 1991 compilation The Collection) had some some minor changes and added bits. It opens with a soft choral bit, and there are some sound effects added around the guitar solo.

I was a bit surprised to hear that. And then I got currious and wanted to know everything about it.

So here’s what we’ll do: I’ll give the file, and you give me the facts. You’ll tell me if this is some sort of Canada-only remix, or that it’s a special version on a single from some obscure country like the US, you’ll give me catalogue numbers and what not. In return, I’ll be very happy, try to get me a physical copy in whatever appropriate format there is, and I’ll give you an updated version of that other part of my website on monday.

Deal?

Alrighty then. Here’s the file:
? Download BonnieTyler-LovingYousADirtyJob-(WeirdVersion).mp3 (right click, save as…)

update 20081118 thanks for nothing. file gone now.

Hypocrites

Apparently, police officers with an Islamic background can be sworn in with an appropriate vow: “In naam van Allah, de Barmhartige Erbarmer, en hij is mijn getuige dat ik dit beloof” (roughly: “In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful, and he is my witness to this promise”).

Today it became clear that the SGP (a confessional Christian political party that’s stuck in the middle ages) is not amused by that option (link doesn’t work on sundays). “Just as the SGP isn’t in favor of ‘nationalizing’ Islamic holidays, it is opposed to Islamic vows in The Netherlands,” says party-member Kees van der Staaij, who calls the vow on Allah “a step in the wrong direction.”

Strangely enough, they don’t seem to have any problem with the vow “Zo waarlijk helpe mij God Almachtig”. That’s, of course, “so help me God Almighty.”

If that isn’t hypocrisy, I’m the pope.

Either we have freedom of religion so you can take a vow on any god and holy book you like (including, but not limited to, Wodan, Thor, Zeus, The Flying Spaghetti Monster and Eris, the goddess of discord), or we don’t. And if that’s the case, all gods go out of the window.

Personally, I think all religious vows should be banned and replaced with the other official oath, “Dat verklaar en beloof ik” (“This I declare and affirm”). You declare and affirm to do the best possible job you can. What more is needed?

Mea culpa

From the land of what the hell was I thinking when I wrote that, presented without any further comment:

“First of all, I never sing off key,” said Meat Loaf (born Marvin Lee Aday), calling from his Los Angeles home. “The thing that has irritated me to no end is, maybe my voice isn’t so good on one particular night, but I’ll guarantee you one damn thing, there has never been a show that’s lackluster.”

First lines: Dolores Claiborne

You mustn’t read Dolores Claiborne, they say, ‘cus it’s just some old woman sittin’ with some coppers, tellin them the story of her life, and how she killed that no-good husband of hers. Just some fine advice that I’ve been given. But in my quest to read every book that Stephen King has written, it had to come sooner or later.

Like I said before, I prefer King when he doesn’t go wild on the gore and goes for the characters. And character is Dolores Claiborne is all about. And then mainly that old woman who killed her husband thirty years earlier (incidentally during the same eclipse that haunted Jessie Burlington in Gerald’s Game), and is now suspected of murdering that old witch she works for.

Book read
Stephen King — Dolores Claiborne
First line
What did you ask, Andy Bissette?

Brel est mort, vive Brel!

Thirty years ago today, Jacques Brel died. To be quite honest, I know next to nothing about him, apart from that he was supposedly quite an influential composer, lyricist and performer. And that some of my favorite singers have covered him. So here are some links to some Brel covers on Youtube for your enjoyment, with some links to the originals as well:

On the DVD of Wende’s last release, Chante!, there is a magnificent version of ‘Au suivant’, but sadly, the only online version I could find doesn’t do it justice at all. The way she completely explodes during the finale… Well, it just makes me very happy I got some tickets for her next concert here in Amersfoort (there are still some tickets left). So, as an extraspecial doubleplusgood bonus, here’s the audio.
? Download Au suivant (right click, save as…)