music-interpretation-review

[music-interpretation-review]

Yo Ho Ho, It's A Sea Shanty Tournament! Round 2

There may be thirty-two contestants, but there can only be one clear winner!

Propaganda from the submitter:

"Space Shanty" details a mission on the Starship Enterprise from "Star Trek." It's hilarious and a delightfully nerdy twist on the genre! Plus, it's a capella for the most part, so the band members' amazing vocals are really shown off!

Propaganda from submitter 1:

I (Submitter) have known the Jolly Rodgers my entire life. They are close friends with my mom, they even used to babysit me. They are a group of singing pirates who perform at the Kansas City Renaissance Festival and the Muskogee Renaissance Festival in Oklahoma. They've been around for 30ish years, and have many albums of traditional sea shanties as well as original songs.

From submitter 2:

A timeless scottish classic, the most beautiful shanty according to many (incl. me)

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Yo Ho Ho, It's A Sea Shanty Tournament! Round 2

There may be thirty-two contestants, but there can only be one clear winner!

Propaganda from the submitter:

I (Submitter) have known the Jolly Rodgers my entire life. They are close friends with my mom, they even used to babysit me. They are a group of singing pirates who perform at the Kansas City Renaissance Festival and the Muskogee Renaissance Festival in Oklahoma. They've been around for 30ish years, and have many albums of traditional sea shanties as well as original songs. One For The Road is one of their original songs (and if my memory serves, they added a certain "faster!" part at the end because my mom is a sign language interpreter and they wanted to see if she could sign that fast. She did, she can sign it faster than they could sing it, and they even sing it faster in live performances than in the studio recording)

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Yo Ho Ho, It's A Sea Shanty Tournament!

There may be thirty-two contestants, but there can only be one clear winner!

Propaganda from the submitter:

One of the raunchiest shanties, barely veiled.

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Yo Ho Ho, It's A Sea Shanty Tournament!

There may be thirty-two contestants, but there can only be one clear winner!

Propaganda from the submitter:

A very powerful shanty about life on board a navy Man O' War. The chains and stamping complete the atmosphere.

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Yo Ho Ho, It's A Sea Shanty Tournament!

There may be thirty-two contestants, but there can only be one clear winner!

Propaganda from the submitter:

It’s got a whole story in that song! It’s got revenge! It’s got ghosts! It’s got such a good climax!!

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Yo Ho Ho, It's A Sea Shanty Tournament!

There may be thirty-two contestants, but there can only be one clear winner!

Propaganda from the submitter:

You're stuck in the hold at the very bottom of the ship and you can hear the wood creaking. Somehow it becomes a tune.

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do you have haul away the bowline in your sea shanty tournament?

That one was not submitted!

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Yo Ho Ho, It's A Sea Shanty Tournament!

There may be thirty-two contestants, but there can only be one clear winner!

Propaganda from the submitter:

Fun Song about fishies.

[music-interpretation-review]

Yo Ho Ho, It's A Sea Shanty Tournament!

There may be thirty-two contestants, but there can only be one clear winner!

Propaganda from the submitter:

I (submitter) have personally known the Jolly Rodgers my entire life - they are close friends with my mom, and they literally used to babysit me! They're a group of singing pirates who preform at the Kansas City Renaissance Festival and the Muskogee Renaissance Festival in Oklahoma. They have been around for 30ish years, covering many traditional sea shanties as well as writing their own! "Brotherhood of the Coast" comes from their album "X Marks The Spot" which is the first of their albums to feature 100% original songs.

Propaganda from the submitter:

Great shanty about if you die, you might as well enjoy a drink.

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Hello! Can you put links to lyrics in your music posts?

You know, I actually used to do that, but I didn't know how many people cared and it seemed like an extra unnecessary step after a while.

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addendum: I should have written "prolonged eye contact"

examples:

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Louis Prima and Phil Harris - I Wan'na Be Like You (The Monkey Song) 1967

The Jungle Book is a 1967 American animated musical adventure film by Disney. Based very loosely on the "Mowgli" stories from Rudyard Kipling's 1894 book of the same name, it is the final animated feature film to be produced by Walt Disney, who died during its production. It was directed by Wolfgang Reitherman and written by Larry Clemmons, Ralph Wright, Ken Anderson, and Vance Gerry. The film's plot follows Mowgli, a feral child raised in the Indian jungle by wolves, as his friends, Bagheera the panther and Baloo the bear, try to convince him to leave the jungle before the ruthless tiger Shere Khan arrives. The early versions of both the screenplay and the soundtrack followed Kipling's work more closely, with a dramatic, dark, and sinister tone, which Disney did not want in his family film. The Jungle Book was released on October 18, 1967, to positive reception, with acclaim for its soundtrack. With a gross of $23.8 million worldwide, the film initially became Disney's second-highest-grossing animated film in the US and Canada, the ninth-highest-grossing film of 1967, and was also successful during its re-releases. The film was also successful throughout the world, becoming Germany's highest-grossing film by number of admissions.

Louis Prima was an Italian-American trumpeter, singer, entertainer, and bandleader. While rooted in New Orleans jazz, swing music, and jump blues, Prima touched on various genres throughout his career: he formed a seven-piece New Orleans–style jazz band in the late 1920s, fronted a swing combo in the 1930s and a big band group in the 1940s, helped to popularize jump blues in the late 1940s and early to mid 1950s, and performed frequently as a Vegas lounge act beginning in the 1950s. From the 1940s through the 1960s, his music further encompassed early R&B and rock 'n' roll, boogie-woogie, and Italian folk music, such as the tarantella. Prima made prominent use of Italian music and language in his songs, blending elements of his Italian and Sicilian identity with jazz and swing music.

"I Wan'na Be Like You (The Monkey Song)" was written by songwriters Robert and Richard Sherman, and was performed by Louis Prima as King Louie, with Phil Harris providing additional vocals as Baloo the bear. The Sherman brothers were tasked with coming up with "crazy ways to have fun with [the music]" so working with concept art of what the monkeys would look like, Richard Sherman said he and his brother aimed for a jazz sound, with a Dixieland-like melody. He added that "when we first got an idea for 'I Wan'na Be Like You', we said an ape swings from a tree, and he's the king of apes. We'll make him 'the king of the swingers'. That's the idea, we'll make him a jazz man." After suggesting that Louis Prima could play the part of King Louie, Walt Disney Records president Jimmy Johnson and music director Tutti Camarata asked the Sherman brothers to fly to Las Vegas and perform the song for Prima. Once Prima was invited to do the song, he mockingly responded to the Shermans with "You want to make a monkey out of me? You got me!" The instrumentals were originally recorded by Prima - who also played the trumpet - and his band, Sam Butera & The Witnesses, but the music was replaced by one written by the film's composer, George Bruns, and orchestrated by Walter Sheets. The "scat dialogue" between Baloo and King Louie was the result of two recording sessions. Louis Prima recorded first, with the intent that Baloo would simply repeat what Louie scatted, but Phil Harris decided not to imitate Prima's recording and made up his own. The song was released the same date as the motion picture itself.

The Jungle Book 2, released in 2003, featured the band Smash Mouth playing the song during the end credits of the film; the song also appeared on the film's soundtrack. King Louie is one of the characters that doesn't appear in the second film. Christopher Walken performs the song as King Louie in the 2016 live-action adaptation, with new lyrics written by Richard M. Sherman to reflect the character of Louie being depicted as a Gigantopithecus.

"I Wan'na Be Like You (The Monkey Song)" received a total of 83,9% yes votes!

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Beck - E-Pro 2005

"E-Pro" was released as the lead single from Beck's ninth studio album Guero in March 2005. The song was Beck's second number 1 on the Modern Rock chart and his first in eleven years. It peaked at number 65 on the Billboard Hot 100. Beck used the rhythm track of the Beastie Boys' "So What'cha Want" as a sample in "E-Pro". Both of those songs are featured in the video game Rock Band 2.

The music video for the song was created by Shynola, and was nominated for Best Music Video in the 2005 Arias Awards. Beck suffered a spinal injury during the shooting of the video while harnessed inside a moving wheel. His injuries forced him to limit his touring for a number of years before making a recovery.

Guero debuted on the Billboard 200 at number 2, marking Beck's best chart performance to date, and sold 162,000 copies in its first week. It was certified gold by the RIAA on June 7, 2005. The album was included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

"E-Pro" received a total of 76,7% yes votes! Previous Beck polls: #124 "Loser".

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The Monkees - I'm a Believer 1966

The Monkees were an American pop rock band formed in Los Angeles in the mid-1960s. They were originally a fictional band created for the NBC television sitcom The Monkees. Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones, Michael Nesmith, and Peter Tork were cast to portray members of a band in the sitcom. Music credited to the Monkees appeared in the sitcom and was released on LPs and singles beginning in 1966, and the sitcom aired from 1966 to 1968. Spurred by the success of The Monkees television series, they were one of the most successful bands of the late 1960s. The band produced four chart-topping albums and three chart-topping songs.

At first, the band members' musical contributions were primarily limited to lead vocals and the occasional composition, with the remaining music provided by professional songwriters and studio musicians. Though this arrangement yielded multiple hit albums and singles, the band members desired greater control over the creation of their music. Following a brief power struggle, the Monkees gained full control over the recording process in 1967. The Monkees held a final recording session in 1970 before breaking up. Renewed interest in the Monkees emerged in 1986, leading to a 20th anniversary reunion. Over the subsequent 35 years, the Monkees intermittently reunited for reunion tours, a major-network television special, and the production of new studio albums. After the deaths of Jones in 2012 and Tork in 2019, Dolenz and Nesmith undertook a farewell tour in 2021. This tour concluded shortly before Nesmith's death later that year, leaving Dolenz as the sole surviving member of the Monkees.

"I'm a Believer" is a song written by Neil Diamond and recorded by the Monkees in 1966 with the lead vocals by Micky Dolenz. The single hit the number-one spot on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart for the week ending December 31, 1966, and remained there for seven weeks, becoming the last number-one hit of 1966 and the biggest-selling single for all of 1967. Billboard ranked the record as the number-five song for 1967. The song topped the UK Singles Chart for four weeks in January and February 1967. Also, it reached number one in several other countries, including Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and Ireland. The song is listed at number 48 on Billboard's All Time Top 100. In 2021, it was listed at number 341 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

In addition to the Monkees, Diamond also suggested the song to the Fifth Estate, who recorded it as a 1967 album cut to follow up their hit "Ding-Dong! The Witch Is Dead" on their album of the same name. Diamond recorded his own version of the song for his second album, Just For You, in 1967. This version became a minor chart hit in 1971. A new recording by Diamond, featuring additional lyrics, appears on his 1979 album September Morn. Diamond also performed it in a duet with Linda Ronstadt as part of a medley of his songs on an episode of The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour in 1970.

The American pop rock band Smash Mouth covered the song in 2001 as part of the soundtrack to the movie Shrek, along with their previous Grammy-nominated hit "All Star" (poll #336). Eddie Murphy, portraying the character Donkey, also performed a rendition of the song in the film. It was chosen for its opening line, "I thought love was only true in fairy tales", which matched the fairy tale theme of the film. The Smash Mouth version peaked at number 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 and reached the top 20 in New Zealand and Spain. In Australia, the cover reached number nine on the ARIA Singles Chart, received a Platinum certification for sales exceeding 70,000 and came in at number 36 on ARIA's year-end chart for 2001.

"I'm a Believer" received a total of 93% yes votes!

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Garbage - The World Is Not Enough 1999

"The World Is Not Enough" is the theme song for the 1999 James Bond film The World Is Not Enough, performed by Scottish and American rockband Garbage. The song was written by composer David Arnold (who also scored the film) and lyricist Don Black. With 30 years of experience writing Bond themes, Black wrote the lyrics to Tom Jones's "Thunderball", Shirley Bassey's "Diamonds Are Forever", Lulu's "The Man with the Golden Gun" and K.D. Lang's closing credits theme, "Surrender", from Tomorrow Never Dies. The lyrics reflect the film's plot told from the viewpoint of antagonist Elektra King (Sophie Marceau), with themes of world domination and seduction. The song and its accompanying soundtrack were released when the film premiered worldwide at the end of November 1999. "The World Is Not Enough" was praised by reviewers; it reached the top 40 of ten singles charts and the top 10 of four.

"Part of the reason I thought Garbage would be such a good idea [for the theme song], is that I think Shirley Manson is someone who could easily inhabit Bond's world. The whole thing about the song is that it needs to entice you, and beckon you in. […] Shirley is the only person I can think of in the world of contemporary music who is the musical equivalent of Elektra. It is as important as casting the characters – getting the right voice and right attitude for the song." – David Arnold.

"The World Is Not Enough" received a total of 69,5% yes votes! Previous Garbage polls: #356 "I Think I'm Paranoid", #512 "Push It".

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Ozzy Osbourne - Mama, I'm Coming Home 1991

John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne was an English singer, songwriter, and media personality who co-founded the pioneering heavy metal band Black Sabbath in 1968, and rose to prominence in the 1970s as their lead vocalist. Osbourne released thirteen studio albums, the first seven of which were certified multi-platinum in the US. In the 1980s, he drew controversy for his antics both onstage and offstage, and was accused of promoting Satanism by the Christian right. He reunited with Black Sabbath on several occasions. He rejoined from 1997 to 2005, and again in 2012; during this second reunion he sang on the band's last studio album, 13 (2013), before they embarked on a farewell tour that ended in 2017. On 5 July 2025, Osbourne performed his final show at the Back to the Beginning concert in Birmingham, having announced that it would be his last due to health issues. Although he intended to continue recording music, he died 17 days later, on 22 July.

Osbourne was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Black Sabbath in 2006 and as a solo artist in 2024. He was also inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame both solo and with Black Sabbath in 2005. He was honoured with stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on 12 April 2002 and Birmingham Walk of Stars on 6 July 2007. At the 2014 MTV Europe Music Awards, he received the Global Icon Award. In 2015, he received the Ivor Novello Award for Lifetime Achievement from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors. Osbourne's wife and manager Sharon founded the heavy metal touring festival Ozzfest, which was held yearly from 1996 to 2010. In the early 2000s, he became a reality television star when he appeared in the MTV reality show The Osbournes (2002–2005) alongside Sharon and two of their children, Kelly and Jack. He co-starred with some of his family in the television series Ozzy & Jack's World Detour (2016–2018) as well as The Osbournes Want to Believe (2020–2021).

"Mama, I'm Coming Home" is a power ballad from his sixth studio album No More Tears, which first released on 17 November 1991. The single is Osbourne's only solo Top 40 single on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at number 28. It also reached number 2 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Tracks. According to American Songwriter magazine, the lyrics are inspired by Osbourne's realization that he would be dead if he did not get sober, and the song is dedicated to his wife Sharon for staying with him during his crazier early days.

"Mama, I'm Coming Home" received a total of 67,9% yes votes! Previous Ozzy Osbourne polls: #407 "Mr. Crowley".