Funkyart, thanks for Lizz Wright. Love Lizz, and love "Old Man"! I got to see her perform in Scranton years ago.

And finally . . .

For those who like the ethnic South African scales and chord progressions in Simon's Graceland album, I recommend the music of Johnny Clegg. He was called the "White Zulu". For years he defied apartheid law by having a multiracial band. He spoke the language of the Zulu people and many of his songs are in that language. Sadly, he recently died of cancer. I saw him live several times and it was most enjoyable. Here's an example, with him playing a Zulu concertina but it's a lip-synched video and not a live performance.

Also a fan of Johnny Clegg though I never had a chance to see him perform. I was an exchange student in South Africa in 1981-- which is where I first encountered him with Juluka.

At the same time, I also discovered a number of other favs a few years ahead of their popularity here in the US.. Adam Ant, Madness, English Beat

I've been enjoying the "reaction videos". These are videos of the younger generation hearing music from the 60's, 70's and 80's for the first time. Here is one:

This is my favorite Johnny Clegg & Juluka song. It always resonates with me especially when the world feels out of kilter.

Look into the Mirror

Look into the mirror
Hanging on the wall
Shadows dance across your face
Doesn’t look like you at all
I have this funny feeling
I’ve know you from before
In a dream or someplace else
Or from another life I’m not sure

CHORUS:
Ah - when I see your face
(Look into the mirror) - I remember
Ah - I feel afraid
(Look into the mirror) - can you remember
Yela - wolala - hum wo siti yelele hala
I see you
I know the other you

Sleep is hard to come by
The night has lost the moon
Staring at the ceiling
Thinking of the other you
Sometimes in an instant
In notice in your eyes
Behind them moved something I knew
And longed for all my life

Ah - when I see your face
(Look into the mirror) - I remember
Ah - I feel afraid
(Look into the mirror) - can you remember
Ah - something in the way
(Look into the mirror) - I feel on the inside
Ah - just look a little trace
(Look into the mirror) - of another time
Yela - wolala - hum wo siti yelele hala
I see you
I know the other you

Someday coming soon I knew we’d meet again -
Someday coming soon
I know the other you

Here's another reaction video:

Some chill time...

One more...

The Queen video above reminded my of my favorite Queen video (though not necessarily my favorite Queen song). Freddie in drag with his mustache just kills me every time.

I found another of Cleggs songs, this one with dancing and verses of African language lyrics. He wrote all his own material.

I was always a fan of Brian Eno

I also liked the English Beat, and I saw them in San Francisco in 1982 with The Clash.

The Clash evolved into Big Audio Dynamite:

X-rated video from South Africa, 2012

Not for the faint of heart - nothing like Paul Simon!

More music from Iceland, 2016

Not my favorite of his, but at least not X-rated.

Ok, I'm such a dork that I had to pause the rap to see if he's wearing a piece from Reykjavik Raincoats. ;)

Here's some vintage Italian fluff that I especially like

Fun thread! I keep the Spotify algorithms confused with my music genre benders, but one of my favorite videos is this one, when Maggie Rogers was discovered by Pharrell Williams. In the video, she goes from nervous glancing his way, to getting completely lost in her song. His response is wonderful. It has nothing to do with the Coronavirus, but it's hopeful. And she's adorable.

Excellent topic - thanks so much for starting it Lars! Such an enjoyable way to pass time and now I have several artists to add to my playlist. I hadn't watched music videos for years, since the days of Much Music when I was in my 20's. I am choosing to focus on positive things and this is definitely positive!

Feathers, I think you have the background story wrong. Williams did some kind of guest artist visit to a class at NYU and she was one of the students in the class. He didn't "discover" her. Many artists believe in the "be you" approach he described but otherwise I think he was being gentle and polite. I don't think he liked it at all.

Here's a bit more info:

Pharell at NYU

I also enjoy this acoustic version--his voice is remarkable. His story at the opening reminds me of my own brother.

Back to the dark side (it's late at night again) with Nine Inch Nails - Closer (not for the faint of heart; adult lyrics)

Normally, I consider this to be a Halloween song.

I’m like a kid that’s told not to touch wet paint if someone mentions X rates and caution Lars. Your songs are definitely varied but remind me never to come to one of your Halloween parties! Great beat though:) I’m still chuckling.

I’m thinking this song has a bit of relevance to the theme due to the whole testing of drugs issue at the moment.

Nice happy one to celebrate all things home related. I also think they sound quite similar to Of Monsters and Men, who I’m a big fan of too.

Loved the live video IdaClaire, I’d never heard or seen that track before.

We've watched a lot of the Lost in Vegas reaction videos. They're a lot of fun, and they even connected with a lot of artists.

Here's a fun one we watched the other day. Weezer doing "Africa" with Weird Al.

If you are really into the technical aspects of music, I can refer you to a guy named Rick Beato. He is a musician, music teacher, and long-time producer. Here is a guy in his mid-50's who re-inivented himself on YouTube for a second career, so I have to give him all the props for that. He has a lot of videos on music theory, but his most popular series is something called "What Makes this Song Great" where he breaks down the components of great songs and why we like them mostly across rock and pop. He does have access to things like isolated vocal and instrument tracks thanks to his industry connections. I'll post a sample video, but you can check out his channel. You'll really enjoy him!

Loved that gsciencechick! He brings attention to so many things that I think I’ll definitely be more aware of now.

This is such a great thread.

Thanks for starting it Lars.

This is a dance video rather than a music video. I used to take classes at Fat Chance Belly Dance, and still know some of the troupe members, despite some turnover. The really interesting thing is that the style is improvisational. The dancer in the front left (their left; sometimes front center) is the lead dancer and gives cues for the other dancers to follow. If the first song is too repetitive (and it is quite repetitive), other songs start at 4:07 and 7:50.

And this posted this morning...

How about some street performers? This is my drum teacher, seated at the djembe. Watch those hands fly!

https://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/article60149631.html

On YouTube there is a playlist collection of 200 videos from the Live from Daryl's House series. If you've never watched it, it's Daryl Hall and his flawless band, with a special guest invited in to perform some of the guest's songs, some of Daryl's songs, or other covers. Everyone from the GooGoo Dolls to the O'Jays to Ben Folds. An ideal soundtrack for a day at home.

Live from Daryl's House

Something perky from Sweden (2008) for the morning

Maddiemo, you might like this one - it's gone viral lately:

I saw Killing Joke in 1990 at the John Anson Ford Amphitheater here in Los Angeles, and it was one of the best concerts I've seen here.

For something a bit more mellow, some neo-psychedelia from the 1980s

I saw this group at a dinner theater in Redondo Beach around 1992.

Loving this thread, Lars! Thank you so much for starting it. Never heard of Caro Emerald before. What a band introduction!! So much talent in this thread and a reminder that the 80s was my music decade. Very interested in discovering more on Beato's channel. Thanks for sharing, gsciencechick!

Here's my contribution. A song that never fails to lift my mood with lyrics that remind me to count my blessings.

Lars....Oh. My. God. Killing Joke was STUNNING!!!

I‘ve never heard of them before and I was absolutely transfixed!

You nailed it. Thank You So Much!

As relevant now as it was in 1971.

A bit of biting class satire I’ve always been fond of.

I love Brandi Carlile.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8YeQj22Vw0M

ETA. Another one — I was at this concert.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tNTGeNxjsiE

Does everyone know about NPR’s tiny desk concerts?

Love Tedeschi Trucks:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RRipadkd6wk

And Lake Street Dive:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gdRAcoD5Gt0

I do like the Pulp song, and I've not heard that before either!

Something dark again for the night, from the 1990s

I would think a lot of people remember Massive Attack.

I saw U2 with Romeo Void at the Warfield Theater in San Francisco in 1982 with Romeo Void.

Beck - Hot Wax "spreading disease"

Überzone (another group from Los Angeles)

that I saw at the Mayan Theater with The Crystal Method

Always drawn to Scandi darkness, and some all too relevant food for thought...

On the flip side, I do love a bit of lightness and spontaneous ‘music and people happenings.’

Pssst Lars, I do need your entire record collection please, but I think there might start to be some loading issues soon.

No pressure, but we may need a new thread, or, you should definitely do this again soon/at some point:)