The Killers: "A Dustland Fairytale"

I used to watch David Letterman religiously when I was in college, but late-night TV in general isn't as attractive an option these days as a good full-night's sleep. And even if I was able to stay awake long enough to watch, staying up to the end of the show just so I could see the musical "talent" is just not worth it. Most live performances, irrespective of whichever of the vast myriad of talk shows that are on at that hour, are highly average at best. Recently, however, I managed to keep my eyes propped open long enough to be absolutely transfixed by one group's performance on Letterman. If you missed this amazing performance, I am so excited to be able to share it with you here. From the first plucks of the harp to the final guitar chords, The Killers' performance of "A Dustland Fairytale" had me mesmerized, glued to my seat, and completely drawn in.

From what little I have been able to find about this song, lead singer Brandon Flowers wrote this song about his parents. They met, grew up and fell in love in the same trailer park. His dad was an alcoholic and converted to Mormonism when Brandon was five. (Brandon is still a devout and practicing Mormon, even as a rock-&-roller.) The last part of the song refers to his mother, who is battling cancer of some form, and was still alive as of December of 2008 when Rolling Stone interviewed the band for an article (a very good article, I might add, and worth reading). I considered adding the lyrics, but all I could find were various attempts by someone besides Brandon Flowers to decipher the words. I am including, however, the stanza about his mom:


Now Cinderella don't you go to sleep
It's such a bitter form of refuge
Ahh don't you know the kingdoms under siege
And everybody needs you
Is there still magic in the midnight sun
Or did you leave it back in sixty-one
In the of the cadence in the young man's eyes
And where the dreams roll high


Here's their performance from Letterman. Enjoy!!

Another Video--This One's REALLY GOOD!!!

I had hoped to do more posting over the weekend, but we had a friend in from Wisconsin as well as a shin-dig in his honor, and I am still pretty much a worn out cookie. So for your listening and viewing pleasure, and until I get back to posting more stuff, here is a video of our friend Jessica. She is a senior in high school and is performing here at her school's version of American Idol. Not only is she lovely inside and out, she has a beautiful voice. As if that's not cool enough, she also races BMX with us and is rated #3 in the nation. She's the whole package. I think you'll enjoy hearing her sing, even with Grandma's cell phone going off in the middle of her song!

More stuff--baby, Chester and otherwise--to come soon. Oh, before I pass you on to the video, I have to tell you about what The Hoffer did today. He left for Augusta, Georgia this afternoon. Those of you who are golf fans have a pretty good idea of what I'm about to tell you: YES HE'S GOING TO THE MASTERS!!!! Tuesday only, but WHO CARES???? If you're not a golf/sports fan, The Masters is the most prestigious PGA tournament of the year, as well as the most sought-after and difficult ticket to get in ALL of sports. I can assure you he will be driving up Magnolia Lane in tears Tuesday morning. I'll be in tears with him. He made a short post about it on his blog, so check out Cash Flows when you get a minute.

One final thing: if you are in the mood for some good romance, check out the blog site for Christian romance writer Kristy Dykes. I must embarrassingly confess I have never read Kristy's books, but after reading her blog about her and her husband, WHO NEEDS TO???? (No offense, Kristy!!! I promise to read your books, but are they half as romantic as you and Milton???) These two are the sweetest couple I have ever seen. Kristy was diagnosed with brain cancer last year, and you should read some of the posts her husband Milton has written. Even before her diagnosis, these two are just sick in love with each other. I have been lurking around her blog for a good while, posting only on occasion, but since her diagnosis all I can do is watch and pray. Their absolute devotion to each other is a beautiful thing to see. Please check it out, and keep them on your prayer list.

Alright, without further ado, ladies and gentlemen, performing Misty, I give you the lovely and talented Jessica.

Another Video???

Please, indulge me just one more!!!! I am still getting back into the swing of things after our week in Oklahoma, and I'm still working on my post about our Thanksgiving travels. My sister sent this one to me, and I think you'll get a kick out of it. For whatever reason when I click on the video to play it, I keep getting a pop-up window about navigating away from this page. If you get the same pop-up, click "cancel" and the video will play without a hitch.

Have a good laugh and a good Tuesday!

I'm Having a Meltdown!!!!

Hey all! We are back from Tulsa, Oklahoma, where we spent most of last week celebrating Thanksgiving with friends and fellow BMXers. I have some pictures from the Hall of Fame banquet that I'll post this week. But for now, since Becky asked, here is Steve Taylor's "Meltdown (at Madame Tussaud's). See if you can guess who plays the part of the news reporter. If you miss her during her first shot, don't worry...there's a close-up later on in the video.

More Video

My blogger buddy Jenster posted a Barlow Girl video on her blog today. Barlow Girl is one of my favorite bands, and these girls really know how to rock! Go check out the video for their song "Grey" from their CD "Another Journal Entry". If you get a chance to listen to--BUY--the CD, it's well worth it. Not a bad song in the mix!

In continuing with favorite music videos, I am posting one from a favorite singer from the 80s-90s. Maybe you have heard of Steve Taylor...maybe not. He wasn't someone that was played regularly on Christian radio stations, but certainly not because he wasn't any good. His music pretty much defies classification. But regardless of his style, he always made his point. To get his point, you had to be a little clued in on current events. I always felt like my IQ shot up about 150 points whenever I listened to one of his albums (and believe me, my IQ needed the boost!). This song is called "Lifeboat", and there's a brief synopsis of the song and how it came to be.

And now, ladies and gentlemen, for your listening and viewing pleasure, I give you Steve Taylor.