Monthly Archives: May 2015

My iPod #481: Orson – Happiness

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Never was into Orson that much. The band somehow got to number one with “No Tomorrow” back in 2006, which to me is still one of the most random chart toppers this country’s had, released an album in the same year that I guess people cared for a bit due to the success the single got, followed it up the next year with another that people didn’t care for as much and then split up because of it. The group’s existence was a bit strange.

Though the group didn’t make my kind of music, I did enjoy “Happiness” a lot. Still do. The track was released as the third single from Orson’s debut album “Bright Idea“; it just about got into the top thirty when it came out continuing a trend of a steady slide down the charts whenever they released a new single which is quite disappointing. I do consider it to be a much better track than “No Tomorrow”, not that I think it should be a number hit or anything, but it just because it’s a lot more modest. It gets its message out without being too full on. A mid-tempo feel good pop-rock track about the happiness (that happens?) when the one you love is around.

My iPod #480: Queens of the Stone Age – Hangin’ Tree

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It’s been a while. It’s time to start things up again. It was very lucky that the last post was able to be written at the time it was; the past month or so has been a bit full on in terms of university work. But that’s all done and gone. Could I have a done a few update posts here and there? Maybe… But you don’t wanna know about me, you’re just here for the music.

And the first song of the “H” section is “Hangin’ Tree”, a song on the album Songs for the Deaf by Queens of the Stone Age that always has me wishing that I knew how to play the bass or the drums, preferably both, because the rhythm is too much for me to handle. I can’t help but move and bob my head to the 5/8 (5/4? I don’t know) time signature.

The lead vocals in “Hangin’ Tree” are performed by Mark Lanegan, and after being screamed at for a minute and a few seconds by former bassist Nick Oliveri in “Six Shooter“, it sounds too good when the man’s trademark low and rough voice drags out the first words of the song. Mm mm mm.

I remember this track being one that I would always skip over when I listened to the album for the first time almost a decade ago. That was at a time when I was only into the singles, and didn’t care that much for deeper cuts. But actually getting past the opening bass riff one day immensely opened my eyes and ears. It’s been one of my favourite tracks from the album for a while now.

Here’s the original version of the track released a year prior to its release on SftD, it’s a bit slower and misses that little extra beat that much more pronounced on the album. It’s still the same song, all that matters.