Screwed

It’s my sweetheart’s birthday. So I’ve made this short mix of chopped & screwed love songs. I know, how can you improve upon these songs by slowing the tempo down to between 60 – 70 quarter-note beats per minute and applying techniques such as skipping beats, record scratching, stop-time, and affecting portions of the music to make a “chopped-up” version of the original? (definition via wikipedia).

Well, at the right place and time, it strikes me as real nice. Especially in the late night hours. So, this one’s for you baby.

Track listing:

Between The Sheets- Isley Brothers (DJ Screw)

Love And Happiness- Al Green (DJ Rico Sparks)

All I Need- Method Man (DJ Screw)

Have You Seen Her- The Chi-lites (OG Ron C)

Purple Rain- Prince (OG Ron C)

Get Screwed

The King Of Love Is Dead

Why? (The King Of Love Is Dead)- Nina Simone

I Wish I Was A Mole In The Ground

I love the song “Rock In The Sea” by Shocking Blue, which incorporates some of the lyrics and spirit of the old mountain tune “I Wish I was A Rock In The Sea,” first recorded by the folklorist Bascom Lamar Lunsford.

Rock In The Sea- Shocking Blue

As a fruit tree salesman, Lunsford travelled extensively through North Carolina and traded traditional tunes with his customers and acquaintances.

I Wish I Was A Mole In The Ground- Bascom Lamar Lunsford

Jackson C. Frank borrowed from the song as well, incorporating later verses of the song into his song “Kimbie,” from his eponymous 1965 album.

Kimbie- Jackson C. Frank

A few years ago, Marianne Faithfull sang Kimbie for her Easy Come Easy Go album.

Kimbie- Marianne Faithfull

Greil Marcus wrote of the song in his book Lipstick Traces:

Yeah, what he said. That’s basically why I like this song and those it inspired.

Also, moles are practically blind, survive on earthworms and mice, and are non-existent in Ireland.

By the way, I write comics…

Dear Readers,

I’d like to introduce you to another side of the Gentlebear, the one who has created comic zines over the past ten years, and now has a collection of my best work, Bethea’s Illustrated, published by my dear friend Gerard Smith of the band TV On The Radio. Truly a renaissance man, Gerard has now delved into the world of book publishing, and over the past year has grumpily admonished me to “finish the damn book.” Well, now it’s done, and up for sale at betheasillustrated.com. This is a limited run of 300. People laugh and cry out loud when they read it, I kid you not. Please check it out.

Best,

E.A. Bethea

“The Gentlebear”

By Special Request…

Here is my 2009 Christmas mix, which is so similar to my 2008 Christmas mix that I decided not to post it until now. It is 30 minutes longer than last year’s version, so it can’t be all that similar. Here she is:

The Now Sound of Christmas- Gentlebear Christmas 2009

Featuring:

The Free Design

Tomita

Linus & Charlie Brown

Marvin Gaye

Johnny Cash

Jimmy Smith

Electric Jungle

The Ronettes

Buck Owens

Mike Nicolai

The Deck Five

The Pogues

Augie Rios

The Beach Boys

Merle Haggard

Brian Wilson

Harlem Children’s Choir

Ike & Tina Turner

Jimmy Stewart

The Ventures

Vince Guaraldi

Barbie

Run-DMC

Electric Jungle

New Kids On The Block

The Superimposers

The Louvin Bros.

Stevie Wonder

The Waitresses

The Aggrovators

The Whole Motown Gang

The Black On White Affair

Mary Margaret O’Hara