Hey ToMe FromMe fans! Sozoz for no blog in a long time, but with worlds colliding and hearts breaking we haven’t had much time to get your feet shaking………. that is until NOW! Enjoy the pop friendly, heart warming, feel good song of the year (“If you only listen to one song this year make sure it is..”) Heart Feel Better. This one could easily sit in the catologue of Kylie Minogue, Gold Frapp or a disco version sung by Donna Summer. All the songs on this blog get posted here if you want to download them!
Hey There Broom Heads! Tome Fromme (to me from me) here with an awesome blast from the past! Who didn’t like Degrassi Jnr High and then Degrassi High as an annoying teenager! Well, do we have a treat for you! Our own mega mix re-mix medley style nonsense of the title song plus the Zit Remedy’s number one hit ‘Everybody Wants Something’
This film contains a soundtrack that ToMe FromMe did for our friend Anna Helme who works for Engage Media. The footage was taken as part of the Climate Camp Australia 2008 protests.
INDEPENDENT MEDIA AT CLIMATE CAMP AUSTRALIA 2008
by EngageMedia – last modified 2008-07-21 21:28
EngageMedia helped to coordinate an independent media centre for Climate Camp Australia 2008 (July 10 – 14) at the Octapod, a not for profit independent arts and new media organisation based in the heart of Newcastle. Around 20 video makers, photographers and bloggers used this space to create their own media coverage of the Climate Camp workshops, discussions and actions to build a community-based movement for real action on climate change. We were able to present our own stories as a counter-measure to the often simplistic and conflict-based accounts presented in the mainstream media. Climate Camp has been a rich and diverse exploration of positive action on climate change, and ways to build alliances by the many different communities who are stepping up their efforts to convince governments to take real action, and to take it now, before it is too late. The major focus of the camp was on coal exports, as Newcastle is the world’s largest coal port, and therefore one of Australia’s major contributions to greenhouse gas emissions. For more click here
Who is John Henry I hear you ask. Well, to me it was a They Might Be Giants album, an awesome album at that but not much more. This could be because I am not an American, and don’t go much for folk music or history. However, our good friends The BJ’s are so regaled by this folk hero that they named their van after him. An excerpt from The BJ’s blog-
Pedestrian Traffic by beccy joe
If we are chillaxing in John Henry for long enough when there is pedestrian traffic going by, someone will eventually be heard to remark to someone else “John Henry!” (because we have his name written on the side panel and people get excited about it and want to say it aloud). Sometimes they’ll say it with a knowing laugh and we assume they know the legend. Sometimes they’ll just state it like a fact. Bj and I always smile joyously at each other when an innocent passerby feels compelled to say the name of John Henry aloud.
Sometimes people also/alternatively remark “…British…Columbia…” because our plates are from B.C. and I think we may be the only Canadian registered car on the U.S. road, so it takes them a while to process the phenomenon of our exotic number plates. (click here for more of Beccy’s blog)
OK so the number plate bit isn’t relevant to my story but I thought it was funny. Anyhoo, finally I hear that BJ is a collector of John Henry songs, so, Beccy Joe, here is the official ToMe FromMe version of ‘John Henry’. Enjoy.
Lyrics
Well, John Henry was a little baby
Sittin’ on his daddy’s knee,
He pick up a hammer and a little piece of steel,
And cried, “Hammer’s gonna be the death of me, Lord, Lord,
Hammer’s gonna be the death of me”
Now the captain he said, to John Henry,
“I’m gonna bring that steam drill ’round,
I’m gonna bring that steam drill out on these tracks,
I’m gonna knock that steel on down, God, God,
Gonna knock that steel on down”
John Henry told his captain,
“Lord, man ain’t nothin’ but a man,
Before I let that steam drill beat me down
I’m gonna die with a hammer in my hand, Lord, Lord,
Die with a hammer in my hand”
John Henry driving on the right side,
That steam drill driving on the left,
Says, “Before I’ll let your steam drill beat me down
I’m gonna hammer myself to death, Lord, Lord
I’ll hammer my fool self to death”
Well, captain said to John Henry,
“What is that storm I hear?”
John Henry said, “That ain’t no storm
Captain, that’s just my hammer in the air, Lord, Lord
That’s just my hammer in the air”
John Henry said to his shaker
“Shaker, why don’t you sing?
‘Cause I’m swigin’ thirty pounds from my hips on down
Yeah, listen to my cold steel ring, Lord, Lord
Listen to my cold steel ring”
Now John Henry, he hammered in the mountains
His hammer was striking fire
But he worked so hard, he broke his heart
John Henry laid his hammer and died, Lord, Lord
John Henry laid down his hammer and died
Well, now John Henry, he had him a woman
By the name of Polly Ann
She walked down to those tracks, picked up John Henry’s hammer
Polly drove steel like a man, Lord, Lord
Polly drove that steel like a man
Hey!
Well every Monday morning
When the bluebird he begin to sing
You can hear John Henry from a mile or more
You can hear John Henry’s hammer ring, Lord, Lord
You can hear John Henry’s hammer ring
say it again!
John Henry isn’t just a man he is more than that you see.
He drives around with some aussies out bound,
looking to be wild and free.
So should you see him at a pass,
with an awkward glance,
just smile and nod and give ur gal a prod
for lord he is finally free Lord, Lord he is finally free.
Some getting to know you banter from ToMe FromMe praccy on 13/7. As a kid who didn’t love odd smells and weird tastes? I recall liking to lick the fly screen on the back door because it had a kinda weird metallic and salty taste…….. I was a lonely child Also, I must of been a well behaved child as my favourite thing was to get a scratch ‘n sniff sticker off the teach. Noice. Though the smell never lasted that long. And now as an adult, the smell of artificial watermelon flavour and original Hubba Bubba reminds me instantly of hot summers spent languishing under the fan in the living room, lethargically masticating bubble gum that had the flavour long gone, whilst watching my fave video “Great Balls of Fire”, odd choice I know, but kids are weird.
Ever wondered what Billy Idol would sound like if instead of being a rebellious punk rocker with a penchant for snarling he was, in fact a wealthy cigar smoking, robe wearing plantation owner in Jamaica?
Well these are the thoughts that cross ToMe FromMe’s mind all the time, well that and other excuses to dress in robes, smoke cigars and croon a little.
So please enjoy this laid back little ditty to me from me.
Thanks to Billy Idol and Steve Stevens for their talents.
Welcome everybody to the very first ToMe FromMe blog post! Today we have a super special treat- a live recording of ‘Round And Round’, the saddest most sombre of all TMFM songs, so grab the hankies (that is, not Mr Hankie-re Mikhaela’s poor vocal impressions heard at the end of the take) and enjoy.
Disclaimer- ‘Round And Round’ was recorded in a rehearsal studio with one mic. The proper recording will be available for free download very shortly.