Today is one of my favorite days of the week! @ablaze started #threetunetuesday awhile back, to encourage us to share the music we love. Hivians hail from all parts of the world, and each week I am always astonished by the diversity of tunes! As the man himself says "It's Class" 馃榿
Last week I had the pleasure of running into a post by @whywhy, which featured a give away centered around a "Tune Train"- a connection between the three songs. Annnnnnnd- I guessed it! What a brilliant feeling 馃槉! So today, I am doing a giveaway of my own to spread the smiles!
This week I will pose a few questions in my post, if one inspires you, comment your thoughts on it! A week from now, I will award 1 HBI to three commenters based on the quality of their answers.
I'm a huge fan of the band IDLES! A handful of weeks back, I shared my experience at a concert of theirs. I've been climbing out of a funk, and the interactions I had there, along with the beautiful spirit of the fans, was one of the first steppingstones to better days for me.
Like a good show will do to you, I could NOT stop listening to them for WEEKS... well, I shouldn't even define the period of time, because their beautiful sound still echoes in my home on a daily basis.
The first song I'm sharing is not by IDLES, it is by Sleaford Mods, which is relevant for a few reasons. The first of which is that @killerwot turned me on to them, in the comment section of my above post 馃榿 I absolutely love their funky punk vibe!
Speaking of @killerwot, he's helping make a hive documentary- how flipping cool is that?! He also works on the lore for the psyberX project, writes wicked cool sci-fi stories, and talks about some techy game stuff that I don't totally get... but it's interesting! He obvi has great music taste- oh, and he's gonna be a dad soon! You should check him out if you're not hip 馃槑
Mork and Mindy- Sleaford Mods
It was hella difficult to select ONE tune from this band, but I kept leaning towards this banger. It happens to be the first song youtube landed me on. I was trying to wind down after a frustrating day with the littles- my youngest seems to be sprouting teeth like a shark... OK THAT'S DRAMATIC...
but it feels REAL aggressive
Daaaaaance it out. That's my answer. I've said it before, and I'll probably say it again. Movement and music is SOUL medicine 馃槏 Get up and stomp out some issues, wiggle away from what brings you down.
DO IT
Or not... I'm not the boss of you. I love this song because the moment I heard it, my body started to move itself! I had a blast shaking through my first listen, and that is SHARE WORTHY!
1.What helps you when you feel overwhelmed? Share a time you felt like you were at a breaking point, and how you overcame that.
My next song will highlight why I made the statement about IDLES above- for real, I almost just did three tunes from them! I think for this week, just this one will do however. Cause it's a BIG ONE!
Samaritans
Man up, sit down
Chin up, pipe down
Socks up, don't cry
Drink up, just lie
"Grow some balls," he said
"Grow some balls"
I struggled R E A L L Y hard with the decision to post this song, because it addresses an issue that people tend to get super up in arms over. Toxic Masculinity. Does that phrase make you mad?
If so, there's a very good chance that it doesn't mean what you think it does. It CERTAINLY does NOT mean that masculinity itself is toxic. Nope. Not one bit. It is the idea that this expectation of ideal "masculinity" is toxic to men- really to everyone. Being a man isn't about suffering in silence, taking on more than you can... but society seems to tell men that it is. This is harmful.
I remember going to see a movie in theaters with my dad, I can no longer remember what the film was... I'll never forget the most important scene though, which unfolded right next to me.
My father sniffled, and I looked up at his face. My dad is 6'2, a fucking goliath. He used to run 5 miles a day just to stay sharp, he did it with me on his shoulders when I was tiny. My big strong dad had a few tears on his cheeks. CONCERN.
"This is why you never see your father cry."
I didn't even know my dad COULD cry, in the way that kids just have no frame of reference but wonder. We spoke about it later and he told me, "Well, when a movie is really beautiful, then it's OKAY for men to cry a bit. It's human." I can hear him in my head now decades later, clear as day.
I want to go back and tell him, "It's always human dad, PEOPLE cry." so instead I'll tell you. If being "enough" of a man makes you think you can't express yourself THAT'S BULLSHIT!
2.How do we support men in being vulnerable? What actions can we undertake to open the door for men's mental health to thrive?
"I'm a real boy, Boy, and I cry. I like myself, and I want to try."
Joe Talbot, the singer of IDLES, has repeatedly talked about how the expectations set on men have hurt him. At one point in the song he yells "I kissed a boy and I liked it!" an extremely bold statement in the punk community. This tune is a protest to sterotypes.
Joe cries, he embraces who he is even if it might lose him fans, he talks about his pain. Losing a child, the alcoholism of his mother, difficulties in connecting with the world because of personal damage. I deeply admire that bravery, that fight for the next generation of WHOLE people.
3.If you are male, how has the toxic expectation for men to be "manly" impacted you? Do you feel your life would be different without that?"
So, I got a bit heavy there... I do that.
Let's wind down with some good ole silliness 馃榿 You may remember from my #ttt post where I shared "Impression that I get", I just ADORE talented nonsense! Here is another shining example of that, which brings me great joy:
Down at McDonaldz- Electric Six
WHAT in the French toast is this song even about?!
Closing is the gift to the night shift,
and now you've got two minutes to go!
NoweverybodydownatMcDonnellzzztheydownwithRonnellMcDonnellandnowtheyhittingthebottleandeverybody COOOOOL! Yep. That's what he said!
My people need a place to gooooooo!
This song makes me think of teenage years, drinking vodka mixed into our soda cups, lurking in parking lots until our curfews called us home. Although, for my gang, it was BK all DAY.
4.If you are a parent, what's something you did as a teen, that you cringe to think of your kids doing?
For me personally, I was a naughty kid. I feel for my dad, I really do. I was always on the edge of expulsion or getting expelled. Constantly suspended, (Why would they suspend you for skipping school? Bad job being truant, now go do it with our blessing! huh?) the cops called my pops to come get me more than once... I just got in trouble man!
You know what made me wise up though? The shared experience, and good advice of awesome friends. So, I will end with one last question for you:
5.What is the best piece of advice you've ever recieved? Who gave it to you, and how did you put it to good use?
As always, it was fun to share some songs I love with the community! I am excited for my first ever giveaway, and hope that one or more of my questions encouraged you to participate! In total I asked five things, pick one, or all of them if you'd like! Next Tuesday, I will announce the winners in my post!
@killerwot turned me on to them, in the comment section of my above post 馃榿 I absolutely love their funky punk vibe!