"Helplessness Blues" Fleet Foxes

 















Not representative of how I feel, just a song I've been enjoying.

"Helplessness Blues" Fleet Foxes

"Hello" Martin Solveig feat. Dragonette

I've heard this track at least three times since arriving in South Africa.

"Hello" Martin Solveig feat. Dragonette

"Only Girl (In The World)" Rihanna

I'm spending the next month in a volunteer house with ten girls! Today I was singing a parody version of this song to myself: "Only Guy (In This House)". Feel free to sing the new lyrics along too.

"Only Girl (In The World)" Rihanna

"Cough Syrup" Young the Giant

 

It's pretty easy to overload on Kwaito music. I find that interspersing it with dashes of your favorite genres makes it more palatable. (If I had listened to the whole "Y the G" album before posting a track in December, this would've been the one)

"Cough Syrup" Young the Giant

"Gogo Tsotsi" New Age

 
















I'm loving this song's groove.

"Gogo Tsotsi" New Age

"Nkalakatha" Mandoza

I present to you music from a genre that I was entirely unaware of: kwaito.

"Nkalakatha" Mandoza

"Nelson Mandela" The Special A.K.A.

 















This song's chorus was ingrained in my head after visiting the Apartheid Museum. It's not a great song, but it is for a pretty great guy.

"Nelson Mandela" The Special A.K.A.

"Civilian" Wye Oak

This cover depicts exactly how I would handle the Johannesburg heat, if only Joburg had beaches.

"Civilian" Wye Oak

"Yellow" Coldplay

This song is dedicated to my good friend JV, who spent a couple hours of his Sunday helping me prove to South African Airways that I had been vaccinated for Yellow Fever. Thank you.

"Yellow" Coldplay

"Jurema" Tim Maia

 
















The Brazilian James Brown? I think yes.

"Jurema" Tim Maia

"Rebel Rebel" Seu Jorge

This Brazilian artist was recommended to me by AC. I enjoy its ability to make me want to nap.

"Rebel Rebel" Seu Jorge

"The Girl From Ipanema" Frank Sinatra

This song is true about many female Ipanema residents.

"The Girl From Ipanema" Frank Sinatra

"Corcovado" Stan Getz & Joao Gilberto

I probably should have posted this one when we actually went to Corcovado...

"Corcovado" Stan Getz

"Beautiful" Snoop Dogg feat. Pharrell

Today we went to Parque Lage where the end of this music video was filmed. It was a most awesome location. Video link below...

"Beautiful" Snoop Dogg feat. Pharrell
"Beautiful" Music Video @ Parque Lage 

"I Know You Know" Esperanza Spalding

 













For those still wondering who the Best New Artist grammy winner is, I present to you my jazz bassist/singer dream girl.

"I Know You Know" Esperanza Spalding

"Botafogo" Official Theme?

Going to a Botafogo football game today!

"Botafogo" Official Theme?

"Firework" Katy Perry

 
















 A tribute to our new Brazilian friend GC. Thanks for showing us gringos around.

"Firework" Katy Perry

"Whip My Hair" Willow Smith

This song was heard today at the Cristo de Redentor statue. Jesus, despite Willow's insistence that he whip his hair, was unfazed. (Sorry this song is so terrible)

"Whip My Hair" Willow Smith

"Copacabana" Barry Manilow

I never thought I would feature Barry Manilow on this blog, but this song was too obvious given Rio district MV and I are staying in.

"Copacabana" Barry Manilow

"Panama" Van Halen

 















 En route to Rio de Janeiro I had a layover in Panama City. Though I didn't get to see the canal, I did get this song stuck in my head.

"Panama" Van Halen

"When I Grow Up" First Aid Kit

A nice cover of a song I didn't realize needed covered.

"When I Grow Up" First Aid Kit

"Nina Bonita" Chino y Nacho

It only took me a month to figure out what this rampant song was called...

"Nina Bonita" Chino y Nacho

"Black & Yellow" Wiz Khalifa

Here we go. I wish I'd brought my terrible towel.

"Black & Yellow" Wiz Khalifa

"Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)" Kenny Rogers

One of the volunteers has a host mom that loves Kenny Rogers. It's a point of hilarity.

"Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)" Kenny Rogers

"Alejate De Mi" Camila

 A regular tune on the radio in the odontologia. Funny, I can hear something like this playing at my dentist's office at home too.

"Alejate De Mi" Camila

"Roses" Harlowe and The Great North Woods

Globetrotting can't keep me from discovering new music.

"Roses" Harlowe and The Great North Woods

"Heal The World" Michael Jackson

Yesterday one of the lab techs asked me "Que dice en Espanol?", when this song came on the radio. Hopefully MJ's message was carried through in my attempted translation.

"Heal The World" Michael Jackson

"Ponchito" Peruvian Band

 Today marks the first ever video on the blog! It should have been posted some time ago, but I finally found a place with fast enough wifi to get it uploaded. This was filmed on the streets of Aguas Calientes.