SOUNDTRACK: KISHI BASHI-“Honeybody” (2016).
I love Kishi Bashi and am always excited to see him live and to hear new music from him.
Much like the story, this song is remarkably cheerful and happy. It feels different and special in Kishi Bashi’s canon. All of the Kishi Bashi elements are there: strings, looping, soaring vocals, but there’s a few novel moments as well.
The chorus, for instance has an island feel. The way he sings “Maybe sipping a Coca-Cola with me, babe” you can feel your feet in the sand.
But first there’s an orchestral string opening, following by some manipulated pizzicato plucking and Kishi’s singing
Then the chorus
Cause everybody wants a Honeybody someday
Mama said they don’t grow on them trees easy
Hands down on the ground
I’m begging you to please, Honeybody, please me
Followed by some lovely soaring oooh oooh oohs in the post chorus.
The song seems like it could just end with another repeated chorus, but after the post chorus, the song shifts gears to a buzzy synth sound. The song turns vaguely electronic with a soaring violin as he sings the chorus to a new melody.
Delightful happy music. #stopasianhate (I mean, really, knock it off).
For a delightful twist on the song, check out this version with the Nu Deco Ensemble
[READ: March 13, 2021] “Honey Pie”
Most of Murakami’s stories are abstract or, at the very least, kind of puzzling There’s usually some vaguely supernatural element to them that you’re never sure exactly how to read (and it usually doesn’t matter because the story is good.) This story, which like most of the others was translated by Jay Rubin, is it only the most straightforward story of his that I’ve read, it is one of the most beautiful.
The story begins with a man telling a little girl a story. The story is about Masakichi the bear, the all time number one honey bear. The girl, Sala, asks many questions about the story–good, thoughtful questions (“Can bears count money?”). The storyteller, Junpei, loved the girl and the questions. The questions helped him to guide the story that he was making up.
Junpei was a professional writer, but these storytelling gigs were for his best friend Sayoko and her child Sala. Sala had been having some terrible nightmares ever since the earthquake hit Kobe. They don;t live near Kobe, but tit’s been on the news every day. Sala fears that the Earthquake Man is in the house and she can’t settle down until she checks every single possible place in their house. Finally Sayoko called Junpei because he stays up all night writing anyway. (more…)
I Just Read About That... 