THE VALERIE VARIATIONS

A good song is a good song.


Just another band from Liverpool, The Zutons. Here they perform "Valerie" on the Jools Holland show in London. They wrote the song.

"Valerie" meets Amy in this clip. Naked and unplugged, badgirl Amy Winehouse really nails it backstage, bringing out the soul of the song. She gets a lot of press for her scandalous behavior, but Miss Trouble can really sing. Now she owns it.

Finally, Mark Ronson, who produced Amy's "Back to Black" album, arranges the full kitchen sink production using Amy Winehouse on vocals and a hot backup band (and in the video, some Winehouse wannabes called "The Winettes"). Ronson brought Valerie to the club.

Did you have to go to jail, put your house on up for sale, did you get a good lawyer?
I hope you didn't catch a tan, I hope you find the right man who'll fix it for you
Are you shopping anywhere, changed the colour of your hair, are you busy?
And did you have to pay the fine you were dodging all the time are you still dizzy?

'Cos since I've come on home, well my body's been a mess
And I've missed your ginger hair and the way you like to dress
Won't you come on over
Stop making a fool out of me
Why won't you come on over Valerie?

OCTOBER SONGS

October Song

The time is right. It's October, and here's everyone's favorite funky sexy retro soul alcohol-and-substance-abusing diva, Amy Winehouse, singing October Song. We love you Amy, so kick that shit and live.

Maybe the girl can't help it. We can't help posting another Amy Winehouse clip, one of her best songs, performed live in Scotland:


Back to Black

CELEBRITY CRAP NEWS

It's obvious, we spend too much time thinking about celebrities. Turn on the TV, pick up a magazine, and you're buried in a wave of celebrity sludge. It's the fast food of the news, the greasy, salty, heart attack special, and we're drawn to it like Newton's apple was drawn to the earth.
There is a gravitational pull to Brad Pitt and what's-her-name. Beyonce and Jay-Z. Whatever. A little less superficial crap would be a good thing, sure, but people aren't about to skip celebrity gossip and start reading Kierkegaard or anything. Gossip makes us feel better about ourselves, maybe a little superior. Kierkegaard, on the other hand, fills us with dread, absurdity, and the great harrowing abyss. Definitely no fun. And, hey...Know what I heard?

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie

Soren Kierkegaard

I heard Amy Winehouse got thrown in jail! Laurie Anderson and Lou Reed got married. Madonna is planning to adopt again. Guillermo del Toro, director of "Pan's Labyrinth," will direct the "Hobbit" for Peter Jackson. Soren Kierkegaard was voted off "Dancing with the Stars." Alicia Keys has a spiffy new album. Actor Wesley Snipes got three years in prison for tax evasion.

And you thought you had problems, home skillet!

I DIED A HUNDRED TIMES

British soul singer Amy Winehouse is big trouble. You know it, and I know it. The US government agrees, and denied the singer a visa to enter the country and attend the Grammys, where she's been nominated for six awards, including Album of the Year. It's well known that she's struggling with rehab (insert obvious comments here) but we think the girl deserves a break.
The Department of Homeland Security (perhaps fearing bad publicity) finally issued a waiver to the "dangerous" soul singer, but Amy has decided to stay home. The latest in a long line of self-destructive, addicted, soulful singers, she will perform via satellite.

Yup, there are more important things in the world (insert your list here) but we had to run this clip of Amy performing "Back to Black" at the 2007 Glastonbury Music Festival. Wicked cool.

THE GIRL CAN'T HELP IT

What's with you, Amy Winehouse? Are you going down in flames? You make a great record, then fall apart like a cheap suit? I hope not. Last month you got busted for weed in Norway. Your husband was tossed into jail. Last night, the crowd booed your show because you were high as a kite and slurring your words. So you threatened the booing crowd. Amy. Come on. Pull out of this tailspin. Watch these girls. They did it first. They had a hard sweet sound and bad girl beehives. They had troubles, too, but they were tough as steel combs in a rumble. Learn something from the Ronettes.