KyleParkinson.com

For years, I’ve always gone back to Super Furry Animals’ “Hello Sunshine” when I needed a little pick-me-up. One of the main reasons was the dreamy, airy intro, which I never realized was a sample (it makes sense now, but I just never thought of it). The vocal harmonies and sparse, ambient guitars create a perfect melodic swirl. And the lyrics take me away:

So hard to say goodbye
Meaning it today
I’ve said goodbye before
Leaving you alone
By the sea, by the sea
We were thrown together
A world unlike our own
Believing in each other
We drifted far away
By the sea, by the sea

The back story is even better. The song comes from Wendy & Bonnie’s 1969 album Genesis, which has just recently been released in CD format. The two are sisters from San Francisco, their last name Flower, I swear. A hidden gem indeed, I’ll be buying the full album as soon as my eMusic downloads reset.

I had a couple other ethereal music discoveries as I walked around in a post-nap daze at midnight on Saturday. I think I’ll come up with my own Late Night Tales compilation and post it soon, so stay tuned. For now, enjoy “By the Sea”:

MP3: Wendy & Bonnie - By the Sea

(Thanks to Gorilla vs. Bear for the discovery.)