This is a cool picture. And it’s of musician Josh Pyke as he filmed the video for his song, “Make You Happy.” The special boat was created to the exact specifications of the Maton acoustic guitar that he plays.

For the record, Pyke does not regularly ride through the Sydney Harbor in t his boat. (But he’s apparently a huge fan of the slide guitar.)

(Also, you might notice some interesting number patterns going on here … he’s keeping beat with music in 4/4 time … while juggling three balls … with two hands. It’s beautiful.) Thank you to my friend, Marcin, for sending us this link. Cheers!

I missed her recent concert in my neck of the woods. But I heard it was great. It’s always cool—and rare—when a musician’s live performances are better than their studio recordings. But, according to YouTube, Sara Bareilles is even better in front of an audience. Perfect pitch and interesting melodies … very cool.

A great example is her performance of the song, “Bottle It Up.” Sitting with her band on a pier overlooking a lake, Sara B. totally shines. It’s really good stuff. Check it out:

There was just one thing that always confused me. In each chorus, the band sings, “Our house, in the middle of the street.” When I was about four years old—when I first heard this song—I was totally confused. I thought this meant their house was built in the middle of the road. So I wondered, “how is the traffic supposed to go around them?”

It’s funny how the brain works … or doesn’t work. Of course, now I get it. The band just meant their house was not a corner lot. So they had neighbors on either side. But, to this day, the same old image pops into my mind. And I picture a traffic jam caused by that darn building awkwardly planted in the pavement.

Anyway, here is the song in its full glory. Enjoy!

And he’s especially good at playing the harmonica. You know, that little metal instrument you play with your mouth. When John Popper starts to play, everybody stops to listen. It’s amazing.

But the first few times I saw Blues Traveler on TV, I was confused. I wondered, “Why is that guy wearing machine gun bullet straps across his chest? That’s a weird stage costume.” Ahhh, but it turns out I was wrong. John Popper’s chest straps aren’t for bullets—they hold all his harmonics!

Because each harmonica plays only one key, he has a whole arsenal of harmonicas … read to grab. It’s pretty cool. So if a song is in the key of C, John Popper picks out his “C” harmonica. If the next song is in Eb, then he’ll choose the “Eb” harmonica, and so on.

To see the man in action, check out this band’s most popular song, Run Around.” This is harmonica playing at its best.

Good news … the world is still full of really good (new) music. Yep, I found out this week as I was driving in my car. Flipping through the radio stations, I didn’t have high hopes. After all, the airwaves are often a musical wasteland. But, just for kicks, I turned to a new station and sat through the commercials—waiting.

So, imagine my delight when I heard the pop masterpiece “King of Anything” by Sara Bareilles. That’s right—masterpiece. It was so good, I had to Google the song right away. It turns out Sara Bareilles has a bunch of excellent songs. And, according to YouTube, her live performances are even better. Holy cow … how did I not know about her music?

Too bad I can’t go to her live concert in two days. It’s sure to be a cool event. Anyway, check out this video. It is really good stuff:

You know, nothing says “summer” like the song “Great Balls of Fire” by Jerry Lee Lewis. It’s a great melody, but the video might be even better. I can’t explain the sudden mood lighting … or the reason Lewis keeps looking at the ceiling. But, hey, that doesn’t matter:

Relaxation CDs are interesting … because they make me so relaxed. Maybe it’s just that I need to get more sleep. But if one of those tracks starts to play on my iPod, I zone out almost immediately.

In fact, the calming music is so soothing that it’s kind of got me confused. I mean, how do the musicians in the studio record that stuff without falling asleep? It’s a mystery, I tell you. Like one of those classic “ship in a bottle” souvenirs you sometimes see in seaport village gift shops. I just don’t know how they do it.

In the world of cinema, Alfred Hitchcock is still known as one of the greatest directors of all time. He was a master of suspense, scaring the [living daylights] out of audiences around the world. Some of his best movies include “Psycho” (1960), “Vertigo” (1958), “Dial M for Murder” (1954), and “Rear Window” (1954). In fact, I still have nightmares just thinking about him.

But like any of this man’s great plotlines, today’s quiz has a slight twist. And that is, which movie is known as the best Hitchcock film that Hitchcock never made? In other words, what famous movie is commonly mistaken as a Hitchcock classic—even though it was directed by someone else? Is it:

a) “To Catch a Thief”
b) “The Birds”
c) “Charade”
d) “The Man Who Knew Too Much”

If you answered “Option C,” you are correct. Each one of these films is by Alfred Hitchcock—except the thriller “Charade.” Directed by Stanley Donen in 1963, it was an instant cinematic hit.

Everything about this movie feels like an Alfred Hitchcock film. The suspense, the dark lighting, the plot twists, and even the leading man. (Cary Grant starred in multiple Hitchcock masterpieces.)

But a big reason “Charade” feels like the “real thing” is because of its music. Every note of this film’s haunting melody—composed by Henry Mancini—is brilliant. Like it was written for one of Alfred Hitchcock’s own stories. As far as theme songs go, “Charade” has one of the very best. But watch out—this song is so catchy, it might actually kill you.

All this talk about happy birthdays has got me thinking about another great song for celebrating life … “Birthday” by The Beatles.

Written in 1968, “Birthday” was released as a single by the band—becoming an instant favorite for millions of people. It’s even more energetic than the traditional tune “Happy Birthday.” And it features a 1950s vibe with rockin’ guitars, hand-clapping, and drums.

The story goes that The Beatles totally made up the song in the studio. Feeling inspired, Paul McCartney started playing the main riff on the piano. And then his band mates just joined in. After a couple of hours, the song was complete and ready for the radio. Man, those guys are good. Check it out: