Song Stuck In My Head This Week - 27th December '09 - Bay City Rollers - Shang-A-Lang

A little late this week but, heck, it's Christmas.

This week's song got planted in my head courtesy of some of the regulars at my friends new pub.

Sometimes the best bit about music is when you can sing along with people and enjoy the music and this song gave me one of those moments this week.

Bay City Rollers made some really catchy pop tunes in the 70s and had a huge following in the UK as well as being successful in the rest of the world including the US. However, success was fleeting and they were as quick to fall out of fashion as they were to rise to success in the first place.

'Shang-A-Lang' is a good track to sum up the fun of the band, however, and I hope you enjoy it!


Bay City Rollers - Shang-A-Lang

We Were Rippin' It Up
We Were Rockin' Up
Roll It Over And Lay It Down

We Were Shakin' It
We Were Breakin' Up
We Were Rockin' To The Shang-a-lang Sound Of The Music

Hey, Hey, Rockin' To The Music.
Hey, Hey, Rockin' To The Music
Rockin' Every Night And Day
Hey, Hey

We Sang Shang-a-lang
And We Ran With The Gang
Doin' Doo-op-dooby-doo-ay
We Were All In The News
With Our Blue Suede Shoes
And Our Dancin' The Night Away

Yeah, We Sang Shang-a-lang
And We Ran With The Gang
Doin' Doo-op-dooby-doo-i
With The Juke Box Playin'
And Everybody Sayin'
That Music Like Ours Couldn't Die

We Were Groovin'
We Were Movin'
Pussy Footin' And Bootin' It 'round

We Were Boppin' It
We Were Hoppin' It
Really Jumping To The Shang-a-lang Sound Of The Music

Hey, Hey, Rockin' To The Music.
Hey, Hey, Rockin' To The Music
Rockin' Every Night And Day
Hey, Hey

We Sang Shang-a-lang
And We Ran With The Gang
Doin' Doo-op-dooby-doo-ay
We Were All In The News
With Our Blue Suede Shoes
And Our Dancin' The Night Away

Yeah, We Sang Shang-a-lang
And We Ran With The Gang
Doin' Doo-op-dooby-doo-i
With The Juke Box Playin'
And Everybody Sayin'
That Music Like Ours Couldn't Die

Shang-a-lang
Shang-a-lang
Shang-a-lang
Shang-a-lang
Shang-a-lang
Shang-a-lang...

Yeah, We Sang Shang-a-lang
And We Ran With The Gang
Doin' Doo-op-dooby-doo-i
With The Juke Box Playin'
And Everybody Sayin'
That Music Like Ours Couldn't Die

Oh, We Sang Shang-a-lang
And We Ran With The Gang
Doin' Doo-op-dooby-doo-ay
We Were All In The News
With Our Blue Suede Shoes
And Our Dancin' The Night Away

Christmas Song Stuck In My Head This Year - East 17 - Stay Another Day

In the last decade or so there have been less and less Christmassy songs recorded by artists, however in the 90s the 'cool' bands of the day would still churn out great sentimental songs just in time for Christmas.

Though 'Babe' by Take That has to come a close second, East 17's 'Stay Another Day' has to come put on top for me.

The piano, the heart-wrenching lyrics, the slight hint of choral qualities, church bells...perfect.

It seems that I am not alone in thinking this either as I have talked to many people in the last week or so who were bringing it up as one of their favourites too.

So here it is for you all.

Enjoy and have a fabulous Christmas!

East 17 - Stay Another Day

Baby if you've got to go away
I don't think
I can take the pain
Won't you stay another day
Oh, don't leave me alone like this
Don't say it's the final kiss
Won't you stay another day

Don't you know
We've come too far now
Just to go
And try to throw it all away
Thought I heard you say
You love me
That your love was gonna be here to stay
I've only just begun
To know you
All I can say is
Won't you stay just one more day

Baby if you've got to go away
I don't think
I can take the pain
Won't you stay another day
Oh, don't leave me alone like this
Don't say it's the final kiss
Won't you stay another day

I touch your face while you are sleeping
And hold your hand
Don't understend what's going on
Good times we had return
To haunt me
Though it's for you
All that I do seem to be wrong

Baby if you've got to go away
I don't think
I can take the pain
Won't you stay another day
Oh, don't leave me alone like this
Don't say it's the final kiss
Won't you stay another day

Song Stuck In My Head This Week - 19th December '09 - Rage Against The Machine - Killing In The Name

I was a 13-year-old when I first heard 'Killing In The Name'. It was a Sunday afternoon as I listened to the Radio 1 Chart Show. All of a sudden the words 'Fuck you I won't do what you tell me' were blasting out of my stereo. It felt like a moment of glory. A moment of understanding. A moment when my stereo was blasting how I felt about life right back at me. It was magic. Even though the lyrics were political, for a 13-year-old in full-on 'teen angst' mode, it was perfect.

Roll on to today, I'm edging ever closer to 30 (36 days to go!!) and the song is being used to protest against the dominance of the Christmas Number 1 spot by the X Factor.

Aside from the weirdness on the following levels:

(1) The prospect of a Christmas Number 1 with the word 'fuck' in it...a lot!

(2) The fact that a song that never reached any higher than 25 in the UK could suddenly be number 1.

(3) The prospect of hearing it announced as Christmas Number 1 on the radio

and finally

(4) Watching it on Christmas TOTP

it's just interesting to see how many people feel so passionately about how they dislike the X Factor.

I personally have no issue with Joe whateverhisnameis who won it and do, to a degree, feel sorry for him. Not only will he possibly not get his number one single that seems to come as standard with this competition, but equally he'll almost certainly be one of the ones who end up on the scrapheap. Over the last 7 years since the ball was started rolling with Pop Idol, very few people have had lasting careers let alone are even remembered. The sad truth is most will have their one hit that makes Simon Cowell etc have their quick shot in the arm of cash before they are discarded as those in charge look to the next series and the next person with the 'x' factor/victim (delete as applicable). It's rare in that game for someone to end up as successful as Leona Lewis, though the show will always give people applying the dream that they might be the next one.

My issues with the whole thing are as follows.

Firstly, I'm bored of the whole lazy process. I wish they'd spend more time finding and nurturing real talent in all genres than just milking the public for as much money as they can for very little reward or substance at the end in the long term.

Secondly, I'm fed up of knowing that whoever it is that wins the thing the week before will be Christmas Number 1 the next week. Yes, Simon Cowell is right when he says that some seriously rubbish tunes have gotten to number 1 at Christmas. I mean, 'Mr Blobby' by Mr Blobby beating Take That's 'Babe'?!?!?! How the hell that happened I'll never know!! And, though it was a fantastic cover version, I never did work out how the suicidally miserable version of 'Mad World' by Gary Jules beat the insanely Christmassy 'Christmas Time (Don't Let The Bells End)' by The Darkness, but at least you used to sit there excited right to the end wondering who was going to make it. It was part of the magic of Christmas for me, even if the charts didn't bother me much the rest of the year.

Last Christmas was more exciting for me simply on the grounds that I'm a HUGE Jeff Buckley fan and was really hoping his version of 'Hallelujah' might have nicked it from the X Factor version but it was not to be.

This Christmas I shall be sat listening to my radio with equal levels of anticipation but it shouldn't come to this in order to make it exciting.

Simon Cowell needs to realise that the problem isn't with the X Factor winner or even, to a degree, with him as a person per se. It's about the fact it makes the whole thing boring and inevitable and that it's actually pretty annoying because of it.

So tomorrow I'll be hoping that Rage Against The Machine make it and then maybe he might think about doing something fresh, new and nowhere near Christmas!!

If you want to join in then go to this link for information:
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?v=box_3&ref=profile&id=557871323#/pages/RAGE-AGAINST-THE-MACHINE-FOR-CHRISTMAS-NO1/197877130755?ref=ts

and then don’t forget to download it or go to 7digital.com where you can ‘gift’ it to your friends....give a little Rage this Christmas!

And, just for the record, I have been humming this all week anyway.

Enjoy and look for a bonus edition of the blog on Thursday!


Rage Against The Machine - Killing In The Name

Killing in the name of!
Some of those that work forces, are the same that burn crosses
Some of those that work forces, are the same that burn crosses
Some of those that work forces, are the same that burn crosses
Some of those that work forces, are the same that burn crosses
Huh!

Killing in the name of!
Killing in the name of

And now you do what they told ya
And now you do what they told ya
And now you do what they told ya
And now you do what they told ya
And now you do what they told ya
And now you do what they told ya
And now you do what they told ya
And now you do what they told ya
And now you do what they told ya
And now you do what they told ya
And now you do what they told ya
But now you do what they told ya
Well now you do what they told ya

Those who died are justified, for wearing the badge, they're the chosen whites
You justify those that died by wearing the badge, they're the chosen whites
Those who died are justified, for wearing the badge, they're the chosen whites
You justify those that died by wearing the badge, they're the chosen whites

Some of those that work forces, are the same that burn crosses
Some of those that work forces, are the same that burn crosses
Some of those that work forces, are the same that burn crosses
Some of those that work forces, are the same that burn crosses
Uggh!

Killing in the name of!
Killing in the name of

And now you do what they told ya
And now you do what they told ya
And now you do what they told ya
And now you do what they told ya
And now you do what they told ya, now you're under control (7 times)
And now you do what they told ya, now you're under control
And now you do what they told ya, now you're under control
And now you do what they told ya, now you're under control
And now you do what they told ya, now you're under control
And now you do what they told ya, now you're under control
And now you do what they told ya, now you're under control
And now you do what they told ya!

Those who died are justified, for wearing the badge, they're the chosen whites
You justify those that died by wearing the badge, they're the chosen whites
Those who died are justified, for wearing the badge, they're the chosen whites
You justify those that died by wearing the badge, they're the chosen whites
Come on!

Yeah! Come on!

Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me
Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me
Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me
Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me
Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me
Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me
Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me
Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me
Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me!
Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me!
Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me!
Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me!
Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me!
Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me!
Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me!
Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me!
Motherfucker!
Uggh!

Song Stuck In My Head This Week - 12th December '09 - Marilyn Manson - Devour

This week I finally got to see Marilyn Manson live and it was a truly fabulous night. As well as getting to hear so many old favourites I also got to hear tracks from his new album 'The High End Of The Low'. It was one of the track from that new album that really got itself firmly lodged in my mind.

'Devour' is possibly the closest Marilyn Manson will get to a ballad and, while still carrying all the traits of traditional Marilyn Manson bleakness, it has a really romantic quality to it as well.

I have been of the opinion for quite some time that, because of the 'strange appearence' of Marilyn Manson, people are overlooking the fact that he writes some amazing songs and that he's an extremely intelligent and talented person. Maybe one day people will see beyond the make-up,

I hope you enjoy this weeks song!!

Marilyn Manson - Devour

I'll swallow up all of you
Like a big bottle of big, big pills
You're the one that I should never take
But I can't sleep until I devour you
I can't sleep until I devour you
You're a flower that's withering
I can't feel your thorns in my head

This is no impressionability
You're not crying, this is blood all over me
You're not crying, this is blood all over me
You're not crying, this is blood all over me
And I'll love you, if you let me
And I'll love you, if you won't make me starve

I used to hold your heart to neck
I know I'll miss you if I close my eyes
But this is loaded with an open film
I'll see you and I'll blow your heart to pieces
[ Marilyn Manson Lyrics are found on www.songlyrics.com ]
I will blow your heart to pieces
I will blow your heart to pieces
I will blow your heart to pieces
And I'll love you, if you let me
And I'll love you, if you won't make me starve
Oh oh oh oh... Oh oh oh oh... Oh oh oh oh... Oh oh oh oh...

My pain's not ashamed to repeat itself
Pain's not ashamed to repeat itself
Pain's not ashamed to repeat itself
Pain's not ashamed to repeat itself
I can't sleep until I devour you
I can't sleep until I devour you
I can't sleep until I devour you
I can't sleep until I devour you
I can't sleep until I devour you
And I'll love you, if you let me
And I'll love you, if you won't make me starve

Song Stuck In My Head This Week - 05th December '09 - Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young - Ohio

Last Sunday I was at the acoustic night I go to at a pub near me and one of my friends did a cover of 'Ohio'. I have loved this song for years but, with the amazing performance he did (aided by a couple of friends to provide the harmonies) it has been stuck in my head all week with ease.

'Ohio' was an anti-Vietnam protest song but, unlike other ones of that era talking about the fighting going on away from home, this song was written about the deaths of four students at the Kent State University in Ohio. They had been present on campus while a group of students were protesting against the war there. The Ohio National Guard came in to the campus to restore order and ended up shooting the four students dead as well as injuring nine others (one of whom suffered permanent paralysis as a result). Some of the students who were shot were actually taking part in the protest but others were merely observers.

The song, in many parts of society, brought home the horror of what had occurred - the youth of America being killed because of a war in Vietnam, but on US soil. I think it is as symbolic how wrong the war in Vietnam was as any of the other protest songs of the time.

This is, in my opinion, a brilliant song and I hope you enjoy it.


Crosby, Stills, Nash And Young - Ohio

Tin soldiers and Nixon coming,
We're finally on our own.
This summer I hear the drumming,
Four dead in Ohio.

Gotta get down to it
Soldiers are cutting us down
Should have been done long ago.
What if you knew her
And found her dead on the ground
How can you run when you know?

Gotta get down to it
Soldiers are cutting us down
Should have been done long ago.
What if you knew her
And found her dead on the ground
How can you run when you know?

Tin soldiers and Nixon coming,
We're finally on our own.
This summer I hear the drumming,
Four dead in Ohio.

Song Stuck In My Head This Week - 28th November '09 - Rihanna - Stupid In Love

Born in 1988 and making her musical mark with 'Pon De Replay' in 2005, Rihanna has risen to become one of the biggest music artists around.

Over the last 12 months, however, the publicity surrounding the violence she suffered at the hands of her then boyfriend, Chris Brown, have over-shadowed her musical success. However this week saw the release of her new album 'Rated R' which I have found to be fantastically edgy and, as someone who's been through a similar situation to hers, seems to be an album performed by a young woman who is reclaiming her identity, self-belief and inner strength from everyone, whether it be her ex or the media or the public at large, and then showing them that it's hers again and no one else’s.

The song that stuck in my head most from this album was 'Stupid In Love'. Possibly because it touched a nerve with me from my own personal experiences, but also because I know from my experience how honest the song is about how it feels when you're in the middle of that kind of situation. Though she didn't have any lyrical input on this track, I know how hard it is to write about these things when you've been in the situation. To talk about it is easier than writing about it as the words you stay are said and gone but written on paper makes it seem 'real' and that kind of thing is something you'd rather pretend to yourself was just a bad dream that will go away. Also, though the lyrics are written in a way that means they can suit other relationship circumstances, as someone who has an idea of where she's 'been', I can see how the words will speak volumes to anyone who's been in an abusive relationship very loudly.

So here's the song for you. Catch you all next week!


Rihanna - Stupid In Love

Stupid in love
Oh
Stupid in love

Let me tell you something
Never have I ever
Been a size 10
In my whole life
I left the engine running
I just came to see
What you would do if I
Gave you a chance
To make things right

So I made it
Even though Katy
Told me this would be nothing
But a waste of time
And she was right

Dont understand it
Blood on your hands
And still you insist
On repeatedly trying
To tell me lies
And I just dont know why

This is stupid
Im not stupid
Dont talk to me
Like Im stupid
I still love you
But I just cant do this
I may be dumb but
Im not stupid

My new nickname
Is you idiot
(Such an idiot)
Thats what my friends
Are calling me when
They see me yelling
Into my
Phone

They tell me let go
He is not the one
I thought I saw your potential
Guess thats what made me dumb
He dont want it
Not like you want it
Scheming and cheating
Oh girl, why do you
Waste your time
You know he aint right

Telling me this
I dont wanna listen
But you insist
On repeatedly trying
To tell me lies
And I just dont know why

This is stupid
Im not stupid
Dont talk to me
Like Im stupid
I still love you
But I just cant do this
I may be dumb but
Im not stupid

Trying to make this work
But you act like a jerk
Silly of me to keep
Holding on
But the dunce cap is off
You dont know what you lost
And you wont realize
Till Im gone, gone, gone
That I was the one
Which one of us
Is really done

Ooh
No
No
No
Im not stupid in love

This is stupid
Im not stupid
Dont talk to me
Like Im stupid
I still love you
But I just cant do this
I may be dumb but
Im not stupid

I may be dumb but
Im not stupid
In love

Song Stuck In My Head This Week - 21st November '09 - David Cassidy - Point Me In The Direction Of Albuquerque

David Cassidy is probably seen as totally cheesy and, in some cases, I'd agree. However, this song I've always loved a lot. It has such a nice storyline to it and you can imagine the images being described to you with such ease.

David Cassidy was first launched to fame on the tv show 'The Partridge Family' and the set-up was similar to the one on 'The Monkees' where they had songs on the show that were then released to chart success. They had some great songwriters working for them and therefore the songs certainly were, in my opinion, at the higher end of quality for that genre. They had fun pop songs that are infectious and you can't help but enjoy.

I hope you enjoy this week's little ditty!!

David Cassidy - Point Me In The Direction Of Albuquerque

Window walkin' downtown,
Feelin' mighty good
And I noticed from the corner
How all alone she stood
Underneath the lamplight, an angel in disguise
Lonely little runaway with teardrops in her eyes

Crazy little ragdoll,
Her hair was wild and tossed
And I put my arm around her,
'Cause I knew that she was lost
She didn't seem to notice that anyone was near
'Till suddenly she turned to me and whispered in my ear

Point me in the direction of Albuquerque
I want to go home, and help me get home
Point me in the direction of Albuquerque
I need to get home, need to get home

Showed me a ticket for a Greyhound bus,
Her head was lost in time
She didn't know who or where she was
"And anyone that helps me is a real good friend of mine"
Real good friend of mine

Point me in the direction of Albuquerque
And help me get home, help me get home

Walked her to the station
And kissed away the tears
Knowing I'd remember
Through all the coming years
Ragdoll on that Greyhound who waved with all her might
Weeped against the window as the bus rolled out of sight

Point me in the direction of Albuquerque
I want to go home, and help me get home
Point me in the direction of Albuquerque
I need to get home, need to get home

Point me in the direction of Albuquerque
I want to go home, and help me get home
Point me in the direction of Albuquerque
I need to get home, need to get home

Song Stuck In My Head This Week - 14th November '09 - The Bee Gees - Massachusetts

When you say 'The Bee Gees' it almost inevitably will conger up thoughts of falsetto vocals and disco tunes performed by the three Gibb brothers, Robin, Barry and their late brother Maurice. You wouldn't be wrong in thinking about just that era as it was certainly one of the significant parts of their career, however their early music is always worth a listen.

Back in the late 60s they were actually a five-piece band with Vince Melouney on lead guitar and Colin Petersen on drums to help fill out the brothers sound (Barry played the rhythm guitar and Maurice played the bass in addition to backing up Robin who did the bulk of the vocals) and the band had a lot of early support from the Beatles manager, Brian Epstein.

This week's song was a track that Epstein had told Maurice Gibb would be a hit mere days before he (Epstein) died....and he wasn't wrong as it was their first UK number one single.

This song is beautiful and Robin's vocals are just great for this song. I hope you all enjoy it!!


The Bee Gees - Massachusetts

Feel I'm goin' back to Massachusetts,
Something's telling me I must go home.
And the lights all went down in Massachusetts
The day I left her standing on her own.

Tried to hitch a ride to San Francisco,
Gotta do the things I wanna do.
And the lights all went down in Massachusetts
They brought me back to see my way with you.

Talk about the life in Massachusetts,
Speak about the people I have seen,
And the lights all went down in Massachusetts
And Massachusetts is one place I have seen.

I will remember Massachusetts...

Song Stuck In My Head This Week - 07th November '09 - Tim Curry - I'm Going Home

Musicals are, generally speaking, based on high quality songs (though I'm sure there's bound to be the odd musical that bucks this notion!!). One of my favourites is 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show'. With catchy songs like 'The Timewarp' that have stuck in people's heads for almost 35 years now, It has all the essentials of a good, traditional musical but with a contemporary setting that appeals to those who may not be so keen on other musicals.

I have always loved 'I'm Going Home' above all other songs from Rocky Horror as it's a song that can mean a lot in any context and not just within the setting of Rocky Horror. It's such a beautiful song and always reminds me of where I want to be and how much I miss it.

Hope you all enjoy it (especially those of you who may not have heard it before cos I'm sure Rocky Horror must've passed someone by out there in 'net land!)

Tim Curry - I'm Going Home

On the day I went away... goodbye...
Was all I had to say... now I...
I want to come again and stay... Oh my my...
Smile, and that will mean that I may

Cause I've seen blue skies, through the tears
In my eyes
And I realise.. I'm going home.

Everywhere it's been the same... feeling...
Like I'm outside in the rain... wheeling...
Free, to try and find a game... dealing...
Cards for sorrow, cards for pain

Cause I've seen blue skies through the tears
In my eyes
And I realise.. I'm going home.

I'm going home, I'm going home.

Song Stuck In My Head This Week - 31st October '09 - Nick Drake - Fly

Nick Drake is someone whose music has played in the home I live in over the years but whose work I never really paid attention to until this January when I randomly bought the album 'Bryter Layter' (I liked the cover)and instantly fell in love with his music.

Dying in 1974 aged only 26, Nick Drake only produces 3 studio albums - all of which sold no more than 5,000 each on original release. However, over the years his influence and popularity has grown and, after the title track of his final album 'Pink Moon' was used in a Volkswagen advert in 2000, he sold more copies of his albums in that year than he had sold in total over the previous thirty years!!

Though his career and life were brief, his influence is still felt by musicians today and he certainly deserves his place in any list of the most influential artists of all time.

If you haven't heard his stuff before I truly recommend you check him out!

Enjoy!

Nick Drake - Fly

Please give me a second grace
Please give me a second face
I’ve fallen far down the first time around
Now I just sit on the ground in your way

Now if it’s time for recompense for what’s done
Come, come sit down on the fence in the sun
And the clouds will roll by
And we’ll never deny
It’s really too hard
For to fly

Please tell me your second name
Please play me your second game
I’ve fallen so far for the people you are
I just need your star for a day

So come, come ride in my street-car by the bay
For now I must know how fine you are in your way
And the sea sure as I
But she won’t need to cry
For it’s really too hard
For to fly

Song Stuck In My Head This Week - 24th October '09 - The Doors - The Soft Parade

The Doors are, without a doubt, one of my favourite bands of all time. From a young age their music enticed me with its almost magical presence. The songs all have great melodies - whether they be standard pop ones or more intriguing flights of musical fancy - and they lyrics often paint pictures beyond the standard ones found in most songs.

Thanks to the near mythical status achieved by their charismatic lead singer Jim Morrison as well as the catchy Robby Kreiger song 'Light My Fire', The Doors were propelled into the spotlight in which they shone for a mere 54 months before Morrison's untimely passing in 1971.

Last weekend, as part of the British Film Festival, I went to see a new documentary about The Doors called 'When You're Strange'. It is a fantastically put together documentary and features footage from 'Feast Of Friends' and 'HWY', both previously unreleased, in full and glorious technicolour. The footage from 'HWY', in particular, is so breath-taking with Jim looking so 'real' and 'alive' that you feel like you could just reach out and touch him. Having seen 'HWY' in its entirety online, but only in the form of scrappy pre-production footage, it's just wonderful to see it as a 'final cut' and I only hope that the Morrison-Courson estate see sense and give this the proper release it, in my opinion, deserves.

Though I love all their music, the album 'The Soft Parade' has always been my favourite and the title track of this album is certainly my favourite Doors song. With its many sections it's like the 'mini rock-opera' style that was developed around that time by Pete Townshend of The Who and shows, in musical form, The Doors’ theatricality that was as much part of the music as it was the performance.

I hope you all enjoy it!!!

The Doors - The Soft Parade

When I was back there in seminary school
There was a person there
Who put forth the proposition
That you can petition the Lord with prayer…
Petition the Lord with prayer…
Petition the Lord with prayer…
You cannot petition the Lord with prayer!

Can you give me sanctuary?
I must find a place to hide,
A place for me to hide.

Can you find me soft asylum?
I can't make it anymore
The Man is at the door.

Peppermint, miniskirts, chocolate candy,
Champion sax and a girl named Sandy
There's only four ways to get unraveled —
One is to sleep and the other is travel at dawn.
One is a bandit up in the hills,
One is to love your neighbor till
His wife gets home.

Catacombs,
Nursery bones,
Winter women
Growing stones,
Carrying babies to the river
Streets and shoes,
Avenues,
Leather riders
Selling news,
The monk
Bought
Lunch.

He he he, he bought a little.
Yes, he did
Woo!

This is the best part of the trip.
This is the trip, the best part
I really like.

What'd he say?
Yeah!
Yeah, right!
Pretty good, huh
Huh!
Yeah, I'm proud to be a part of this number!

Successful hills are here to stay,
Everything must be this way.
Gentle streets where people play,
Welcome to the Soft Parade.
All our lives we sweat and save,
Building for a shallow grave.
“Must be something else”, we say
“Somehow to defend this place.”
Everything must be this way,
Everything must be this way, yeah. Aah, yeah!

The Soft Parade has now begun
Listen to the engines hum.
People out to have some fun,
Cobra on my left,
Leopard on my right, yeah.

Deer woman in a silk dress,
Girls with beads around their necks,
Kiss the hunter of the green vest
Who has wrestled before
With lions in the night.
Out of sight!

The lights are getting brighter,
The radio is moaning,
Calling to the dogs.
There are still a few animals
Left out in the yard,

But it's getting harder
To describe sailors
To the underfed.

Tropic corridor,
Tropic treasure,
What got us this far,
To this mild equator?
We need someone or something new,
Something else to get us through, yeah. C'mon!

Callin' on the dogs,
Callin' on the dogs,
But it's gettin' harder
Callin' on the dogs,
Callin' in the dogs,
Callin' on the dogs,
Callin' on the gods.

You gotta
Meet me Too late, baby!
Shoot a few animals аt the crossroads Too late!
Left out in the yard.
But it's getting harder Whoa!
Gotta meet me You’ve done great, hey!
At the edge of town, Having a good time.
You’d better come along
Outskirts of the city Let’s fun!
Just you and I
And the evening sky. We are so alone.
Better bring your gun You’d better come along.
You’d better bring your gun.
We’re gonna have some fun!
Tropic corridor
Tropic treasure.

When all else fails,
We can whip the horse's
Eyes and make them sleep
And cry

Song Stuck In My Head This Week - 17th October '09 - Sex Pistols - Pretty Vacant

As a kid I knew who the Sex Pistols were and their music from an early age, but my first real memory of seeing any of them in action was at the Rock Circus which used to be at the London Pavilion (part of the Trocadero center) when I was about 9 or 10. They had there, as part of their exhibit, an auditorium where you'd sit down and then the seated area would rotate around the auditorium so you would see several animatronic figures of famous bands and performers. One of these, the closing 'performer', was Sid Vicious and in addition to the animatronic figure there was a large screen behind him showing footage of the video for his cover of the song 'My Way'. At the end of it he 'shoots' the audience....I was, from then on, fascinated.

Roll forward a few years to 1996. Finsbury Park on a gloriously sunny Sunday in late June. With an abundance of fantastic acts on the bill, including Iggy Pop, Skunk Anansie & The Wildhearts to name but a few, I went with my cousin Claire to see the Sex Pistols. I'd already been listening to their music for a long, long time but to see them live was just amazing. John Lydon is one of the funniest and most entertaining people I've had the privilege of witnessing live. That day, for me, was one of the highlights of 1996 - a year which is still, for me, the best year of my life to date.

That night I truly fell in love with 'Pretty Vacant'. The song is so much fun and brings back great memories of jumping around in a huge crowd of people just having a really good time.

The importance of this band and it's effects on music going forward from punk cannot be underestimated, both for bands around and shortly after that time who saw them perform and were inspired to for bands as a result (notably Joy Division & The Fall) and then bands such as Oasis, Nirvana, Green Day & Guns 'N' Roses who acknowledged the inspiration that the Sex Pistols had on them.

If you've not given them your full attention before I think you should do. This week's accompanying video is from that very first time I saw them in 1996.

Sex Pistols - Pretty Vacant

There's no point in asking
You'll get no reply
I just remembered, I'm terribly sorry
I've got no reason, there is no "Why?"
Say "No future!" and that's just fine

Oh we're so pretty
Oh so pretty we're vacant
Oh we're so pretty
Oh so pretty
A vacant

Don't ask us to attend
'Cos we're not all there
Oh don't pretend 'cos i don't care
I don't belive illusions
'Cos too much is real
So stop you'r cheap comment
'Cos we know what we feel

Oh we're so pretty
Oh so pretty we're vacant
Oh we're so pretty
Oh so pretty we're vacant
Ah but now and we don't care

There's no piont in asking
You'll get no reply
Oh just remember a don't decide
I got no reason it's all too much
You'll always find me out to lunch
We're out on lunch

Oh we're so pretty
Oh so pretty we're vacant
Oh we're so pretty
Oh so pretty we're vacant
Oh we're so pretty
Oh so pretty ah
But now and we don't care

We're pretty
A pretty vacant
We're pretty
A pretty vacant
We're pretty
A pretty vacant
We're pretty
A pretty vacant
And we don't care

Song Stuck In My Head This Week - 10th October '09 - Slade - How Does It Feel?

When you mention the group Slade to people, chances are they'll all instantly think of 'Merry Xmas Everybody'. If not that then probably they'll think of tracks like 'Cum On Feel The Noize', 'Mama Weer All Crazee Now', 'Coz I Luv You' or 'Skweeze Me Pleeze Me'. They'll think of images of Noddy Holder in his top hat, often bedecked with little glass mirrors, and his HUGE sideburns or Dave Hill with his daft haircuts and over the top outfits that almost made him appear like he was from another planet, all done with a daft wee grin on his face while he pranced about during their performances on Top Of The Pops. With all these thoughts in mind, you wouldn't have them pegged as a serious band and as the people who recorded, in my opinion, one of the greatest songs of all time....but, I think they did.

This week’s song is, in my opinion, the second greatest song ever recorded. I know opinion on such things is all about personal opinion and I'm sure many wouldn't agree with me so don't, dear reader, worry if you don't share this view of mine...but I hope it makes you think a little differently about Slade all the same.

I first heard this song in 1998. I had recently gotten into Slade having disregarded them as a youngster only to be introduced to them in a, perhaps, more easy to appreciate set of circumstances when they featured on the soundtrack to the Todd Haynes movie 'Velvet Goldmine'. This lead me to hunt out anything I could get featuring Slade and, on Sunday afternoon at a local car boot sale, I chanced upon the soundtrack to their movie 'Flame' (more commonly known as 'Slade In Flame' and really a 'must see' movie...dark, gritty and not what people expected from Slade...a reason why it may not have done so well at the box office).

When I got home and popped the vinyl onto the turntable and set the needle on it, I was greeted with just sheer magic coming at me through the speakers. Here was something that didn't sound anything like what I'd heard from Slade before. Starting with simple piano leading into Noddy Holder's vocals which, for all their gruffness, still brought out the poignancy of the lyrics. It then slowly builds into a passionate combination of powerful vocals, uplifting guitars, bass and drums and then soaring brass while all the time being underpinned by the piano.

Shockingly, to me at least, it was their worst performance on the UK singles chart in four years only reaching number 15 after a run of twelve tracks to chart in the top four, with the majority being number ones!!

I feel sad, in a way, that Slade are seen as a 'novelty' band by so many people as they are missing out on something as beautiful as this.

The video this week has footage of the band performing the song on the Russell Harty show but with the original recording dubbed over it as there was no clips of them performing the song in it's entirety...but I felt that it had to be heard in its entirety for you, the happy reader, to truly experience it (and I felt the stock footage was more entertaining to watch than a static image)

'Til next week, folks, enjoy!!

Slade - How Does It Feel?

How does it feel runnin' around round round?
How does it feel watchin' from upside down?
'Cos many years from now there will be new sensations
And new temptations
How does it feel?

How does it feel right at the start?
And how does it feel when you are thrown apart?
'Cos many years from now there will be new elations
And new frustrations
How does it feel?

Oh! Oh!

Do you know know know what it's like to be searchin' in your own time
All your attempting experimenting all on the climb
Do you know know know what it's like to be searchin' and suddenly find
All your illusion, all your confusion all left behind

How does it feel turnin' away?
And how does it feel facing another day?
'Cos many years from now there will be newer poisons
And new horizons
How does it feel?

Oh! Oh! Oh!

Do you know know know what it's like to be searchin' in your own time
All your attempting experimenting all on the climb
Do you know know know what it's like to be searchin' and suddenly find
All your illusion, all your confusion all left behind

'Cos many years from now there will be new tomorrows
And still some sorrows
How does it feel?

Oh! Oh! Oh!

Do you know know know what it's like to be searchin' in your own time
All your attempting experimenting all on the climb
Oh!
Do you know know know what it's like to be searchin' and suddenly find
All your illusion, all your confusion all left behind

Song Stuck In My Head This Week - 3rd October '09 - Kajagoogoo - The Lion's Mouth

I loved music from a very early age and it has always been a big part of my life. I cannot imagine life without it. I was 3-years-old when Kajagoogoo had a huge hit with 'Too Shy' and I loved them a hell of a lot. I thought I was going to grow up and marry Limahl with us living happily ever after in our very own castle, perhaps a slightly unrealistic expectation but, like I said, I was only 3. It didn't seem to take too long, however, before the cracks appeared and then Limahl was off doing solo stuff and the rest of the band seemingly disappeared. In reality they carried on without him and had other chart singles which must have just passed my young self by. However I always remembered them with great fondness and affection and, as I got older, I began to discover the music they had produced after Limahl's exit and grew to really love it.

Roll on to 2004, sat at a friends place watching VH1 and a show comes on called 'Bands Reunited'. The premiss of the show, finding members of bands who were once popular and bringing them back together in the hope of getting them to perform a one off gig for the show, seemed interesting so I decided to watch it....only to be confronted with them trying to reform Kajagoogoo. They did, for one night only, before the age old problems set in and they went their seperate ways again with Nick Beggs, Steve Askew and Stuart Neale carrying on as a trio to record a new album in 2007. Having seen that I'd missed possibly my only chance to ever see the original line-up live was gutting (I'd obviously been way too young to see them perform when I was 3) so imagine my sheer delight when, earlier this year, they announced that they'd finally all grown up and gotten over their issues and that the original line-up were to tour again!! Well, i made sure that I got my hands on a ticket and spent the next 5 months waiting somewhat impatiently to see them.

Wednesday night I finally achieved that childhood dream and it was magical. Hearing songs that I'd gotten to thinking I'd never hear live with the original line-up performing them was, indeed, a dream come true. The new material was fantastic too which made it even better. Now I'm just hoping that it won't be my only time seeing them and that they'll tour again because they're just really great...but if it is the only time that i'll happen in my life then I'm greatful because in the 26 years since I first fell in love with this band it was a day I never thought I'd see.

This week's song is one that was recorded after the departure of Limahl when Nick Beggs had taken over lead vocals. On Wednesday night they did a great job of bringing in Limahl on shared vocals on this and other songs that were recorded after he left as those songs have their place in the bands history and are just as good as anything recorded when he was there.

This song is so catchy and I've been humming it all week. Hope you like it!!

Kajagoogoo - The Lion's Mouth

Take away my prime from the
Mouth of the lion
Savage jaws are the price we pay
Take away the lies,
Let me see with my own eyes
Walk along the narrow way

Hey hey hey hey hey hey hey
Oh what a waste (oh what a waste)
Your sword is no use when your standing face to face
(Standing there face to face)
Oh what a waste
Hey hey hey hey hey hey hey
A mystic human race
Your sword no use to you when standing face to face
(Standing there face to face)

Say
Hey you fool watch out!
You'll get mauled by the lion's mouth

Hey you fool watch out!
You'll get mauled by the lion's mouth

Ohhhh

Take away my chains,
Don't want to see 'em again
Take away my misery
Take my blindfold,
Don't want to belong to the o-o-old
Take them off and set me free

Hey hey hey hey hey hey hey
Oh what a waste (oh what a waste)
Your sword is no use when your standing face to face
(Standing there face to face)
Oh what a waste
Hey hey hey hey hey hey hey
A mystic human race
Your sword no use to you when standing face to face
(Standing there face to face)

Say
Hey you fool watch out!
You'll get mauled by the lion's mouth
I don't think so

Hey you fool watch out!
You'll get mauled by the lion's mouth
I don't think so

Hey you fool watch out!
You'll get mauled by the lion's mouth
I don't think so

Hey you fool watch out!
You'll get mauled by the lion's mouth

Ohhhh

Hey you fool watch out!
You'll get mauled by the lion's mouth

Hey you fool watch out!
You'll get mauled by the lion's mouth
I don't think so


The Lion's Mouth

Kajagoogoo | MySpace Music Videos

Song Stuck In My Head This Week - 26th September '09 - David Bowie - Jump They Say

When I was a kid I thought that David Bowie (like a lot of the artists back in the 80s) was just another stuck up yuppie and a boring middle aged guy. Even though I adored 'Labyrinth' when it came out when I was 7 (I saw it at the cinema certainly more than once but I couldn't say how many times) to me I knew that it was a character in a movie I liked and not him. It wasn't til I hit 16 and took a liking to a guy in an unsigned band that I got to know that I started to actually like Bowie, as well as other people like The Who, The Kinks and the Rolling Stones to name but a few, and my interest grew from there.

As I gradually began to listen to the music and get beyond the 'hits' I found that he had such a great wealth of sounds to embrace as his musical styling shifted from album to album. He has simply been a musical treasure and I hope that there might still be something to come from him yet.

This week's song is one that I'd liked for a long time before I picked up a copy of 'Alias David Bowie' by Peter and Leni Gillman in a second-hand bookstore in Australia in 2001. I read it, cover to cover, on the flight home and by the end had a much better insight into Bowie. The song had been written about the suicide in 1985 Bowie's half-brother, Terry, who suffered from schizophrenia and it seems mental illness was a big factor on his mothers side of the family. A lot of Bowie's song lyrics, album themes and characters stemmed from this family background and his own fears of becoming another victim of the family 'curse'.

Despite the fact that the subject matter of this song is fairly bleak, I've always seen it as a song that really gives a feeling of 'release'...but maybe that's just me...

Enjoy!

David Bowie - Jump They Say

When comes the shaking man
A nation in his eyes
Striped with blood and emblazed tattoo
Streaking cathedral spire

They say

They say

They say
He has no brain

They say
He has no mood

They say
He was born again

They say
Look at him climb

They say 'Jump'

They say 'Jump'

They say
He has two gods

They say
He has no fear

They say
He has no eyes

They say
He has no mouth

They say hey that's really something
They feel he should get some time
I say he should watch his ass
My friend don't listen to the crowd

They say 'Jump'

They say 'Jump'

Watch out

Watch out

They say hey that's really something
They feel he should get some time
I say he should watch his ass
My friend don't listen to the crowd

They say 'Jump'
Juuuuummmppp
Got to believe somebody

They say 'Jump'
Juuuuummmppp
Got to believe somebody

They say 'Jump'
Juuuuummmppp
Got to believe

They say 'Jump'
Juuuuummmppp
Got to believe somebody

'Jump'
Got to believe

'Jump'
Got to believe somebody

'Jump'
Got to believe

'Jump'
Got to believe somebody

'Jump'

They say 'Jump'

They say 'Jump'

They say 'Jump'

They say 'Jump'

David Bowie - Jump They Say

Song Stuck In My Head This Week - 19th September '09 - The Darkness - Dinner Lady Arms

The Darkness were the shining beacon of musical light that came to us out of the depths of Lowestoft in the glorious summer of 2003. Though they may not have been around for all that long, they left an indelible mark on the souls of many with their stunning music (not to mention Justin's flamboyant outfits!!)

Many saw them as a joke band, just a simple bit of fun, but not me. While, sure, they WERE fun and had songs featuring great plays on words and double meanings (the first song of theirs I ever heard, 'Growing On Me', being a great example of that) but I always felt that they took being fun very seriously and that, for them, this was a vocation and not a great big hoot. I still think that 'Love Is Only A Feeling' is a classic song of our times and the fact that Guns 'N' Roses (aka Axl Rose & 'friends') ripped off part of the 'I Believe In A Thing Called Love' intro to use as the opening riff of the 'Chinese Democracy' album says a lot in my opinion. The Darkness were amazing.

By the winter UK tour in 2004, though, you could see it was all going awry and Frankie Poullain's departure shortly afterwards, in my opinion, sealed the fate of the band as they never seemed like the same potent force afterward. That said, their second album 'One Way Ticket To Hell...And Back' still had a heap of great songs on them, some of which I had heard at Wembley Arena at the last gig of theirs I attended. This week's song was one of them.

'Dinner Lady Arms' is a song that has been known, on several occasions, to move me to tears with the poignancy of the lyrics. The yearning for reconciliation with the one you truly love when you know that it's you who's made it fall apart. Despite masking it with lines about dinner ladies (though the staff who work dinner time at school, generally ladies, are always the ones you would seek solace and comfort in if you'd hurt yourself...a bit like the one you love when you're older so not an entirely inappropriate analogy), it shows that if you get past any issues you may have with Justin's hair or dress and then past some of the 'strange' analogies, you'll find that Justin Hawkins is a fantastic lyricist who has been grossly overlooked for all the aforementioned 'issues' that people create.

So please, ladies and gentlemen, sit back and enjoy todays song (with a rather nice home-made video someone's done!!)

The Darkness - Dinner Lady Arms

We had a good thing, it was a blast
That was a long time in the past
You went through changes & I walked away
And I have regretted that to this day

I may not always have quite so much hair
But what you saw in me will hopefully always be there
I'll never hurt you again, I swear
So put your

Arms around me
Your dinner lady arms, put your
Arms around me
Your dinner lady arms
I couldn't figure out where your figure had gone
I thought that I could live without you honey
I was so wrong, put your
Arms around me
Your dinner lady arms
Your dinner lady arms

Forgive and forget I caused you some pain
Find it in your heart to start again

I know I'll never be your Mr. Right
But I'm happy to be your Mr. That'll Do For Tonight
I'll never let you out of my sight
So put your

Arms around me
Your dinner lady arms, put your
Arms around me
Your dinner lady arms
I couldn't figure out where your figure had gone
I thought that I could live without you honey
I was so wrong, put your
Arms around me
Your dinner lady arms
Huh!

I may be light years past on my sell-by date
But there's life in the old dog yet honey
It's not too late, put your
Arms around me
Your dinner lady arms

Song Stuck In My Head This Week - 12th September '09 - The Wildhearts - The Only One

Here I am with an artist who I've featured before but they recently released their new album 'Chutzpah!' and it's been so amazing I've had it on loop for most of the last couple of weeks. This song, in particular, stuck itself firmly in my head.

While I will always firmly believe that their lead singer Ginger is one of the finest singer-songwriters to ever come out of this country, this song isn't actually written or sung by him! It was, in fact, written and sung by bass player Scott Sorry but fits in just fine with all the other material. This song sounds like it belongs in a great, intelligent romantic movie soundtrack (for the kind of film think current GREAT movie '(500) Days Of Summer'). It really brings in the essence of loving someone so much that no one else matters. I really can't wait to hear this, and the rest of the tracks from 'Chutzpah!', live when I see them on their tour which starts on the 17th September in Brighton.

If you want to catch them, here's where you can find them (and you really should go check them out):

17/09/09: Concorde 2, Brighton
18/09/09: O2 Academy, Bristol
19/09/09: Rock City , Nottingham
20/09/09: Waterfront, Norwich
21/09/09: Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth
22/09/09: Phoenix, Exeter
24/09/09: O2 Academy 2, Birmingham
25/09/09: The Sugarmill, Stoke-On-Trent
26/09/09: Cockpit, Leeds
27/09/09: Garage, Glasgow
28/09/09: O2 Academy, Newcastle
30/09/09: Club Academy, Manchester
01/10/09: Shepherds Bush Empire, London

The Wildhearts - The Only One

These are the words that I've saved
Saved for the perfect day but they won't get used
If I keep waiting on you

This is the way that I feel
I wish that it wasn't real but it's more than true
I can't keep waiting on you

So open your eyes and see where I'm standing
Straight in your line of sight so you
Should make up your mind and do what it is that you need to
Cos I'm not leaving

You are the only one that I think about
When I'm down and out and miles away
You are the only one when we're falling out
I want to make it better
There are the words that I should have told you
All of the times that I just ignored you
I would give you everything I have
So let's just start all over again

Now that the games we've played
Were stipped down and thrown away I can clearly see
That you've been waiting on me

So open your eyes and see where I'm standing
Straight in your line of sight so you
Should make up your mind and do what it is that you need to
Cos I'm not leaving

You are the only one that I think about
When I'm down and out and miles away
You are the only one when we're falling out
I want to make it better
There are the words that I should have told you
All of the times that I just ignored you
I would give you everything I have
So let's just start all over again

Bygones are bygones
And they should stay that way
We've got the world at our fingers
Let's stick it back together
We could make it better
We could make it better

You are the only one that I think about
When I'm down and out and miles away
You are the only one when we're falling out
I want to make it better
There are the words that I should have told you
All of the times that I just ignored you
I would give you everything I have
So let's just start all over again

Now here's a youtube clip with the track (only a still shot with music over-played but it's the best they had) enjoy!

Song Stuck In My Head This Week - 5th September '09 - Jeff Buckley - Lover, You Should Have Come Over

This week the song I have had stuck in my head is one by the greatest artist I've been blessed to discover, yet one who I will never have the fortune of seeing live (unless they invent time machines).

For me, if I was told tomorrow I could only own one album for the whole of my life, then Jeff Buckley's 'Grace' would be what I'd pick. The album is so exquisitely constructed with magic, beauty and charm oozing out of every note - whether it be from an instrument or from Jeff's own amazing vocal style. Though Jeff had the same striking beauty as his father Tim, it was his his musical ability and fascinating singing style - something he also shared with his father - which carried him beyond the realm of a 'poster boy' and into the realms of critical acclaim.

From the opening slow build of 'Mojo Pin' through to the intimate intake of breath half way through the album at the beginning of 'Hallelujah' (his acclaimed cover of the Leonard Cohen track), to the final notes of 'Dream Brother' the album is, min my opinion, perfect and only improves with every listen and leaves you feeling as if we were seriously robbed of something special with his untimely passing in '97 just 6 months before his 31st birthday.

This particular track is the one that found it's way into my mind this week and stuck with me, I hope you enjoy it (and if you do, go buy 'Grace'...I think everyone should own a copy!!)

Jeff Buckley - Lover, You Should Have Come Over

Looking out the door
I see the rain fall upon the funeral mourners
Parading in a wake of sad relations
As their shoes fill up with water

Maybe I'm too young
To keep good love from going wrong
But tonight, you're on my mind so
You never know

Broken down and hungry for your love
With no way to feed it
Where are you tonight?
Child, you know how much I need it.
Too young to hold on
And too old to just break free and run

Sometimes a man gets carried away,
When he feels like he should be having his fun
Much too blind to see the damage he's done
Sometimes a man must awake to find that, really,
He has no-one...

So I'll wait for you... And I'll burn
Will I ever see your sweet return?
Oh, will I ever learn?
Oh, Lover, you should've come over
Cause it's not too late.

Lonely is the room the bed is made
The open window lets the rain in
Burning in the corner is the only one
Who dreams he had you with him
My body turns and yearns for a sleep
That won't ever come
It's never over,
My kingdom for a kiss upon her shoulder
It's never over,
all my riches for her smiles when I slept so soft against her...
It's never over,
All my blood for the sweetness of her laughter...
It's never over,
She's a tear that hangs inside my soul forever...

But maybe I'm just too young to keep good love
From going wrong
Oh... lover you should've come over...

Yes, and I feel too young to hold on
I'm much too old to break free and run
Too deaf, dumb, and blind
To see the damage I've done
Sweet lover, you should've come over
Oh, love, well I'll wait for you
Lover, you should've come over
'Cause it's not too late.

Song Stuck In My Head This Week - 29th August '09 - Cilla Black - I've Been Wrong Before

Now, for most people of my generation (in the UK at least) and some from even before that, Cilla Black isn't exactly the 'coolest' of people to like. Most of my generation associate her with nice, but fairly unexciting, Saturday night tv from our childhoods. Now while I will also acknowledge that her vocal style will not be to everyone's taste I was quite pleasantly surprised, when I first heard some of her stuff, at how much I liked her work.

Admittedly, the people who were around her at the time may have had a little to do with how amazing she was. Managed by Brian Epstein (yes, the one who managed The Beatles) having been introduced to him by John Lennon (yes, the Beatle) and produced by George Martin (do I really need to keep explaining now?? ;-P), Cilla was having songs written for her by Lennon & McCartney as well as recording songs written by people such as Randy Newman (who wrote this week's song), Phil Spector, Tim Hardin & Burt Bacharach. At one point she was doing so well even Elvis Presley was known to have one of her records on his personal jukebox in Graceland!!

Though, eventually, she turned away from solely recording music and entered the world of film (briefly) and then tv, her music still pops up from time to time, like the Ferrero Rocher advert that ran a year or so ago in the UK. She also appeared in pantomime last Christmas in Liverpool where she performed some of her songs as part of the production.

So here's a little Cilla for you, performing on Shindig in 1965! Hope you all have a lovely weekend!!

Cilla Black - I've Been Wrong Before

The night we met
The night that I won't forget
You seemed what I'd been waiting for
But baby, I've been wrong before

You held me tight
And everything seemed just right
I couldn't ask for me
But baby, I've been wrong before

He used to smile at me
And a-hold my hand like you do
Then he left me
And a-broke my heart in two

I see your face
And feel your warm embrace
You're all that I adore
But baby, I've been wrong before

Oh baby, I've been wrong before

Song Stuck In My Head This Week - 22nd August '09 - Blitzen Trapper - Furr

This song is one that has kept popping into my head on and off for many months now but, this week, finally lodged itself in my brain and wouldn't let go.

Hailing from Portland, Oregon and signed to the legendary Sub Pop label, Blitzen Trapper have released 3 albums and one EP to date with their third album 'Furr' being listed at number 13 in Rolling Stone Magazine's top 100 albums of 2008 with the title track being number 4 on their top 100 singles of the same year.

I found Blitzen Trapper by chance on the wonderful download that is the Indie/Rock Playlist torrent. Out to download once a month through any good torrent engine I've found it's such a great way to discover new music that would otherwise slip under the radar. Two of my upcoming gigs - the aforementioned Blitzen Trapper as well as the 'Song Stuck In My Head...' act from 6th June, Das Pop - are both bands I have discovered through this torrent and would never have heard of otherwise. It is something well worth tracking down and downloading every month and I would highly reccommend it.

As I mentioned, I'm off to see these guys on the 14th in London, so no doubt this song'll get stuck in my head on and off until then and beyond. Check here http://blitzentrapper.net/tour.html, to see if they're anywhere near you soon and, if they are, go check them out!!

See you all next week!!

Blitzen Trapper - Furr

Yeah, when I was only seventeen
I could hear the angels whispering
So I drove into the woods
And wandered aimlessly about
Until I heard my mother shouting through the fog
It turned out to be the howling of a dog
Or a wolf, to be exact
The sound sent shivers down my back
But I was drawn into the pack and before long
They allowed me to join in and sing their song
So from the cliffs and highest hills
Yeah, we would gladly get our fill
Howling endlessly and shrilly at the dawn
And I lost the taste for judging right from wrong
For my flesh had turned to fur
Yeah, and my thoughts they surely were
Turned to instinct and obedience to God

You can wear your fur
Like a river on fire
But you'd better be sure
If you're making God a liar
I'm a rattlesnake, babe,
I'm like fuel on fire
So if you're gonna get made
Don't be afraid of what you've learned

On the day that I turned 23
I was curled up underneath a dogwood tree
When suddenly a girl
Her skin the color of a pearl
She wandered aimlessly, but she didn't seem to see
She was listening for the angels just like me
So I stood and looked about
I brushed the leaves off of my snout
And then I heard my mother shouting through the trees
You should have seen that girl go shaky at the knees
So I took her by the arm
We settled down upon a farm
And raised our children up as gently as you please

And now my fur has turned to skin
And I've been quickly ushered in
To a world that, I confess, I do not know
But I still dream of running careless through the snow
Through the howling winds that blow
Across the ancient distant flow
To fill our bodies up like water till we know

You can wear your fur
Like a river on fire
But you'd better be sure
If you're making God a liar
I'm a rattlesnake, babe,
I'm like fuel on fire
So if you're gonna get made
Don't be afraid of what you've learned

Song Stuck In My Head This Week - 15th August '09 - Tom Petty - Free Fallin'

Hello world! I'd like to start this week's blog entry by wishing a very Happy Birthday to Simon whose blog, http://www.outroversion.blogspot.com/, was the inspiration for me to resurrect something I used to do years ago and turn it into a blog!

Growing up, Tom Petty was someone whose music I was aware of but who I tended to ignore (as with many other artists) because it was someone my parents liked. Now, as I get older, I'm starting to appreciate the music that I 'avoided' for so long.

Coming from the 'Full Moon Fever' album, 'Free Fallin'' is a really catchy song that I know a lot of people will sing along to (even if it's just the chorus) everytime it's played. This week there was a sing-a-long when it was playing in the office on one of my random cd's. Then a few days later another sing-a-long broke out when it popped up on the radio. I had it come up on the shuffle on my mp3 player and then last night it got played on the random music they play in the pub...where another sing-a-long broke out. Aside from showing how it got stuck in my head, it also shows the longevity of a song which is now 20-years-old if people still love it enough to want to sing along to it en masse.

It's a song which also opened the door for me to check out more of his work and there's some really good stuff to be heard...I hope posting this opens that door for others too!

Enjoy!

Tom Petty - Free Fallin'

Shes a good girl, loves her mama
Loves Jesus and America too
Shes a good girl, crazy 'bout Elvis
Loves horses and her boyfriend too

Its a long day living in Reseda
Theres a freeway runnin through the yard
And Im a bad boy cause I dont even miss her
Im a bad boy for breakin her heart

And Im free, free fallin
Yeah Im free, free fallin

All the vampires walkin through the valley
Move west down Ventura Boulevard
And all the bad boys are standing in the shadows
A ll the good girls are home with broken hearts

And Im free, free fallin
Yeah Im free, free fallin
Free fallin, now Im free fallin, now im
Free fallin, now Im free fallin, now im

I wanna glide down over Mulholland
I wanna write her name in the sky
Gonna free fall out into nothin
Gonna leave this world for a while

And Im free, free fallin
Yeah Im free, free fallin

Song Stuck In My Head This Week - 08th August '09 - Joni Mitchell - Both Sides Now

Back in the UK and 'reality' and back to blogging at, roughly, my usual time of day.

This week's song is a song that was in my head from early in the week after it popped up on my mp3 player while walking around in New York, and which stayed there after I purchased a book covering the life of it's singer, Joni Mitchell (as well as Carole King & Carly Simon...it's a fascinating book called 'Girls Like Us' by Sheila Weller and is well worth a read imo) to use as means of killing time at the airport. I didn't buy it just because I had her in my mind, but simply cos it was the biggest book I could find that looked interesting to me!

Joni was born in Canada in 1943 (not the American I'd assumed her to be as a child) and released her first album in 1968. It's only in recent years that I have started to appreciate her work. Growing up, my parents often had her music on and because they liked it, it made it hard for me too do the same - the struggle to be 'different' from them and have my own identity being at the root of that - but now I really like a lot of what she did.

This song was on her second album 'Clouds' - released in 1969 - is all about the rise and fall of a great love affair and possibly based on her own relationship with first husband Chuck Mitchell which had ended a few years earlier (Joni had a habit of 'holding on to' songs for several years at times).

It is just a beautiful song and her work is well worth checking out.

Enjoy!

Joni Mitchell - Both Sides Now

Rows and floes of angel hair
And ice cream castles in the air
And feather canyons evrywhere
Ive looked at clouds that way

But now they only block the sun
They rain and snow on evryone
So many things I would have done
But clouds got in my way
Ive looked at clouds from both sides now
From up and down, and still somehow
Its cloud illusions I recall
I really dont know clouds at all

Moons and junes and ferris wheels
The dizzy dancing way you feel
As evry fairy tale comes real
Ive looked at love that way

But now its just another show
You leave em laughing when you go
And if you care, dont let them know
Dont give yourself away

Ive looked at love from both sides now
From give and take, and still somehow
Its loves illusions I recall
I really dont know love at all

Tears and fears and feeling proud
To say I love you right out loud
Dreams and schemes and circus crowds
Ive looked at life that way

But now old friends are acting strange
They shake their heads, they say Ive changed
Well somethings lost, but somethings gained
In living evry day

Ive looked at life from both sides now
From win and lose and still somehow
Its lifes illusions I recall
I really dont know life at all
Ive looked at life from both sides now
From up and down, and still somehow
Its lifes illusions I recall
I really dont know life at all

Song Stuck In My Head This Week - 01st August '09 - The Beatles - Eight Days A Week

Currently, and unexpectedly, sat in a hotel in Washington. Got stuck overnight after pesky storms in New York meant my flight was cancelled. So taking advantage of the hotel's internet to get the blog done.

The song this week is quite simply my tribute to the 5-year-old son of my friends in Canada who had me sing this with him at least once every day when I was there....with compulsory hand claps. It really was a song I couldn't escape all week so no surprises it's stuck in my head.

The Beatles were, undoubtedly, an important part of the history of music as we know it and many bands and artists still cite their influence. Though others appearing in their wake may have 'done it better' (as many I know will argue), without The Beatles they would have had nothing to make them wan't to 'do better' in the first place.

Off to hang around the airport all day hoping for a good standby flight...wish me luck!! (oh and the video this week is just a slideshow thing as I have no speakers here and didn't want to gamble too much on something I couldn't hear....sorry)

The Beatles - Eight Days A Week

Ooh I need your love babe,
Guess you know it's true.
Hope you need my love babe,
Just like I need you.
Hold me, love me, hold me, love me.
I ain't got nothin' but love babe,
Eight days a week.

Love you ev'ry day girl,
Always on my mind.
One thing I can say girl,
Love you all the time.
Hold me, love me, hold me, love me.
I ain't got nothin' but love girl,
Eight days a week.

Eight days a week
I love you.
Eight days a week
Is not enough to show I care.

Ooh I need your love babe,
Guess you know it's true.
Hope you need my love babe,
Just like I need you.
Hold me, love me, hold me, love me.
I ain't got nothin' but love babe,
Eight days a week.

Eight days a week
I love you.
Eight days a week
Is not enough to show I care.

Love you ev'ry day girl,
Always on my mind.
One thing I can say girl,
Love you all the time.
Hold me, love me, hold me, love me.
I ain't got nothin' but love girl,
Eight days a week,
Eight days a week,
Eight days a week.

Song Stuck In My Head This Week - 26th July '09 - Kajagogoo - Too Shy

Late again but what the heck...I'm still on holiday. In Canada right now and still having a great time.

The song this week reminds me of the amazing time I had with my friend Jonathan in Long Beach. It was the first song that I ever really loved (when I was 3) and i enjoyed dancing away to it at a bar with my friend on Tuesday night!!

This band were huge when I was 3 and hardly around by the time I was 4 but I loved them all the same and I'm so excited about seeing them live for the first time in September!!

Please enjoy....one more week of holidays and then normal service will resume (ie I'll be on time and have more to say for myself!!)

Kajagoogoo - Too Shy

Tongue-tied,
I'm short of breath,
Don't even try
Try a little harder
Something's wrong,
You're not naive,
You must be strong
Ooh, baby, try

Hey girl,
Move a little closer.

You're too shy shy
Hush hush, eye to eye
Too shy shy
Hush hush, eye to eye
Too shy shy
Hush hush, eye to eye
Too shy shy
Hush hush

Modern medicine falls short of your complaints
Ooh, try a little harder
You're moving in circles, won't you dilate
Baby try
Hey girl, move a little closer
'Cause, you're

You're too shy shy
Hush hush, eye to eye
Too shy shy
Hush hush, eye to eye
Too shy shy
Hush hush, eye to eye
Too shy shy
Hush hush

Too Shy

Song Stuck In My Head This Week - 19th July '09 - David Essex - Stardust

A little late this week but I've been living it up in LA with not a whole lot of internet access.

This weeks song is one that, when people see the artist in question, they might initially dismiss it as 'naff' but - at least in his early days - he was anything but. David Essex is someone who's music I didn't really think a whole lot to until I saw the movie's 'That'll Be The Day' & 'Stardust' when they came out on dvd a few years ago. I got them, initially, because they featured the late Who drummer Keith Moon but I ended up discovering many David Essex songs that were anything but the cheesy pop I had heard previously. I then went on to listen to more of what he released in the 70's and found it to be really enjoyable. This one, however, is my favourite.

The title track from the movie 'Stardust' the track is a brooding track that sums up the downside to success and a track that is a real counterpoint to the optimism of 'Gonna Make You A Star' I hope you appreciate it as much as I do.

David Essex - Stardust

Ah look what they've done to the rock'n'roll clown
Ah rock'n'roll clown, look he's down on the ground
Well he used to high fly but he crashed out the sky
In a stardust fling, hey rock 'n roll king is down

Roll on up, won't you come and take a look at me
Roll on up, come one at a time, and see me
See my painted-on grin as a stand up to sing
In a stardust fling, hey rock'n'roll king is down

But he's the leader of the band
He is a lonely man
Don't you wanna take his hand
Yes you know you can, can, can

Well he used to high fly but he crashed out the sky
In a stardust fling, hey rock'n'roll king is down
In a stardust fling, hey rock'n'roll king is down
In a stardust fling, hey rock'n'roll king is down

(sorry the video only has still photos but I couldn't find a performance one that was suitable)

Song Stuck In My Head This Week - 11th July '09 - Phantom Planet - California

This week's song has been stuck in my head for very good reason....I'm off on holiday on Thursday and California is indeed where I'm heading. I will state for the record, however, that this song does pop into my head quite frequently regardless of holiday plans as I do love it.

Although the song was used as the theme tune to the teen-drama/soap 'The OC' (forgive me for not knowing exactly what to class it as, I've never seen it!) I first discovered it by chance when flicking through the music channels and spotting the video and being struck by the fact that their drummer looked just like Keith Moon, the original drummer from The Who who died in 1978. As it turned out, though there could've been a chance of him being related to Keith because Keith's daughter has lived in LA for many years and is old enough to be the guys mother, their drummer at the time was actually actor & musician Jason Schwartzman (who I featured a couple of weeks ago) and he's related to the Coppola family. Still, if they make a movie of the life of Keith Moon - something they keep talking about - then I think he'd be ideal as long as he could do the accent.

Anyway, I digress. This 'Keith Moon' moment made me watch the entire video and I fell in love with the song. California - Los Angeles especially - is one of my favourite places in the world to be and I always enjoy going back there (next week will be my fifth visit there) so this song evokes so many memories of the place for me. LA is somewhere I feel truly at home and so the song's essence of 'we've been off having fun but we can't wait to get home' strikes a chord with me.

From this one song I began to explore their music further. I was sad to hear Jason, by then, had left to pursue his acting career (though now he does his own music I'm glad as I realy like his stuff a lot) but his departure didn't spell the end for the band and they released two more albums after his departure as well as three when he was with them and all are well worth a listen in my opinon. The band, however, are currently on haitus as they decided, after 15 years together, they just wanted to try out other musical avenues. They have said that they haven't 'split up', though, and will produce more material together in the future.

Anyway, I love this song and I hope that you will love it too....next entry will actually be from California so see you next time!! xxx


Phantom Planet - California

We've been on the run
Driving in the sun
Looking out for number one
California here we come
Right back where we started from

Hustlers grab your guns
Your shadow weighs a ton
Driving down the 101
California here we come
Right back where we started from

California!
Here we come!

On the stereo
Listen as we go
Nothing's gonna stop me now
California here we come
Right back where we started from
Pedal to the floor
Thinkin' of you more
Gotta get us to the show
California here we come
Right back where we started from

California!
Here we come!




California - Phantom Planet

Song Stuck In My Head This Week - 04th July '09 - The Jeevas - Once Upon A Time In America

A bit late this week as I went to see Blur in Hyde Park yesterday (they were glorious...though Damon needs to ditch the gold front tooth thing as it looks stupid) and then spent time in London today with my friend whose place I stayed at last night.

This week I've had a song wedged in my head by the band who were formed out of the ashes of now re-formed 90s indie-pop band Kula Shaker. The Jeevas were fronted by Crispian Mills and made a couple of really great albums before he got Kula Shaker back together.

Crispian was often mocked by the press and public for his 'hippy' tendancies but, once you got past all that, I think you'll find he's actually a really great and descriptive songwriter. Someone who can paint a picture in a few words (something I feel is key to writing great songs - though not the be all and end all of it).

I only discovered The Jeevas because I wanted to know what Crispian was doing musically as I didn't believe that Kula Shaker would have split and then he'd have disappeared forever but I have a sneaking suspicion that The Jeevas past many by which is, in my opinon, a great shame.

I now look forward to the fourth Kula Shaker album (the last one, 'Strangefolk', was fabulous) and to seeing what Crispian comes up with next.

I would also like to add that this song was not a deliberate choice for todays date...merely a fortunate coincidence...enjoy!

The Jeevas - Once Upon A Time In America

Sometimes its hard to be there,
Sometimes its hard to lie,
'Cos I've seen right through the country,
And through the all-seein' eye,
And through the all-seein' eye.

Oh there was a man he sang so pretty,
He loved me for two thousand years,
Why'd he come to New York City?
Once upon a time in America,
Once upon a time in America.

Well he said, you'd all come back again,
He said "Its hard to see",
We belong to all God's countries,
Once upon a time in America,
Once upon a time in America.

They found a piece of paradise,
And built a city there,
They didn't want to see the future,
Once upon a time in America,
Once upon a time in America.

Well he said, we'd all come back again,
This is the land of the free!
We belong to all God's countries,
Once upon a time in America,
Once upon a time in America.

Once upon a time in America
Once upon a time in America
Once upon a time in America
America

He said you'd all come back again,
This is the land of the free!
We longed to walk God's countries
Once upon a time in America
Once upon a time in America
Once upon a time in America
Once upon a time in America

Song Stuck In My Head This Week - 27th June '09 - Coconut Records - Microphone

In a week when we have lost a musical legend in the passing of Michael Jackson, it reminds everyone of just how important music can be to people. How it, and the people who perform it, can captivate the imagination, the emotion and the soul. Music is, and always has been, a huge part of my life since I was a small child (I still remember when 'Thriller' first came out and blew the world away) and that is why I like to write this blog every week to highlight songs I love. Whether they are new or old, it doesn't matter, only that I love them.

In this week where the news has helped us remember the past, I have something new to help us look to the future too.

Though most people know Jason Schwartzman as an actor, staring in films such as 'The Darjeeling Limited', 'Rushmore' & 'I ♥ Huckabees', I first encountered him through his former band 'Phantom Planet'.

I happened to see the video for their song 'California' (the theme tune to the tv show 'The OC' - I've never seen that myself mind you) and was struck by how much their drummer resembled Keith Moon, the original drummer for my favourite band The Who, and decided to find out more. I searched online only to find that he'd actually left the band to pursue his acting career.

Then, in 2007, he started a new solo music project called 'Cocnut Records' which was basically him writing and recording his own material with the occasional help of friends such as actress & singer Zooey Deschanel (someone else whose music I adore).

Jason proved to be more than just a brilliant drummer, he's also a great singer-songwriter too and I lapped up his debut release 'Nighttiming'.

This year saw the release of the second Coconut Records album 'Davy' and the first time I heard this weeks song I was hooked. It's one of those songs I can put on loop and listen to for ages. Just sweet and simple it seems to burrow its way into your head and stays there. I really love it and I hope you love it too!

Coconut Records - Microphone

Slow down, you are out of control
One of us is right, and one of us is wrong
And, I know that you're not coming home
There's nowhere to park, after it gets dark, yeah
Can't tell what I want when you sing
So keep it to yourself, I haven't missed anything

You are my voice, my microphone
You are my voice, so take me on
You are my voice

Slow down, you are out of control
It could be so easy if it didn't feel so wrong
And, warmed up and your hair is too long
What if I was young? What if I was younger?
And so, finally she showed
I never should have asked, it was a long time ago

You are my voice, my microphone
You are my voice, so take me on
You are my voice
You are my voice

You are my voice, my microphone
You are my voice my microphone
You are my voice, so take me on
You are my voice, my microphone

You are my voice
You are my voice
You are my voice

One of us is right, and one of us is wrong
One of us is right, and one of us is wrong


Microphone - Official Video